Why Metric Tracking Matters
Think of it like this: Trying to achieve a goal without tracking any metrics is like trying to steer a ship in the fog without a compass. How do you know where you are going, and how will you know when you've arrived?
Metric tracking isn’t about obsessing over every detail or letting numbers run your life.
It's about creating clarity, direction, and feedback.
Tracking the right things helps you see whether your actions are moving you closer to your goals or if you need to make a small adjustment.
Why Metric Tracking Is So Important:
Awareness → Change. You can’t improve what you’re not aware of. Metrics shine a light on patterns you might miss otherwise.
Motivation → Momentum. Seeing progress in the form small wins keeps you engaged when you feel like you are working so hard and not seeing results.
Clarity → Confidence. Instead of guessing, you’ll know when you’re on track and when to pivot.
However, not all metrics are created equal. Depending on whether you want to improve your performance in the gym, change your body composition, or just live a healthier lifestyle, some metrics will be more important than others to keep track of.
Performance Metrics. If your goal is to get faster, get stronger, or improve in a specific activity or sport, it's crucial to track some performance metrics. Some useful performance metrics include:
Strength (tracking your lifts to make sure you are getting stronger)
Endurance (tracking your time, distance, and/or pace to make sure you are getting faster)
Recovery (paying attention to your energy levels and perceived exertion during workouts will help to inform you of how well you are recovering from your training sessions.)
Body Composition Metrics. Whether your goal is to lose fat, build muscle, or both, you would benefit from keeping track of the following:
Nutrition (tracking macros is incredibly helpful to know how much energy you are inputting on a daily basis)
Daily movement (just like measuring our energy input, you also want to standardize your output as much as possible)
Scale weight (an easy tool to see trends over time, but not something to get obsessive over)
Circumference measurements and progress photos (sometimes scale weight doesn't change the way we think it should. In these cases, taking pictures and measurements will more accurately show progress over time.)
Lifestyle Metrics. Not interested in a fully body transformation or running a marathon? That's ok! More and more, we see people who are just interested in feeling good in their bodies, and developing habits that will help them stay that way for a long time. If this sounds like you, we would recommend you pay attention to:
Sleep quality and duration (7-9 hours is good for most people!)
Daily steps/movement (apart from exercise, do you stay active through the day?)
Nutrition (with a focus on mostly whole, nutrient dense food)
Stress management (we love breathing exercises, meditation, and intentional rest days)
Energy levels and mood (on a streak of low energy and a negative mindset? It might be a sign to switch something up!)
The TLDR? Tracking everything isn't necessary.
The key is finding a handful of metrics that connect directly to your goals, tracking them consistently, and letting them guide your decisions.
So don’t leave your progress up to chance. Grab the wheel, set your course, and let your metrics guide you to your goals!
ACTION ITEM
Choose your #1 most important fitness goal right now.
Is it performance, aesthetic, or lifestyle based? (If you don't know, read above!)
Now, choose 2-3 metrics that align with your goal, and track them consistently for the next 2 weeks.
Even when we track a metric without the intention of changing it, we are likely to learn things about ourselves. So instead of feeling like you need to immediately change or improve upon something, try to resist self judgement, and just be curious.
And if you need more help, please don't hesitate to reach out!