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14 Nutrition and Fitness Journals to Help You Slay Your Goals

Writing down your goals makes you 42% more likely to achieve them.

By Kathleen Willcox, Mara Santilli and Eunice Lucero-Lee
fitness journal, running hat and sunglasses with food tracker app on phone
Trevor Raab

You’ve got the best fitness gear, clothes, and equipment. You have a plan. You know where you’re headed. But do you need a little extra accountability and support to get there?

If you're committed to living a healthier lifestyle in 2023, set yourself up for success by keeping a record of your progress: It'll help you stay on track toward your fitness and nutrition goals, and know how far you’ve already come on your journey.

While it can be hard to stick with your workout routine, writing down your goals makes you 42% more likely to achieve them, a study conducted at the Dominican University of California found. It can also keep you motivated if you celebrate your wins and progress.

Bottom line, keeping a wellness journal can give you a sense of consistency and accountability — and keep you from skipping the strength-training class you already signed up for, or from ordering takeout when you have your grain-bowl meals already prepped for the week. Pair your journal with a wearable fitness tracker to help you reach your goals.

The Best Fitness Journals

  • 1
    Complete Fitness and Nutrition Journal

    Best Overall

    NewMe Fitness Complete Fitness and Nutrition Journal

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    Read more
  • 2
    Fitness Log Book and Workout Planner

    Best for Accountability

    Cossac Fitness Log Book and Workout Planner

    Read more
  • 3
    Personalized Training Diary

    Best for Lifting

    Workout Log Gym Personalized Training Diary

    Read more
  • 4
    Coiled A5 Daily Wellness Planner

    Most Holistic Planner

    Erin Condren Coiled A5 Daily Wellness Planner

    Read more
  • 5
    Gym Training Log

    Best Basic Journal

    Signature Planner Journals Gym Training Log

    Read more

What to Consider

Fitness journals come in as many forms and types as daily planners. In addition to considering basics like price, size (do you want to be able to slip it into your bag?), and aesthetics, keep the following in mind to ensure you a choice that will help you meet your goals.

  • Organizing Workouts: If you are most focused on achieving fitness goals, you’ll want to make sure your notebook tracks your workouts and activity levels.
  • Meal-Prep Plans: If you invested in making healthier food choices, you’re going to want to look for a journal that allows you to keep a food log and track your water intake. Some also include calorie and macro charts for common food items so you can plan healthier meals.
  • Track Progress and Assess Goals: Some journals provide space for you to set fitness goals with checklists and health trackers, and record your thoughts on your progress.

How We Selected

When setting out to improve your health and fitness, you need to think about your physical and your emotional state. We selected notebooks that prioritize taking care of your physical and mental health, using insight from our own long-term fitness journeys, pro recommendations from outlets like Health and Women’s Health, and by reading through thousands of user reviews on Amazon. Read on and get ready to instantly up your health game.

    Use one of these motivating fitness journals to track your workouts, meals, sleep, water intake, and more, in order to stay motivated throughout the year.

    1
    Best Overall

    NewMe Fitness Complete Fitness and Nutrition Journal

    On Sale
    Complete Fitness and Nutrition Journal
    1
    Best Overall

    NewMe Fitness Complete Fitness and Nutrition Journal

    Now 56% Off
    $11 at Amazon
    Pros
    • Includes space for daily progress, tracking, notes
    • Includes nutritional facts, muscle group targeting tips
    Cons
    • Space for 2 months of journaling only

    Track your nutrition, fitness, and even weight loss during your 2-month-plus fitness journey with this book.

    Research has shown that 12 weeks of intense exercise and wholesome nutritional choices is enough time to actually see improvements in your metabolism and potentially lower stress hormones, yet short enough that you won't lose motivation.

    With this fitness and nutrition journal, you can log your number of reps, your dietary patterns (follow along with the food guidelines for every macro), and the inches you've dropped off your waistline.

    Set goals, track your progress, and celebrate the victories with this journal! We love that it's super compact, and can easily be tossed into a gym bag.

    More: These Gifts Are Perfect for Any Fitness Junkie on Your List

    Key Specs

    Dimensions5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 in.
    Weight10 oz.
    Color Options1
    2
    Best for Accountability

    Cossac Fitness Log Book and Workout Planner

    On Sale
    Fitness Log Book and Workout Planner
    2
    Best for Accountability

    Cossac Fitness Log Book and Workout Planner

    Now 40% Off
    Pros
    • Includes food tracker log with calendar
    • Workout planner allows you to target muscle groups, track supplements, and assess mental well-being
    • Sturdy cover ensures durability
    Cons
    • Print is light and can be hard to read

    Runner's World recommends this straightforward, easy-to-use planner that allows for up to 140 days of fitness logging. It keeps track of types of exercise, sets, body measurements, dietary preferences, supplements taken, and so much more.

    It also has pages for goals, and you can set your own deadlines to achieve them, making this a handy tool for fitness accountability.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions8.6 x 6.4 x 0.8 in.
    Weight13.6 oz.
    Color Options5
    3
    Best for Lifting

    Workout Log Gym Personalized Training Diary

    On Sale
    Personalized Training Diary
    3
    Best for Lifting

    Workout Log Gym Personalized Training Diary

    Now 45% Off
    Pros
    • Made from recycled paper
    • Record 100 workouts with 11 exercises per session
    • Record body weight and measurements
    Cons
    • No room for nutritional goals

    This Workout Log Gym journal lets you set up to six fitness goals at the start. Then, track 100 workouts with up to 11 exercises per training session. Stay on top of every aspect of each sweat session with allocated spaces to record your tempo, rest intervals, and cardio efforts.

    There are also two pages in which you can record your body weight, body measurements, and personal bests, so you can look back and see how far you’ve come.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions8.3 x 5.9 x 0.7 in.
    Weight 6 oz.
    Color Options4
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    4
    Most Holistic Planner

    Erin Condren Coiled A5 Daily Wellness Planner

    Coiled A5 Daily Wellness Planner
    4
    Most Holistic Planner

    Erin Condren Coiled A5 Daily Wellness Planner

    Pros
    • Made in the USA
    • Includes folder, 4 sticker sheets, snap-in ruler
    • 12-month planner
    Cons
    • Not a huge amount of space allocated for each day

    Fitness isn’t just about what happens in the gym. This spiral-bound journal offers an uncomplicated way to log all your self-care efforts, from fitness and health goals to sleep, nutrition, and water intake, among others.

    With 160 pages filled with health goal spreads, checklists, health trackers, and more, you can easily track your daily habits, review your monthly progress to plan ahead, and add inspiration with colorful stickers.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions6.3 x 0.5 x 8.3 in.
    Weight 11 oz.
    Color Options1
    5
    Best Basic Journal

    Signature Planner Journals Gym Training Log

    Gym Training Log
    5
    Best Basic Journal

    Signature Planner Journals Gym Training Log

    Pros
    • Budget-friendly
    • Tracks your nutrition and fitness journey
    • Space for goals, notes on water intake, supplements
    Cons
    • Doesn’t provide fitness advice or data on nutrition

    We found a great basic workout journal that helps you get specific with your workout goals, whether you plan on working with a personal trainer or not.

    There are slots for logging your cardio, the number of reps you complete of your strength-training exercises, and even the amount of water you're drinking per day (which is one of the most important parts of staying fit and healthy).

    Key Specs

    Dimensions6 x 0.31 x 9 in.
    Weight7.7 oz.
    Color Options1
    6
    Best for Foodies

    Chronicle Books ‘Eat Pretty, Live Well: A Guided Journal for Nourishing Beauty, Inside and Out’ by Jolene Hart, CHC, AADP

    ‘Eat Pretty, Live Well: A Guided Journal for Nourishing Beauty, Inside and Out’ by Jolene Hart, CHC, AADP
    6
    Best for Foodies

    Chronicle Books ‘Eat Pretty, Live Well: A Guided Journal for Nourishing Beauty, Inside and Out’ by Jolene Hart, CHC, AADP

    Pros
    • Offers science-based guidance
    • Incorporates beauty and wellness tips
    • Includes recipes
    Cons
    • Only 40 pages to record your own information

    What you’re putting into your body is just as important as how you’re moving your body. Get on track to a healthier mindset and eating habits with this journal, which features goal-setting guidance, fill-in trackers, and diet checklists. It monitors up to 40 days of healthy living.

    It also includes thought-provoking Q&As and self-reflection questions. If you want to become the best version of yourself, this illustrated guide is a great place to start.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions6.3 x 0.5 x 8.3 in.
    Weight11.3 oz.
    Color Options1
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    7
    Best for Crossfitters

    ProFit Sport Journals WODBOOK Workout Journal

    Amazon’s Choice
    WODBOOK Workout Journal
    7
    Best for Crossfitters

    ProFit Sport Journals WODBOOK Workout Journal

    Pros
    • Features 200 WOD templates to track strength, conditioning, and skills
    • Room to record food intake, weight, mood, sleep, energy level
    Cons
    • Not the best fit for non-crossfitters

    First things first: WOD stands for “workout of the day” in Crossfit lingo. That said, this Crossfit journal is packed with pages and pages of workout inspo — it includes 30 Girl WODs, 22 Hero WODs, 21 Travel WODs, 10 Run WODs, 47 Benchmark WODs, and more.

    Track up to 200 personal WODs (that’ll last you 8 months) using templates that include warm-ups and goal setting, strength and skills worked, the workout breakdown, and subjective measurements, such as how much energy you had and how hard a particular session felt for you.

    A bonus is that the spiral binding and hard, sturdy cover are purposely durable enough to be toted around the gym with you.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions7.8 x 5.8 x 0.4 in.
    Weight 7 oz.
    Color Options1
    8
    Prettiest Planner

    Carrie Elle 21-Day Food and Exercise Tracker

    21-Day Food and Exercise Tracker
    8
    Prettiest Planner

    Carrie Elle 21-Day Food and Exercise Tracker

    Pros
    • Allows for digital downloads for meal planning pages and recipe cards (links in the book)
    • Tracks food and water intake
    Cons
    • Not great for people focused on fitness

    Why not keep track of your wellness goals in this fun, whimsical weekly planner? Each day has slots for your meals, snacks, and water intake, along with recipe cards to jot down your favorite meal-prepped dishes. You can track four rounds of 21 days or a full 80 days with this book.

    The best part is that it's small enough to keep right in your fitness tote bag or gym backpack.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions8.2 x 6.7 x 0.8 in.
    Weight 5 oz.
    Color Options4
    9
    Best for Runners

    Velopress ‘Believe Training Journal’ by Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan

    On Sale
    ‘Believe Training Journal’ by Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan
    9
    Best for Runners

    Velopress ‘Believe Training Journal’ by Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan

    Pros
    • Includes undated annual calendar, daily and weekly running logs, wellness and mental health tips
    • Shares practical advice for goal-setting and recovery strategies
    • Durable cover
    Cons
    • Not ideal for non-runners, those who want to focus on nutrition

    This book by pro runners Lauren Fleshman and Roisin McGettigan has all the secrets you need to kickstart your training, whether you're aiming for a 5K, an adventure race, or a marathon.

    Follow their tips to get on track for your next race, and record all your runs and recovery days (very important!) each week. All the while, Fleshman and McGettigan offer motivational quotes to keep you pounding the pavement.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions6 x 0.8 x 7.5 in.
    Weight1.04 lbs.
    Color Options1
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    10
    Best for Beginners

    Zeitgeist Training for a Healthy Life: A Daily Food and Fitness Journal

    Best Seller
    Training for a Healthy Life: A Daily Food and Fitness Journal
    10
    Best for Beginners

    Zeitgeist Training for a Healthy Life: A Daily Food and Fitness Journal

    Pros
    • Space for recording daily workouts, food logs, overall wellness
    • Goal-tracking and progress review through check-ins
    Cons
    • Some want more room to write

    This easy-to-use workout journal offers an uncomplicated way to log your efforts both in the gym and the kitchen.

    Each entry contains a template to enter your daily goals, meals, which exercises you do and for how long, how much you slept, and how much water you drank — plus, there are slots for noting your mood and which self-care measures you took that day. Weekly check-ins also help you track your overall progress.

    Key Specs

    Dimensions6 x 0.4 x 9 in.
    Weight8.8 oz.
    Color Options1
    11
    Best for Tracking Progress

    Nokingo Fitness Journal to Track Gym Progress

    Amazon’s Choice
    Fitness Journal to Track Gym Progress
    11
    Best for Tracking Progress

    Nokingo Fitness Journal to Track Gym Progress

    Pros
    • Value-priced
    • Includes great reference, calendar, goal-oriented content
    • Suitable for up to 6 months of tracking
    Cons
    • Not everyone loves the rigid format

    If you need accountability, and want a straightforward fitness journal to help you track your progress and goals, this is a great option to consider. This journal provides room for you to layout goals and a plan, track your progress, mark down workouts, and take notes.

    There is space to mark dates, and information on stretches, warm-ups, reps, sets, cardio, calories burned, and more. The smooth white paper makes for easy note-taking and the lay-flat style makes it easy to take notes on the fly.

    Reviewers love this “great, simple workout tracker,” saying it offers “everything they need.”

    Key Specs

    Dimensions8.5 x 6.5 x 0.67 in.
    Weight9.9 oz.
    Color Options4
    12
    Best Splurge

    The Omega Project Leather Fitness Tracker Notebook

    Amazon’s Choice
    Leather Fitness Tracker Notebook
    12
    Best Splurge

    The Omega Project Leather Fitness Tracker Notebook

    Pros
    • Designed to mimic Active Duty Special Operators’ logbook
    • Makes room for careful fitness and nutritional analysis
    Cons
    • Pricey

    This splurge is well worth the spend if you want a military-style journal to keep you on track. The Omega Project is a training journal that mimics the same system of tracking used by Active Duty Special Operators.

    On deployment, the journal is used to log a soldier’s daily and weekly health and fitness, and push it to the next level. The O.G. elite military journal was developed by coaches, physical therapists, and nutritionists.

    There is space to track your workouts, sleep, water intake, supplements, vitamins, nutrition, alcohol intake, and emotional state. Reviewers “absolutely love it,” calling the journal a “game changer.”

    Key Specs

    Dimensions5.3 x 0.6 x 8 in.
    Weight11.7 oz.
    Color Options1
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    13
    Most Fun

    Life & Apples Life & Apples Wellness Planner

    Life & Apples Wellness Planner
    13
    Most Fun

    Life & Apples Life & Apples Wellness Planner

    Pros
    • Includes recipes, weekly fitness guide
    • Great way to keep you organized and on track
    • Focuses on overall wellness and gratitude
    Cons
    • On the heavy side

    Tracking your health doesn’t have to be a chore. This wellness planner provides space for a daily journal, with tools for recording food consumption, meal-planning, fitness activities, moods, and goal progress.

    The undated planner covers 13 weeks, and includes a sheet of planner stickers, a pen holder, a closure band, and ribbon bookmarks, which help keep you organized, and make the process feel more fun. You also get a healthy-eating and meal-planning e-package and downloadable meal planner and recipe back with every purchase.

    Reviewers say the journal is a great way to “hold yourself accountable,” “great for someone with memory issues,” and a “very good buy” “with a spot for everything.”

    Key Specs

    Dimensions8.7 x 6.6 x 1.1 in.
    Weight1 lb.
    Color Options12
    14
    Best for Overall Wellness

    Clever Fox Weekly and Daily Wellness Log

    Weekly and Daily Wellness Log
    14
    Best for Overall Wellness

    Clever Fox Weekly and Daily Wellness Log

    Pros
    • Includes top goals page, weekly goal-setting, daily food logs
    • Premium quality materials
    • Focuses on emotional well-being
    Cons
    • May require too much meticulous attention for some

    This journal is ideal for anyone who takes their emotional well-being as seriously as their physical fitness. The Clever Fox is designed to help you kickstart your wellness journey, with room to track fitness, water intake, food intake, set goals, and assess mental well-being.

    The layout features a top goals page, monthly calendars, weekly sections for habit tracking, wellness logs, and a results page. There are stickers to help you track, a closure band, three bookmarks, a pocket for notes, and a penholder.

    Reviewers love the “quality,” “motivational fuel,” and “great organization.”

    Key Specs

    Dimensions5.8 x 8.3 in.
    Weight12 oz.
    Color Options14 oz.
    Headshot of Kathleen Willcox
    Kathleen Willcox
    Kathleen Willcox is a journalist who writes about parenting, technology, shopping, food and wine. Her work appears in a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics, Wine Enthusiast and SevenFifty Daily. She is based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where she lives with her husband and twins.
    Headshot of Mara Santilli
    Mara is a freelance writer and editor specializing in culture, politics, wellness, and the intersection between them, whose print and digital work has appeared in Marie Claire, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Airbnb Mag, Prevention, and more. She’s a Fordham University graduate who also has a degree in Italian Studies, so naturally she’s always daydreaming about focaccia.
    Headshot of Eunice Lucero-Lee
    Senior Editor

    Eunice Lucero-Lee is the Senior Editor for Best Products, and is a beauty, astrology, and pop culture obsessive whose work has been featured in publications such as Cosmopolitan, Esquire, The Numinous, and woman&home, among many others. A (very) proud cat mom, she spends her time in Manhattan obsessing over celebrity natal charts, luxury skincare, and Scandi-noir, as well as finding the perfect K-Pop vid to save the day. She can order drinks perfectly in Korean.

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