Tracking your progress

One of my biggest regrets when I started my fitness journey was not keeping a record of my numbers – i.e. how much I weigh, measurements and muscle/fat mass. I didn’t measure myself or do any type of tracking at all until about 8 months into the routine.

Now, this has its pros and cons.

👍🏻 I literally chased nothing but the good feelings after each workout.

👎🏻 When I was keen to add some numbers to back up my progress and as someone who loves tracking progress with numbers and graphs, this was a bummer!

As my goals have changed recently from my initial fat loss aim, I’ve been on top of my measurements and tracking progress with the help from my Fitbit, scales, gym scans and personal trainer. Although these have all given me a fantastic insight in where I am now, they aren’t the most accurate when it comes to tracking.

In my research to find the best ways to track my progress, I discovered DEXA Scans.

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DEXA Scans

What is it?

A DEXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) scan allows you to get precise measurements of your body fat, muscle, and bone composition, giving you an idea of where you are now. Over time, as you have another scan, you can clearly track your progress in an objective way. It is the “gold standard” way of body composition testing.

The scan passes two very low doses of x-ray beams through the tissues of the body, the whole process takes roughly 7 minutes and you get your results instantly!

What do you get from a DEXA Scan?

• Body Fat Percentage
• Lean Tissue (muscle)
• Overall weight
• A breakdown of torso, legs and arms
• The distribution of fat and muscle around the body
• Visceral fat around your organs

Benefits of getting a scan

• A better understanding of where you are at right now – This is a big one for me. As I said, I didn’t actually know where I was when I first started and as someone who loves tracking progress, it was a bummer not knowing how much progress I made (even though it was visible through photos.) Knowing where you’re at also helps with creating the perfect plan for you to reach your goals!
• Understand what is working or not working in your fitness routine – Likewise, knowing your numbers and tracking over a certain amount of time can help give you an insight on how you’re progressing through your routine. You might find that you’re not progressing how you want, and so can switch it up!
• Gives you a burst of motivation – Personally, I feel a fresh amount of motivated after understanding where I’m at. What excites me the most is seeing the changes over time!
• Gives you something to celebrate – Even the smallest amount of progress is progress. Don’t forget to celebrate!
• Helps you kick start your fitness journey – This could be a fantastic starting point for you to take your health into your own hands.

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Over the past 2 years, I’ve been tracking my progress through my FitBit and FitBit scales as well as scales at the gym and measurements from my personal trainer. But I can’t wait to try a DEXA Scan myself, to get a better more accurate picture of where I’m currently at.

Fellow enthusiasts – tell me what have you used to track your fitness progress? Have you heard of DEXA Scans before?

If you’re excited about DEXA Scans as much as I am, you can find one that is closest to you here and find out more here.

✨Please note, a little disclaimer: You don’t need to track yourself if you don’t want to. I didn’t for months, it’s no big deal. But at this point in my fitness journey, I want to know as much as possible. Knowing the numbers drive me, but it’s not for everyone. Do you 💜Also, we are more than numbers so don’t let numbers ever define you! Trust me, I’ve been there – it’s not fun.