This is the first of a three part series dealing with numbers in fitness.
To many of us seeking to be healthier, it seems like the only number that matters is the one we see on the scale. In the past, I’ve been guilty of being a slave to that number as much as the rest of us. But there are lots of other numbers out there that we can use to gauge our fitness:
- Body Fat Percentage–Doesn’t it suck when you work out for months at a time and nothing happens on the scale? Well, IF your eating is under control, and you’re working out a lot but not losing weight, chances are you’ve gained muscle mass and lost body fat. There are many ways to determine body fat percentage, but the most accurate do it yourself method is with a pair of skin fold calipers. Fit males should shoot for a body fat of 5 to 17 percent while females should aim for 13 to 24 percent. If you can get in that range, you shouldn’t worry about the scale too much.
- Tape Measurements–Instead of stepping on the scale daily, why not try a different approach. Measure the circumference of your waist, hips, and thighs weekly and log the results. Decreases in those measurements are sure fire signs of increased fitness levels.
- How Your Clothing Fits–If you’re exercising and eating properly to create a 500 calorie per day deficit, then you should be losing about one pound per week. After a month or two of accomplishing this feet, you may begin to notice some things about your clothes. Maybe you cinch your belt one loop tighter, or maybe your skinny jeans are almost wearable. Even better, maybe you’ll stop being embarrassed to take off your shirt at the beach.
Since my scale broke a couple of months ago, I haven’t been able to weigh myself very much. I’ve checked it a couple of times at the gym, but mostly I’m using my exercise improvements and the fit of my clothes as the tools to measure my fitness. I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t miss my scale much.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
So very true. Right now I have extra weight on me, I don’t know where, but I have to get rid of it once and for all. I did notice a few years ago when I used to keep my measurements with the tape measure that I lost quite a bit even on my neck. It’s amazing what the body can do.
I think the pants are a great weight loss indicator as well.
Great post. The size of your waist is the best weight loss indicator. Aim for a waist size less than half of your height.
Dr. Kal–Waist less than half your height seems like too lenient of a goal. At least for me. I’ve got a 32″ waist and I’m 70″ tall. At my fattest point I was a tight 36″ which is not far off from your goal point. Even with 32″, my waist still seems to big and flabby for my taste. I’d love for you to write more about this. Interested in a guest post?
Good Points here.. I’ve lost less 15 lbs in the past 3 months.. that’s not good.. infact it can be depressing. I’m trying to focus on non-scale goals. I just finished my first 5K – now that’s success!
I agree with Mac. I’m 6’5″ (77 inches) which means I should have a waist less than 38.5 inches? I’m currently at 38 inches. I wouldn’t consider myself fat, but I could definitely stand to lost a few pounds.
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