Tracking your Activity

Studies show tracking fitness progress is an essential piece to your ongoing success. People who track their physical activity tend to workout longer and more frequently. And working out has a wide range of effects including the benefits of controlling your weight, to having a better mood, to cardiovascular health!

Here are just a few benefits to tracking your activity:

Makes it more likely to reach and perhaps surpass your goal.
Allows you to be more efficient in your time and workouts.
Lends accountability to yourself and your goals.
Allows for easier modifications and shows when and where changes need to be made.
It can be motivating and reinforcing to remind you why you are doing what you are.
Helps to drive the focus and direction of your programming.
Keeps you committed to your plan.

Tips:

✓ Use your Fitness Log to track your minutes of activity each day.

✓ Make it public or show it to others to keep you accountable.

✓ Track activity of at least a moderate pace. That means you are working hard enough that you can’t sing through it.

✓ Include everyday activities, like sweeping the floor briskly and mowing the lawn.

Ways of timing your activity:

Watch
Clock
Timer
Pedometer
Fitness tracker
Smartphone apps

How to Cope With Challenges

It can be challenging to track your activity. Here are some common challenges and ways to cope with them.

I’m too busy.

Make the time to track. Plan for it so it does not get deprioritized during a busy day.

I have trouble reading and writing.

Record your voice with a smartphone or other device.

Ask your coach, friends, or family members to write your minutes on your Fitness Log. Take a picture.

I keep forgetting.

Make tracking part of your daily routine.

Put a reminder on your phone or computer.

Set a timer.

Leave yourself notes where you’ll see them.

Ask friends and family to remind you.

I don’t like to track.

Post your results on the wall or online.

Give yourself a small (non-food) reward for meeting your activity goals.

Compete with a friend. See who can do the most minutes of activity.

Try other smartphone and computer apps.