Beyond the Scale: Your Ultimate Physique Progress Guide

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re serious about improving your physique. Whether your goal is to lose fat, get shredded, or build muscle, tracking progress is key. Without proper tracking, you’re essentially flying blind—making changes without knowing if they’re actually working.

There are several ways to measure progress, each with its pros and cons. Some methods provide quantifiable data, while others rely on visual assessment. The best approach? Use a combination of methods to get the full picture rather than relying on just one.

Scale Weight: A Simple but Imperfect Tool

Stepping on a scale is the most common way people track progress. If you’re cutting, your weight should gradually decrease. If you’re bulking, you should see a steady increase. It’s an easy metric to follow, but it has its downsides.

Best Practices for Weighing Yourself:

Weigh yourself under the same conditions each time—ideally first thing in the morning, before eating, and after using the bathroom.
Aim for 4–7 weigh-ins per week and calculate the weekly average.
Focus on trends over time rather than daily fluctuations.

What Not to Do:

Don’t stress over daily weight changes. Factors like hydration, sodium intake, sleep, stress, and digestion impact scale weight.
Don’t let one “bad” weigh-in ruin your mindset. Weekly averages matter more than day-to-day numbers.

The Pitfalls of Relying Only on Scale Weight

One of the biggest issues with the scale is water retention, which can mask fat loss.

Women often experience fluctuations due to hormonal changes.
Stress—whether from work, training, or dieting—can cause water retention.
Some people experience a “whoosh effect,” where their weight suddenly drops after holding steady for weeks.

Ever had a weekend where you ate more than usual, relaxed, and woke up lighter? That’s the whoosh effect—your body shedding retained water after a period of stress. This is why patience is key.

Progress Pictures: A Visual Record of Change

Progress photos help track physical changes that the scale doesn’t show.

Best Practices for Taking Progress Photos:

Take photos in the same lighting, location, and conditions every time.
Do them first thing in the morning, before eating or training.
Use neutral lighting—not overly flattering gym lighting.
Take front, side, and back photos to get a complete view.

Why Progress Photos Matter

If your weight stays the same but you look noticeably leaner or more muscular, you’re making progress. Many people recomposition (lose fat while gaining muscle), which won’t always show up on the scale.

Circumference Measurements: A Reliable Method for Tracking Fat Loss and Muscle Gain

Measuring body circumferences is another great way to track progress, especially when building muscle or losing fat.

For Fat Loss:

Measure your waist, hips, and thighs once or twice per month.
If these measurements shrink, you’re losing fat—even if the scale doesn’t budge.

For Muscle Gain:

Track arms, chest, thighs, and waist.
If your waist stays the same while other measurements increase, you’re likely building muscle with minimal fat gain.

Don’t Overdo It:

Taking measurements too frequently won’t provide useful data. Once a month is usually enough to see meaningful changes.

Body Fat Testing: Is It Worth It?

Tracking body fat percentage seems ideal, but most methods have significant flaws. Plus, the exact percentage doesn’t matter as much as how you look and feel.

Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) Scales:

These devices (such as smart scales) estimate body fat by sending electrical currents through your body.
Hydration, food intake, and time of day can make readings highly unreliable.

DEXA Scans:

Considered the “gold standard,” but still have a margin of error up to 5%.
Expensive and not always accessible.

Why You Should Be Cautious With DEXA Scans:

Many people get a scan before and after a diet, only to panic when it says they lost muscle—even if they’re hitting PRs in the gym. This often happens due to glycogen depletion:

Glycogen (stored carbs) in muscle appears as lean mass on a DEXA scan.
When dieting, glycogen stores deplete, making it look like you lost muscle—even if you didn’t.

How to Use DEXA Correctly:

Compare post-diet scans to other post-diet scans, and bulking scans to other bulking scans.
Expect temporary lean mass reductions post-diet due to lower glycogen stores.

Closing Thoughts: The Best Approach to Tracking Progress

Tracking progress is essential for making informed adjustments, but no single method is perfect. Instead, use a combination of: ✅ Scale weight for overall trends. ✅ Progress photos for visual confirmation. ✅ Circumference measurements for tracking muscle gain and fat loss.

Key Takeaways:

Don’t let short-term fluctuations discourage you—long-term trends matter more.
Hydration, stress, and sodium intake impact weight—don’t panic over daily changes.
Focus on body composition changes rather than just weight loss.
Your physique doesn’t change overnight, but with smart tracking and consistency, you’ll make progress.

Ready to Take the Guesswork Out of Your Fitness Journey?

Tracking progress like a pro is just the start. Imagine having a coach fine-tune your plan, keeping you on track, and guiding you toward faster results. At Curl Fitness, we help you train smarter—not harder—so you can reach your physique goals with confidence.

Are you ready to optimise your training and nutrition? Let’s make it happen.