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How Do You Measure Up?

By Travis Speegle

So you’ve been training diligently for several weeks. You show up for you training sessions, work hard and feel like you’re making great progress. Then you step on the scale, and your coach brings out the tape measure.

WHAT?! Nothing has really changed!??? The scale says your weight is just about the same, and the tape measures those telltale locations around your body nearly the same as when you started. How can that be?

Quite honestly, this is very common. We live in a society that expects instant results, miracle cures and big rewards for any effort. Your body doesn’t always work that way. You’ve spent many years creating your current physical condition, and your body has adapted to surviving under those conditions. For most people, it takes some time to convince your body that it’s going to be better off letting go of that excess fat and retaining lean muscle tissue. This time of “convincing” is all part of the process and is completely normal.

I understand that it can be frustrating, but remember you are asking your body to make drastic changes. This is one of the reasons I really don’t like taking measurements too often. The disappointment of reading numbers that don’t meet your expectations can completely derail a successful fitness program. All too often, people will just give up at this point, and add another program to the list of things that doesn’t work.

There is a better way.

All processes of change take time. For some it takes a little longer than others. But one quality reigns supreme in creating the changes that you really want over the long term—Consistency.

Staying the course is the prime factor in being successful with your fitness program. Finding ways to recognize or measure your success along the way is the key to staying motivated and focused.

In terms of measuring short-term success we are far better off to minimize the use of quantitative indicators like measurements and scale weight, and focus on more qualitative measures of progress. Some solid qualitative indicators are; energy levels, decreased aches/pains, quality of sleep, ease of movement/increased range of motion, increased training loads/intensity, overall wellbeing.

I like to take pictures of my clients because many times you can see visible differences in a picture that won’t be indicated on the scale or by the tape. These are indications of qualities that have improved, even though the quantities have not yet changed.

If you’ve had disappointment with the changes in your numbers, start looking for some of the qualities that have improved as a result of your efforts. Ask a close friend, relative or coach what they’ve noticed about your improvements, or simply take a picture and compare it to a picture taken before you started your exercise program. Find a way to consider yourself successful now, and it will be easy to keep moving forward.

Stay the course, make necessary adjustments along the way and the journey will prove successful.

About the Author:

Author of the best selling fitness book "STOP WORKING OUT!" and the 100% successful "STOP DIETING!" nutrition program, Travis Speegle has been delivering simple, effective solutions to complex fitness, business and personal performance challenges for over 17 years. Discover the secrets to unlock your unlimited success at http://www.StopWorkingOut.com