What are these benefits? Let me share with you!
Is the scale a place that gives you anxiety?
If you've gotten too obsessed with the same number on the scale, this blog is for you! I have put together ten ways to track your fitness and health progress using everything but the scale!
1. Measurements
Using a tape measure around your shoulders, chest, waist, hips, thighs, and calves can show you how many inches you have lost or gained! These measurements directly correlate with how your clothes fit you and how much fat you have lost or muscle you have gained.
2. Body Fat Percentage
Your body fat percentage can determine your health and fitness WAY more accurately than your weight does. And no, I am not talking about BMI.
You can track your body fat percentage in a lot of different ways. Not all of them are 100% accurate, but if you use the same method each time, you will be able to track body fat lost or gained!
3. Muscle Gain
Do this using the same method to calculate body fat percentage.
I'm going to debunk the myth that muscle "weighs more than fat." It isn't true. But muscle is more dense than fat, taking up less overall space than fat would. So muscle gained = progress gained.
4. Strength Gain
Make sure to keep track of the weights you start with and compare the numbers when you begin to feel stronger and healthier!
5. Endurance Gain
Cardio and high rep schemes are hard, especially when you start on your fitness journey! Keep track of the time it takes you to run a mile (or something along those lines, if endurance is something you wish to gain), and continue to compare how much better you feel each time you run!
6. Clothing Size and Fit
If your clothing size or fit changes at any point, I think we can attribute it to your hard work!
7. Journaling your Confidence Levels
Journaling is a helpful tool! When you first start, write down where you are mentally and how confident you are day-to-day. I know that once you begin to see changes, your confidence levels will rise!
8. Journaling Your Energy Levels
Once you start to prioritize your health, energy levels naturally begin to increase. Journaling is an easy way to track it!
9. Flexibility Gain
If you can touch your toes but couldn't when you started, that's progress!
10. Progress Pictures
Snap some pics when you begin and every two weeks along the way! You will SO appreciate that you took the time to do this. It's hard to see small changes when you are looking at yourself in the mirror every day. When you have a side-by-side comparison between a couple of weeks or even months, you'll be surprised at how much your body has actually changed!
WEIGHT IS NOT EVERYTHING.
WEIGHT DOES NOT DETERMINE YOUR WORTH.
WEIGHT DOES NOT DETERMINE YOUR HEALTH.
Keep these things in mind next time you step on the scale!
If you are looking for more tips and tricks, check out our community Facebook group, Find Your Vigor!
First, let me introduce myself and why I decided to start a blog!
You could say I have lived in a gym my entire life. So when it comes to fitness, it is ingrained in me. I grew up in Idaho in a gym my parents owned and have always loved sports and learning about the human body.
Because of my passion for learning about how our bodies work, I decided to pursue a B.S. in Biology at Northwest Nazarene University. Throughout my four years at university, I also competed as a hammer thrower for the track team. I loved it! Unfortunately, I got injured during my freshman year and was injured for the rest of my college career. My hopes and dreams of moving on with hammer throw after college were no longer, and I didn’t know how to handle it. No matter what my potential might have been starting out, it was no longer significant.
I don’t know about you guys, but I always thought I was created for something great. My injury couldn’t be all I was destined for! I didn’t want my plans to change; how would I impact the world? How was I going to leave my mark? How was I going to inspire women?
It was at this point that I realized how insecure and insignificant I felt. I was constantly comparing myself to others, and nothing I did could help me come out of this low place. I was stuck in a deep hole, empty of confidence, self-worth, and love for myself.
There came the point when I decided I had enough of it, and I didn’t want to let those feelings of worthlessness take over my thoughts any longer. My journey to becoming my “best self” started when I decided to shift my mindset.
Once I figured out how to build myself up rather than tear myself down, that’s when everything fell into place for me. I finally found out how I could empower women!
I want to help other women do the same for themselves what I was able to do! Deciding to live in a “health-conscious” way is just the first step to your greatness. I’m here to guide you through your journey to living out your fruitful and non-toxic life!
Never hesitate to reach out to me for questions or advice!
And always remember,
You are WORTHY. You are LOVED. You are BEAUTIFUL. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.
