Measuring Weight Loss

Is weighing oneself on the scale the only way to measure weight loss? No, there are different ways of measuring fitness success.

I have always weighed myself at my local doc’s clinic. Before marriage, I had joined a gym where I weighed myself every day morning before starting the workouts. We never bought a bathroom scale and neither did my neighbors have it. Going every month to the doc for knowing how much you weighed did not fit in.

The easiest way for me to know that I am losing or gaining weight is the fit of my clothes. If I shed a kilo or 2, my clothes seem to fit a bit loose. I do not have to pull back my tummy to look thinner. I remember buying a Levi’s jeans somewhere in 2000. It was figure hugging blue jeans which I wore every weekend to work. One fine day, while pulling it up, I realized that I could not button and zip up. I became conscious of the fact that I had gained weight around my belly area. I realized the need to drop some pounds so that I could fit in my favorite jeans. But, alas I could not do so. One fine day in early 2004, when I was cleaning my closet, I came across the very same blue jeans and tried it on. And voila it fitted me perfectly. I did not have to pull back my tummy to button and zip up. Though everyone wore formal at work, I went to work next day in semi-casuals – jeans and kurti. I knew there would be oohs and aahs. It then dawned on me that all my salwar kameez had become loose in fitting. I got the tailor to alter most of my clothes again. And I was happy. And yes, I still had not weighed myself on the scales.

Before marriage I had wanted to get rid of some more flab, so I joined a gym near my home. I had to weigh myself everyday in the morning before starting the workouts. The workout routine was crunches one day and cardio the next. I did not manage to shake off much weight.

During pregnancy, I put on 18 kilos. I did not suffer from any kind of morning sickness, et al. I ate practically everything from raaste ka khana to Macs and pizzas. I was 80 kgs at the time of my delivery and 8 kilos lighter the next day of delivery. Throughout my pregnancy I could not wear my wedding ring as it had become tight. Post delivery I somehow managed to shove it down my ring finger with the help of soap. The 8 kgs that I had lost piled up faster than ever all thanks to the goodies one has to eat after delivery. When I came back to my home after 2 months, I avoided going to social occasions or parties as my clothes did not fit me. I was buying large size clothes to hide my bulky frame. I resigned myself to it… I was obviously jealous of other yummy mummies who had managed to shed weight so soon after pregnancy. At the first birthday party, I got comments, like ‘you have not lost weight’, ‘you have put on quite a bit around your tummy.’ etc, al, which got me more depressed.

Few months after the first birthday party, I started working full time. The daily work grind, home chores, etc made me lose around 12 kilos. I realized that I had lost weight when my clothes become loose in fitting. Casuals made look slimmer than formal salwar kameez. The wedding ring became a bit loose on the finger. So out came all my old dresses, which I hardly wore after marriage as I got pregnant soon after. But alas after 5 months of working, I decided to quit as I wanted to study. The very first month at home made me gain half the kilos that I had lost and then the weight just kept increasing. And I was back to wearing my large sized clothes.

Now that I have again started a workout routine, I have managed to lose 3 kilos; I can feel the difference through the fit of my salwar kameez. I have again started wearing jeans that I bought for my honeymoon. Once figure hugging salwar kameez are now a little loose around the waist. I feel a rush of energy running through me every time I tackle household chores and I can climb three floors carrying my 12 kilo bundle of joy without huffing and puffing.

What I am trying to say is that weighing yourself on the scale is not THE only way of measuring weight loss. The fit of the clothes, easy climbing up of the stairs and hill, household chores having become gradually easier and increase in amount of energy levels are some of the other ways to gauge the weight loss progress.