5 Ways to Track Fitness That Don't Involve That Stupid Bathroom Scale

If you're not measuring your progress using these metrics, you're missing out.
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Illustration by Andrea Chronopoulos

Ever feel like your bathroom scale is out to get you? Each day that you choose to step on it is a form of pleading, silent prayer that the fitness powers that be elect to bless you with whatever number counts as "favorable." On some days, the results warrant a quick fist pump and a celebratory (light) beer. On others, they seem to carefully consider all your recent gym efforts and skipped pizza outings, only to emit the equivalent of a cruel, taunting, dispassionate laugh.

Yes, weight is just a number. But since it is a simple and quantifiable method of measuring progress, its fluctuations have the power to incite miniature fitness crises and near-instantaneous mood swings. “We come up with these arbitrary ideas about how much we should weigh—and then, of course, when we fail to meet those standards, we get anxious,” explains Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, a fitness author and speaker.

Focusing on weight to the exclusion of everything else can be a dangerous mistake, says John Romaniello, best-selling author and founder of Roman Fitness Systems—particularly when it discourages exercise enthusiasts from putting in more work. “Scale weight isn’t the most reliable,” he explains, “because it tells you a very small fraction of the story.” Instead of relying on this single data point to determine whether you’re kicking ass in your fitness endeavors, be sure you’re paying attention to these scale-free benchmarks, too.

Check your body measurements

Confirm that you are shrinking or expanding as intended by taking circumferential measurements of relevant body parts. Waist circumference, for example, is an effective way to track changes in a place that many of us watch the closest: belly fat.

To do this, use a simple tape measure to take three measurements—around your navel, two inches below the navel, and two inches above it. If the metal is too rigid and/or chilly to the touch, try a cloth version. Keep in mind that these measurements are sensitive to things like bloating and gigantic meals, just like your weight. Other helpful points of measurements include the neck, shoulders, chest, hips, thighs, and calves.

Your best bet is to take these measurements consistently—every week or two—and at the same time of day. Track the data on a spreadsheet or notepad. Just be careful here, Dr. Scott-Dixon warns, about abandoning one arbitrary numerical standard only to become obsessed with another one.

Check your performance

Bench pressing a tad more, doing one more bodyweight squat, shaving ten seconds off your mile time, and squeezing out one or two more pull-ups than last week all show that you’re making meaningful progress. This means that if you’re not keeping a simple workout diary that commemorates what you accomplish in the gym each day, you're missing out on valuable data, and you should fix that right now.

Caveat: Don’t expect to be outmuscling The Rock in a matter of weeks. Plateaus happen, and even a five-pound increase from last time, for example, is worth celebrating. Check these numbers every couple of weeks. As long as the trend is positive over time, you’re doing great.

Check your clothes

We all want to look hot naked, but if your clothes are starting to fit better in the right areas, that’s a sign that good things are happening to your body, even if the scale is less effusive with its praise.

“As you lose fat, chances are good that you’re going to drop a few sizes and need some new jeans,” Romaniello explained. “If you’re gaining muscle, the way your clothes fit around the shoulders and back is generally the best indicator.” Those muscle groups tend to grow quickly, he said, and make your shirts look and feel tighter. Yet another reason not to skip pull-ups day.

Check your camera roll

Let’s be honest: Whether you want to lose or gain weight, looking a certain way is probably more important to you than a number. Act like it by taking infomercial-style before-and-after photos at regular intervals. The camera doesn’t lie, and over a long period of time, you’ll see exactly what physical changes are or aren’t happening—a brutally honest visual element to accompany the rest of your data points.

Be sure to do it properly, though. Use front, back, and side angles; wear the same clothes each time to ensure a fair comparison; and be very careful when texting photos from your camera roll.


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Check yourself

Assessing how you feel on a day-to-day basis is probably the most overlooked way to measure whether everything you're doing is good for you. Are you sleeping better? Do you feel healthy? And, critically, is your sex drive at... full speed? “A healthy libido tends to indicate that things are going well,” admits Romaniello. “Decreased libido is a sign that something needs to be changed.”

To make these seemingly-fuzzy metrics a little more concrete, attach some numbers to them. Dr. Scott-Dixon suggests asking yourself these questions and scoring yourself on a scale from 1 to 10:

How is my physical energy? (Do I have enough juice for workouts? Do I feel refreshed upon waking? Can I last through the dreaded afternoon crash without making a beeline for coffee or the vending machine?)

How is my mental energy? (How well do I focus? Do I remember where I put my keys, and the other little details that sometimes escape exhausted people?)

How do I feel emotionally? (What is my typical mood? Am I often irritable? How’s my sex drive?)

We’re used to relying on objective, quantitative data to determine whether we’re doing the “right” things. But if ticking off these checkboxes reveals that your current regimen is making you a happier person, whatever nonsense the scale tells you suddenly gets a lot less important.