Journal your goals and set daily plans. It may be helpful to establish goals you hope to accomplish in a short period of time and those that might require a longer commitment. Long-term goals may be an extension of a shorter-term goal. In six months, you might want to feel that exercise is a more vibrant part of your life. Whatever your goals, write them down, keep a log. An exercise journal is provided at the end of this pamphlet.These goals are yours; they must be individualized to what you hope to accomplish, not what others wish for you or for themselves.

Daily plans are different from your goals, as they may change, based on how you feel at the moment. Write your daily plan in pencil with an eraser. Don’t feel depressed if you can’t complete your goals. If you feel ill the day you plan to exercise, modify your plan for the day. Still exercise, but on a lesser level. If your daily plans are obtainable, the possibility of reaching monthly goals is more realistic.

When you finish exercising, write down your accomplishments in the Daily Exercise Plan located at the end of this pamphlet. Five weeks of logs are included at the end of this pamphlet. Photocopy additional copies as you continue to exercise. A completed sample is shown on page 26. Note the easiest part of the workout for comparison. Was it easier at the beginning or at the end? How does today compare with previous days? If it is harder today, think about why. Was your diet a contributor? Did you recently have a cancer treatment? Did something happen to make you sad? Log these comments in the comment section of the journal. What did you enjoy most? Did you exercise with a friend, was the weather especially nice, or did you just generally feel well. You might also want to journal your thoughts and observations.

next: Risk and Exercise Can Hurt
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