What’s an exercise log?

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An exercise log, also known as a workout log, is a written record of a person’s exercise routine. People often record the details of their fitness routines to track progress over time. Keeping an exercise log can be a useful strategy for monitoring weight loss, recording strength training results, and even measuring endurance. For many people, a training log can also serve as a source of motivation and personal accountability.

A typical exercise log entry may contain exercise tracking information such as the date, time of day, type of exercise performed, duration of activity, and number of calories burned. To provide a broader overview of someone’s health and fitness, the log can also include notes about a person’s weight, mood, or even discomfort caused by a certain exercise. If they don’t already keep a separate food log, some people may choose to record their calorie intake and other nutritional information in their exercise logs.

Examples of some exercises that someone might record on an exercise log include walking, running, weight lifting, yoga, and just about any other physical activity. Some fitness experts advise people to record all of their daily physical work, including tasks like yard work and basic household chores. People often don’t think of these activities as exercise, even though most of these activities can burn a significant number of calories.

In addition to tracking training progress, an exercise log can serve as a motivation tool. If a person has a specific fitness goal in mind, she can use one to record each positive step toward reaching it. A training log can also help promote a sense of responsibility. In other words, when someone documents their entire exercise routine, they are less likely to skip a workout.

Another benefit of an exercise log is that it usually provides an overview of common patterns. It can encourage reflection and help analyze the effectiveness of specific exercises. One can modify their routine, based on the recorded information, to achieve better fitness results. The exercise log can also be a source of positive reinforcement when exercising, as it is written evidence of achievement.

There are several ways to create an exercise log. It can be a simple, traditional training log written on a piece of paper or in a notebook. Another option is to create a document, such as a spreadsheet, on a computer. Sample exercise logs and free, printable templates are available online. Some more advanced options include applications that can be downloaded to a mobile phone. Also, people who want to track their progress with an online fitness log can join websites that may also include discussion forums and other fitness tools.

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