Sample google sheet: Sample progress report Chapter 2- Tools of titans “Give ordinary people the right tools and they will build the most extraordinary things.” - Niel Gershenfeld In this chapter we’ll get to know about the tools that’ll help you in measuring and tracking the body recomposition. If we want to gain weight, it’s easy to stand on the weighing machine and know whether the weight has increased or not. Similarly if we want to lose weight it’s easy to stand on that machine and know whether it is decreasing or not. But what if someone wants to lose fat or gain muscles, then how can we track that???? In this article we'll learn that only. How to track body recomposition?? For this we have 3 mandatory tools and 3 special tools. Mandatory tools: 1. Weight scale 2. Measuring tape 3. Camera(progress photos) Weight scale Weight scale is the most common tool on which people rely and attach their emotions, which I think we shouldn’t. For example, weight gain on weighing scale could mean many different things, not limited to: ● Pure fat gain. ● Pure muscle gain. ● A combination of fat and muscle gain. ● A lot of muscle gain while a little fat loss. Suppose if someone’s goal is to lose fat and he/she is only relying on weight scale, their starting weight is 70 kgs and their target weight is 60 kgs. And they are doing weight training and cardio both in the gym and they measure their weight every monday. After week 1: 69 kgs After week 2: 69.5 kgs So in this case they’ll be happy after week 1 that they have lost 1 kg, but after 2nd week they’ll feel depressed thinking that they again gained .5 kgs. But you also know that the possibility can be that they lost fat and gained some muscle between that week 1 and week 2. So we don’t have to rely on this tool to see the progress. We have to use this with others so that we can track the right progress. So how to do weight measurements?? Firstly most people do weight measurement once a week, for example they do it on every monday, which is wrong. Because there are many factors that can impact your weight on daily basis like: - Stress levels - Water intake - Sodium intake - Carbs intake - Menstrual cycles(in women) - Bowel movements And more So what we need to do is to track our weight on a daily basis and then we need to average it out of week 1, then compare it to another. Because if we do it on a regular basis the errors get minimal. For example: Take the first 2 weeks of October and assume that below mentioned were your daily weight readings. Week 1 Oct 1 - 170.4 lbs Oct 2 - 171.2 lbs Oct 3 - 169.8 lbs Oct 5 - 170.2 lbs Oct 7 - 170.6 lbs Weekly average: 170.4 lbs Week 2 Oct 8 - 170.8 lbs Oct 9 - 171.4 lbs Oct 11 - 169.8 lbs Oct 12 - 170.6 lbs Oct 13 - 170.6 lbs Oct 14 - 171.0 lbs Weekly average: 170.7 lbs So this is how you will track and compare the weight measurements. Measuring tape Measuring tape will be used to obtain two informations: 1. Waist circumference 2. Other body measurements: arms, thighs, glutes, calves, chest, shoulders Waist circumference will help us to know whether the fat is being lost or not. For example: You have not lost your weight on the scale in 1 week, but the waist circumference has decreased, so it is a clear sign that fat has been lost and muscles have been gained in those 7 days. How to take waist circumference? You need to make sure that you’re taking the waist measurement at the same location over the time, so take it at the belly button always. It is suggested to take waist measurement after every 2 weeks while fat loss goal. The other measurements like arms, thighs, chest, glutes, calves, shoulders can help to check whether you’ve gained weight or not. Also these other measurements can help you determine whether there are muscular imbalances in the right left one or not. It is suggested to take these measurements after 1 month, while muscle gain goal. Camera (progress photos) Progress photos may be the most valuable tool of all. In fact bodybuilders only like to track their progress by taking photos because at the end their goal is to look good, aesthetic not reaching a specific number on the weighing machine or in the measuring tape. So how to take progress photos? Below are the some rules to take progress photos: 1. Use the same environment or place or location. 2. If taken empty stomach, after using the washroom it will be best. 3. Use the same lighting, ideally if you’ll use natural light from a window it’ll be good. 4. For lighting it should not be the backlighting, the background should be plain 5. Use the same angle for each picture, set the camera at the same height, same spot. 6. Take videos and snapshot the pictures from that. 7. Include your full body in different poses. Include front, side, back pics. You can also perform the mandatory poses of bodybuilding as they are ideal for assessing muscular detail and balance. 8. Shoot at the same time. 9. Take photos after every month. So follow these 7 rules to get good and accurate photos for progress. An example of bad progress photo: Faults in this one: 1. It’s not in the same clothes 2. Background is not the same. 3. Lighting is also not the same. 4. Camera position is also different. Fault: there is backlighting in this photo. Left one is bad, Right one is good. Because in the left one the lighting is downwards and in the right one it is in front. So we need to make sure when using artificial light, it should be in front. See this video to know more: How To Take The Best Check In Photos (Improve Your Progress Tracking) Now, we have 3 special tools: 1. Skin callipers 2. Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) 3. DEXA scan But we’ll not use these so we’re not understanding about these ones.
