Following on from my last email about the shortcomings of using only the scales and mirror to gauge your progress towards your goals.
I have some better, simple, ideas for what you should assess in order to see how you’re doing. These areas should consistently improve as you go along – and they should stay around for the long term too.
This makes them really effective, encouraging and accurate at showing you how you’re doing. If one area isn’t improving, or starts heading backwards, then it’s a sign that you need to adapt you plan to get yourself back on course.
It’s also worth saying that, of course, I’m not trying to push you away from seeking aesthetic goals – in fact, I’d say that you can’t help but achieve your aesthetic goals if you are working to improve the things below, and I’d also say that you’re more likely to achieve long term aesthetic results if you are working to improve these areas:
Energy
Is your energy improving? Do you have a sense of “alive-ness”? Is your energy sustainable (not hyper) across the day?
Performance
Are you getting stronger, fitter and more mobile – and generally seeing an improvement in your workouts? This is a great sign you’re doing the right stuff.
Sleep
Do you find it easy to nod off? Do you sleep all night? Are you refreshed when you wake up in the morning? If your sleep quality is good, then it’s a pretty reliable sign that you’re heading in the right direction. In fact, one of the first signs that you’re overdoing things is often a deterioration in your sleep quality.
I’m really interested to hear what you think to chasing these areas rather than relying on the scales and the mirror. Do you think this would help you stay consistent in your routines, and teach you to notice the bigger picture beyond just aesthetics?
Remember that chasing health allows other things to fall into place naturally.