How do you track progress?

[transcend2007]

Ive been bodyfat testing monthly this year ...

Positives:

I know exact how how much lean mass I've gained and bodyfat I've lost.

Negatives: Same as above due to if progressive made is less than what is perceived it should be ...

Past month my protein intake increased by 20% (tracked daily by MyFitnessPal) steps averaged slightly over 10k step ... 24 - 1 hour 15 minute workouts ... with increased workout intensity tracked in my daily log ... with rest intervals increased to 3 minutes per set ...

Results yielded = shit ... lost 2 pounds of bodyfat from 203 to 201 ... lean mass virually unchanged ... bodyfat still over 20% ... reduced from 21.5% to 20.6% ...

I'll be honest ... I'm very disappointed ... and I ve been at this a workout thing for over 10 years so I know better ... but fuck seriously it should have been in the teens for bf% FFS ...

I'm still a big believer in tracking everything ... this post is about managing expectations and admitting I failed to manage mine properly over this month ...

I'll be getting back on the saddle tomorrow making a few adjustments and increading my efforts ...

How do you track your progress ... ?

 

[eazy]

How do you track your progress

mirror.

reps, weight

 

[eazy]

Results yielded = shit

I can't be as disappointed as you.

I don't have all the information.

How you train, are you making progress with that.

Your calorie deficit, compliance.

AAS

 

[CohibaRobusto]

I track a lot of different ways... workouts I use an app for now, that tracks my lifting progression.

Bodyfat/weight, I use scale, calipers, tape measure (record measurements on a spreadsheet ever few months). Photos regularly, mirror obviously.

Then every time someone says I look "buff," I carve a notch in my bed post and rub one off that evening.

 

[PZT]

If my waist is getting smaller and im getting stronger I feel im on the right track.

 

[eazy]

Photos regularly

especially this one.

same place in the house, same light, same pose, same clothes (if any)

put the pics side by side.

 

[TiredandHot]

Ive been bodyfat testing monthly this year ...

Positives:

I know exact how how much lean mass I've gained and bodyfat I've lost.

Negatives: Same as above due to if progressive made is less than what is perceived it should be ...

Past month my protein intake increased by 20% (tracked daily by MyFitnessPal) steps averaged slightly over 10k step ... 24 - 1 hour 15 minute workouts ... with increased workout intensity tracked in my daily log ... with rest intervals increased to 3 minutes per set ...

Results yielded = shit ... lost 2 pounds of bodyfat from 203 to 201 ... lean mass virually unchanged ... bodyfat still over 20% ... reduced from 21.5% to 20.6% ...

I'll be honest ... I'm very disappointed ... and I ve been at this a workout thing for over 10 years so I know better ... but fuck seriously it should have been in the teens for bf% FFS ...

I'm still a big believer in tracking everything ... this post is about managing expectations and admitting I failed to manage mine properly over this month ...

I'll be getting back on the saddle tomorrow making a few adjustments and increading my efforts ...

How do you track your progress ... ?

Me tracking progress has never been hard. For me, its sticking to a diet as my appetite as always been my battle.

 

[eazy]

tracking progress has never been hard

how do you track? run times?

 

[TiredandHot]

how do you track? run times?

Been on break from running, have for months now.

I was hinting more at tracking progress with weight loss and muscle gain, like the OP was referring to. I have a great memory and remember all my previous workouts weight, sets, and reps. So when looking to gain mass, I have no problem tracking progress. But cutting is another topic, lol.

 

[transcend2007]

I've never been a fan of the "I just know" tracking method ... with 20 years of sales management experience I've had to deal with the I dont track leads - sales calls - appointments etc as they miss sales quote month after month but tell me "I'm working harder than everyone else" ... hard to know when nothing is tracked what is happening ...

I also am not interested in subjective or other non-quantifiable tracking methods ... with that said I am speaking for myself ... I do understand there are other methods ... and other methods may work better for other people ...

I'm simply coming to the realization that I over-fucking ate in May ... my additional steps did NOT make up the difference for the increased calories I consumed thus proving again you cannot out-exercise a calorie surplus ... next month (this month) ... I'm going into tne teens for bodyfat% ...

 

[eazy]

not interested in subjective or other non-quantifiable tracking methods

I am very detailed with tracking all facets of the process. ( Nutrition, training, sleep, etc)

I am satisfied with subjective tracking of the results. (Side by side pics...)

Just like in sales if you do the process the right way for a period of time, you get the result.

 

[Trenbolonely]

Write down and log weights, take videos to consider technical progress in lifts. Make sure to weigh food and, log it if you don’t have a good routine that is repetitive. There shouldn’t be any big surprises if you stick to the diet and training protocols imo.

 

[DF]

Keep a workout journal, Take measurements, weigh in once a week first thing in the AM post piss and the mirror. I personally hate pics of myself & can't stand to look at them

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

Ive been bodyfat testing monthly this year ...

Positives:

I know exact how how much lean mass I've gained and bodyfat I've lost.

Negatives: Same as above due to if progressive made is less than what is perceived it should be ...

Past month my protein intake increased by 20% (tracked daily by MyFitnessPal) steps averaged slightly over 10k step ... 24 - 1 hour 15 minute workouts ... with increased workout intensity tracked in my daily log ... with rest intervals increased to 3 minutes per set ...

Results yielded = shit ... lost 2 pounds of bodyfat from 203 to 201 ... lean mass virually unchanged ... bodyfat still over 20% ... reduced from 21.5% to 20.6% ...

I'll be honest ... I'm very disappointed ... and I ve been at this a workout thing for over 10 years so I know better ... but fuck seriously it should have been in the teens for bf% FFS ...

I'm still a big believer in tracking everything ... this post is about managing expectations and admitting I failed to manage mine properly over this month ...

I'll be getting back on the saddle tomorrow making a few adjustments and increading my efforts ...

How do you track your progress ... ?

How many calories are you getting each day? Are you in a deficit?

Losing 2 pounds isn't too bad. How's your lean mass NOT change though. Are you training to failure. You have a spotter to ensure you're doing that last rep safely?

 

[eazy]

Write down and log weights, take videos to consider technical progress in lifts. Make sure to weigh food and, log it if you don’t have a good routine that is repetitive. There shouldn’t be any big surprises if you stick to the diet and training protocols imo.

how do you track the progress in your physique?

 

[Trenbolonely]

how do you track the progress in your physique?

Keeping dated images with body weights noted.
Like PZT said keeping track of waist size compared to body weight, lifts and since this week other body parts.
When powerlifting I noticed my waist/abdomen definitely grew mildly due to greater use of abdominals. during body building training it has stayed essentially the same from 72kg in October 2022 to 105kg now. so I feel like this is a reasonable metric.

 

[transcend2007]

How many calories are you getting each day? Are you in a deficit?

Losing 2 pounds isn't too bad. How's your lean mass NOT change though. Are you training to failure. You have a spotter to ensure you're doing that last rep safely?

Your question really turned out to be my issue .... I was shooting for 2,200 calories per day 150 to 200 grams of protein ... and although I never counted (subtracted calories for steps or workouts) I did not worry that my weekly calories average had creeped to over 2,500 BECAUSE the 600 to 800 step calories or 200 to 400 workout calories should have negated those daily overages ... they DID NOT clearly .. and as a result of the calories tracking looking back at MyFitnessPal I did in fact eat more at a maintenance level that a deficit ...

Had I answered this question early in the month I would have answered - "I am running a deficit" .... HA ... proving I should not count step or workout calories ...

As for spotting I have answered this previously and you and others have hated on me (which I new would not be a popular disclosure) that I neither spot others nor ask for spots as it is my belief people should self-manage their workouts and either train with a partner or hire a trainer if they need assistance ... for this reason I use machines for bench or other exercise that would be problematic going to failure ... free-weights on exercises that are not problematic ...

P.S. And not spotting others is not an indication that I am bad person or that I do not care about others ... you don't know me personally - have any idea how much time I volunteer or money I donate ... to simply go on a rant that because I do not spot people at the gym I am a horrible person seems a bit judgmental .... consider dismounting your high-horse mister ... lol

 

[BigBaldBeardGuy]

Your question really turned out to be my issue .... I was shooting for 2,200 calories per day 150 to 200 grams of protein ... and although I never counted (subtracted calories for steps or workouts) I did not worry that my weekly calories average had creeped to over 2,500 BECAUSE the 600 to 800 step calories or 200 to 400 workout calories should have negated those daily overages ... they DID NOT clearly .. and as a result of the calories tracking looking back at MyFitnessPal I did in fact eat more at a maintenance level that a deficit ...

Had I answered this question early in the month I would have answered - "I am running a deficit" .... HA ... proving I should not count step or workout calories ...

As for spotting I have answered this previously and you and others have hated on me (which I new would not be a popular disclosure) that I neither spot others nor ask for spots as it is my belief people should self-manage their workouts and either train with a partner or hire a trainer if they need assistance ... for this reason I use machines for bench or other exercise that would be problematic going to failure ... free-weights on exercises that are not problematic ...

P.S. And not spotting others is not an indication that I am bad person or that I do not care about others ... you don't know me personally - have any idea how much time I volunteer or money I donate ... to simply go on a rant that because I do not spot people at the gym I am a horrible person seems a bit judgmental .... consider dismounting your high-horse mister ... lol

In my opinion, not willing to spot someone DOES make you a bad person. That’s just me though. I’ll spot ANYONE that asks me at the gym. It doesn’t take much time and we’re all there for the same goal.

Then again, I put my cart in the corral at the supermarket. I’ll let someone out in traffic. And I’ll open doors for any lady. There’s things that you just DO. Without thinking and without feeling like you’re on a high horse.

The machines make sense. Good on you for that. I always have a training partner so that’s how I approach it. But still, if someone asks for a spot, just do it. That should be a given in our gym culture!

 

[TomJ]

In my opinion, not willing to spot someone DOES make you a bad person. That’s just me though. I’ll spot ANYONE that asks me at the gym. It doesn’t take much time and we’re all there for the same goal.

Then again, I put my cart in the corral at the supermarket. I’ll let someone out in traffic. And I’ll open doors for any lady. There’s things that you just DO. Without thinking and without feeling like you’re on a high horse.

The machines make sense. Good on you for that. I always have a training partner so that’s how I approach it. But still, if someone asks for a spot, just do it. That should be a given in our gym culture!

i like to trick the noobies at my gym into spotting me on squats,

i tell them to just get their hands right up under my ass and to push me up if i fail.

i get my ass grabbed for validation as the object i strive to be, and they get the gey.

win win

 

[transcend2007]

In my opinion, not willing to spot someone DOES make you a bad person. That’s just me though. I’ll spot ANYONE that asks me at the gym. It doesn’t take much time and we’re all there for the same goal.

Then again, I put my cart in the corral at the supermarket. I’ll let someone out in traffic. And I’ll open doors for any lady. There’s things that you just DO. Without thinking and without feeling like you’re on a high horse.

The machines make sense. Good on you for that. I always have a training partner so that’s how I approach it. But still, if someone asks for a spot, just do it. That should be a given in our gym culture!

For the record I have rescued my share of dip-shits who have dropped the bench weight on themselves and are inches away from death - I have pulled the weight off of them ... so there is that ...