Many people who start a fitness program get discouraged early in the process when they don’t see the scale moving in the right direction.
As a general rule, people lose about 0.5-1% of body weight per week. So round numbers, a 100kg person would lose an average of 0.5-1kg per week (if following a well-designed exercise and nutrition program about 80% of the time). That may not seem like much, but it would be considered excellent progress. Thus, a 10kg weight loss goal would take approximately 3 months to achieve in a healthy, sustainable way.
But are there other ways to measure progress besides what the scale says? Of course, there are!
1. Body Composition
Weighing 80 kilograms at about 20% body fat is healthier than weighing 80 kilograms at over 30% body fat.
2. Strength
Increasing your relative strength is one of the single most beneficial things you can do for your health and longevity. Prioritize strength training.
3. Mobility
Becoming more flexible and better able to execute foundational movements with improved range of motion and no pain is going to be incredibly helpful, both in your workouts and in your ability to age in a pain-free way.
4. Cardiovascular Health
“Cardio” has gotten a bad name in the fitness industry. It’s often presented as the best way to “burn fat” by many trainers and gyms. But there are better ways of achieving your goal. Don’t avoid cardiovascular training completely though, as it has many health and performance benefits. Just don’t overdo it.
So, don’t get fixated on just the scale when you exercise and eat healthy. Look at all the other aspects of your life, how you look, how you feel and how you move to see the progress!
Your coach
Michał
B3&FIT