Tracking your progress tells you whether what you’re doing is working, so you can keep what helps and change what doesn’t. You don’t need a drawer full of gadgets to do it. This guide covers why tracking helps, what to measure, which tools make it easier, and how to keep it up without stressing over daily numbers.
Why Tracking Is Worth the Bother
1. It keeps you consistent
Self monitoring, such as logging food, steps or workouts, is one of the habits most strongly linked to losing weight and keeping it off (Burke et al., 2011). Weighing yourself regularly shows the same pattern (Zheng et al., 2015), and a large review of healthy eating and activity programs found the ones that included self monitoring worked better than the ones that didn’t (Michie et al., 2009).
2. It gives you quick feedback
Seeing your steps go up or your lifts get heavier tells you right away that your habits are paying off. People who wear a step counter tend to walk more, especially when they set a daily step goal (Bravata et al., 2007).
3. Other people help you stick with it
Sharing your progress with someone adds accountability. In one weight loss study, people who joined with friends and got extra support kept more of the weight off (Wing & Jeffery, 1999). Watching yourself improve week by week also builds the confidence that keeps you going (Bandura, 1991).
4. It helps you get past plateaus
Getting stronger depends on making the work a little harder over time (ACSM, 2009). Writing down your sets, reps and weights is the simplest way to make sure that happens, and it shows you early when progress has stalled. If you’re already stuck, see how to get past a weight loss plateau.
What to Track
Body measurements
Weigh yourself, and measure your waist and around your arms, chest and thighs. A tape measure can pick up changes the scale misses. In one trial, men who exercised without losing any weight still lost belly fat (Ross et al., 2000).
Performance
Track how much you lift (sets, reps and weight), and how far and fast you walk, run or ride. These numbers show where you’re improving and what to change next. If you do both lifting and cardio, our guide to balancing strength training with cardio shows how to fit them into the same week.
Progress photos
Take front, side and back photos in the same spot and the same light each time. Photos show changes the numbers don’t always catch.
Workout log
Write down the exercises, sets, reps, weights, how hard it felt and how long it took. A good log lets you spot patterns and decide what to change.
Tools That Make It Easier
Apps
- Cronometer tracks what you eat, including calories and macros.
- Strava logs runs, walks and rides.
- Strong logs strength workouts.
Each has a free version, with paid features on top.
Watches and fitness trackers
Most smartwatches and fitness bands track steps, heart rate and workouts, and many add GPS for runs and rides. Pick one that works with the phone you already have and the training you actually do. A simple band is plenty for step counts and heart rate, and a GPS watch is worth it mainly if you run or cycle a lot.
Smart scales
Smart scales log your weight to an app automatically, which makes trends easy to see. Many also estimate body fat and muscle, but treat those estimates as rough and use the trend over weeks, not one reading.
How to Keep It Up
- Pick a set time. Weigh in, measure and take photos on the same day and at the same time each week, such as Monday morning, so you’re comparing like with like.
- Stick with one device. Different watches and scales give different numbers, so use the same one each time.
- Ignore the daily swings. Your weight moves from day to day, mostly because of water. Your body stores carbohydrate as glycogen along with about three to four times its weight in water, so a carb heavy day can show up on the scale the next morning (Kreitzman et al., 1992). Watch the weekly average instead.
- Let your app remind you. Most apps can remind you to log meals or workouts.
Try it: your weekly average
Enter up to seven morning weigh ins (in pounds or kilograms) and compare the average with last week’s. That number tells you far more than any single day.
This week’s average: enter at least one weigh in.
Where to Start
If you’re just starting, take photos and weigh in once a week, and keep a simple workout log. Once that’s a habit, add a tape measure, an app or a watch if you want more detail.
Putting It Into Practice
If you’d like a coach to track your progress with you and adjust your plan as you go, here’s how we can help:
- One on one personal training in Vaughan starts with a Crush It Session: about an hour with a coach. We'll credit your full $100 toward your first training package when you sign up within 48 hours after your session.
- Nutrition coaching in Vaughan gives you a plan that fits how you eat and a coach who checks your food log with you. It’s $100/month + HST on its own, and it’s usually included when you train one on one 2 to 3 times a week.
- Prefer training in a group? Our small group classes are capped at 16 people, and you can try a week of unlimited classes with the $30 (+ HST) seven day trial. Join by day 5 and your $30 is credited toward your membership.
Questions? Call or text us at (289) 536-8066 or email g-squad@innerg.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to track fitness progress?
Use a few measures together: a weekly weigh in, waist and body measurements, progress photos, and a workout log of your sets, reps and weights. Together they show changes the scale alone can miss.
How often should I weigh myself?
Weigh in at the same time of day, such as first thing in the morning, and look at the weekly average rather than any single day. Daily weight moves around mostly because of water.
Why did my weight go up overnight?
Usually water. Your body stores carbohydrate along with about three to four times its weight in water, so a carb heavy day can show up on the scale the next morning.
Can I lose fat without the scale moving?
Yes. In one trial, men who exercised without losing weight still lost belly fat, which is why a tape measure and photos are worth using alongside the scale.
References
- Burke LE, Wang J, Sevick MA (2011). Self-monitoring in weight loss: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111(1):92-102. PubMed
- Zheng Y, Klem ML, Sereika SM, et al. (2015). Self-weighing in weight management: a systematic literature review. Obesity, 23(2):256-65. PubMed
- Michie S, Abraham C, Whittington C, et al. (2009). Effective techniques in healthy eating and physical activity interventions: a meta-regression. Health Psychology, 28(6):690-701. PubMed
- Bravata DM, Smith-Spangler C, Sundaram V, et al. (2007). Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health: a systematic review. JAMA, 298(19):2296-304. PubMed
- Wing RR, Jeffery RW (1999). Benefits of recruiting participants with friends and increasing social support for weight loss and maintenance. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67(1):132-8. PubMed
- Bandura A (1991). Social cognitive theory of self-regulation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2):248-287. DOI
- American College of Sports Medicine (2009). Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41(3):687-708. PubMed
- Ross R, Dagnone D, Jones PJ, et al. (2000). Reduction in obesity and related comorbid conditions after diet-induced weight loss or exercise-induced weight loss in men. A randomized, controlled trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 133(2):92-103. PubMed
- Kreitzman SN, Coxon AY, Szaz KF (1992). Glycogen storage: illusions of easy weight loss, excessive weight regain, and distortions in estimates of body composition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 56(1 Suppl):292S-293S. PubMed
This article is for general information and isn’t a substitute for individual medical or dietary advice.