Have you lost weight? Find out with these trackers

All set to shed those extra kilos and get a thinner, lighter body? People usually start on an optimistic note but at times the confidence and motivation dwindles which leads to them opting out of their weight loss plan prematurely. If you too are on a weight loss mission, here are five ways to track your progress in a healthy way, by fitness and diet expert Prema Kodical.

Notice the change in your body

‘The best way to measure one’s weight loss goal is to see the change in their body composition. By this I mean the decrease of body fat and increase of muscle mass. The best way to gauge this is visual assessment, not checking your weight on the scale every day. See the visible changes in your body – see how much tighter, firmer and toned your body looks. Also, you should feel lighter and more energetic after a week of following a weight loss programme. Your skin and hair should look better too,’ advises Prema.

Try smaller size clothes

Clothes are perhaps our best bet when it comes to tracking our weight loss progress. The joy of fitting into an old pair of jeans after a few weeks of workout is incomparable. ‘Try out your old clothes which were a few sizes smaller than what you are wearing now. When you wear pants, see how much tighter you need to wear your belt. That’s the best way to gauge your progress,’ says Prema.

Maintain a diet chart

You are what you eat! It is essential to keep track of what you eat especially when on a weight loss diet. Apart from low-calorie foods, nutrition is also important. According to Prema, ‘Maintain a food diary. Go through it and check if you are following your diet plan or cheating.’ You are less likely to eat unhealthy when you have a record of what you’ve eaten over the past few days. If you have dietician working with you, she/he can monitor the chart and make sure you eat healthy.

Track your progress on a weekly basis

Says Prema, ‘It is important to track your progress regularly, at least on a weekly basis. However, don’t keep stepping on the scale every day and stress over your weight. A healthy weight loss plan involves more than the changes in the scale. At times, body weight fluctuates. Give your new weight loss programme at least a week to start feeling the difference.’

Check your weight

You may already be doing this but yes, check your weight on the weighing scale once in a while and not every day. This is because it takes some time for your body to show visible results and checking it all the time without seeing a difference will demotivate you. ‘If you feel you are not seeing any visible changes, then re-evaluate your diet and exercise regimen. At times, it may take a fortnight for the changes. It depends on each one’s body, but a healthy weight loss is about 3 to 5 kilos per month,’ warns Prema.

Tip: Don’t get paranoid if the results above are positive, but there is no change in the scales. Carry on with your programme, you are making good progress. 

Photo source: Getty images

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