Weight gain and waist size

[sonar]

Hi all,

My Stats
Height: 5'4"
Arms: 13.5 (cold)
Weight: 141.5
Waist: 30 (dropped down from 32)
Chest: Haven't measured... does the measurement include the shoulders?
Body Fat: Not a clue

Anyway, I was at 148 in the Spring of 2003 and was able to drop down to 138 in a couple of months by dieting and cardio. Anyway, since then I've been slowly adding weight and am now at 141.5 but my waist size have remained the same.

So I'm wondering if using my waist size as a measurement as to whether I'm gaining fat, versus muscle. Is this a simple way to keep track of my progress?

Yes, I do weight training for each muscle group one time a week plus cardio (3 mile run in 30 minutes) during off days.

Thanks.

[TheSupaKorean]

sure waist size does help gauge. If that is where you have a tendency to gain fat. More than likely if you've gained weight and the waist is the same your probably gaining lean mass. So congrats on that.

I feel the best way to guage your progress is through pictures and the mirror. Mirrors are the toughest because you see yourself so often but pics allow you to really compare if you keep the same variables, lighting etc.