But I’ve found that when I’ve taken the time to explain the causes and show them several data sets of past clients, it has helped immensely. Some clients have found daily weighing stressful due to the fluctuations. Bowel content, because some foods have a higher ‘gut residue’ (they stay in the gut for longer).Glycogen due to a change in carb intake.Water (retention) due to stress or the menstrual cycle.Water due to hydration status (perspiration and respiration).Weighing ourselves daily, noting the average at the end of each week, and then comparing weeks helps to smooth out these fluctuations in the data and make interpretation easier.Īs a reminder, here are all the reasons that weight fluctuations happen, aside from fat and muscle mass changes: Oh, and how defined we look can change from day to day also.Īs explained in my article on macro adjustments when dieting, your weight will fluctuate. How we see ourselves changes due to a phenomenon known as perceptual adaptation. Do not try to gauge progress by how you look in the mirror. Yes, they will vary a little from day to day, but this is a small part of a much bigger picture, so you don’t need to worry about it.ģ. The activity multiplier in your TDEE calculation took care of your activity levels. These devices are also notoriously inaccurate. Do not try to use an activity tracker to estimate your calorie burn and adjust your diet each day to the numbers it gives. In the shorter time frames where all the decisions need to happen, they are woefully inadequate and will more than likely just leave you in the shit.Ģ. Over longer time frames, these are sufficient. If you wish to get an estimation, use my body-fat percentage pictures and the US Navy Body Fat Calculator. All methods have inaccuracies and inconsistencies. Don’t try to assess your progress by a body-fat percentage estimation tool. The three body progress tracking methods to avoidġ. □ What follows is a sample chapter from my book, The Diet Adjustments Manual. ![]() It is easy to understand, quick to implement, and I’ve included a spreadsheet tracker you can download also. It will guide you through the art of proper progress tracking that I’ve developed over the last 10 years working with clients online. ![]() ![]() Fortunately, this article is here to help. If the way you’re currently tracking isn’t sufficient to tease out the differences, then you need to improve it. Body fat measurement methods all have accuracy issues, so they can’t be relied upon to gauge progress in the short term.A lack of training progress doesn’t necessarily mean that a training plan is to blame.Weight gain when bulking won’t be from muscle alone.A weight increase doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve gained body fat.A lack of weight change does not necessarily mean that you haven’t lost body fat.Perhaps you’ve already experienced this frustration? ![]() You won’t have objective data points from which to base your decisions on when you stall in some area, and there is a good chance that you will get stuck spinning your wheels, not knowing what to tweak to get yourself back on track. I’d go as far as to say it’s the biggest differentiator between those that are successful and those that aren’t.īecause without proper tracking data, you can’t gauge whether or not you are progressing as hoped. If you are putting in a serious amount of effort with your training and nutrition, you owe it to yourself to take the ten extra minutes each week to track your progress seriously.
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