How do you measure progress?

[margotspera]

So I'm gaining new perspective on my training and nutrition now that i've been lurking around this board. So first off, thank you to everyone for your comments.

My question now is how to you measure progress? My goal is to keep and gian muscle that I have, and loose the body fat.

I'm great in the gym, I understand training completely, so I'm confident in how to measure progress at the gym. But its the body fat: do you measure body fat or weight or both?

I want to get BF calipers, but what is the best way to track it? every week, month?

Thanks again for all your help!

[CharliC]

The most accurate way to measure progress is by taking body measurements and progress pictures. Every three months is a good period for tracking with photos, and monthly for measurements.

BF measuring can be pretty hit and miss (though some methods are more accurate than others- I'm not too au fait with what's considered best but there are plenty of articles comparing them).

The scales are a cause of unnecessary stress and a very unreliable measure of progress
(see this thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=108730631)

[freebirdmac]

^^^^ Yep.