Tracking My Nutrition and Training

I can honestly say that choosing to track my nutrition and training has been one of the best decisions I've made for improving my fitness.

The idea of tracking always seemed like a chore; having to work out your daily calorie intake, weigh food and log it onto an app such as My Fitness Pal and having to plan every gym session, but it becomes a habit and it allows you to gain control over the food you consume and the exercise you do in order to achieve long-term goals. I couldn't imagine going back to mindlessly eating food and not knowing what I'm consuming. 

I use to walk into the gym with a vague idea about what I was going to do. Now I plan every gym session and it has allowed me to work towards increasing the weight of lifts or the number of reps depending on what I want to achieve. It's crazy how far I've come since the beginning of January. I'm constantly upping my weights every week/ fortnight and I've been surprised at how quickly my strength is improving. Tracking has done wonders for my motivation along with a fantastic support system at my university (you know who you are) and from family and friends. 

Yes it requires dedication, consistency and accountability on your part to effectively track your nutrition intake and training, but it will be worth it when you see improvements whether that be with your physical appearance, your strength, stamina, energy levels, mental health, your ability to do 10 full press ups without rest...the list goes on. 

My intention with this blog post was not to boast or show off in any way. I simply felt compelled to share my experience and knowledge because it might help someone else make a decision about their own training. 

Don't get me wrong, I've still got a lot of improvements to make and I wouldn't consider myself a pro with tracking- far from it! I don't prep my meals for a start...that'll be the next thing...

One step at a time! 

If you are considering tracking, I recommend that you educate yourself first, calculate your daily calorie intake and your macro percentages (protein, carbohydrates and fats) for your fitness/training goals and body type. 

Disclaimer: All views expressed are my own and based on my own experiences.