Body Measurements

Taking your body measurements is the best way to keep track of your changing shape as you lose fat and get fit.

If you are losing inches, then most likely you are also losing fat! Yay!    It’s super important that you realize that when you burn fat and increase your muscle mass, you may weigh a bit more even though your body is getting tighter and smaller.  So you gotta measure!

Keeping Track of Your Body Measurements:

Here is how you take 7 different body area measurements, plus your weight. All you need is a tape measure (not the metal kind of course) and the blank body measurement chart you can download for free below.  Remember to keep your muscles relaxed while you’re measuring.

1. Weight:  Weigh yourself ONCE a week; don’t be obsessive and weigh yourself every day, especially since women can fluctuate 1 or 2 lbs day to day depending on the time of the month!
2. Chest/Bust (for women): Don’t squish yourself — measure all the way around your bust and back right at your nipple line, and make sure the tape measure is not lower.
3. Chest (for men): Measure around the chest at the nipple line, keeping the tape measure parallel to this line when you reach it around your back.
4. Waist: Measure wherever it is the smallest (if you have “no waist” go around yourself right at the navel line).
5. Right/Left Upper arm: Measure wherever your arms are the biggest above your elbows, i.e., the largest part of your biceps, with arms at your side (NOT FLEXED)
6. Right and Left thighs: Measure your thighs wherever they are the biggest, usually at the upper part of the thighs.
7. Hips: Measure at the very biggest part of your hips — even if that is so low that you are almost on the top of your thighs.  Be sure to keep the tape measure straight around.
8. Belly (additional if you like): Measure midway between the very biggest part of your hips and your waist.  (Note: You can add this measurement to the chart in the blank space).

Important Tip When Measuring:

It is important to note that when you measure yourself, you measure at the same time of the day. So if you measured yourself first thing on a Monday morning, then two weeks later, measure again on a Monday morning. You don’t want to measure yourself Sunday night after a big dinner!!

Free Body Measurement Chart For You!

Below is a free body measurement chart you can copy and print out to keep track of your measurements. Be sure to put down the date you are first measuring. Then every two weeks re-measure yourself, and write down the date, the measurements and whatever the change is (+ or –) in inches. Be sure to write down whatever the change is, even if it’s ¼ inch, because it adds up. Then write down the total measurement change at the bottom.

Download Your FREE Body Measurement Chart Here

You should retake your body measurements every two weeks. If you continue to work out and eat a clean diet, you will see results in your measurements and the feeling of accomplishment will put a huge smile on your face.

Be sure to write down the total inches lost, because you will be pleasantly surprised too how a ¼ here or a ½ there adds up to several inches dropped overall if you diligently stick to your healthy workout and eating plan.

If you need more ideas for and tips for helping you with your weight loss goals, check out this post with more wellness tools!

Write to me if you need any other info!

To your Best Health