How to keep track of your progress in losing weight

You are exercising and dieting, but the weight does not change. You get frustrated and ready to drop everything and plead hopeless.

Do not rush to abandon a healthy lifestyle! The number on the scale is not the best indicator of progress. We will look at a few reasons why your body is changing, but the weight remains the same.

Why fat goes away, but the weight does not change

1. Increases muscle mass

If you are doing weight training, body composition is changing: increased muscle mass and decreased fat layer. Thus, the body becomes more taut and fit, but the weight can remain in place.

In the photo below a perfect example of Instagram Stacey Ardison (Staci Ardison), powerlifters and Nerd Fitness coach. In the first photo, Stacey weighs 64.5 kg, the second - 72.5 kg. Do not believe it?

Publication of Staci Ardison (@staciardison)June 5th, 2018 at 10:18 PDT

No matter what relief It is hidden behind a layer of fat. If you are doing strength training and eat properly, your muscles grow.

2. fluid retention

During the first days of the diet a person can throw several kilograms, as measured by the balance. But rejoice there is nothing special: fat does not go away and the water.

To lose a kilo of fat, you need to create a deficit of 7700 calories, which is almost impossible to do in two days, even if nothing is there to train (which obviously will not improve your health). It also works in reverse: you can lose fat, but due to water retention in the balance figure will remain the same.

Your body can retain water for a variety of reasons:

1. Consuming large amounts of salt. Salty food delaysIncreased salt consumption induces body water conservation and decreases fluid intake water in the body and causes the release of glucocorticoids - hormones that prevent build muscle mass.
2. Menstruation. Many women before menstruation and especially in the first day of the month happensFluid Retention over the Menstrual Cycle: 1-Year Data from the Prospective Ovulation Cohort fluid retention in the body. Moreover, this effect is reduced if the woman starts to train.
3. Long flights. The pressure change in the cabin aircraft and for a long time without moving can cause delayWater retention fluid and swelling.
4. Taking certain medications. Certain chemotherapy drugs, analgesics, drugs for the treatment of blood pressure and antidepressants can causeWhat is water retention? fluid retention.

To find out how much you actually lost weight, you need to learn not to weight and body fat percentage. There are several ways to determine this.

How to find out the percentage of body fat

1. Buy smart scales

Smart Scale find out the percentage of body fat using BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis), or bioimpedance body analysis.

When you get up to the scale, passed through your body weak electrical pulse and determine the body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone weight and the amount of water in the body. Data is synchronized with your smartphone and stored, so you can keep track of the dynamics over time.

Here are several models of no more than 3000 rubles:

• MGB Body fat scale;
• Xiaomi Mi smart scale;
• Picooc mini;
• Meizu Smart Body Fat Scale;
• Yunmai Mini.

2. Calculate by using a special calculator

The online calculator uses a formula based on the circumference of various body parts. Basically this method of the US Navy, which takes into account height, girth of the neck, waist and hips, and the method of sports Covert Bailey doctor (Covert Bailey), which uses the hip straps, a hip, tibia and wrist. Here are a few applications that have such calculators:

The data to be as accurate as possible, follow a few rules:

1. Measures the parameters are always in one and the same time - morning on an empty stomach.

2. If possible, get a friend to measure you. So you'll be relaxed and measurements are as accurate as possible.

3. Take measurements correctly:

• Waist - measured at the thinnest part of the abdomen, a few centimeters above the navel.
• hips - measure across the widest part of the hips.
• one hip - in some calculations need to measure the circumference of the thigh. Measure at the widest part.
• Neck - measured at the widest part.
• Wrist - measures at the narrowest part.
• Forearm - measured at the widest part.
• Shoulder - measured at the widest part.
• Shin - measured at the widest part.

4. Take measurements once a month, at most. Body composition does not change quickly, so clearly visible results you will get no earlier than one month.

5. Write down your results: weight, circumference of various parts of the body fat percentage. So you can keep track of progress.

3. Guided by their clothes

Since a kilogram of fat where voluminous kilogram of muscle, changes in body composition affect your dimensions.

At the same weight, you may notice that the shorts have become much freer, left body side, which previously hung over the waistband of jeans, a tight dress is now not at all fits.

This method is obvious, but many people do not see the changes, preferring to think that clothes simply stretched. Look through old photos, see how sitting on your clothes and how it looks now. Perhaps you will find a pleasant surprise.

conclusions

1. If the weight does not change, it does not mean that you do not lose fat.
2. Weight may remain the same due to the increase in muscle mass or fluid retention.
3. To determine how changes body fat percentage, We need smart scales or tailor meter and calculator fat percentage.
4. Weigh and measure the percentage of body fat at the same time: in the morning on an empty stomach.
5. Do not expect rapid change: the fat out gradually.

Continue to engage and follow a diet. You will definitely lose weight, become stronger and more fit.

see also

• Products that turn carbohydrates into muscle and not into the extra inches around the waist →
• How to lose weight by 5-10 kg: training and nutrition programs for sustainable results →
• 7 delicious cocktails slimming →
• The gym will not help to lose weight, if you make these mistakes →