I weighed in a day early and my swollen knee and sore upper body led to a slight gain. No biggie, as I lost 5 inches around my waist.

Tomorrow we’re painting our bedroom, so I decided to weigh-in a day early. I also took my measurements this morning, the first time in 2-½ months. While the scale was not kind, my measuring tape showed me some big love.

I gained 2 pounds this week. Considering I awoke with a right knee swollen to the size of a large cantaloupe, I’m not surprised. Plus my abs and triceps are killing me from my upper body workouts this week. For the most part I ate right and drank all my water, although I had a wee bit too much wine. The vino maybe part of the weight gain, but I suspect all the scale showed was a mass of water retention and inflammation.

My measurements however, are a different story. I’ve said this before, but looking at how your clothes fit and taking your measurements paints a much more accurate picture of what is going on with your body.

On the clothes front, I’ve noticed I’m cinching my belt a few more notches. Clearly something is amiss.

My body decided to turn into a belly fat burning machine since July. I’ve shed 5 inches off my waist, requiring a little belt-tightening.

Turns out my upper arms, hips and thighs are pretty much the same as in July. I only lost half an inch off my chest. All the action happened on my waistline. I’ve lost 5 inches off my waist. For whatever reason, my body turned into a belly fat burning machine (woo hoo!).

Since my little journey began, I’ve lost 51 inches off my body.  Whoa!  I don’t care what the scale says today, I’m on cloud 9.

The Big Picture: Why The Scale Doesn’t Matter
The scale truly is a snapshot at a given time. During the course of a day your weight shows many fluctuations. Step on the scale at the “wrong” time and you’ll think you’ve gained several pounds in less than a day.

That little number seems so tangible that it’s easy to ignore the little things like:

• Crossing your legs
• Bending over and seeing your feet
• Improved mobility
• Fitting easier into an airline seat
• Building muscle (which weighs more than fat!)

None of those things have a number. They seem subjective, but they are very real for us fatties. We tend not to notice them when they first happen because we are so focused on that blasted scale.

Am I telling you not to weigh yourself? Of course not. But perspective is important.