Would you rather lose pounds or inches? (long)

[Tera]

Hi Lisa...

Figure I'd add my 2 cents too. I agree with everyone here... go for the inches, not the weight. As you lose the inches, the weight WILL come off. Keep exercising and drink LOTS LOTS and LOTS of water. I'm 5'4" and 188 and I'm squeezing into a size 16. I carry almost all my weight on the bottom (hips, butt, thighs) so I know once I start losing that, I'll be able to get into those smaller jeans. My goal is 140 and to be in a size 10 (8 would be really really nice )

Keep up the great work!!!

 

[cobbler]

OH DEF. INCHES!!!!

Ok give you a crazy scenerio about me. Before I had my son I was 110lbs and a size 6. Well after giving birth I obviously went up. But after working out and exercising well and all that jazz. I can hover around 115-118 and be a size 2-4.

That is because of the muscle I have gained and it takes up less space then fat! It burns more calories at rest.

So throw the scale away and be happy about the inches lost

 

[Kimickey]

I feel like the OP. I'm 5'9 and weigh 154. I had my second baby last December and reach an all time high of 180lbs. I was disgusted. Almost a year later I'm only down to a lousy 154. My normal weight is 135. It's been a struggle to get there and it's very discouraging when you step on the scale after running 6-7 miles and working out hard only to find your weight has not budged. Yes the size 10's that I bought after I had my son are baggy on me and the size 8's are starting to get baggy. No losing the weight that you want is very discouraging. My goal is to get back down to my usual size of a 4-6 and it's HARD. To me losing inches does not seem like sucess even though it is, I would perfer to lose the weight I can always tone up. I too am frustrated and want to scream. But I understand what everyone is talking about

Kim

 

[wtpclc]

Kim - You said your goal was to get down to a size 4-6. That's losing inches. I know that it's hard, I want to lose pounds too, but if you're running that much and losing inches, you're replacing fat with muscle. You won't see the wieght change as easily, but you will get to your goal size. Keep up the good work. Don't let that darn scale frustrate or discourage you!

 

[wilderness01]

Inches

 

[NancyIL]

Congratulations on getting into size 10's and 12's! We are weight-obsessed, at least in the US. What matters is how you look and feel in your clothes.

My scale has barely budged since I lost my initial weight a year ago. If not for the exercise I do, it would surely have gone up, because of the junk I sometimes eat. I don't know what my measurements were 25 pounds ago, or what they are now. I just know I'll be happy when my tummy is a lot flatter, and when my thighs lose the saddlebags, all while hoping to maintain what I have on top!

 

[harvey]

Been lurking here a few days.....but wanted to say that my focus right now is pounds. I am on WW (not for much longer though). My goal is to get at least into the upper 'range' for my height/weight, then begin really toning. For me it is totally a mental thing....my dh is a very small man and weighs only 145 at the most. So psychologically I want to weigh the same or less, and fit into his jeans, lol.

I have lost 30# and do the 8 minutes in the Morning routine (weight training/toning), but as soon as I began adding power walking, the scale stopped. It just freaked me out big time. So I am just doing the weights for now. For me, the motivation comes from the scale going down, not so much by the way my clothes fit or the size.

BTW, my goal is to be 145 and a size 10. At my thinnest (137#) 15 years ago I was a 12.

Here is a pic of us from DW 18 months ago....I had gained since then, but am about this size now again after my 30# loss.
http://www.theharveys.org/gallery/album01/P1310027

Anyway, glad to find this board.

 

[johde]

Honestly some of both. As others have said losing lbs is a day to day thing that shows me I'm doing the right things (most of the time). For me, I don't notice the inches as much most of the time. When I look down at my self, I still see the same person, even though I've lost a good 6" around the middle. Where I do notice it is when I go to the amusement park. I am riding rides I couldn't ride before and the rides I could ride are more comfortable. That is one of the things that gives me long term motivation. Right now, my long term goal is to get to around 225lb and about a 38" - 40" waist.