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You can use a tape measure to measure the circumference of different sites of your body as another monitor of change. When using this tool, make sure the measuring tape is around your waist because when it comes to your weight affecting your health, it may not be how much fat you have but where the fat is stored.

Most people store body fat in one of two distinct patterns:

 Apple shape: Having an apple shape (extra weight carried around the stomach, often referred to as extra belly fat) is associated with a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

 Pear shape: Having a pear shape means you carry most of your extra weight in your hips, upper thighs, and buttocks. Pear-shaped people are significantly healthier than those people with apple-shaped bodies. Fat deposited on the hips is less likely to travel around the body, reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

A waist circumference measurement is a simple screening technique to determine what your shape is. If you fall into this increased health risk category (unhealthy BMI and an apple shape), then following an intermittent fasting plan is a wonderful way to help you lose that stubborn belly fat.

The following waist measurements are red flags, suggesting that you carry fat around the abdominal area:

 Women 18 and older: Waist of 35 inches or more

 Men 18 and older: Waist of 40 inches or more

Follow these steps to accurately measure your waist with a tape measure:

1 Relax and stand.With a tape measure, start at the top of your hip bone and then bring the tape measure all the way around your body, raising the tape until it’s at a level slightly above your belly button.

2 Make sure the tape isn’t too tight and that it’s straight, even on your back. Don’t hold your breath while measuring because doing so can affect the results.

3 Check the number on the tape measure right after you exhale.When you place the tape over the skin, do so just to make contact but don’t compress the skin in any way.

4 Take all measurements twice and average them.Taking the measurements twice, consecutively, and then averaging the results ensures greater accuracy.

5 Record to the nearest half-inch.

You can repeat this measurement every few months and record the number in your journal. Tracking all your numbers in your journal, over time, gives you a motivation-boosting visual and a reward for all your hard work.