If you’re looking to lose weight or are just interested in getting in shape, a fitness journal can be your key to success.
Much like a personal journal, a journal is the only place where you can share all of your dreams and goals while creating a plan to make those aspirations a real part of your life.
I’m sure by now you know that in order to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you expend. Keeping a fitness journal can be a fun way to assess your current eating and exercise habits and formulate a strategy to reduce calories while increasing your physical activity.
Start your fitness journal by recording your current weight and measurements, you can even add a recent photo of yourself if you want. This is your starting point, so take the time to complete this important step. In months, as your body changes, you can look back and see how much you’ve accomplished. Once that base is laid, it will provide the motivation you need to keep going.
Motivation, or lack thereof, can be the driving force behind your exercise program or the biggest obstacle in your weight loss efforts. As a personal trainer specializing in women’s fitness, I’ve found that women who keep a fitness journal have a far greater chance of success than those who don’t.
You see, a fitness journal keeps you accountable for your weight loss plan. Once you’ve established your starting point and written down your goals, it’s a good idea to set aside some time each day to record everything you eat and drink. That means everything. You might even be surprised when you realize how much food you’re eating.
Once you start looking at your food consumption, you can determine which foods to keep in your diet and which foods to replace with healthier substitutes. There’s a certain connection your brain will make when you put pen to paper and become responsible for your own health. It’s easy to fool yourself into eating a reasonably healthy diet when you lock these thoughts in your head.
In addition to recording your eating habits, you should also write down your daily physical activities. Do you do sports regulary? For optimal women’s health, you need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. You can use your diary to determine your fitness level and gradually increase it for best results.
Challenge your fitness training by setting goals each week. For example, you might set a goal to add more weight to your exercise program, or take longer walks, swim more laps, take a spin class, or learn tennis. The secret is to write down everything that motivates you to exercise regularly and eat healthy.
You can get the body you want, all you need is a desire to succeed followed by a commitment to achieve it. But the good thing is that you don’t have to do it yourself. Keeping a diligent fitness journal can help you stay focused on your goals and give you the motivation you need to excel.
Thanks to Karen Ficarelli
