(ThyBlackMan.com) In my time as a fit pro I have come across many people who have launched fitness programs, only to have stopped at some point. Upon polling, I am given a number of different reasons why they abandoned their program, everything from lost enthusiasm; to injury to plain ole ‘I didn’t know what to do’.
One of the biggest reasons people stop their exercise program with little or no results, though, is they neglected a crucial part of what constitutes success in getting fit: numbers.
Like most of everything else, getting fit is a numbers game; it’s important that we pay attention to what I call the analytics of
wellness. weight, body fat, body mass index (bmi), pre/post workout heart rate and waist-to-hip ratio. There are other equally-important numbers to consider, but the aforementioned form the core of an informed approach to getting fit.
Trying to elevate one’s fitness state and ignoring the metrics of your fitness progress is like getting into a car in Dallas and driving to Houston without so much as a glance at the fuel gauge.
Numbers have a story to tell about your wellness and once you begin to pay attention to your wellness numbers, you will discover a wealth of information to guide you to the finish line. Here’s why.
Measure Progress
This is by far the most important role of charting your numbers. Intuition and science are imperfect bed-fellows; it’s one thing to “feel” like you are losing weight, quite another to know and see it. Many people have an issue with weigh-ins before or after a program, but the results are nearly doubled when properly tracked.
Tracking weight, body fat, bmi, pre and post workout heart rate and waist to hip ratio will give you the perfect tools to measure your progress.
Slow-moving numbers is no reason to get down on your progress; it just requires some tinkering with your present approach with working out.
Measure the Effectiveness of Your Program
Another reason why wellness numbers are important is that numbers give you a way of measuring not only your progress, but the overall effectiveness of your program – regardless of whether you are working solo or with a fit pro (even more important since you are shelling out hundreds of bucks to a trainer).
Most fitness programs simply need some fine-tuning for better effects, and what better source of information than your present readings to apply a fix.
Numbers may spell the difference between whether you need more intense frequencies of training sessions or simply an adjustment in the amount of reps.
Keeps You on Course
Lastly, keeping track of your wellness numbers allows you to stay on course. Back to my analogy of the road trip from Dallas to Houston. You greatly enhance your pleasure on the trip by paying attention to the gas gauge, temperature gauge etc. In the same way, when you begin a fitness program and you pay attention to the numbers, you will find your satisfaction greatly increased – even if the numbers are not where you would like them to be!
The bottom line is you are more likely to stay on course when tracking your numbers compared to those who do not.
Incremental progress is better than zero progress. Also, tracking your progress can spell the difference between success and failure at a future point, should you have to restart your program.
So follow those numbers – they will lead to success!
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitestrategiescoaching.com.
