When it comes to exercise and weight loss, there are plenty of ways to track your progress. Of course, there's the scale, which is probably the easiest and most accessible, but there's a big problem it’s a crude way of checking your progress. Unfortunately, it will regularly lie to you.
The scale measures everything—every sip of water, every bite of food, your bones, muscles, organs, fat. There's no way to distinguish between what you're gaining (which could just be water) or losing (which, again, could be water).
That's where body measurements come in. Taking your measurements is a better way to track progress because you get an idea of what's happening with your body.
Knowing how to take body measurements is a valuable tool if you are trying to change your body composition by losing fat and/or adding muscle.
There are a few things to keep in mind when taking body measurements. First, wear fitted clothing or no clothing at all if you can. Stand with your feet together and your body relaxed for all the measurements.
How to Measure Yourself
Be sure to use a flexible, inelastic tape measure. A cloth measuring tape is a good option.
For accuracy, take your measurements at least twice. Take the average of both measurements to get your final numbers.
For all measurements, pull the tape measure so that it sits on the surface of the skin, but doesn't compress the skin.
Every time you retake your measurements, take them at the same time and under the same circumstances, so you can trust the results. For example, some people prefer to take measurements first thing in the morning before eating or drinking.
You can record your measurements in this progress chart every four weeks to see if you're losing fat. Some people may lose inches without losing weight. That may be a sign you're losing fat and gaining muscle.
Where to Measure
Here's where to measure different body parts:
Abs: Stand with your feet together and torso straight but relaxed, and find the widest part of your torso, often around your belly button.
Arms: Stand up straight with one arm relaxed, and find the midpoint between the shoulder bone and the elbow of that arm.
Calves: Measure halfway between the knee and the ankle.
Chest: Stand with your feet together and torso straight, and find the widest part around your bust.
Hips: This is the widest part of your glutes. Try looking in a mirror while standing sideways. Make sure the tape is parallel to the floor.
Thighs: Look for the midpoint between the lower part of the glutes and the back of the knee, or use the widest part of the thigh.
Waist: Measure at naval point, one inch above and one inch below the navel.
How Body Measurements Change Over Time
Body Composition
One thing people want when they start a weight loss program is to make the fat go away in some areas, but stay put in other areas. Unfortunately, we can't choose from where the fat comes off. Everyone's body composition—how much fat, muscle, and other tissues you have—is different and will change over time based on your lifestyle and activities, as well as the ageing process.
Muscle vs. Fat
Another odd phenomenon of weight loss is that it's entirely possible to lose inches from your body without actually losing weight on the scale. This is another reason that the scale can be deceptive, because, as mentioned previously, it weighs everything, and it can't tell you what comes off or what goes on.
When you gain muscle, you may be losing inches even though you're not losing weight, and that's perfectly normal if you've added strength training to your routine, or you're doing a new activity that triggers your body to build more lean muscle tissue. Muscle weighs more than fat, but it takes up less space. If your goal is to build muscle, this is a great sign that you are achieving your goal.
That's why taking your measurements can tell you more than the scale and also why it's body composition, not your weight, that really tells the true story.
Tracking Your Progress
It's wise to take measurements every two to four weeks to see how your efforts are affecting your body composition while you are actively trying to build muscle, lose weight, or both. If you are trying to maintain your results, taking measurements every month or two should suffice.
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