Kez Gets Physical: Measuring progress.

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So it’s been about a month since I got my treadmill and decided to really get my act together when it comes to my fitness. Here’s my best day from this week, as proof I’m really trying!

I always find the first few weeks the hardest, because it’s hard to measure any progress you might be making (as excited and as motivated as you may be).

I am no scientist/doctor (scientoctor?) but I always find that the first couple of weeks, there can be weight gain and I often feel (and look) bloated after a work out. Not to mention the fatigue from trying something new!!! Which gets me down a bit, even though I know it’s just a hump I have to get over. I always find myself just impatiently waiting to see some results so I can feel encouraged to continue.

I decided I want to do more than just weigh myself and track my activity on my fitbit flex. So I bought the Fitbit Aria scales that sync with your app (WTF? So clever) and tell you your body fat percentage. Any scales with the body fat percentage function in them would be good enough, but I figured it would be handy to have something compatible with my other stuff. I wanted to see an accurate break down of what’s happening in my body. Some weight gain can be muscular and some weight loss isn’t necessarily as healthy as you think. I was so nervous to step on the scale for the first time. I was imagining the scale screaming at me, “95% POTATO”.

What? I like potatoes.

But it turns out I’m more like a third fat. So it could be worse. But it could be a whole lot better. I’ve set a goal of 25% – eek.

Mr Unprepared is training for a big charity bike ride, so we’ve been keeping each other company in our progress. We decided to measure ourselves. Which involved lowering the blinds, stripping down to our underwear and getting the measuring tape out…wait, that sounds wrong. You know what I mean. Nothing suss! Haha.

I’ve never done the measuring thing before. I think because it’s always seemed like the kind of thing that only serious people do. BUT…my need to feel like I’m making progress took over and we did it. Measured ourselves, I mean. I don’t think I’ll check back in on those measurements for a while (part of me is too lazy and another part of me wants to see a significant difference when I do bother), but it’s good to know there are several ways to see how you’re improving over time.

The more I get into this, the more I realise that your weight (at face value) is not the most important thing (although I obviously would like a more healthy BMI). How you get there is more important than say, crash dieting or doing unhealthy stuff.

Also? Listen to those around you. They might notice any changes in you that you don’t see – we’re our own worst critics, are we not? This happened to me over the past week. My mum told me that I looked a little slimmer and I’ve been carrying myself a little differently. She said that I looked different in a top I was wearing. Mr Unprepared kept telling me too. I admit I didn’t listen for a few days haha. I’d look in the mirror and be all, pfffft. Nope.

But the other day, something magical happened. I started to see what they were talking about!!

Guys. I’m getting my butt back. This is VERY exciting news. Pre-Little Mister I had a great butt. Then after pregnancy and birth, I kind of went back, back, back, legs. And no, not because my bum had become so skinny. But because I had filled out so much I had no shape anymore!

I was so excited to look in the mirror and finally see a little curve. A little definition in my lower back! It’s not much, but it’s definitely something!! I don’t think I’ve seen that little curve in at least three years!!

I’m feeling so motivated! I mean, what else can I rediscover?! It’s like an archaeological dig!!!

How do you measure your progress? Had any small wins lately?