When it comes time to track weight loss progress, the first thing most dieters will do is step on the bathroom scale. It’s a quick and easy way to find out just how much you weigh and, therefore, how successful you are in your diet, right? Not necessarily.
The scale is a very limited instrument. All it can do is tell you if you weigh less overall. That said, it can’t tell you what it’s weighing. If you lost a pound this week, your scale can’t tell you if it was water loss, fat loss, or even muscle loss. Therefore, while it can be a helpful guide if you use it properly, there are many other things you can do to track weight loss progress.
Consider the following various ways to track weight loss progress even if you don’t own a bathroom scale at all.
Track your habits
Your fat loss isn’t something that happens in isolation. It is the result of many other things you do to make sure you’re burning fats, eating nutritious foods and maintaining lean muscle mass. So keep a record of what you’re doing. Pay attention to those habits. Track your nutrition, your fitness and even your sleep, for example. The better you understand what you’re doing, the more you can gain confidence that your efforts are working.
Look at your skin
Have a look at the skin on your face and body. When you’re eating well, getting hydrated and exercising, your complexion and overall skin health may improve. Many people find that their skin looks its healthiest immediately after a workout. After all, when you work out, you sweat, which pushes a lot of what’s under the skin outward. This helps to explain why it’s a good idea to gently shower after a workout. It stops all the impurities that have been washed out of your skin from being able to get back in again. A few weeks of healthy living and you may see a noticeable difference in your skin.
Keep your old jeans
Don’t get rid of the pair of jeans you wore when you were at your largest. Instead, keep them and try them on at designated intervals, such as once per month. This is a great way to observe the way your shape has changed. It’s particularly advantageous if you’ve gained muscle, as that tends to show reduced results on a scale even though you’re burning away the fat. Your old jeans, on the other hand, will tell you part of the true story.
