No matter what you’re working towards, keeping a log of your progress not only helps you see the daily or weekly changes you’re going through, but also helps keep you accountable to yourself.
Most journeys to health and fitness are not an overnight change, and the process can feel slow and discouraging to most. While the big obvious changes take time, your body will be going through smaller changes that might not be as noticeable if you aren’t paying attention. That’s why tracking becomes so important. Looking back to even one week before, you might notice you’re running for longer or you were able to challenge yourself by lifting heavier weights. Or maybe you’re sleeping better or not craving junk food in the evenings anymore.
All of these small changes are the building blocks to making a healthy lifestyle change and can really help motivate you to keep focused and fighting towards your goals.
If you’re someone who likes a challenge, then tracking your workouts is a great way to challenge yourself to accomplish more. Just take a peek at the numbers you put up in your last workout as a benchmark for what you need to beat today.
If you have a smartphone that you take to the gym, it’s pretty easy to find an app that will suit your needs and allow you to enter your information on the spot. GoodLife also has an app you can use. Working with a personal trainer will not only add another person keeping an eye on your progress, but they’ll also know when it’s time to step it up and move on to heavier weights or more challenging moves to keep you moving towards those goals.
The key to effective tracking is to stay honest and consistent. Don’t write down that you did three sets of something when you only did two and a half. Keeping your training conditions the same or as close to as possible will also help get you the most accurate progression readings.
If you’re keeping track, remember to review it often not only to see how you’re doing, but also so you can start to notice some patterns in your lifestyle and habits. Your health is all connected so your sleep, nutrition, mental state and exercise all contribute to your success. If you stay consistent you’ll reach your goals, see amazing results over time and become a happier, healthier version of yourself. Remember, what you don’t measure, you cannot manage.