- Always use a cloth measuring tape, not a metal one, as it’s much more accurate.
- Do your measurements in the nude first thing in the morning, it’s the best way to avoid your clothes getting in the way as well as steering clear of post-meal bloating.
- Breathe normally and don’t ‘suck in’ to get a better number as it won’t be reflective of your true stats.
- Measure in front of a mirror, to ensure that your tape is straight. This is especially important when measuring hips as it’s hard to see if your tape is in line.
- Remember to write them down, as it would be impossible to remember them all. Plus you can then see your progress over time.
- Pull the tape so that it is snug but not too tight.
- Be consistent with your measuring. We want these done the first week of every month and entered on your “Measurements” Form contained in your Google Drive Client File.
Breasts
Place one end of the tape measure at the fullest part of your breast, which is usually your nipple. Wrap the rest of the tape around your back and under your arms to join back up.
Chest
This is measured just under your breasts, where your bra line goes.
Waste
Your waist is easy to find. It’s the natural fold that you get when you bend over to one side. Located just above your belly button, it tends to be the smallest part on your torso. Place one end of the tape above your belly button and bring the other side of the tape around your back to join up again.
Stomach
Use your belly button as the measuring point for your stomach. The key is just to be consistent and this makes it super easy to do so.
Hips
Measure at the widest point of your hips or bottom. It’s really important to be in front of a mirror for this one as it’s tough to see if your tape is level.
Thighs
Use the fullest part of your thigh as the point to measure. This may be ever so slightly different on each leg, so you will need to measure both separately.
Upper Arms
Once again it’s the fullest part that you want to measure. Be sure to write down the measurement for each arm separately. Often your dominant arm can be more muscular (as it’s used for lifting bags, babies, and shopping) which can affect the numbers.
Calves
On each leg, measure the largest part of your lower leg.
Remember – the scale can lie right to your face!
As you begin doing exercise and weight training exercises you will gain lean muscle tissue, a substance which weighs more and is denser than fat. So you may actually see the number on the scale move up or down. Even though the scale may fluctuate, it doesn’t mean that you’re not moving closer to your goal(s). Muscle is more dense than fat, so it takes up less space. Your clothes may fit completely different and you may see no change on the scale – this is why taking measurements each month as well as weighing yourself is important. It is also a good point to note that this extra lean muscle tissue has added benefits too – muscle will help raise your metabolism too which helps to burn more fat – win win!
