The Importance of Keeping an Exercise Diary

Keeping a Daily Exercise Diary

If you are planning to engage on a regular exercise habit, it is important to keep a daily exercise diary. The diary will not only allow you to keep track of your development or record your regular exercise activities but can also be a tool in setting up your goals. Clinical studies show that if an individual can continue exercise routines for one month, he or she would be more likely to go on and never stop. In the same manner that if individual can maintain his or her physical activity for two months, it will be easier for him or her to continue. This is why keeping an exercise diary is important. It will act as a medium for observing the progress and to know what is happening in your exercising activities.

Regular exercise indeed has many advantages. It can enhance physical health, develop muscle tones, sharpen flexibility and mind and create active body. For people with health problems, light but regular exercise routines can strengthen their immune system, control illness symptoms and decrease depression. Studies show that physical activities can activate negative feelings into more positive side. Individuals who are preparing to invest on these routines should have at least a list of their actual exercise activity.

One may think that an exercise diary is only for recording exercises that were done in the past but there are many other things that can be documented. Generally, recording daily exercise activity helps to see the progress in your performance. Recording data such as heart rate, number of exercise routines and food intake can allow you to be more specific in what you are doing. You can also make a list on what are your objectives and accomplish those goals one by one.

Making an evaluation of your performance would also allow you to notice the difference between the actual activity and completing your goals. Let’s say for example that if you accomplished 3 different exercise activities on a Monday, then you should make extra efforts on a Tuesday or Wednesday to increase your accomplishments. Daily exercise diary will provide you historical background as to which exercise is good for you or which physical activities are suitable with your lifestyle.

Having a diary that tracks your performance and your weaknesses can also act as a motivational tool on your part. If you are aware of your weaknesses, you can focus on those weaknesses and make positive results. Remember that the idea is to change your lifestyle and engage in a healthy habit at the same time. Keeping a diary that will record your progress, your objectives and your daily exercise is one way of achieving great results in the future.