Why to keep track of your fitness

Keeping track of your fitness is an important way to remain healthy. When you keep track off your food intake and fitness you can see the progress you are making to obtain your fitness goals. This infograph goes into detail about the importance of keeping track and doing so in a quick and simple way.

For the past year I have been using different online and mobile tools to keep track of my food and workouts of that day. This allows me to see if I am eating enough of things like protein and fiber and not too much of things like sugar and fat. Some good sites and apps that help you keep track of your fitness Gand food goalaltered MyFitnessPal, LoseIt, Livestrong, and ACEfitness. I have found that when I use these sites/ apps I get a better workout in because I know how much cardio and strength training I have done, to still need to Do.

According to BodyBuilder.com, keeping track of your daily fitness is important when trying to loose weight, gain muscle and to get stronger. When you keep a log of what fitness exercises, sets, reps and weights you do you are able to change up your workout routine until it is exactly what you want. It is also important to change up your routine every so often so your body does not get too comfortable and stuck in the same boring repetitive routine.

Investment vs. Equiptment

Before you enter into a workout plan, there are a few things that you should invest in.

SHOES

The first and most important investment is a good and stable pair of shoes.

Each brand of sneakers and style number is based on what type of sneaker you are looking for and how they feel on your feet.

TYPES:

• ASICS
• New Balance
• Saucony
• Nike
• Brooks
• Under Armor
• Nike
• Adidas
• Mizuno

These are only a few of the many brands of shoes. My preferred choice in footwear are my Asics 2000 series. I have been wearing ASICS when working out since I was in Middle School. The comfort and support I get when wearing my ASICS, but that doesn’t mean I dis-like the other brands.

The very first time I bought running sneakers I was unsure what type to get so I went to the closest Road Runner Sports store. They put me through a number of tests to determine what type of sneaker I would need to support my foot the best. Just because I went to Road Runner Sports doesn’t mean you have to; any store that sells sneakers will do.

* Make sure to lightly jog around the store when trying on sneakers so you can accurately determine which shoe fits and feels best. *

WRISTWATCH

Once you have the right pair of shoes, the next thing you should invest in is a wrist watch with a start/stop feature. Having a stopwatch isn’t required to get a great workout, but it makes a timed workout easier to keep track of than constantly looking at the clock on your wall.

When working out it is more important to focus on your breathing than to focus on counting. This is where the stopwatch comes in handy. A basic wristwatch stopwatch is all you really need when working out from home so there is no need to spend more than $80. I have noticed that most of my teammates throughout high school had a Timex or a Garmin. You can find numerous Timex or Garmin watches for under $80, but I suggest going to the closest Target and getting one of the sports watches there. Target has multiple brands and colors of sports watches, many of which are under $20.

WEIGHTS AND RESISTANCE BANDS

Having a pair of 3, 5 and/or 8 pound weights will come in handy for most arm workouts. Strength training is an important part of remaining fit and active. Most of my arm workouts require a set of weights to complete. This will increase the intensity of the workout. Resistance bands are also good to have when work

ing out.Adding a resistance band to your ankles or thighs will increase the intensity in your leg workouts. Just like I said with the wristwatch stopwatch,  resistance bands are not required for my workouts but they are a smart thing to consider looking into getting. Weights however are something you should go out and get. Without a set of weights it will be extremely hard to finish any of my arm workouts.

So, do you have the proper shoes, a watch or weights? If the answer is no, go out and get some before my next post. It will be worth it, I promise.