Set fitness goal checkpoints.
A checkpoint compares where you are against where a straight line would have put you. Elapsed weeks as a share of the goal duration is the expected progress; the difference against actual progress is the figure that tells you whether to hold course. Projecting your current rate forward converts that into a realistic finish date, which is usually more useful than the original deadline.
Checkpoint variance
Expected progress = weeks elapsed / goal duration x 100; gap = achieved - expected; projected weeks = 100 / (achieved / weeks elapsed)
These figures are estimates based on population-average formulas and are intended for training and recreational planning only. They are not medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional before starting or changing an exercise programme, particularly if you have an existing medical condition.
Every three to four weeks. Shorter intervals mostly measure noise — water weight, sleep and training fatigue swamp real change over a week.
Check the projected finish first. Extending the timeline is usually safer than compressing the work, which is how injuries and abandoned plans happen.
It is the simplest honest baseline. Real progress is often front-loaded for beginners and slower later, so treat a small negative gap late in a plan as normal.