You took a photo three weeks ago. You took one today. You hold them side by side and they look… exactly the same.

I’ve been there. Standing in the bathroom squinting at my phone thinking “seriously? Nothing?”

Before you spiral, we need to check because a lot of times it’s just the case of a different setup. Lighting, angle, time of day, what you’re wearing, whether you’re flexing or relaxed… even if you’ve put on tanner in one photo and not the other! All of it affects what you see in a progress photo. And if any of those things changed between your two photo sessions, you’re not really comparing the same thing.

For example, if you’re comparing a photo taken in bathroom lighting at 8pm after dinner to one taken in natural light at 7am before coffee… of course they’re going to look different, but not necessarily because your body composition has changed.

Progress photos are one of the most powerful tools you have for tracking body shape changes, but only if you take them the right way. Here’s how to set yourself up so your photos show you what’s changing.

I wrote a whole post on why the scale isn’t the best way to measure fat loss and what to track instead, so I won’t repeat all of it here. But the short version is this: visual changes in your body often show up before the scale moves.

If you’re tracking your macros and putting in the work, you deserve to see the results. Photos are one way to do that.

This section is the actual steps to how to take progress photos.

Same time of day. Take them in the morning, before you eat or drink anything. Your body is at its leanest and least bloated first thing in the morning. An evening photo after a full day of meals, water, and snacks is going to look a lot different, and it doesn’t mean anything has changed except for those temporary factors.

Same lighting. Natural light is best. Stand facing a window or in a room where the light hits you from the front. Overhead lighting and bathroom fluorescents create shadows that can make you look like a totally different person from one photo to the next. If your only option is artificial light, just make sure it’s the same light source every time. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Same location. Pick a spot and stick with it. Same wall, same mirror, same room. This takes one more variable off the table.

Same clothes (or same level of clothing). Wear the same thing… underwear and a sports bra, or whatever you’re comfortable in. Loose clothing hides changes. If you’re not comfortable in minimal clothing, that’s completely fine! But wear the same fitted outfit each time so you can see what’s different.

All three angles. Front, side, and back every time. Changes show up in different places depending on your genetics. Fat loss can be anywhere so this gives you the best chance to see it show up. You might not notice much from the front, but the side view can tell a different story.

Take both relaxed and flexed photos. I know a lot of guides tell you to only take relaxed photos, but I recommend doing both. Three of each, every time.

For your relaxed set: front facing with your arms down at your sides, a side profile with your front arm up perpendicular to your body but not tightened, and back with your arms down at your sides. Don’t suck in, don’t pose. Just stand naturally. These are the ones that show you what your body looks like day to day.

For your flexed set: front facing with your arms up in a bicep pose, a side profile with your front arm tight and held beside your body so you can see bicep and tricep definition, and back in the same pose as front but showing off your back muscles.

The relaxed photos track fat loss. The flexed photos track muscle development. Together they tell you way more than either one alone. And honestly, watching definition show up in your flexed photos over time is one of the most motivating things you can do for yourself… especially on the weeks where the scale is being annoying!

But how do you take these photos? I use and recommend a cheap selfie stick tripod. You can buy these online for about $20 or under. Here’s one I’ve used for awhile now, if you want a recommendation. Set it up at about chest height, and film your photos as a video. Then, go back and screenshot at the moments when you’re posing, crop and use those as your progress photos. 

Every four weeks. Seriously, that’s it.

I recommend taking progress photos on the same day you take your body measurements. That way you’re building one simple habit instead of trying to remember multiple tracking days.

Please don’t take them weekly. I know it’s tempting, but your body doesn’t change that quickly. Weekly photos will show very little difference, and you’ll get discouraged for no reason. Four weeks gives your body enough time to show visible changes, especially if you’re in a deficit or going through a reverse diet.

Set a reminder on your phone if that helps. Pick a day (the 1st of the month, every 4th Monday, whatever works for your life) and make it part of your routine.

When you put your photos side by side, don’t just look for “thinner.” That’s not what we’re after. Look for composition changes… shifts in where your body is carrying weight and how your shape is changing over time.

Midsection. Look at your waistline, your lower belly, and the area around your ribcage. Even subtle narrowing here is a sign that fat loss is happening.

Arms. Look for more definition in the shoulders/upper arms and less fullness in the back of the arm. If you’re wearing a bra, look for the skin around the edges because you can especially notice changes here.

Face. This one surprises people, but it’s real! A lot of women notice their face looking leaner so don’t forget to check.

Posture. As you get stronger (especially if you’re lifting), your posture shifts. Shoulders pull back, you stand taller, your core holds differently. This shows in your progress photos as well.

Honestly, it’s funny because sometimes a client will tell me nothing’s changed in the mirror and she believes it. Sometimes you won’t see it until you put week one and week eight side by side. I recommend finding a free collage photo app so you can place both photos together and save to your camera roll. It’s much easier to see progress when the photos are in the same frame. I’ve used Pic Collage for years and it works just fine, but honestly, any free one will do.

Remember, week-to-week changes can be so subtle that you miss them entirely. That’s normal. And it’s why I ask my coaching clients for photos. They often can’t see their own progress, but I can. And when I put their photos next to each other and show them the changes, it clicks. I’ve had clients say “I had no idea” or “why didn’t I start doing this sooner?” It’s one of my favorite parts of coaching.

But you can do this part on your own, too. Compare month over month or even baseline to month 3, month 6. That’s where the biggest changes show up.

That’s completely up to you. Some women keep a private album on their phone. Some share them with a coach (hi!). Some post them on social media to hold themselves accountable. There’s no wrong answer here. Do whatever makes you feel confident and motivated.

What I will say is this, though… make sure you pair your photos with your body measurements for the full picture. A photo shows you what’s changing visually. Your measurements show you the numbers behind it. Together, they give you way more useful information than the scale ever will. If you haven’t started tracking measurements yet, start here. I walk through exactly where and how to measure.

If you want one place to log all of it… measurements, scale weight, and biofeedback… my Body Composition Tracker Spreadsheet keeps everything together so you can see trends over time instead of flipping between notes and apps. And if you’re also tracking macros (or thinking about starting), my Macro Counting Starter Kit pairs the tracker with my full beginner guide for $16.

And if you want to take it a step further, your waist-to-hip ratio adds another layer of context, especially if you’re focused on metabolic health and long-term health, not just aesthetics.

Also, don’t rely on one tool alone. Progress photos, body measurements, scale weight, and how your clothes fit will always tell you a fuller picture than just one of these by itself.

I review progress photos and measurements together with my coaching clients at check-ins. That’s how I know what’s working, what needs adjusting, and what phase comes next.

Start by pairing your photos with actual numbers. My Body Composition Tracker Spreadsheet makes it simple… one place to log your measurements, scale weight, and biofeedback every four weeks so you can see the trend. If you’re also new to tracking macros, my Macro Counting Starter Kit bundles the tracker with my full beginner guide so you’ve got both sides covered for $16.

If you’re at the point where you’re tracking your macros, taking your photos, doing the work… but you want someone to look at all of it with you and tell you what’s happening, that’s what my monthly coaching is for. It’s month-to-month with no contracts, and I only take a handful of clients at a time. And it doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars because I want every mom to have access to it. You can learn more about coaching here.

If you’re not quite there yet, a custom macro count is the fastest way to get personalized numbers from a real coach without committing to ongoing coaching. Mine comes with a one-time adjustment within the first two weeks if things aren’t moving in the right direction.

Need some fuel for the journey? My cookbook A Month of Family Dinners Vol. 1 has 30 dinners with full macro breakdowns, designed so the whole family eats the same meal.