The Super-Simple Scientifically Proven Method For Doubling Your Odds Of Reaching Your Goals… This Practice Will Give You An Uncanny Bird’s Eye View Of Your Progress, Boost Your Happiness, Help You Build Momentum, And Give You A Motivational Kick In The Ass When Needed
What’s the first thing that happens when you open the Maps app on your iPhone?
The app determines your current location.
If the app can’t identify your current location, for some reason, then the app can’t give you directions to your destination. It’s that simple.
The only way to get step-by-step directions to get to your destination is by identifying your starting location first.
Kind of interesting, right? Here’s why:
You probably have an idea of what you want, hope, wish, and dream your body will hopefully, one day, someday look like. It might not be exact or specific, but you have an idea of the end destination…
But do you have any idea where you’re currently at? In other words, do you know what your starting location is?
Because if you don’t, like the Maps app, you’re going to have a very difficult (if not impossible) time trying to get directions to your destination. In this case, the destination is your end goal or vision of what you want your body to look like someday.
As a fitness coach I have many responsibilities including looking awesome in my Lulu, first and foremost…
More importantly I must provide clients with motivation, habit change, workout strategy, exercise selection, accountability, goal setting, and progress tracking. When collectively looking at this list to identify the force multipliers, the things that if done, will make everything else easier or unnecessary…
Nothing stands out more to me more than goal setting and tracking progress for 4 critical reasons:
1. Bird’s Eye View
Referring back to the Maps app metaphor, knowing your starting location and end destination gives you an elevated perspective. It allows you to see your goals and the journey ahead of you from a macro viewpoint. Officially beating the metaphors to death, it allows you to see the forest and not just the trees.
So, like the legend General Patton himself… this allows you to remove any emotion from your thinking and as a result — make better strategic decisions by getting a bird’s eye view of the battlefield.
One of my favorite authors and podcasters, former Navy Seal Commander and author of the New York Times Bestseller Extreme Ownership, Jacko Willink talked about the importance of this type of perspective on the Tim Ferriss Podcast.
According to Jacko, this elevated perspective provides self-awareness and allows you to evaluate your actions and make smarter decisions in the future. And by improving your performance, it puts you in a position to win the next battle.
Want to not only win, but dominate the battle of weight loss like a Navy Seal boss?
Identify your starting position by tracking your current measurements to get your bird’s eye view of the battlefield.
2. Happiness
Tony Robbins famously and repeatedly says, “Progress equals happiness.”
If you are making progress in any area of life, even if you haven’t reached your goal yet — you’re going to be happy. At least, much happier than you would be if you were regressing or making zero progress.
The solution is simple… if you want to be happy then track your progress so you can actually measure and see the progress you’re making. Honestly, who doesn’t get excited by progress… especially when it comes to your gainz?
Which leads me to the next critical reason for tracking progress…
3. Double M: Motivation & Momentum
In my experience of working with over 1,000 men and women, nothing gets a client more fired up than seeing progress. It gets them excited and it practically lights a fire under their ass.
Like a Bulldog on a meat truck, they get an insatiable appetite for more of everything… more progress, more gains, and more fat loss.
Of course, this provides motivation and momentum. Once you start seeing progress, it’s very easy to keep going. In fact, it’s practically effortless.
According to my client Michael, seeing progress caused him to “fall into the process” and build up motivation and momentum which helped him lose 25 lbs, cut 11% body fat, and go from no-pack to six-pack in only 10-weeks.
You can hear him talk about this in an extremely detailed interview I did with him about his transformation:
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Want the EXACT 45-min workout Michael did to lose 25 lbs in 10-weeks? Enter your name and email below and I’ll send it to you for free 👇👇
On the flip side, if you aren’t making progress then seeing a regression in your metrics or seeing stagnation will often light an equally powerful fire under your ass. Except, instead of helping you “fall into the process” it will serve as a wake-up call.
Ring. Ring. It’s your ass calling, we see massive growth in the future. Prepare for expansion!
If that’s not enough to wake you up, I don’t know what will…
4. Science of Goal Setting
Everybody knows goal setting is important. And everybody knows setting a goal makes you much more likely to actually hit your goal.
But not everybody knows how to put Goal Setting on a cycle of HGH and Testosterone for insane, exponential-like bodybuilder-style growth.
If you want to almost guarantee you hit your goal, you must track your progress toward that goal. Here’s the 411…
A recent study by Censuswide and Geckoboard illustrated companies that set goals AND track progress toward those goals are more than twice as likely to hit their goals.
This idea was reiterated by Brendon Burchard on a more personal level in his magnificent book High Performance Habits. In the book he said, “…people who set goals and regularly self-monitor are almost two and a half times more likely to attain their goals.”
He goes on to say:
“If you don’t set a goal and track your progress, you’re almost sure to fail. One meta-analysis found that self-monitoring was among the most effective means for improving weight loss results.”
So, if you want to set yourself up for failure and frustration… keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t set highly specific goals and don’t track your progress.
But if you want to look awesome naked, reignite the spark with your partner, ignite jealousy among your friends, and impress the hell out of a Tinder hookup with photos like this…
You need to succeed with your health and fitness goals. Whether it’s fat loss, muscle gain, or even getting six-pack abs… if you want to hit your goals then you must track your progress.
In order to track your progress, you must complete a physical assessment of yourself and capture data in 4 specific areas:
1. Body Measurements
These are your standard body measurements. If you’ve ever had the snobby pleasure of visiting a tailor — you’ve had these taken before. These numbers will allow you to quantifiably measure progress throughout any workout program.
If you haven’t visited a good tailor and gotten some bespoke clothes, I cannot recommend it enough. Go to the right place and the experience will be well worth the cost.
You’ll feel like James Bond during the experience and you’ll look like him by the end in your new perfectly fitting suit. It’s an incredibly powerful confidence and ego boost. My guy Cordt is bomb-diggity and he works at Balani Custom Clothiers in Chicago. He’ll set you up with an expensive Scotch, a damn fine fitting suit, and an experience you’ll never forget.
2. Weight
Although easy and accurate, tracking your weight is not nearly as important as tracking your body fat percentage. This is because weight includes your muscle as well as water, fat, bone, and organ tissue. Still, weight is a good (but not great) metric to track because it’s easy and people are so conditioned to think about it.
For that reason, I recommend you track it for another quantifiable metric.
3. Body Fat Percentage
Body fat percentage gives you insight that weight doesn’t because it breaks your weight down into three categories: water weight, muscle mass, and fat mass. Knowing this is incredibly powerful.
For example, if you’ve gained 5 lbs. you’ll know exactly how much of this is water weight, body fat, or muscle mass. This takes the blinders off and gives you insight and transparency that’s not possible by simply stepping on the scale.
4. Current Visual
To me, this is the by far the most important measurable because gaining 10 lbs. of muscle mass is nice… but looking ridiculously awesome without a shirt on and feeling great about yourself is better.
At the end of the day, numbers don’t mean shit if you don’t like what you see. If you are happy with how you look, the numbers are irrelevant. Now, let’s dig deeper into each one so I can show you EXACTLY how to track it in order to guarantee success:
How To Track Body Measurements
First, let’s start with a list of what body measurements you should track. Here’s a list of what I recommend and what I track with my clients:
1. Neck 6. Waist
2. Shoulders 7. Hips
3. Chest 8. Thighs
4. Biceps 9. Calves
5. Forearms
There are two ways to get your measurements taken:
- Outsource Method
- Do-it-Yourself Method
Outsource Method
Getting them taken at a 3rd party location is the absolute easiest method for not only taking, but tracking your body measurements.
This will cost you a few bucks, but it will be much more accurate than doing it yourself and you can often get your body fat tested at the same location.
Apart from setting up the appointment and driving to the facility, it’s very easy. You just stand there and a machine takes a 3D image of your body calculating all your measurements.
They also keep track of all the measurements for you so you don’t have to track them yourself. If you have the money and live near a facility, it’s worth it. There are two companies that do this, at least — that I know of:
1. Fit 3D – This company has locations all over the world. They provide an extremely detailed report on your body measurements and they often do DexaFit body fat testing at the same facility.
You have to contact the locations directly to set up an appointment and ask about price. Lastly, and this is the part that sucks… with some facilities like Equinox you must be a member or a personal training client to use the machine.
2. mPort – This company is only located in Southern California (Irvine, Costa Mesa, San Diego, Long Beach). They do both body measurements and body fat in one test which is easy and convenient although I can’t speak for the accuracy of the body fat test. My educated guess is that it’s not very accurate, at least not as accurate as DexaFit.
The good news is that you don’t have to belong to a specific gym to use the pods and they are cheap at only $4.95 per month or $39.50 yearly for unlimited testing.
Do-It-Yourself Method
The simplest and fastest way to get your body measurements is to take the measurements at home. You can do this by yourself or have a friend, family member, or significant other take them for you.
Bonus points if you ask a new love interest or potential hookup to do it for you. It could be a great way to speed things along if you know what I mean…
Hey, I’m doing this new workout program to get shredded and jacked… no big deal. Play your cards right and you’ll be dating a Zac Efron look-alike…
But I need someone to take my measurements for me.
What’s that?
Yeah, it’s more accurate if you take them while I’m naked.
Oh, you want your measurements take too? Sweet. 😘
If you’re going to do it yourself, taking your measurements is only half of the job. You’ll also have to save the numbers so you can compare your progress over a number of weeks or months. Unless you’ve got a brain like Will Hunting and can remember the names of your 12 imaginary big brothers, there are 4 ways to do this…
(Oddly, the number four keeps appearing throughout this post. It’s totally random and unintentional but also kind of cool, no?)
1. Old School Method – With this method, simply use a notepad or paper and a pen. Nothing fancy about it. You can use a traditional yellow pad or a more fancy templated Workout Log. Either can also be used to track your workouts.
2. New School – With this method, you’ll combine the Old School Method with your smart device by using the Notes app on your phone. Just log your measurements in the Notes app by freehand typing.
3. Voyeur Method – If you like showing off with gym selfies on Instagram then you’re going to love this method. Create a profile on Bodybuilding.com’s BodySpace and you can track your measurements and even your progress photos for the world to see.
4. Analytics Nerd – This is the Rolls Royce of tracking. If you work in tech or you’re a consultant, you’re going to love this method. Download the spreadsheet I created below and track using Microsoft Excel.
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It doesn’t matter which method you pick, just pick one and move on. I prefer #4 Analytics Nerd, but if you suck at Excel and can barely get on the internet without hurting yourself then one of the other methods will work better.
You can always change later if you don’t like the method you picked. Do not spend more than 2 or 3 minutes contemplating this decision. Take Action.
Also, if you don’t have Microsoft Excel you can always upload the spreadsheet into Google Sheets. There might be some small formatting issues you have to resolve.
How To Track Weight
Weight should be taken often. In the morning after brushing your teeth, at the gym before working out, or before you lay down to go to sleep. Pick a time, stick with it, and make it a habit. For example, I step on the scale before every single workout at the gym.
Yes, I have my clothes on so it’s not a perfect measurement — but I always measure with my clothes on so it’s a consistent and reliable number. I’ll take a more formal weight measurement when I do my full set of body measurements.
The large majority of people I work with already have a scale at home. If not, buy one. I recommend a Dual Scale to measure both your weight and body fat percentage.
Also, your gym will definitely have a scale in the locker room. Taking your weight regularly shouldn’t be a problem. It will give you fascinating insight into how your weight changes on a daily basis due to water, sodium intake, carb consumption, or even sleep deprivation.
It’s fascinating in a fitness nerd sort of way except like waaaay cooler because, you know — it’s fitness.
Use whatever method you chose above to also capture and track your weight. Keep in mind you don’t have to track your weight every single day, once a week is sufficient for our purposes.
How To Track Body Fat Percentage
Given my need to over-deliver and stay consistent with my excessively detailed OCD personality… there are 5 ways to track your body fat percentage, each with its positives and negatives.
Don’t worry, I’ll break it down for you super-simple and help you create an action plan. My recommendation is to do a 3rd party scan and combine this with your body measurements. I provide several locations that offer this service below.
1. Third Party
This will be, by far, the most accurate way of tracking your body fat. For that reason, it’s the method I recommend to all my clients. The provider should also give you an incredibly detailed report breaking down your body makeup from six ways to Sunday. You can also see your history and how you’ve progressed since your last measurement.
I recommend getting a test done once every 8-12 weeks due to cost and the inconvenience of having to travel to a testing center. Here are 4 (again) options:
DexaFit – By far my #1 recommendation due to insanely awesome accuracy. It’s great for testing body fat, but they don’t take full body measurements and they don’t have as many locations. Although anyone can go to any location it’s a bit pricey at $150 for one test or $79 if you prepay for multiple tests.
Mobile Hydrostatic Testing – If DexaFit isn’t available in your area, you might be lucky enough to have one of these trucks driving around. It’s a mobile truck that stops at different locations and measures your body fat using underwater weighing. This test is very accurate in comparison to other methods or at-home measurement tools. And it’s pretty cheap at only $49 for your first test.
BodPod – If you don’t have access to DexaFit or Hydrostatic Testing, you can always get a BodPod test done. It’s extremely accurate but they, like the others, only test body fat. The good thing is that they have lots of locations. And it’s much cheaper than DexaFit at about $45 for a test.
mPort – This one will only work if you are in San Diego, Irvine, Costa Mesa, or Long Beach. On the plus side, you can get your body measurements and body fat done in one single test. Downside is the accuracy is questionable at best when it comes to the body fat percentage, but it’s certainly better than nothing.
2. Skulpt Scanner
If money is an issue, it’s a bit cheaper and more convenient to buy a Skulpt Scanner. It’s a one-time payment and you can take a body fat test whenever you like in the comfort of your own home.
Believe it or not, the accuracy is actually pretty good in my experience. A few of my clients, who purchased them, found them to be within 2% of their DexaFit results. The Skulpt Scanner attaches to your iPhone, uses an app for tracking data, and even integrates with iHealth.
3. Dual Weight & Body Fat Scale
A Dual Weight & Body Fat Scale is the easiest and cheapest method that can be done in the comfort of your own home. The downside is that it’s also the most inaccurate.
It’s good enough to use for tracking progress, just know it’s probably going to be a little off… or sometimes, a lot off. Wild jumps from day-to-day are common. Focus on week-to-week or even month-to-month averages instead of daily numbers if using this method.
4. Your Gym
If you workout at a nicer gym facility like Equinox, a small private gym, or even a nice boutique gym they probably have a pretty decent body fat tester.
It’s as easy as asking one of the managers or personal trainers if you can use the body fat machine. Often, they’ll let you do this for free. But be warned, if they give you a handheld device that sends a signal through ONLY YOUR HANDS… keep in mind that machine sucks and the number will be wildly inaccurate and pretty much unusable.
You’ll know it’s a decent machine if you have to take your shoes and socks off AND grab a set of handles. These “better” and more accurate machines will send a signal through both your hands AND feet to calculate your body fat. They aren’t as accurate as DexaFit, Hydrostatic Testing, or BodPod, but they should be more accurate than your at-home methods.
5. Visual Images
This isn’t very accurate since you can only estimate a range, but it’s free and will only cost you a few minutes of your time.
I wouldn’t recommend this method, but if it’s between buying organic vegetables and a body fat scale — go with the vegetables and use the images to guesstimate your body fat.
Are we clear? Yes sir.
This blog from Built Lean is the best resource for visually assessing your body fat based on what you see in the mirror. Simply look at the images and find the one that looks closest to what you see in the mirror. To be clear, find the one that looks closest to what you actually look like and NOT the fantasyland idea or lofty visual image you hold in your head.
Are we clear? Crystal.
The biggest thing to remember when measuring body fat is to use the same measurement method every single time. This will ensure some reliability with your numbers even if they aren’t as accurate as a third-party scan like DexaFit. Even an inaccurate number can help you track and measure progress as long as it’s reliably inaccurate. I hope that make as much sense to you as it does to me.
How To Track Your Current Visual Image
Now that you’ve got your quantifiable measurements, it’s time to visually capture your progress.
This is by far the most important of all the measurements or data points you will track. Like I said earlier, it doesn’t matter what your body fat percentage is, how much muscle you have, or what size your chest is if you don’t like what you see in the mirror. It’s all for shit if you don’t like the reflection in the mirror and how you look without a shirt on or in your swimsuit.
You can take these progress photos yourself in the mirror selfie-style, set up your iPhone with a timer on the bathroom sink to take a hands-free shot, or even ask someone else take it for you. Again, bonus points if you have a new love interest or hookup do it for you. And please send me a detailed description of the event after the fact 😉
To be crystal clear, I don’t care how you do it. Just do it baby!
Speaking of Baby, nobody puts her in the corner… such a good movie. RIP Crazy Swayze. That guy was one good looking dude and his dance moves, seriously bro — don’t even get me started. #jealous
Ideally… get a front, side, and back shot if you have someone else taking the photos or have a good hands-free setup. If not, something like this will work and be good enough. Extra points if you can manage to look as good as my client Michael looked at the end of his 10-week transformation:
Action Items For Your Success
- If you’re serious about reaching your health and fitness goals, you must identify your starting position and you must track your progress toward your goals. This action will help you maintain a bird’s eye view of your journey, it will promote happiness, it will provide motivation and momentum, and it will make you more than twice as likely to reach your goal.
- Tracking your body measurements is simple, easy, and can be done for a fee at a third-party location like Fit 3D or done in the comfort of your own home by yourself using a soft tape measure.
- Weight is incredibly easy to track and can be taken at home, at the gym, or more formally when you get the rest of your body measurements taken. Ideally, step on the scale often and at the same exact time of day to make it a habit and to ensure the results are reliable from one measurement to the next.
- Body Fat might be the most important metric you can possibly track but it’s also the hardest to calculate due to the outrageous inaccuracy of most tests. To overcome this, get it done from a third-party provider like DexaFit, Mobile Hydrostatic Test, BodPod, or mPort. As a last resort use an at-home Skulpt Scanner or Dual Weight & Body Fat Scale.
- Progress photos are an absolute must. They will help you visually track your progress. They can also be a HUGE confidence booster and motivator if you are making progress. They can also serve as a wakeup call and a solid kick in the ass if you don’t like what you see.
- Taking your measurements is not enough. Unless you’re getting everything done from a third-party provider, you must store your measurements for comparison at various points over the course of several weeks or months. You can do this on a piece of paper, in the Notes app of your phone, in a Workout Log, on Bodybuilding.com’s BodySpace, or using Microsoft Excel.
- The method for tracking your data and your measurements is far less important than the act itself. Tim Ferriss said, “What you do is far more important than how you do it.” Don’t overthink or over complicate this incredibly important and powerful task. Just do it.