Can an Exercise Journal Help Me Stay Fit?
Journaling:
What you measure, gets improved. Keep a journal of workouts and fitness goals.
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Answer:
Keeping a log of your exercise is one of the main things you can do to help keep yourself on track. You are accountable when you write down when and how you work out. By writing it down, by keeping track of your progress, you accept ownership of it.
Maintaining a journal means making a commitment to fitness. It’s also a way to set and measure long-term goals. It’s a way to commit to doing positive things for better health and looking at the big picture: the changes you have successfully made.
Defining a baseline
A journal lets you measure progression. When you think, “I only did this,” or “I only did that,” it lets you see the progression, which helps keep you motivated. It also allows you to challenge yourself to increase your efforts from workout to workout. It helps you remember what you did: what was the speed, what was the time, what was too difficult, and what was too easy.
Journaling helps you identify sticking points and look at the different variables. If you’re doing a workout progression in a particular order, and you’re having problems with it, sometimes changing your format or changing the sequence of what you’re doing may make a difference. The journal helps you modify your workout.
And it also keeps it real, because most people overestimate the amount of work that they do. A fitness journal gives you a realistic view. The journal also can encourage you. It lets you see in black and white that you are doing more than you were doing a month ago.
What to write in your journal
Record the date, how much time you spent working out, what you did, and how much time you spent on cardiac conditioning, aerobic exercise, and weight and resistance training. Be specific. Write things like, “I did the treadmill for 30 minutes at 3 miles an hour,” or “I did the recumbent bike at Level 7 for 20 minutes.” Record specific exercises, the number of repetitions per set, the amount of weight, etc. Rate the intensity of your workout. And build in rewards for success.
Journal formats
Journals can be all kinds of things. It can be as simple as a mini-spiral notebook or a daily calendar if it has enough space. You can use printed journals available at bookstores, or printable online journal formats. At St. Anthony’s, we have home exercise logs.
Whether your goal is weight loss, reducing the risk of disease, just being healthier, or competing in a marathon—a fitness journal is appropriate for everybody. But always check with your physician before starting any new exercise program.
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit find a physician online.
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