The Measure of Physical Health

April 9, 2007 — -- You obsess with the scale and fitting into your clothes. You're concerned about thick legs, a bit too much belly fat and a growing waistline.

With all of this on your mind, what else can you possibly think about?

Even a good exercise regimen often does little to take the edge off this worry. After just one week of training, many of my clients ask me for my opinion of their weight loss so far:

"Stefan, what do you think? Don't I look thinner?"

I always smile to myself and wonder, "What do you think? That I have X-ray eyes and a built-in scanner to weigh you and take your body fat measurements?"

But we still need to be able to keep track of our progress, right? Here are a few helpful clarifications on the measurements currently used in the industry -- and if they make sense or not.

The waist measurement is a good start, particularly if you are relying only on yourself to measure your progress.

However, this may not be the most accurate of strategies. If you happen to look at individuals who are using this approach, pay close attention when they take a second measurement. In many cases, you may notice that the second measurement will be smaller simply because the tape is held tighter.

Other factors can also influence the result. Try taking an initial measurement, and then hold your stomach in and take a second measurement right away. Voila, you have just lost three inches right there!

Also, can it be guaranteed that the same point of measurement is always used? Most likely not, unless the individual uses a fixed point, like a joint, to measure down to a certain point on your leg, stomach or arm.

Another shortfall of this method is that it cannot tell you how much lean muscle tissue you have gained and how much fat tissue you have lost since you started your workout program.

Another interesting measurement. Do you know the formula? Here it is:

BMI = (Weight in Pounds/(Height in inches) x (Height in inches) x 703