2773: Top Ways to Measure Progress (and the WORST)!

Summary of 2773: Top Ways to Measure Progress (and the WORST)!

by Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge

1h 13m•January 16, 2026
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Overview of 2773: Top Ways to Measure Progress (and the WORST)!

This Mind Pump episode (hosts Sal DiStefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge) focuses on how to measure fitness progress—what works, what doesn’t, and why some common metrics actively harm progress. The hosts cover practical measurement tools (performance, life quality, body composition, circumference), explain why the scale and mirror are poor short-term indicators, and answer listener questions on osteoporosis, push-ups, female testosterone, and training with knee injuries. The episode mixes evidence-based coaching advice with real-world examples and a few entertaining anecdotes.

Main points & thesis

  • Many people misuse simple metrics (especially the scale and the mirror) and make bad decisions (over-restricting calories, changing a program too quickly) based on short-term noise.
  • Better measurements are those that reflect function and life impact (performance, daily quality of life), plus periodic objective checks (body composition, waist circumference).
  • Use trends and appropriate windows (weeks to months), not day-to-day fluctuations, to decide whether a program is working.

Worst ways to measure progress (and why)

  • The scale

    • Measures body mass only; can’t distinguish fat vs. muscle vs. water.
    • Short-term fluctuations (hydration, inflammation, sodium, digestion, menstrual cycle) produce misleading readings.
    • Can cause premature, damaging course corrections (excess cardio, extreme dieting) and psychological harm.
    • Example: identical weight but different body-fat percentages look radically different.

  • The mirror (self-visual inspection)

    • Humans are biased and notice flaws more than progress; inflammation or water retention can look like fat.
    • Visual perception is subject to “perception drift” and emotional distortion—comparing unfavorably to younger photos, etc.

Best ways to measure progress (and how to use them)

  • Performance (strength, movement quality, stamina, pain reduction)

    • Best single practical indicator: consistent improvements imply the program, sleep, and nutrition are generally aligned.
    • Use performance trends over 30+ days (don’t react to a single bad workout).
    • Examples: increasing lifts, better range of motion, less pain.

  • Life quality

    • Arguably the most important long-term metric: energy, mood, sleep, libido, reduced pain, better daily function.
    • This fosters sustainable adherence—people keep training when it makes their life better.
    • Track subjectively but consistently (e.g., weekly notes on energy/sleep/mood).

  • Body composition (body-fat percentage, DEXA, calipers)

    • Useful objective thermometer of long-term changes (building muscle vs. losing fat).
    • Don’t measure too frequently—reasonable windows: 45–90 days for check-ins.
    • Use it to validate direction and tune program (not to obsess over small swings).

  • Circumference measurements (waist)

    • Practical, cheap, and meaningful—track trends, especially waist circumference as an indicator of fat loss.
    • Measure in the morning, in a consistent state (after long fasting/empty digestive tract) to reduce bloat-related noise.
    • Be aware of menstrual-cycle and digestive-bloat influences.

Practical measurement rules / tips

  • Always consider trend lines, not single datapoints. Give 30–90 days for most changes to present reliably.
  • Control measurement conditions: same time of day, same clothing (or none), consistent hydration/food status for body measures.
  • Don’t weigh with extra items (shoes, phone) — treat measurements consistently.
  • If scale/mirror create obsession or sabotage adherence, eliminate or limit them temporarily.
  • Use performance and life-quality improvements as leading indicators; use body composition and circumference as periodic checks.

Actionable recommendations (for listeners)

  • If you’re starting: focus on performance and life-quality markers first. Establish a training and eating baseline, then measure body composition every 45–90 days.
  • If you feel stuck because the scale isn’t moving: check strength/performance, waist circumference, and how clothes fit—then wait and re-evaluate in a month or two.
  • If you’re prone to overreacting to numbers: stop daily weighing. Let a coach take objective check-ins.
  • For waist measurements: measure in the morning, same spot, same tape tension.

Q&A highlights (listener questions & short answers)

  • Osteoporosis (female)

    • Strength training (1–2x/week focused, controlled), adequate protein, and sufficient calories are critical.
    • Building muscle helps build bone; nutrition and progressive loading matter. Work with a qualified trainer.

  • Should women get testosterone (TRT)?

    • Symptoms of low testosterone in women mirror men’s (low libido, low drive, fatigue, low mood).
    • Check labs and symptoms with a hormone clinic. Most common causes in young women: under-eating, overtraining, birth control effects. Refeed/reduce training before jumping to TRT; TRT is rarely first-line for young women.

  • Push-ups consistently aggravate the lower back

    • Likely poor bracing and excessive lumbar arching. Cure: brace the core, posterior pelvic tilt/tuck (squeeze glutes), keep body a rigid plank.
    • Regression/progression: elevated push-ups (barbell in rack) and slowly lower to floor while maintaining rigidity. Stop when form breaks.

  • Train or rest with recurring knee issues (multiple revisions)

    • See a qualified movement specialist/correctional exercise coach. The knee often reflects movement dysfunction rather than being purely a “bad knee.”
    • Regress, relearn movement patterns, strengthen supporting muscles, and progressively overload; investing in good coaching may prevent further surgeries and reduce long-term costs.

Notable quotes & insights

  • “The scale is a terrible way to measure progress.” — repeated and explained by hosts with practical examples.
  • “Performance and life quality are the metrics that make you want to keep training for life.”
  • Practical coaching metaphor: body-composition checks are a thermostat, not an emergency alarm—use them to tweak, not to panic.

Other interesting/entertaining segments (short)

  • Anecdotes: illustration showing two people with identical weight but very different body-fat percentages (visual difference).
  • Historical/entertaining sidetracks: Babe Ruth’s extreme diet (steaks, eggs, hot dogs, bourbon), orca “salmon hats,” dolphins and controversial research—fun, non-essential reads but memorable.

If you want a one-paragraph checklist to apply today:

  • Stop daily weighing (or limit it); stop obsessing over mirror micro-flaws.
  • Track gym performance weekly and note life-quality improvements.
  • Log waist circumference in the morning and plan body-composition checks every 45–90 days.
  • If injuries or complex issues exist (recurrent knee problems, osteoporosis), hire an experienced movement coach or corrective-exercise specialist.