How Fit Are You? 3 Ways to Measure Without Focusing on Weight - The New York Times   

Exercise tests, heart rate and physical ability can tell you more about your health than the scale ever could.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. But too often, the only measurement people use to evaluate their progress is their weight, which is not the most accurate metric to assess fitness and can be emotionally fraught.

For one thing, muscle is denser than fat, so if you’re doing a lot of strength training, the number on the scale could go up as you work out more. Additionally, research suggests that body size does not necessarily correspond to health.

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