Measuring your progress, How can you do this?
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Are you one of those people? The ones who dash straight for the weighing scales the minute you’ve signed in at Full Fitness Gym Watton … do you stand on them, step off them, back on them, off again, remove your hoody, shoes, phone from your pocket and give it another go. I’m quite sure if some of you could, you would be stood their starkers and then still tell me the scales are wrong.
If this is you, then don’t panic, you are not alone and this article will help you along with anyone else struggling to measure their progress.
In this article we are going to make the point that not everything is about weight loss or gain! In fact, when people first walk into the gym and tell me their goal is to loose a stone in weight, I look at them and ask this question… Is it weight you want to lose, or fat? So often we get our own goals confused with what others suggest- The media is a great one for making the fitness industry a lot harder to understand than it actually is!
So, I am going to give you a few great alternatives on how to measure your progress not by the dreaded ”step on the scales” technique.
1: Keep track of your healthy habits.
Whether that is eating vegetables with every meal, or biking to and from your work once a week. Keep a written record of this so you can look back on the day’s you are feeling less motivated and remind yourself how far you have come and that you are doing awesome!
2: Selfie time. Progress photos are a great way for you to track your body shape and keep your goals in mind.
Take a photo, ideally in a bikini or swim shorts, both from head on and the side. Then as you train, continue taking repeated photos every couple of months so you can see how far you have progressed, this will help your mind to see the small changes which you may not notice on a day to day basis. What we all seem to forget, is that the scales may tell you how much ‘weight’ you have lost; but it does not show you what that weight looks like.
3: Test Yourself. Rather than using weight simply as your measurement for success, track your health and fitness which is far more important!
Do a repeated test every month, whether thats blood pressure, Body fat % or how many pushups you can do in a minute (or all of the above if you like a challenge). Write this down and over time you are going to see great improvements which will encourage you to strive even more towards your goal.
4: Shop til you drop. We all have those ‘dream jeans’! The ones you have to lay flat on the bed and wriggle into, sucking in and prayin you can get that button done up before it pops off. Well now is the time to dust them off and try them on.
Each month pull them out and try them on, it will be such a boost when they finally slide on and fit comfortably. Notice each month how they feel to put on and keep a mental note of your progress. When they finally fit, treat yourself to a few new wardrobe items as an added little reward!
5: Does size matter. The big question that nobody ever seems to answer! No, no, no, not that! I mean your waist, biceps, thighs and all those other body parts you are looking to tone, build or lose fat from.
Every few weeks get out your measuring tape and write down your inches. you can do this from almost anywhere you are looking to gain or lose size from. When you see the figures and your shape changing (from your progress photos) you will automatically feel more upbeat about the great progress you have made and are making.
6: Emotions- This is a very subjective measurement, however possibly one of the strongest ones. As you start working out you will usually find that other attributes follow, such as a better sleep pattern, a healthier diet and a more positive outlook to challenges.
Keep a journal or just write notes in your workout book. When you look back and remind yourself of your sleepless nights, the day you felt too self conscious to wear that item of clothing or the sneaky coffee you needed to keep you going on the early morning shift at work and see the difference in your confidence, energy and overall health, you will never look back and only push towards your goals even more.
So remember, although the weighing scales don’t have to be the enemy, they also are not the best form of measurement for our weight loss or gain. Keep pushing forward and you will see that keeping healthy and exercising with us as Full Fitness Gym will have positive effects on all aspects of your life.
Keep me updated with your progress next time you’re in the gym!