How to Write a Fitness Journal

Devoting yourself to regular exercise is hard. Whoever says that’s not the case is masking the truth. In that enthusiastic moment when you start planning when and how you’ll start your workout routine, all seems possible. The troubles begin when you have to put that plan in motion.

If you are starting a fitness regimen and you want this one to last, give a fitness journal a try. Keeping a fitness journal can be one of the means that will help you stick through.

Are you intrigued by the idea of keeping a fitness journal? Do you want to know the benefits of keeping one? In the following lines, you can get answers to these questions and also learn the best ways of writing a fitness journal. Let’s begin!

What Is a Fitness Journal?

A fitness journal is a digital or paper journal that stores information about your path towards a healthier lifestyle. The purpose of the fitness journal is to help you observe your whole fitness journey.
You can record your past practices, specify your current actions, and plan out your goals. Writing a fitness journal is a great practice for keeping track of your progress.

Aside from keeping your focus on physical exercise, a fitness journal can also help your mental well-being. So, let’s see what kind of benefits come along with writing a fitness journal.

The Benefits of Keeping a Fitness Journal

There are plenty of reasons why keeping a fitness journal can be a life-changing practice. I’ve decided to single out those that I witnessed personally.

Here are the benefits that you can experience if you embrace fitness journaling:

  • Stay motivated. You might have trouble with noticing progress. However, your fitness journal will always be there to remind you where you were and where you are now.
  • Keep yourself accountable for your goals. Writing down your goals can help you achieve them. Neuroscience backs this fact up.
  • Have a realistic perspective on your habits. Keeping track of your eating and exercising habits will get you to look at your actions more objectively.
  • Vent in a safe place. A fitness journal can be your faithful confidant. Whenever it gets hard, or you feel tired, angry, or frustrated, let out the bad emotions in the journal. You will feel better, trust me.
  • Have an overview of your lifestyle. Use your journal to record information related to your health (sleep, energy levels, emotions, etc.). This will help you work on improving your overall well-being.
  • Get a better understanding of what works for you. Writing down the effects after different exercises will help you gain an understanding of what works for you personally.

“Maintaining a fitness journal can be one of the most impactful things you can do for your own training,” says Matthew N. Berenc, director of education at the Equinox Fitness Institute in Los Angeles. Are you ready to discover if that is true?

Best Practices for Writing a Fitness Journal

Now, let’s get to business! Writing a fitness journal is quite simple. You can personalize it and adjust it to your needs and goals. To help you get started, here are a few tips on how to write a fitness journal.

  1. Pick a form of a journal that works best for you
    There is no strict rule on where you should make your inputs. Use a notebook, laptop, an app on the phone, or a tablet. What’s important is that you opt for a form that will help you commit to this practice. If you aren’t able to carry a notebook around, use a phone. Or, if you prefer to write in notebooks, let that be your choice.
  2. Define your goals
    What do you want to accomplish? Having a clear idea of your goals will build a foundation for all the changes you decide to make.
  3. Segment your goals into milestones
    The end goal can seem unreachable. However, when you break it up, it won’t intimidate you as much. “Setting milestones in my weight loss journey was crucial. I was never able to stick to my plan because the ultimate goal seemed like an impossible mission. That’s why I used the fitness journal to help me stay focused and take one step at a time until I got to the top,” shared Elizabeth Murphy, a senior writer at TrustMyPaper and WowGrade writing services.
  4. Track your eating and exercising habits
    Exercising and eating healthy are intrinsically intertwined. Make inputs for both your nutrition and successful training sessions. You might not even notice how often you “just grab a harmless chocolate bar” until you see it in your journal. A fitness journal has that power to open up your eyes to how dedicated you truly are to a healthy lifestyle.
  5. Track your life habits
    Different factors influence your motivation and desire to work out. You can improve your fitness regimen when you identify the stumbling blocks. For example, not sleeping enough or not organizing your day well.
  6. Share how you feel
    Are you scared that you aren’t doing enough? Are you proud of how much you ran today? Whatever goes through your mind, let it out on the piece of paper. Not only will this help your mental health, but it will also be an incredible reminder of how your mindset shifts as you get closer to your goal.
    Besides, you can share how difficult or easy the exercises were or how hard/easy it was to resist unhealthy food. Through these notes, you can notice small changes in your behavior that will make you more motivated.
  7. Make the journal as detailed as you wish
    In addition to the typical journaling elements such as date and time, you can list various details that are relevant to you. For example, you can write down your heart rate, calories burned, the level of resistance on the elliptical, and more. Record whatever shows your progress.
  8. Motivate yourself with quotes and visuals
    Personalize the journal and make it feel less like work. Write motivating quotes and add visuals. Fill the journal with pictures and quotes that make you want to get up and turn your life around!

Conclusion
Even the simplest changes can help you reach your fitness goals. Writing a fitness journal is one of those impactful additions. Give a fitness journal a try and test out its powers. Think about it like this: What do you have to lose?

BIO: Diana Adjadj is a writer and editor who has a Master’s degree in Psychology. She combines her passion for writing with her interest in research and creates thought-provoking content in various fields. Besides working as a contributor writer for SupremeDissertations and ClassyEssay, Diana also runs her own blog. Aside from writing, Diana is focused on working on her health through fitness and good nutrition.