Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. But all too often, the only measurement people use to assess their progress is weight.
For one thing, muscle is denser than fat, so if you’re doing a lot of strength training, the more exercise you do, the more likely your numbers will go up on the scale. research It suggests that body size and health do not always match.
Lee Stoner, assistant professor of exercise physiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said:
Fortunately, there are more accurate (and less anxiety-inducing) metrics you can use to assess your health and physical condition. Whether you’re a competitive athlete, weekend warrior, or beginner, here are some expert-recommended ways to measure your fitness.
heart health index
To better track your fitness, it helps to first define what the term means to you. In terms of physiology, fitness can be defined as “how well your heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system are supplying and using oxygen,” Dr. Stoner said.
The easiest way to assess it is heart rate. Most smartwatches on the market measure heart rate relatively reliably, but there are concerns that the products may not be accurate for people with darker skin tones. You can also measure your heart rate manually on your wrist or neck by counting and multiplying by 4.
Your resting heart rate is your heart rate per minute when you’re not exercising. Better cardiovascular health can result in a lower resting heart rate. This is because the heart is able to pump more blood with each beat. It pushes blood into the body.
A healthy adult’s normal resting heart rate is 60 to 80 beats per minute. Athletes generally have a low resting heart rate, and he can drop below 60 beats per minute. If your resting heart rate is above 80, regular aerobic exercise can help lower your heart rate over time.
You can also measure your heart rate after your exercise session and track your week-to-week changes. Especially if you do the same workouts often, such as regular exercise classes or running set loops around your neighborhood.
“When you’re healthier, you see your heart rate drop with the same intensity of exercise,” says Christopher Landstrom, a lecturer in sports and exercise science at the University of Minnesota. and can be easily measured by anyone.
Another heart rate-related metric to track is variability. This can be assessed using more advanced smartwatches and fitness trackers. Heart rate variability measures how much his heart rate varies from one beat to the next, and greater variability is considered better cardiovascular health. .
It’s tempting to think of the heart as a metronome that beats at a constant pace, but in reality there are slight differences in the length of each beat and the time between beats. “A very low resting heart rate variability indicates that the heart is doing its best to catch up,” said Dr. Lundstrom. “The healthier the heart is, the more quickly it can adapt and adapt to changing demands.”
VO2 max is the most accurate assessment of cardiopulmonary health, measuring the ability of the heart and lungs to take up oxygen, distribute it throughout the body, and convert it into cellular energy. VO2 max is usually done in a lab and requires special equipment that most people don’t have access to, but there are also home tests. 3 minute step test — Can provide a rough estimate.
exercise goals
Fitness can also be defined by “performance metrics and maximizing strength, power, and endurance,” Dr. Lundstrom said. , is the most specific strategy for tracking progress in strength and endurance.
Fitness tests help you do this because they provide an early performance benchmark (based on your abilities, not those of others) against which future results can be compared.
When starting a new training program, choose a test that reflects your fitness goals. For example, if you want to strengthen your abs, time how long you can hold a plank. If your goal is to improve your overall body conditioning, count how many burpees you can do in a given amount of time.
Complete the test during your first workout to establish baseline proficiency. Then repeat the test monthly to see how much progress you have made. As your strength and aerobic fitness improve, you’ll be able to complete more reps and beat your previous times.
Another way to measure strength gains is the weight you can use for stand-alone movements like bicep curls. As you gradually increase the weight you use, you can be sure your muscles are getting stronger while you are doing the exercise safely and accurately.
For endurance, Amber Harris, a certified running and strength coach from Kansas City, Kansas, focuses her clients on speed and distance. Beginners start from To track endurance at this stage, she measures how far the client can reach in her 1-minute interval, or lengthens the running interval by 2, 3, or 4 minutes and then , challenge you to slow down and walk.
For experienced runners, speed and distance are equally important. As the training progresses, Harris said he will see how fast he can run a mile or if he can increase his miles from one week to the next.
“These are all ways you can tell if you’re improving without worrying, ‘Is my waist shrinking?’ Are my clothes shrinking? said Harris. “Because in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter to me.”
Another useful metric is how difficult a workout feels.Are you out of breath after that or is it easy? Trainers call this Perceived Percent Exertion, or RPE
RPE is usually measured on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is very little effort and 10 is maximum effort that can be sustained for a short period of time. If your RPE is 5 or less, you should be able to continue the conversation, albeit with increased difficulty. 6 and above is more difficult and should make breathing difficult. If an exercise that was previously rated as an 8 drops to a 5, you’re improving your cardiovascular fitness.
RPE “has been shown to be a very useful tool for tracking individuals over time,” Dr. Lundstrom said. “I coach a lot of athletes, and as much as I’m a sports science expert, I’m probably more interested in how they felt than any other data point he made. ”
behavior in everyday life
When it comes to exercising for health and lifestyle, your most important metric may be what you track outside of the gym. For example, can you carry a growing toddler or walk up her three flights of stairs without getting out of breath?
Jamie Carbaugh, a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor who often works with seniors, defines fitness with these questions:
Carbaugh’s clients, the oldest of whom is 105, prioritize performance over aesthetics. For example, one woman wanted to improve her endurance so she could walk down the aisle at her granddaughter’s wedding.
Similarly, Justice Williams, director and head coach of Fitness4AllBodies, said one of her clients knew she was making progress because she was able to lift her suitcase into the overhead compartment on the plane. rice field.
“She was so excited that she called me after she got off the plane and went to her hotel,” he said. “There’s independence. You know what I mean?” I was able to do this on my own without asking for help.
