It's time for a selfie! First off, let's start with why it's important to take progress pics when dieting. Every day you get out of the shower and look at yourself in the mirror. The changes in your body are so subtle that you don't notice them especially when you see yourself constantly. I compare it to watching grass grow, or watching paint dry on a wall. At which point does the paint become dry? Others around you will notice your progress before you do. Most times you'll start to notice that your clothes fit differently before you see the changes in the mirror. So the best way for you to see your progress is by taking pictures and comparing them.
Problem with a lot of folks' progress pics is that they fail to control the variables. Let's take a look at some of the common mistakes and how they effect your pics:
1. YOU CHANGE OUTFITS EACH TIME- Changing outfits can play tricks on the eyes. For example, certain colors or patterns can make you appear slimmer or vice versa. You also want to make sure the clothing is fitted so that you can see your shape.
2. CLUSTERED BACKGROUND- I always suggest my people take their pics against a solid background so you can clearly see the outline of your body. Not only is a filthy room bad for your selfie game in the sense that it's a distraction, but it's also embarrassing if others are to see your progress pics.
3. DIFFERENT LOCATIONS- This one is a play on #2 as different backgrounds could throw you off but also the lighting could be different and make you feel as though you look better or worse than you did before. Ever notice how you look so great in the mirrors at the gym? You get home and are like WTF?!?
4. YOU CHANGE DISTANCES- Whether it's you or someone else taking your progress pic you want to make sure you're an equal amount of distance from the camera in each picture. When you go to compare pictures it makes it a lot easier to see the changes when you have yourself the "same size". Don't be fooled into thinking the diet has made you shorter lol. I recommend putting down a piece of tape to mark the floor where you (and the cameraman) stand each time.
5. POSING/ANGLES- You should also try to pose the same each time, if you arms are up in one picture but down in the next it's going to be hard to tell the changes. Also, you need to use the same angles each time. I recommend a front and side shot at least. So many people just do front facing pics but don't realize that they are shrinking more from the side profile angle.
I hope this helps you when tracking your progress, feel free to check out other blogs from NuEnergy!