After all the seasonal festivities and a few too many holiday cookies, it’s that time of year again where you swear to yourself that you’re going to crush your health goals. This year — 2026! — is going to be the year that you commit to a yoga routine, train to run a marathon or stop eating so much fast food. In fact, according to market research, goals related to eating a healthier diet, exercising more and losing weight are some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. In a survey of 539 people aged 18-40, 48% said “exercising more” was their top resolution for 2026.
Quick Overview
While we all know that sticking to resolutions like attaining long-term weight loss or maintaining a workout routine isn’t always easy, we’re here to help you stay dedicated with a helpful tool: printed fitness planners. That’s right, we’re going analog for this! While there are plenty of workout tracker apps and other fitness apps available, there’s no denying that it’s easy to get sidetracked on your phone as you get sucked into a scrolling rabbit hole. “A physical journal offers fewer distractions. Without notifications, pop-ups, or the temptation to multi-task, you’re more likely to be present with what you’re writing — whether it’s intentions, reflections or goals. That kind of mindful, distraction-free space can be rare these days,” says Gina Cleo, habit researcher and an assistant professor at Bond University. Furthermore, research suggests that progress monitoring, such as writing down your goals and tracking your actions, is linked to meaningful behavioral changes. Planners can also be inspiring, motivating and fun to use.
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast setting ambitious exercise goals or you’re just starting your health journey and want to take small steps one day at a time, there’s a workout journal for you. The best fitness planner is the one that motivates you to use it consistently, helping you track your top priorities.
Keep in mind, when it comes to workouts if you are a true beginner with no prior experience doing specific activities, it’s a good idea to consult with a fitness professional to get a personalized workout plan and to learn proper form to help avoid injury. It’s also recommended to consult with your doctor when making major changes to your exercise routine or diet, especially if you have a medical condition or are pregnant.
Here, I’ve conducted a thorough review of 20 different journals to determine which ones are best suited for various types of goals, ranging from the novice exerciser to the seasoned athlete. Based on testing and hands-on review, these 15 are the best options for 2026.
Best overall fitness planner
Kunitsa Co.
Size: 8.5″ x 6″ | Pages: 136 | Colors: 2 | Special features: 120 days of tracking, body measurement tracker, personal records tracker, monthly planner, spiral bound
Simple, straightforward and easy to use is often what works best. Kunitsa Co.’s Fit & Well journal does just that.
This planner offers enough guidance to hold you accountable without overwhelming you with too many details. It’s light and compact, making it a good option for on-the-go. It also has a clean, attractive look.
You’ll start your journaling adventure on page two where you’re prompted to set a long-term goal and three short-term goals that will help you meet your long-term goal. This feels doable because it doesn’t go overboard by asking you to track too many goals at once. I like that it also begins with a fun little motivation assignment — asking you to write down how you’re going to celebrate when you reach your goals. It also asks you to visualize how reaching your goals will make you feel.
After setting your goals, there’s a page for acknowledging potential obstacles, with space to plan for their solutions, another page for tracking your measurements and another for listing your personal bests (your best mile time, the most weight you lifted while squatting or a new distance achievement). Since this is a four-month journal, it includes four undated monthly calendars with a 15-item checklist for each month. Each monthly calendar takes up two pages which is great because there’s a reasonable amount of space to jot down key monthly information.
Finally, we get into the bulk of the journal. Each day you choose a focus and have open-ended space to make notes about your workout, how it went, meals, weight, sleep, how you’re feeling, your energy level and how much water you drank. The back of the journal offers a cheat sheet with examples filled out for each type of page. Seeing how someone else might fill out this journal can offer a little inspiration on how to get started if you need it.
- Compact size is good for on-the-go
- Clean and simple design
- Offers structure without being overwhelming
- 30-day risk-free guarantee
- Can lie flat (spiral bound)
- Provides examples to get you started
- Limited color choices
- No bookmarks or extras (like stickers) included
$20 at Amazon
More fitness planners we like for 2025
Clever Fox
Size: 8.3″ x 5″ | Pages: 120 | Colors: 15 | Special features: Vegan leather cover, no-bleed pages, three months of detailed food and exercise tracking, three sheets of stickers, elastic band, pen loop, three ribbon bookmarks, back pocket
Are you familiar with the concept of SMART goals? The philosophy centers around the idea that you can be more successful in achieving your goals if you make them with five key characteristics in mind; they should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. The Clever Fox Fitness & Food Journal 2nd Edition helps you set specific goals and take measurable actions to achieve them in an organized way. Setting a timeline and determining how realistic the goals are is up to you.
Before I get into the content of the journal, I think it’s worth acknowledging that the look and feel of a journal may also influence how a planner inspires you. This planner comes in 15 color choices and features a faux-leather hardback cover. While it’s a relatively travel-friendly size, it’s thicker and a little heavier then some of the other journals on this list. It’s well-made with bonuses that include three pages of inspirational stickers, bookmark ribbons and a pen loop.
This Clever Fox journal starts with a page for examining your current starting point. On this page you can record your beginning (and ending) measurements and attach a before (and after) photo. On the following page, you’ll set up to five goals, noting your deadlines to achieve them and your rewards if you do. The journal then provides you with four monthly calendars, each taking up two pages. The calendars are each followed by two pages to review your monthly progress including a dedicated spot for a photo, measurements, and space to write things like your biggest wins and how you’ll improve next month.
The rest of the journal dials in the specificity and provides you with detailed pages for recording your daily actions. Each day is divided into two sections: one page for your exercises and one for your diet. You can track up to six sets of 10 strength training exercises daily, including your reps and the weight you used for each exercise. Cardio tracking includes sections for time, distance and calories burned. When it comes to diet, the planner offers dedicated spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks while tracking your serving size, calories, protein, fat and carbs for each item. The diet page also has spaces to record your weight, mood, energy, activity and water intake for the day.
This is an ideal journal for setting and achieving specific, actionable fitness and diet goals. If you love getting deep into the details, this journal is for you.
- Highly detailed and structured
- Compact size is good for on-the-go
- Comes with three pages of stickers and a pocket to store items in
- Lots of color choices
- Three bookmarks and a pen holder
- Doesn’t lay flat (book-binding style)
- High level of detail may be overwhelming to beginners
$25 at Amazon
NewMe Fitness
Size: 8.5″ x 5.5″ | Pages: 148 | Colors: 1 | Special features: Calorie and macro tracker for common foods, exercise ideas for specific muscle groups, free online supplemental tools (body-fat calculator and additional food and exercise charts), over two months of detailed food and exercise tracking, wire-bound spiral
Just because your budget is tight, doesn’t mean you have to skip this investment in your health. The NewMeFitness Track Your Fitness and Nutrition Journal is typically on sale for less than $10 on Amazon (and is still a reasonable $14 when listed at full price). Think of it as the same price as skipping a latte or two at your favorite coffee spot. And compared to most of the journals on this list which cost between $20 and $40, this is an excellent, budget choice to help get you started as you decide whether or not journaling is right for you.
So what exactly do you get with this budget-friendly fitness journal? Even though it’s the least expensive one on this list, it’s impressively thorough. While it doesn’t feature some of the bells and whistles that the other planners have (like motivational quotes or stickers), and it isn’t as visually aesthetic, the content of the journal is substantial and quite similar to the Clever Fox Fitness and Food Journal.
You can track up to eight goals and chart your progress for things like weight and body measurements. There’s space to add before and after photos. Like the Clever Fox Journal, the bulk of the journal is dedicated to tracking your daily meals and exercises with space to note how you’re feeling, your energy level, weight, hours of sleep and water intake.
The planner is set up to really break things down and track every detail of your daily workout and diet. For instance, you can record breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks by serving size, protein, fat, carbs and calories. You can track up to six sets of movements for up to 14 weight-training exercises each day, including reps performed and weight lifted. The cardio section includes six categories to record for each exercise. In fact, it may feel overwhelming to some people because there are so many details you can track. Keep in mind that you can fill out as much or as little as you want.
If you are extremely detail-oriented and need a lot of structure, this could be the right journal for you. If you’re easily overwhelmed, read on for our next recommendation.
- Highly detailed and structured
- Budget-friendly
- Compact size is good for on-the-go
- Can lie flat (Spiral bound)
- Highly rated on Amazon with almost 12K reviews
- Only one design choice (functional, not aesthetic)
- High level of detail may be overwhelming to beginners
$10 at Amazon
ceiba tree
Size: 6.1″ x 8.5″ | Pages: 132 | Colors: 2 designs | Special Features: hardcover, nutritional reference charts, grocery list recommendations, illustrated exercises
Cute on the outside, functional on the inside, Ceiba Tree’s Food and Fitness Journal is a budget-friendly option that provides more than just tracking. It also offers some basic health and fitness guidance that would be helpful for someone who is new to journaling their health habits or perhaps a college student living on their own for the first time.
Towards the beginning of the journal, you’ll find useful reference resources for foods and exercises. This includes calories and macro charts for common foods. There’s even a helpful grocery list that offers ideas for what to buy for different food and home categories, including canned goods, condiments, home necessities and toiletries. A thoughtfully designed illustrated exercise section shows users how to do basic fitness activities like common yoga positions, band exercises and simple exercises to target different parts of the body such as abs and legs.
The journal begins with a page to write down your starting measurements, goal measurements and end result. There’s also a spot to attach a before and after photo of yourself on the first page. The second page is dedicated to writing down up to five goals.
After the reference chart pages, you’ll get into your tracking, starting with an overall progress tracking page. This page provides sections for tracking 10 weeks of weight, body fat, waist size changes and three items of your choosing. This is followed by three (two page layout) monthly calendar overviews.
The rest of the journal provides side-by-side pages for tracking fitness and food. The fitness page tracks weight, start/finish time, muscle group focus and six sets of reps for up to 15 exercises. There’s dedicated space to track up to three cardio exercises a day and notes. Meanwhile, the food page allocates the majority of its space to tracking your daily meals and nutritional measurements for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. There’s a small checklist at the top of this page to acknowledge focuses like “lots of veggies,” “alcohol free,” “organic” and “no processed food.” The page also tracks weight, sleep and water intake with three lines of space reserved for notes at the very bottom of the sheet. All-in-all, the journal is well formatted, practical and easy to use.
- Can lie flat (Spiral bound)
- Budget-friendly
- Features illustrated exercise ideas
- Nutritional reference charts and grocery list ideas
- Includes monthly calendar overviews
- Cutesy design aesthetic isn’t for everyone
- No bookmarks or stickers included
$8 at Amazon
Cossac
Size: 6 1/8″ x 8..25″ | Pages: 150 | Colors: 4 | Special Features: Spiral binding
Get Fit Done allows you to record your exercise routine while clearly seeing how your weekly progress stacks up. It’s a straightforward undated fitness log with 140 days of exercise tracking. This isn’t about motivational quotes and journaling about your feelings; it’s strictly about doing the work and recording it. It’s a tool that allows you to assess your changes and what works without distraction.
You’ll start tracking your journey with a checklist of up to ten goals, including how you plan to achieve them and your deadlines. After setting your goals, the journal provides two side-by-side pages that you can refer back to as needed to list your chosen exercises and chart your progress over the course of 20 weeks. You’ll monitor weight, body fat percentage, and five more items of your choosing. While the difference small changes make may not be obvious when logging them one page at a time, seeing them lined up next to each other in a weekly progress table allows you to zoom out to assess your work.
The rest of the journal is dedicated to writing down your daily exercises and nutritional intake. Each daily page allows you to log up to 10 exercises. There’s dedicated space to record strength training sets and cardio. The bottom of the page is set aside to monitor nutritional intake including protein, fat, carbohydrates, supplements and water. At the end of each daily page you can rate your workout and note your body fat percentage and weight.
The journal ends with one page reserved for six small monthly calendar overviews and another page to chart your monthly body measurements and personal records. There’s a final page for notes. The simple format makes this journal a nice option for someone who wants an easy way to track their fitness goals.
“Fit Log is a great notebook option that includes more than just space for exercises, sets and reps. A person can also use this workout log by treating each ‘set’ column as a day, so each page will last six workouts instead of just one,” says Joe Meier, personal trainer at Life Time Eden Prairie.
- Four color choices
- Spiral binding allows it to lay flat
- Tracking tables and monthly overviews
- Budget-friendly
- No guided prompts for reflection
- No folders, built-in bookmarks or stickers
$10 at Amazon
Papier
Size: 8.5″ x 6″ | Pages: 192 | Colors: 60 designs/colors| Special features: Made from ethically sourced paper, space for six journeys, packing guide, travel games, list of countries with an illustrated map, hardback cover, ribbon bookmark
When it comes down to it, most of the journals on this list are pretty travel-friendly. But if you want to track your traveling and fitness adventures in one convenient place, the Papier Travel Journal is our pick for you. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of skiing in the Swiss Alps, taking a surf lesson in Maui, hiking to Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, biking through Bavaria or learning to tango in Buenos Aires. Or perhaps you just need to find a time slot to visit your hotel fitness center and schedule it into your day. This journal is the place to plan and record your journey.
Papier is famous for its beautiful and inspiring paper products. Their journals are whimsical and dreamy without being cheesy. The designs are modern, creative and tasteful. This travel journal comes in 60 styles, so there’s really something for everyone. Papier’s prices are a little higher than the others on this list, but you’re getting a high quality product with a firm hardback cover and ethically sourced paper. You can also personalize the journals at no extra cost, a thoughtful touch if you’re giving it as a gift.
The Papier Travel Journal is specifically designed to help you organize and recall all of your wanderings with sections for trip ideas and six specific journeys. Each journey has space for planning your accommodations, transport, budget, packing details and a wishlist. The journeys also include itineraries with slots for your activities and their locations. The itinerary section is the place to schedule your workout into your day, whether you’re doing your usual routine or taking advantage of unique local opportunities. Dedicated space for journaling includes prompts to share things like your favorite experience, funniest moment, your current view and more.
- Available in a wide variety of inspiring designs
- Good, on-the-go size
- Bookmark ribbon
- Geared for travel planning
- Doesn’t lay flat (book-binding style)
- Higher price point
- No guided fitness or diet sections
$34 at Papier
Kunitsa Co.
Size: 8.5″ x 6″ | Pages: 136 | Colors: 2 | Special features: 90 days of food journaling, progress tracker, daily weight tracker, go-to recipe cards, vegan leather cover, cheat sheet with examples for each type of page
The Kunitsa Food and Wellness Journal is a great option to get you started with meal planning because it can help you get organized without requiring excessive details. It’s simple, functional and a travel-friendly size. The planner provides space for you to develop 12 weeks of meal plans. “If you are writing down what you are eating, planning on eating and [your] exercise plan for the day or week, you automatically become more aware of your behavior,” says Roxana Ehsani, a board-certified sports dietitian.
Each week the Kunitsa Food & Wellness Planner starts with two side-by-side pages dedicated to planning ahead. One page has space to jot down three key habits for the week and your plans from Monday through Sunday. The other page has open-ended space for notes and prompts to write down what you’re grateful for, what you’ll let go of and what you’ll focus on for the week.
The next seven pages are dedicated to one day of the week. Each of these daily pages is organized with a chart to record your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks with sections to note your intake of calories, protein, fat and carbs. You can tally your total and targets. But if monitoring specific calories or macronutrients seems overwhelming, Ehsani suggests tracking the components of your meals, for instance, if your meals include a carb, protein, healthy fat and a color — either a fruit or veggie. “These components together build a well-balanced healthy plate,” she says.
There are also designated spots to note your focus for the day, water intake, weight, sleep and how you’re feeling. The journal doesn’t neglect that movement is an important part of your health journey. While fitness is not the focus of this journal, there’s a small section for writing down your workout and activity for each day. Every week ends with a page that includes an illustration and healthy eating tips or words of encouragement. The journal concludes with pages to reflect on your progress and a section to save your favorite recipes.
- Travel-friendly size
- Clean and simple design
- Offers structure without being overwhelming
- 30-day risk-free guarantee
- Can lie flat (spiral bound)
- Provides eamples to get you started
- Limited color choices
- No bookmarks included
$23 at Kunitsa Co.
Papier
Size: 8.5″ x 6″ | Pages: 192 | Colors: Over 120 designs/colors | Special features: 12 weeks of daily overview pages, life-balance wheel, 6 pillars of wellness ecosystem guide, articles written by wellness experts, free personalization, ribbon bookmark
With over 120 thoughtful designs to select from, the Papier Wellness Journal offers everything you need to feel aesthetically inspired while staying on track with your goals. Many of the designs are available in multiple colors, allowing you to find the journal that really speaks to you. You can even customize this journal further with free personalization — a monogrammed cover is a nice touch if you’re giving this as a gift.
The Papier Wellness Journal offers 12 weeks of mindful goal planning and reflecting. The journal begins with a guide to the six wellness pillars (energy, mind, movement, nourishment, connection and rest). There’s a 360-degree wellness wheel that helps you to reflect on each pillar of your wellness. Next, there are flow charts for day and night, allowing you to check in with yourself about the times of day that are strongest for each pillar.
Most of the journal is dedicated to daily check-ins (two pages for the first six days of the week and one for the seventh day). In the morning you log your daily intentions, energy, sleep, movement and how you are feeling. In the evening you log your nourishment, connection and daily gratitude. There’s also a section for evening journaling. At the end of each week you have a space to reflect on your thoughts and feelings, the six pillars, what could be improved upon and what you’re looking forward to. Monthly check-ins prompt you to review your monthly highlights, what went well, what didn’t go according to plan, where you stand with your pillars and your ongoing intentions. Each month, the journal also includes an article written by a wellness expert. The journal concludes with a space for reflection and a new wellness wheel to record your end-of-journal update for each of the six pillars.
- Available in a wide range of inspiring designs and colors
- Free personalization
- Ribbon bookmark
- Ethically sourced paper
- Doesn’t lay flat (bookbinding style)
- Higher price point (Most retail between $31.50 – $40)
$32 at Papier
Habit Nest
Size: 5.8″ x 8.3″ (A5) Pages: 160 Colors: 1 | Special Features: Bookmark, QR code for videos, corresponding app, bookmark ribbon and pen loop
Using Habit Nest’s Weightlifting fitness planner is like having a personal trainer in journal form. This fitness planner offers step-by-step guidance along with encouraging motivation to keep you on track and make your journey to getting stronger approachable. It even offers QR codes for corresponding weight lifting video demonstrations if you need them. Whether you’re a beginner who wants help building a weightlifting circuit or have more experience and need a way to stay accountable, this journal will hold your hand as you build sustainable habits.
If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of creating a weightlifting routine on your own, you can breathe a sigh of relief. This planner breaks down exactly what you need to do in small steps. In fact, Habit Nest’s mission statement is, “Small Steps, Big Changes. Finally become the person you want to be,” and the journal begins with two pages dedicated to bringing you this message in big bold letters. Cue “Eye of The Tiger” playing in your head as you flip ahead to the next few pages which give you a journal pep talk on how to focus on small steps and ways to make consistency easy so that you can get the most out of this workout planning tool. You are guided to reflect on your goals, your why and a plan for how you will fit your commitment to fitness into your life.
Here’s where things get exciting: The bulk of the journal walks you through 65 weightlifting routines. Each routine features two muscle groups with four illustrated exercises per muscle group. For instance, Workout 1 focuses on Back and Triceps with moves like an assisted pull-up, lat pulldown, dip and overhead dumbbell extension. There is space to keep track of four sets per exercise, with recommendations on your goal reps per set and spots to track the weight and your actual reps. Sometimes an illustration can only go so far in demonstrating how to properly achieve the right form, and one cool aspect of this journal is that there are QR codes that take you to videos that show you exactly how to do the exercises. There’s also an illustrated exercise index at the back of the book that gives you step-by-step instructions for each activity if you want to keep things completely analog.
Throughout the journal there are prompts that offer opportunities to reflect on your progress and celebrate your wins. There are also pages scattered throughout the journal dedicated to tips and education.
Access to specific equipment is crucial for getting the most out of this journal, so most likely you will need a gym membership. Equipment needed is listed in the journal, and the index does offer potential alternatives.
- QR codes with video how-tos
- Illustrations with step-by-step exercise instructions for 65 workouts
- Corresponding app
- Bookmark ribbon and pen loop
- Higher price point
- Requires access to gym equipment
- Only one design
$40 at Amazon
Life & Apples
Size: 5.5″ x 8.2″ (A5) Pages: 256 Colors: 8 | Special Features: Bookmark, stickers, bookmark ribbon and pen loop, closing loop, 2 stand alone pull-outs (Habit and goal tracker and fitness and measurement tracker), free complementary e-books and printables
Life & Apples Wellness Journal is a well-rounded tracker that helps you find balance between different wellness goals, including diet, fitness and self-care. It offers several fun wellness bonuses, including an old-school bookmark for you to customize with your “Joy List” and sticker sheets featuring motivating reminders like “Get Outside” and “Me Time.” There are also two pull-out, standalone card sheets: one for habit tracking and one for fitness tracking.
The first section of the planner is completely dedicated to mindset, with helpful tips for setting goals and staying motivated. At the end of the mindset section, you’re guided to sign a page where you make a promise to yourself to commit to your goals. The next two pages are where you’ll write down up to five overall goals and up to three action steps you’ll take to achieve them.
The planner provides three undated monthly calendars (with 2 pages for each month). There’s a dedicated space to record goals, affirmations, must-dos and successes/wins, alongside your entire month. This is great if you want to see an overall view of the whole month in one place, something that not all journals provide.
You’ll then get into your daily planner. Each day spans over two pages, starting off with space for reflecting on what you’re grateful for and positive thoughts. The first page also provides space to track fitness and maintain a to-do list. You’ll check in with yourself and mark off whether you’re incorporating enough general wellness into your day, including getting outside, drinking water, consuming nutrients, engaging in joy/fun, and getting enough sleep. On the second page, keep track of your meal plan with boxes to record breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Finally, there’s space for reflection on your day and areas for improvement. Each day concludes with a motivational quote.
The daily sections are followed by a two-page weekly review. You’ll use the weekly section to celebrate your wins, while also recording areas for improvement and lessons learned. There’s space for weekly habit tracking, parameter tracking (such as measurements) and notes. The journal concludes with a one-page review of your overall progress.
- Bookmarks (paper and ribbon)
- Motivational stickers
- Comes with two pull-out trackers
- Elastic loop
- Eight color choices
$25 at Amazon
Erin Condren
Size: 5.7″ x 8.25″ | Pages: 80 | Colors: 3 | Special Features: Comes with a sticker sheet and built-in pocket, compatible with folio planning system
If you want a simple way to track your wellness goals but don’t want to carry a heavy, bulky journal with you, the Erin Condren Wellness Log is a nice option. It features a lightweight, slim profile that still packs in six months of wellness tracking. There’s space to monitor most of the important things other wellness planners include, but without extra fluff.
You’ll begin by recording your starting body measurements, weight and clothing sizes. You’ll also write down overall wellness goals. After that, get straight into your two-page weekly logs. On the first page, jot down your daily activities and habits, including water intake, steps taken and hours slept. The second page is devoted to meal tracking, including snacks.
At the end of each month, you’ll review your overall progress, noting your measurements, accomplishments and what you plan to do next. There are four blank lined pages at the end of the journal for notes. The back cover features a built-in folder with a sheet of motivational stickers tucked inside.
The journal can be paired with Erin Condren’s Zip Folio, a high-quality organizing folder that is ideal for carrying notebooks, journals, and other on-the-go planning tools.
- Lightweight and compact
- 6 months of tracking
- Comes with motivational stickers and built-in pocket
- Compatible with Erin Condren Folio Planning System
$8 at Amazon
Majosta
Size: 6″ x 9″ | Pages: 293 | Colors: 1 | Special Features: Available in hard and soft covers
In 2025, pickleball was named the fastest-growing sport in the country for the fourth consecutive year, according to research from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). If 2026 is the year you plan to pick up the sport or get serious, Pickleball with Purpose: A Guided Journal to Elevate Your Game is the planner for you. This journal would also make a great gift for your favorite pickleball player.
Pickleball with Purpose is more than just a pickleball planner; it’s a feel-good motivational wellness journal that provides space to manifest goals and make positive affirmations. It’s a place to reflect on strengths and challenges with prompts and guidance. It’s designed to inspire you to show up as your best self both on and off the court without the pressure to be perfect.
Each week, you’re guided to make affirmations and say them out loud, as you set your weekly pickleball goals. The journal’s weekly overview section guides you to focus on a specific skill you want to sharpen, a strategic element you want to practice and an emotional habit or mindset you want to improve. You’re also prompted to reflect on general wellness for the week including sleep, hydration and energy levels.
After the weekly goal setting, there’s space to track each day. You’ll write down your focus for your daily session, what went well and your challenges. But the daily tracking isn’t just about pickleball. You’ll also record aspects of your overall wellbeing including nutrition, stress, energy and joy. You’ll write down and repeat daily affirmations and manifestations. (There are examples if you need them.)
“Journaling can help integrate psychological well-being with physical health. Tracking not only what you eat or do, but how you feel — mood, energy, stress — can help identify emotional or behavioral triggers and support balanced, sustainable habit change rather than short-term fixes,” says Cleo.
Each week ends with a page dedicated to reviewing the week. You’ll answer questions about whether you met your goals, what your biggest wins were, what you learned and what things you want to change. A monthly progress check-in page helps you set goals for various categories of the game, as well as mental goals.
The journal doesn’t conclude with a final page outlining overall progress or next steps, which feels somewhat abrupt, considering its reflective nature. If you like closure, you might want to use your last monthly check-in page for it.
- Weekly, daily and monthly sections
- Tracks pickleball and overall wellness goals
- Includes visualization and affirmation exercises
- No monthly overview calendar
- No summary page to reflect on progress for the journal’s full time period
$16 at Amazon
Habit Nest
Size: 6.7″ x 9.6″ Pages: 324 | Colors: 1 | Special Features: Hard Cover, ribbon bookmark, closing loop (what’s that called), QR codes, illustrated poses
If you’re someone who has basic yoga knowledge about poses, but wants to learn more about yoga’s philosophy and develop a yoga routine to practice on your own, Habit Nest Yoga Transformation Journal may be the ideal tool. It’s also a great journal for someone who has let their yoga discipline go and needs some structure to help them get back into consistent practice.
Yoga Transformation Journal provides education about basic yoga concepts, illustrated poses with step-by-step instructions, and thoughtful guidance on your yoga journey. After an opening section on how the journal works and basic habit-building tips, the journal is divided into three main sections: The Spark, The Ember and The Blaze.
Phase one is The Spark, the start to your yoga journey. In this phase, you’ll set a main goal, and start taking small steps toward mindful practices. You’ll learn about seven of the eight limbs of yoga and the principles behind them. You’ll get to know the meaning behind words that you’ve likely heard in yoga classes, but never learned their definitions – such as satya (truthfulness) and aparigraha (non-greed). The Spark also provides seven days of yoga poses. Each day starts with space to set an intention, along with optional suggested themes such as “Embracing Gratitude.” You’re then guided through a warm up, peak flow with illustrated poses and an illustrated cool down. Along the way, you’re given encouraging prompts and space to write down thoughts as you reflect.
The second phase, The Ember, is where you’ll figure out how to integrate your new yoga habits into your daily life. In this phase, you’ll learn about the eighth limb of yoga (Samadhi), as well as the seven chakras. You’ll get 18 more days of yoga flows with illustrated poses. Again, this section has dedicated space to select a goal for the phase, set intentions and reflect on your journey.
The last and third phase of the journal is The Blaze, which is designed to help you improve your habits, enjoy the rewards and make lasting changes. In this phase, you’ll learn about mudras (yoga hand gestures) and koshas (layers of existence). You’ll also be guided through 40 more days of flows. There are prompts to help set intentions as well as explore new reflections such as how you deal with off-days and how your feelings towards your practice have changed.
Over the course of the journal, you are guided through 65 days of yoga flows with lots of prompts to help you stay mindful and track your progress. The journal includes QR codes that take you to step-by-step instructions for each pose. However, unlike the strength-training journal, there are no videos that demonstrate the positions. Basic illustration can only go so far when it comes to demonstrating correct form, so this journal is probably best for someone who already has some basic familiarity with yoga or is using the journal alongside yoga classes for further instruction and adjustments.
Looking for other tools to help you start your 2026 yoga practice? Check out our top picks for best yoga mat and best yoga blocks.
- Beautiful aesthetic
- Illustrated poses
- QR codes with step-by-step instructions for poses
- Unlike Habit Nest’s Strength Training journal, there are no corresponding videos to demonstrate correct form
$31 at Amazon
Gone For a Run
Size: 7″ x 5..5″ | Pages: 160 | Colors: 10 designs | Special features: Clear vinyl protective cover
Goneforarun.com Running Journal is a great option for the runner who wants to keep track of daily runs with a travel-friendly journal to use on-the-go. It’s a convenient size (7″ x 5.5″) to throw in your backpack, gym bag or purse and features a protective vinyl cover.
At the front of the journal is a page to write down your name and contact info in case you lose the journal. There’s also a page to make a checklist for 10 goals. Most of the journal is dedicated to the running log with space to record two runs per page for 280 runs total. For each run, you can jot down the date, distance, weather, pace, route and notes. Each logging page ends with a motivational quote or quote about running.
At the back of the journal, there are two pages of tables to track your week over week and monthly progress, four pages with tables to track your race results, a page for personal records (PRs) and bucket list races, and a page to track your race registrations. There are also six lined pages at the end for notes.
- Travel-friendly size
- Protective cover
- 10 design choices
- No guided prompts for reflection
- No monthly overview calendar view
$20 at Amazon
Clever Fox
Size: 5.8″ x 8.3″ (A 5) Pages: 160 Colors: 5| Special Features: eco-leather hardcover, pen loop, elastic band, pull-out user guide, 2 sticker sheets, built-in back cover folder, 3 ribbon bookmarks
While the Goneforarun.com Running Journal is a simple and convenient way to track your running basics on-the-go, the Clever Fox Running Log Book will help you track your runs and running goals with more in-depth detail. It also provides opportunities to pop a little extra fun into your running journey with adventurous checklists, sticker pages and dedicated space for setting rewards.
At the front of the journal are helpful explanations for eight types of runs (great info for beginner runners) and what their benefits are. There’s also a useful pace chart to help set timing goals for seven different runs, with lengths from one mile to 26.2 miles (marathon).
As with most fitness planners, you’ll start your tracking journey by writing down your goals. The journal has sections for five goals with spots to write down a reward for each goal once you achieve it. There’s also a page to compose a running bucket list and complete a checklist of special running experiences like joining a running club, running in a costume and doing a midnight run.
Towards the front of the journal are pages with tables for tracking your races, your weekly and monthly weight, weekly training plan and weekly mileage. There’s also a page for your yearly recap and personal records, including your longest run, number of runs for the year, quickest pace and longest weekly distance. Track your PRs for seven different runs: 1 mile, 5k, 5 miles, 10k, 10 miles, half marathon and full marathon.
The rest of the journal is dedicated to tracking your daily run in detail including the run type, distance, duration, average pace, heart rate, calories, temperature, weather and any notes. This journal prompts you to track eight stats from your run, while Gone for a Run’s Running Journal prompts you to track four stats.
- Pace charts and explanations for eight types of runs
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Built-in bookmarks, folder and elastic band
- Comes with motivational sticker sheet
- No monthly calendar overview
- Slowest pace on the pace chart is a 10 minute mile (beginners may want some slower pace examples)
- No weekly overviews
$18 at Amazon
Factors to consider when making a purchase of a fitness planner
Goals
Most fitness journals have space for you to write down your goals at the beginning of the journal and/or to check in and create new goals throughout the journaling process. “Look for journals that allow you to tailor sections to your goals, whether it’s fat loss, strength training or mindfulness,” says Cleo.
Size and portability
Consider how the size of the journal may influence how often you use it. Are you looking for a larger journal that will offer more space to reflect on your thoughts? Do you need a smaller planner that will fit in your backpack or purse? “A journal you can carry easily ensures you’ll use it consistently,” says Cleo. Consider your lifestyle when selecting which size will work best for you.
Tracking features
Some fitness planners offer tracking that is detailed and specific, while others offer tracking that is more open-ended and customizable. Consider which style works best for you. “If it’s not important to you, don’t spend time tracking it,” says Meier, personal trainer at Life Time Eden Prairie. “Keep things as simple as possible – that goes for your own fitness routine and how much you record your progress over time. Choose 1-2 things you know you personally need to work on and re-evaluate what difference it made recording data after one month,” he says. Look for the following features to determine which journal is most compatible with your needs:
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Goal tracking: There should be dedicated spaces to set goals. Goals might be set for the entire duration of the planner, by the week or by the month. The planner may ask you to set a predetermined number of goals or leave the number up to you. Either way, it should allow for flexibility so you can determine exactly what you want to track. For instance, if one of your goals is to walk a 10k race by the end of April, the planner should have a place for you to track your daily or weekly distance logged, or if you prefer, your daily or weekly step count.
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Workout tracking: This may be highly detailed to include charts for specific criteria (sets, reps, rest intervals, time) when it comes to strength training and cardio, or this may be open-ended with space to track your activity however you prefer.
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Measurements and weight tracking: Some journals provide space to record your body measurements and weight, as well as areas to track changes over time.
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Food tracking: Some journals provide highly detailed tables to plan and record your daily or weekly menus along with estimated calorie/macronutrient intake for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Other journals provide a more open-ended space to track your diet however you prefer.
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Before and after photos: If you want to take before and after photos and progress pics, look for a diary that includes areas to attach these photos.
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Mood and inner work tracking: Exercise affects mood, and tracking your mood along with your workouts can help you keep this important factor in mind, especially on days when you just don’t feel like hitting the gym. If you want to pay attention to your mental health in conjunction with your physical health, consider journals that offer prompts to reflect on your mood, thoughts and how you feel.
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Monthly and weekly overviews: It’s helpful to have a longer-term plan and a way to view your short-term progress in relation to your overarching goals. Calendars where you can track your entire week or month on one or two pages provide a helpful visual that some people appreciate.
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Checklists: These lists allow you to check off items on to do lists, itineraries, shopping lists, etc.
Layout and design
Finding the design and layout that works best for you is a matter of personal preference. Here are some features to look for when selecting the one that’s right for you:
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Aesthetics: Do you prefer a journal that features an inspiring design/color, or is functionality your main priority? Some journals are available in a wide variety of designs and colors while others are limited to a single style.
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Personalization: Some brands such as Papier and Erin Condren allow for you to customize a journal with your name printed on it.
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Binding and paper/cover quality: Spiral journals lay flat while book binding style planners may not lay completely flat. Disc binding may allow for you to easily move pages. Think about which type of binding is best suited for your needs.
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Layout: How is the journal organized? “Progress bars, habit trackers or charts can make tracking more engaging,” says Cleo. While a dedicated vision board tends to be a bit more visual and general than a workout planner, if you want to integrate a vision board into your planner, having a layout with empty pages might also be helpful.
How we chose
To compile this list of the best fitness planners, I considered each of the following:
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Expert recommendations: I spoke to three experts to learn about what features and qualities to look for when selecting fitness planners.
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Price: I looked for journals that would be accessible for various budgets.
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Design: I considered how many designs were available for each journal and looked for journals that would appeal to a range of tastes.
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Quality: I considered the quality of the paper, materials used and sustainability.
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Size: I looked for sizes that would fit various lifestyle needs.
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Reviews: I looked at user reviews to determine what people liked and didn’t like about the planners overall.
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Content: I looked for journals that were dedicated to fitness, diet, and health goals. I considered the layout and how tracking was organized.
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Ease of use: I looked for journals that were intuitive to use.
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Hands-on testing: I personally tested each of the journals.
Other products we tested
Papier Productivity Planner: This is a great option if you’re looking for a planner that can be easily customized when it comes to design and goal tracking. It’s open-ended and can help you track any tasks (not just health and diet). It’s available in 47 designs/colors.
Happy Journal Dream Guided Journal: This may be a good alternative to the Worth the Work Happy Planner. It’s a guided journal with prompts to help you stay motivated and positive as you reflect and grow. It offers goal and progress tracking, but the space isn’t specifically dedicated to fitness or diet tracking. (You could easily track those goals, though.)
Clever Fox Fitness and Food Pro Journal: This is a great option for the committed journal user. It’s a six month planner, so it’s best for someone who knows they will use the journal consistently and who won’t be overwhelmed by details. This large, thick hardcover planner is 10.4 inches by 7.3 inches.
Templatables Wellness Journal: This journal tracks a little bit of everything. You can use it to track body measurements, weight loss, quarterly goals, monthly goals, gratitude, sleep, vitamins, anxiety, self-care, mood, habits, weekly meals, workouts and more. There’s a lot going on here, and many of the sections are very small. If you are a super organized, meticulous person who writes every detail down to analyze, this might be your dream journal, but if you easily get overwhelmed when trying to do too much at once, it’s probably not for you.
Legend Planner Wellness Planner Pocket: This hardcover planner is only around 3.9 inches x 6 inches, and you could easily throw it in your purse without worrying about it getting too damaged. Use it to track six months of mood, energy, sleep, body changes, macronutrients, activities and food habits. This small pocket journal packs a lot in.
FAQs
Are fitness planners worth it?
Fitness planners are worth using because they are tools that can help you take steps towards successfully achieving your goals. Research indicates that progress monitoring can help you make impactful behavior changes.
“Fitness planners can help motivate people to follow a structured routine and improve their consistency. Recording progress on paper or in an app on your phone can ensure that you are making slow and steady progress toward your goals and can help with motivation,” says Meier.
“Journaling works as a powerful ally for habit formation because it increases self-awareness, accountability and clarity. When you log behaviours like workouts, meals, water intake, sleep or mindset, you create data – real, tangible feedback about where you are and how far you’ve come. That clarity helps you notice patterns, tune into what’s working and make informed tweaks,” says Cleo.
That said, in addition to your planner, you may also want to invest in a fitness tracker to help you monitor your daily activity to ensure you’re staying on track.
Is a digital planner better than a paper planner?
Each has their advantages and disadvantages. Paper planners are “great for people who enjoy the tactile experience of writing and find it calming or reflective. “The act of writing by hand reinforces intention. You’re not just passively tracking; you’re actively committing. That focus – combined with a clear record – makes it easier to stay consistent, notice progress and maintain motivation over time,” says Cleo. However, apps can be convenient given their smartphone integration and their ability to sync with other devices. They’re likely always at your fingertips and can make some forms of tracking even easier. “Many apps sync with wearable fitness devices, which can provide detailed insights,” says Cleo.
Do fitness journals come with motivational features?
Yes, many fitness journals include features designed to keep you motivated such as prompts to check in with yourself, the ability to set up rewards for achieving “mini goals,” motivational quotes, encouraging stickers and places to share before and after results.
How can I stay consistent with using my fitness planner?
Select a planner that is easy to use, features a layout that works for you and tracks the items that are most important for reaching your goals. It’s also important to choose a planner that’s a size compatible with your lifestyle. Cleo offers these additional tips for consistent journaling:
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Make it a ritual: Pair journaling with an existing habit – morning coffee, evening wind-down, post-workout – to make it part of your rhythm rather than an extra chore.
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Keep it simple: If the journal feels too heavy or complex, you’ll avoid it. Especially early on, aim for “minimal viable journaling” – one short line, one metric, one insight.
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Reflect regularly, not perfectly: Review weekly or monthly – celebrate wins, notice patterns, adjust goals – but don’t pressure perfection daily.
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Use it as a tool, not a taskmaster: Journaling should support growth, not shame – let it be a space for curiosity, clarity and compassion.
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Be flexible: If you miss a day (or a week), that’s okay – just come back. Consistency over perfection wins long term.
Meet our experts
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Gina Cleo, PhD, habit researcher, founder of Habit Change Institute and assistant professor at Bond University.
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Joe Meier, CSCS, personal trainer at Life Time Eden Prairie and author of Lift for Life: A practical, evidence-based guide to training.
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Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, board-certified sports dietitian
Update, December 29, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability. Our No. 1 pick for the best overall fitness journal remained unchanged. We added new categories for specific types of routines, such as weightlifting, yoga, running and pickleball.
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.

