Please wear the same clothes or type of clothing for the Before and After Photos. Show as much of your body as possible so our judges can clearly see the improvements you've made. Shorts, workout wear, and bathing suits work well.

Clear, sharp photos are important. Professional photography is recommended but not required. If done at home, please use quality film and a good camera for best results. A 35-mm camera using a film speed of 100 to 200 is the minimum to produce sharp, clear photos. If you are posing indoors with a flash, you may need to use 400 film. Polaroid and disposable cameras are not recommended. Fuzzy or otherwise poor quality photos may reduce your chances of winning.

Your image should fill as much of the photo as possible without "cutting off" any body parts. A plain background is best.

When taking your Before Photos, please include the front cover of that day's USA Today for date verification. (Caution: do not hold the newspaper in such a way that it obscures your body.) We will verify the photo date you've indicated on your application by the front cover.

If you are an international GHF member or live in an area where USA Today is not readily available, please use the cover of your local newspaper. Regardless of which paper you use, please include the cover with your After Materials.

Although contest materials must be submitted by regular mail, you may submit your photos via e-mail in a jpeg or tiff format. Either way, we will confirm receipt by e-mail and will let you know if photos are unacceptable for any reason.

Questions? E-mail us at info@global-fitness.com. You'll get a prompt, detailed response within 24 hours.

Each applicant must complete and document 2 of the 3 health improvement tests. Completion of the third test is optional and its score will be used only in case of a tie. If you do document all three tests, we'll judge your two best and use the third as a tie-breaker.

Tests must be administered by a fitness or medical professional at the beginning and end of the 12 week contest. You must use the same professional each time.

If you do not know a fitness or medical professional who can administer the tests, e-mail us with your name, city, and state. We'll put you in touch with a qualified professional in your area.

Detailed information below is for your information and is not intended as instructions for an unqualified test administrator.

A Body Composition test calculates your approximate body fat and lean mass. While various methods are effective, for convenient and practical purposes, the GHF Fitness Challenge will accept skinfold caliper testing, which is quite accurate if the certified fitness or medical professional you select is proficient in administering this test. If necessary, we can send you The Body Caliper, a high-quality skinfold caliper, which we sell at our wholesale cost ($39).

Step 1: Taking the measurements (done by a qualified professional)

When measuring your body fat with the skinfold caliper method, the test administrator should:

• Take all measurements on the right side of the body. He or she may mark the site with a common eyebrow pencil to expedite site relocation in repeated measurements.
• Identify the anatomical location of the skinfold (see below).
• Grasp the skinfold firmly with the thumb and index finger of the left hand.
• Holding the calipers perpendicular to the site, place the pads of the caliper approximately 1/4-inch from the thumb and forefinger.
• Read the dial to the nearest 0.5mm approximately 1-2 seconds after the trigger has been released.
• Take a minimum of 2 measurements at each site, with a minimum of 15 seconds between measurements to allow the fat to return to normal thickness. If the first 2 measurements vary by greater than one millimeter, others should be taken until 2 measurements vary by less than one millimeter.
• Skinfold measurements should not be taken after exercise, because the transfer of fluid to the skin can result in over-estimations.

For men, the 3 skinfold sites are:

Chest: a diagonal skinfold taken halfway between the anterior axillary line (crease of the underarm) and the nipple.

Abdomen: a vertical skinfold taken one inch lateral to the umbilicus.

Thigh: a vertical skinfold taken midway between the hip and knee joints on the front of the thigh.

For women, the 3 skinfold sites are:

Triceps: a vertical skinfold on the back of the upper arm taken halfway between the acromial (shoulder) and olecranon processes (elbow).

Suprailium: a diagonal skinfold taken at or just anterior to the crest of the ilium (hip bone).

Thigh: a vertical skinfold taken midway between the hip and knee joints on the front of the thigh.

Photos were reprinted from the ACE Personal Trainer Manual, 1996, with special permission from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Visit ACE, the leading certifying organization for fitness professionals, at www.acefitness.org.

Step 2: Calculating your body composition

After the professional has obtained satisfactory measurements for each of the 3 sites, add the average of each site's measurements. Using the sum of the 3 averages, refer to the tables below.

At the intersection of the row corresponding to the sum of the averages and the column corresponding to your age, you will find your estimated Body Fat Percentage. Enter this into your Before Health Status Report and After Health Improvement Report (12 weeks later). Use this figure also in calculating your Fat Weight and Lean Body Weight.

EXAMPLE: You are a 47-year-old male with skinfold average measurements of 20 for the chest, 30 for the abdomen, and 17 for the thigh. The sum of the measurements is 67. In the table for men above, find the intersection of the row corresponding to the sum of the skinfolds (67) and the column corresponding to your age (47). Your estimated Body Fat is 21.3%.

Your Body Composition tests need to be performed within 5 days of the postmark on your Before Materials and 12 weeks within 5 days of the After Materials postmark.

Questions? E-mail us at info@global-fitness.com. You'll get a prompt, detailed response within 24 hours.

Research has shown that consistent exercise, particularly cardiovascular exercise (e.g., walking or biking), leads to increased HDL ("good cholesterol") and decreased LDL and total cholesterol (potentially harmful). Studies show that people with higher levels of HDL cholesterol have less heart disease.

Documenting increases in HDL cholesterol and decreases in LDL and total cholesterol demonstrates that you have made significant improvements in your health and have decreased your risk of disease. The best, most accurate cholesterol test is lipoprotein analysis, done through a professionally drawn blood test involving fasting (usually overnight). Such testing is easily obtained through most primary care physicians and some public clinics.

If you choose this as one of the two tests, GHF requires that you document your HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol on your Before and After applications and have this signed by the medical professional who administered the test. Alternatively, you may attach a copy of the completed lab report in lieu of the signature (your name and address may be clearly indicated on the report). However, please fill in the appropriate numbers from the lab report onto your Before Health Status Report and After Health Improvement Report.

Questions? E-mail us at info@global-fitness.com. You'll get a prompt, detailed response within 24 hours.

If you choose this option, you'll be tested on your "One Rep Maximum" (the most weight you can lift one time) and "10 Rep Maximum" (how much weight you can lift10 times) for specific exercises. Note: You should have at least three months practice with professional guidance on each of the two exercises you choose before implementing this test. Do not choose this test for documentation if you are a beginner at weightlifting or strength training.

• Choose one from each pair:
  Squats (Bb) or Leg Press
  Bench Press (Bb) or Bench Press (Db)
• (Bb means use of a barbell to perform the exercise; Db means use of a dumbbell.)
• The two exercises you choose must be the same for both the Before and After tests. So if you choose the Leg Press and Bench Press for your Before test, you'll need to be tested on those same exercises 12 weeks later.
• Click on the exercises above for instructions and a video demonstration. Click here for information on a safe, effective warm-up and cool-down: GHF Strength Training Component.
• On your Before test date, you'll need someone (health club staff member, personal trainer, or workout partner) to "spot" you while you do the two exercises. The same person must spot you both Before and After and witness with their signature that you did the number of reps and weight you listed.
• Your spotter must also verify that you have used proper lifting technique. For example, if you can bench press 150 pounds but only by bouncing the bar off your chest, or by arching your back, etc, this is not acceptable. You'll need to decrease the weight until you can lower the weight slowly to your chest, pause for one second, and then push the weight back up until your arms are extended, with your back flat on the bench. Similarly, if you can only complete 9 repetitions on the Squats with good technique, you cannot count that weight. Instead you'll have to decrease the weight until you're able to do all 10 with good, controlled technique. Proper lifting instructions and a video demonstration for each exercise is available by clicking on the exercise links above.

Questions? E-mail us at info@global-fitness.com. You'll get a prompt, detailed response within 24 hours.

Your essay should be creative and concise. Tell us honestly how consistent exercise and good nutrition have improved and influenced your life. Describe how this contest benefited you. Did it help you stay motivated and focussed on your goals? If being a GHF member has helped you reach your health and fitness goals, please let us know how. Describe the positive attitude and mindset you have used to overcome obstacles and reach your goals. Write as honestly as possible and keep in mind that others will be greatly inspired by this essay and your accomplishments.

Remember, the essay is 1/3 of your evaluation. We hope you will bring the same level of commitment to this portion as you do to improving your health and appearance. Here are some suggestions:

• Take time to list your thoughts (perhaps discussing them with a friend or workout partner).
• We neither require nor expect you to be a professional writer. But we do want you to communicate with sincerity, clarity, and enthusiasm about your contest experience and the improved level of fitness you've achieved, just as if you were sharing your thoughts with a close friend; this way, the "real you" will come through. If you're passionate and excited to tell the world about the incredible experience you've been through, it will show. You can "transfer your energy" through your essay.
• Do not expect to write your essay all in one day. We suggest using the last few weeks of the contest to write your essay in sections: record your feelings and ideas one day, make a list of important points you'd like to make the next day, begin writing the rough draft, and so on.
• Revise your essay carefully--several times, if necessary. You might have a friend or relative review your essay and give you some feedback. Ask if the words and ideas sound like you or if any of it is confusing.

Technical details

• All essays must be typed. Feel free to send your essay via an e-mail attachment to info@global-fitness.com.
• We'd like your essay to be approximately 750 words--not less than 700 or more than 850 words.
• Use bold and/or italics to emphasize a point, but please don't make your entire essay italics, bold, or capital letters.
• Be sure to spell check your essay carefully and to use standard conventions of punctuation and grammar.
• All essays must be in English; however, if English is not your first language, the judges will take that into consideration.
• GHF reserves the right to edit winning essays before publication.

Questions? E-mail us at info@global-fitness.com. You'll get a prompt, detailed response within 24 hours.