Exercise Journals

Using Simple Exercise Journal Templates

Exercise Journals are a must for anyone who wants to get serious about getting in shape. They do not have to be complex. Below you will see examples of exercise journal templates which when used you simply have to get in the habit of recording your progress at least once a week. After a week you will forget what you accomplished if you do not record your results. There are several very easy ways to keep records. One can use a calendar. It can be the calendar you are already using in the kichen or on the computer at work. If you jog for instant just start adding a j in the square that is on the day that you ran. A variation of this plan allows you to get ahead on your exercise. If you make a contract with yourself to exercise 3 days a week but you exercise 5 days in a week, then you can put an e on the days you exercised and then two more e marks on the following week. The advantage of this plan is there are never any excuses. This is the plan I have been using to jog for over 40 years now. It is not only easy, it is fun. Even when I hurt my ankle and could not walk for a couple of months, I never got behind because I was already months ahead.

This may work for jogging, but get a little more serious and you need to do more paper work. If you want to get better at running, you will have to record your times and try and beat them every so often. Here is an example of a runners log (one of the exercise journals). Which of the exercise journals you use depends on the exercise you choose. If you are weight lifting you will have to use weight training charts, that keep up with the type of exercise, the weight used, the number of sets and the number of reps. Here are some examples of weight training charts:

intro weight lifting program chart

3 day split workout chart

blank workout sheet

Four Set - Weight Training Chart is a chart for weight lifters who want to do up to four sets in a workout.

A runner's log is a great way to keep up with your running progress. This is great for those runners who want to get better and faster and for those who want to keep up with their heart rate (HR).

Walking for Health and Fitness (HTML) and Walking for Health and Fitness (PDF) are great places to start if you are thinking of walking to get fit. I particularly like the use of charts to motivate you and keep you on track.

Hey! The PDF version is basically a free Ebook.

Walk to Run Chart is a roadmap to moving from walking to running. Get on your tennis shoes and move a little faster every day.

Weight Trainig Log is a weight training log that has places to record your stretch, endurance and strength exercises.

Calories Burned Exercise Chart is a great exercise log to help you keep up with your exercise accomplishments and help you to remain motivated.

Fitness Center Evaluation Checklist is a tool (chart) that will help you decide on which of the local fitness centers is best for you.

Exercise Equipment Purchasing Checklist is a good place to start getting organized if you are thinking about buying a piece of exercise equipment. It is important to know what you want and need before you get sold on something that is not right for you.


A beginner exercise routine will start out slowly. The main thing a beginner needs to do is to get in the habit of exercise without getting hurt. Checking with a doctor may even be in order. I have been on my exercise plan for over 40 years and I still write it down to keep up with my jogging.

I have already talked about exercise journals of various forms, I have shown that you can use different forms depending on your exercise. The most important thing to remember is to always write something. The simple act of writing will make your exercise plan more real and writing will help you keep up the routine. weight loss motivation but many people also need motivation to exercise. Here are a few good reasons: Do it for your health. Do it to get to your ideal weight and get your ideal body. But also get in shape for others. You will be able to help people. You will be able to do fun things with your children. Do it for a healthier earth. You will be able to walk and ride a bike instead of taking the car for example. Here are some more ideas for a green workout routine.

My Workout Routines Review talks about proven ways to help you get in shape, lose weight, and reach your health and fitness goals. Lynn can help you find a program to meet your fitness goals, budget, and lifestyle and provide the encouragement and support you need along the way!

Perhaps you have tried the gym and found you were doing nothing but paying for the membership. Working at home may be just the answer. If you are thinking of exercising at home, consider using kettlebells instead of more traditional weights because you get aerobic workouts as well as strength training. With no moving parts, kettlebells also have the advantage over more elaborate exercise equipment. 

I tried to keep an exercise journal in the form of a blog for a while and it did not work out so well. Now I just keep up with my exercise on a calendar. For my exercise I jog walk run and ...