Metrics for Weight Loss​ | How to Measure Success

If you've ever tried to lose weight and felt frustrated with stagnant numbers on the scale that refuse to budge, you aren't alone! As your body composition restructures and realigns, the number on the scale can stay deceptively still. In addition, the true metrics of health aren't always reflected in a number on a scale, at least initially. That's why we tell our patients not to put too much weight into the number they see (pun intended), but instead look for the markers that indicate their quality of life and risk of disease are improving.

Weight should be a byproduct of success, not a measure of it. Here are just a few of the many metrics for weight loss we discussed in tonight's webinar session that will help us measure true healthy successes:

1. Body fat percentage and muscle mass. Because muscle weighs more than fat, gaining muscle while dropping fat can cause the number on the scale to stay the same, or even go up, all while your health is improving. That is why our frequent body composition scales are the tool we use for evaluating your progress. And if you can hang on through the percieved stalls, your weight will drop as the increase in muscle actually improves your rate of fat burn, and on goes the snowball effect in your favor.

2. Heart rate. You can measure the improvement in your heart's ability to effectively pump the needed oxygen through your body via your bloodstream by comparing your resting and active heart rate month over month. As your heart muscle gets stronger with increased endurance training, your heart will pump higher volumes of blood more efficiently, thus decreasing the demand on your body to provide the oxygen needed. This is a great indicator that your health is improving!

3. Gut Health and Chemical Reactions. Did you know that there are receptors in your gut and your brain that change the chemical balances in your brain based on your activity level and nutrition content of your diet? By making lifestyle changes to increase nutrition and activity into your routine, you can literally alter the chemical reactions in your brain to improve your mental health. While there are still many mental health conditions that require further treatment, lifestyle changes alone can make a huge difference.

Interested to learn more about weight loss metrics? Want to join our weekly lifestyle education series? Email me at emily@shillmed.com