My physical activity diary

How to use this diary: 

• Save the sample physical activity page to your computer
• Print out a few days’ worth of pages (or save the pages on your computer in a special folder and name them by the date). Fill in the page after each activity session, or at the end of the day, whatever is best for you.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends adults strive for at least 30 minutes of activity a day, most days of the week. Every bit of activity counts. So, when you start your physical activity diary, jot down whatever you do that day, whether it’s climbing three flights of stairs, a 10-minute walk or a 30-minute session on the treadmill.

For tips on fitting physical activity into your schedule, read Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy, Active Living.

To help you figure out how much effort you are putting into each activity, here are some examples from Canada’s Physical Activity Guide. Use these to help judge how much time you should spend being physically active everyday. The guide recommends 60 minutes of light effort activities or 30 to 60 minutes of moderate effort activities most days of the week.

*Note: See sample physical activity diary page below to enter daily activities

Sample physical activity diary page

My physical activity goal for this week is: ____________________
(Examples of goals include: to increase my activity by 10 minutes per day, to increase my activity by 30 minutes per week, to improve my energy level, to try walking to and from work, etc.)

Posted January 2008.