Beyond the Scale: 8 Meaningful Ways to Measure Fitness Progress

When embarking on a weight loss journey, it can be easy to develop a one track mind with the scale. Having a goal of seeing a certain number on the scale can feel like the most important measure of success.

However, we need to remember that there are so many other ways to measure progress than the number on the scale. In fact, this number can actually be a deceivingly ineffective way to measure progress.

Here’s the thing, weight loss is not always linear. There are times when the scale might not move at all, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing!

Focusing only on this number can prevent you from seeing the whole picture, and all of the other ways your body and health are improving.

Obsessing over the scale can even zap your motivation or worse, cause you to give up all together.

Weight loss isn’t solely dependent on your diet and exercise routine. There are equally important changes happening emotionally and physically when you change your lifestyle and integrate healthy habits.

We’re here to remind you of all the other things that are happening behind the scenes, regardless of what the scale reflects.

The Scale Doesn’t Tell You the Whole Story

The number you see on the scale is just one measure of health. Beyond that, your body is going through many other changes and fluctuations that impact not just your weight.

When you lose weight, the number on the scale trends down over time, but this average doesn’t really reflect the day-to-day fluctuations you can expect.

For this reason, the scale can be misleading, especially in the early stages of implementing lifestyle changes. For example, have you ever heard someone say they have lost “water weight?”

What exactly does this mean?

When you begin a calorie deficit, your body needs to find other energy sources to burn instead of calories from food. The first thing it burns is a carbohydrate stored in your muscles and liver called glycogen, and this process releases water.

The first couple of pounds seem to melt off, and they do, because you are mainly just losing the water stored in your muscle tissue.

Next, your body starts to burn off stored fat and muscle tissue, and your weight loss continues steadily. However, your body likes to maintain a stable environment, so once it realizes weight loss is happening, it starts to try to hold onto fat or even gain back weight to maintain homeostasis.

Eventually, with consistent effort, your body can push past this plateau, but it can be frustrating in the meantime.

Other reasons you might see the scale stagnate or even go up might be water retention from eating too much salt, hormone fluctuations throughout the month, sitting for too long at the office, or even gaining muscle tissue, which weighs more per volume than fat.

You will also see your weight fluctuate throughout the day. It’s always best to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything. Even a meal or a big glass of water can impact that number and leave you feeling discouraged.

Learning to Measure Progress Off the Scale

The point of all of this is, the scale can only tell you what you weigh at a single moment in time, but it does not show you the whole picture.

Throughout your weight loss journey, your body is putting in a lot of work to make a lot of big changes.

You are not only losing fat, but gaining muscle, going through changes to your hormones, and pushing through mental and emotional barriers to reach an overall healthier place both physically and mentally.

This means that it’s extra important to find ways to measure success off the scale, in ways that reflect all of the many amazing things you and your body are doing for your health.

Here are 8 ways to measure how your body is transforming:

1. Body measurements

Even when the scale isn’t moving, your body may still be shedding fat and putting on muscle in a process called body recomposition. Like we said before, this can be misleading on the scale because muscle is denser and heavier than fat per volume.

A better way to track progress is to track your body measurements.

When starting your weight loss journey, take measurements around your waist, hips, thighs, calves, arms, and neck. You can keep these in your notes app on your phone or in a journal.

Repeat these measurements every 2-4 weeks and track how your body is transforming over time. For consistent and accurate stats, take your measurements around the same time of day each time using the same measuring tape.

2. How Your Clothes Fit

You know when you haven’t seen someone in awhile and when you finally get together, you notice how long their hair is getting, changes to their weight or appearance, or even a change in demeanor?

You see your body and live in your body everyday, so it can be hard to notice those gradual changes in yourself. One way to track changes you might not see in the mirror or on the scale are how your clothes fit.

Notice how your pants feel loser and more comfortable, how your favorite shirt has some more space than you remember, or that you need to use a new notch in your belt.

Even though you might not see these changes because they are taking place slowly over time, doesn’t mean they aren’t happening.

3. Progress photos

Aside from how your clothes fit or what your measurements are, you might start to notice some visual changes to your body over time.

We mentioned before that it can be difficult to see gradual changes when you see yourself everyday. That’s why it can be helpful to take progress photos so that you can compare past and present you side by side.

You can ask a trusted loved one to help you or take photos yourself by setting up your phone with the self timer. Wear a swimsuit or form fitting athletic clothes to better see your body and try to take photos in natural light.

Like you do with your measurements, be consistent with taking photos at the same time of day in the same location, because big changes in lighting can be deceiving.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to share these photos if you don’t feel comfortable, these pictures are simply for you to track your progress and see the results of the hard work you are putting in.

4. Higher Energy Levels

Moving away from purely physical weight loss indicators is important because weight loss is first and foremost about improving your health. One indicator that your hard work is paying off is a change in your energy levels throughout the day.

Studies show that losing weight improves your sleep quality and reduces symptoms of sleep disorders like apnea, helping you to feel more refreshed upon waking.

Improved fitness and good nutrition also help you to stay more alert throughout the day.

Have you ever indulged in big bowl of pasta for lunch and felt like you needed a nap come 3:00pm? That’s because your body burns through carbs quickly and cause your blood sugar to spike and crash.

Track your energy levels by keeping a journal or habit tracker and reflect on how you felt waking up and at the end of each day. You may start to notice other helpful patterns too, such as having more energy when you meal prep vs. ordering takeout, and make adjustments to your routine.

5. Better Physical Stamina

Losing weight helps your stamina in two ways. First, having lower body mass decreases the energy expenditure it takes for your body to do daily tasks.

Second, higher fitness improves your lung capacity and carrying oxygen throughout your body. This means that tasks that once left you short of breath become easier.

When you lose weight, you might start to notice that you can lift heavier, are more flexible, and have better endurance, not only during your workouts, but even while going about your daily routine.

Maybe you have an easier time chasing your kids around the playground, or are able to get all the grocery bags in one trip. Make sure to celebrate these wins, no matter how big or small and acknowledge how your body is becoming stronger.

6. Improved Mood and Mental Health

Understand that you are going through a lot of big changes and breaking down some of the unproductive habits and safety nets you have been using for a long time. That’s not easy!

Fitness is so much bigger than just what your body looks like or what it weighs. One of the most important pieces of the puzzle is your mental and emotional health throughout your weight loss journey.

Nutrition and regular exercise are proven to balance your hormones, reduce inflammation, improve your sleep, and lower your cortisol.

What happens when you put all of this together? Improved, more stable mood, less anxiety, and overall better mental health.

Still, it’s important to sit with every emotion that arises while on your fitness journey. Journaling about it or calling a trusted friend can help you move through your losses with grace and celebrate your wins.

7. Improved Lab results

We tend to get caught up in the aesthetic aspects of weight loss, because this is what drives a lot of us to make changes. We all want to look our best, but remember that how you look is secondary to what’s happening internally.

Make sure to get regular check ups with your healthcare provider to track the health markers that you can only really see through blood tests and physical examinations.

Weight loss and better fitness leads to improvements in your health including lower blood pressure, more stable blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and decreased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

While it’s easy to become overly attached to how your body looks or the number on the scale, remember that the most important reason to eat healthy and exercise is protecting your health.

8. Consistency and Habits

Fitness and weight loss often means setting big, long term goals. How we reach those big goals, though, is actually rooted in the everyday habits we develop and commit to.

Do your best to establish a regular meal schedule and track your calories or even your macros. Create an exercise routine that you stick to every single week. Make a hydration goal to ensure you are drinking enough water.

These daily and weekly habits are what make the biggest change in your behavior, which leads to big changes on the scale.

Track these smaller goals and habits in a journal, your calendar, or with habit tracker, and celebrate when you succeed, no matter how small or how big the goal is.

At the end of the day, it’s these long term behavioral changes that have the biggest impact on your health.

Holistic Ways to Track Progress

The scale is an important measure of weight loss success. However, it is equally important to find other ways to track fitness progress off the scale.

Diversifying how you are measuring progress will help broaden your idea of success, keep you motivated, and give you a clearer and more accurate picture of your progress.

You don’t have to do all of the things we talked about, but choose a few and be consistent with them. You can track your progress in a journal, on your phone or calendar, or through your monthly progress notes with TeleHealthNP.

However you are tracking, you should also set short term and long term goals for yourself that will keep you motivated.

Examples of these goals could be fitting into your favorite jeans, being able to lift heavier or run longer, staying within 100 calories of your deficit, or meeting your nutrition goals everyday for a week.

The most important thing to remember is that health is holistic. Your weight is a piece of the puzzle, but so is your nutrition, your fitness, your energy levels, and most importantly, how you feel!

Be Proud of Yourself!

Remember that success is not defined by a single number, but made up of all of the things you do each and everyday to better your health and gain confidence in yourself and your body.

Instead of focusing only on what the scale reflects, find other ways to track your progress that show you the whole picture, and acknowledge the work it took to get you there.

Not only should you track these wins, but make sure to celebrate them too! Whether it’s a kind word, a new workout set, or a coffee date with your bestie, reward yourself for the work you’ve put in and will continue to do.