Signs that your fitness has improved
1. Everyday training become easier
Suddenly everyday activities that were a little challenging for you become simpler. You finally manage to lace up your shoes easily, and you can carry full bags without struggling and resting every few minutes.
2. The weights indicate performance
The simplest way to find an improvement in fitness in aerobic exercise is through a stopwatch. If your running training is done each time on the same track, you can track and check if you were able to shorten the running time or cover more miles in the same amount of time. The same goes for walking, riding and swimming.
To mark progress in strength training you can check for a few weeks if from time to time you are able to work with higher weights or increase the number of repetitions in the exercise.
3. Blood tests are surprisingly good
If you have been exercising for several weeks, you should ask your doctor for a referral for laboratory tests. You will probably find an improvement in various health indicators, such as a decrease in fasting sugar levels, glycated haemoglobin, blood lipid profile or an increase in good cholesterol (HDL). In fact, you should not really be surprised. Numerous studies have demonstrated the link between exercise and improvement in various health metrics.
4. Body composition changed
Further proof of improving your physical fitness may be reflected in the body composition data, i.e., the percentage of fat and muscle mass. As you progress in your activity, and especially if you adhere to a customized diet, you may find an increase in muscle mass and a decrease in the percentage of fat. For this reason, it is advisable to take measurements before starting to exercise, and then perform repeated tests every one to two months.
There are various methods of measuring body composition that is done under professional guidance, such as measuring with a clipper (pinch that measures the thickness of the subcutaneous fat folds) or measuring BIA (bio-electrical conductivity) done on unique scales available at almost all gyms. If you have chosen one method or a combination of them, it is important to make sure to conduct the follow-up under regular conditions: at the same time, before drinking and eating, and with the same clothes.
5. Change was also recorded on hips
A change in body circumference is another measure that indicates an improvement in fitness. If you have indeed progressed, you may find an increase in muscle volume in the arms and a decrease in waist circumference for example. Here, too, it is important to perform the measurements before starting to improve fitness and repeat the test after a month of activity.
6. Your resting heart rate is declining
Resting heart rate indicates the number of times the heart beats during a certain period of time when the body is at complete rest. The normal heart rate at rest ranges from 50 to 90 beats per minute. During aerobic activity (swimming, running, brisk walking, cycling) the body raises the oxygen demand, and in response, the heart increases the rate at which it beats and thus pumps more blood and more oxygen per minute of beat.
Improving physical fitness will make the heart function more efficiently and effectively at rest. It is advisable to measure your heart rate at rest before starting to improve your fitness and repeat the test two weeks to a month later.
How to measure: For several consecutive days, in the morning, before getting out of bed: Place two fingers on the wrist close to the side of the thumb or in the area of the socket between the neck and chin. Measure the pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by four.
7. Falling asleep is easier and sleep is deeper
Experts believe that there is a two-way link between exercise and sleep. On the one hand, exercise will help you fall asleep faster and reduce the risk of sleep disorders, and on the other hand - adequate sleep is necessary for the processes of building and renewing tissues and therefore is an excellent time for increasing muscle mass and recovery.
By the way, studies have shown that people who engage in aerobic exercise fall asleep faster and sleep longer than those who do strength training, but still all exercisers sleep better than people who have completely given up fitness.
8. Good mood
Suddenly you are more satisfied with life. You are happier, more energetic and confident, less tense and stress.
