Tracking Tools That Actually Matter
The unsexy stuff that actually makes a difference.
This isn't about gadgets. You don't need a smart water bottle or an AI-powered posture tracker. What you need is boring, cheap, and effective. Here's what's actually worth buying.
Kitchen Scale
This is probably the single most useful purchase you'll make. Most people have no idea what a "portion" actually looks like. Eyeballing is how you end up confused about why you're not losing weight despite "eating healthy."
You don't need anything fancy. A basic digital scale that measures in grams will last years and costs under £15. Get one that can "tare" (zero out) so you can weigh directly into bowls.
Use it for: Weighing rice, pasta, meat, peanut butter—anything calorie-dense where a small serving difference makes a big calorie difference. You don't need to weigh lettuce. But definitely weigh the oil you're cooking with.
Pro tip: You don't need to weigh everything forever. Use the scale for a few weeks to calibrate your eye, then you'll know roughly what 150g of chicken looks like without it. Bring it back out if results stall.
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Bathroom Scale
Get a basic digital scale. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom, before eating or drinking. Same conditions every time. That's the only way to track trends accurately.
What about smart scales with body fat %? Look, they're not accurate. The bioelectrical impedance they use is affected by hydration, when you last ate, and a dozen other factors. The number will bounce around 5% day to day. At best it's a very rough trend over months. Don't stress about the body fat reading—use the mirror, measurements, and progress photos instead.
That said, if you like having all your data in one app, a smart scale that syncs to your phone can be motivating. Just don't take the body fat number seriously.
View recommended body scales →Affiliate link
Measuring Tape
A fabric measuring tape. £3. One of the best progress tracking tools there is.
Your weight might stay the same while your waist shrinks and your shoulders grow. The scale can't tell you that. Tape can.
Measure: Waist (at navel), chest (widest point), hips (widest point), arms (flexed, widest point), thighs (halfway between hip and knee). Once every 2-4 weeks is plenty. Same time of day, same conditions.
View recommended measuring tapes →Affiliate link
Meal Prep Containers
If you're serious about hitting your nutrition consistently, meal prep is your friend. And that means containers.
Get glass: Yes they're heavier than plastic. But they don't stain, don't smell, last forever, and you can microwave them without worrying about chemicals leaching. A set of 10 will last years.
Different sizes help: Larger ones for main meals, smaller ones for snacks or sauces. Doesn't need to be complicated.
View recommended meal prep containers →Affiliate link
What You Probably Don't Need
Marketing exists to sell you things. Here's what you can skip:
Expensive body fat scales: Already covered this. The "smart" features aren't accurate enough to justify the price. A basic scale + measuring tape tells you more.
Heart rate monitors for casual training: Unless you're doing specific endurance training protocols, you don't need to know your heart rate. "Can I still talk? Am I working hard?" works fine.
Fancy gym equipment at home: Buying a home gym is a separate decision. But if you're just tracking your body, you need none of this.
Posture correctors, vibrating foam rollers, etc: Marketing. The basics work. Spend money on food instead.
Note: Links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend things we'd actually use. If something isn't worth buying, it's not on this list—regardless of commission.