I think the whole entire process for fat loss can be SO stressful for many folks… Is it for you? I bet if you are relying on the scale as the best way to measure fat loss – it sure is!
I always say to clients, the scale is absolutely the LAST thing you want to consider when it comes to your goals, and how your body is responding to your plan.
The honest truth is that at the end of the day, the scale is probably one of the worst tools, simply because it doesn’t differentiate between muscle, fat, water, food content in your gut, bowel content (lol I mean seriously, it adds to the number too!).
So let’s take a step back today to discuss some other ways I want you to focus on when it comes to how you measure your fat loss progress.
Photos – The Absolutely Best Way to Measure Fat Loss
Ok let’s get a little cliche here, shall we?!
You know what they say… A picture is worth a thousand words. Or, a photo never lies… (Unlike your bathroom scale which is just the devil in disguise.)
Well, when we are talking about how much you weigh vs. ACTUAL fat loss, nothing could be more true. Here’s the thing to think about… For many folks who are embarking on a new training program, it’s very possible to see some recompositioning happening.
So basically, you may see some fat loss happening as muscle gain occurs simultaneously.
Now, this muscle gain doesn’t happen at a HUGE rate, but it can be enough to make it seem like nothing is changing muscle wise. Let’s say that you lost about .5 pound of fat over 1 week period, and at that same time, you might have put on a .5 pound of muscle, well… That’s going to show on the scale as a big fat ZERO of changes. Your weight will be the same.
Now imagine this happening over a series of a few months – which it often does!
You’ll be sitting there getting discouraged that your plan isn’t working, and you may even quit because of it. And you may even have done that several times (maybe even NOW).
Here’s what you need to do instead… TAKE PHOTOS!
I like to have clients take photos every 2 to 4 weeks, dependent upon their goals. You don’t want to get too crazy about taking progress photos too often, because honestly, it’s like watching paint dry.
So taking them at a 2 to 4 week interval is perfect.
What I often like to do is compare starting photos to current photos. This way you get a full perspective of where you began, and how you are progressing. Sometimes I’ll compare a few sets of photos: starting, a few weeks or months later, and then the current set.
When you take that kind of approach, you can really take note of little changes.
Measurements and How Your Clothes Fit Counts Too
The final two ways I would suggest for you to track progress is by paying attention to both measurements, and how your clothes fit too.
The thing you want to be careful of with measurements is that you stay really strict to measuring the same exact points on your body each time.
So be sure to maybe take note of the area, and make sure to hit that same spot each time. Here is a great graphic that I send to my clients that pinpoints where your measurements should be.
If you hit those exact points each time, you will see your progress over the length of your fat loss phase. But more importantly, you’ll have an accurate point of measurement as well – and that’s most important.
And finally, making sure that you keep track of fat loss based on how your clothes fit is GOLDEN!
I think it’s also one of the less stressful ways as well. I like to tell clients to pick a favorite pair of jeans or pants, skirt or dress for the ladies, and make note of how it fit you when you first start on your plan.
As the weeks go by, slip into it! I bet that if you are following a program that is geared towards getting you results, you’ll start to see that clothing item fit like a glove in no time!
So I want to hear from you! What are some of your best ways to keep track of fat loss? And how often to you check in to see how things are going? Let’s discuss! Your tips may help someone else in the process. Post your comments below!
