By
Samantha Clayton, OLY, ISSA-CPT
Vice
President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness, Herbalife Nutrition
For many people getting fit and
staying fit can feel like an impossible task. But a fitness journal will help
keep you on track and make sure you see progress. While this may not be
the most glamorous subject, it’s important to keep a record of what you’re
doing and how you feel about it, because you’ll be amazed to look back six
months later and see how much you’ve improved.
Keep reading and I will share a few
common fitness roadblocks and help you to overcome them through a process of
self-discovery. I firmly believe that keeping a fitness journal will help you
on your quest to become fitter and healthier.
Did you know that fitness plans can
yo-yo just like a diet? People often tell me how they start a fitness plan with
great enthusiasm only for it to tail off, or they approach fitness in fits and
starts and then end up feeling frustrated. I hate to hear about people
sabotaging their health and fitness levels and advocate a slow and steady
approach to exercise.
Please try keeping a fitness journal
for six weeks. I have high hopes that it won’t just keep you on track, it will
also help you become more active and even happier.
How
a Fitness Journal Helped Me as an Athlete
When I was competing as an athlete,
I kept a detailed fitness journal. My coach required all athletes on our team
to keep a training journal, and he would review ours with us once a month.
There are some coaches who review their athlete’s fitness journal on a
consistent basis like my coach, and other coaches who only request it when
there is a problem, such as an injury or poor performance.
The four key reasons competitive
athletes keep a fitness journal are:
·
To help them stay accountable to
their training regimen.
·
To assist coaches and trainers with
injury prevention.
·
To monitor progress.
·
To help the athlete and their coach
reflect and research factors that are contributing to success or failure.
Why
Fitness Journals Aren’t Just for Athletes
If you’re saying, “I’m not an
athlete so this doesn’t apply to me,” don’t worry. I’m no longer a competitive
athlete, but I still use a fitness journal to keep my fitness and nutrition
goals on track.
I’ll show you how you can simplify
an athletic journal to suit your needs, regardless of your current fitness
level.
I believe that keeping a
fitness/activity journal can help people with any of these goals:
·
Getting fit
·
Staying fit
·
Losing weight
·
Prioritizing fitness
A fitness journal can help everyone.
But if you’re not yet convinced, here are my top two reasons why an activity
diary will improve your approach to fitness:
1.
A fitness journal will help you be
honest with yourself on a daily basis and understand why you are reaching, or
not reaching, your goals. This will help you continue to push yourself and make
progress, whatever your fitness level.
2.
A fitness journal will help you keep
moving forward. If life or injury gets in the way of your exercise plan, then a
fitness journal will help you easily retrace your steps and get back on track.
How
to Start a Fitness Journal
If you’re wondering how you’re going
to find the time to keep a journal when you can barely even find the time to
work out—relax. You don’t need an essay.
Just jot down these five things
every day:
1.
Day and date. Use
whichever tool helps you stay consistent: a journaling app, a diary, a desk
calendar, or even a downloadable template.
2.
Feelings. Always
do this at the end of the day. A simple happy, sad, or indifferent will do (you
could even use smiley faces!), or if you wish to elaborate you can. In this
section, add any special notes or major events.
3.
Activity. List
the time, duration, type of workout, and intensity of the activity.
4.
Body assessment. Do
you feel any pain or excessive tiredness? Did a particular exercise feel
uncomfortable, or do you feel amazing?
5.
Nutrition.
Did you eat well? Put down a number from 1-10, with one being terrible and ten
meaning you were perfectly on target.
Reviewing
Your Fitness Journal: What to Look for
After keeping a journal for at least
six weeks you get to play the role of detective. It can be fun to look through
and evaluate patterns in your behavior. With a fitness journal, it’s simple to
detect problem areas or successes at a glance.
Let me share some common fitness
roadblocks and patterns that people discover when keeping a journal:
Exercise
Patterns
Try to find a pattern of which days
are your most successful activity days. Many people discover that Monday
workouts are essential. If you look at your journal and see that weeks that
start out with a Monday workout consist of more total workouts for the week,
then you should try to always make time for a workout on the first day of the
week.
Decline
in Activity
If you notice that your activity
level declines as the week progresses, then it is important for you to discover
why. Is it because you are sore, tired, or just busy? Your fitness journal
notes will help you to create a plan to stay consistent.
Distractions
Life can be hectic and full of
surprises, but do you notice that a certain family member or friend is
disrupting your workout plan? If this is the case, you need to ask them for
support or invite them to join you.
Emotions
Certain types of exercise can affect
your emotions. Maybe you’ll notice that each time you do a particular type of
workout you end up feeling uplifted for the rest of the day. Now that you know,
you can try to fit in a quick blast of your favorite exercise style to turn
your day around if you are low or lacking motivation. Alternatively, if you see
that on gym days your mood is not so positive, you could try skipping the gym
and adding a workout outside or at home instead. Finding what works best for
you is the key to prolonged success.
How
Journaling Helps You Stay on Track of Your Goals
What you do determines your success,
and once you begin to keep a regular and honest account of your fitness, you’ll
ensure yo-yo activity levels are a thing of the past.
I believe that my role as a fitness
professional is to help people take control of their fitness, and keeping a
fitness journal will help you discover how to work with your personality and
time commitments to be more successful.
About Herbalife Nutrition
Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company
whose purpose is to make the world healthier and happier. The Company has been
on a mission for nutrition - changing people's lives with great nutrition
products and programs - since 1980. Herbalife Nutrition offers high-quality, science-backed products, one-on-one coaching
with an Herbalife Nutrition Independent Member, and a supportive community that inspires
customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Herbalife Nutrition’s targeted nutrition,
weight-management, energy and fitness and personal care products are available
through its Independent Members in more than 90 countries.
Herbalife Nutrition supports the Herbalife
Nutrition Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists community
organizations focused on providing good nutrition. Herbalife
Nutrition is also proud to sponsor more
than 190 world-class athletes, teams and events around the globe.
Herbalife Nutrition has more than 8,300 employees
worldwide. To learn more, visit IAmHerbalife.com.