Sometimes I feel like I am reaching for the impossible...but then I remind myself that I just can't ALWAYS eat what I want. Period. So I am struggling with that...but let me get to the point here. I have finally figured out that working out is a neccessity and have been fairly consistent for @ a year and REALLY consistent for 2 months. So I think my body has changed...gotten more firm. I just bought new pants at a size 8...I have not been that since I got married 7 years ago. I know I would be comfortable losing a few more pounds and probably getting to a size 6. Should I measure my success by the scale or by the clothes size since my body is changing from exercise?

I find both helpful--I also like my tape measure.

I love to measure by the pant-o-meter method because I will not buy anything over a size 10, I sometimes get annoyed if I have to buy a 10 I have to really really want it to buy it... I love the scale for daily accountability. I also use the tape measure regularly...

I don't use either. I define my success by how I'm eating and moving, and how I live and how I feel. If all that is good, and I've stopped losing, then I'm at goal. I don't know, I don't really care what size I am. Any attachment I might have had to a size was created so long ago that sizes have changed since then. I reached that size more than 10 pounds above my goal (10 pounds above where I used to be that size 10 years ago). I do sort of think of 130 as my goal, because I used to weigh that, but I wouldn't diet just to reach and maintain that number.

Like Julie - mine is really about how I feel.

My original goal was 140 and a UK size 10 (about a US size 6 currently). But my desire to be a size 10 dated from ten years ago and sizes have changed. When I reached size 10 I was about 147 and I wasn't happy.

So my next goal was 135 and when I hit that I still wasn't happy., I still have a wobbly belly I really hate. It looks OK dressed up and I'm just starting to get into UK size 8 stuff, but I really would like to reduce my belly considerably and be comfortably in all UK size 8 clothes, no matter what the cut, shop etc.

I'm giving myself a goal of 126 but it's really about how I feel.

I would go by both. I'm really anxious to fit into my clothing again before the pregnancy. I would focus more on the clothing though - then the scale. When I reach my previous clothing size my next goal will be going down another pant size. (currently at 139, wearing a 9-10 and NOT happy)

I love seeing results on the scale, the tape measure, and in clothing changes... seeing all these things change is terrific motivation. I will not be truly happy, though, until I feel good about my body, and about my habits. When I get to a point where eating nutritiously and exercising regularly is fun and a part of my life that I don't have to force myself into, I think that will be even better than any numbers or sizes. Also, even though I'm done changing sizes, I love seeing how my body looks different in that same size. Seeing a tighter, less "wobbly" (Robsia, we must have similar bellies, because I think of mine that way too!) tummy and stronger, more capable arms and legs is amazing. I like how my fitter, healthier body looks and fits into things, but I also love how much more capable it is! My favorite progress is seeing that I can lift heavy things and run for longer without getting tired, etc.

There are SO many benefits to losing weight and getting in shape, I think it's impossible to have only a single judge of progress. I notice differences in nearly every aspect of my life!

I keep an eye on both. I think they are good tools to keep myself in check.

First and foremost, it's how I feel, and what I think when I look in the mirror. Lately it's been "uhg," and that's why I'm here. When I start getting in shape though, and feel better about what I see in the mirror, I'll start using the scale to measure my progress. If I'm already feeling bad though, the scale just makes it worse.

I do both.

I think if you are within the ideal/normal weight range, the weight fluctuations no longer tell you the true story while a tape measure does.

I'm forever trying to lose 10 lbs, but in the past 18 months I only managed to lose 3-4 lbs, but got a lot firmer by exercising. I dropped 1-1.5 size in clothing and my waistline shrank an inch and my lower abs got flatter.

I recently started practicing Butterfly stroke swimming, found it helps toning my body a lot.

though i like seeing the number on the scale, ive found that my clothing size change is a much more accurate measure, because even though im not really losing weight right now, apparently im still losing mass because my pant size just dropped again.
i want to lose 10 more pounds, and a pant size. Im not sure which will come first, but im hoping that they will come together, so that i can be happy with weight and size and not feel like i failed at either.

Right now it is clothing. I can not fit any of my summer clothing and refuse to buy more.

Ultimately it's probably body fat% that I will be looking at but I am not sure where I want to be.

For me, it's about body fat %. I'm currently at 21.8% but want to get back down to 18% (for maximum performance in endurance events).

for me it is clothing size. until i can fit into my old clothes, i will not be happy.

TOTALLY! I will have a whole new (old) wardrobe if I can drop some weight/body fat/girth... I have 3+ boxes of 4/6 (American) clothes packed away in storage. Can't bear to part with them yet.

(Right now I mostly shop at Goodwill - luckily there is one with great stuff nearby - 'cause I refuse to buy expensive stuff in my new size yet).

I think all the measures are important. But mostly the measure I want to improve is the intangible: Looking *good*! Not all lumpy and squishy and out of shape. So I am trying not to focus on the number on the scale.... But dang, it sure is nice when it stops going up and starts coming down