Today I'm sharing how I track my food intake and my exercise in my EC Life Planner. This is just an easy way for me to keep up with what I eat, log some goals, do weigh ins or measurements and then also track the exercises I do as well as the calories I burn and then a place I can recap on the week and my progress.
Here's a video on my YouTube channel that will give you a quick overview of my planner and an in-depth look at how I use and incorporate this insert.
I wanted something that I could easily add to my planner, but not add too much bulk and it not be on a weekly spread, so I came up with design insert. I designed it as 8.5x11 so that I could fold it and put it in my Fitness Tab section. I was going to use post-its and clip it in but then decided I didn't want to go through the trouble so I added a 6x8 page protector so I could easily slip the current week's tracker in there. If you're interested and want to use this, feel free to download it {HERE}
I bought these Simple Stories Snap page protectors just so I could add one to my EC Life Planner.
I used the photo sheet that has 12 2x2 squares on each side. I printed several of my favorite quotes from Pinterest, I made a few on my own using some funny quotes and I printed some of my favorite pictures from Instgram of my family, dogs, mom and best friend.
After I put them all in the slots I took the edge that had the three punched holes and covered both sides with washi tape. I used a black chalkboard one just because it was thicker and not transparent. I trimmed the excess off then cut about 1/8 off. Added a coil clip and snapped it in.
I thought I would give you a glimpse into my process, I previously used a personal size pink Domino Filofax but I never felt like I could get creative with it. It seemed small and cramped, I just wasn't happy with it.
Moving into the new Erin Condren Life Planner took some revamping to they way I was doing things and it gave me a chance to look over and reevaluate my system. I currently have two major categories of planning time a Monthly Session and a Weekly Session.
Today I'll tell you more about my Weekly Planning Session, how I do it and what all it entails. I plan to write out my guide here and then post a video where I walk you through how I plan my upcoming week.
I have two tips for you before we get started....
1. Plan time to Plan, I know that sounds funny but I have found if I have a set time that I give myself to plan, I get way more done.
2. Have all your supplies in one place, I have a craft studio/office and I have a set place for all my planning stuff. It just makes it all so easy when I sit down to decorate or plan my week.
Okay let's get this weekly planning session under way.
Week Debrief -
I sit down and write up a week summary, I created a week debrief paper and insert it into the week. I do this summary mainly because I'm behind in project life and this helps me remember weekly events or happenings in detail when they happened.
Dashboard Clean Up -
I go through all the sticky notes or loose items I clip into my planner. I put the post its on the week the even will happen if I don't want to write it down just yet and I file away papers to clean it all up.
Weekly Goals -
I look to see if I completed the items I wrote in my "Get Done This Week" & "Phone Calls to Make" section on the left side of my weekly pages. If I don't complete something I will move it to the upcoming week. The items I write here are just items that I need to do but they don't have to be done on a specific day of the week.
Week At Glance Notes -
I keep blank ones in my planner so I can jot down things that I may not be ready to put into my planner, I like it neat and organized and sometimes I cannot do that right then. This helps me organize my week and when I sit down to plan out my upcoming week I know what days I am not available or times I'm not available.
Month View -
Then I look at my monthly calendar to see if there are any events or items that I need to put on my week view. I don't move my bills into my week view, I have a budget divider for that.
Well that pretty much sums it all up below is a link to my YouTube video that will walk you through it all and you can see it in action. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I will be happy to answer any questions.
Okay I made another planner pouch. This time I made a little smaller than my last and it's a silver and black chevron with a yellow damask lining. So cute! I love it, in fact I love it so much I decided to make one more and film it as I do it so I can post the tutorial. It was so easy, any sewing newbie can do it.
This was only my 3rd time sewing something, lol and I ended up with three planner pouches, if I can do it then anybody can.
Here is the ones I made in the tutorial and then right below it is the one I made earlier today. Check out the bottom for a YouTube video tutorial on how I made the green pouch.
**Want to win the Nate Berkus pouch? Comment below with your guess to this question...
My estranged father lives in what country?" lol Random I know but it's the only thing I could think of that would be a good guessing game. I really have no relationship with him so there are zero, weird emotions about this. lol
So on to my DIY pouch...
I bought the zipper pouch that everyone was talking about from Target and it fit but my planner has a top tab on my dashboard and it kept getting stuck. I didn't want to take the chance of it getting messed up so I decided to make my own pouch.
I went to Joann's today and found several fabrics that I liked and decided to just go for it. The one I made is a tad bigger but I know my planner will get bulky and I wanted to make sure I have enough room so I am very pleased with the outcome.
Here are some pictures and below the pictures is a YouTube video show you a little more detail.
