How Many Inches...?

Cheiri

Cheiri

New member
How Many Inches Is It Safe to Lose...?

I was wondering, how many inches is it safe to lose in a period of time? I know it's healthy to loose 2 lbs maximum a week (usually), but I've switched to counting inches (waist) and was wondering what should I expect to loose in a month or few weeks, for example. I want to not weigh myself, and only go by inches.


Thank you in advance!
 
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Cheiri said:
I was wondering, how many inches is it safe to lose in a period of time? I know it's healthy to loose 2 lbs maximum a week (usually), but I've switched to counting inches (waist) and was wondering what should I expect to loose in a month or few weeks, for example. I want to not weigh myself, and only go by inches.


Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...


i have no idea...
i would just go by how clothes felt on you...
someone told me 10lbs = one clothes size...don't know how true it is though...
 
baglady2713 said:
i have no idea...
i would just go by how clothes felt on you...
someone told me 10lbs = one clothes size...don't know how true it is though...
Click to expand...

Not in the plus sizes, though when you get down to the smaller ones the difference between sizes seems to get smaller.

I had to lose a LOT more than 10 pounds to drop a size when I first started out. I think in the end I had to lose between 20 and 30 pounds to drop that first size.

Womens' sizing is bullshit anyway.
 
It will take a much greater loss of weight for a 250lb person to lose one inch (around her waist, for example), than for a 150lb person (we'll assume they're the same height) because of difference in percentage of body mass/weight distribution.

For the 250lb person, 10lbs is 4% of her body mass.
For the 150lb person, 10lbs is about 7% of her body mass.

So for person 250, weight loss of 10lbs might not result in a noticeable loss of girth (inches), whereas for person 150, it will likely be very noticeable - maybe several inches.

Another - sillier - way to think of it is like this:

Imagine you have two sticks (people). One stick is 1" in diameter, the other is 4" in diameter. Now, you have two equal sized balls of play-dough (let's say 1lb). You have to wrap one ball of play-dough around each stick, like a belt. The 1" stick will have a thicker belt, and the 4" stick will have a thinner belt.

Which means that how many inches it's safe to lose is relative to your overall weight/size, and I don't know if there's any advice out there on how to determine that. If you're following a sensible diet and exercise plan like the many stickies around the forum describe, then you're probably on the right track.

P.S. I'm sure that jokes about my sticks and (play-dough) balls will follow.
 
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Oh you guys, making me laugh so much :D

Sticks and balls and inches - oh my!

But anyway, I've read that you want your hip-waist ratio to be less than .8. Right now, my hips are 40" and my waist 37", so to be at .8 I would need a 32" waist to be at exactly .8 and 31" to be under it (waist divided by hip). Although, I'm sure I will lose a little off my hips as I lose weight, so I'd have to keep recalculating. I'm not aiming to be a perfect hourglass figure, I just want to be healthy - though looking pregnant what I'm not isn't all that fun, either.

I switched to measuring my weight loss by inches instead of pounds because of my mindset. I fluctuate a few pounds (like everyone) and that affects me, even though it shouldn't, so I slow down my progress and end up at square one. It's not like I can fluctuate inches, though, haha. So that's why I was just asking, when to measure myself-- like a standard, or a "weigh in" day. (Because I know 2 lbs a week is max, but dont know how many inches/cm a month/week/whatever is)

Thanks for all your "punny" replies, guys. I really appreciate them!
 
Your overall body shape usually doesn't change when you lose weight. Your higher hip to waist ratio has to do with how your body carries fat, not just how much you carry. The good news is, people who carry fat in their midsection tend to lose this fat more easily than bottom-heavy people. A lower body fat percentage will probably ultimately have the effect you're looking for - at least, that's how I understand it.

I think tracking your weight loss by inches instead of pounds is just as reasonable as any other method - but since it's such a relative thing, deciding what's "safe" to lose in inches seems pretty much impossible. Two pounds a month is the same for EVERYONE. Two inches/centimeters differs from one person to another.

That's why I suggested following a practical, healthy diet/exercise plan, and just use your measurements to chart your progress.

...I really just responded to this thread because I wanted to talk about play dough.
 
hmm

I cant really give you a definate answer, but all I know now is at my size 5 pounds is a whole size.

haha
So I dont really have a definate answer for ya!
Plus, everyone loses different, and not only that, but it depends on exercise+diet as opposed to just dieting...



On an afterthought, I agree with whomever stated that womens sizing is bullshit!

I wear 3 different (OR MORE!) sizes at the same weight.
WTF is up with that!?!? hahah
 
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