Why You Should Keep a Workout Journal?

Keeping a workout journal or fitness log can be one of the most rewarding things you do - whether you're just starting out with exercise or have been active for years.

It's like having a personal trainer on hand, only without the hefty price tag. Using the following guidelines, you can optimize it for the ideal fitness experience.

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Reasons You Should Keep A Workout Journal

You will set goals and see results

You will have a record of your progress. You can see how well you're doing, and that will motivate you to keep going.

Having goals and plans is important, but it's even better if you have a way to measure them. If you don't know where you're going, how will you be able to evaluate your success?

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You will see how your energy levels change

Your workout journal will be a record of how you feel after working out: what foods you ate before and after, how much sleep you got the night before, and how many times out of ten you felt tired or energized during your workout.

If over time everything is getting worse — you’re going to bed later and waking up earlier, feeling more tired all the time — something needs to change.

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You will get a better picture of your overall health

A workout journal is a great way to keep track of your workouts, but it can also be used to record other factors that impact your fitness level and overall health.

For example, if you're trying to lose weight, keeping tabs on how well you're sleeping can help indicate whether or not you're getting enough sleep for optimal energy and metabolism.

If you eat poorly one day, jotting down how much food or water you consume can be helpful when determining the cause of your bloating or fatigue. You may want to note which days were easier than others in terms of scheduling workouts. That will help guide future decisions about when it might be best for you to work out at home versus going somewhere else (like the gym).

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You will be able to see how well you're sleeping

The amount of sleep you get can have a major impact on your overall health and well-being. It can not only help the body recover from a strenuous workout but also improve your mood and lower stress level. If you want to be the best version of yourself, it's important to ensure that your body is getting enough rest.

The best way to make sure that happens is by keeping a log of how much sleep you're getting every night or day. That will give you an accurate idea of how much time has passed since you last hit the hay — and whether or not that has been enough for your body to feel recharged during workouts.

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You will see how well you're eating

One of the most important benefits of keeping a workout journal is that it can make it incredibly easy for you to see how well you're eating.

It sounds funny, but just by looking at what you wrote down, you can find out if your calorie intake is sufficient, and whether or not your protein intake is enough. While there are plenty of other factors that play into how much muscle mass you can gain (such as genetics), those two things alone can help anyone put on more weight.

The same goes for carbs and fats — if they're too low in your diet, that could slow down the process of putting on muscle mass, as these nutrients are important energy sources.

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You can track how easy or difficult it is to schedule workouts

With the help of a workout journal, you can track how easy or difficult it is to schedule workouts.

Tracking your workouts can give you a more accurate picture of how often you actually exercise and how long you spend at the gym. You can also see if there're periods when it's easier for you to be active than others or if there are certain days of the week when it's harder for you to stick with an exercise plan.

It’s important we realize that we have different schedules, but everyone has room in their day to get several minutes of activity done (even just 10-15 minutes). If that seems overwhelming, try tracking one day at a time before moving on to weeks and months.

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Takeaway

We hope this article has given you some ideas on how to keep a workout journal. Remember that the ultimate goal isn't just to get in shape or lose weight — it's also to live well, feel energized and healthy, and be able to enjoy life.

If keeping a workout journal helps you do that, it's worth spending some time doing it every day.