We all love checking the scales to see our fitness progress, but it can be a bit misleading. Here’s the thing: muscle weighs more than fat. So, even if you’re losing fat and gaining muscle, the scale might not show the change you’re hoping for. You might weigh the same or even more, but that doesn’t mean you’re not getting fitter! Let’s check out some other ways to see your progress that go beyond the scale.
There are much better ways to track your progress. There are methods to track how your physical appearance has changed, as well as your fitness, endurance, and strength.
Here are some of my favourites, which you can do yourself.
BODY MEASUREMENTS
Taking body measurements is a great way to assess fat loss and any changes in your body. However, these may not be the most effective if you are already very lean.
The most common places to measure are waist and hip. For females, your waist measure should be below 80cm, and for males, it should be below 94cm.
Other body parts to measure include the upper arm, bust/chest, and thigh. I recommend taking measurements every 2-4 weeks, depending on how quickly your body is changing.
PROGRESS PHOTOS
Progress photos are the best! Sometimes you don’t feel like you are making much progress, but then you look at old photos and think, oh I do look different! It can help motivate you. So make sure you are taking progress photos.
Take a progress photo at the start (don’t worry if you’ve already started, just take one now!). Take a photo front on, side on, and from behind. Take regular progress photos every 2-4 weeks, depending on how quickly your body is changing.
RESTING HEART RATE
As your fitness increases, your resting heart rate will decrease. This is a good thing! You want your resting heart rate to be low.
To count your resting heart rate, make sure you are relaxed and have not had any caffeine. Count your pulse for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. This is your resting heart rate.
Typically a normal resting heart rate is anything between 60-100 beats per minute however, I think 90 is a little high. If you are fit, it is normal for you to have a resting heart rate much lower than 60.
STEP UP TEST
This test is used to assess your cardiovascular endurance. If you have been working on your cardiovascular fitness, then this is a great test for you.
How to do the step-up test:
- Before you start, take your resting heart rate
- Step up and down on a bench 40cm high for a period of 3 minutes
- Immediately after finishing, measure your heart rate for 60 seconds.
The fitter you get, the lower your heart rate will be after completing the step ups. For females, anything between 109-122 is considered normal and for males, anything between 100-113 is considered normal. If you are lower than this, then you are super fit!
PUSH-UP TEST
This test is used to assess your muscular endurance. If you have been doing resistance training with high repetitions (12-15), then this is a great test for you.
How to do the push-up test:
- Perform the maximum number of push-ups you can, until you can’t do anymore. Do modified push-ups (on your knees
instead of onyour toes). Your chin should go all the way to the floor. - Stop the test when you can no longer do any more push-ups. Make sure you have counted how many push-ups you did!
- Compare your results to the table below
| Fitness Level | 17-19 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60-65 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | More than 35 | More than 36 | More than 37 | More than 31 | More than 25 | More than 23 |
| Good | 27-35 | 30-36 | 30-37 | 25-31 | 21-25 | 19-23 |
| Above Average | 21-27 | 23-29 | 22-30 | 18-24 | 15-20 | 13-18 |
| Average | 11-20 | 12-22 | 10-21 | 8-17 | 7-14 | 5-12 |
| Below Average | 6-10 | 7-11 | 5-9 | 4-7 | 3-6 | 2-4 |
| Poor | 2-5 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 1 |
| Very Poor | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
FINAL THOUGHTS
Try not to worry too much about the scale :) These methods can help you see the real changes in your body and track your progress in a more meaningful way. Remember to celebrate every bit of progress you make! Keep using these tools to stay inspired and enjoy your path to better health and fitness. You’re doing an amazing job, and you’ve got this!
Love Rachael xx
SOURCES
- Body Measurements – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/body-composition
- Assess Your Cardiovascular Endurance – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1859196/
- Assess Your Muscular Endurance – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7531937/
- Normal Resting Heart Rate – https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/heart-rate/
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