Fitness tracking is not new! ‘Back in the day’ there were books you could buy that supplied programs (for running, weightlifting, cycling, etc) and gave you charts to track your progress… with a pen!!! But as we moved out of the era of the chisel and stone and into the 2010+ years, fitness everything can be tracked with the touch of a button, or even by just walking with a watch on your wrist. What do you actually need to follow, or track, when it comes to personal exercise? Why is it important… or not?
Consistency is the key to your exercise program. Good days, bad days and in-between days are all important for you to show up and do something! Tracking your activity/intensity level is another way to keep that consistency going. This just isn’t for fat loss but also for strength training.
Some people just track ‘steps’, and if they workout in a gym that day it usually helps increase their step number. This is your base level of tracking but should not be discounted; hit your numbers every day and see results! Remember this will give you results for your aerobic exercise.
DO MORE THAN JUST RECORD YOUR STEPS:
But those ‘steps’ are just one piece of the puzzle… how hard did you workout that day? A heart rate monitor combined with a step, or kms, tracker will also show you how many calories you are ripping through when you are doing a heavy sweat. The HARDER you work, or the longer the duration, the more you burn fat! So, whether it is steady state, intensity intervals or even group fitness, the heart rate monitor will reflect what you are burning. This calorie count, along with your step count will give you some very satisfying numbers to add to your daily life. Blazing through 750 calories and 8,000 steps is a solid justification for that glass of wine! (life is about balance people!)
Working with a certified personal trainer is the ultimate fitness tracker!!! This is a person who goes through all your peaks and valleys with you and they see the progress. Your fitness coach will know your initial struggles and the victories that you have had along the way. There should be a fitness assessment and record of your initial fitness values. Whether is range of motion, cardio, or strength you will know ‘where you came from’ when it comes to working in the fitness centre. If you are in Vancouver and looking for personal training please stop by our fitness facility if you want your progress charted!
Fitness tracking is here to stay! There is not a bike ride I go on without tracking my km’s, my average speed, and even the wattage I am pushing into the pedals. There is not a workout that my personal trainers haven’t designed for my needs and goals. I’m addicted to the numbers and if you are into fitness you should be too! It will keep you honest and give you the consistency you need to keep progressing. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Getting better!