Are you the tortoise or hare when it comes to making progress?

Measure growth

How do you know you are making progress?

Remember being measured as a child against the wall as you grew?  And see those inches add up?

Do you hop on or slink to the weight scale in the morning?

Do you track your progress on a regular basis?

Keeping our body as fit as possible is like the care you give your car. Unless we are physically fit and our body is sound, we cannot reach our maximum potential. Like your car – if you don’t maintain it, eventually it will let you down.

If you want to make progress, there are a few tips that can help you succeed.

The Reward

What’s the reward of a plan and why track your progress? If you are striving to improve your fitness level, you will be rewarded with the energy to indulge in the activities you love.  Isn’t that a terrific reward?  I think so.

Are you ready

6 Easy Tips to help you track your progress

First, before you jump in, reflect on Alice in Wonderland. When she asked the Cat, which way should I go.  The Cat replied, it doesn’t much matter if you don’t know where you want to go. Did you set a goal this month for where you want to go?  If not, let’s start with May 1st, which is right around the corner.

May is Older American Month.

Trivia

Did you know that May is Older American Month? It’s always fun to add in a little trivia.  Chances are, if you are reading this blog, you are turning sixty or beyond. So let’s put a stake in the ground and pick a goal and get going.

Tip 1: Set a Goal

Set a goal for yourself. Please do not say lose weight, even if that is your goal. Let’s reimagine. Maybe it is walk for 10 minutes daily? Maybe it is to swim 5 laps in the pool. Let’s get away of always thinking in terms of losing weight, you will always get frustrated at the end.  I am not saying that weight is not important, but it’s a number and you can be skinny and still have fat – a term called skinny fat (more on that in a later blog).

In a post I wrote titled Is Your Waistline the Canary in the Coal Mine, I address how to measure your waistline, you can see a great way to do this type of measurement.

Tip 2: Pick a Measurement

Pick a measurement or two that can help you monitor the progress of your goal. With the busy lives that we live today, it’s so easy to lose track of your progress, especially if you don’t know what you are measuring.

Tip 3: Keep a Journal or Log

Logging in the activity you do is not only a great way to maintain your momentum but is also a great way to track your progress. It will keep you focused and accountable.  You can use a spreadsheet, a piece of paper, use notes on your phone, but pick something that is easy to use and something you will use.

Tip 4: Take Progression Photos or Videos

Example: I am trying to do pull ups, argh.  I have taken videos to compare when I started at the beginning of the year – it’s still not where I want to be, but there is progress.  Maybe you want to get better at golf, but need to improve your mobility. Take a video.

Click photos every now and then. Compare your latest pictures with the ones you clicked when you had first started. After all, pictures never lie! If you’re trying to lose weight by being more fit, maybe take a picture in those tighter pair of pants that you want to get in.

Tip 5: Pick the Same Day When You Will Compare Your Progress

Progress from my fitness class

In my fitness class the first of the month we always do chair sit to stands. There has been improvement in all that are willing to have the data logged in. You have to be willing to document what you are doing.

Tip 6: Consistency is Key

For any work you do to reach your goal, consistency is the key to success. You can easily measure this by quantifying consistency. How long did you walk? How may reps did you do? How much weight did you lift.

Be it strength training and doing pull ups, getting out and walking, or a weight loss, make sure that you remain consistent and true with your plan.

Bonus Tip: Set a Reward for Each Milestone

What might seem to be an unachievable goal will be much easier if you break it down into smaller goals. When you reach a goal, treat yourself with something you love and don’t forget that pat on the back.  It works wonders.

If you haven’t yet started anything, please know that there is no perfect day to start. But ask yourself what will change in the next 24-hours that will make tomorrow a better day to begin making progress toward your goals?

Need Help?

Do you need some help?  Go to my consult page HERE and drop me a line and I’d be happy to help you develop your own goals and a way to track it.

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Sandi Feaster