Fitness: Measure What Matters!

When it comes to measuring our improvement, the bathroom scale seems to be the tool of choice…but is it a fair gauge? Most diets don’t provide long-term results because they are focused on short-term measurements. Take for example a dieter that has lost 5 pounds in their first week of dieting. They are overjoyed with the result…but what did they really accomplish? Their 5-pound weight loss is a combination of: 1-part stored energy (fat converted into glycogen); and 3-parts of water which is needed to burn it. So that 5 pounds on the scale may be more reflective of only 1 pound of actual fat loss.

Weighing yourself at different times of the day can also give you varied results, as your levels of hydration will vary significantly as the day goes on. That recommended 8 glasses of water per day that we should all be drinking equates to over 4 pounds of weight…and these are good pounds, my friends. Drinking water has many, many health benefits, so its temporary weight is well worth it. In fact, water helps the kidneys filter waste products from the body. Not enough water and your kidneys will turn to the liver for help. If the liver is ‘tasked’ with filtering waste, it will decrease or suspend its primary function of mobilizing stored fat for energy. Therefore water indirectly burns fat…so go ahead and have another glass.

If the scales are short-term gauges, how should we measure our long-term improvement? The best way is to measure our body fat percentage. This is a superior long-term gauge of success and will not significantly fluctuate with a bowl of ice cream or a glass of water. I personally like the circumference method, which by taking a few simple measurements you can record and calculate your body fat percentage. This measurement is best done every few weeks or even just once a month. It’s more reassuring than a weight number and it’s much more rewarding as you’ll actually see a decrease in size. By measuring your waist, hips (women only), and neck circumference with a cloth tape measure you can easily figure out your body fat percentage.

In summary, measure what matters. The bathroom scale is a good gauge of weight, but will only displays part of the story. By measuring your body fat percentage, you’ll be able to really see the long-term improvements of your fitness plan both on the measuring tape and in the mirror!