5 Ways to Track Fat Loss Progress by Jeremy Scott
The battle to get lean, stay lean and live lean is real for many of us out there. So the big question I get a lot is, “how do I track my fat loss progress effectively?”
Well, I have 5 quick easy and effective ways you can track your fat loss efforts to ensure you are heading in the right direction. Let me kick this off by saying I hate the scale, I am not a fan of stepping on the scale daily for a million reasons… it’s a poor fat loss metric, it drains people’s confidence, it puts negative thoughts in people’s heads about their efforts, I could on forever but you get my point.
I admit the scale is a way to track weight loss/gain ……however it can only measure the mass of you, not your fat, it also fluctuates based on numerous factors one being “fluid” or the water in your body at any given time. So please as you embark on your fat loss journey don’t use the scale daily, maybe once a week if you need it but for the most accurate measure of your progress use my quick 5 methods below.
#1 – Get Clipped (Body Fat Calipers) – one of the best ways to track your fat loss. Most calipers are cheap and even an average technician can give you a good reading, and certain types do allow you to clip yourself. I suggest first getting with a fitness professional having them do a basic 3 site skin fold measurement to calculate your starting point in terms of body fat %.
#2 – Get Measured (Measuring Tape) – nothing beats the good old school measuring tape. Inches are real and when they start melting away it’s nice to see the progress even when for some people scale doesn’t move much, the inches shed like crazy. Getting measured at your waist, hips, arms, legs, and so on can give you a good reference point when starting out.
#3 – Check your clothes – how your clothes fit is a huge indicator of how your body composition is changing. I suggest taking note of your dress and pants sizes and how they are fitting after a few weeks into your journey. When you start to notice your shirts and even your underwear are falling off you, it becomes clear your efforts are paying off.
#4 – Before and After Photos – snap a photo of your journey on day 1 – a simple front, side, backside photo works for this. This will be a true measure of where we start in terms of how we look in real life. It’s amazing the power this can have when you look back over 8-12-16-20 weeks of hard work and you say “wow I use to look like that”…Trust me snapping a photo before is a must.
#5 – Check the Mirror– above all else, body fat, dress size, and how your clothes fit… What you look like in the mirror is the real tell all story. You live in your body and there is nothing more empowering than you taking the shape you want. Seeing new cuts and definition is motivating to say the least. You can see the things that are improving quickly and the things that still need work, but either way it shows you that this eating right and training hard stuff is working.
Take these tips, use them in your journey, understand it takes time to make progress and know you are either getting in better shape or worse shape each day there is no “staying the same” that doesn’t exist.
Until next time eat well, train hard & be nice to people!
PS- If you want to avoid the 7 Biggest Fat Loss Mistakes people make CLICK HERE
Jeremy Scott Fitness – Scottsdale Personal Trainer -Nutrition Coach