Measures of success

If you are anything like me, the chances are you have possibly set your weight loss goals on a specific number. Your ideal weight.

For years now I've been hung up on this elusive number. The weight I envision myself in my wildest dreams (these dreams also include a long and sexy persuit (and trist) with Wentworth Miller where I am the envy of woman worldwide). The reality is of course that the number I'd previously set my sights on is the digit I weighed at the tender age of 10! Completely unrealistic, especially if I want to be more than a skeleton with a tent of skin!

One thing I've started realising and actually put more stock in of late is other tangible measures of success. How do I feel? How do my clothes look and fit? Do I have muscles other than the one I flap about daily in my mouth? Do I have some general tone where a muscle should be? What are my measurements? How fit have I become?

Since taking these factors into consideration I have become accutely aware of the many and varied ways in which I can feel great about myself and see changes in my body.

One tiny (ironic at a Weight Watchers meeting) flaw I have found with Weight Watchers is the value they place in stepping on those blasted scales each week. I understand of course that at some of their meetings there are simply to many 'watchers' to faciliate anything other than a quick date with the scales and a number presented to you in your pocket book. Nonetheless, I am all to aware that the faces of my fellow weighers reflect the success or failure they feel they have had based solely on the digits now presented to them in smudged black pen!

It is entirely possible, and often likely, that weight-loss success will not be reflected with an actual body mass loss. Sometimes it's possible to lose size around your mid-section, or gain a lovely toned calf (maybe even 2) without seeing that reflected on the scales.

Muscle Man has the right idea in my opinion. He determines his success based on how much of the sun he can block out when he flexes his bicep! I now try and measure my success based on the size of my muffin top - when it's not billowing out of my pants like a sail on a yacht I know I am on track!

I thought it a timely reminder to myself (and possibly my readers) to review my own measurements in this regard:

16 December 2007: June 2009

Waist: 90cm ----------------------> 79cm

Hips: 100.5cm ----------------------> 88cm

Left Arm: 34cm ---------------------> 28cm

Right Arm: 34cm --------------------> 27cm

Left Thigh: 57cm --------------------> 53cm

Right Thigh: 58cm -------------------> 52cm

Right Shin: 38cm --------------------> 33cm

Left Shin: 37cm ---------------------> 34cm

This is a total loss of 54.5cm (and just think, if I included my boobs it would be around the 80 mark!).

Being a numbers gal I'm pretty happy glowing over my 54cm alongside my 20 kilo one ;o)

** The towel rack really is a lovely helper! I often lightly rest my arm on mine if I am after a loss of 500 grams in the space of 20 seconds ;o)