Some people think that weight is the only criterion for fitness, but this is not accurate, for example, muscles are denser than fat, so you can exercise diligently and gain weight.

Additionally, research indicates that body size does not necessarily correspond to indicators of health.

Experts identify additional metrics you can use to assess your health and fitness, according to a report For the New York Times.

Heart health

From a physiological perspective, fitness can be defined as “how well the heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system can deliver and use oxygen.”

The easiest way to estimate this is to measure your heart rate with a smart watch or manually on your wrist or neck.

The better the cardiovascular fitness, the lower the resting heart rate because, in this condition, the heart pumps more blood with each beat.

A normal resting heart rate for healthy adults is 60 to 80 beats per minute. If your resting heart rate is above 80, regular aerobic exercise can help lower it over time.

You can measure your heart rate after an exercise session and track how it changes from week to week.

A test called VO2 max is more accurate for cardiorespiratory health, and measures the ability of the heart and lungs to absorb and distribute oxygen throughout the body, converting it into cellular energy. VO2 max is usually done in a lab and requires special equipment, but there are home tests that include: “step test” It gives approximate results.

Exercise

You can determine your fitness through strength, endurance, speed and distance exercises and test your progress.

For example, if you want to increase your abdominal strength, you can limit how long you can exercise Board exercise This is an exercise that is done with the stomach lifted while leaning on the palms.

At this point, repeat the test to see your progress, and as your strength and cardiovascular fitness improve, you can do more of this exercise.

It will test how fast you can run a kilometer and whether you can increase the distance you cover from one week to the next.

It can also measure how hard the exercise is for you, and see if you feel breathless or relaxed after exercise.

Activities of daily living

You may want to test how well you can perform activities of daily living, such as holding your toddler or climbing three flights of stairs without tiring.

Jamie Garbo, a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, says exercise starts with one question: Can you do the activities you want to do in your daily life?