Check in on your health by watching these numbers

Check in on your health by watching these numbers

By Cindy DavisLife & Work Connections
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App, notebook or spreadsheet? The best tracking method for your health metrics is the one you'll use, says registered dietitian nutritionist Cindy Davis.
App, notebook or spreadsheet? The best tracking method for your health metrics is the one you'll use, says registered dietitian nutritionist Cindy Davis.
Cindy Davis
Cindy Davis

Many of us have been putting off our regular doctor's visits over the last year because of the risks of catching COVID-19. But you can't stop caring for your physical health, especially during a pandemic.

One relatively easy way you can monitor your health, without ever leaving your home, is by actively observing certain health markers at regular intervals. These health markers may include your resting heart rate, weight, body fat percentage and waist circumference.

Each of these numbers plays a role in gauging your risk for many chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes.

How often should you check? It depends on your goals. You might start by measuring these markers once each month. If you see dramatic changes in the numbers from month to month, that may mean it's time to bear down, mask up, and make an appointment with your physician.

Health markers to monitor

Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. Normal resting heart rates for adults range from 60 to 100 beats per minute. A lower resting heart rate implies healthier cardiovascular fitness. Factors that may affect heart rate include body position, medications, emotions and even surrounding air temperature.

To measure your heart rate, find your pulse on your wrist, the inside of your elbow, the side of your neck or the top of your foot. Put a finger over your pulse and count the number of beats in 60 seconds, or take the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by four.

Your body weight can also be a helpful health signal. Rapid weight loss and rapid weight gain are both strong indicators of health conditions that require medical attention. Gradual increases in weight gain – while not rapid – also can lead to health issues.

Checking your weight requires nothing more than a basic scale. Pairing a weight measurement with other body composition markers, however, will create a better representation of your health risks than weight alone.

A related metric is body fat percentage. A healthy range is 20%-32% for people who were assigned female at birth and 10%-22% for those who were assigned male. A person with a higher percentage of body fat has a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, gallbladder disease and stroke.

Many commercial scales measure body fat as well as weight. If you don't have access to one, an online calculator can help you estimate. You'll just need a tape measure for calculating the circumferences of your waist, hip, wrist and forearm.

While you've got that tape measure out, take a note of just your waist circumference. Greater health risks are associated with waist measurements of more than 35 inches for people who were assigned female at birth and more than 40 inches for people who were assigned male at birth. To get an accurate reading, stand and wrap the measuring tape around your waist just above your hipbones, at the level of your navel. Take the measurement after exhaling.

Don't have a marked tape measure? Think about how it feels when you wear pants that don't have a stretchy waistband. Are they tighter or looser from week to week or month to month? Or consider using a shoelace or strips of cloth. Wrap it around your waist and, using a pen or paper clip, mark where it overlaps. Is that point moving, or does it remain the same each time? 

Tracking your health markers

So now you know some of your important health numbers, and you're wondering what to do with them. Start keeping track! Logging the information lets you compare from measurement to measurement, and the written record can be helpful when communicating with your health care providers.

Check out the many logging apps that are available for your smartphone, or just write the health markers down in a dedicated notebook, journal or personal spreadsheet. The best logging method is the one you'll actually use.

Monitoring these physical markers is just one avenue for you to stay in tune with your health. Remember that there are many dimensions of wellness, and that other areas of your life – such as your emotional stress levels and your feeling of social connection – can impact what you see on the scale.

Visit the Life & Work Connections website to learn about other opportunities to increase your overall well-being, from virtual workshops to video practices and more.


Cindy Davis is the registered dietitian nutritionist at Life & Work Connections, where she manages programs that impact the population health of University employees. A two-time University of Arizona alumna, she holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics and a master's degree in public health with a focus on health behavior and health promotion.

Stay up to date with opportunities to improve your wellness by subscribing to the Life & Work Connections email list.

A version of this article appeared on the Life & Work Connections website.

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