Use a training diary to lose fat faster
Here’s how to keep your own training diary to burn body fat and build lean muscle mass faster, says New Body Plan editorial director Joe Warner
Keeping a training diary is one of the easiest yet most effective things you can do to ensure that you stick to your plan and make faster progress. All you need to do is write down what you plan to do it the gym, then record what you actually did, as well as a few notes about how the session went and felt.
Of course, every single New Body Plan training programme accessed through the NBP app has an in-built training diary so you can log and record all your workout data. You can also log weekly progress photos and weight check-ins to you have a wealth of performance data to track and evaluate your progress towards the body you want!
What should I write in my training diary?
Recording your workouts effectively relies on collecting data from key areas:
Performance data: Information about the sets, reps and weights lifted, the tempo and rest periods used; and scores for workout performance and effort
Mental attitude: Information including marks out of 10 for workout focus and energy; session highlights and challenges; and strategies for better results next time
Lifestyle insight: Information about the foods and drinks you consumed before, during and after your workout, including supplements; hours of sleep the previous night; and pre-workout energy levels
Why is a workout log so helpful?
Writing down the details of your planned session before setting foot in the gym is a fantastic way to begin your mental preparation for the workout ahead, which goes a long way in making the session far more successful and enjoyable. And recording the weights you lift for each set of each exercise, and whether you hit your target rep count, is a smart way to stay in “the zone” while training to maintain focus and motivation.
It also allows you to make tweaks to the weight you lift in subsequent sets if hitting the rep count proved too easy (you felt like you could have done another five reps) or impossible (you reached failure well before the rep target). Having a record of weight lifted also allows you to estimate a sensible incremental increase in weight for the next time you perform that exercise.
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Use your training diary for accurate feedback
Jotting down some quick notes about your peri-workout nutrition (what you eat before, during and after the session, including sports nutrition supplements), your mental performance in the gym, as well as a sentence on what went well and what didn’t go according to plan, gives you excellent insight on what you can do to perform even better next time.
That’s because recording what you ate, how much sleep you got, your energy and focus levels, and your exercise performance, allows patterns to emerge that link your behaviour to performance.
Once you spot these patterns and identify what leads to great workouts, you can prioritise these habits next time to replicate your results. Or if you notice certain pre-workout behaviour tends to result in poor physical or mental performance, you can work on minimising or eliminating them to get your workouts back on track.
Log your workouts for rapid results
If you are using the New Body Plan Training Diary all you need to do is fill in the spaces on each page (each workout has its own double-page spread) to collect all the relevant data.
The Training Diary makes it incredible easy for you to plan then record each session, including space for notes about your pre- and post-workout nutrition, as well as your mental performance, energy levels and focus. There’s even pages at the end of each block to fully analyse and assess your progress, and make preparations to ensure the next block is even better.
If you’re not using the New Body Plan Training Diary you should still record every single session because you’ll only progress as quickly as you want if you learn to identify what you need to do to have the best-possible workouts!
Complement your training diary with the New Body Plan Success Planner and achieve any personal, professional or physical goal in just eight weeks!
To find your perfect transformation plan, take the New Body quiz!
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