ASK THE WH FIT SQUAD

Want to run further, lift heavier or nail your first pull-up? Each month, we put your questions to our team of the finest fitness brains to give you the tools you need to make good on your goals

Q HOW CAN I TRACK MY FITNESS PROGRESS WITHOUT USING SCALES?

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Luke Worthington says: Used in isolation, scales won’t tell you much about your fitness at all. If you understand that there are five quantifiable elements that reflect how fit you are – strength, aerobic capacity, mobility, emotional wellbeing and body composition – scales refer solely to the latter. Standard scales measure your weight, while full-body smart scanners read the amount of muscle, fat, bone and water you carry, but none of these metrics are much use without addressing the other four pillars.

It’s better to view your fitness holistically. Sure, you can prioritise one or two elements while dialling others down for a period of time to achieve a goal, but you shouldn’t ignore them. To that end, don’t disregard scales, but use them in tandem with other measurements. Say you want to build strength. A one-rep max test (see right) will give you an idea of your ability, and scales show how much muscle you’re building. Likewise, if you want to lose weight but focus only on the scales, you’re shooting yourself in the foot – monitoring your aerobic capacity means you’ll be able to work out for longer and achieve your goal sooner. Trying to keep each factor of fitness in mind, here are the best ways to track them...