Keeping up with your fitness goals may be a drag at times. The weather could be bad or the fridge may be filled with naughty foods or you could just be feeling blah. On days like that, it is your fitness journal that will motivate you and keep you on the straight and narrow.
- Helps with Goal Setting
Writing things out gives one clarity. It helps us to formulate our goals. It also helps us to see if we need to amend particular exercises or food intake levels to reach a formula that suits us.
2. Accountability
Maintaining a journal keeps you accountable. It reminds you of the commitment you have made to yourself and keeps you honest with yourself.
If you know that you have to jot down your day’s fitness activities, you will be more incentivised to get those activities done and dusted.
3. Inspiration
Following a “to-do” list can often be dry and boring. If you include things that keep you inspired in your journal, it can provide much needed encouragement to persevere.
These could include fitness motivational sayings, self motivating words, your feelings, healthy recipes and even a record of what you saw or heard while on a work out.
For example, if you saw a wonderful sunset and it made you feel happy or if you played with a cute puppy and it made you laugh. Write all of this down! If you associate your fitness goals with joy, you will be excited and happy to accomplish them.
4. Tracking your progress
A fitness journal is a fantastic resource to see how far you have come.
As humans, there will always be moments where we feel discouraged or disheartened. In those moments, it is easy to give up. However if we kept a record of our journal, we will see how much progress we have actually made over time.
This gives up the momentum to keep on going and reminds us that a bad day does not equate a bad journey.
5. Helps your trainer
If you have a trainer, keeping a record of the exercises you have done and the food you have consumed will give him or her a better idea of your lifestyle. This helps your trainer custom plan a regime for you.
6. It is Cathartic
Journalling can have a cathartic effect. You pour out your feelings onto the pages and it can be a very effective purge of any negativity that food or exercise may trigger in you .
