So happy to see you again. Wishing you more happy health!

One of the core principles in any serious workout program is keeping a written log or journal of your fitness routine. Your journal should contain information about each workout so that with each new day you are able to refer to it and adjust your routine as necessary to achieve maximum results. If your goal is to improve your overall level of fitness, you need something written down that you are able to look at, analyze and adjust in order to get to the next level. A written journal can also save you valuable time. If you write down the details of your workout, you can refer to it and begin the next exercise without trying to remember what, how much, or how many, from the last workout. Example: Say you did bicep curls on Monday and today is bicep curl day again. You look back at your journal and you see that on Monday you did three sets of curls with 15 pounds. You also wrote down you are ready to do use heavier weights next time with a simple note that says, “Go heavier.” Your journal will allow you to see quickly that it is time to increase the weight, or reps, or time – whatever it appropriate. This will help you improve your fitness level more quickly and accurately. Without the journal, you may spend valuable time guessing or starting and stopping because the weight is too heavy/too light or the intensively level on the elliptical is too high or too low, etc. Spend the few extra seconds to write down the essentials and set yourself up for success on the next workout. 

How to use a fitness journal:

You do not need anything fancy for your journal. A plain notebook will work just fine.

Where I am today and where I want to be: Write down your starting point and goals on the first page. Important things to include are the date, your starting weight, body fat percent, clothing size, and your measurements (chest, waist, hips, arms, thighs). You should write down why you are committing to a wellness program to start with. We all have a why. Write yours down. Now set a date for your goal and write down a goal number corresponding with each of the measures of where you are today. Example: You may be a size 12 today and your goal is to be a size 8 in 90 days. Make sure you are specific about the date and goal measurement. You may also want to set a check-in point to evaluate how you are progressing towards your goals. This will allow you to fine-tune your plan if necessary.

How I am going to get there: Next is to write down your fitness plan. Make sure you address the areas of overall wellness, including diet/nutrition, physical fitness (resistance training, cardio, and flexibility), rest, hydration, and any other areas important to you. In your plan, specify the number of days a week you will commit to working out, how long and what you will focus on.

Begin: Once you have your goals and your plan – it is time to get to work. With each day and with each exercise you need to keep track of things like the number of sets, reps, amount of weight, how long, how far, how fast, what intensity, incline percent, and so on. Whatever it was, write it down. Then after each exercise write down a note to remind you what to do next time. Don’t be a slacker – push yourself and reap the rewards!

When your goal date arrives, be honest in your measurements. If you did not achieve all the results you were aiming for, celebrate your successes, make a new goal and a new plan, and get going again. We are all a work in progress. If you keep the fitness journal, you will have a clear picture of your progress to look back on. I speak from experience here. I have a fitness journal dating back to November 1995. I am able to look back at 14 different check-in points over the years and the specific measurements at each point in time. This keeps me honest and motivated to continue to focus on making health and fitness a priority in my life.

Within the next few days take the time to begin your fitness journal. Start your journal with where you are today and set goals for where you want to be or what you want to achieve. Track your workouts and use the journal as a tool to improve your health and fitness. Celebrate your successes and set new goals as you progress. Your fitness journal is another tool to help you achieve greatness!

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