How to Calculate the Total Number of Inches Lost During Weight Loss

Tracking inches lost paints a fuller picture of your weight loss progress.

To get a more accurate account of your weight loss progress, in addition to keeping track of the total number of pounds you lose, you should also continually calculate the total number of inches lost. Resistance training as well as aerobic exercise is the generally recommended workout strategy when endeavoring to lose weight. The problem is resistance training is designed to build and tone muscles. Volume muscle, because it’s denser, weighs more than fat per unit. Therefore, if your bathroom scale shows only modest weight lost, or even weight gain, if you know you’re still losing inches you know you’re making good progress.

Things You'll Need

• Bathroom scale
• Cloth measuring tape

Instructions

1. Create a table with 12 rows and 8 columns.

2. Use the first row to label the columns as follows: “Date,” “Weight,” “Waist,” “Chest/Bust,” “L/R Upper Arm,” “Hips,” “L/ R Thighs” and “Total.”

3. Write today’s date in the “Date” category of the next row. Use a bathroom scale to weigh yourself. Write your current weight in the “Weight” category.

4. Strip down to your underwear.

5. Use the measuring tape to measure the widest part of your chest, upper arm, hips and thigh areas of your body. Measure 1 inch above your belly button when measuring your waist. Pull the tape snug but not tight. You should be standing when you take your measurements. When you measure the waist, do not suck in your gut. Measure both your left and right forearms and thighs.

6. Record each measurement on the table. Add all the measurements together and record the sum in the “Total” category.

7. Repeat Steps 3 through 6 every month over the next 10 months.

8. Subtract the current month’s “Total” from the first month’s total. The result is your current total number of inches lost from weight loss.

Tips & Warnings

• Women should not take your measurements around the time when you're menstruating when your body tends to bloat. Unlike excess fat, if your body is retaining excess water it can add inches to weight that you will soon flush away over the course of the day, or next few days, through no effort of your own.

References

• Weight-Loss-Program: How to Weigh and Measure Your Body
• Exercise4weightloss: How to Measure and Record for your Weight Tracker