What do you want? Less fat? More muscle perhaps, or all of these? It's all possible of course but what you need first is a goal, an achievable goal that you can see yourself developing towards. All muscle build, weight loss programs are going to take time, so make your plan.
A great way to start your exercise program is to get yourself a set of Calipers. (See picture). This instrument measures your body fat and lean muscle mass ratio. It is important to have an accurate measurement of your fat/lean muscle ratio from the very beginning of your program, rather than relying on the bathroom scales.
(see article for body shape influencers)

Scales are inaccurate because they do not let you know if you have replaced body fat with lean muscle, they give you the same reading regardless of dramatic changes in the body. You could ask your gym to do this, as they will have the correct instruments to measure you.

calipers for sale online now When you are training you need motivators to keep you on your plan, with Calipers you can see any results immediately. Check your progress on a monthly basis. This will allow you to see any changes and plot progress. Don't check yourself any more than this as there are natural changes in the body throughout a period of a month, depending on whether you are retaining water from food you have eaten, or whether a female is menstruating. It is best for females to check themselves after their period has finished. Try to stick to the same part of the month when you record your fat/lean muscle mass ratio.

So, how do you measure your body mass? The Calipers are used to measure the thickness of a fold of skin. There are 4 places on the body where a measurement should be taken, because of where these places are someone else must do this for you. They are,

· Centre of the back of arm (the triceps)

· Centre of the front of arm (the bicep)

· The back, just below the shoulder blade at a 45% angle.

· The waistline between the hipbone and the naval horizontally.

You can also purchase electronic Calipers you will get a table and instructions on how to convert your measurements. By recording your fat/lean muscle ratio regularly you can see positive changes in your exercise routine that you wouldn't normally see with a set of weighing scales.

Action Plan 1

Set your achievable target weight or shape up routine.

Action Plan 2

Use Calipers to work out fat and lean body mass ratio or ask your gym to measure you (see picture).

Measure four folds of skin and work out your body fat/lean muscle percentage.

Action Plan 3

Work out a diet plan. Remember, you don't have to starve, just eat the right foods.

Action Plan 4

Work out an exercise routine incorporating stretches, a cardiovascular routine and weight training for all the muscles. (See the routines in the men and women's section or the beginner’s guide)

Action Plan 5

Check your improvements on a monthly basis, no more than this. It will encourage you on when you start to lose heart or waver.

Action Plan 6

Stick to it, even if you have a bad few days just start again.