Now that we are nearing the end of the first month of the year, it may be a good time to assess how our new year’s resolutions are going. If your goal for the new year was to work out more, then starting an end-of-the-week fitness journaling practice can help you stay committed to it, even when you’re having trouble keeping the big picture in mind.
Why start a weekly fitness journal?
Trainer Tara Nicolas recommends keeping a weekly fitness journal to remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished and celebrate any movement you’ve been able to do that past week. If you don’t already have a recovery session included in your exercise regime, Nicolas suggests adding one in.
Recovery sessions should center around restorative stretching, meditation, rest, and reflection, which would ideally incorporate some journaling about how you and your body felt over the last week. This way, you avoid starting another week of workouts without taking the time to appreciate yourself for all the work you’ve already put in.
When it comes to setting and reaching goals, writing them down can make them feel more tangible and attainable. The process of writing can also help stabilize your emotions and work through any obstacles, physical or emotional, that you are facing. Plus, “sometimes you have those crappy workouts, and you know that you still did it, and that’s what counts… By writing it down, you can admit it and pinpoint why it sucked,” says Becs Gentry, Peloton Treat instructor. Doing so allows you to celebrate wins and to take note of what areas may need improvement.
How to get going
To begin, all you need is a pen or pencil and a notebook. There’s no “wrong” layout or format—if you prefer long descriptive paragraphs, go for it; and if you’re more of a bullet-points type of person, that’s good too. Here are some of Nicolas’ favorite prompts to kickstart your journal:
- What felt like an obstacle this week?
- What felt like a win this week?
- What are you aware of mind, body, and soul?
