Confirmed - I'm definitely getting smaller

You don't need a tape measure to know you are getting smaller. There are other signs of course. Your bra strap needs to be tightened, or your belt does (not a belt wearer, so not my experience). Your pants get baggy all over. You can see it in the mirror and clothing size. You can even feel it in movement - it's easier to move a thinner body.

But, it is nice to have measurements so you can verify it. it's not just the pants stretching out or the elastic getting shot in the bra - it's truly getting smaller.

So, I took measurements on April 4th. I decided to wait 3 months to take them again. To make it easier to remember to do, I decided to take them on the first of the month.

Here they are:

4/5/14, 7/1/14

Hips (widest part): 49, 46
Natural waist sucked in: 41, 38
Natural waist relaxed: 44, 41
Belly Button sucked in: 44, 41.5
Belly Button relaxed: 47, 44.5
Boobs: 47, 45
Bra band: 39, 37
Thigh (widest part): 28, 26.25
Calf (widest part); 17.5, 17.25
*Upper arm (widest part): 17, 16.25
Neck: 16.25, 16.25
Wrist: 7.25, 7.13

* arms are getting significantly smaller, but with bat wings, they droop lower, so take up more measuring tape than they would if my skin shrunk up.

That's pretty good progress! 30 pounds and basically 3" everywhere I tend to gain the most weight - my torso.

Let me compare that to a similar weight during my last weight loss:

Boobs:  45"
Waist:  37"
Hips: 46"
Upper Arm: 16"
Thigh:  27"

Pretty similar - Thighs are slimmer now and waist is thicker now. Basically, mother nature at work with being 2 years old and the middle age spread (bigger gut).

I'll measure again in 3 months, so October 1st. Once I get closer to goal, I'll measure more often to help with motivation as the losses come to a crawl.

Measurements

I finally tracked down a fabric tape measure. I refused to buy another one even though they are only a buck at Joanne's (or at least they used to be) because I know I have at least four of them!

So... Tracked it down and took measurements.  I took more than I did the first time around because I learned that the body drops from different parts of the body at different times and sometimes it's where you didn't measure!  I didn't measure EVERYTHING, but enough.

So... weight was 240.6 (Saturday) when I took these measurements. I compare them to the weight I was when I took similar measurements at a similar weight of 239.2

                                   February 28, 2011:            April 5, 2014:

Widest Bust:                        46                               47 
Under Bust:                                                            39
Narrowest Waist sucked in: 40                               41
Narrowest Waist relaxed:                                       44
Belly Button sucked in:                                          44
Belly Button relaxed:                                              47
Widest part of Hips:            49                                49
Upper Thighs:                     28.5                             28
Widest part of Calf:                                                17.5
Upper Arms:                       16.5                             17
Neck:                                                                      16.25
Wrist:                                                                        7.25

So my gut reaction was that I was slightly bigger in the boobs and mid-section than before and my legs were a bit thinner. Ah, the classic apple shape getting more and more pronounced as I enter menopause territory.  That's another great reason to get with the program and lose weight, but more important get fit. I don't want to turn into a complete apple!

In other news, my blood pressure (with medication) is getting much better. It was 127/82. I'm pretty sure it's safe for me to exercise now. I see the NP on Monday, so I'll see. For today and tomorrow I'll just plan on some light walking and then I'll amp it up and then hopefully, very quickly cut back on the blood pressure medication with more added fitness and improving thyroid function.

Well, goodness, I did get smaller!

So, I was all bummed at the 10.25 pounds lost in 8 weeks. Especially knowing that some of that was water weight from coming down from carbs. But you know what? I lost quite a few inches!

My starting chest was 40.5
My starting waist was 35.75
My starting hip was 44.5

This is where I was at 190 as we didn't take measurements for the first 1.5 weeks. That means I was even bigger at the beginning of the challenge.

My ending measurements at 183.5 were:

Ending chest: 39.75
Ending waist: 34.75
Ending hip: 42.5

So, in 6 weeks I lose 3/4s of an inch from my chest, 1 inch from my waist and 2 inches from my hips. That's like a fast loss for me! And no wonder I wasn't feeling smaller, or felt my waist was getting bigger. In the past, my waist would go down more than the hips/chest. This time, the hips went down faster and probably from all the leg/butt work we were doing (tons of squats, etc).

Still bums me out a bit as I was at 39-31-41. Ugh... just gotta keep working!

And no scale!!!!

I am also doing a fitness challenge with myself. I am going to try to work out 80 hours in 84 days (12 weeks).  Off in a few to do hour 2. It always seems so daunting at the beginning of a challenge!