Tracking Your Progress What gets measured gets managed. So, it’s imperative that you measure your progress and keep a close eye on your diet and training. The first thing you’ll need to do is weigh yourself on a weighing scale. You should do this once a week on the same day and at the same time. Do not weigh yourself daily because your weight will fluctuate and it can be demoralizing.
Once a week will do and it will reflect any weight loss. Do note that the scale weight only gives you a general idea but it is not indicative of body composition. For example, if you lost 3 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of muscle, the scale will only show a loss of 1 measly pound. This can be very misleading. You’d actually have made good progress and will look different since fat takes up a lot more space than muscle.
That is why you also need to take photos of your body once every 2 weeks. With photos, the difference in your appearance will be more evident and you’ll feel more motivated. Many people are much more amazed to see before and after photos instead of just a difference in numbers on a scale. If possible, get your bodyfat percentage measured. You can ask your doctor to do this and he or she will probably use calipers to determine your bodyfat percentage. This is an accurate measurement to go by and your goal will be to lower your bodyfat percentage to what’s ideal for you.
Using a tape measure to record down the measurements of different parts of your body is helpful too. You can encircle the tape around the middle of your thigh, your arm, hips, chest, etc. It’s important that you measure the same places in future to keep things accurate. With time, you’ll notice the inches dropping. Even if the scales show no difference after 2 weeks of exercise, the tape measure will definitely show you if you have become smaller. Muscle is a lot denser than fat and takes up much less space.
In the first 3 to 4 weeks, it may seem like the results are slow. Losing a few pounds here and there may make it all seem like a total waste of time. You must understand that there are changes happening in you. The body is adapting. Your metabolic rate is increasing. The body is starting to tap into its fat stores for fuel. All this is happening on the inside but you do not see obvious results on the outside.
This discourages the majority of women who quit on their weight loss program within the first month. Most give up after 2 weeks! The take a break and go back to their poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. 2 months later they decide to lose weight again. When does it ever end? This is the biggest mistake. You’ve just turned on the ignition and before the pedal hits the metal, you’ve given up. Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
When you embark on a weight loss journey, give yourself an end date 90 days later. Do not stop before you reach that 90 days or you reach your weight loss goal. There may be occasions where you slipup on your diet. There may be times when you skip your workouts. There may even be weeks where there is no change in weight. Despite all these, keep going till you reach the 90-day mark. If you hate starting over, stop giving up.
Three months from now, you will thank yourself. Do not give up on yourself and kill off your weight loss dreams before they have time to bloom. Most visible weight loss can be seen after 90 days. That’s about 3 months. You absolutely must give yourself 3 months. Track your progress weekly and if things don’t seem to be changing for the better, tweak your workouts and diet. This is the best way to lose weight without losing your way.
Writing down your fitness activity and your nutrition is a great way to keep yourself accountable to your goals. It helps you stay honest with yourself about whether you’re sticking to a fitness or diet plan, and allows you to keep track of what works for you and what doesn’t.
To get the most out of your journaling, here are a few things to keep in mind:Try to record every day.
Even if that means you journal about why you didn’t work out, stick to it!
Set a reminder to record for 5-10 minutes- before bed is a great time to do it!Be honest!
Start your fitness journey off on the right foot, keep track of your progress with a fitness journal! CHECK OUT THE JOURNALS BELOW
A Greater You: Fitness and Nutrition Progress Planner/Journal
Tru Reps : Fitness & Nutrition Progress Planner/Journal
Obstacles and Challenges: Motivational & Inspirational Notebook/Journal
Be great Today PublicationMotivation Inspire : Motivational & Inspirational Notebook/Journal
Self-Validation~ Motivational & Inspirational Notebook/Journal