Weight Loss Mistake #1

How to avoid making the Number ONE weight loss mistake

By: Brad Pilon
EatStopEat.com

I can still remember back to when I first starting writing Eat Stop Eat.

I had just put the finishing touches on my graduate work on the benefits of short term fasting for weight loss and was eager to share what I had found with the rest of the world.

My goal was a simple one: To explain the scientific literature carefully and thoroughly so I could help people understand that today's obsessive compulsive approach to nutrition is simply NOT NEEDED, and that fasting was a scientifically supported way of eating that had amazing weight loss and health benefits.

Well its almost three years later, and I'm starting to think that I didn't quite get my message across the way I wanted too.

Sure, more people than ever are following Eat Stop Eat. And, more people then ever are seeing amazing weight loss results because of Eat Stop Eat.

But there are also many people who are now following a low-carb diet, cycling their calories, timing their protein, eating 6 times a day, only eating protein with fat (never carbs) AND following Eat Stop Eat.

This was not what I had envisioned. I was hoping to help people break free from this craziness. OR, as the crazy looking infomercial lady with the blond spiky hair used to say STOP THE INSANITY.

For the vast majority of us (myself included) simply eating the way we normally do, following a resistance training workout program and fasting once or twice a week using the Eat Stop Eat method will result in dramatic weight loss results.

The only time you may need to really change the way you eat during your eating days if you are preparing for a bodybuilding or fitness pageant. These types of events require extremely low body fat levels that are not sustainable for more than a few days. But for most of us, simply eating in a stress free way that has a hint of responsibility will be enough.
It’s true – You can get very lean (even 6-pack abs lean) WITHOUT having to be obsessed with ‘eating healthy’.

Now I will admit that for health purposes, many of us would benefit from eating a little less sugar and little more healthy fats. But, this doesn’t mean you should COMPLETELY avoid sugar, or swallow 15 fish oils pills every day.
I also completely agree with the statement that fruits and vegetables are good for your health, but this doesn’t mean you MUST be a vegetarian to be healthy.
Other than these basic guidelines, I think the rest of the pill-popping, protein shake-drinking portion-measuring food-avoiding dogma that goes along with what we believe to be "healthy eating" is complete and utter nonsense, and quite frankly, I think it is TOXIC to your health.

In my opinion its time to not only give up on this trend of OCE (Obsessive Compulsive Eating), but to actually start raging against it.

The truth is many other health authorities are also starting to become very concerned about the negative consequences of Obsessive Compulsive Eating.

Steven Bratman, M.D. calls OCE "Orthorexia" in his published research, and in his book "Health Food Junkies". Michael Pollan talks about OCE in his newest book "In Defense of Food".

And this new publicity is for good reason. All of the nonsense we are being fed by nutritionists, personal trainers and health food store employees is doing little to make us look better or feel better, and is psychologically damaging to our relationship with food.

Eating food should not be about guilt!
Not only this, but getting lean should not be about self-punishment and denial.

I think OCE is the number one nutrition mistake that you can make. Worse than any other diet or nutrition crime.

Worst of all, it is actually being supported by many well educated "health experts". Take a look at all of the OCE diet plans that appear in all the popular magazines.

Most of these diet plans will help you lose weight, but only because they reduce calories. However, this does not mean they are healthy. Eight weeks of egg whites and cauliflower isn’t good for you physically or psychologically. Your workouts aren’t useless if you don't drink a protein shake immediately after you finished your last rep, and you eat a brownie, you shouldn’t feel ashamed of yourself.
But this how the mainstream OCE culture is making us all feel.

I’m sure you have enough stress in your life already. Worrying about some super complicated way of eating shouldn't be yet another thing to worry about. Especially if it doesn’t even improve your health or the way you look.

Sure these methods may make you lose weight but this is ONLY because they lower your calorie intake, and at what cost?
For some reason we have been convinced that the more COMPLICATED the diet program, the more effective it will be, which is simply not true.

You can absolutely lose weight and get lean without having to be a slave to some complicated diet plan or the latest ‘rules’ of healthy eating.

Weight loss shouldn't come at the expense of your sanity. There is a better way, and in my opinion it's the Eat Stop Eat Method.

Finding a simple, easy way to reduce calories is the key to successful, long term weight loss, and that is exactly what Eat Stop Eat provides:

1) An easy way to get lean without spending every single day of your life worrying about what you are eating.
2) An effective way to lose weight without excluding any foods you love to eat.
3) A simple way to lose body fat without forcing you to eat foods that you simply do not like.

If you are ready to learn more about how to avoid OCE and how to start losing weight with the Eat Stop Eat method, then simply CLICK HERE to get your copy of Eat Stop Eat.
A new, easier and leaner life is waiting for you.

Brad Pilon

Click HERE to get your own copy of Eat Stop Eat

Stop Cravings and Stop Binge Eating: Advice from a Pizza Man

By Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com

In a surprising comment made during a popular UK radio show, the founder of one of the largest Pizza chains in the United States and United Kingdom told listeners not to eat too much pizza! 

In an interview with host Adam Shaw on BBC’s Radio Four program, John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s pizza, was asked whether he was concerned about the British government’s recent actions in the fast food restaurant business to help put the brakes on obesity. Schnatter said, “Pizza is actually healthy for you if you don’t eat too much of it. You can’t eat five or six slices but if you eat one or two slices it’s very nutritious.” Laughing, Shaw replied, “I’m not sure your investors would want to hear you tell people, ‘don’t eat too much of our pizzas!”’

Across the web, bloggers and tweeters have been putting in their two cents. Some say he was a little TOO honest. Others say this was either the worst PR screw up ever… or the best PR move ever (you know what they say about “bad” publicity).

Although I wouldn’t call pizza health food, I think his advice to eat pizza, but only in moderation was the responsible thing for a fast food owner to do at a time where obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, not just in the United States but in the U.K. and other countries as well. 

Moreover, it was just plain good diet advice! One reason people are failing to control their weight is because of all-or-none thinking, i.e, “I can’t eat ANY pizza EVER again!” or, “I have to follow my diet 100% or not at all.” 

In my experience, all or none thinking is one of the biggest causes of diet failure. It’s far better from a psychological perspective to eat your pizza; simply enjoy it infrequently and in small quantities.

Think of you on a diet like a pressure cooker on a burner. The longer you keep that pot on the heat, the more the steam pressure builds up inside. If there’s no outlet or release valve on that thing, eventually the pressure builds up so much that even if it’s made of steel and the lid is bolted down, she’s gonna blow, sooner or later.

Well, in the beginning, you might think your willpower is made of steel and that you’re bolted tigher than a submarine hatch, but the longer you’re on a diet with no relief, the greater the pressure builds up until YOU blow your top… and that means massive binge eating. 

But if you let off a little steam in the form of a “free meal” (or two) and enjoy that slice of pizza (or whatever is your favorite ‘poison’) on occasion, that relieves the pressure. Alas, you never even feel the urge to binge… because you HAD your pizza and the urge was satisfied. Since the meal was planned and you kept the calories under control, it had little or no effect on your fat loss results.

This topic of conversation was prompted on the BBC radio show during a discussion about how the Pizza business was doing during the recession and about efforts to stem the growing obesity crisis in the UK.

Earlier last month, The Food Standards Agency in the UK started negotiating with UK food, pub and sandwich chains to display calories on their menus to try to provide education about healthier options for consumers who eat out frequently.

The move is similar to one made in New York City last year, where restaurant chains that have more than 15 locations must print calories on the menus. According to an article in the British Medical Journal, this has resulted in an average reduction of 50-100 calories for each food order. Not much, but at least it’s something.

In the case of pizza, a 2.2 ounce thin-crusted slice of cheese pizza could have as little as 190 calories. One slice of “meat lover’s” pizza, on the other hand, could set you back almost 500 calories! If you knew the difference, would it change what kind and how much you ate?

I’m totally in favor of posting calories on menus, despite the critics who say it won’t make a difference. I think anything that raises calorie awareness is going to affect behavior in a positive way and help make for better food decisions. Whether it should be mandatory by law is debatable. I say, let the restaurants decide and then let the marketplace sort itself out. 

I would be more likely to recommend or support the restaurants who opted to post calories, increase their range of healthy choices… and on that rare occasion, have a CEO who actually says, “Eat my food, but not too much!!”

Now, if we can only get those Mcdonalds’s execs to say the same thing!

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

P.S. No relation to Venuto's Pizza, hahaha

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: Fat Burning Diets And Workouts Diet Reviews where you will find my review of Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

Your 14 Day Fat Loss Guide Lose Unwanted BodyFat

I have a pretty long post for you today. But it is also a very important one for anyone that needs to lose unwanted bodyfat. It is courtesy of Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training.

What you are about to get is a 14 day Fat Loss Guide. This is a fast track day by day guide to get you losing fat fast.

So here's your complete 14-day FAST-TRACK guide to fat loss.


Day 1 - Stop Everything to Plan, Shop, & Prepare This Meal Plan

I hope you're reading this on Sunday, because I want you to plan, shop, and prepare today. If it's Monday, skip your workout and do this instead - its THAT important.


And I don't just mean planning what you are going to eat for dinner. I mean planning what you are going to eat for every meal for the next 2 weeks.


Don't tell me that's too hard. After all, most people with lean physiques stick to a relatively similar diet for 90% of their meals and then enjoy a random cheat/reward meal 10% of the time.


So your fat loss schedule might go like this:

Breakfast - 2 eggs, 1 slice rye toast, 1 apple, Green Tea, fish oil

Snack - 1oz raw almonds, 1 pear, Green Tea

Lunch - Grilled chicken/salmon or black bean salad with spinach, onion, peppers, mushrooms, etc., 1 banana or bowl of cherries, 2 cups unsweetened iced tea with lime or lemon

Snack - Unlimited raw vegetables and hummus

Dinner - Protein and vegetables and fruit...so this could be a small piece of steak, chicken, or fish, along with your favorite vegetables, and a bowl of your favorite fruit.

Or it could be the veggie dinner I had last Monday of quinoa with red pepper-cashew sauce and avocado wrapped in kale leaves.

Or it could be wild rice with beans and avocado and salsa.

That schedule won't change much, with the exception of a slight variation in your main course at dinner, right? And then once per week schedule a meal of your favorite food.

Everyone can stick to this plan for 14 days, and this tip alone will help you lose 5-12 pounds of fat in just 2 weeks. And this is also how you'll need to eat for the rest of your life. It's not hard, it just requires a little practice. Keep at it and never, EVER give up.


Alright, so to review, here's your 3-step fat loss guide to Day 1.

i) Plan your meals.

ii) Shop for the food.

iii) Prepare the food (cut everything up, put in the proper trays, cook food if necessary, and get it all packed up for work)


In addition to planning out all of your meals, you must also start keeping a food journal (you could do it online too), because studies show that keeping a food journal will help you lose fat faster.


Next, make sure you do 60 minutes of activity today AND take a "before" photo along with your weight, body fat (if possible), and measurements of your waist, hips, arms, and thighs. Continue to weigh yourself every other day, as research shows that frequent check-ins lead to greater weight loss.



Day 2 - Attend An "Online Turbulence Training Seminar"

You must set EVERY workout and activity session as an appointment with yourself that you must keep - just like a doctor's visit. Let nothing, except real emergencies, come between you and your workouts.

Today you're going to do a Turbulence Training workout.

Now if you are currently using long, slow, boring cardio to lose fat, stop that bad habit immediately and switch to Turbulence Training.

(If you need to learn more about Turbulence Training for my review and videos of TT workouts where I explain Turbulence Training and interval workouts.)

If you are a beginner, please start conservatively. But if you have been working out for a while, the next 3 weeks are your time to step your workouts up a notch.


Day 3 - Write Your Way to Fat Loss

First, you must schedule 60 minutes of easy to moderate activity.

I'll talk about that in a second, but you can do anything from a 60 minute walk, a yoga session, a light bodyweight and stretching session, an hour of playing with your kids, or playing an easy game of your favorite sport. Don't go too hard, but stay active.


You must also carve out 30 minutes to sit down and write out 3 short term goals and 3 long term goals. Write down EXACTLY what you want to accomplish in these 14 days. After that, write down what you want to accomplish in the following 90 days.


Once you've done that, you're going to prepare a contract with yourself promising to take the steps necessary to achieve these goals. Sign the contract and review it everyday to keep you on track.


Day 4 - Recruiting Day

Today's another Turbulence Training workout. Make sure you are using a professionally designed structured and proven fat loss workout, rather than just "winging it" or using long slow cardio for fat loss.

You'll also spend time today recruiting for these 3 components of your fat loss social support team:


- Nutrition buddy

- Workout partner

- Fat loss forum accountability buddies


Research shows that recording your nutrition in a food journal and having someone review your meals increases your chance of losing fat.


Another study found that if you workout with a partner who is losing fat, then you'll have a greater chance of losing fat as well.


And finally, a third study found that the more often subjects checked in to an online fat loss forum (like the TT Member's forum), the more likely they were to lose a lot of fat.

Get your team together and you'll get more results - faster.


Day 5 - The 60 Minute Solution

Why am I telling you to get 60-minutes of activity on your off days from Turbulence Training?


Well, to be honest, I do NOT expect you to burn massive amounts of fat with easy, off-day activity.


However, every minute you spend moving, you are NOT snacking! I know the biggest problem you will have is your diet. So instead of snacking in front of the computer or TV, spend your free time away from food. That's the simple secret to the 60 minute solution.

So get 60 minutes of activity on Day 5.


Day 6 - The Challenge

Your 3rd TT workout needs to be a challenge workout so that you can improve your performance each week. In fact, you should set at least one personal best in each workout. If you improve your performance, your physique will improve as well. You can use one of the TT bodyweight, Adrenaline, or Addiction Challenge workouts.

Day 7 - Diet Check-In and Reward Meal

Congratulations, you've made it through 7 amazing days of fat burning. Today you're going to double check your nutrition plan by reviewing your food journal.

If you haven't already done so, eliminate all liquid calories and replace with water and Green Tea.

If you need to learn more about nutrition, start using the free service called Fitday.com. It will help you track your calories.

And if you're really struggling to avoid night eating, try this tip. Place a small mirror on your fridge door. Research shows that subjects consumed fewer calories when they did this because it will remind you to make smarter choices.

Finally, as a reward for all of your hard work, you can treat yourself to your favorite meal. But that doesn't mean gorging. It simply means having a normal meal of your favorite foods to give you a mental break from your plan. When the meal is over, don't go back for seconds. Get right back on the 14-day plan instead.


Days 7 & 8 are also 60 minute off-day activity days.

Day 8 - Review your goals.

It's no good to write your goals down and then forget them. Review them at least weekly, if not daily. Heck, carry them around in your pocket and look at them at every meal.

As you workout, visualize yourself reaching your goals. Believe in yourself, keep a positive attitude, stay motivated and you'll continue to make fast fat loss progress every day.

This will also be another great day to plan, shop, and prepare.


Day 9 - Take It to Another Level

Week one was great, but with only 5 days left it is time for you to step it up again. This time I want you to hire a trainer for just one Turbulence Training session to make sure you are doing all the exercises correctly and training as hard as you can (safely, of course).

Add this trainer to your support team. And by the way, a good trainer should be able to estimate your body fat better than any of those "fat scales" you can buy at a store...so get them to check that too.


Day 10 - Plan Your Next Shopping Trip

Today is another 60 minutes of off-day activity, and you'll also work on improving your nutrition even more. What I want you to do is focus on eating more from the Fat Loss Foundation.


The 3 components of my Simple Nutrition Fat Loss Foundation are raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Research shows that eating more of these 3 foods will help you lose weight better than a diet that is low in fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Make an effort to eat one new fruit, vegetable, and nut each week during your between meal snacks.

If you aren't already eating grapefruit, try one today and see how it helps fill you up (because it contains a lot of soluble fiber called pectin). Add a new vegetable - such as broccoli, cauliflower, r asparagus - to your dinner. And try walnuts or pecans instead of almonds at morning break.


Slowly but surely increase the fiber in your diet until you hit the recomended amount of 35 grams per day.

And I hope this goes without saying, but you should have eliminated all foods that contain added sugar.that is one of the simplest and most effective nutrition changes you can make.


Day 11 - Recruit Again

Add a new member into your social support team, such as a new workout partner or healthy-eating partner. This will add strength to our commitment. If possible, join a transformation contest online,or start one among your friends or co-workers.

But when you do that, keep in mind that you want to help other people succeed. The more you can help others lose fat, the more you will help yourself you share what's working with your friends andthey show you their fat loss secrets too. Stay positive, and you'll build a powerful fat loss team.

Today is also another Turbulence Training workout day give it your best.


Day 12 - Check-In Time

Today you'll re-measure your weight, body fat, and measurements.

Take a look in the mirror to compare yourself against your beforephoto to see big changes that will motivate you to stay strong.

I also want you to start thinking about getting a tan. Yes, I saidgetting a tan. Why? Because simply adding a little bit of color toyour body can make you look leaner. There's a reason all those models in supplement ads are tanned, you know.

Finally, if there is a "big day" at the end of the 14-days, make sure you try on the outfit you are going to wear to double-check that it is going to look great on you.

Make sure you do this check-in either before your 60 minutes of activity or a few hours after so that exercise does not mess-up thenumbers.


Day 13 - Mental Performance Review

Write down all obstacles that are still in your way of success, andthen brainstorm 2 solutions to overcome each. Get some help from your social support team on this. The more you and your team sharesolutions, the more fat you - and everyone else - will lose.


For example, you might come up with rules like, "No eating in the car" to help cut down on bad food choices. Someone else might suggest"brush your teeth after dinner to avoid night-time snacking". Those
are simple yet powerful tips to keep you on the fast-track to fat loss.


Follow up this positive session with your best TT workout yet!


Day 14 - Review, Plan, & Prepare

Congrats on making so many powerful changes in just 2 short weeks.

By now, you'll probably have lost 5-12 pounds of fat and just as importantly, you'll have developed proven, life-long fat burning habits that will be easy for you to stick to forever.


Keep this weight loss train moving by reviewing your original goals.

Next, do your planning, shopping, and preparing for another week, and get ready for even more fat loss.


Enjoy your 14-day results and celebrate with a reward meal (and showoff your firmer, leaner body at the big event too!).

Wishing you success

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Creator, Turbulence Training and The Turbulence Training Membership site

Are You Giving Your Best Effort To Achieving Your Fat Loss Goals?

Hi,

I have a very inspirational post for you today. If you have tried and failed (or at least not gotten the results you are after) to lose your unwanted body fat pay attention. The post is from Scott Tousignant of Fat Loss quickie fame. I think this is a great post that everyone can get something from. It is a little long but well worth taking a couple of minutes to read.

Are You Giving Your Very Best Effort Toward Achieving Your Fat Loss Goals?


by Scott Tousignant · Fat Loss Quickie Motivation

“I’ve tried everything!” If only I had a penny for every time that I’ve heard that statement made by a frustrated dieter. I’d be writing this post from my very own private tropical island

You may have started several different diets. You may have followed several different workout programs. But did you honestly give your very best effort to all of them? Honestly? If not, then can you honestly say that you’ve tried each of those programs?

Have you really tried everything? Seriously. Every diet and workout program out there?

Are you aware of these lies that you tell yourself every day?

I’m confident in saying that what you believe you can achieve in regards to your fat loss goals is nowhere near what you can actually achieve. I believe that you can accomplish much more!

Allow me to use just a few of the many examples of amazing transformation success stories from Tom Venuto’s Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle Inner Circle to prove this point…

If you are around 40% body fat right now, I bet the thought that you could release fat and sculpt your body to the point of winning a medal in a figure competition and being featured in fitness magazines seems impossible and ‘unrealistic’…

…Yet that’s exactly what 40 year old Eka Ukaobasi did!

I bet that the thought of losing 254.6 pounds in just two years sounds impossible, especially when you’ve tried to lose weight in the past and it ended in frustration and disappointment…

…Yet that’s exactly what Michael Boyd did. Think about that for a moment. That’s like going through life carrying around two lean women around everywhere that you go. Then over the course of two years doing what’s necessary to get them off your shoulders and ease the burden of that excess load.

Take a look at his photo collage. His before and after pictures could be mistaken for two completely different people. At the beginning of your journey it may be difficult to believe that you can look that great. But over time anything is possible.

Eka wasn’t the only woman in Tom Venuto’s Burn The Fat Inner Circle who surprised themselves and decided to take their fitness to the next level and compete in a women’s physique competition. There’s actually been several women who took that big leap, including Bonnie Van Niekerk who released 51 pounds and 12% body fat and entered into a competition. Bonnie actually shared her entire journey in the Burn The Fat Inner Circle to inspire other women about what’s possible even when faced with challenges.

Bonnie mentioned something very inspiring during one of her interviews in the Burn The Fat Inner Circle. She said, “To be lean and fit is within everyone’s reach no matter what your current weight or genetic type. You can be a better version of YOU. It takes desire and the right motivation. Don’t get discouraged, and put yourself first for a change.”

I love that advice!

Have any of these examples helped you realize that you are capable of much greater results that you previously thought possible?


Your Very Best Effort

It’s up to you to put the blindfold on. If you get to a point where you feel you are giving your very best, you may just decide to stop even though you are capable of so much more.


So how do you give your VERY BEST EFFORT toward your fat loss goals?


1) Harness The Power Of “Personal Bests”

I live by a goal of becoming better today than I was yesterday and better tomorrow than I am today. My life is basically a series of breaking my previous personal bests. Does that happen every day… No, but it’s always my goal.

When it comes to your workouts you can improve upon your personal best by either pushing out one more rep beyond your previous workout, lifting 1 pound heavier than your previous workout, reducing your rest period between sets by 5 seconds, or a variety of other means to push just a little bit harder.

When it comes to cardio if you can run 5k in 40 minutes you can try to run it in a shorter period of time this week. You can run a little longer distance in that 40 minute time frame, you can run that 5k on an incline through a hilly terrain, or a variety of other methods to push harder.

When it comes to eating healthier you can reduce the amount of man made food in your diet by just a little bit each week.

You can try to stretch your muscles a little bit more each week, drink a little more water each week, devote an extra minute per day to reading your goals and re-writing them, and so many other healthy habits that you can improve just a teeny weeny bit each week.

I’ve spent my adult life studying Olympic athletes. They are always focused on achieving their personal bests. Not every athlete wins an Olympic gold, silver, or bronze medal, but if they achieve a personal best during the Olympics you may just mistake them for the person who won the gold because they are so ecstatic and overjoyed by their accomplishments.


2) The Power Of Support

Having a support group and some very key supportive people in your life can make all the difference in putting your very best effort forward.

This is a picture of my two friends Tishia Lee and Mary Lutz as they compete in their very first 5k run. Tishia mentioned that there were times during the race that she felt like quitting. She had shin splints and a side cramp. But Mary kept motivating her to push through to the end. It would have been easy for Tishia to give up, but Mary helped her put her very best effort toward completing the run.

Now that they have competed in their first 5k race they have a base point and their very first personal best, which they can set a goal of breaking in the near future.


3) Why Should You Give Your Very Best Effort?

You have probably heard that you should find your powerful reason why, when it comes to achieving your fat loss goals. I shared how to take this advice to the next level in a post called “Having a Powerful Why Is Not Enough”

One of the reasons why a Powerful Why is not enough is because of what many people do after they have discovered it… Nothing!

Once you have your powerful reason why, you must repeat it to yourself as frequently as possible, especially before a workout, cardio session, or meal.

My powerful reason why I MUST continue to improve my health is because I believe that my family’s freedom and happiness depends upon it and their happiness and freedom means more to me than anything in this world.

When I begin to think that I can’t push out one more rep I repeat to myself, “My family’s freedom and happiness depends upon this one last rep.”

When I feel like slowing down the intensity of my cardio or stopping short of my destination I think, “My family’s freedom and happiness depends on me putting forth my very best effort.”

There is absolutely no obstacle that can prevent me from achieving my desired outcome when I am repeating that phrase in my head. Find your powerful reason why, write it down frequently, and read it every chance you get.

4) Commit To The Plan and Deadline

When you purchase a workout or diet program decide how much time you are going to devote to ‘working the program’ and mark it down on your calender.

Suppress the desire to program hop or try the latest and greatest program until you’ve completed the current program that you are following. I discussed this during an information packed interview  with John Romaniello.


Have a plan of action for the time after you achieve your goal and complete the current program.


Here’s what my current plan looks like…

===> May 10th 2010 – June 3rd 2010: Follow Joel Marion’s Xtreme Fat Loss Diet Goal: Eliminate my lower belly fat


===> June 4th 2010 – July 2nd 2010: Follow John Romaniello’s Final Phase Fat Loss

Goal: Look better than I’ve ever looked in my entire life.



===> July 3rd 2010 – July 11th 2010: Celebrate my victories on the beaches of Turks and Caicos

Goal: Rest, relax, recover.



===> July 12th 2010 – August 8th 2010: Follow Nick Nilsson’s Muscle Explosion Goal: Gain 6 pounds of muscle in 28 days.


===>  August 9th 2010 – December 23rd 2010: Follow my Fat Loss Quickie Program.


5) I AM UNSTOPPABLE!

Adopt the belief and attitude that “I am Unstoppable!” No matter what obstacle or challenge you are faced with I want you to know with absolute certainty that you will overcome that challenge.

Walk around tall and proud while showing off your “Unstoppable Attitude”. Exude confidence and absolutely 100% EXPECT SUCCESS! You’re not just hoping that this program will work for you… you know that this program will work for you because you are going to work the program to the very best of your abilities.


6) There’s Always Someone Worse Off Than You


I thrive off of reading and listening to success stories and I’ve been inspired by countless people who have had a much tougher time sculpting their body and improving their health than I ever will… and when I feel like giving up I think of them.

No matter what your challenge is, I guarantee that there is at least a thousand people out there who have gone through a similar challenge and have faced even greater challenges than you are currently facing, yet they were able to blast through those obstacles to achieve great success. If they can do it… So Can YOU!

Be a role model. Face your challenges! Achieve success in spite of those challenges. Prove that you are capable of greatness and that if you can do it… anyone can do it.

This is your life and your body. Make the most of it. Life the best quality of life possible in the best body that you can possibly sculpt. You deserve this.

You are faced with dozens of choices throughout your day. The most important choice that you can make is to become the best that you can be by choosing to live to your full potential.

Temporarily step into the realm of discomfort in order to create a new level of comfort that you’ve never experienced before. What may seem challenging for you today will not be challenging in the slightest during the months to come.

Expand your world. Experience this life to the fullest. Cherish every second.

To achieving your limitless potential,

Scott Tousignant

Fast Fat Loss But 1 Pound A Day?

I've got a new article for you today from my friend and fat loss expert Joel Marion about a legitimate way that you can burn a pound of pure fat in 1 day.


As a reminder, if you missed the announcement about Joel's exciting new 25-day Xtreme Fat Loss program, and the special deal he has going which ends Thursday... check it out here:

Xtreme Fat Loss
Here's Joel's new article:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How To Burn A Pound Of Pure Fat In One Day

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by Joel Marion - CISSN, NSCA-CPT

A pound of fat is 3,500 calories.

So, to lose 10 pounds of pure fat, you need to create a 35,000 calorie deficit.

(please realize that 10 pounds of *fat loss* will probably equate to somewhere between 15 and 20 pounds of actual "wt loss" due to the simultaneous water loss that occurs any time you lose fat).

So, a 35,000 calorie deficit, huh? That's easy. In fact, if you didn't eat anything for 15 days, combined with exercise, you'd probably burn even more than that and finish up absolutely ripped after only 2 weeks of sacrifice, right?

WRONG.

Your body does *not* like long-term, drastic reductions in calorie intake and simply responds by 1) shutting down metabolism and 2) holding on to body fat, both as a starvation protection mechanism. Therefore, should you ever decide to try something akin to the above, you'd only end up wasting a heck of a lot of time and sacrifice for some pretty crappy results.

In fact, you'd probably end up looking "sick" and still fat. Probably *not* the look you're going for…

Simply put, creating massive calorie deficits (by not eating, or eating very little) does NOT work for optimal fat loss and physique transformation, and those looking for a quick fix all too often fall victim to trying something so silly in attempt to wake up next week with the body of their dreams.

Bottom line: your body is smarter than these elementary methods, and will very quickly put the breaks on your fat burning efforts in favor of protecting you from starving to death.

So does that mean that the "slow and steady" road is the only path to fat loss, or that rapid fat loss is a dead dream?

Nope! It just requires "smarter" methods that keep you one step ahead of your body, always in “good standing”, instead of repeatedly aggravating it by denying it the nutrients and energy it needs to function.

So how can we be smart about rapid fat loss?

Well, there are a number of ways (that when combined in the most strategic fashion can equate to some incredibly fast fat loss results), but one of the pieces of the puzzle is to create a massive calorie deficit that *actually works* because it's timed appropriately in conjunction with a time in which your body is very receptive to fat burning.

If you've read any of my past writings then you know that I'm a strong believer in utilizing Cheat Days to upregulate metabolism and important fat burning hormones, particularly leptin, while dieting. After all, it only takes one day of overfeeding or "cheating" to bring these hormones back to baseline and put the body back into an optimized fat burning state (while it takes about a week for them to substantially drop off again).

The end result is greater net fat loss week after week while still being able to enjoy your favorite foods on a regular basis. I'll take that deal.

Given that information, let me ask you a question:

When do you think might be the ideal time to introduce a massive calorie deficit to a diet cycle in order to burn the most fat?

I'll let you think about that for a minute…

Okay, got your answer?

Well, if you said after a Cheat Day, then you are 100% correct! Fact is, after a Cheat Day, your body is *massively* primed to burn fat. Leptin levels are at their peak, in addition to other important fat burning hormones, and your body is READY and WILLING to use fat for energy.

So, it's after a high calorie day that you'll want to create a massive calorie deficit via:

1. minimal calorie intake (i.e. strategic fasting)

2. massive energy expenditure through optimized exercise

Essentially, you're creating a huge calorie deficit (through both diet and exercise) on a day in which your body is extremely primed to burn those calories as fat AND when metabolism is at its highest point.

Make sense?

The truth is, through proper timing and proper strategy, you really CAN burn a pound of pure fat (and lose even more on the scale) in one day, without silly fat loss gimmicks or fads.

The secret, my friends, is all in the strategy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The above fat loss trick is just one of the 9 advanced strategies that Joel uses in his new 25-day rapid fat loss program, The Xtreme Fat Loss Diet. Make sure to grab your copy now before Joel's special deal ends on Thursday:

Xtreme Fat Loss  <=== Click for my review

Enjoy!

Xtreme Fat Loss Diet And Exercise Solution

Over the past few weeks you've probably heard A LOT about my good friend and fat loss "guru" Joel Marion's brand new 25-day RAPID fat loss program, The Xtreme Fat Loss Diet.


Well, I've got some great news for you -- as of today, May 4th, the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet exclusive $30 OFF behind-closed-doors pre-sale is now OPEN, and YOU are invited via this special link:

Xtreme Fat Loss <------- Your exclusive $30 off invitation

Several IMPORTANT things I need you to be aware of:

1. As mentioned, to celebrate the "Official Release" of the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet, Joel is running a $30 OFF pre-sale on the entire system until midnight on Thursday.

2. This special pre-sale is NOT available to the general public, but rather is located on a special "hidden" page of the website.

3. This program is absolutely NOT for everyone:

While Joel's new system *is* all about how to lose fat FAST(up to 25 pounds in 25 days fast), it is NOT a "quick fix", magic-bullet solution.

Instead, it's a highly strategic system that incorporates some rather advanced strategies like cheat days, fast days, depletion days, and strategically timed exercise in the most ideal combination to yield the fastest possible result.

And believe it or not, he's even included one little-known, but extremely effective method on Day 5 of the program that will actually help you GAIN a couple pounds of firm, lean calorie-burning muscle as you rapidly lose fat. Pretty nuts.

Still, the truth remains: this is a somewhat "intense" system and as such will require your full dedication and effort over a short 25 day period--if you're someone who's not able to go 100% for 3 and a half weeks, this program isn't going to be a great fit for you.

BUT, if you're someone who's willing to put in the work and follow the program to a letter for 25 short days, you can expect to see some pretty remarkable progress in a very short period of time.

Xtreme Fat Loss <----- Your pre-sale link

4. VERY IMPORTANT (TODAY ONLY) - While the $30 OFF debut sale will be available through Thursday, there is a super cool $397 Value FAST ACTION BONUS for Day 1 orders ONLY.

The Bonus - If you order today (and today only), you will be given access to a LIVE 120-minute Fat Loss All-Star Coaching session where Joel Marion, John Romaniello (Final Phase Fat Loss), and Dr. Kareem Samhouri (Double Edged Fat Loss) will ALL be on the line to answer your personal fat loss questions. This type of direct coaching from 3 industry experts all at once is not available anywhere else at any price, but if you pick up the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet TODAY, you'll gain access to the LIVE call for *FREE*.

Xtreme Fat Loss <------- $30 off & your $397 value Fast Action Bonus (today only)

Bottom line, I wouldn't be recommending this program to you if I didn't believe in it 110% -- if you're up for the 25 day challenge, this is probably the "smartest" fat loss program I've ever come across. And right now, you can get it before *anyone* else while saving a full $30

Joe

P.S. I almost forgot to mention, you get to eat WHATEVER you want every 5th day (no joke):

==> Xtreme Fat Loss

Lose 25lbs In 25 Days?

Have you ever wondered what may be holding you back from the FASTEST fat loss?


Why you've only been able to lose fat at an "average" speed, if at all?

Well, the fact of the matter is this: there's probably certain things built in to the very diet and exercise program that YOU are doing, things that you don't even realize are inhibiting you from achieving the most rapid fat loss results.

Fortunately, you're in luck, because that's exactly what this article is all about—uncovering what I consider to be the top 5 fat loss "killers" plaguing diets and training programs alike, ultimately slowing down your results despite your most intense efforts.

* Limiting Factor #1: Your Metabolism *


In reality, it's not really your metabolism that's the problem, but rather the effect that most fat loss programs, particularly diets, have on your metabolism.

In order to understand this, we need to go back in time a bit to the day in which our "hunter and gather" ancestors roamed the Earth.

For those individuals, survival was king, and in order to survive, they had to do the whole “eating” thing just like we do.

Unfortunately, things weren’t quite as easy for this group as they are today. No supermarkets. No drive-through meal deals. Instead, when our primitive ancestors wanted a nice steak, they had to go find it.

This inevitably meant that there were plenty of instances in which our yester-year counterparts went without food for days at a time. And at other times, namely during the winter months, their bodies were forced to get by on very little food and calories each day.

And the reason why they didn’t die? There’s only one—the body’s natural defense against starvation.

Don’t get enough calories for an extended period of time? No problem, the body simply causes ”bad” hormones, fat storage enzymes, and hunger to all increase while “good” hormones, metabolism, and fat burning enzymes all take a dive.

Enter “starvation mode.”

Friend to our ancestors; anything but to the dieter.

You see, dieting, although planned, is nothing more than a lesser degree of premeditated starvation.

Go on a diet—any diet—and it wont be long until the body begins fighting for every ounce of your body fat. You want to lose it; your body wants to keep it. And guess what? Your body wins every time.

Sad scenario, I know.

* Limiting Factor #2: Inadequate Negative Calorie Balance *

There's no getting around the fact that if you want to lose fat as fast as humanly possible you have to create the greatest negative calorie balance possible.

But, at the same time you'll need to do it WITHOUT pissing off your body to the point in which it shuts down and begins to fight against your fat loss efforts (i.e. the "starvation mode" that we just talked about).

Indeed, it is a thin, fine line in which, unfortunately, almost all diets fall somewhere to the left or the right.

You have those diets that create a moderate calorie deficit, leading to moderate results (at least for short while). That's OK, but if we're talking about the FASTEST fat loss, the deficit simply isn't great enough.

And on the opposite end of the spectrum we have "crash" diets and other severe diets which fail to take in to account ANY knowledge of the body and the regulation of human bodyweight and metabolism. A week or two on any of these approaches and you'll likely:


1. Lose muscle

2. Lose a bunch of water

3. Lose a bit of fat

4. Destroy your metabolism

5. Set yourself up to quickly rebound back beyond your original bodyweight

6. Achieve a "skinny fat" physique in which you're still carrying substantial body fat, only now with no muscle.

Awesomen't. (And by that, I mean, not awesome.)


* Limiting Factor #3: Zero Synergy Between Your Diet And Exercise Programming *

I honestly think this is the most overlooked area of fat loss. Most people simply pick a diet and then pick a training program, or vice versa, without ever really thinking how those two programs work hand in hand, or if they DON'T provide any additional benefit to one another.

Allow me to illustrate my point with a few mathematical equations:

1 + 1 = 0

1 + 1 = 2

1 + 1 = 3

And believe it or not, I actually did graduate first grade.

While not true in the absolute mathematical sense, all three of the above equations are representative of the results people achieve from their diet and exercise programs.

In each equation, think of the first number as diet, the second as exercise, and the third as the result achieved by the combination.

Or simply, Diet + Exercise = Result

So, in the first equation, Diet + Exercise = Zero Result. Unfortunately many people are stuck in this boat because of damaged metabolisms and some of the reasons we've shared previously.

In the second equation, we have Diet + Exercise = The expected result (and additive effect of the two).

But in the third equation, this is where the magic happens—when diet and exercise team up to achieve a greater result than the additive effect of either of them alone. That's synergy—when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Unfortunately, most diet and exercise programs are respresented by one of the first two equations, because they simply aren't designed to work together in every aspect.

* Limiting Factor #4: Positive Energy Balance *

Positive Energy Balance simply is any point in your diet in which you consume more calories than you burn, ultimately resulting in those surplus level of calories being stored as fat.

This could be the result of a dietary "screw up" in which you fall off your diet completely or a "planned" cheat day which results in positive calorie balance.

Naturally, any time you are gaining fat on a fat loss program you are moving in the opposite direction of your results and in some way, shape or form, slowing your progress.

* Limiting Factor #5: Muscle Loss *

The unforatunate reality is that 99% of diets result in a significant amount of muscle loss. This has several bigtime consequences:

1. You're not going to achieve the LOOK you want by losing muscle. Most men would agree with that statement right out, but for women, allow me to demonstrate it's truth:

Those are both size 2 bodies. The difference? The one on the left looks OK while the one on the right is smokin' hot. The REAL difference? Muscle.

While the exact same size, the physique on the right is comprised mostly of dense, shapely, tone muscle, while the image on the left...isn't.

If you just want to be "thin" while still hiding behind your clothes because you're not 100% proud of your body, then losing muscle is a great way to get you there. But if you want to look great naked, believe me, you want to hold on to every ounce you have as you lose fat.

2. Losing muscle = decreased metabolism. Muscle burns calories at rest; essentially, it's the fuel that keeps your metabolism operating at full blast. When you lose muscle as you diet, not only does it slow your week to week progress by decreasing overall metabolism, but it also sets you up to easily and quickly gain back lost weight as a result of the cumulative decrease in metabolism over time.

A "smaller" version of the same body, decreased week to week progress, and long-term metabolism issues?

Count. Me. Out.

Do you want to overcome these 5 limiting factor and begin achieving the FASTEST fat loss?

A Fat Burning Meal Plan

Fat Burning Meal Plan for Men


By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

This is the fat burning meal plan I would follow to burn fat.

(This is almost identical to the meal plan I eat now to gain muscle and strength, except my lunch is higher in carbohydrates and calories and so is my after dinner snack...so to burn fat I'd just cut a few things out.)...


Here are the guidelines for a fat burning meal plan for men.

- 6 meals per day. If you can't do that, combine a couple of meals to get down to 4 meals per day. Even most busy people can do 4 meals/snacks per day.

- Remove all sugar from diet.

- Have at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight (to a maximum of 250g per day)

- Have 3 servings of fruit per day (sticking to high-fiber fruits such as apples or grapefruit and high-antioxidant fruits such as berries)

- Drink at least 4 cups of Green Tea

- Follow Dr. John Berardi's 90% rule -> if you eat according to the guidelines 90% of the time, you can go off track 10% of the time and still make incredible body changes.

This is the exact meal plan & training plan I follow to get ultra-lean.

I'd probably only need 3 weeks before I would be ripped - this approach is super fast and effective. Plus, I'm already very lean because I avoid the Western Lifestyle and live the Turbulence Training Lifestyle everyday.


Meal 1:

3 Omega-3 eggs

1oz cheese

1 cup raw broccoli

1/2 raw pepper

4g fish oil

2 cups Green Tea


Meal 2:

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup blueberries

1 apple

1 cup Green Tea


Meal 3:

1 chicken breast

2 cups mixed green salad or spinach

1 cup raw peppers & broccoli

2 cups Green Tea


Meal 4:

Post-workout chocolate milk (2 cups)


Meal 5:

2 oz almonds

1 apple

1 cup Green Tea


Meal 6:

6oz steak

1/2 avocado

1 cup asparagus

1 cup swiss chard

1/2 cup strawberries

4g Fish Oil

* Bonus snack late: *

1 apple

1 tbsn peanut butter

Now, if you are chained to a desk with a taskmaster of a boss, here's what you do...

Cut back from 6 meals to 4 meals. Everyone can do breakfast, lunch, after work, and dinner. Add in a post-workout meal if you need it and you're up to 5 meals.

The reason why I like multi-meals for fat loss is that it keeps people from going berserk at lunch or dinner b/c they are starving. You know how it is, when you're too hungry to stay disciplined and you rationalize grabbing take out (or take away for our european readers) after work rather than preparing your chicken and vegetables.

For guys that need to gain muscle, the more meals the better, and the reason is obvious (more calories).


Follow up questions about the Fat Burning Meal Plan

1 - Why so many green teas?

Answer:

Green tea is just healthy. Nothing more, nothing less. Most of the time I drink naturally decaffeinated green tea since I am not a real big caffeine fan.

But if you are worried about losing your caffeine kick when switching from coffee to Green Tea, I think you might be pleasantly surprised that Green Tea still has a fair bit of caffeine...then again what do i know, since I've never, ever had a coffee.

PS - I have nothing against people drinking 1-2 coffees per day. Just not 3-4 super-mega-whatever you call those big ones from Starbucks.


2 - Are raw vegetables better than cooked?

Answer:

You will get more nutrients from raw vegetables. Its not the end of the world if you cook them, but obviously steaming is much better than boiling.

Raw vegetables are also much easier to transport/prepare and eat when busy.

Bottom line: Just get some vegetables first of all, then worry about the details.

PS - Deep fried vegetables do not count. Ever.

3 - Why no starchy carbs?

Answer:

Getting rid of starchy carbs is a guaranteed way to lose more fat. Low-carb diets (they don't have to be dramatically low, but still lower than normal) are proven to work.

I've written in the past about how when clients (and myself) have eliminated all carb sources except for fruits and vegetables that the fat burning results were remarkable. Fast and effective.

I also feel much more mentally alert without them in my diet.

Nutrition is the MOST important component of fat loss,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit  Turbulence Training for my review.

Lose Unwanted BodyFat Lead By Example

I wanted to post this as a follow up to yesterday's post.

3 Things You MUST Do This Week for Inspiration and Motivation


I want you to start it off "Leading by example." I want you to be LOUD and PROUD of your decision to live a healthier life.

Step 1) If you don't have social support, take charge as the leader.

Lead by example. Bring in healthy food to work. Tell everyone that you are starting a new exercise program. Ask others if they want help or support.

Eventually, a lot of people will come to you for advice and support.  And you'll have built a powerful network of social support to help keep you and everyone around you on track.

Step 2) Be confident in your choices.

Don't be ashamed or embarrassed when you say "no" to donuts or pizza at work. If it's not in your diet plan, stay strong and say no thanks and then eat what you prepared.

NO ONE has the right to make you feel bad for eating healthy.

Step 3) People will respect your decisions, even if it seems at first that they don't.

Often, the folks who are most resistant to your changes are the ones who want to make those changes themselves!

So stay strong, and lead by example.

YOU are the one making the right decision. Never forget that!

I'm very proud of your hard work. And more importantly YOU should be proud of yourself.

Is Diet More Important Than Exercise?

I don't know if I ever showed you this video before about "diet vs exercise"

If you haven't watched it, you can see it at the end of these diet tips.

It points out the futility of the cardio confessional and shows you that diet is much more important than exercise.

And since diet is more important than exercise, I've decided to spend a lot time sharing nutrition tips this week, starting with these 3 diet secrets:

1) Your nutrition program doesn't have to be extreme.

Hold up on the insane New Year's changes. Make sure the nutrition plan you've chosen is sustainable. Simple diet changes go a lot farther than you might think.

Why not just eat more whole, natural foods rather than trying to go on an impossible-to-stick-to ultra-low carb extreme plan?

2) Get the junk out of the house.

If it's in your house, you'll eat it...and trust me, this goes for me too. When I visited my mom's house for Christmas, I ate all the chocolate I could find. But I keep it out of my house here in the big city.

So whatever your weakness is, keep it out of your home.

Success is that simple.

3) Fill in the "diet-killing" gap.

For some folks, the diet-killing gap is between work and dinner. For others, it's between dinner and bedtime, but for almost everyone, there is a point in the day when we suffer from mindless eating.

So make sure you have alternatives...as soon as you come home from work, cut up vegetables and dip them into hummus. That will keep you full on a small amount of calories.

After dinner, if you need something sweet, stir up chocolate protein powder into a small bit of plain yogurt. That will satisfy you.

BONUS Tip #1 - Chew your food 20 times before swallowing. Most people eat so fast they only about 5 times. You'll really notice a difference and you'll slow your eating so you feel full.

I was reminded of this tip while reading a book called, "Mr America", about one of the first ever fitness gurus.

BONUS Tip #2 - Have a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup before a meal. American researcher Barbara Roll has published a lot of studies showing that this will help you reduce the food you eat. Surprisingly,
consuming just water doesn't seem to do the same trick.




Thanks to Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training for the video.

Lose Unwanted BodyFat By The Numbers Guide

How to Lose Fat

To lose fat, you must take in fewer calories than what it takes to maintain your current bodyweight.


Eating below that maintenance level will create what is called a "caloric deficit". This simply means you are eating less than you are burning.


The next step is to add in some exercise. Exercise will increase the size of your caloric deficit without eating less food.

Keep up this diet and exercise induced caloric deficit and you will lose fat!
Here is an example of the math:

2200 calories/day your maintenance level
- 500 calories/day eating less than your maintenance level
- 500 calories/day exercising and moving around
_______________
1200 calories/day

Through diet and exercise together you have created a caloric deficit of 1000 calories.

One pound of fat contains 3500 calories, therefore if you have a caloric deficit of 1000 calories a day for seven days you will burn 7000 calories and, theoretically, lose 2 pounds of fat!

Notes:


A good rule of thumb to start with is to eat ten times your bodyweight in calories (e.g. if you weigh 150 pounds, eat 1500 calories).


The best rate for losing fat is one to two pounds per week. Any more and you are probably losing too much muscle as well. People who are extremely overweight can lose fat faster, though, as they have much more to lose.


In the real world, these numbers are simply estimates. There is no way to control everything you eat or your metabolic rate or exactly how many calories you burn during exercise. Follow the principles and don't concern yourself too much with the numbers.

Fat Loss Cut Through The Lies And Get The Facts

There are certain things about fat loss that people have been taught to believe as fact which are, in reality, dead wrong. Even myself, until very recently, believed many of these to be facts that were set in stone.

Not anymore.

As a word of caution, some of these 7 things that I'm going to tell you about may go against everything you've been taught to believe about fat loss. However, sometimes going against convention is exactly what you need to do to get spectacular results!

Let's begin...

------------------

MYTH #1: Successfully losing fat always means losing some muscle mass as well.

FACT: It is possible to actually GAIN muscle while losing fat, not just in beginners but even in advanced trainers. All it takes is the right program of training and nutrition.

------------------

MYTH #2: Gaining muscle requires additional calories from food, therefore it's impossible to gain muscle under reduced-calorie conditions.

FACT: Under the right dietary and training conditions, your body can actually use your own bodyfat to provide energy for building muscle, practically doubling the speed of fat loss.

------------------

MYTH #3: You must choose a consistently-strict diet of either low-carb or low-fat foods to lose fat rapidly.

FACT: Low-carb diets work. Low-fat diets work. But neither works forever. You can take the best features of both and combine them to actually FEED off each other with NO plateaus EVER.

------------------

MYTH #4: To lose fat with weight training, you must use high-reps with light weights.

FACT: Training with high reps and isolation exercises for fat loss is a waste of time and energy. It will practically guarantee that you lose muscle.

------------------

MYTH #5: You need to take fat-burning pills or supplements to maximize fat loss.

FACT: Your own natural metabolism is FAR more powerful for burning fat than any fat-loss pills or potions you could ever take IF you know how to stimulate it properly.

------------------

MYTH #6: Gradually reducing your caloric intake over time is the best way to ensure steady fat loss.

FACT: Consistently reducing your caloric intake is a great way to lose muscle mass. However, precise manipulation of the nutrients in your diet (protein, fat and carbs) can have extraordinary anabolic (muscle-building) and lipolytic (fat-burning) hormonal effects on your body. It's all a matter of what you eat and when you eat it.

------------------

MYTH #7: When you come off a fat-loss diet, there will always be some rebound weight gain.

FACT: When the metabolism is properly stimulated and the right combination of nutrients is eaten, rebound weight gain can not only be eliminated, it can be reversed. With the proper training and nutrition plan, you can actually CONTINUE to lose fat even when you go back to normal training and eating.

I would like to thank Nick Nilsson for contributing this article from his Metabolic Surge Rapid Fat Loss program.

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of the online personal training company BetterU, Inc. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing new training techniques for more than 15 years. Nick is the author of a number of
bodybuilding eBooks including "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "Specialization Training," All of which can be found at Fitness - EBooks.com

Healthy Eating Rules To Burn Fat

"There is no better time than now. The time to live is now. The time to dream is now. The time to imagine and forget the past is now. The time to shine is now. The time to bleed, sweat, and determine yourself for the things you want most is now."

What are your main Fat loss objectives?

1) Thunder thighs

2) Stomach Fat

3) Love Handles

4) Man Boobs

5) Flabby Arm Fat

6) All of the above

More than likely your problem is how to burn fat. Yes most people have particular areas (as in the above list) but it comes down to a total body fat loss, weight loss and building lean muscle.

If you know anything about losing weight it is this you can't spot reduce. That is if stomach fat is your main problem doing hundreds of Ab crunches will not reduce your stomach fat. Focusing on specific Ab exercises is only helpful after you lose that layer of fat covering your Ab's.

Here's the deal!! It is only by losing overall body fat that you will then be able to see your Ab's and the overall musculature that you've been hiding.

So What are the keys to Fat Burning?

1) Diet and when I say Diet (actually diet is a poor choice of a word for this ) what I really want you to think of is eating clean and healthy.

First Let me let you in on a little secret

You don't have to have the absolute perfect diet. Yes you need to kick the junk food habit (my weakness is peanut M&M's) but you know what? I still allow myself to indulge in them from time to time.

Stay away from the fast food joints they are killers. It is a matter of developing a clean eating plan, planning out your meals a few days ahead of time helps a lot.

Portion control is usually the biggie. I am sure you have heard the best meal plan for losing fat is eating 5-6 meals a day. The key to this is your eating smaller portions spread out through the day.

You can essentially eat breakfast ( eat the bulk of your carbs early in the day) lunch and dinner but inbetween have 2-3 snacks a day. Snacks consisting of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grain products, non fat milk products.

Some benefits of snacking:

1) Healthy snacks provide fiber and nutrients your body needs.

2) You can curb the feeling of hunger or starvation right before a meal, which prevents overeating. Snacking may help you eat smaller portions and reduce your calorie intake.

Here is some calorie numbers for some healthy snacks:

Banana 1 medium banana - 118g Calories: 105

Apple 6.5oz Calories: 96

Raw Almonds 20 almonds Calories: 139

3) Though individual calorie needs vary, your body needs fewer calories as you age.

4) Eating smaller meals more often may help you stay on track.

Eating clean is a matter of determination and motivation if you want that thinner body there are certain sacrifices you must make. I can tell you that once you get into the habit and seeing that lean athletic body in the mirror everyday you will wonder why you didn't do this sooner.

5) Stick to your nutrition plan 90% of the time using the 90% Compliance guidelines.

How does this work?

Well, let's say you are on a 2000 calorie per day diet. To hit 90% compliance, that means 1800 calories must come from fruits, veggies, nuts, and protein, leaving you 200 calories "to play with".

You can either have a 200 calorie treat each day, or save up 200 calories for 3-4 days straight and have a 600-800 calorie reward meal every 3-4 days.

There is no time like the present

Right Now Set The Date Lose the Weight

Just picture this for a moment: In 30 short days from now you look in the mirror and there it is - Or actually there it isn't. It's You with 8-10 lbs less body fat. Close your eyes right now see it and focus on it. Imagine how you will feel with what you have accomplished.

Go to my new website for more articles and tips Fat Burning Diets And Workouts
Oh and save your money for those new and smaller clothes you are going to need to buy.

Burn Fat Or Gain Fat End The Junk Food Habit

You are what you eat. Which expains why you look like you do. Fat butts, thunder thighs and rolls of stomach fat it's insane. Whether it’s sweet, salty, or fatty, people just can’t get enough of it. For one thing, it’s everywhere. Everywhere you turn there are Tv ads, the grocery store is full of it and don't get me started on fast food joints.

Check out these Nutrition Facts:

Burger King Whopper- 680(calories) 360(fat calories) 40(grams of fat)

McDonalds Deluxe Breakfast- 1,070(calories) 490(fat calories) 55(grams of fat)

Do I really need to show you more? I hope not.

We live in a fast paced world which caters to unhealthy eating.

The result: tight clothes, oily skin, weight gain, and health issues. It also goes beyond the cosmetic because high fat diets are linked to cancer and heart disease while high carbohydrate and sugar diets can and do lead to diabetes. This is not new information, So why is it so hard to give up the junk food?

But I don't have time! I am so sick of this excuse. Guess what make time! We are talking about the health of you and your family. Get up 15 minutes earlier to eat a healthy breakfast, Take your lunch instead of eating fast food. Plan out your meals for the week ahead of time.

Here are some obesity statistics that we must begin to reverse through proper eating habits, healthy food intake choices and daily physical exercise:


*Over 58 million Americans are overweight;
*Over 40 million Americans are obese;
*Over 3 million Americans are morbidly obese;
*More than 80% of Americans do not engage in adequate physical activity;
*More than one quarter of all Americans are considered to be "completely sedentary";
*In adults between 30 and 40 years old, there has been greater than 78% increase in Type II diabetes cases since 1990;


So if you are living the junk food lifestyle what are you doing to your children. If you don't care about your health what about them?

Take this in. Read it and then reread it.

*Only 4 percent of children were considered obese in 1982. Now, more than 30% are.
*More than one quarter of all obese children are showing symptoms of the development of Type 2 diabetes *Of those children developing Type II diabetes, more than 60 percent of them are also showing one or more signs of cardiovascular disease;
*Our children are taught how and what to eat by us - their parents and advisors;

Do I really need to say more.

When you wake up every day and rush for work, you end up forgetting the most important meal: breakfast. Consuming a good breakfast is a must because there’s no way you could pass up all sorts of temptations if you’re starving. You’ll be energized throughout the day and the chances of binging become less.

A Breakfast example:

A bowl of oatmeal- boil some low fat milk, add oats, cook for 1 to 2 minutes it's ready.

1-2 slices whole grain toast

1 piece of fruit

What will that take you maybe 5 minutes prep!

Another good strategy portion control. This sounds like a too simple approach, but it works because it gives you control. Stay from reduced-fat products as well because, in actuality, they have the same calorie content as its regular counterpart.

Exercise is also another way in which you can curb your appetite. Do some form of exercise daily. There is an old saying in fitness circles "You Can't Out Train A Lousy Diet" Muscle building, fat loss whatever your goal remember this your success is based on 70% nutrition and 30% training.

Always keep your eye on the goal. Fitness and Health. Conquer your junk food craving and keep your stomach full with foods that leave you satisfied and guilt-free. That way, you can be a healthier you without compromising your right to giving your body what it most needs.

Go To Fat Burning Diets And Workouts to get started on ending your junk food cravings

Lose Unwanted Body Fat- Men Vs Women

Lose Unwanted Body Fat- Men Vs Women


Men and women both have a hard time trying to lose body fat, but for different reasons. Let's identify the top 5 reasons why it's hard for men and women to lose body fat, and look at the 3 proven diet and exercise techniques to lose excess body fat in the shortest amount of time.

Here are 5 reasons men and women struggle with body fat, and the 3 essential techniques everyone must follow in order to burn fat and boost their metabolism.

#1) The number one reason men and women have a hard time losing excess body fat is because of poor nutrition.

Advantage: Women

Most women are better educated on food choices, but men continue to eat as if they were still playing college football. As a result, men will have a harder time losing weight because no matter how much they exercise, they are still eating too many calories. You can't "out-train a bad diet".

#2) The second reason men and women struggle with excess body fat is because their metabolism decreases over time due to muscle loss and reduced activity.

Advantage: Men

Most men have more muscle mass and get more exercise than women. Plus, more men do strength training while women neglect this key element of the fat burning equation. In fact, a recent study showed that both men and women can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time with strength training - even at age 60!

Without strenght training and interval training, women will continue to burn fewer calories per day with each passing year and will have a harder and harder time with excess body fat.

#3) Men and women will struggle with weight loss if they only rely on slow, boring cardio.

Advantage: Men

More men do interval training, and that is better than slow cardio for fat loss.

In a recent study, men and women on a year-long cardio program lost only 6-8 pounds, even though they exercised 6 days per week. In another study, a group of women did not lose weight after 15 weeks of cardio (3x's per week). In contrast, a group of women in the same study that did interval training were able to lose belly fat.

#4) Men and women have a hard time with weight loss if they don't have social support.

Advantage: Women

Most men try to do everything on their own, but weight loss is easier if you have social support. On the other hand, most women are more willing to recruit help from friends and family when on a weight loss program. Men and women can get social support from friends at work, from their family, from people at the gym, or even in an online fat loss forum.

#5) Men and women struggle with weight loss because of poor execise choices.

Advantage: Tie.

Most guys and gals just show up at the gym without a plan - or they just go for a jog and do some crunches. But without a professional plan, both men and women will not lose weight, but only waste time.

To lose the most amount of body fat in the least amount of time, both men and women should follow a program containing the following three essential elements...

A) A reduced-calorie diet of whole, natural foods.

No one needs an extreme eating plan. Just focus on eating 10-20% fewer calories than you need, focusing on vegetables, fruits, nuts, and sources of protein and healthy fats. Stay away from anything in a bag or a box.

B) Resistance training (Strength training)

Resistance training, using dumbells, bodyweight exercises, or barbells help men and women burn fat and build muscle.

C) Interval training

Short bursts of exercise, as done in interval training, work better than slow, boring cardio, and get results in half the time.