Should you track your progress? Definitely YES! Doing so will allow you to make sure you are on track to reaching your goals, and make the changes necessary when you are not. It can also be motivating to look back and see how far you have come and be a useful reminder to keep going when things get tough.
Progress will mean different things to each individual so its best to start by setting out and clearly defining your goals, you can learn how to do that here. Once you have done this, then you can decide the best means of monitoring your progress towards those goals.
The most common examples of progress people wish to see are fat loss and an increase in muscle and strength. However, these are not the only ways to progress. Other not so obvious examples could include:
- feeling better & having more energy,
- preparing & bringing your lunch to work instead of buying it in the shop,
- doing meal prep 2 evenings a week,
- making a healthy food choice when out for a meal,
- being able to say “no thanks” when offered sweets,
- learning how to track your food intake,
- drinking 2 litres of water a day,
- consistently exercising 3 times a week
This type of progress is often forgotten about in favour of the physical examples but are just as important, as doing these types of things will lead you to the results you want.
Some ways to track your progress include weighing scales, taking measurements (waist, hip, thigh, arm, chest), taking pictures, keeping a food diary, having a monthly check-in with your trainer. I would recommend doing all of these together to give you a better overall picture of how you are progressing.
The most common problems I see when it comes to progress are:
Not taking credit for making small steps
A lot of people don’t realise they are making progress unless they see dramatic changes but every bit of progress counts no matter how small. Its when all them small steps add up that you reach where you set out to get too at the start. Try to realise this and take it one piece of progress at a time. This will give you the motivation to keep going.
Expecting too much too soon
Patience is key to making great progress. You have to trust the process and stick to the plan. People who are constantly changing plans or training programs will never see the results they want because they don’t stick at anything long enough for it to pay off.
Comparing to others
You are unique and so is your life, you will have different challenges (family, work, age, experience, genetics etc) to everyone else. You will progress at different rates to most other people, some quicker, some slower. Accept that this is a fact and you cannot change it, focus on your own progress and no one else’s and you will be a lot happier.
Avoid doing these, go at your own pace and get help if you need it. You will be seeing progress in no time at all. If you have any questions ask below.
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