Beyond New Years Resolutions Part 2

Tracking Your Fitness Progress and Staying Motivated

	Brought to you by Laurie Parlin healthyinvestments-inc.com

If you read Part 1 of this article, you’ve hopefully already revisited and adjusted your New Years Resolutions into fitness goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (S.M.A.R.T). In Part 2, you’ll learn how to track your progress and stay motivated on your journey. 

Tracking of health, fitness, and diet goals has been proven to help people follow through to their plans. Seeing your progress daily, weekly, or monthly, reduces the chances of “giving up” and feeling overwhelmed. There are a variety of tools available to help you do this ranging from a simple notebook to a detailed on-line program. Below are a few suggestions: 

1. Journal Log. Use a notebook, journal, or computer document to track your progress each day. Write what you plan to do, what you did, and what you can do tomorrow if it didn’t go as planned. Re-read your notes each week and see how far you’ve come or make plan to change if you’ve fallen off this week.
2. Workout Forms. Ask your local gym or look online for forms to track your workouts. Be detailed in the weight you lifted, the reps you completed, or how far or fast you ran. Seeing these improvements week to week can really be uplifting.
3. On-line Services. Many websites now offer free or inexpensive programs that help you track your workouts. Check out sites like www.gyminee.com, www.myfitnessjournal.com, or any other number of sites and see what works for you.
4. Electronics. Sports watch companies like Garmin, now make high-end heart rate monitors and GPS devices that track activity time, type, and intensity. 

Although fitness goals are in your reach, sometimes motivation can lag. Tracking your workouts will certainly keep motivation up since you’ll be able to see the progress you’re making towards your goal. 

Here are a few more suggestions to lift motivation levels as well. 

Reward yourself for small steps. If your final goal is going to take 6 months to reach, give yourself a reward each month you stay on track or when you reach milestones along the way. If your goal is to run a half marathon this year, spend some Me Time shopping for new workouts clothes when you can run a 10K. Maybe your resolution was to exercise at least 3 days a week this year. Each month you are successful, have your husband watch the kids for an evening while you spend Me Time the taking a long bath, getting a manicure or pedicure, or going to dinner with a friend. 

Keep others informed of your goals and your progress. The more people you tell, the more likely you are to stay with it. If your family knows you’ve made it a goal to get to yoga class once a week, they’ll be more likely to support you. If your friends all know you’ve singed up for that 5k in three months they might keep asking you about your progress…which will surely keep you on track! 

Join a fitness support group of other women. This can take the form of a fitness team, likes Moms in Motion (www.momsinmotion.com), a community running team, an on-going group fitness class at your gym, or an on-line support group. If you can’t find one in your area – start one! 

Look back to where you began. Odds are, even if you haven’t been able to commit 100% to your goal, you’ve still made progress. Seeing what you’ve done so far can give you that push to keep going. 

Staying on track and motivated to reach your goals isn’t always easy. The key is to find what works to help you succeed, enlist your support, and keep moving forward. Good luck and enjoy your Me Time.

Laurie Parlin, M.Ed., CSCS, CHES
Laurie is an exercise physiologist and health educator with a passion for being physically active and encouraging others to do the same.  She is nationally certified as a Health Education Specialist, Personal Fitness Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Yoga instructor.  She holds a Masters Degree in Health Education and a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science.  As an expert in health education and fitness, Laurie has spent time managing both corporate and college wellness programs, teaching middle school health education, coaching youth sport, and training individuals to reach their health and fitness goals.  Laurie was a competitive gymnast for 15 years who currently spends her free time skiing, traveling, running half marathons, and learning to surf.  Laurie believes that investing in your health is one of the best investments you can make.  Whether you put in time, energy, or money, you are guaranteed to get positive results. http://www.healthyinvestments-inc.com/, www.momsinmotions.com