Best Way to Measure Progress
Hello and welcome!
In this post I will address the best ways to measure your progress aside from weighing yourself.
Before I do, let me introduce myself so you know that you are getting expert advice. I am a personal trainer in Toronto, Ontario, in Canada. I have been in the fitness industry since 2010 and have been training women since 2013.
Now on to measuring progress:
Progress pictures: This is the most ideal way to measure progress. This is because looking good is usually the ideal end goal. Most people connect looking good with a certain weight, however this is not accurate. You can look great at a higher weight and look stringy and flat at a lower weight. The “look” depends on the amount of muscle you have. Muscle gives you shape and tone underneath your skin and fat.
So if your weight is going up but you’re looking better, there’s no reason to be alarmed because you’re just gaining muscle. If your weight is staying the same and you’re looking better, you’re gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time at the same rate: 5 lb muscle gain, 5 lb fat loss will have no effect on your weight, however it will have a tremendous effect on your look.
I recommend taking photos in the exact same outfit, background and pose. Make sure you’re taking photos on an empty stomach every time. You can take photos daily or weekly. Try not to analyze photos you’ve just taken. Save them and compare them to photos from the previous or future weeks.
Measurements: This ties in to the above. 5 lb muscle gain, 5 lb fat loss will have no effect on your weight, however it will have a tremendous effect on your look, and you can measure that with a measuring tape. You can measure muscle gain by measuring areas such as glutes, and you can measure fat loss by measuring your waist at your belly button. Don’t worry, you’ll receive a more comprehensive guide to doing your measurements as my client. I recommend you measure your body parts at the exact same spot every 3 weeks. This method is more ideal for clients who like numbers and like to see numbers moving. It’s better to rely on measurements rather than your weight.
How clothes are fitting: This is one of the best ways to measure your progress. If you want to be deliberate about it, keep a few items of clothing aside to see how they’re fitting every couple weeks. Some of my favourite items just didn’t fit right when I was about 10 lb overweight, even though they did fit. I was very happy when they finally did!
Your WEEKLY weight average: I know I said we’ll talk about markers of progress aside from your weight. However your weekly weight average deserves a mention. To do this: take your weight at the same time and in the same conditions (empty stomach ideally) everyday, and try not to analyze it or attach emotion to it. At the end of the week, add up the seven numbers and divide by 7. Do this every week and compare the numbers to the previous week’s average.
There you have it, a few better ways of measuring progress. You can use all of them or just one. Remember to stay consistent with your nutrition and training so you continue making progress.
Of course, there are non-physical measures of progress, which are just as important in improving your quality of life! Read more about them here.
