Keep A Fitness Journal

The only subjectivity in my journal is what shows up in the “results” section when I evaluate myself. Now, if you are a pro bodybuilder, you do take measurements from time to time. You know what you can see in the mirror, but you need objective numbers, too. There was no guesswork for me on those days.

I still remember the first time I measured my arms at 21-inches. That was pretty cool. I proudly wrote it down knowing that some day I'd want to revisit that moment, maybe even with my son. I knew precisely what areas were responding correctly to my regime and where I needed to put in some extra work. But I had been around the sport long enough that I could track my performance by what I saw in the mirror and how I felt.

You may be thinking, Rich, I’m not sure I am that hardcore. That sounds like too much trouble. No problem. But, I still encourage you to at least test keeping a fitness journal for a week. After seven days, read back over what you wrote. I know that’s not long enough to gain deep insights on what works and what doesn’t work long term. But, you still might discover something there, and you might also find that you like keeping a record of your efforts and progress as much as I do.

At the very least, writing in a journal offers a symbolic exercise that what you do each day is important. It all matters. It is worthy of being committed to paper. So, write yourself a note that you can look back on in the future, to see just how far you've come