Get Strong in 2019 Challenge Day 12: Time to Measure Your Progress!

 by Rachel Grice

Tracking your progress as you work toward your health and fitness goals is an essential part of staying motivated. So let's check in on how you're doing so far!

Take a moment to congratulate yourself — you're doing a great job, and you've already made it to your first check-in! Time flies, right?

Woman standing on bathroom scale, weighing herself and tracking weight-loss progress

It's time for your weigh-in and measurements (or however else you're tracking your progress). If you haven't yet taken your "before" photos, now would be a great time to get it done. Don't deprive yourself of the satisfaction you'll feel looking back at those photos, knowing how far you've come.

Maybe you're nervous to step on the scale. Do it anyway. You've started this journey, and you've already hit a milestone. Don't dwell on the numbers on the scale or the tape measure, though. Instead, focus on how much better you already feel.

Read more: How to Conquer Your Biggest Body Insecurities

How to Measure Your Progress

Tracking your progress is essential to your success, and you have amazing tools that make it quick and easy. Track and get a complete overview of your nutrition. Track more than just your weight, because it's all a part of your total transformation. Here are some ideas of what to track:

  • Your weight (obvious, yes, but it's a main goal for a lot of people)
  • Your body-fat percentage
  • Your BMI
  • Your body measurements
  • How your clothes fit
  • How much water you drink each day
  • The macros you consume every day
  • How much you can lift (either in one rep or over a set number of reps)
  • Your mood or another aspect of your mental health

And here are some tools to help you quantify your health and fitness journey:

  • MyPlate Calorie Tracking App: Track your food and water intake and see a graph of how your weight changes over time.
  • LIVESTRONG.COM's BMI Calculator: Enter your gender, age, height and weight and find out your BMI in seconds.
  • Tips for Taking Body Measurements: Here's a quick, easy video to show you exactly what measurements to take and how.
  • How to Take Your Before Photos: Watch Frankie and Sam from the STRONGER series show you the best way to take your "before" photos.
  • Journal: Yep, a good, old-fashioned paper journal (or app if you prefer) can help you track so many things, including how you're feeling physically and mentally (because the scale can't tell you that.)
  • Or find an another alternative tracking method that works best for you!

Why the Scale Isn't Enough

But don't let the numbers define you. Instead, let them inspire you to continue your journey and work toward your goals! And certainly don't beat yourself up if your weight bumps up one week. There are plenty of reasons for this, including:

  • Water retention or bloating
  • Building muscle (it's more dense than fat)
  • Your menstrual cycle (sorry, ladies)
  • Time of day or week (so weigh yourself the same day and time each week)

That's why recording a variety of stats each week is important. You are not your weight. It's not the be-all-end-all of your healthy living journey. Sure, it's nice when the number on the scale drops, but there's so much more to life than your BMI.

How do you feel? Do you have more energy? Feeling stronger? That's great! Focus on that, and the weight may follow. And if it doesn't, chances are that you may not even mind at that point.

Read more: I Broke Up With My Scale, and Here's What I Learned

Empower Yourself on Your Fitness Journey

Whatever your goal is — losing weight, building muscle, feeling confident — we want to help you get there! So here are more resources to help you track your progress.

How to Join the Get Strong in 2019 Challenge

1. Sign Up for Daily Emails

There are two main places this challenge is taking place online — your inbox and our Facebook group (more on that in a second). So first, make sure you've entered your email to sign up for the Get Strong in 2019 Challenge. (Yep, even if you're already signed up for our regular daily newsletter.)

Every day, we'll be sending you your daily workout and a healthy recipe to try, along with fun extras like workout playlists, motivational quotes, self-care tips and other fitness and nutrition information to make 2019 your best (and healthiest) year ever!

Get Strong in 2019 Challenge printable recipe calendar

2. Print Out Your Calendars

Isn't it so satisfying to check things off of your to-do list? Each day during the Get Strong in 2019 Challenge, you're accountable for two main things: working out and eating healthy.

To help keep you on track for the entire month, we created two calendars — one with each day's workouts listed and another with each week's nutrition goal and healthy recipes. Print them out and check off each workout and day of healthy eating as you complete it.

Get Strong in 2019 Challenge printable workout calendar

3. Join Our Challenge Facebook Group

For daily support, motivation and camaraderie with LIVESTRONG.COM team members, join our Facebook Group for the Get Strong in 2019 Challenge. We'll share recipes, tips, motivations, pictures and more! Plus, we'll answer all your questions.

4. Share Your Journey on Social Media

Are you on Instagram or Twitter? So are we! And we'd love to see photos and updates of your progress. When you post to social media, be sure to use the hashtag #GetStrongChallenge. That way, you can also connect with other Get Strong challengers!

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