"Whatever your goal, taking pictures of your self will take you further."
It’s estimated that over 61% of Americans own a smart phone. Of that 61%, at least 60% of adults use social media while roughly 90% of young people use it. This is to say, the web has connected us all. In that connection, the average person sees dozens of selfies, cat videos, and articles a week. If you’re not familiar with what a selfie is: it’s a picture that you take of yourself; most of the time with a smart phone. Constantly posting selfies would seem as an act of vanity to some, but what if we told you that it could help you get in better shape? Would you do it?
Progress Selfies
Selfies have become a great deal of the social media traffic. It’s a way that people self-promote, self-appreciate, or self-admire. For some, however, it can be a way to self-motivate. Having a picture that you can look at that tells you how far you have come is invaluable. The use of selfies can be the single greatest tool you have in your fitness toolbelt to reach your goals.
These pictures weren’t always called selfies. There was a time in the fitness world that these were just referred to as ‘Before’ and ‘After’ pics. You would go in for an assessment with your trainer, they would take measurements of you, ask a few questions, and then take pictures to use as your Before and After. This was standard practice for many years before the invention of the smart phone. Now your trainer will either take them with their smart phone or have you take some for your own reference.
How to Take a Progress Selfie
If you’re looking for a long and complicated explanation on how to take a selfie, you won’t find it here. It’s so simple! All you do is use your phone and either stand in front of a mirror or use the ‘Selfie Mode’ to take a picture. For use as a progress photo, make sure that you get as much of your body in the picture as possible. Take more than one picture: front, side, and if possible, back. This will allow you to see a big picture of your progress. Make sure that you wear something that won’t completely cover you, the more revealing the better. Repeat this process every 30 days until you reach your goal. Remember: these are on your phone, no one but you has to see them. The added benefit of taking them with your phone is that you can take them with you anywhere. When you have a moment of temptation, use those pictures to see how far you’ve come and be strong.
No matter what your goal is, you should take pictures. Most truly rewarding fitness goals will create some sort of physical change that is visible. For those that want to become stronger: they may notice a change in their posture. For those looking to lose weight: they will see a reduction in their midsection. Whatever your goal, taking pictures of your self will take you further. If you are feeling really confident, you can always post them on social media to celebrate your success.
Want more help?
If you don't want to be the one to take before and after photos, check out our coaching program here at Power 3 Fitness Coaching, where we can show you your progress.