So I don't like weighing myself. Mainly because I could be weight fat, muscle, water...etc. I got an idea to measure my stomach about twice a month. Would this be affective? I think it would be, but I'd like to hear other opinions. Thanks..




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I reckon caliper in conjunction with measurements and scales would be best. You could be going down in size, and weight but still retain the same amount of fat so measuring yourself wont be that appropriate.

Have you got a pair of jeans that don't fit as well as you like? Try those on once every week or so. It's a more practical measurement than what a scale or body calipers tell you, and it feels pretty damned good when you notice you can fit into older clothes more comfortably than you used to. Probably not as scientific as you'd like, but I'm much more interested in how I feel than what numbers are attached to my progress.

In my experience, measuring my waist and abdomen is the best way to check my progress. If my strength in the weight room is staying the same or going up, and my waist is shrinking, that's a pretty good indication that I am losing fat.

Scales can mess with your head, and usually aren't a great thing. UNLESS--you take your weight into proper perspective. If the pounds are dropping, and your waist size is shrinking, and your strength is maintaning--you are most likely losing fat. If the scale isn't moving but your waist is shrinking and your strength is up, you're doing great.

So, it's not about just one method of measurement for me. It is a combination of several factors.

I use calipers, too....but both sets I own report much lower BF% than what I believe is accurate; and the caliper measurements can stall out for periods of time but my waist measurement will still be decreasing. I also have a Tanita BF% scale, which is probably pretty close when in 'athlete' mode....but it can and does still report strange data from time to time.

I would recommend measuring your belly (at the navel), and your waist (the smallest circumference of your abdomen) at least weekly. And record your weights/reps so you can track your strength changes.

And don't underestimate the good ol' pants-o-meter!