The Reality of Progress
Progress is a hard thing to track. There are times when the scale is going down or we hit a new personal record on the deadlift, where progress is obvious. But more times than not, progress has a lot of plateaus and valleys. There are more times where we put in the work and we don’t see the immediate outcomes, the instant results. So often progress has a question mark after it instead of an exclamation point. And most of the time, we wonder if we are even making progress, we wonder if all the hard work we are putting in is even worth it. So heres the quick answer is, yes it is. It most definitely is worth it.
Most of us need to see some progress to keep our motivation going. We need to see some sort of progress to know we are doing the right things or we need to know if it’s time to change gears and try something different. When our end goal is weight loss, most of us will use the scale as our main view of progress. And it makes sense. If I want to lose weight, the scale is going to give me that number that tells me if I am gaining, losing, or just staying in the same place. But what about other forms of progress. The scale can be a very evil bathroom appliance. It can throw out numbers without taking my feelings into consideration. Some days it can show me what I want to see and get my day started out feeling motivated, it can give me that complement to keep up the good work. And other days, that number might pop up that can make me crumble that last bit of motivation and make all the hard work feel pretty worthless.
Maybe it’s time to throw the scale out into the street and drive over it a few times. Maybe it’s time to give up on the scale, not totally and forever, but for right now. There are so many others ways to gauge progress. And some of these are just as important as the number on the scale.
When working towards weight loss, my favorite form of progress is measurements. First of all, I don’t usually measure myself, so when I am looking at change I have no idea what the numbers mean. I am only looking at the numbers getting smaller. Secondly, measurements allow you to see progress in specific areas. I don’t need to measure my calves, they are big and will probably never get much smaller. Instead I measure the areas I gain weight the easiest. I stay consistent with the days I measure. Most importantly, I don’t worry so much about the measurements week to week, but more like month to month. I find it to be a great way to help keep the motivation moving. Measurements can also include trying on clothes that don’t quite fit and checking weekly or monthly if they are easier to put on, or if the zipper reaches the top.
Checking progress is important. We need to find ways to remind ourselves of the hard work we are putting in. Because on those bad days or weeks, it is all too easy to take for granted all the work that led us to where we are. And a few bad days or weeks isn’t going to ruin everything. We need to have ways to know if our weekends are getting a little too boozy or snacky. We need to know if our meals are getting bigger or our food choices are getting looser. Honestly, sometimes we just need to know where our bodies are right now and make the small steps to improve.
These are the same things that happen in the studio. There are times that we come in, after working our asses off and the bar won’t come off the ground. The times when we set up that perfect squat and we just can’t stand up. Just because you don’t hit a max lift, doesn’t mean you aren’t getting stronger. Progress can seem hard especially when the numbers you put up two years ago aren’t coming up today. But strength is in everything we do. Strength is in your ability to show up and put in the work week after week. Strength is in doing a heavy deadlift session and still having the energy to enjoy time with your family. And yes, getting a PR is worth every bit of celebration, but the stronger we get, the harder we have to work to get those numbers.
The reality is, the numbers show you everything you wanted to see. But it won’t be honest with who you are. You are not a number on the scale. You are not the 315lb deadlift. You are a person who has to deal with real life stresses. You are expected to say no to temptations even when they are facing you every single day. You are expected to workout 3 times a week for the rest of your life. You are expected to throw birthday parties and holiday parties. All of these expectations, no matter how big or small, are not things that will show up on the scale or complement your max efforts. This is life and everything that happens in the moments that we live.
Our ways of gauging progress are so often about the end point, not the journey. They usually have an image that might be unrealistic or based on external views. Every day you can eat “clean” or train “hard” but it doesn’t mean that the number on the scale or the amount of weight you can lift changes and measures your progress. Be patient. If I thought I could get a 10lb personal record in the deadlift every single week, I would be deadlifting somewhere near 5000lbs or more at this point. Progress is slow. Progress sometimes feels more like regression. Don’t focus on what you are doing wrong. Focus on what you are doing right. Find a few ways to gauge your progress and own every single one of your successes. Celebrate the shit out of them. And also when you start to fail, own those too. Don’t let them pull you down, just understand that you are not perfect.