Keep Track of Your Progress the Cheap Way!

     You finally decided to make the plunge to reach your fitness goals you will come to find out that some things you need might be out of your range of your expenses. This should not be the reason why you just throw up your hands and quit! When I began my journey I did not have a lot of money to spend on a personal trainer so I did the next best thing. I learned how to do it for myself! I used the Internet, Discovery Health, Dr. Oz's Real Age, and pictures to document my progress.

Image Credits: michaelhyatt.com

     First step you should take is buy a journal. A journal is super cheap to buy at your local dollar pr grocery store. Write down the date, your feelings about starting this journey, your weight and measurements. You need to know where you start from because you will never reach your full potential if you mindlessly go through this. You can easily mess up an entire MONTH worth of weight-loss in one weekend of partying and eating whatever you want. This can easily result in a 6 - 10 pounds gain that you will cry about later. It is sad that many health and weight - loss/ management publications indicate that the average weight gain is 10 pounds a year, but this is true only if you are a fit and active individual which the majority of society is not. I have been a personal trainer for many years and I have seen people gain this amount in one weekend!

     Second step is to take pictures of yourself. Pictures speak a thousand words. There is nothing like the reaction I get from clients who have had their photos taken before and updated every 4 weeks. Our minds are designed to play games. You will never be able to see what others see if you do not take a pictures to document your progress. Even I have this problem. When I prep for contests I always take pictures to make sure I am seeing the changes I need to achieve. My clients always tell me how the can see the progress, but I cannot know for sure unless I see my updated progress 

photos. 

Image Credits: oxygenmag.com

     Third step is to search on the Internet or buy fitness magazines to help teach yourself how the train. I began my journey this way. My husband was a trainer for many years and would not teach me how to work out. I asked countless of people knowlegeable in fitness industry here in the Rio Grande Valley to no avail. My husband just felt he did not have the time to teach me. In addition, I believe the fitness professionals I asked in the past really just did not want me to know how to get fit. There never was a clear indication on what to eat, how to workout, or how much time train. Fitness magazines and online fitness websites like Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness for Her, & etc. give detailed directions on how to eat and how to train. You just have to use the information to your advantage. 

    In conclusion, having these simple tools will help you keep track. Write down your food, workouts, and feelings throughout the entire process. It will be an awesome feeling to look back at where you started and how much progress you have reached. Remember, your goals are not the responsibility of others. So, do not be suprised  if you have a gym partner and they stop going to the gym or walking with you. You need to do this for yourself, your health, and your family. Just like a car needs maintanence so does your health. Do not wait until it is too late!

Candace