Keeping a fitness journal is one of the most important tools in your fitness regimen. A fitness journal points out things about yourself that you may not know and can be used to optimize your workouts. Don't let your fitness level or your enthusiasm grow static. Using a journal can bring the obvious to your attention and lead you into an exercise exploration.

Here are some ways your fitness journal will be useful:

Motivation. Your journal can be a great source of motivation. Ever have a day when you just can't get started? A good way to get going is to look back through your fitness journal. You will see the workouts you have done, the time you have spent, the results you have gotten, and you will be proud of yourself for sticking to it.

Tracking (or Snapshot). Add everything that is meaningful to you in your fitness journal. What is the weather like, how do you feel today, what is your mood, how well did you sleep the night before, did you eat today? All of these things will have an effect on the quality of your workout and give you an accurate picture of everything involved in working out, beyond physical exercises.

Identify. Use your journal daily to identify your workouts. Make it a habit and go ahead and write an entry even if you don't normally workout on this day. Use your fitness journal to focus your attention such as are you missing workouts, cutting corners, or right on target? Look for your cycles; do you workout better during certain times of the year, on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day?

Goals. Your goals can vary in different ways. You may want to measure your workouts weekly, monthly or in other increments. You can set short term, intermediate and long-term goals or you can use the one day at a time method. Your fitness journal is where you will record your plans on how you will reach your goals. Use your journal to record things that inspire you.

Data. Keep your workout statistics in your fitness journal, such as what is the date and time, how much weight did you lift; how many repetitions; how many sets? Did you do cardio, for how long, what type? This is the kind of data you want to have. Your exercise progression depends on these facts and without it you won't know when it is time to go harder, faster or longer.

Reminders. It is a good place to make lists. You can list new types of equipment you want to try, new styles of exercise and new workouts. You can cut out ideas and pictures from magazines and tape them in the journal. List help you remember and keep you organized.

You can find a variety of fitness journals at bookstores or online. There are applications that can be downloaded onto your computer or handheld device. You can also use a computer and design your own spreadsheets tracking exactly what you want. A lot of fitness journals include tracking your diet and may be something to consider if you are dieting or just want to have accessible knowledge of what you have been eating.

You can go simple and make your own. Use prepared workout logs to develop your own tracking method and keep your information in a three ring binder. Use dividers and you can develop a personalized system tracking cardio, strength, and flexibility as well as weeks, months, years, and other aspects of your workouts.

Your fitness journal can get you excited about exercise all over again. This is a good time to look for new or different ways to change your workout routine and get started on the right track in this new year. Happy holidays and be healthy, be happy!

For ideas on all sorts of journals visit the BellaOnline Journal Site:
https://www.bellaonline.com/site/journals

Check out this fitness journal from Amazon.com:
BodyMinder Workout and Exercise Journal (A Fitness Diary). This journal is loaded with space to set up starting statistics; keep a weekly schedule; a daily workout record; diet notes; and common food counts, just for starts.


To Purchas my EBOOK click here: Exercise Basics