Weight Loss: There Is More than One Way to Measure Success

Regular training can transform your body. Therefore, it is only natural that you would want to measure your progress and weight loss. Apart from using a scale, there are other, better ways of noticing visible changes to your body. We would like to share some tips on the best ways to determine and record these physical improvements.

The scale – friend or foe?
The trip to the scale can be motivating but also frustrating. You don’t have to weigh yourself daily; small fluctuations in weight are completely normal – especially for women. The important thing is that you always weigh yourself at the same time of day, without your clothes and shoes on. The best time is right after you go to the toilet in the morning. On the journey to your fitness goal, don’t forget that muscle weighs more than fat. After four weeks of bodyweight training, you feel better than ever, but are surprised by the number on the scale? Don’t let it get you down! The best thing in this situation is a body analysis scale, because it measures your body composition.

Reach for the measuring tape
A measuring tape is great for determining physical changes. Before embarking on your fitness journey, you should measure your body parts. The best indicators are your waist, hips and thighs. For men, the biceps might also be interesting 😉 Jot down your measurements in a notebook or on your smartphone. Enter all the values from top to bottom so you can tell exactly when you lost weight.

Say Cheese!
Digital cameras or smartphones are perfect for capturing changes to your body. Take a photo of yourself in a full-length mirror at the beginning of your 12-week training plan and save it. Then repeat the procedure each week. If you don’t think your body has changed much, compare the 12 photos – well, surprised? 😉 Share your photos and weight-loss success stories on social networks with your friends or the Runtastic community. They will congratulate you on your successes and motivate you to stick with it.

Clothes never lie
We all have this one pair of favorite jeans that we wish we never had to take off. When your waistband suddenly starts feeling snugger, it’s not a good sign. If you can go down a notch on your belt after 12 weeks, you have probably lost weight. And when your shirt stretches over your upper arms, then your biceps have grown. 😉 So, you see, clothing is a good indicator of physical changes.

More power
Instead of the two or three push-ups at the beginning, you can do three times as many now? Wow, congratulations! Your body has developed and you are stronger. Your increased strength is also proof that your body has changed and that you can handle new challenges. Try some push-ups with leg elevation, which are guaranteed to get the sweat pouring.

Track your progress
With Runtastic apps and fitness trackers you can track your progress and compare and share with your family and friends – a simple trick to help you transform your body the way you want. It is also a good way to motivate yourself. Have you taken 4,000 steps today? Good, but tomorrow try setting your goal for 8,000!

So there are lots of ways to track bodily changes. Which ones do you use? How much progress have you made so far? We’d love to hear about your results in the comments below.

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