When you’re about to make a lifestyle change, you should get excited and embrace your goal whole-heartedly, but be prepared to do some serious work.  Setting and attaining wellness goals can be challenging, so it is important to garner all the support you can.  Your friends and family can be a wonderful inspiration and can help to hold you accountable to your commitment.  Another tool that will help increase your chance for success is a wellness journal.

Taking the time to track your progress will help you to see concrete results by showing you what is working and what is not working as you strive to meet your goals.  The awareness that self-monitoring can bring to your lifestyle change is invaluable. 

Shira Capellini, a health services researcher, explained, “Self monitoring or keeping track is often the key to losing weight, being more active, adhering to a medication regime, or maintaining other healthy lifestyle behaviors.”  

Where do you start?   Begin by stating your objectives.  A wellness journal can be used for helping you to attain any number of goals.  Try to be as specific as possible.  Here are some examples of the types of information you might want to track:

• Keep a detailed log of what you eat if you are trying to lose weight, add fiber to your diet, or reduce your sodium intake.
• Maintain an activity log—including the type of activity, duration, and intensity—if you’re trying to add more exercise to your daily routine.
• Start a medication log if you’re struggling to remember to take your medicine on a regular basis.

What should you include?  These logs should be as detailed as possible.  For example, including such things as your mood or time of day can help you to identify the triggers that cause overeating, or to understand why you keep forgetting to take your medication.

Consistency is key!  Here are a few pointers for keeping your wellness journal up to date:

• Take it with you everywhere you go.  A pocket-sized notebook is all you need.
• Write things down as they happen.  If you wait until the end of the day, you may forget valuable information.
• Keep it simple.  You can always add more details after you get into the habit of keeping a wellness journal.

In addition to being a tool for your personal use, a wellness journal can provide a wealth of information for any healthcare or fitness professionals who are working with you.  Consider sharing it with your nutritionist, personal trainer, or physician as they guide you toward your goals.

Written By:
Lance Phillips
Freelance Writer
Wellness Coalition America