Tracking Progress

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Tracking your progress is key for you to monitor your results and physically see the changes that you’re aiming for.

Although stepping on the scales, measuring your body or taking photos may be daunting for some, when you begin to see the changes from your efforts, it can have a great motivational impact leading you to strive for more.

Below are a number of reasons as to why you should implement progress tracking into your regime and how it may benefit you.

Seeing Progress

As we see ourselves in mirrors and reflections on a daily basis, seeing results may not always be the case. As you become used to what you see, making small steps of progress may go unnoticed.

However, If you was to compare a photo taken several weeks apart you would soon see a far bigger improvement then you may have been aware of – Providing you have remained consistent within your workout regime.

Being able to physically see the results from your efforts is possibly the most rewarding as that is what a lot of us are striving for.

When taking progress photos, try and ensure you take them in the same spot each time with the same or similar lighting to ensure you get the most accurate comparison. Realistically, you want to take these photos every one to two weeks.

Re-assess your programme

Sometimes you may not see the results you expected even though you feel you have been training correctly. However, this could be an indicator that something may not be quite right.

By monitoring your progress, it will allow you to pick up on how effective your training is, in doing so will allow you to adjust and alter certain aspects which may offer better results.

Although a lack of results may be deemed negative, it enables you to learn and try new things. Everybody is different and some may react better than others to particular exercises or regimes therefore, turn the negative into a positive by re-assessing your programme, whether it be diet, exercise or rest and see what factors could be improved.

Keeps you engaged

If you feel as though you’re not seeing improvements and making the progress you was expecting, it can be very easy to fall off track and seeing a dip in your motivation levels. This is where discipline falls and you become complacent with your routine hindering potential progress in the future.

However, tracking your progress may prevent this from happening as said before, you may begin to see the changes and therefore will encourage you to remain on track.

Phycological factor

Not only will seeing progress motivate you and push you to stick to what you're doing, but it will also be great for your self-esteem as you can see consistency and hard work equating to physical results.

Overall, this can impact your confidence in a positive manner and also enable you to apply the same form of discipline to other aspects of your life, as result your mental health will be more positive all round.

Ways to track progress:

Take photos every two weeks

Weigh yourself and track results

Note down your routine and your end of session results (Workout journal)

Measure different parts of your body

Push your limits and take note when these phases become easier