Weight Loss & Exercise Journals

In order to lose weight, you must exercise as well as watch your diet. Exercise is the medically recommended, healthy and logical way to lose extra pounds. Yet as most people know, maintaining regular exercise sounds easier than it is, but certain tools can make this much easier.

The exercise journal is a simple, yet vital tool for weight loss.

Starting the Journal

• A notebook, a palm PC, a leather-bound ledger or a legal pad--take your pick, and call it your exercise journal. Although it may look empty at first, you will be amazed at how quickly it fills.

  Develop a plan for exercise and write it in your journal--this is the first step towards losing weight and keeping it off. Walking, running, cycling, and swimming are all excellent cardiovascular fat burners to consider. Strength training is very important to an exercise routine as well, since building muscle burns fat. Push-ups and sit-ups are free and work well. If you have access to a gym, however, you will have more options to choose from for your workout.

  After your first workout, write your completed activities down in the journal, as well as the times you did them and any record of distance and time or weight involved. The first entry in your journal may not look like much, but it is the first step on a rewarding journey.

Examining the Journal

• As your journal begins to fill, begin examining to see your improvements. This will keep you encouraged and on track toward your weight loss goals. Tracking your progress in the exercise journal, says Dr. Neil F. Gordon, allows you to see what exercises are working for you and which may not be, and revise your plan accordingly.

  The exercise journal can keep you from becoming discouraged or frustrated. For example, if you notice that you are excelling at one type of exercise yet experiencing slow progress with another, you can discover where your strengths lie, and use them to your advantage.

  Your ever-increasing exercise records will give you new insight into how you can maximize your potential to lose weight.

Momentum and Results

• Maintaining momentum in your exercise routine is much easier than starting over, and the exercise journal will help you stay on track. It is important to stick with exercises you enjoy while making sure to set realistic goals.

  There are many benefits involved with keeping an exercise journal, according to Arthritis Today. For one, the exercise journal is a personal motivational tool--looking at your progress will help keep your eyes on the goal. Also, the journal enables you to share your progress with your doctor, who may make recommendations to revise your exercise plan, according to your personal weight loss needs.

  Or, your doctor may tell you to simply keep up the good work as she observes you taking your weight loss goals seriously and displaying the results.