How to Tell You’re Getting Fitter and Healthier

It’s challenging to start and sustain an active fitness routine, so it’s only natural for us to expect to reap the fruits of our labour. But sometimes, it might seem like progress and results aren’t as immediate and as obvious as we hoped for-especially when progress to us is seeing a lower number on the scale.

But the scale is not the most reliable and accurate tool to measure our progress. It only tells the relationship of our body mass with the gravity of our planet. It can’t tell us how much water or fat we’ve lost or how much muscle we’ve gained. Our weight is not the whole picture of our overall health so it’s time to ditch the scale and look for other ways to gauge our fitness progress. Here are some signs we’re getting fitter and healthier:

Our resting heart rate is dropping.

Our resting heart rate is the number of times our heart beats per minute while we’re at rest. A normal resting heart rate is between 60 to 100 beats per minute, but the lower it is, the better. The less our heart needs to work, the healthier and more efficient it is. Exercising decreases our resting heart rate, so if we see a drop in ours, then we are making progress!

We feel stronger and more energetic.

Gradually, we’ll find that doing our daily activities is getting easier. This may be a subtle change, but we might realise that we’re not winded doing our chores, playing with our kids, or climbing the stairs. Aerobic exercises raise our heart rate and make it stronger. Doing compound exercises improves functional strength. Because compound movement like squatting works multiple muscles at the same time. For example, some benefits of squats are strengthening tendons, bones, and ligaments around the leg muscles, making the climb upstairs less challenging. So if doing our day-to-day activities no longer leaves us weak and breathless, it means our hard work is paying off.

We feel more mentally alert.

Exercise improves our mental health. Physical activity gives us an energy boost and improves our brain functions like memory and cognition. When we work out, our body suppresses hormones that cause stress and anxiety and releases brain chemicals that boost our sense of well-being like dopamine and endorphins, making us feel happier and more motivated. Being consistent with an exercise routine and seeing ourselves surpass the goals we set can give us a newfound sense of self-confidence. If we can concentrate better, feel happier, and are more confident, our fitness routine is working so let’s keep it up!

We sleep better.

If we’re no longer tossing and turning at night, it’s a sign we’re making progress in our fitness journey. Exercise helps us fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night, improving our sleep quality and performance in our daytime activities.

We enjoy eating healthier.

As we progress in our fitness journey, we will find it easier to say no to junk food and choose what’s great for our health. Exercise helps us want to nourish our bodies with fruits and vegetables and make healthier choices. So the next time we find ourselves reaching for an apple instead of a sugary snack, let’s take the time to celebrate the improvement.

Our clothes fit better.

The number on the scale might not be changing, but having looser pants and shirts is a sign we’re making progress. If our weight stays the same (or increases) but our clothes fit better, it means our bodies are changing for the better. As we do strength training, we lose fat but gain muscle. A gram of muscle weighs the same as a gram of fat, but muscle looks smaller and takes up less space. So even though the scale says otherwise, we’re definitely doing great!

Our family and friends notice the changes.

We might not notice the difference ourselves, but our family and friends definitely will. If they start complimenting us about our better posture, higher energy levels, or our healthier glow, it’s all thanks to our fitness plan!

We look forward to working out.

As we move forward in our fitness journey, we will find ourselves more motivated to work out. We look forward to doing our exercise routine as we become happier and more confident, especially when we see our progress. We might be lifting heavier weights, doing more reps, executing more complex movements, or even needing shorter rest periods in between sets. When we get excited about our next workout let’s revel in our progress.

There’s more to health and fitness than just a number on the scale. Progress is not always something we can see right away, so let’s ditch the scale and celebrate each win! If we’re unsure how to start or we have doubts about our progress, we can get a personal trainer so we can have professional guidance in reaching our goals. We can also join a group fitness training to meet people and gain a support system in our fitness journey.