In the last decade there has been a huge increase in surface-level tools to help “quantify” certain aspects of your physiology. Heart rate variability (HRV), sleep quality and duration, steps, calories burned. Plus you have the classics like body mass (incorrectly termed “weight” usually).
Finally, you have your “performance” metrics: km’s run, weight lifted, distance travelled, average speed held over a particular part of your run, accumulated distance run.
At the end of the day though, the ability to quantify your “self” only can add value to a point.
These tools might have the ability to increase awareness in a certain area, but then they quickly have diminishing returns. The are a short cut to awareness.
The alternative, is to go qualitatively:
How do I feel?
How did I sleep – am I waking up feeling refreshed?
Do I feel energised?
Many times, self-quantification can also create confusion.
When a lot of people join a gym, for example, their muscle mass increases. Muscle mass is metabolic, burns fat, increases strength, bone density and lifespan, but, alas – will increase your weight on the scale.
Novice endurance athletes often will look to “ramp up the km’s” in their training, but with few other feedback mechanisms in place. They’ll often attempt to increase this metric despite decreasing sleep quality, or energy levels.
Quantification can be helpful for a time. In particular I feel with body temperature and pulse (which can provide feedback for the state of the metabolism and thyroid)
Overall though, again, the long road pays off.
Learning to become more self-aware and feel what is going on at a deeper level is ultimately far more valuable and avoids an overly comparison-based mindset.
