“With handwriting, the very act of putting it down slowly forces you to focus on what’s important.”
Despite a world of apps, Fitbits, smart watches, and other trackers, the written journal still remains an option for recording exercise and nutrition metrics.
The “old school” fitness journals have remained popular for several reasons, and I completely understand why they are still a beloved tool for many people.
There is something special about physically writing down your progress, goals, and thoughts, and seeing the evidence of your hard work and dedication in a tangible form.
They offer things that today’s digital apps just can’t measure up to, such as:
- Tangibility: Many people find that physically writing down their progress and goals helps them to stay more focused and accountable. It’s also a satisfying feeling to flip through the pages and see how far you’ve come.
- Personalization: With a paper-based journal, you have the freedom to customize it in any way you like. You can include motivational quotes, pictures, and other personal touches that make it unique to you.
- Less distracting: Unlike electronic devices, a fitness journal doesn’t have notifications, messages, or other distractions that can take you away from your workout or meal planning.
- Convenience: A paper-based journal doesn’t require an internet connection, battery life, or software updates, making it a reliable and convenient tool to use anytime, anywhere.
- Nostalgia: Some people simply enjoy the nostalgia of using a traditional journal, which can evoke feelings of simplicity and focus in an increasingly digital world.
It can be deeply personal and customizable, allowing you to add your own motivational quotes, pictures, and other touches that make it unique to you. This personalization can provide an extra boost of motivation and make the process of achieving your fitness goals more enjoyable.
Numerous studies have shown that your own physical handwriting improves the mind-body connection.
Anecdotally, I also find that I track better and longer over time by using a written journal than when I use an app. I forget about apps, stop using them, or the imminent app fatigue sets in and it falls out of use. Additionally, for those who prioritize privacy and security, paper-based journals offer a level of protection from potential digital breaches.
I now use a combination of a physical journal, combined with my Macro Tracker, to give me flexible control over all my metrics. I have the ease of a physical notebook, with the power to compile that data with the Ultimate Macro Tracker.
For nutrition tracking, the MacroLab Nutrition journal (physical version) allows you to record the foods consumed, what time, total calories, total macronutrients, supplements, energy, and how you felt that day. 
For exercise tracking, you can record the intensity of the exercise, cardio and cardio duration, warm ups, sets, activity, reps, time, and weight, tempo, stretches, and preworkout. Everything you need to track your exercise program!
If you want to completely maximize (and ensure) your success as you lose weight, the fitness journal is a no-brainer.
I still have my old exercise logs from when I first started training. No tool kept me more engaged, and more willing to increase my weight and intensity, than those old journals. And that was just an exercise tracker! It had no space for nutrition or recording what I ate. And since these come in 8 or 12 week sizes, they’re perfect for keeping you engaged for a set timeframe or program.
If you’re interested in a physical version, buy one here.
Happy training!
-Beau