9 Impactful ways to track your fitness progress

Being physically fit helps you stay healthy and prevents a plethora of diseases. A good workout plan coupled with a proper diet can help to improve your cardiovascular and respiratory health, eliminate the risk of type-2 diabetes, and promote strong bones and muscles. It also increases the life expectancy of an individual. Therefore, being physically fit rewards you with the energy to indulge in a few extra hours of physical activity that you would not be able to do otherwise. Keeping yourself motivated is crucial to staying fit, and you can achieve that by tracking every detail of your progress. But how to track your fitness progress? Let's find out!

Top 9 methods to track your fitness progress

When beginning a fitness program, you should set goals for yourself. Some people try to gain weight, while others want to lose it. Those who want to build muscle strength or size must exercise under a strict regimen while monitoring their diet. Carbohydrates should be high in the diet of anyone trying to build muscle, while they should be low for those trying to lose weight. Since most people lead busy lives and are easily distracted from their goals, they use several methods of tracking progress to answer the question of how do I know if my workout is in progress? Let's discuss some of the top ways by which you can track your fitness progress:

Measure your body

Before you begin a fitness program, it is essential to measure your body composition. This measurement refers to the fat percentage in your body compared to the amount of muscle. Your body weight may not change as you build strength and shed excess fat, so measuring your importance cannot tell you how much progress you are making. You should also measure your chest, hips, waist, and other areas where you want to see changes.

Maintain a journal

There is no universal workout plan for all kinds of bodies. A workout journal is a wonderful way to track your body's progress as you strive for different fitness goals. The journal of a person trying to track weight loss will be different from someone who aspires to strength gain. It is essential to jot down all the nitty-gritty details of your workout to assess your fitness progress properly. If you are a little sceptical about how to write your journal, go through some workout templates and customise a suitable one based on your fitness goals.

Click progress pictures

When working toward a body composition goal, taking progress photos is essential. Muscle growth is often difficult to see in the mirror. Measuring yourself every couple of weeks is not an ideal way to track your success because measurements are less accurate than photos. Progress photos can compare the physical changes you see in your body over time.

Know your bodyweight

If you are on a weight gain or loss program, the easiest way is by weighing yourself periodically and recording the results in your workout journal. As you begin to track your progress, keep a record of what you eat and how often you exercise. Consult with a professional trainer and dietician to learn about the periodic changes that need to be made in your nutrition plan and exercise regimen.

Record your workouts

One of the most common ways to track your progress is to monitor changes in the weight you lift during a workout. To do this, record how much weight you use each week and how many reps you can complete with that weight. If you're training for strength, you may also want to note whether or not you're able to lift more weight each week.

Check your fit

It is usual for people to become frustrated when they gain weight, particularly in places where it is hard to see the changes. Try using clothing as a way to track your progress. You can also try to fit into clothes you previously considered too tight. You can also look at how your measurements have changed and adjust your diet accordingly. If you haven't met your goal weight or size, don't be discouraged, all you have to do is to make an effort to set realistic goals. Just ensure that these goals are based on your body type and be patient with yourself as you meet them.

Track your hydration

Hydration is essential to your workouts. When you're well-hydrated, you perform better during training and feel better throughout the day. You can record the water you drink daily by tapping the trophy icon at the top right of the screen. You'll get a trophy when you reach your goal of drinking two litres of water! You can share this on social media or save it to your camera roll to track your progress.

Plan your meals

Preparing your meals in advance is one way to make healthy eating more convenient. Meal preparations for beginners don't have to be complicated, and you can make them fit your preferences and lifestyle. When you plan meals, you also are able to track what you're eating more easily. Tracking your food for a week or two can help you find out where you can make healthy food swaps that will help you reach your fitness goals faster.

Examine your overall health

If one of the reasons you started your fitness journey is to improve your overall health, a visit to your doctor's clinic can show how you've progressed. Exercise has so many positive effects on your physical and mental health. Studies have shown that it can reduce the risk of chronic disease, lessen your chance of becoming overweight, improve and maintain cardiovascular fitness, help manage pain, increase longevity, and improve overall wellbeing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the tips above can help you make your fitness tracking a success. It will help in building your self-confidence and motivation. With the help of these nine methods, track your fitness progress, keep on attaining fitness goals, stay motivated and achieve anything you set out to do. However, hiring a gym personal trainer can make your health transformation more impactful. And to find a skilled professional, you can search for a reliable and well-recognised fitness centre near me and check if their specifications suit you.