Starting a diet can be fun and exciting or it can be a time of anxiety, doubt and fear. If you have ever tried losing weight only to become discouraged, beginning a diet can make you feel defeated before you even get started. The best way to begin a diet or a fitness program is to start a fitness journal at the same time. Once you begin journaling, you will never want to start your diet without it.

Keeping a journal is like taking all of your thoughts, goals and actions and putting them down on paper. In your fitness journal you will also want to write down everything you eat and drink daily and all of your activities. This way you can keep a record of all the food that you consume and all the ways that you expend energy to burn calories.

If you have ever tried dieting and exercising, you are probably familiar with the unfortunate plateau that sometimes occurs. The great thing about journaling is that you can actually compare the calories consumed versus the calories burned. You can assess your workout and whether or not you are challenging yourself as much in your 4th week of exercise as you did in your first week. By having a written testimony of what you eat and drink there is no fooling yourself when it comes to dieting.

Journaling is also a great help when you want to increase your fitness level. If you are keeping a journal, you are already writing down your workout exercises. You can set goals, record the amount of weight (if any) that you are lifting and the number of reps and sets that you do. Then as you increase the weights, the reps and the sets, you can record all of these accomplishments in your journal. This way you can really make a determination about what is working and where improvements need to be made.

You can pick up a journal from any bookstore or office supply store. If you don’t want to invest in anything expensive, you can use a series of composition notebooks. Just mark the dates on the outside and file each one away for reference. During those times, when you feel discouraged or feel like you are hitting a plateau, looking back at your old journals can actually help you to realize the goals that you have already achieved.

Journaling is one of the easiest and most rewarding parts of any diet and fitness program. I believe it is as important as diet and exercise for making effective, positive changes that will keep you fit for the rest of your life.

If you have been dieting for a while but not seeing the results you would like, try keeping a fitness journal for 30 days and you may see a big difference. I have been keeping a fitness journal for years and it has helped me go above and beyond the goals I have set for myself. It challenges me, or rather it allows me to challenge myself. I can set goals and write my way to seeing those goals become a reality.

If you have ever kept a journal, you have probably experienced the deep satisfaction that comes from writing your daily events and unleashing your inner self onto paper. The single most important instrument for nurturing your spirit is a personal journal. The most successful tool for encouraging your weight loss and exercise program is a diet and fitness journal.

For women especially, gaining or losing weight can be a complex matter. We over eat or under eat for various reasons. Identifying your habits, determining your own personal triggers and deciding on what action to take can all be recorded in your fitness journal. It’s one of the best ways to test your diet to see what is working and what isn’t.

Daily devotion to your journal writing can provide a support system when you need a boost of encouragement. Reading your previous posts and comparing them to your level of attainment today, will help you realize just how much your hard work has paid off.

Your fitness journal can be your own private story of your eating habits and your fitness level. As you write your goals each week, you are adding a very fundamental factor to your complete wellness program. The anticipation alone can boost your spirit. I love to challenge myself when I plan my fitness goals, sometimes I reach the goals and other times I don’t; but I have a lot of fun and get a lot of satisfaction when I try.

Remember to log everything into your journal, the foods you eat, the beverages you drink and all exercises that you engage in. Include any cardio activities, too, even walking. It won’t take you long to figure out what foods to eat and how much. Depending on your current calorie needs, you will want to make changes gradually so that they are much easier to adapt to. Tracking these changes in your fitness journal will help to keep you focused and greatly increase your chances for success.

Self-love is a good love and nothing you should feel guilty about. Be thankful for your life and everything that you are. You are enough, just the way you are. Remind yourself of that everyday by keeping a fitness journal—it is like writing love letters to your soul.

If you write words of praise and gratitude to all that you have achieved, you will feel uplifted and capable of success. A feeling of calmness will come over you once you realize what a magnificent creature you really are. One of the big things you might notice when you write positively to yourself is the way that you embrace life and accept all of its challenges.

Give your day a power punch by beginning with positive affirmations. Remind yourself of all that you have to be thankful for. Write all of these things down and read them back to yourself. Take time for some peaceful meditation, allowing your appreciation for life to fill your spirit with love and gratitude.

Dismiss negative thoughts and don’t allow them to rule your actions. Make your self-talk an affirmation of love and appreciation. I guarantee you that if you start each day this way, you will feel less stressful and you will have a better self-image, instead of punishing yourself with negative words and feelings.

The journal is your success story. It is your own account of your days, weeks and months. It is your book of personal letters to yourself. Your place to record your strengths and weaknesses, your confidential reminder of where you started and what your goals are for the future. A fitness journal works the same way and is an excellent journal to celebrate the love you have for your body, mind and spirit.

Whatever your fitness level, I urge you to begin keeping a journal. Experienced athletes will find the journal an especially helpful tool as you take your workouts to the next level. By faithfully keeping your journal you will learn much about what and how much you consume each day, so be sure to write down everything that you eat and drink for a full assessment of your eating habits.

There’s something powerful about challenging yourself by practicing goal setting. When you follow up that challenge with the accountability of a journal you further your chance for success. As I have mentioned before, it has been proven time and again, that people who keep a journal of everything they eat and drink and all of their daily activities have a far greater chance of success than those who do not.

So, don’t wait another minute. Get a fitness journal and begin setting your goals for a slimmer, trimmer, stronger and more confident you. Write love letters to celebrate your life and to inspire and motivate you to the next level for a fit and healthy body. It’s your account of your hard work and your success. It’s a celebration of who you are.

Journaling helps to build character. Keeping a daily record of your activities, keeps you accountable for everything that you do. That is why keeping a fitness journal is so important to the success of your fitness program. With every stroke of the pen, journaling builds character, discipline, and determination. Journaling brings you face to face with your desires, your goals, your abilities and your courage to reach for the next level. Journaling shows you have the courage to succeed.

Writing down everything you eat and drink allows you to analyze what is working for you and what is not. When you keep a fitness journal, you may be surprised at how much food you actually eat. As you reach for your next bite, reach for the journal and be ready to write it down. You will be surprised at how less hungry you become when you know you have to write down everything that you eat and drink.

Keeping a journal will allow you to record your fitness goals, including your goals for a better-looking body. Record your measurements of your waist, chest and hips. Measure your thighs, calves, ankles, arms and wrists. Do this at least every month to determine if your current level of exercise is working for you.

I prefer a written journal to an online type. I spend a considerable amount of time each day on the computer writing blogs and answering emails so I welcome the escape to actually write in my journal. I love to go through past journals to read about my past goals and victories. I get new ideas from old practices and these journals are never boring. There is power in the written word and I feel so much more in touch with my journal as I touch it and write in it. However, an online version may work better for you, the important thing is that you use the fitness journal to get you closer to your goal.

For me, writing my feelings down on paper is a great stress reliever, too. Many times, writing down an event helps to put everything in perspective. Instead of my brain playing back the episode like a series of repeated television shows, this act of writing helps to free my mind of the guilt and contemplation that accompany the guilt rehashing scenario.

Writing helps me sleep better at night. By writing everything down, I have nothing left to worry about when I go to bed. Once I say my prayers, I’m ready for sleep.

There are a variety of journals that include pages for counting calories, sodium, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Some allow space for exercise while others are strictly diet oriented. I like to include my exercise and meals in the same book and preferably on the same page. There is so much to compare from one day to the other that I like it as simple as possible.

I prefer a cover that looks good, usually one that is colorful. Colorful covers are eye-catching and make it easy for me to find my journal. An appealing cover is like an invitation that beacons my creativity. I never throw away my journals, even after they are filled up. Each past journal is kept on my personal bookshelf so I can easily go back and read some of my prior entries. These historical memoirs provide a certain amount of inspiration and motivation combined with a bit of humor.

Journaling builds character, helps you lose weight and gain a better perspective on life. I hope you are ready to record your success in a fitness journal of your very own.