Best practice when taking your measurements

If you are someone who is motivated by seeing results – or lack, thereof – measure yourself as regularly as you want, from a daily routine to a weekly one. The important thing is to take your measurements at approximately the same time. If you are only starting out your fitness plan and are new to exercising, you might also want to keep an eye on your measurements on a regular basis so you can fine-tune your exercises to hit the spots you want it to hit. That way, if you don’t see any change in, for instance, your abs, you can quickly change your routine to focus more on that body part. The important thing is not to just take occasional snapshots, but to take measurements regularly enough so that you understand your body and its internal variations. When you wake up in the morning, you’re 1-2% taller than you were the evening before. Your waist circumference will vary almost an inch (21 millimeters) within a day. Not to mention the monthly periodical changes to women’s bodies. So even if you would treat yourself with a $200 measurement from head to toe, you still wouldn’t know how to relate to those numbers. Measure yourself as frequently as possible. Allow the numbers to go up and down. Focus on the trend and you’ll start seeing the positive results you’re longing for.

A question that you will inevitably face once you start working out, looking out for your weight, living a healthier and more active life is: How often should you take your measurements? On the one side, your measurements could be the fuel to your motivation, as you start seeing a change in the numbers, and everything is going as planned – on the other hand, measurements can also be demotivating if you’re not seeing the results you so strongly worked for. Is it a good idea to look at numbers, and what is the best way to go about it? Here is what you should know before you start measuring yourself regularly. 

Does taking your measurements help?

Measuring yourself regularly will keep a pulse on your body changes and show you the results in specific numbers that are undeniable, easily trackable and the most concrete proof that you are getting fitter. According to science, tracking your progress keeps you motivated once the results start to kick in. It also helps re-trace your steps if you fall off the wagon for a while and take a break from exercising or start to eat unhealthy again. In that way, measuring yourself regularly helps to hold yourself accountable. Measuring yourself may also have a subconscious positive effect. When you start paying attention to your body regularly, it is likely that subconsciously you are influencing your habits and therefore making healthier decisions in every aspect of your life. On another note, once the thrill of novelty is gone, and exercising becomes a routine, taking your measurements can also help you stay on track towards your body goals. 

What is the best way to take your measurements? 

The easiest way to take your measurements is with a bathroom scale. You will be prompted with a number, and based on what your goal is – loosing weight, gaining muscle, etc. – the number will gradually increase or decrease. But body weight alone is not a good indicator of your body’s fitness state. This is because when you loose fat and gain muscle mass, you might actually weigh more than before. Simply looking at your weight doesn’t show you that you may have gained muscle and lost body fat. For more information, read our post about Why the bathroom scale is limiting. 

There are a lot of body mass measuring tools and devices which you might or might not have access to at your local gym – however, in most cases they are difficult to use, because they require a long list of prerequisites. The fastest, easiest and most precise way is by simply taking your measurements one by one, looking at each of your body parts individually. This gives you an idea of where the changes are specifically happening on your body. If you want to skip the measuring tape and long process, try BodyBarista. Measuring yourself with BodyBarista will also allow you to see exactly where the changes are happening. If you’re happy with the results, great! You just have to keep doing what you’re doing, and improving yourself. If you’re not seeing the results where you expect them to be, or they are not as substantial as you want them to be, this will be great feedback. It helps change your exercise routine or increase your intensity to get the results you want.

Best practice when taking your measurements

If you are someone who is motivated by seeing results – or lack, thereof – measure yourself as regularly as you want, from a daily routine to a weekly one. The important thing is to take your measurements at approximately the same time. If you are only starting out your fitness plan and are new to exercising, you might also want to keep an eye on your measurements on a regular basis so you can fine-tune your exercises to hit the spots you want it to hit. That way, if you don’t see any change in, for instance, your abs, you can quickly change your routine to focus more on that body part. The important thing is not to just take occasional snapshots, but to take measurements regularly enough so that you understand your body and its internal variations. When you wake up in the morning, you’re 1-2% taller than you were the evening before. Your waist circumference will vary almost an inch (21 millimeters) within a day. Not to mention the monthly periodical changes to women’s bodies. So even if you would treat yourself with a $200 measurement from head to toe, you still wouldn’t know how to relate to those numbers. Measure yourself as frequently as possible. Allow the numbers to go up and down. Focus on the trend and you’ll start seeing the positive results you’re longing for.

The post How often should you take your measurements? appeared first on BodyBarista.

One of the most motivating factors to continue doing exercise and becoming fit is seeing the results, and ideally, in numbers. For most people, that means the number on the bathroom scale, which we’ve been highly dependent on ever since the scale was invented. It comes as no surprise then, that when this number fails us despite our best efforts at the gym, and shows no improvement, we are less likely to be motivated and keep up the good habit we have formed. It would be a mistake to rely solely on the scale, however. Because your bathroom scale isn’t giving you the full picture. Here’s why measuring yourself on a bathroom scale is limiting. 

1. Your body composition changes

Your weight is basically made up of fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, organ mass and water weight. When you start a fitness plan, ideally what happens is you loose fat mass and gain muscle mass. An exchange happens between your body composition items. So if you get up on a scale after you’ve been working out for a while, and you don’t notice any difference in your weight, but feel it on your body and clothes, your scale is essentially right. You have replaced your body fat with muscle. You will feel the difference on your body and your clothes, but the scale will most likely show the same number, or not as big as a change as you would expect.

2. The bathroom scale fluctuates

Something that most people don’t know is that the bathroom scale number will always fluctuate based on your water weight, hormonal changes, day of the week, how long time it’s been since your last meal, etc. So if you weight yourself on a Monday after breakfast, it might look like you gained significant weight – even though when you weighed yourself last Thursday after your workout, it looked like you had in fact lost a couple of kg/pounds. It’s all in the details, and these little details can influence your body weight to up to 1,5 kg, making it difficult to know exactly where the true number lies.

3. Try measuring your girth and body composition

As mentioned above, your body doesn’t just loose weight when you start working out and watching your diet. Ideally you will gain some muscle mass as well, and when that happens, you want to be looking at the crucial points on your body where significant change has happened – something that the bathroom scale wouldn’t be able to point out. Measuring your girth is a good indication of how much your body has changed, and it is precise. Another good idea – if you have the opportunity – is taking body composition measurements at the gym in order to see the ratio of fat and muscle mass in your body. Just remember to ask assistance from the gym staff so you measure yourself in the most optimal circumstances. 

4.  Don’t rely on the scale if you’re building muscle

If your main goal is to build muscle mass and become stronger, the scale will be of little use to you. The number will only keep increasing, but it will not tell you specifically where you have increased muscle mass and how much. Your clothes are always a good indication, but if you’re looking for a more precise solution, BodyBarista is a good alternative.  

– More about BodyBarista here –

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Ever wished you could put down your iPhone, stand on it, and magically find out your exact full body weight? Well, now you can – kind of.

The BodyBarista body measurement app returns the exact value of your muscle groups in inches or cm more accurately than the bathroom scale based on pictures you take with your phone. So you want to see if your biceps have grown, if your waistline has shrunken or if your lats are wider since you’ve started working out? Take a picture and check BodyBarista. Seriously, it’s that easy. It’s also free if you check in at your local gym. 

It’s fast

Once you take your picture and calibrate it, it will return your measurements within 10 seconds: your torso, arm and legs down the every muscle group.

It’s free

Take your measurements at your local gym, and use the BodyBarista app for free forever. If you want to be able to take the photos in the comfort of your home – or anywhere else – you can either opt for the $4,99 per use or a 3 month subscription for $8,00/mo. 

It motivates you

Proven scientifically: regularly monitoring your body measurements helps you keep in check and motivates you to stay fit and stick to your fitness plan.

Bathroom scales are too limiting. When you stand on one, it won’t tell you where you’ve lost or gained weight, it will just indicate a number. And you don’t always have a scale on you. You have your phone on you all the time, though. And you have BodyBarista on it. 

The post It’s a Body Measurement App appeared first on BodyBarista.