Fitness Journal

Since I got back into a fitness routine Monday, I decided this morning that I would keep a journal of my progress. It will be a private journal, so I won’t be posting it here. Nevertheless, I believe the idea is sound and worth sharing.

The journal, which I started today, consists of three parts: a checklist of the stretches I intended to do; the number of reps I performed in each exercise; and pictures to physically document my progress. The checklist is a list of all the stretches I plan as part of my routine with a checkbox to mark if I attempted the stretch and another to mark if I held the stretch for 20 seconds. I’m hoping this part of the journal quickly becomes obsolete, acting only as a basic reminder. The reps list is just a count of the number of pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, and leg lifts I was able to perform. These numbers should eventually approach a hard limit, at which point I should add a second, and eventually a third, set. The pictures are only going to be taken once a week, just before my Friday workout. One picture will allow me to visualize the improvement of my upper body physique (in theory) while the other will demonstrate my progress in overall flexibility.

I want to try to keep from falling out of my new fitness routine, and I’m hoping that keeping this journal will make it more interesting. Also, limiting the workout frequency to three days a week cuts down on the likelihood that I just won’t have time. I’ve already seen progress since Monday, so I’m feeling pretty good about getting myself back into shape. Find your motivation, and act! Fare thee well!