Weight Loss Journal: 10 Ideas What to Track and How to Keep It Simple

With the New Year just around the corner, I bet you’re already thinking of things to accomplish in the next 365 days. And if your goals are fitness and nutrition-oriented, you’ve come to the right place.

What better way to keep yourself accounted for than to write down your goals and results daily. 

So let’s understand why keeping a fitness and weight loss (nutrition) journal helps you achieve your fitness and health goals this year.

Also, you will see my favorite weight loss journal ideas you can get from Amazon.

Save this article for later reference.

Let’s start from the beginning.

How to start a weight loss journal?

There are two options when you want to start a journal.

Choose whether you’d like to get an empty notebook. You can write all the metrics you will focus on.

The second option is to get a done-for-you journal so you can start tracking your journey straight away.

If you like drawing and have some extra time, get an empty notebook and make it to your preference. 

However, if you want to start tracking asap, buy a ready journal. 

Here are the ready options that I do recommend. You will find a detailed review with all the pros and what to consider.

Weight Loss Journal Ideas and Examples

This journal has a simple design which makes tracking easy.

You can track your food, exercise, mood, water intake, and sleep daily. There's also a reminder to do something for yourself.

Besides tracking your weight and measurements, you can also list other stats that are important for you.

Something to consider: 

You have to write your weight daily. It can be overwhelming and demotivating. It is a neat choice for beginners and people who don’t want to invest too much time. 

If you like colorful and fun designs, this journal is for you.

It has a section where you write how to reward yourself after reaching a milestone. It’s essential to acknowledge your success and celebrate it. 

Having clear goals is essential for success. It’s great that you have space to write your top 5 healthy goals and action steps to achieve them.

You can also plan your meals, exercises, and shopping list for the week.

I like this one because it has a lot of space for notes and journaling.

Something to consider:

This journal is a good pick if you want to count calories. You have space to fill out your weight daily. If you find this overwhelming, you can always skip it. 

Also, keep in mind that it will take you at least 10 minutes daily to fill it out. I won’t recommend it for beginners. 

I love this journal because it has a simple design, and you can plan your whole month.

The daily page is short and on point.

You can set your monthly goals and reflect on your progress.

You can write your why and action steps to accomplish your goals when you start your journey. 

Something to consider: 

There’s too much focus on measurements and weight. Also, it has space for counting calories.

Overall: It is a good choice if you want simplicity and like a lot of data.

The design of this journal is very creative. The daily tracking page is pretty simple and on point.

You have a whole page where you can write about your why.

Also, you update your stats every 30 days to see your progress.

Something to consider: 

You have only 90 days of tracking.

You start this journal by making a 13-week plan and review your weekly progress.

You set your intentions and goals for all the aspects, including exercise, nutrition, and even social activities.

The focus is on your overall wellness.

Something to consider: 

It is a very detailed journal. It's a lot of writing, so you should dedicate at least 1 hour per week.

Another journal with a very creative design and is fun to write.

The daily page is short and precise. You can also track your daily steps.

There’s a space to write your weight weekly, not daily.

It’s a journal for the whole year that primarily focuses on building healthy habits.

Something to consider: 

This journal is for the whole year. While it helps you lose weight, its main focus is on building healthy habits.

If I had to choose a planner, this one would be my choice.

This journal is a sassy one, especially the cover.

What I love about it is that it has a weekly check-in page.

You can write some habits you want to build and others that you’d like to avoid.

You also write your reasons to keep on going. 

An all-in-one journal that helps you track your food and workouts in detail. You also have space for meal and grocery planning.

You have a cheat sheet with calories and macro split for the most common foods.

You can set goals and action steps to achieve them.

Something to consider: 

There are many details - meal timing, portion size, macro split, and calorie counting.

You should spend 10+ minutes per day, especially if you’re doing strength training and recording all your exercises.

It is a helpful all-in-one journal for people who love tracking and analyzing data. I wouldn’t recommend this for beginners.

This weight loss journal starts with guidance on tips and strategies to help you achieve your goals and stay positive.

You have space to set a clear why, goals, and action steps. 

Your daily tracker is simple and focuses on the essential metrics. You also have space to plan your meals.

Something to consider: 

I recommend it for beginners and people who don't enjoy too much data and numbers.

You have a lot of free space to write about exercising and meals.

You can also track your records.

The goal-setting part is very detailed.

You can map out how to overcome the obstacles to your goals.

Something to consider: 

This journal focuses more on your workouts. It is still effective when you want to lose weight.

However, I think it’s a good fit for someone who already works out regularly and wants to track their progress with other habits like sleep and nutrition.

Ideas on How to Use a Weight Loss Journal

A weight loss journal is a great way to track your progress and keep yourself accountable. You also get motivation for how much you’ve accomplished for a certain amount of time.

Having a journal is a commitment. You’re willing and ready to track your progress daily. I would recommend you choose a journal that’s not time-consuming, especially if you’re a beginner.

Another thing to consider is to buy a journal that tracks only what you need. 

If there’s a metric you don’t want to track, skip it. While data is valuable, it’s more important to be consistent. 

It’s crucial to be consistent if you want the weight loss journal to help you reach your goals.

How to Record Your Progress

It is best to assess your results monthly. You can choose a journal with a monthly review or compare day 1 to day 30 of the same month.

It’s okay if you want to track your weekly progress, too.

Remember that it takes time to see some change. So don’t get discouraged if numbers haven’t moved as upon your expectations for a week. 

What do you need to track to see success?

First and foremost, you have to figure out what you want to achieve.

Without having a clear and realistic goal, you don’t know whether you’ve succeeded. Some goal examples:

Lose 10 lbs in 12 weeks.
Exercise 4 times a week for three months. 
Run a mile for under 10 minutes. 
Squat with 100 kg by the end of the year. 

Your goal should be precise.

I highly recommend you set a time frame too. It doesn’t have to be a short period but rather a realistic one.

This way, you will be motivated to be consistent and know that you can achieve it.

Don’t put an unrealistic goal of going to the gym five times per week if you’re not going more than twice now. 

Decide how you’re going to track your food.

There are different ways like writing down what you ate, calorie counting, doing a macro split, and measuring portions.

There’s no good or wrong method. There’s a method that works for you daily.

Decide which one is going to be and stick to it.

Track food in way that feels good for you and you can be consistent with.

Track your water intake.

Drinking enough water is so crucial for accomplishing your health goals. It might be the thing that stops you from achieving them.

If you still wonder how much water to drink per day, I have the answer for you.

Sleep

Rest and good sleep are crucial for accomplishing your goals.

Sometimes this is what keeps you away from achieving them. So keep track of how many hours per day you sleep.

Exercise/ Activity

Keep track of the exercises/ activity you do.

You can either write that you went to the gym or had a walk. You can even keep track of every exercise you did, repetitions, and weight.

Choose whatever feels good, and you have the time and wish to write.

How you feel and your mood swings

Remember, there’s nothing more important than your mental health and feelings. If anything feels overwhelming, take a day off. If it continues, choose another method of doing it. 

I recommend you get a weight loss journal with space for journaling and prompts.

You might also recognize that your food intake affects your mood and energy.

Measurements

It’s up to you to decide how you’ll measure your progress.

The traditional ways are to track your weight and measurements.

Keep in mind - the scale is not the best tool to track your progress. Additionally to this, take pictures of your progress once every month. 

You can also track your energy levels, the way you feel in your body, or any other significant change you recognize. 

How to Keep It Simple and Not Get Overwhelmed?

While tracking so much stuff, you might get overwhelmed. Don’t get lost in all the details.

Focus on the metrics that matter to you.

Also, keep in mind the things that will improve your life overall, not just for 12 weeks. For example, drinking enough water will help you lose weight and live better generally. 

Also, always keep your goals in mind. They will determine what you should track.

If you’re a beginner, keep your journal as simple as possible.

Track only the essential metrics. If something becomes overwhelming, remember that you can always change it. 

While tracking so much stuff, you might feel overwhelmed. Focus only on the metrics that matter for your goals.

Also, think about how much time you have to spend writing in your journal. Block that time on your calendar and make sure you can do it every day. 

Think of your journal as your accountability buddy. You’re simply sharing how well you took care of yourself today.

Not every day will be perfect. And it doesn’t have to be.

Accept your journey as a learning curve towards your goal.

Analyze what went well and what you can improve. You learn more from the bad days than from the good ones.

Last but not least, don’t forget to be kind to yourself. If something doesn’t feel right, stop doing it.

If you physically can’t make it to the gym five times a week, that is okay. Skipping once or twice won’t ruin your progress. You will still see improvements.

The key to achieving your goal is to be consistent.

How to Be Consistent

Consistency is the secret to achieving any goal. And if you think that a weight loss journal will help you in your health journey, you have to be consistent with tracking.

Don’t count on motivation to help you write every day. It usually works for a few days or a week. 

Have a strong reason why you want this change.

Also, set daily reminders to fill out the information. I recommend you do it after your last meal for the day.

You can build the habit this way: After my last meal for the day, I will track my progress in my weight loss journal.

For more advice on building habits, take a look at the book Atomic Habits.

Can Journaling Really Help You with Weight Loss?

Having a journal and writing your goals and intentions keeps you accountable.

You already promised yourself. You set for a change.

It’s motivational to look a month behind and see the difference in your workout routine or how much faster you run. 

A weight loss journal is a promise to yourself and proof that you can set a goal, go for it, and achieve it. Imagine how proud you’ll feel.

Conclusion

If you have a fitness or wellness goal, figure out the metrics you’ll use. Choose a journal that supports your view and go for it. 

The most important thing is to be consistent. Don’t forget that the journal is just a way to keep yourself accountable.

Don’t let all the metrics overwhelm you.

Try to be minimalistic and focus on what matters to you and your goals.

If you feel stuck in your health journey, think it’s too hard for you to achieve, or need some support, take a look at my 1:1 nutrition coaching. My mission is to help you build sustainable habits that will finally help you live a healthier and happier life. 

I hope this article motivated you to keep going with your wellness journey with more confidence.

Also, let me know about your nutrition and wellness struggles in the comments below or fill out my survey. Once I know what bothers you, I will end it.

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