Take a Before Picture—for After

Take a Before Picture—for After

The day you decide, once and for all, to set out on the path to fitness, put on a leotard or a nonconstricting bathing suit, stand in front of a nondistracting background, and ask someone you know and trust to take a series of photographs from every angle—front,rear, and side views. You also could strip naked, put the video camera on a tripod, and film yourself. Be merciless—no flattering light, no sucked-in gut—and just let it all hang out. Take a quick look, which might be all you can stand at the beginning of your fitness quest, date the visuals, and lock them away.
Later, when you are well on the road to your fitness goal, take another set of photos or a video. In fact, if you have a long way to go and are on a program that will take a lot of time, do so every three months as you progress. When you’ve reached your goal,look at these visuals and be very proud of what you’ve accomplished. This optional trick can be either motivational or discouraging. It works wonders for some people but depresses others. The reward can be comparing before, during, and after pictures after you’ve reached your goal.