Why Jorge Cruise Wants You to Start Your Week With a Selfie

You know the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” To celebrity fitness expert Jorge Cruise, that saying couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to documenting fitness progress.

Cruise, who trains and coaches a number of celebrities—including Khloé Kardashian and Steve Harvey—encourages his clients and followers to take a photo of the number on the scale every morning. He also suggests taking a mirror selfie at the beginning of every week.

“Monday’s a great day because the weekend happened. Rise, use the bathroom and then take a picture of just your toes on the scale. Once you get dressed and you’re ready to go to the gym or something, take a picture of yourself in a mirror because the mirror sees what the scale cannot see,” Cruise explains.

For example, as you build muscle and burn fat, the number on the scale may start to go up, but the mirror will reflect the truth: You’re getting leaner and stronger.

“Or sometimes we may think we’re at a proper weight, but when we look in the mirror, we think, ‘Ugh, what is this?’ Or sometimes you look in the mirror and you’re like, ‘Oh, I actually do look good, even though the scale says I’m 145 and I want to be 139.’ Whatever those numbers are, the mirror is powerful,” he says.

This method is ideal in such a tech-saturated world, Cruise says. “We can take a picture 24/7. It’s easy. And keep it personal, and then eventually you can share your victories. If you lose 10 pounds, tell people because then you get that group energy.”

Cruise doesn’t ask his clients to post their selfie progress—all he asks is that they keep the images as a personal record. He keeps an album on his phone of all his Monday selfies.

“I can go back almost two years,” he says. “And I can see when I’m having a good week or a good month or when I’m having a bad one. It gives you that awareness.”

But, Cruise says, don’t let a lack—or loss—of progress de-motivate you. “Give yourself seven days before the next picture, and use it to lift you forward,” he recommends. “Whether it’s a good picture or a bad picture, see it as a glass half full always. If you look great, that’s great. Keep doing it. If you’re not doing well, do better that week so that you have accountability with yourself.”

Photo credit: shironosov, Thinkstock