TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
There’s a few things everyone agrees on when it comes to progress:
It takes time.
It is not linear.
It requires effort + attention to detail.
It only happens when you’re outside of your comfort zone.
Almost everyone is working towards some kind of goal that required some kind of progress to achieve.
Losing fat, gaining muscle, getting faster, getting leaner…
All of these goals (and every other goal there ever was) needs to be measurable in some way, or else we can’t tell if progress is happening.
But this is where most people get tripped up because using the scale and weight as your sole tracker of progress is inaccurate and inadequate.
It’s like drawing a rainbow but only using the red crayon… It’s not a rainbow.
Relying on the scale alone is not a true indicator of progress in ANY of the goals listed above.
So what can you do to make sure you’re seeing the big pictures?
What else can you track to monitor progress?
Take body measurements weekly
The most common measurement sites (from the top to the bottom) are:
Widest point of your neck
Widest point or mid-point of your bicep (upper arm) (make sure to note which you measure)
Chest - using your nipple-line as a landmark
Natural waist - laterally flex your torso / bend your spine sideways to find your natural waist
Navel - using your belly button as a landmark
Widest point of your glutes
Widest or mid-point of your quads (thighs) (make sure to note which you measure)
Widest or mid-point of your calves (lower leg) (make sure to note which you measure)
* be sure to measure BOTH arms + legs *
CHECK OUT MY POST ON INSTAGRAM TO SEE TIPS + TRICKS FOR TAKING YOUR OWN MEASUREMENTS!
keep a training journal
A pen + notebook, your notes in your phone, a fancy app… whatever it is that works for you! Write out your workouts every gym session. Track the reps, sets, rest times and weight you are lifting. Week to week you can compare values and after 4, 6, 8+ weeks you can look back and see how much progress you’ve made in the same lifts! (Because yes, you should be doing the same lifts for an extended period of time! No more of that “mixing it up” every dang workout!)
take progress pictures
Listen, no one likes them, okay? Now that we have stated the obvious. Go get your phone, set up the self-timer and take the pictures.
4 views: front, back, both sides.
Take the pictures weekly and under the same circumstances (lighting, room, time of day, angle, outfit, before breakfast, after bathroom, etc.) You see yourself every single day… you will EASILY miss the changes that are happening. Take pictures routinely, compare them week to week (or wait and pull them out after 4 weeks and that a look). What you miss in the mirror the camera will capture with ease! Don’t be afraid to take the pictures!!!
In September of 2019 I was fluctuation between 155-160 pounds… In December of 2019 I was weighing in at 150 pounds… In May of 2020 I was weighing in, again, at 150 pounds. Through all of these pictures I only stopped wearing two pairs of jeans. Everything else — all my shirts, shorts, leggings, joggers, underwear, bras, sweatshirts… it all still fits. In all three pictures I was eating consciously, eating all meals and snacks, and not restricting or strictly tracking my intake. What changed between these pictures is my activity level and the kind of activity I was doing.
So the question is—
Would I have noticed even half of the physical changes I made if I didn’t take these pictures? No.
Last but NOT least….
KEEP A “LIFE IMPROVEMENTS” JOURNAL, TOO
Not all progress is easy to measure because it’s so imbedded into your daily life that changes aren’t noticed OR you didn’t even realize the changes were due to your efforts to improve your health. I call this “invisible progress”. Things like falling asleep faster, being more confident in your food choices, feeling happier or more content in life. There are tons of things that fall into this category… Not sure what else falls into this category? Read up on my Instagram post for some prompts to help you notice invisible progress!
Now do you feel better equip to track your progress?
What progress have you been tracking?
What have you been missing?
Drop any comments or questions below! Let’s talk about progress tracking.
Thanks for dropping by today! I hope you’re leaving this post having learned something new and understand how it can be beneficial to you on your unique fitness journey. If there’s a topic you’re interested in learning more about, please leave me a message here so I can add it to my list!
The head and heart behind Cochell Fitness LLC. I decided to pursue online training so I could help ‘ex’ athletes everywhere fall in love with training again.