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You know the old saying “if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” Well, the same can apply to your fitness journey. If you are working on yourself but not tracking any data points, is it working?

Whether you are doing a reverse diet, bulking, cutting, in maintenance, or just trying to figure out what you are trying to do, having a way to track your progress will not only show you how your body is responding but also teach you how to be strategic.

Oftentimes people can get caught up in their body weight. It can be super exciting or super disappointing, depending on what you are hoping for. Truly, it is just a data point that tells us how much mass we are made up of. It can be very misleading and not the full picture of what dictates our health or what our body makeup is.

I do think it can be positive and powerful to weigh yourself every day, but it takes a lot of mental work to get to that point of seeing it for what it is a data point. Still, to avoid the inflammation that this triggering subject can create, I do want to list out 15 data points that are better indicators, when multiple are being tracked simultaneously, to give you an understanding of progress based on biofeedback.

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Data Point 1: Measurements

This is one of my favorite data points, hence why I listed it as number one. Your body measurements are a great piece of bio-feedback that when measured with your weight and other data points, you can get a better picture of your body composition.

For example, if you gain 15-20lbs in the course of 6 months while reverse dieting or bulking and you have a solid training program, that can elevate your BMI (Body Mass Index). This is a very simple calculation that is wildly used by the medical and science field as a screening to help guide the health risk of the patient.

Should You Track BMI?

It is a guide, but not a tell-all. However, it can be alarming when you’ve put on weight strategically and the BMI chart says you are now overweight. I’ve had this happen and it can be frustrating to see that on medical charts when you know you are not overweight, at least, you don’t have an excess of fat.

Well, cue in measurements. Back to the scenario where you put on quite a bit of weight on the scale. If you just started your journey only weighing yourself, it would be harder to know what of that weight could be fat or muscle. But say you measured yourself weekly and your waist/hips stayed the same or got lower and your thighs/arms stayed the same or got bigger.

A lot of people would assume that an extra 15-20lbs would make you look, well, fatter. But quite the contrary. Read my post here on why I am glad I put on weight.

I did not get fatter gaining weight, but I looked stronger and felt better. It took time for me to get over the scary part of the scale going up, but my measurements kept me grounded to know I had put on muscle and stayed almost the same size.

Data Point 2: Food Consumption

Tracking your food consumption is not something I recommend doing every day for the rest of your life for the majority of people. However, if you are trying to achieve specific goals, learn about your body, or try it to see what it is like, I am a big advocate.

Tracking your food consumption can give you a good idea of how your body responds to calories, macronutrients, and even micronutrients if you want to go that far.

Let’s say one day you are up a full pound on the scale. How could it be since you didn’t change much in your diet? Well, maybe you ate 20-30 more grams of carbs yesterday than the day before. No problem, your body is just holding more water.

Did you know that for each gram of carbohydrate your body consumes, it holds roughly 3 grams of water? That is why athletes love carbs, they help the muscles get the fuel they need and the water to repair and recover. But anyway, today you eat 20-30 grams less. You step on the scale tomorrow and it is down 2 pounds.

This isn’t a miracle. It is how your body is responding to food. Your weight has a lot to do with the fluids moving through your body. Food has a huge role to play in that fluid movement. By being in tune with your food, you can better understand your biofeedback in the form of how you feel, function, and perform.

Data Point 3: Fiber

Fiber, or the bark of a tree as my grandmother calls it, is what gets things moving. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. You can read more about the differences here. But essentially, having sufficient fiber in your diet will help your gut health which in turn will help you feel good.

I could and probably will write a whole post on why it’s so great. But the reason you should track it is that it can have a big impact on other biofeedback.

If you have too little or too much fiber, you may feel constipated, sluggish, and tired, and your weight can go up. Aim for 24-40 grams per day. If you are like me and plant-based, likely you are crushing it in the 60+ per day.

Regardless of how much you take in on a daily basis, tracking it will help you when trying to pinpoint something that is off. Say you have a week that you did not get much fiber, and that can have a ripple effect.

By tracking it, you can see, “oh, I only averaged 15 grams this week even though I normally get 40. No wonder my bowel movements were not great and I felt sluggish.”

Data Point 4: Water

I’m not here to suggest that you need to do the gallon challenge. I often drink that and some on a daily basis because I’ve always been a water drinker since I was a kid. However, tracking your intake can be helpful to know how your body responds to the fluid.

Water, like fiber, is a great nutrient that can help improve your overall health. If you are tracking consistent amounts day over day but have a few very low water days, you may start feeling those sluggish and headachy symptoms. If you’ve been tracking it, you can notice if there were any changes in your consumption and determine if that is why you are not feeling great.

Data Point 5: Steps

This one can get obsessive very quickly. I used to joke that I did not own a step tracker, a step tracker owned me. I’ve come a long way since then. But, I do like tracking steps because it lets me know how my activity level has been, specifically NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).

By simply seeing the changes in my activity level, I can recognize how my body feels and how I perform. Honestly, this is one of the least important data points for me. I already move a lot, and having a dog helps, but I still like it because it is a good reminder to incorporate movement into my day outside of my workout routine.

Data Point 6: Sleep

Sleep glorious sleep! This is a beautiful piece of biofeedback. Having ample sleep can make or break your day. And it can extend well beyond one day. Chronic sleep issues can have major impacts on your physical and mental health.

Sleep is crucial for proper recovery and a great way to reset you physically and mentally. I talk about recovery in this post about the trinity of a reverse diet. In sum, getting adequate sleep and recovery can make a huge difference in your progress. If you are not taking the time to get the rest your body deserves, you will not see the progress you are working for.

Data Point 7: Energy

How are you? Really! If you are in the throws of tiredness, your answer will likely be way less chipper than if you slept like a baby last night. This goes in tandem with tracking sleep. Your energy levels can tell a lot about the state of your body.

I typically track this on a 1-5 scale. 1 being a zombie and 5 being a spring chicken. If you are consistently in the 1-2 range, it can be telling that you aren’t getting enough rest and recovery. That can lead to stalling progress and a ripple effect into other forms of biofeedback.

Data Point 8: Soreness

Sometimes we love the pain. Nothing like a few sore muscles to feel like we got the job done. Soreness can be a good thing, but be mindful of how sore you are and how often you are sore.

Similar to the energy scale, I recommend a 1-5 range. If you are upwards of 4-5 for several days, that’s a good indicator that you need to put on the breaks with your activity. Adversely, if you are always at a 1, maybe you aren’t pushing yourself in the gym as much as you could be.

Personally, I tend to hover around a 2-3 most days. It’s not often I am at a 4-5 or a 1 (maybe on vacation). There is no right or wrong of where you should be. You know your body best. But it helps to keep track so you can learn your limits and how your body responds.

Data Point 9: Hunger

Getting in touch with your natural hunger cues can be amazing. I struggled with this for years because I had an idea of what I should be eating, not what my body was telling me.

Your hunger can fluctuate from day to day. When I’m in a caloric tracking phase, I try to stay in a range of calories and macros, but if my hunger tells me otherwise, I listen to it and note it.

Say my range is 2400-2600 calories. Yesterday I did a full-day hike with my dog. I ate within the range with no problem and my hunger was average, let’s say a 3. Today, I woke up stomach growling. By the time the day is done, I’ve eaten 2800 calories. Even though it was higher than my typical range, it was a one-off day and my hunger was more like a 4-5.

I like to track this because I can relate it to my caloric tracking. If I ate more in one day or less, I can look back and reflect on how hungry I was. It validated my caloric intake because, in the long run, I’m not going to be tracking. I love this data point for helping ease off caloric tracking into intuitive eating.

Data Point 10: Stress

This one can be hard to track. I keep it simple with the 1-5 range, but if you have never reflected on your stress levels, it can be hard to know where you land.

Some people operate on the high-stress side, others are naturally cool as a cucumber. Everyone has a different idea of what stress is in their lives. As you go through the motions of tracking your stress, you will begin to learn what is a stressful day for you and what isn’t.

Keeping a record of your stress throughout your health journey will help you understand how much of an impact it has on your body. It can affect your sleep, hunger, energy, weight, etc. Knowing where you are on a daily basis can help you learn why your body is feeling or responding a certain way.

Data Point 11: Caffeine

I am very sensitive to caffeine. It does not wake me up but one cup of coffee and I feel the stim. There is a lot out there about the pros and cons of caffeine. I’m not here to sway you either way. But, I do recommend tracking how much you are consuming.

Good or bad, it does have an effect on your body. Knowing how much you are having and how your body responds is important. It may not impact you at all and in that case, you might omit to track this. Some people get headaches if they don’t have enough. Some people feel sick if they have half a cup of coffee.

Regardless of your views on caffeine, tracking it, along with the other data points, helps you recognize changes in your body and how it responds.

Data Point 12: Bowel Movements

Alright, maybe a little TMI. But hear me out, knowing your movement cycle can be very helpful in recognizing when things are out of wack. Generally speaking, the average person should go going number two at least once a day. Having consistent movements allows your body to expel more than just what you ate for dinner last night.

I could make a plethora of jokes and giggles about this topic. However, there truly is something to be said for clearing house. If you aren’t going regularly, you can have uncomfortable symptoms such as fatigue, bloating, sluggishness, etc. Hopefully, you are regular. Tracking will help you recognize what is normal and what is not.

Data Point 13: Alcohol

There is a lot of information out there about the impacts of alcohol on the body. It is helpful to research it, but keeping tabs on your own intake will help you recognize the impacts on your own body.

Say you are not a regular drinker but once in a blue moon you have more than a few drinks at a party or event. You will likely feel it the next day and all of the unfortunate symptoms that come with it.

If you are a regular drinker, it may not be as noticeable. If you track how much you have on a given day and see the fluctuations in other data points, it can eventually add up.

Data Point 14: Exercise

Consistency is key, or some cliche saying like that. It’s true though, having a consistent exercise program will help you with your fitness journey progress.

Having a solid workout plan that you dedicate several times a week to is how you will achieve your fitness goals. The act of tracking “yes or no” to the question, “did I work out today” can be a great way to have self-accountability.

Likewise, knowing the days you worked out in relation to your biofeedback (hunger, energy, soreness, etc.) can be helpful and recognizing how your body is responding. This in turn teaches you how to plan your routine around your schedule and your body’s responsiveness.

Data Point 15: Menstruation

This isn’t for everyone, but if you menstruate it can have a huge impact on your biofeedback. Changes in hormones can affect water retention, energy levels, and don’t get me started on mood. Either way, knowing where you are in your cycle can be powerful in answering some questions like “why is my weight up” or “why am I so tired today?”

My favorite way to track is using Natural Cycles. It tracks my temperature every day and predicts my cycle based on an FDA-approved algorithm.

Cadence of Measurement

Keep in mind that you don’t have to track all or any of these. I do track all but not every single day. Likewise, I only track them when I have a reason such as strength and conditioning goals or reverse dieting.

Daily

When I’m in a tracking phase, I typically measure all but measurements. It sounds like a lot and it can feel that way, but once you get in the cadence of it tracking only takes a few minutes of your day. I have apps to support the ease of tracking.

Weekly

I personally track measurements weekly because day over day is very minimal in changes. I would argue that even weekly you won’t see a lot of changes. In addition, I take progress photos weekly to help visualize the changes.

Monthly

I like to look at averages. How much change I have seen month to month. By having a record of daily tracking, I know on average where I was that month. It can be helpful to reflect and see what changes you need to make to achieve your goals and what is working well.

Yearly

A year can feel like so far away but when it comes it’s amazing to think how much work you have done. In one year I like to look back at where I started, the progress I made month over month, and where I am now. I ask myself:

• What goals did I accomplish?
• Did any of them change?
• What complement(s) can I give to myself?
• How can I improve next year?
• What do I want to do this next year?
• And so on.

No matter when you started your journey, checking in daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly can reaffirm your whys and validate your goals.

Summary

These data points are my top 15 non-weight biofeedback that can be powerful for assessing your journey and learning along the way.

1. Measurements
2. Food Consumption
3. Fiber
4. Water
5. Steps
6. Sleep
7. Energy
8. Soreness
9. Hunger
10. Stress
11. Caffeine
12. Bowel Movements
13. Alcohol
14. Exercise
15. Menstruation

Feel free to track all of these or cherry-pick a few that work for you. No matter how you take these data points to understand your biofeedback, utilizing them can be powerful in learning about yourself and your body.

If you have a question or if there are any other data points you think are important to track for biofeedback, please share them below.