Tracking your fitness journey. You’ve heard of it, maybe you do it, or maybe you’re wondering why it’s so important. When you embark on any new fitness or wellness journey, there is always a goal in mind. With life’s hectic schedules it’s easy to lose track of where you are within that journey. It’s also easy to lose sight of that original goal and if you’re still even headed in the right direction. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, increase speed, or lower cholesterol progression may look different but the benefits of tracking are the same.
There are several methods for tracking your fitness journey. Decide which option is most achievable for you and then stick with it, you’ll be happy you did!
- Pen and paper- It may be old fashioned but it’s a no fail system. Check out these log books.
- Fitness apps- MyFitness Pal, Strava, and RunKeeper are highly rated and easy to use apps that allow you to log in, set goals, track your fitness and nutrition. You can even pair up with friends for challenges. Here are the top apps for 2022.
- Wearable fitness trackers- Garmin, Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit are some of the more popular options for tracking. These devices log everything from your workouts to nutrition. The bonus of a wearable tracker is that it can double as a heart rate monitor, timer, and distance log. Check out these top-rated devices.
So, now that you have selected your tracking system, here are the benefits and some simple tips on how to make it an essential part of your success.
Document your plan
There’s no denying that planning your workouts ahead of time saves just that, time. When you wake up, head to the gym, and walk through the door how often are you thinking, “Hm, what should I work on today?”? By not having a routine in place time is wasted on figuring out what to do. Lack of consistency in your routine won’t produce the same results as if you were to walk into the gym with a plan. Utilize your tracker and with the help of your trainer, create a realistic routine you can stick with and watch the progress take shape!
Stay consistent outside of the gym
Being consistent in the gym is equally as important as being consistent in other areas of your life including nutrition. If you’re always on the go it’s helpful to write down a meal plan. Saving time by creating and preparing a menu or sorts also ensures you’re less tempted to try and save time by choosing unhealthy takeout and processed snacks. The key is to write (or type) it up and make it visible for on-the-go ease. Keep it simple, clean, and prepare what you need ahead of time so you won’t be tempted to stray away from it.
Create milestones
We all know what our real goal is but that can often seem overwhelming. It can be easy to quit early if you aren’t seeing progress quickly. So, why not create mini milestones that can be achieved along the way? For example, if you’re looking to build overall strength set up a smaller goal such as being able to do “X” number of additional pull-ups every month. This will not only track the progress you’re making toward the bigger goal but you’ll be able to stop and pat yourself on the back for reaching a mini goal, too.
Make your tracker an accountability partner
Your trainer and/or work out partner will be there to make sure you don’t skip or forget to track your fitness journey, because they too know the importance of being consistent. However, at the end of the day the work is ultimately up to you. Utilizing your tracker’s abilities to log your workouts, nutrition, and health stats can be a sidekick, sticking with you through it all. Whether it’s on paper or on your wrist it can remind you that you need to work out today, be your encouragement to push a bit harder, and even congratulate you when you hit a milestone (seriously!).
Motivation is all in the details
Who would think writing something like reps and weight for leg press would keep you motivated. However, it’s easy to forget how much or how many you did the week prior if you’re trying to do it all from memory. Keeping a detailed log of your exercises will not only help to guide you when it’s time to increase weight, but it will be an achievement to look back on when you hit your goal.
Tracking your fitness journey may seem like a lot, but by selecting the right method for you and following these simple steps it is a surefire way to turn your goal into success. Reach out to us if you’re ready to get tracking!