To balance different ways of measuring fitness, you can try these simple strategies:
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Measurable Data:
- Look at things you can measure, like body mass index (BMI), waist size, and body fat percentage.
- Keep track of performance improvements, like VO2 max, which measures how well your body uses oxygen. Trained people usually see improvements of about 15-20% within 6-8 weeks of regular training.
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Personal Feelings:
- Include surveys and tools that help people rate how hard they feel they are working (like the Borg scale).
- Gather opinions from participants about their feelings, motivation, and fun during workouts. This matters a lot because around 70% of sticking with a fitness plan is tied to personal motivation.
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Combining Both Methods:
- Mix the data together; for example, compare performance improvements (measurable data) with how satisfied people say they feel (personal feedback).
- Check progress every two weeks or every month using both personal feedback and measurable data. This gives you a full picture of fitness and motivation.
By combining these two ways, you can gain a better overall understanding of fitness.