91 Immutable Laws of Weight Loss

# 4 - Law of Measurement

�You can�t manage what you can�t measure.� � W. Edward Deming

A top weight loss rule is the Law of Measurement. The key tool to losing weight is the bathroom scale. Most overweight people hate weighing themselves. This is because they find it depressing.  If you don�t know what you weigh then maybe you�re not overweight.

Think of driving a car without a speedometer or a gas gauge. Without these measuring devices, you�d get speeding tickets or run out of gas. Without weighing yourself every day you�ll be overweight.

Weigh yourself every day no matter what. This action will let you see if you�re gaining, losing weight or staying the same. Before you do anything else you could just follow this rule until you�re consistent with it for about two weeks. Don�t change anything yet. Your goal here is to make your daily weigh-in a habit. One reason to weigh yourself each day is to find out how much weight you can gain in one day. We�ll use this number to help keep the weight off.  You�ll also use this number to decide when you can eat what you want and when you can�t.

If you don�t have a scale, go buy one right now or do it at the soonest possible moment. Go to http://Amazon.com and order a bathroom scale. It doesn�t need to have every bell and whistle, just accurately take your weight.

When you get your scale you need to set it up. Most scales will require batteries and have a small note on how to use it. Read this and set up the scale. Make sure the scale is on a flat surface without carpeting.  Take your weight. Step off the scale and test your weight again. Your weight should be within 0.2 pounds. If it�s more than this you may have a problem with the scale. You could use an average of the two values by adding the two numbers and then dividing the result by two.

Weighing yourself each day won�t cause weight loss, only changing your diet and exercise can. It will make you familiar with where you are in terms of your goal and help to decide what action to take each day. It can motivate you. I weighed myself the day after Thanksgiving and my weight was above my goal. I decided beforehand to go to my office if I was above my goal to get an automatic six-mile walk. If I was below my goal I could work from home as I didn�t need the walk. Seeing my weight really motivates me to make the daily adjustments I need to make. Let�s say I didn�t weigh myself because I was worried I gained too much weight. I wouldn�t have walked. I might have eaten food I shouldn�t and then wouldn�t want to weigh myself the next day and then all of a sudden I�d be up 10 pounds and wouldn�t want to see this. So, as painful as it is to see your weight go up, you�ll be in more pain from not weighing yourself.

The next thing to do is measure your height. Remove your shoes and stand against a wall. Have someone put a pencil mark on a piece of paper you tape to the wall. Using a yard stick or tape measure calculate your height in inches. We will use this number to calculate your BMI or Body Mass Index. You can use your favorite search engine to find a calculator on the internet.

The BMI is used to determine if you�re overweight and how much weight loss is needed. To calculate your BMI you take your weight in pounds and divide it by the square of your height in inches. Then multiply the result by 703. If this value is:
� over 40, you are considered morbidly obese
� between 30 � 40 obese,
� 25 � 30 overweight,
� 18.5 � 25 normal weight
� below 18.5 underweight.

I�m 5�9� and weighed 158 pounds (when I did this calc). Converting my height to inches 5 * 12 + 9 = 69.   So my height squared  is 69 * 69 = 4,761. Taking my weight of 158 and dividing by 4,761 = 0.03318631 then multiplying this by 703 = 23.32 which is the normal range. Before I started dieting my BMI was 27.3 which is overweight. Calculate your BMI now to see where you stand.

Start weighing yourself each day upon awakening.  The most important part of weighing yourself is to be consistent. I weigh myself upon awakening in my birthday suit after I�ve emptied my bladder and before I take my morning shower.

The placement of your scale is important. Put the scale in a place you�ll see it so you remember to take your weight.  If you can�t place it in sight then put a yellow sticky pad to remind yourself.

If you forget to take your weight figure out why and correct it. Always take your weight. Always. They say never use never and always, but always take your weight.

The following measurements are optional.
� Waist size
� Chest
� Hips
� Arms
� Thighs
� Neck

Write down your results and the date.  Keep it in a folder for your weight loss or in the Excel Diet Spreadsheet.

Another measurement I like to take is my blood pressure. You can get an automatic blood pressure machine for around $40.00.

I also use a heart rate monitor when I exercise. This device straps around your chest and transmits your heart rate to a watch.  You can use it to prevent overexertion or to detect if you�re not working out hard enough.

The common wisdom of a heart monitor is to subtract your age from 220 to get your max heart rate. Then exercise between 65% - 85% of your max. I�m 53 years old, so 220 � 53 = 167 times 85% = 142. Times 65% = 110. So I should get my heart rate between 110 and 142. If you don�t want to buy a heart monitor you could take your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply the result by six.

To take your pulse place your left index and middle finger over your inside right wrist and feel for a pulse which will feel like a little heart beat. Also, try on the side of your neck where it meets your collar bone. Search the internet for �how to measure your pulse� if you are having trouble.

Another reason for weighing yourself is to see the trend you are on. After you enter your weight to the Excel Diet spreadsheet over a few days you�ll start to see a trend.  This trend will tell you when you�ll reach your ultimate weight goal.

On the chart above, generated from the Excel Diet Spreadsheet, my weight should reach my goal of in the beginning of February if I keep my current trend.