There’s an important way of tracking fitness progress not nearly enough people know about.
And that’s taking measurements.
Why measure? While the scale can be a helpful tool, it really only tells you one part of a story. And sometimes, the scale can try to convince you that NOTHING is happening when in reality, your hard work is paying off. Your body is making solid, measurable progress… you just need to use the right tool to SEE it.
Here’s why measurements are that tool: Different parts of your body have different ratios of lean muscle and stored body fat. So you’ll often notice different areas will “tone up” at different rates as your body composition changes. The scale won’t show this! But measurements and progress photos can.
How to Take Body Measurements
There are plenty of complicated measuring systems out there. Ours isn’t one of them! At V Shred, our coaches have found that measuring 4 sites will USUALLY tell you everything you need to know in order to track your body composition changes.
What to Measure
- Waist: When measuring your waist, measure at the narrowest part. This is usually halfway between the top of your hip bone, and the bottom of your ribcage or about midline with your belly button, for most people. Don't "suck in" or flex. Just relax and breathe normally!
- Hips: Contrary from the waist, you want to measure your hips at the widest point. This is usually the thickest part of your booty.
- Biceps: Again, you’ll want to measure at the thickest point of your biceps, which is usually about halfway between your shoulder and your elbow. While it may be tempting to flex those gains, first measure with your arm down straight and un-flexed against your side. If you want to take a second measurement flexed... go for it. There’s no shame in the flex game!
- Thigh: Again, measure at the widest point, about halfway between your hip bone and your knee. Keep in mind that it’s common for leg sizes to vary, so always try and measure and compare your dominant side week over week. That means if you're right-handed, measure your right leg. Left-handed, left leg.
Pro Tips for Taking Body Measurements:
- You can measure on your own, but if you have a friend or partner willing to help, enlist them to assist for more accurate readings... especially when you're learning!
- For your first set of measurements, take them twice. That will help you know if you’re getting an accurate reading.
- Each time you measure in the future, try to measure at the same spot as before. This can help decrease the chance of getting skewed or incorrect measurements.
How Often Should You Measure?
Taking measurements weekly is plenty! We recommend writing down and tracking your measurements each week so you can compare your numbers and celebrate your progress. Our V Shred Trainers have even created this 90-day measurement tracking sheet that does just that!
V Shred’s custom coaching team has created over 1 million fully personalized workout and meal plans. Each one was built with a specific person’s likes, dislikes, abilities, and lifestyle in mind! Our coaches are people you can talk to and ask questions… and yes, vent about the scale!
They’re real people who have helped thousands of other real people just like you—not robots creating cookie-cutter plans! With a coach’s help, all you have to do is bring the commitment!
Every V Shred custom nutrition and workout plans comes with:
- Customization to your likes, dislikes, and abilities
- Unlimited communication with your coach
- Unlimited changes to your plan
Get matched up with your perfect coach and start building a life-changing relationship today!