How often do you take progress pictures?

BrunetteRunner87

Weekly? Monthly? When the scale says you've lost a certain amount of weight? When you get an NSV?

I never really took any pictures, but I started a new plan about 3 weeks ago and I decided to take some before shots. I don't want to take progress pictures too often, because if I don't see results I may get discouraged. Then again, if I do take them and can see a difference, that will be encouraging!

BrunetteRunner87

bump

californiagirl2012

Weekly? Monthly? When the scale says you've lost a certain amount of weight? When you get an NSV?

I never really took any pictures, but I started a new plan about 3 weeks ago and I decided to take some before shots. I don't want to take progress pictures too often, because if I don't see results I may get discouraged. Then again, if I do take them and can see a difference, that will be encouraging!

I took them every month or so, or whenever I needed to see changes that the scale and metrics didn't show. It helped keep me motivated.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

LorinaLynn

Currently, every two weeks, while I'm doing Stronglifts. Just finished week 6.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/786496-end-of-week-6-update

Normally, about once every 4-6 weeks.

Since going on maintenance, my weight has fluctuated from 126 pounds to 138 pounds. I'm leaner now at about 135 than I was a year ago at 126. Photos are the best way for me to track my progress.

I didn't take photos until I was down about 15 pounds. I had a couple pics in a bathing suit from a few months before I reached my highest weight. I really wish I had more to show just how far I've come. I have pics of my fully clothed, but I always dressed and posed fairly flatteringly, so they don't tell the whole story.

dlegros

Now that I've started taking photos - I have decided on monthly on the 1st of the month.

Looking back, I wish that when I started this journey back in May I started tracking everything (I only tracked weight for the first 11 weeks) and took progress photos (I only took the 1st one in September) but I hated the thought of taking that photo

DaisyHamilton

I used to take them every 5lbs, but now that I'm not losing weight (trying to gain muscle), I take one about once a month.

EnchantedEvening

I take them every time I lose ten pounds. I do a close-up of my face, a full shot facing forward, full shot standing backward, and a full shot of my profile.

I really wish I'd taken "before" pictures of my feet and ankles because I don't have cankles anymore, and my feet aren't puffy. At one point, they were so swollen I had little itty bitty fat rolls on my TOES.

If someone starts out under 200, then I'd say every five pounds since it's much more noticeable on a smaller person.

BrunetteRunner87

Yeah I wish I had started taking pictures and measurements 25 lbs ago!

Sounds like monthly might be a good thing for me to start with. I'm not going to be losing a significant amount of weight again, just beefing up, so I guess a number on the scale won't make sense. And I agree the body seems to lose weight in chunks, or so it seems.

emtjmac

I never take progress pics.

KrazyAsianNic

Since I have restarted 3 weeks ago, I decided I would take pictures, measuremnts, and weight every month.

fun_b

I do not take pictures either. I do think it's a good idea though and I may take some when I reach my final goal for motivation. I have a very slow computer though so it takes ages to load pics.

zyxst

Every 4 months or 25#.

rm7161

I take them every week. Same poses, same clothing... it really helps to show my progress in ways a scale cannot.