Through my international travels, I've been fortunate enough to be involved in judging, photographing and giving seminars on nutrition, physiology and sports psychology to a wide range of athletes. Others who attend include homemakers, cancer patients and business personnel. Though there are many pieces to each individual's success puzzle, none is more important in my eyes than DOCUMENTATION with honest and consistent feedback from the client. Then your trainer or nutritionist will be able to assist you with your goals because they have accurate information to base recommendations on.

Questions involving nutrition, the most critical aspect of your program, can be answered thoroughly with a well-documented journal. Things to consider are:

Once every week log in your bodyweight. Try to do this on the same day on the same home scale every week first thing in the morning after waking up. Resist the temptation of weighing yourself daily. Your weight will fluctuate one to two pounds day-to-day depending on how much water the body is holding. Keep in mind the long-term lifestyle benefits, both internal and external. Bodyfat over a period of time is a much better gauge of success than bodyweight by far!

Have your bodyfat measured every two months by a qualified individual preferably using Lange bodyfat calipers. Only have this chosen individual test you. The point is, gang, keep your variables consistent! Then, and only then, can you honestly gauge your progress over time.

Keep a daily food journal. Record the times you eat, what you consume and in what amounts. An experienced nutritionist will be able to teach you what amounts of correct protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and good fat you should be consuming to reach your goals.

Too many fitness enthusiasts try to use the shotgun approach, reading fitness magazine articles or the latest best seller, then changing something, reading something else, and changing yet again without ever documenting their individual results.

It's also very valuable to keep photographs in the beginning (I know it may not be very flattering but you'll cherish them as you compare them with your progress pictures as time goes by.) I realize this seems like a lot of extra effort, but I guarantee that your results will be well worth the effort. Every long-term (a minimum of one year) success case I've had the pleasure to coach has been greatly due to the client's nutrition record keeping. By keeping a nutrition diary I'm armed with priceless information for that individual so that I can take the guesswork out of my recommendations.

Consider it your personal journey with the documentation as your road map. It will tell you where you have been and where you want to go. Keep the energy high and I'll see you in the winner's circle of self-improvement.