Tips to Tracking and Measuring Your Fitness Goals
Everyone is excited when they first start a new fitness program, but over time even the most enthusiastic gym goers can lose motivation and direction.
One of the best tools I’ve found to keeping myself and my clients on track is a workout/ nutrition log. How many times have you been in the gym and thought “hmm.. which weight did I do last week? Or did I do the flat bench press or was I was on the incline?” I know I have – especially with what I do, there is no way I can keep all my clients workouts and weights memorized, so the way I keep everything straight and don’t have the feeling I’m losing my mind is to write everything down! Not to mention that it really is rewarding to look back and see where you started and what you have accomplished week by week.
A fitness journal or log is something every fitness buff should have in their gym bag. I have training logs dating back to 2000! I think the quickest way when you’re in the gym is old fashioned note book style journals that you write in, but I have clients who track their progress using a combination of tools.
Searching the internet also offers a variety of websites that allow you to track your progress online at no cost. One that was introduced to me by a client of mine is www.sparkpeople.com. This website offers a way to track your daily calories, weight loss goals and progress along with the calories you expend through your workouts. Definitely worth checking out! Another client of mine uses her iphone to log her cardio and nutrition. Here are some tips to keep you on Track:
- Go in with a game plan and write down your workout before you get to the gym.
- Set a very specific goal for yourself ; I want to be able to do 10 pull ups by such and such a date.
- Be diligent in recording what you accomplish with weights and reps during each workout – it really doesn’t take that much more time during your workout, use the time to write between sets.
- Write down your goal daily and keep it in front of you. You may have several different that goals, that’s great, give each of them a place on your time line. This will help you see the big picture and put the necessary steps in place to get there.
Posted in Fitness Tips on June 5th, 2010 by admin | | 0 Comments