3. DETERMINE YOUR STARTING POINT

It is very important to understand where you are starting from. This will enable you to set a detailed goal and will allow you to track how you are performing against your goal. Tracking and showing progress on a weekly or bi-weekly basis will provide motivation to keep you heading toward your goal.

The measurements to take will depend a bit on your goal. The following are some examples.
1. Weight. Note that when weighing yourself it is important to weight yourself at the same time each day and to wear the same amount of clothing.
2. Body Fat % (more on this later)
3. Cholesterol
4. Blood Pressure
5. Body measurements (more on this later)
6. Take a picture of yourself in a swim suit. Do this in a relaxed position with your arms at your sides. Take pictures from the front side and back. You can use a camera with a self-timer to do this or have a friend take the pictures for you.
7. Time required to run, walk or swim a set distance (one mile for running or walking, 500 yards for swimming)
8. Resting heart rate
9. Average heart rate when running one mile at a set pace (more on this later) or pace (minutes per mile) you can run at a specific heart rate