Get Moving! Keeping a Fitness Journal at Work

Are you always at work? Do you feel like your work is keeping you from the healthy lifestyle you want? There are countless ways that your time spent working can sabotage your plans for a healthy lifestyle. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. A little bit of effort can go a long way if you are taking the time to incorporate a fitness journal into your work routine.

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One way to use a fitness journal is to use it to record your activity and exercise. You may think that you don’t exercise much at work. However, unless you record your activity you can’t know this for sure and you might just be surprised! Consider wearing a pedometer and tracking how much you are actually walking in a day. Worried about what your co-workers will think? Pedometers can be very small and subtle. Tuck one on to your belt loop and it is a safe bet that it will go unnoticed. At the end of the day record your pedometer reading in your fitness journal to see how much walking you really are doing at work.

If you do discover that you are less active at work than you would like to be, there are some easy things you can do. Simple steps like parking at the far end of the parking lot and opting for the stairs instead of the elevator can boost your activity level. If you find yourself at a desk most of the day, consider adding walking to your break time. Rather than staying seated for small breaks take a walk around the office. This will not only increase your activity level but will help you resist having a snack. Don’t forget to record your activity in your fitness journal.

Another thing to consider is exercising during your lunch break. Have a light lunch and then walk some laps in the parking lot. If your office doesn’t have a large parking lot, head to a nearby park or even to a shopping mall. Is your gym nearby? You might have the time to get in a quick workout before heading back to the office. Record your new lunchtime exercise routine in your fitness journal everyday. At the end of the work week, take some time and look back over your entries for the week. You will be surprised at how quickly your exercise has added up!

If it seems impossible to get in any exercise during work, perhaps you can do it when you get off work. That way you won’t have to be self-conscious if you work hard and sweat during your workout because you won’t have to return to work and you can head home to the shower.

If you are lucky enough to work at a company that has a gym in the facility, make use of it, and get in your exercise each day. Then when you go home, you will have the feeling of accomplishment and will most likely have more energy to complete your household tasks, too.

Exercise is beneficial for the health of your heart and other organs but it is also great for increasing your flexibility. Muscles that are flexible help to protect our joints and bones from injury. Keeping your body loose and active through exercise means you’ll be less likely to get hurt. Be sure to bring your fitness journal to the gym if you go, so you can notate all of the exercises that you do.

But exercise isn’t the only thing that you can record in your fitness journal when you are at work. You’ll need to keep track of what you eat while at work too. If you ran by the break room and stuffed a pastry in your mouth, you need to go back to the journal and jot that down. You should write down everything that you eat and drink every single day. If you do miss a day, don’t despair just get right back into it the following day.

You might think this sounds like too much work, but it only takes a few minutes each day and the benefits are astounding. You see, when you write down everything you eat, everything you drink and all of the exercise that you do, you become accountable for your entire fitness program. You claim a serious stake in the outcome of your weight loss endeavor.

When coworkers see you writing in your journal, they may ask you what it’s all about. You don’t have to let them read your journal just explain the benefits that you get from it. Some may laugh and make fun of your attempts, but don’t let them sabotage your efforts. They probably won’t be laughing when they see your wonderful new body.

Nope, most likely they will be asking how you did it. And have you ever noticed that when one person loses weight at work that others jump on the bandwagon and start to lose weight or go on diets or head to the gym. It’s contagious and is the cause of much envy. Those that laughed may be seen carrying their own journals before too long.

Using a fitness journal at work is a wonderful complement to a healthy lifestyle. We are all busy and workdays seem to be especially challenging. By taking a little time and looking for opportunities to exercise, eat healthy and use a fitness journal at work you can work toward a healthy lifestyle.

Dismiss excuses, make a plan and get started. Fitness4Her makes it all easy with a complete diet and fitness program designed for women. A diet that consists of 5 meals a day, an exercise plan to help you get in shape in as little as 30 minutes a day, and a journal to record your results. My journal has helped me come a long way, I believe a fitness journal will help you too. Believe it and achieve it!

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