SOWL stats

I am burying the details for my Summer of Weight Loss "before" statistics, not because I care that much, but just to try to spare the innocent blog reader who is just looking to read about running. So if you run across this post, or it pops up in your Google reader, feel free to move on if you want!

As part of Mom vs. Marathon's Summer of Weight Loss, I am throwing out "before" pics and measurements (just to see if there will be any change). I took the pictures pretty casually, because I don't know that I will look too much different, even if I do lose the 10-15 pounds I want to shed. There are a lot of physical attributes that are not going to disappear no matter how much weight I lose...particularly flabby upper arms (including extra skin from previous weight loss), big thighs (heredity plus muscle), big calves (same), chubby knees (heredity plus fat, plus age adds sagginess, nice, eh?), and a ridiculous roll above my waist which is a combination of some extra skin from prior weight loss, plumped up with fat. Plus there's an age component to this, too, as I notice when I scrutinize even thin people in their 30's, 40's and beyond.

If I haven't disgusted you completely yet, here goes with the specifics. First the photos. Self portraits, with my BlackBerry camera, in a mirror. Try to ignore the clutter in the background.

For the measurements, I have included all the ones Kerrie specified (with assistance from this site), and added a couple others that seemed useful or interesting for comparison. Starting at the top. Not including head size. My weight is already posted in the ticker.

• Chest (as high as you can get under the arms): 37" (after an exhale; interestingly, 38+ if I inhale)


• Bust (at the largest point): 39"


• Bra band: 29.5"


• High waist (This is the smallest point on my torso but it is too close to the bust to be called the waist. I suspect this is why older styles are so high-waisted, and also why Clint and Stacy recommend Empire style dresses!): 29"


• Waist (below the roll of skin/fat; around the belly button or a little higher; this is where I would want the waistband of a skirt to sit): 31.5"


• Roll (this is not a real measuring spot, but this is what I get when I wrap the tape around that extra roll): 33.5"


• Hips (at the biggest point): 39.5"


• Midway (halfway between hips and waist, this is what I would call the abdomen; it is not the largest point because my hips taper up to the waist): 36"

So far, pretty proportional and not too shocking, right? Now for my hammy limbs....

• Right thigh: 24" - Left thigh: 23"


• Right calf: 17.5" - Left calf: 17.5"


• Right knee: 15.5" - Left knee: 15.5"


• Right ankle (smallest point above bone): 9.75" - Left ankle: 9.75"


• Right upper arm: 12+" - Left upper arm: 12+"


• Right forearm: 10" - Left forearm: 10"


• Right wrist (over wristbone): 6.25" - Left wrist: 6"

I haven't taken my measurements much since I was in junior high and high school. Back then I did it a lot. Partly because I did some sewing and measurements are important (if you really want to depress yourself, look at the standard size/measurement charts for dressmaking!). Back then I had a 26" waist and ballooned up to 28" when I got fatter. My mother had a 23" waist when she got married so obviously I was already "big" by the time I was 14! Obviously a 26" waist is no longer realistic (even if I go with the "high waist"), but I think 29" would be nice....

Anyhow, it will be interesting to see if there are any changes.