Seeing lower numbers on the scale is one of the most rewarding feelings if you have been working out hard to shed excess weight. But, what if the numbers don’t drop at all? Does it mean that you are doing things wrong?
Well, not necessarily. While the numbers on the weighing scale don’t lie per se, those numbers rarely give you the whole picture of what is happening with your fitness journey. Good thing there are several ways to help you in tracking your fitness progress so you can stay inspired and motivated to keep going:
Take Before and After Photos
There is no need to show these photos to others. Since you are seeing yourself every day, it can be difficult to notice any physical appearances. Photos taken with intervals every month is one of the best ways to document your progress.
Test the Percentage of Your Body Fat
The amount of lean body mass compared to the amount of body fat is the preferred progress marker for most trainers, researchers and physicians. There are several ways of testing yours. The most important thing here is to have consistent measurements so always use similar techniques for both post and pre-tests.
Test and Retest a Baseline Workout
Instead of just focusing on how your body looks, you can explore what it can do instead. This can be a very empowering way of tracking your fitness progress. This is why one of the most fantastic ideas to know how far you’ve come is to test and retest your baseline workout. Choose an exercise or movement that you find challenging but can be done safely.
Conduct an Inventory of Your Health
Were you able to sleep better since you started to hit the gym and make some changes to your eating habits? Did you doctor reduce or eliminate your chronic illness medicines? Do you feel more energized? Did you skin become clearer? Do you experience lesser cravings for food? Were you able to form a healthier relationship with food? Do your self-talk make you feel more empowered?
All of these are critical pieces of data that might not be that easy to observe or measure so it is best that you take your time reflecting on them. You will surely be surprised with what you will discover.
Schedule Some Laboratory Work
Your blood can tell so much about your health in general and there are now some companies that have simplified the blood analysis process. This is something you can do on your own or better yet, you can schedule an appointment with your doctor. Some of the tests that you can have include C-reactive protein, blood lipids, blood glucose and A1C, TSH, BUN and vitamin D.
Are you ready to challenge yourself and take things to a higher level? See if you could ditch the scale for a good one month. Focus more on self-identified health areas to help you track your progress and enjoy the results of your hard work.
