How many of us have gone to the gym for weeks and months consistently but aren’t sure if we are doing enough? Whether you have hit a plateau or are beginning your fitness journey, keeping track of your progress is important to maintaining motivation.
The simplest way to know that you are working out enough is to set and keep track of your progress through measurable goals. Whether the goal is increasing in weight or repetitions, strength, flexibility, speed or distance, if you are consistently hitting and exceeding them then you are on a healthy regimen. Goals should challenge you but also be achievable and practical.
Finding your setpoint and base level of fitness is always a great place to start. If you are weight training taking a note of your maximum weight and repetitions for major muscle groups or exercises is always a good start. Common exercises that people record and measure maximum weight include bench press, squats, shoulder press, power cleans and deadlifts.
If you are building endurance you may want to measure the number of repetitions you can do with a specific weight. For those newly into running, keeping track of your times and distances early on and throughout your progression will ensure you are meeting your goals.
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Another great way to measure the efficacy of your workout regimen is toget in tune with your body and notice the changes that you are making, beyond the physical. Regular exercise has several benefits from increased metabolism, stress reduction, increased immunity and more!
Because many of these changes are subtle and internal in nature, cultivating a state of awareness in your body is key in recognizing them.
Regular exercise elevates energy levels and improves overall quality of life. You should notice that you are sleeping better and waking up more rejuvenated. Stress levels decrease and symptoms of depression will begin to alleviate as your routine becomes more regular. Immune system function will also increase, improving your ability to fight off illness and decreasing frequency of sick days.
When getting sufficient exercise you will begin to see physical changes due to the increased speed of your metabolism. This means you will burn calories faster and generally lose weight from fat and gain muscle. Along with burning calories faster, you also might notice an increase in appetite.
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Along with appetite, exercise also comes with an increase in the regularity of your bowel movements. Other clear physical signs of sufficient exercise include normal muscle soreness, swelling, increased mass, and strength.
If you notice that your regular workout routine becomes easy and have to increase the intensity of your sessions that is a good sign of sufficient exercise. It is common to hit a lull in your exercise plans when changes and gains aren't as easy to come by and variations to the routine are needed.
When you need to incorporate cross training, cardio or other exercise modalities into your regular routine to achieve the results you want, then you are likely on a healthy regimen. Be careful not to overdo it though!
