When it comes to fitness and diet tools, a bunch of fancy equipment is not necessary to lose weight or improve your overall health and fitness. What you do need are basic tools to help you monitor and track your progress, such as a food and workout journal, food scales and body weight scales. These not only monitor your progress but also keep you motivated when it is most required. Food log A food log is essential for trying to lose body fat. It makes you accountable for what you are eating. Writing down everything you eat makes you less likely to want to write down something that is going to make you ashamed, thus forcing you to only eat healthy food. Additionally, food logs can help you identify where there are problems in your diet that might be inhibiting fat loss. Pedometer The pedometer is a useful tool for fitness walkers, runners and anyone who wants to track his movement throughout the day. You wear a simple step-counting pedometer on your belt. More complex pedometers track distance, calories burned and other details about your fitness session. A simple step-counter will help you reach the recommended goal of 10,000 steps a day. Weight scale A simple scale is an invaluable tool to help you gauge success when you are trying to lose weight. If your fitness goal is to maintain a healthy weight, the scale can confirm or refute suspicions of fluctuations. For those trying to lose weight weighing twice a week is recommended. Weight varies a little each day, so daily weighing does not provide accurate weight loss information and can be discouraging. Weigh in the morning to avoid the effect of foods consumed during the day, and remember that clothes and shoes can add up to 2 kgs. Mechanical scales are usually less accurate than digital scales, which also are more durable. BMI calculator BMI, or body mass index, is a way to quickly measure whether you're at a healthy body weight. You can use it to monitor your progress as you progress through your weight loss endeavors. BMI calculators are available online that only require that you enter your height and weight. Workout journal Workout journals, or lifting logs, are perfect for tracking your progress from one week to the next. You are less likely to experience plateaus by recording the exercises, the weight lifted, and the number of sets and repetitions completed so you can see where you need to make changes to jump-start your progress. Additionally, journals are good tools for looking back on progress made and where you started from, especially during times when you areless motivated. Food weighing scale Food scales and other food measuring equipment are necessary during times of fat loss. Food scales allow for accurate measurement of the food you are eating. This ensures you are eating the correct serving size and allows you to more accurately monitor the calories you are taking in each day.