Most people come into the gym with weight loss or strength gaining goals. During our No Sweat Intro, we dive into the things that they want to achieve, and what has and hasn’t worked for them before. Most of these past tried experiences involve regular gyms and fad diets, or lack any experience in either area. And that’s totally okay — everyone starts somewhere, and that somewhere looks different for each individual person. But now they’re here, sitting in front of us, with a problem.
If they are a right fit for CrossFit FUNCTION, the job of the Coach is to then put together a plan that would be best suited to help them accomplish the things they want to accomplish. The client then leaves with a nutrition plan designed to help them be successful, and a fitness program waiting for them.
For someone new into the fitness and nutrition world, they may not know exactly what progress looks like. Society is pretty attached to our scales, yet that’s the worst tool we can depend on to show our progress. It’s one method, but it’s certainly not the best method. Your body is going to change. So what are some ways to measure that progress?
Keep A Log Book
We use SugarWOD to log our workouts and track our results. This is one method, and it’s a fairly reliable method. Chances are you have your phone with you at the gym, and it’s an easy way to record your results as soon as you finish the workout. The app will automatically keep track of your logged workouts and lifts for you, so in the event that you have a new Personal Record – progress! – it will show you, and it will celebrate with you!
Sometimes progress is hard to see, especially when you’ve been at this for a long time. Having that recorded information to fall back on during days where you might think you’re headed backwards is incredibly valuable. I know personally, after having done this for 10-12 years, I occasionally like to look back to my very first handwritten logbook and see where I started. It’s a good feeling to know how far you have come, especially on those days where things feel extra tough.
Metrics
Often times when we look for progress, we’re looking down at the weigh scale that we’re standing on. While our weight is important to control, the fluctuations and variance on that is unreliable. It doesn’t take into account the entire story. For our new beginners who have never lifted weights before, this also will confuse what you see or don’t see on the scale.
When we measure progress physically, we like to rely on measurements, before and after pictures, and more importantly, our InBody scanner. The InBody scan is a great tool to help us see the changes that are happening on the inside. It will tell us that our muscle mass is increasing, and our body fat percentage is ideally going down. With this information, we now have tangible results right in front of us when it might not seem so obvious on the outside. It’s a great way to see that the direct work you are doing is influencing what’s happening on the inside of your body. The InBody scan is available to anyone – members, nutrition clients, non-members. Reach out to us if you’d like to get a scan done!
Search For Small Improvement
Sometimes we get so focused on the outcomes – how much we lifted, how fast we ran, or how much weight we have lost. And when those things don’t seem to be changing, we can look for progress in other ways. It’s important to take the whole story into account during times like these.
Are you now consistently attending 3 times a week? That’s progress.
Has your intensity level has picked up from when you first began? Hey, that’s progress.
If you have changed your eating habits and continually make better choices that you weren’t before, that’s progress.
Progress can show itself in many different ways, but sometimes we can turn a blind eye to it. When things seem to stall, that’s when we need to dig a little bit deeper. These hidden gems can be so liberating sometimes, and that’s what makes it worthwhile to look for them.
It’s There, You Just Need To Know Where To Look
The truth is, if you’re working hard and dedicating your energy to the right things, progress is there. With a little guidance in the right direction, you will be able to see just how far you have come. Whether it means lifting more, moving faster, or dropping that body fat percentage, progress can be measured.
If you need help building a plan that can help you achieve results, book your FREE No Sweat Intro here. Our Coaches can help you build a plan that will deliver the progress you are searching for.
