MEASURING WEIGHT LOSS:

Measuring weight loss is an essential part of tracking progress in any weight management or fitness journey while the most common approach involves using a scale to track changes in body weight, hence it's important to understand that weight loss is not always just about losing pounds, but the true is that weight loss encompasses changes in body composition, such as reducing fat mass while maintaining or even increasing muscle mass.

Here are some key points of measuring weight loss.

1. Scale Weight: The Basics

    • What it measures: The scale reflects your total body weight, including fat, muscle, bone, water           and other tissues.

    • Why it's important: Scale weight gives you an immediate measure of progress, but it can fluctuate due to various factors like hydration, meals, or hormonal changes.

    • How to use it effectively: 

        ° Weight yourself at the same time each day preferably in the morning, after using the bathroom, and before eating for consistency.

        ° Use it to track overall trends over weeks and months, not day to day changes.

        ° Don't be discouraged by daily fluctuations, as they are normal.

2. Body Measurements: Use a measuring tape to track the circumference of areas ( eg,, your waist, hips, chest, arms and legs. This can show changes even if the scale doesn't.

3. Body Fat Percentage: Tools like skinfold  calipers, body fat scales, or DEXA scans can provide a more comprehensive view of changes in body composition hence, using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis ( BIA) can be more useful to estimate body fat percentage.

4. Progress Photos

    • What it measures: Visual documentation allows you to see subtle changes in body shape and muscle tone that you might not notice day to day.

    • Why it's important: Photos show changes in body shape, muscle definition, and fat distribution that scales and measurements alone might not capture.

    • How to track: Take consistent photos from multiple angles like front, side and back in the same lighting and clothing, hence compare photos over weeks or months to see visual changes.

5. Clothing Fit

    • What it measures: The fit of your clothes, especially around the waist, hips, and thighs, can be a practical and tangible way to see how your body is changing.

    • Why it's important: Clothes that become looser can reflect fat loss, even when the scale isn't budging. In fact, muscle gain can sometimes make you appear leaner even if the scale weight increases.

    • How to track: Pay attention to how your clothes fit over time as your asking to yourself. Do my pants feel looser around the waist or thighs? Are my shirts fitting better around the chest and arms?

6. Fitness Performance: Track improvements in strength, endurance or any other physical activities.

                Combining all these methods can give you a clearer picture of your weight loss journey.

                        Never ever give up to ride your long journey!

                                Have a good day.