The Fitness & Health Metrics That Actually Matter—And How to Track Them
If you’re serious about optimizing your health and performance, stop guessing and start measuring. The right data can give you a crystal-clear picture of your fitness, stress levels, and overall health. But not all metrics are created equal. Here are the key ones you should be tracking—and how to do it.
1. Blood Pressure (BP)
Why it matters: High blood pressure is a silent killer, linked to heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. Low blood pressure can cause dizziness and fatigue.
How to track: Use a home BP cuff (automatic is easiest). Measure at the same time each day, ideally in a relaxed state. A normal reading is around 120/80 mmHg.
2. Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
Why it matters: Your RHR reflects cardiovascular fitness and overall recovery. A lower RHR (50–65 BPM for active individuals) usually means a more efficient heart.
How to track: Measure first thing in the morning with a smartwatch, fitness tracker, or manually at your wrist for 60 seconds. Or, use my favorite device: Morpheus.
3. Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Why it matters: HRV measures the variation in time between heartbeats—a sign of how well your nervous system balances stress and recovery. Higher HRV = better recovery and resilience.
How to track: Wearable devices like Whoop, Oura Ring, or Garmin can measure HRV overnight, but honestly, they don’t do a great job. Again, my favorite device is Morpheus.
4. Heart Rate Recovery (HRR)
Why it matters: HRR shows how quickly your heart rate drops after exercise—a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness. Faster recovery = healthier heart.
How to track: After intense exercise, measure your HR immediately and then again after one minute. A drop of 15–20+ BPM is a strong indicator of good fitness. Smart watches tend to measure this for you.
5. Blood Glucose
Why it matters: Poor glucose control leads to energy crashes, weight gain, and chronic disease risk. Stable glucose = better energy and performance.
How to track: A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) (like Lingo) gives real-time insights, or use a standard glucometer for fasted and post-meal readings. Ideal fasted glucose is 70–90 mg/dL.
6. Basic Blood Panel
Why it matters: Blood work is the ultimate deep dive into your health. Key markers include:
- Lipid Panel including ApoB and Lpa (cholesterol, triglycerides,
- A1C (long-term blood sugar control)
- CRP (inflammation marker)
- Testosterone & Thyroid (hormonal balance)
How to track: Get labs done at least once a year through your doctor or various online services
7. VO₂ Max
Why it matters: VO₂ max measures your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise—one of the best indicators of aerobic capacity and endurance. Higher VO₂ max = better cardiovascular fitness.
How to track: Smartwatches like Garmin, Apple Watch, and Whoop provide an estimated VO₂ max. For accuracy, do a lab test or a field test like the Cooper 12-minute run test or a max-effort treadmill/row/bike test and just use that as a standard to which you can compare in the future.
What To Do With This Data
Tracking is step one—interpreting and acting on it is step two. Trends over time matter more than single-day numbers. If something’s off, tweak your training, recovery, sleep, or nutrition to improve it.
Want expert help measuring and optimizing these metrics? Book a consult with me, and let’s dial in your testing, training, recovery, and health for peak performance. 💪