You have to know where you are, to know where you want to go.
But how you measure your progress when it comes to your health journey is very important. You don’t want to focus on losing kilograms. It's more important to focus on losing fat.
Subcutaneous fat beneath the skin, but even more importnat to lose visceral fat inside the body around your internal organs. Using technology like an InBody Scan to measure body composition is important. Losing fat and gaining/maintaining muscle is the healthiest way to achieve your goal.
Tracking your progress allows you to see how far you've come. This helps you to see what's working and what needs adjustment, and this helps you stay accountable to your goals. There are several ways you can measure your progress if you don’t have access to measure your body composition.
- Scale: This is the most common way most people track progress. Regularly weighing yourself on the same scale that's well calibrated can determine whether it's likely to give you a good reading so you don’t want to be chopping and changing. Just use the same one every time! Keep in mind that weight alone does not always reflect changes in body composition. Factors such as muscle gain, water retention, and hormonal fluctuations can influence the number on the scale.
- Body measurements: Taking measurements of various parts of your body, such as waist, hips, thighs, and arms, can help you track changes in centimetres lost.
- Clothing fit: Pay attention to how your clothes fit or if you need to go down a size. This can be a great indicator of progress, especially if you notice that your clothes are becoming looser.
- Progress photos: Taking photos at regular intervals, such as every few weeks, can provide a visual representation of your progress. Sometimes changes in your body may not be immediately noticeable in the mirror, but comparing photos can reveal the positive changes over time.
- Energy levels and fitness improvements: While weight loss is an important goal, it's also crucial to focus on overall health and fitness. Monitor your energy levels, symptoms, stamina, and improvements in physical activities or exercises. Feeling more energetic and noticing progress in your fitness abilities can be motivating indicators of your weight loss journey.
Remember, progress is not always linear, and there may be ups and downs along the way. It's essential to focus on sustainable, long-term changes and not get discouraged by temporary fluctuations. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, and use the measurements as tools to guide and motivate you on your weight loss journey.