Today I’m going over the best workout planners.
Why?
Because of accountability.
Accountability is one of the hardest things to maintain when you’re creating an exercise habit. That’s one reason many people seek out a personal trainer; in addition to the expertise, they serve as a check-in to make sure you stick to your goals.
Do I think personal trainers are great? Of course! p.s. I’m biased because I am one.
But do I also think it’s possible to make a plan and stay accountable all on your own?
Absolutely.
You just need the proper tools!
Nowadays, everything’s about fitness apps. But just like good old-fashioned snail mail, I think there’s a lot of value to literally writing things down on a hard-copy piece of paper. It’s tangible. And a lot harder to ignore.
For that reason, I’m a big supporter of notebooks and journals. You can find them all over my apartment with different uses for each one. I write down my to-do lists, my long-term goals, my short-term goals, my ideas, quotes for inspiration, and – of course – my fitness goals and accomplishments.
So today I’m sharing with you the best workout planners I’ve come across. I obviously haven’t used all of them, but I scoured the web for those that have brilliant layouts and top reviews.
[Post last updated: 4/2/21]
Please note: Check with your physician before starting any exercise routine or starting any particular diet. See this Disclaimer for more details. This post may contain affiliate links. For details, please visit my Disclosure page. Thank you!
Best Workout Planners for Finally Accomplishing Your Goals
Erin Condren Daily Wellness Planner
If you haven’t heard of Erin Condren, you are missing out my friend. Known for gorgeous designs that merge organization with style, the brand has a planner for just about everything – including fitness!
This wellness planner is my current favorite on this list. It has spots for tracking daily workouts, logging food, and keeping track of self-care. At the top of each page is a spot to write your daily focus, which I think is the perfect way to stay centered while tracking allllll the things.
SimplyFit Fitness Planner
This fitness planner on Etsy is by EasyLivingToday (owned by Jessica Castaneda) and is phenomenal. As comprehensive as it gets, it allows you to track what you eat every day, the recipes you like, what workouts you do, and your specific goals. Written by someone who wanted a good fitness planner but couldn’t find one, Jessica herself used this daily planner to lose 50 lbs!
While this is one of the pricier fitness planners on this list because it comes completely assembled (no printables here), I had to include it because of it’s quality.
Track Your Fitness Planner
This planner is a #1 Best Seller on Amazon, and I could instantly see why. There’s a lot of room to put details about each of your workouts as well as a place to write out your exercise routines. While it’s certainly more exercise-focused, there is a place on each page to make some nutrition notes.
Another big bonus is that this workout planner gives you lots of exercises for targeting different body parts. So not only will you stay on top of your workouts, you’ll also have a helpful resource when it’s time to switch them up.
At 4.6 stars with over 6,500 reviews (as of the end of April 2021), others agree that this is one of the best workout planners out there.
Update 4/2/21: They now have a nutrition tracker as well. I’m obsessed with the pages in the back that list calories and macros for common foods. Together, these two make a very comprehensive fitness planner.
LittleChiquiPaperie Health and Fitness Planner Printable
This planner is a printable (meaning you download and print it out yourself). It has great reviews because this printable is beautifully organized. With trackers for your daily, weekly, and monthly fitness, all the accountability you need are in these pages.
IndigoPrintables Workout and Fitness Planner Printable
This printable bundle has 3 pages: a 31 day workout planner, a 12 week stats tracker, and a 12 week workout tracker. I love it because it’s long-term but still lets you track the important daily details.
While this printable is just for exercise tracking, IndigoPrintables has tons more on Etsy that can track nutrition as well.
How to Use a Workout Planner
Workout planners, if they’re good, all have the same basic elements:
- A place to write your workout every day
- A place for various notes – how you were feeling, what you ate, how you slept, etc.
Think about the things that are important for YOU to track. You absolutely don’t have to keep track of everything in your planner. For example, if tracking weight isn’t important to you, just put a line through the spot for weight updates. If you’re beginning with just cardio (no weight training), cross out the part for strength exercises.
The planner is yours to customize! Make it work for you!
Begin with Goals
No matter the fitness planner you choose, I always recommend writing down your goals. And having a clear “why” is the key to success.
For example, this year my “why” is that I want to feel physically strong. So my goal is to do strength training 4x per week.
Have you heard about SMART goals? These are simply goals that are written out with a clear aim. SMART is an acronym for goals that are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
So rather than say I want to lift weights more, I say I want to lift weights 4x per week – and even more specifically, completing 3 sets of 10 reps of at least 4 exercises.
There you go. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
I’d also recommend making some long-term goals with short-term goals of how you’re going to achieve them.
Say I want to use 20 lbs for my bicep curls by the end of the year. My short-term goal may be to perform bicep curls 3x per week, increasing the weight by 1 lb every 2 weeks. I made that up on the fly, but you get the gist.
Is weight loss one of your goals? Get started with my free resource:
Write a Workout Plan at the Beginning of Every Week
This is a good way for you to think ahead and schedule your workouts around other things. Just like you would attend other meetings and appointments, always attend your workouts!
Need workout ideas? Try this beginner 25 minute full-body home workout or this more advanced 30 minute HIIT home workout (neither require equipment!).
Log What You Did Every Single Day
Don’t let a day go by without writing down what you did. If you missed your workout that day, jot down why so you can learn from it and schedule better in the future.
Do a Weekly Check-In
When you write out your schedule for the next week, reflect on the past week: what went well, what could’ve been improved, etc.
It’s time to make note of whether you hit your goals. If you did – good for you! If not – what can you change next week to achieve them?
Weekly check-ins are a MUST for accountability.
Take a moment to look through all the workout planners and notebooks above, and pick the one that’s best for you. While you can always adapt it to your needs, it’s best to find one that aligns with your goals.
If you try one out, let me know how you like it!
Do you have any fitness goals you’re currently working towards? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Hi Cedar, I am so with you on writing in a notebook! Most of the times I try using a fitness app but then I end up reverting back to pen and paper. Thank you for these lovely planner recommendations!
Yes! I learned that about myself back in college, when I preferred taking written notes over typing them. I’m so glad you like them!