There are 5 key aspects of the coaching process to be considered when a person first comes into a coaching service. These considerations are:\r\n\r\n1. Who\r\n2. Goal\r\n3. Have\r\n4. Time\r\n5. Outcome\r\nCredit to Integra Education for this model.\r\n\r\nEach consideration refers to a broader description and list of further considerations, but I want to talk to you today about the ‘Outcome’.\r\n\r\nWhat you measure should be determined by your goal.\r\n\r\nFor instance, if your goal is to run 100 metres in the quickest time, you probably won’t need to be tracking your hip and waist measurements. This might sound simple but by having clear measures to identify progress being made towards your goal will not only be important for your motivation and confidence, but also for your ability to assess the effectiveness of what you are doing.\r\n\r\nTherefore, when planning your training journey, questions should eventually turn to:\r\n‘How will I know if I achieve my goal?’\r\n\r\nNot only that, but it will be important to understand when and how often these metrics should be recorded as well as comparisons made. For instance, a female trainee would benefit from measuring bodyweight weekly (as an average or one-off measure) but determining comparisons monthly based on natural fluctuations throughout their menstrual cycle.\r\n\r\n\r\nUsing Data Tracking to Support Progress & Not Hinder It\r\n\r\nData tracking does come with some pitfalls. In a world surrounded by technology, it is easy to become lured into different tracking apps that monitor everything from calories burned to the quality of your sleep.\r\n\r\nThe issue with this is that we can easily lose sight of what really matters – how we feel!\r\n\r\nAn over-reliance on data can actually hinder our ability to progress and can provide more distraction from how the body is actually performing. Hence why you should always take the opportunity to reflect on how you actually feel each week – something that is performed weekly by our clients via their check-in questionnaire.\r\n\r\nTaking into account this ‘bio-feedback’ can be used in accordance with more objective data so that a triangulated & informed decision can be determined on progress.\r\n\r\nAgain, this might sound simple, but many people’s emotions are heavily influenced by the data presented in these apps and measurement devices.\r\nFor instance, you might have felt frustrated by a perceived ‘lack of progress’ when the scales haven’t come down?\r\nMaybe you felt lethargic after realising you scored low on your sleep tracker, despite having slept well?\r\n\r\nFor this reason, it’s important to recognise whether you have control over these measures & if you need to pull back from them on some occasions!\r\n\r\n\r\nA Good Place to Begin\r\n\r\nFor most, if the goal is to look and feel better, a good set of measures to begin with would be tracking bodyweight 1-2x per week; recording some circumferential measurements such as the waist; and measuring blood pressure in the morning 1-2x per week (for the purpose of monitoring health and stress management).\r\n\r\nFor the majority of those chasing health and fitness goals, the need to track measures such as RHR, HRV, Fasted Blood Glucose, Sleep Scores etc. are simply unnecessary, and should be kept for specific scenarios only.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\n\r\nData tracking certainly has its place in the world of health and fitness. However, it’s important to know the data that actually needs tracking and whether or not that data is supporting or hindering your progress and mindset.\r\n\r\nSpending time to reflect and listen to your body should never be underestimated when assessing progress & should always be encouraged ahead of objective metrics.