How do you measure progress?

How do YOU measure progress? The scale? Measurements? How you look and feel? How clothes fit?

If you’ve been following LBC for any period of time now, you’ve likely seen it mentioned that we rely very little on the scale as a means of measuring progress, more specifically fat-loss progress. Why, you might ask? Sure, the number on the scale tells you what you weigh, however it says nothing about the composition of that weight – if you’ve lost fat, gained muscle, or if your body’s water balance has fluctuated.

We encourage clients instead to pay attention to how they look and feel, how clothes fit, and how measurements change with each biweekly check-in. These are all more telling signs of progress in comparison to the scale.

Up until this morning it had been several weeks since I stepped on the scale, or even measured myself for that matter. How I feel and how I look in the mirror is a pretty good representation of how I’m doing or progressing. Our clients also know this to be true as with check-ins we ask them to provide feedback on how they’re feeling PRIOR TO weighing or measuring themselves, because all too often those numbers can negatively impact one’s feedback.

For a while I had been slacking on my dietary compliance, enjoying maybe a treat too many here and there. I noticed I was feeling a little fuller than I like, so I nipped that in the bud and tightened up my compliance. As a result I woke up this morning feeling tighter, however when I stepped on the scale do you know what it said? It said I am up 1.5 lbs from a few weeks ago. Now if I was to place too much value in that number I would likely stress and pout about why that number is up. Luckily I know better and understand that many factors can influence that number, therefore I don’t let my weight on any given day have control over me or how I feel about my progress. Nor should you!

Confession time! How many of you obsess a bit too much on what the random number generator tells you, and why?