Obstacles are bound to appear as individuals embark on the road to getting healthier. Such obstacles come in many different forms, but one hurdle many individuals encounter is doubts about the effectiveness of their workout regimens.
The following are three additional metrics that individuals can look to as they try to chart their exercise progress. 1. Target heart rate Before beginning an exercise regimen, individuals, especially those who have been living a sedentary lifestyle, should speak with their physicians to determine what their target heart rate should be. They can then measure their exercise progress by what they need to do to reach that progress. At the outset, individuals may not need to exercise as vigorously to reach their target rates, but as their bodies get healthier and grow more acclimated to exercise, they will need to work harder to reach their target heart rate. This makes target heart rate a good metric by which to measure exercise progress. 2. Repetitions Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that repetitions are another reliable metric by which to measure exercise progress. The more repetitions individuals can do without straining, the stronger their muscles are becoming. Individuals should resist any urge to overdo it. The repetitions metric is only a useful measure of progress if individuals are capable of doing a rep without straining. 3. Body composition This metric should come as no surprise. The more positively exercise affects the body, the more that will show in how the body looks. Johns Hopkins notes that fat loss, specifically around the waist, and muscle growth are two telltale signs that an exercise regimen is progressing.
It can be easy to obsess over results when beginning an exercise regimen. But remaining patient and persistent and utilizing certain metrics to measure progress can keep individuals on the path to getting fit.
