![5 WAYS TO TRACK YOUR WEIGHT PROGRESS]({"default":"https://www.trainwithtrudie.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/img_3395.jpg","2x":"","mobile":"","responsive":"true"} "5 WAYS TO TRACK YOUR WEIGHT PROGRESS")
5 WAYS TO TRACK YOUR WEIGHT PROGRESS
A few years ago my sister and I were visiting one of our brothers (we have 4 brothers) and my sister hopped on the scale to check her weight and was disappointed with the reading. She told me to hop on and I quickly replied, “no boo, the scale don’t measure sexy” and we burst out laughing.
Weight is just a number and a frustrating one it certainly be at times, especially for us women. Multiple factors like, the amount we’ve drank (drink that water!!), foods we’ve eaten, type of exercise we’ve completed, that dreaded time of the month along with an endless list of other things can affect our weight. Yet, considering the fore mentioned reasons, most of us insist on getting caught up in that number and using it as a way to measure our progress in the fitness realm. Sure, it may have been the only way previously, but honey, we are in the 21st century and things have changed and so should the ways in which we track our progress! I’ve laid out 5 Ways below that will help you realize that all your hard work is paying off and you can keep on going!
- Progress Photos: Have you ever had someone come up to you that you haven’t seen in a month or two and be like, “Hey you’re looking fantastic!” and you’re, wondering “hmmm have I really changed that much?” You are your hardest critic but it’s also hard to notice results when you see yourself in the mirror every day. This is why progress photos are a great thing to start taking to track your progress. Choose a day and time of the week and take a photo of yourself from the front, side and back if possible (you can do these on your own or if you have a partner or friend you are comfortable with ask for their assistance) then date the photo. From there you can choose to take weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly photos and then put them side by side to your original photo. With hard work and consistency, you will be blown away by the changes you will start to see in yourself because you need to remember change takes time and lasting change takes even longer! A key to progress photos is to always try and take the photos wearing the same clothing, in the same place and on the same day of the week. This will help to keep consistency and help you notice the changes more easily.
- Take Your Measurements: This is a great way to see changes in your body and its quick, simple and like progress photos should only be done at maximum once a week (make sure to record your results). It also can be used if you’re trying to increase muscle or if you’re trying to lose inches in a weight loss journey. You will look to measure your shoulders, chest, biceps, waist, hips, and thighs. Make sure that you are measuring both sides of your body i.e. don’t measure the right thigh and not the left. This is important as your body tends to have a more dominant side and you want to make sure you are working towards balancing your body. Your measurements will help you stay consistent and to figure out where you should tweak your training in order to get your desired results. You may not have lost any weight that week but losing an inch here or there means you’re well on your way!
- How Do Your Clothes Fit?: Do you need an extra hole in your belt or need to go either up or down a dress size? Either way, using how your clothes fit is another way you can test your fitness progress. I usually suggest choosing an outfit you want to be able to fit in comfortably (either one you’ve never worn or want to be able to fit in again) and call it your progress outfit. Try it biweekly to measure the progress you’ve made. I promise you, once you start noticing the difference, you won’t even remember the scale!
- Test Your Fitness Level: A few weeks ago you couldn’t make it to the top of the stairs without stopping midway to catch your breath. Today, you sprinted up those stairs to the top in the blink of an eye. You’ve noticed and wondered, “What’s going on?” “How am I able to do this?”. Well, that my friend is the result of progress! Your endurance is increasing. Do you think the scale could tell you that?? Ahhh heck no!! Tracking what your body is able to complete is another tool to measure your progress.
- How You Feel: This one you might be thinking what am I talking about but it’s easy, do you feel good, feel like you have more energy, feel like you’re getting into a routine, making positive choices, most of all are you happy? Being happy is what matters most and if you’re enjoying the work that you’re putting in and not feeling deprived then you’re on the right track. I think, this is one of the best ways of knowing you’ve making progress. People who work out regularly start feeling better because of the happy hormones being released (yes those endorphins are real!). I mean who doesn’t want to feel happier and better? Hey, even get some friends and family to join in on your journey cause the more the merrier as they say 😊
There you have it, 5 freaking ways to track the progress you’re making on your fitness journey and NONE of them include ever getting on a scale. Remember this is YOUR fitness journey and YOU should determine your goals along with why they’re important to you as oppose to allowing the number on a scale to dictate that. These 5 tips are just a few of the ways I like tracking the progress of myself and my clients. Remember, it’s all about progress, not perfection!!
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