5 Methods To Determine Your Weight Loss Starting Point
Have you ever wonder how long it would take to walk across the world? No matter how fast you walk or run, the journey would take some considerable time. Your journey to lose weight is likened to traversing the globe. In fact, it is a step by step process. Yet, most importantly, your weight loss has to start with a destination.
Before you choose you goal destination, you first need to understand why you want to reach that goal. Now that you have determined your burning desire or why, let’s look at some methods to determine your progress towards that goal.
5 Ways to Measure Your Weight Loss Progress
- How your clothes fit is an indicter of success. Yet, this is not the best especially alone. Additionally, we are talking about your current wardrobe. Truthfully, new clothes are deceptive because the lovely clothes makers want us to feel good about ourselves, thus sizes today are larger than years ago.
- Checking your weight. Also, not a great measure for your success. Our weight fluctuates throughout the day due to consumption of food and beverage intake as well as from excretion of waste products and water loss from sweat. Additionally, the scale measures one thing and does not account for percent of lean mass versus fat mass. Lastly, a scale can be reliable but is it valid. For example, you could weigh on your scale at 175 pounds everyday but every time you go to the health club your weight varies between 180-183. So, your scale is reliable or reliably wrong.
- Finding out your Body Mass Index (BMI). Debatably, this measure can be the most misunderstood and also one that can be inaccurate. Why? This is because it is base on height and weight; it does not take muscle mass into account. Therefore, one who is really lean but heavy for that height would seem to be overweight or obese.
- Measuring your body’s circumferences. Although circumference measures are a good source to show progress to your goal, it is still not the best mode. To get the best measure, include all major parts of your body from your neck down to your calf.
- Determine your body fat percentage. Ideally, this is the best single measure. However, there are better devices to measure your body fat than others. In most instances, you will have easier access to Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) or Skin Fold test. To ensure the best results with these tests, make sure the conductor of the test is skilled and for repeatability have the same individual test you again. On the other hand, if you want a more accurate measure, look into Hydrostatic Weighing or Bod Pod.
Your journey for weight loss is an important one. Yet, for your ability to succeed you need to know where you are starting. Ideally, using one of the above measures is better than none, it is best to use a combination of measurements. Now that your stage is set, it is time to decide the path and stay the course until your goal is realized. Stay focused and do not give in! Rise and shine, my fitness friends!
