Fitness Journal – Lifestyle Behaviors – Part 6

We are in the final blog for my series on creating a fitness journal. If you include every component—exercises, what you eat, the amount of sleep you get and your mood—you will learn more about yourself. But to top it off, we are going to look at how lifestyle behaviors play a role. Lifestyle behaviors are something I read and write about frequently. In my other work as a web content writer, I write health blogs for a Social Security disability law firm. So I have quite a bit of experience in the way health is impacted by this. We … Continue reading

Fitness Journal – Your Mood – Part 5

Continuing on with my series on creating a fitness journal, we are now going to look at the importance of tracking your mood and improving it. If you are keeping a fitness journal, you should have a section where you note how you are feeling. Your mood can change the course of your day. But there are ways to improve it. However before we get to that, let’s think about why we would want to keep track of it. Understanding your overall health includes how you feel on a daily basis. Are there certain days of the week where your … Continue reading

Creating a Fitness Journal – Part 1

Sometimes we need to see things in black and white. This way we can’t deny the truth, whether it is the amount of exercise we are getting or the types of foods that we are eating. If you really want to be successful in developing and maintaining a fit lifestyle, I strongly suggest putting together a fitness journal. You can make this as simple or as fancy as you like. You can use a spiral notebook, your computer, a binder, whatever works best for you. Before you put together a fitness journal however, we need to think about the key … Continue reading

Start Now to Make Changes for the New Year

We are winding down the year 2011 and already people are starting to make plans, if even just in their minds, on how they are going to start out the New Year with changes. December is a great time to get ready. It gives you a chance to really reflect on what changes you want to make and how you want to go about them. Fitness is one of the top New Year resolutions or changes that people tend to make. But the problem is that if you decide on January 1st to start and don’t have a plan, it … Continue reading

Exercise and Music

What kind of music do you listen to while you workout? A new study says the type of tunes that play on your iPod as you run (or participate in other cardio exercise) influences your physical endurance. The new research, which is set to appear in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, is part of a 20-year study highlighting motivational qualities of music in sport and exercise. The findings illustrate the benefits associated with exercising in time to music. In one part of the study 30 participants exercised on a treadmill while listening to songs by pop stars such … Continue reading

Dear Heather … I Want To Journal My Experiences

Dear Heather, I love your Fitness blog, it’s fun to read and you seem like a real person most of the time. I get the feeling you know what it is to have setbacks and to not be perfect and as much as I want to be that in shape, fit and toned person; I don’t think I ever will be. I work out, but only semi-regularly. I can never seem to get into a routine that lets me maintain my workout longer than two or three weeks at a time. You know how it is, kids get sick, a … Continue reading

Friday Fitness Motivators – Five Ways to Motivate Your Success

Do you need some motivation in your fitness goals? Do you need some ways to get you going? Are you looking for a way to keep you from skipping your workout? Are you looking for a way to not only get you to your workout, but also to make you grin as you eagerly look forward to it? Here are five ways to motivate your success: Buy New Fitness Gear – Seriously, buying new fitness gear can inspire you to enjoy your workout whether it’s a jazzy colored top or more comfortable workout pants or even fun workout shoes! Hire … Continue reading