Weekly Fitness Quotient

I've been thinking lately about how to effectively measure fitness level. Although there are 13 fitness elements (strength, power, endurance, balance, flexibility, etc.), I have isolated 15 areas that are important in measuring fitness level on a daily/weekly basis. Each area receives a score of 0, 1, 2, or 3, depending on the criteria met. Each area is also weighted (1, 2,3 5, or 10), depending on how important that area is in being a causer supporter or indicator of fitness.

Thus far, after some tweaking (and I suspect there will be more in the future), there are a possible 555 points – to indicate optimum fitness. Each category and each day is tallied and totals thresholds are color-coded. Obviously, true fitness operates from a synergy of all of these areas and is more than just the sum of all of its parts, but this tool is more about providing awareness, motivation and guidance than it is about providing 100% accuracy. It's about self-evaluation, feedback and assessment.

The areas that cause, support, or indicate fitness include:

• Movement (causer)
• Resistance (causer)
• Sleep (supporter)
• Visualizing (supporter)
• Intake (causer)
• Fuel (causer)
• Hydration (supporter)
• De-stress (supporter)
• Variation (supporter)
• Intensity(supporter)
• Clarity(supporter)
• Learning (supporter)
• Composition (indicator)
• Energy (indicator)
• Assessment (indicator)

While this may at first appear to be a substantive amount to track, there are in reality a number of factors that integrate to determine fitness. While this tool does track daily efforts to engage in fit behaviors, its goal is to force the user to think in broader terms – at least weekly. Then weekly totals are averaged to provide a Monthly Fitness Quotient.

With the exception of Intake and Fuel (which require more robust tracking using online calorie/macro-nutrient tracking tools, each area is intended to be assessed fairly rapidly. And while each area does provide criteria for scoring, much of the evaluation remains subjective – based on self-perception. And that really is the key to using this tool – to increase the user's perception of self and their own level of effort toward achieving a fit lifestyle.