Weight vs. Inches

I've been stalled out on the scale. I wouldn't say it's a true plateau because I haven't been 100% well-behaved with my eating habits. I've been eating out more often, caving in to cravings, sneaking treats, and enjoying events and weekends a bit more than I had been the first month or two on THM. The crazy thing about it is that I have still made progress in other areas. The weight loss slowed down and eventually stalled, but I still lost 1.75 inches in the past month. Huh?!? The scale has been stubbornly stuck bouncing around the same 3 or so pounds for almost three months, but I've still shown progress. How is this possible? I'm pulling your chain right? Nope! But I did do a little experiment today.

Let's take a look at how 10 pounds looks. To you, on the scale it looks like a loss. Some can lose 10 pounds their first week of a diet. Some can lose 10 pounds in two weeks by cutting out soda or sweets. For some it takes two, three, or four months to lose 10 pounds. We are all very different and our bodies move that scale at different paces. Either way... for me, here's what 10 pounds looks like. I have lost 10 pounds in six weeks, but, as I said, the scale has been hovering right around my current number for a solid three months. 

	7/3/15	8/21/15
Weight	189.8	179.0	-10 lbs

Now let's step off the scale and grab a tape measure... Maybe even a camera (although, I'm sorry to report I did not get a picture to go with this month's measurements. I was in a hurry to get started on our travels that morning). I have been taking measurements for years. Definitely not as often as I should, but regularly since starting THM. While I lost 10 pounds in a 6 weeks and have hovered there for 8 more, the impressive thing to me is the continuous change in my body while my weight stays the same and even goes up.

Check it out... This shows my measurements on July 3rd. Just six weeks later I had lost 10 pounds. The bottom of that column shows the total inches lost with that weight loss. The next column shows my measurements this past weekend... at a HIGHER weight! I've lost another two inches over the last three months! Sure, it's not the super fast progress that I had when the scale was rapidly moving downward, but considering it's been moving UP more than it's been moving down, I'll take a victory wherever I can find it. 

	7/3/15	8/21/15	11/20/15
Weight	189.8	179.0	179.8	-10 lbs
Chest	37.25	35.5	35	-2.25
Ribs	33.25	32	32	-1.25
Waist	35.75	34	34	-1.75
Belly	42.5	39.75	39	-3.50
Hips	43.75	41.25	41	-2.75
Thighs	26.75	24.5	24.5	-2.25
Calves	16	15.5	15.5	-0.50
Arms	14	13	12.5	-1.50
		6 wk loss -13.75	12 wk loss -2.00	TOTAL -15.75

Just think... if I can lose inches while not giving it 100%, what will happen when I put my mind to it!! Although, I'm sticking with my original Holiday Goals... I'm not going to stress myself out, but I want to maintain. There will always be things going on in life, I just need to recommit, forgive myself for being human, but make a solid effort for myself and my goals. I'll get there. This is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Either way... there's the proof. It's not all about the scale. There have been months that I lost on the scale and the inches hardly moved and months like this where I lose and I'm hovering closer to a gain than a loss. It just proves to me that if I never FULLY give up, I'll have success. Of course, I'll get back what I put into it too, so I won't have excellent success for subpar effort. I'm just re-motivated to stick to my guns and behave myself as often as I can. I will be rewarded for hard work!

By the way... check out those arms!! Do you think the dozens of push ups I do every time I'm at karate are starting to pay off?!? BOO-YA!