For far too long working out has been conflated with weight loss. Even now fitness Instagram remains saturated with before-and-after collages, showing bodily changes said to result from a whole bunch of exercise programs, from strength training and Pilates to running and biking. This perpetuates one of the most pervasive myths in fitness: that the only reason to move your body is to change your body.
And that’s a problem. Beauty ideals about thin bodies are rooted in racism, unattainable for many, and perpetuate bias against larger bodies that has mental and physical consequences, Jessica Thompson, a certified kettlebell instructor and wellness coach, as well as the owner and program director of GetFIT615, an anti-diet-culture gym based in Nashville, tells SELF.
“People who may want to come to the gym may want to move their bodies [but] feel a lot of trauma around being in the gym because they’ve been judged and stigmatized for their bodies,” Thompson says.
This focus can turn off people—especially those in larger a body—from starting with, or rejoining, fitness. The pervasive, aesthetics-based culture makes them believe “they’re not enough as they are, and they need to change and fit a mold,” Thompson says.
When people feel like fitness isn’t for them, it excludes them from the myriad other benefits that come from regular motion, including a longer life. In fact, per a research review published in 2021 in the journal iScience, studies have found boosting the amount of physical activity can reduce the risk of an early death anywhere from 15% to 50%. Meanwhile, intentionally losing weight doesn’t reliably translate into extra years.
But this doesn’t mean you have to throw out the idea of progress altogether. While some people simply enjoy unstructured movement—say, walking, hiking, or dancing with no point other than enjoying the moment—others are motivated by working toward a goal. (Chances are, you might have both tendencies at different times too.)
So if the number on the scale isn’t necessarily a true indicator of success—or isn’t what you want to prioritize—how do you know, from day to day or week to week, whether you’re reaping the benefits of your fitness program? Fortunately, there are many markers of success far more potent than weight. Here, 19 better signs your fitness routine is working that have nothing to do with weight loss.
1. Your consistency improves.
Most people just getting started with fitness have an erratic relationship with exercise, Morit Summers, an NSCA-certified personal trainer and CrossFit Level 1 trainer who owns the Brooklyn gym Form Fitness, tells SELF.
“Many people are not consistent with movement,” she says. “One week they’ll go on a really long walk, and then the next week they’ll do nothing.” This can make it more difficult to get into the fitness groove and even harder to hit any fitness goals you may have.
So the first goal she sets for them—the foundation upon which everything else is built—is to develop a regular movement practice. Depending on where they’re starting, it might be moving for twice a week for a month straight, then three times per week. This can vary based on the person, and it doesn’t need to be hard workouts, either. It’s more about creating a habitual spot for movement in your life, and then continuing to meet that on a regular basis.
A workout routine that regularly includes yoga, Pilates, or barre moves—think postures that both stretch and strengthen—takes your body out of just one plane of motion and improve your alignment, she says. Success, to her, means avoiding a rounded, hunched back and keeping your head over your shoulders rather than out in front of your body. Not only does good posture reduce pain and improve motion; it can simply make you feel better too, she says: “It’s great for confidence; it’s great for presence and awareness.”
Yes, there’s sometimes a benefit in pushing yourself a little bit beyond your comfort zone in a workout—and that can leave you feeling tired for a little bit. But over time a successful workout program will actually decrease your overall fatigue, Thompson says.
Here’s how: The fitter you get, the more mitochrondria sprout inside your muscle cells. These tiny powerhouses convert glucose and oxygen into fuel, powering your body along. Other changes—such as balanced levels of stress hormones and increased circulation of oxygen-rich blood—can also leave you more invigorated.
Energy levels can also tell you if you’re working too hard or have underrecovered, Barrett says. Your body needs time in between challenging sessions for all those adaptations to occur. If workouts that once left you feeling more perky start to leave you dragging instead, you might need to dial them back or incorporate more recovery, sleep, or fuel to reap the benefits. But if you’re feeling fresh and ready to take on the world, that can mean your routine has hit that all-important balance of challenge versus recovery—so consider that one of the signs your fitness routine is working for you.
Scientists once believed compounds called endorphins produced the type of euphoria after exercise sometimes called “runner’s high.” Now they offer more of the credit to endocannabinoids, natural versions of marijuana-like chemicals.
Of course, many people need treatment like medication or talk therapy for mental health issues like depression—and if you’re looking for a therapist, here’s how to find one. But physical activity can be part of an effective plan to manage mood disorders, either enhancing the effects of other treatments or working on its own, according to a 2020 research review in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.
Working out also bathes your gray matter in a compound called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This can pay off in an improved ability to think, learn, and remember, and may encourage the growth of new brain cells and protect you from neurologic diseases like Alzheimer’s. If you already have a form of cognitive impairment, exercise may slow its progression or improve your existing brain function.
Plus, working out relieves stress, which can leave you calmer, kinder, and more focused. Thompson often sees her clients report this shift in their daily life: “It’s like, oh, now that I’ve got this movement practice, I’m finding I have more clarity at work and more mental space for connecting with my family and friends,” she says.
There’s one instance in which it can be universally helpful to track weight—that is, the weight of the dumbbell you’re able to pick up or kettlebell you can swing. In a progressive strength training program, like the ones Summers creates for her clients, you’ll gradually be able to do the same moves with a heavier load.
Keep in mind, though, that what you want to see is an upward trend over time. You don’t necessarily have to go heavier each and every time you lift. If you have a day when you’re stressed out or tired, it’s far better to use lighter weight or no weight and practice your form. “It’s the pattern that matters most,” Summers says. You can try again with heavier weights when you feel ready.
While throwing around heavy things in the gym can be impressive and empowering, what’s even more meaningful is being able to use that force in everyday activities.
“I just carried my daughter who’s 30 pounds for an hour through the zoo the other day, because she was having a meltdown,” Schirack says. “That’s something that, had I not been physically fit, I probably would not be able to do.” In fact, one of her primary measures of success is whether she can carry both her toddler twins up and down the stairs without worrying she’ll drop them.
10. You’re using affirmations—and believing them.
Amshoff often issues monthly challenges to her clients, and recently she focused one of them on positive thinking. She asked people to choose sayings that were meaningful to them—phrases like “I am strong” and “I am capable”—then display them around their home or workplaces.
These types of messages can boost your motivation and desire to move. In one 2019 study of 117 athletes published in the journal Sports, those who were trained in positive self-talk were less anxious and more self-confident in their abilities and performed better in their sport over time. This empowerment can translate to other fitness goals, as well other areas of your life, including work and relationships, Amshoff says.
11. You’re feeling ready for an event or competition if one is on your to-do list.
Through her decade and a half in the fitness industry, Summers has competed in events like powerlifting, weightlifting, and Spartan obstacle course races. “That gave me something to train hard for,” she says. “I’d have this date to look at and say, ‘You just have to keep going and you’re going to have this awesome day where you get to perform.’”
Of course, competing can also come with stress and anxiety. While the benefits have outweighed the downsides for Summers in the past, things changed when the pandemic hit, events were canceled, and she had to figure out how to keep her gym afloat. At that time she realized she needed a break from the pressure of performance.
“Body awareness is my favorite determining factor for success,” she says. “I love to see someone knowing their body well enough to look at the workout for the day and say, ‘Okay, I’m going to do these movements exactly as written, but I’m going do these other movements in a different variation.’” For instance, you might pick up a lighter kettlebell instead of following instructions to grab a heavier one, or sub in some time in child’s pose for a yoga sequence that you just aren’t feeling.
This content was originally published here.
