Taking measurements?

This topic contains 5 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by angela2016 8 years, 8 months ago.

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angela2016

5:34 pm
2 Mar 16
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Hi all,
I’m trying to track my progress with a measuring tape instead of a scale because the scale makes me obsessive.
But I’m not sure if I’m doing it right. Last week I thought my hip measure had gone down an inch but my waist had stayed the same (probably wrong, because that’s a lot in one week) and now this week I’m getting the old him measure but the waist measure is half an inch smaller.
I have no idea if I’m making progress or not!

QuietOne

6:01 pm
2 Mar 16
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It’s best if you have a helper, it can be difficult to do by yourself. Keep your arms loose at your side and your neck and spine naturally straight. No slouch or stretch.

each thigh – widest point put the tape around and slide up letting it slip until reaches that point where it starts to narrow. Do right and left

Each bicep with arm loose not making a muscle.

Each forearm at widest point

Hips around the body at the hip socket

Waist – across the belly button.

Chest – two measurements. Across the widest portion of the chest (usaully across the nipples) and just under the armpit.

Neck – just under the Adams apple or where shirt collar would naturally go.

One or two week(s) you are not liable to see much change. Your mileage and shrinkage may vary. When your pants fall down on they’re own you know something is happening. Keep punching or drilling new holes in the belt. Be perpared to buy 3 belts in the first year, of course this will depend on your weight.

angela2016

6:03 pm
2 Mar 16
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thanks!
I think you are right: I’m taking my measurements too often.
It’s hard because I want to know if I’m making progress but don’t want to use the scale.
I like this diet, though! Not eating a couple days a week is so much easier than eternal starvation.

QuietOne

6:06 pm
2 Mar 16
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The great thing of 5:2 is how individualized it becomes. Every person tweaks it to fit themselves.

5:2 isn’t FAST. It isn’t Expensive. It does work. It is sustainable. You will reconnect with your food and establish better control over your eating and health.

Cinque

9:41 pm
2 Mar 16
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Hi Angela, I’m like you, scales make me obsessive – and do my head in.
Measurements are nearly as bad!

I was lucky that my first fast day felt so good that I immediately became confident in the whole process, and while I do stand on my daughters dodgy scales every few months, and occasionally measure my waist, I haven’t actually found them useful.

I know I am unusual, but I find it works fine to just concentrate first on making 5:2 a sustainable way of life. This gives me plenty to do. I have tweaked how I do my fast days, to fit in best with my life, and I have noticed how fasting effects my non fast days, and analysed what and how I am eating and how I am changing. Secondly, now I am getting close to my right shape, I am thinking about how I will manage maintenance, and what are the eating patterns that suit me best.

There are lots of useful things about weighing and measuring, but I’d like to just say, focussing on the process, not the results, works too. Just keep going!

Best wishes and all good things.

angela2016

11:44 am
3 Mar 16
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Cinque,
What a great attitude/approach you have!
Would you mind sharing your tweaks to your fast days? I agree that sustainable way of life is the goal.

I’ve been doing 4:3 just for the continuity of it. I do find I can’t eat as much. Last weekend we had company and I ate a big meal; not a huge meal but a big one and I was so miserable after! I couldn’t sleep. And I find that on eat days the between meal cravings are much less.

But I still do struggle on fast days, especially the Wednesday one. I don’t eat anything from dinner to dinner, because that works best, but I find I get so hungry I can’t concentrate.