How to Calculate Total Inches Lost From Exercise

Waist circumference is most strongly associated with health risks.
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Physical activity plays a crucial role in your health. Exercise helps balance the body's energy to keep weight within a healthy range, among other things. If you're starting a workout plan, calculating your total inches lost is a good way to compare your body composition before and after. It is easy to calculate how many inches you've lost by taking your measurements in the beginning, and at the end. Keep in mind that both diet and exercise contribute to the number of inches you will lose.

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Step 1

Take your measurements before you start your weight-loss regimen. Common sites of girth measurement include the chest, upper arm, waist, hip, thigh and neck.

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Step 2

Record your starting measurements in a notebook, excel sheet, or weight-tracking program.

Step 3

Determine how frequently you plan to measure yourself. Although you only need your starting and ending measurements, tracking as you go helps keep you motivated and on track toward your goal. Take your measurements at least once a month, and record them as you go.

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Step 4

Calculate your total inches lost by subtracting your ending measurements for each body part from your starting measurements. Then, add the total inches lost for each body part together to get your total inches lost. For example, if your waist measured 48 inches at the start and 42 inches at the end of your workout program, you lost 6 inches in your waist.

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