The progress pinch

A scale can provide some general indicators of success but it doesn't tell the whole story. Not everyone has access to complicated methods for testing body composition. This article describes some easy ways to determine whether or not you're on the right path.

It is not uncommon for fitness trainers to tell their clients that "the scale lies." This isn't entirely true. The scale just doesn't provide the full picture because it measures your total weight and does not distinguish between fat and muscle mass. Someone with a lot of fat to lose won't be able to add as much muscle right away, so the scale should go down over time. But it is not uncommon for a beginner to gain some muscle when they start a new program. It may seem frustrating to see a week go by without the scale changing - but what if you gained a kilogram of muscle while burning a kilogram of fat? That would be a successful week, despite the fact that the scale didn't budge.

To chart your progress, you'll need to know just how much of your weight change was fat and how much was lean mass, which includes water and muscle. There are many methods available to test your body composition ranging from handheld electrical devices to water immersion tanks and air chambers. What about something simple that you can do in the comfort of your own home?

The Pinch

The first and perhaps easiest method is a simple pinch. Body fat calipers are special devices that are used to measure the thickness of a flap of skin. They are available online and in many fitness stores. The plastic versions are relatively inexpensive. The reason few people invest in these devices is because the formulas for computing body fat are complex and can be intimidating. It also requires some skill and experience to learn how to take consistent measurements so typically you only find body fat calipers in the hands of trainers.

You don't have to plug in a complicated formula to determine if you are making progress, however. The reason why the calipers work well is because skin is very thin. On average, your skin is only about 1 millimeter thick. So when you pinch the skin on your body, it should only be a few millimeters thick. Most of us know that's not the case ... so where does the extra thickness come from? That extra "thickeness" in a pinch of skin is subcutaneous fat, or fat deposits that exist directly beneath your skin. If you are losing fat, these deposits will begin to empty their contents and the thickness of your skin will decrease.

Instead of using a complex formula to determine your body fat, simply pick an area on your body that seems to be carrying the most amount of fat. For most people, this is either the umbilicus (a vertical pinch 2cm to the side of your navel or belly button), the suprailiac (a diagonal pinch taken just above the waist), and the thich (a vertical pinch taken on the front of the thigh between the knee and hip).

Measure this area a few times and take the average. As long as this number goes down, you can be confident you are losing fat while if the numbers go up that extra weight is probably due to fat and not muscle. If your weight remains the same but these numbers decrease, it means you are most likely adding some muscle as you trim away the fat. The numbers may be as high as 3 - 4 centimeters for some people and can go as low as a few millimeters for individuals with extremely low body fat. Because these numbers are slow to change you should only measure them every other week or once a month in order to see a good trend.

The Ratio

Another easy method involves nothing more than a standard tape measure. The abdominal area is where most people carry the majority of their fat weight. Because your abdominal muscles may get stronger but typically do not grow significantly from training, it would be very unusual to see an increase in your waist size unless it is due to fat. Even massive bodybuilders with a lot of muscle mass have narrow waists measuring 80 centimeters or less. Your arms, on the other hand, tend to carry less fat and usually only change in size due to hypertrophy or the growth of muscle. Therefore, a convenient ratio to track is the ratio of your abdominal circumference to the circumference of your upper arm.

To make this measurement, simply stand relaxed with your arms at your sides. The abdominal measurement is taken at the widest point between your hips and navel. Take this after a natural breath and don't push out or suck in your gut. The arm or biceps measurement is taken at the widest point of your upper arm between your elbow and shoulder. Again, measure it with arm relaxed, not flexed.

Take the abdominal measurement and divide by the biceps measurement to get your ratio. For example, someone with a 90cm waist and 36cm arms would have a ratio of 90/36 or 2.5.

Over time, you'll want this ratio to decrease. A lower ratio means you are losing fat and/or gaining muscle. A higher ratio, however, means you are either losing muscle or gaining fat.

These are two methods that are relatively easy and inexpensive to use. The following chart will help you determine your success based on how the measurements change:



As you can see, it's relatively easy to take a progress pinch or use a simple tape measure to plot your success. These methods are useful when performed every few weeks to gauge your progress. If you find you are losing muscle or gaining fat it simply means it's time to take a closer look at your nutrition and training to determine where changes can be made. While it's important to make adjustments when necessary, always allow a solid 1 - 2 months on a new program before you start changing things around so that you have time to take a realistic look at your progress.