Fitness Tracker
An important tool – the Fitness tracker
A very important tool I use that has really helped me both reach my goals but also stay on track is my fitness rhythm tracker. Because I have some pretty lofty fitness goals, I have a bunch of things that, if done each day consistently, should help me reach the results I am after. A lot of people may think I am a bit crazy, but I would actually like to be more so. Because I still do miss my check marks on my fitness tracker some days. But this tool alone can change your life. I started this a long time ago in a similar format on my own accord, but owe its current form and structure to Darren Hardy.
When you are setting your fitness goals, there a few key behaviors that you should be focused on that over time move you towards those goals. What those are depends on the end results you are trying to achieve.
First, of course, you need to set your fitness goal. Really think long and hard about this, because not only are the behaviors you will track every day critical, but they have to be relevant to what you are setting yourself out to accomplish.
Your goals must be very specific. Make sure you are setting your thought process up properly.
For example, I would like to be at my goal weight of 150 pounds. As opposed to just “I want to be skinny”. Or if your goal is to be strong, maybe something like, I can bench press 250 pounds within 6 months, etc. The whole idea is to make this extremely specific, because you will set up your rhythm and tracking system to move you towards those goals.
Now it’s time to brain storm for your behaviors, both good and bad, that will help you meet, or keep you from meeting, your goals. To come up with this you need to take an HONEST inventory of what you are trying to change to achieve the goal.
Examples are endless, but here are a few:
Do you always have snacks during the day that are unhealthy?
Do you workout once a day? Once a week? Never?
How is your diet throughout the day?
Lots of coffees? Cream sugar?
Chocolate? Ice cream? Endless hours on the couch?
Enjoy walks, running? Sports?
Cardio?
Do you find yourself lazy and a “not enough time in a day” type of person?
Etc.
Take a massive inventory of the behaviors that effect your health and well being.
Now its time to break them down into a tracking system.
Divide them into good and bad behaviors. Keep in mind these also may be behaviors you need to add into your routine and others you need to stop doing.
Something likes this
Good:
Workout (strength training? Weights etc )
Run
Cardio
Eat healthy breakfast
Healthy lunch
Healthy dinner
Avoid going out with friends when it’s suggested there may be deserts, or bad choices for my diet etc
Bad:
Too much cream and sugar in my coffee
Greasy breakfasts
Fast food
Bad snacking
Sitting on couch
Skipped workout
Watching TV
This list can go on and on. Some may think it may be a bit to detailed, but we will break it down after.
Now how do those things affect your goals? Take a look. Start putting them into a page if they really affect where you are trying to go. Those behaviors can either make a break you. So its time to start tracking yourself to see how much you are compounding them towards your results!
Here is what my tracker looks like: (yours may be completely different)
Goal: get to a body fat of under 10% with strength approx 1.5 on key compound lifts for my body weight
I came up with the following behaviors and actions to track for my week. I put a check or an X if I did or didn’t complete the task. Keep in mind, I am a bit of a freak, obsessed with my fitness continuous improvements, so some may think I am a little over board. But you get the idea.
Yours can start much less obsessive if you want. Wouldn’t want you getting too fast of results now, would we? ☺
At the end of the week I total them up in the fitness tracker and see if I met my goals I set out for myself. If I didn’t I make notes and plan to improve by implementing adjustments.
It’s the simplest way to keep yourself both accountable and on track.
Monitor your results once a month, and if you find something is stalling or not working, check what behaviors you are tracking and if you need to make adjustments.
Only track those that affect your goals. If you are trying to lose weight you should track how you are eating of course. But I don’t think you need to track stretching, if that’s not part of your goals. So give and take a bit to what you need. Track how many meals you had during a day or calories, just make it relevant.
After a while, you will have developed a habit and be consciously aware of how your choices are affecting your fitness results. By doing so you will have already started positive change in your life!
The best way to have success in any Endeavor in your life is to track it.
Good luck with your goals!
picture of my current tracking boards. Weights, reps, schedule, progressions, daily tasks you name it. Some call me obsessed.
