38 Part I: Getting Your Butt off the Couch
Keeping a workout log ........................................................................
Whatever your goals are, keeping track of your workouts in a workout log
(also called a workout diaryor training diary) can help you get better results.
You can look back at the end of each week and say, “I did that?” And you may
be inspired to accomplish even more. Keeping a log shows you whether your
goals are realistic and gives you insight into your exercise patterns. If you’re
losing weight, building strength, or developing stamina, you won’t have to
wonder what works, because you’ll have a blow-by-blow description of every-
thing you’ve done to reach your goals.On the other hand, if you get injured or stuck in a rut, you can turn to your
diary for clues as to why. You may discover that if you don’t eat before you
cycle, you cover your usual route five minutes slower. Maybe you pull a ham-
string every time you run over a certain hilly course. Maybe you’re more sus-
ceptible to catching a cold if you don’t rest at least one day each week.A workout diary keeps you honest. You may think that you’re working out
four times a week. But when you flip through your log, you may realize that
you’ve been overestimating your efforts.Bookstores and sporting-goods stores carry a variety of logs, some aimed at
walkers, others at weight lifters; others have space to chart any activity you
can think of. You also can buy nifty computer software to monitor your
progress or use a Web-based tracking program. In Chapter 25, we mention
some of our favorite products for recording your workouts. You can also use
Figure 3-2 (photocopying the page) to see whether you enjoy tracking your
workouts on paper.Here are some suggestions for filling in the blanks.Day, date, and conditions
Don’t forget to note the day and date. This information helps you assess what
you’ve done in a week; when you look back, you’ll know whether you ran those
20 miles in one week or two. Also, you may discover that you always have a
bad workout on Fridays because you stay up late Thursday nights to watch
ER.Maybe Friday is the day for you to take off. Note the day and date of your
rest days, as well. This way you know how much recovery time you’re giving
yourself.In the Conditions box, you may also want to note the weather conditions,
including the wind and the temperature, because you work much harder
when it’s raining or hot. Describe the course you cover (was it hilly or flat?);
who you worked out with (“Marge talks too much”), and how you feel before,
during, and after your workout. These notes may help you trace the root of
any training problems that crop up.