You've Got To Measure Something

As you may or may not know, I've been involved in fitness for the past 10 years or so and I get emails each week for specific fat loss nutrition answers. I enjoy your email and it's a highlight of my day to chat with you but I also get EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED with many emails I receive. Just yesterday I got an email from someone who asked if they should cut their carbs in order to lose more fat.

I didn't answer...almost.

I usually DO NOT answer these emails and instead direct you to one of my articles or posts here on my blog so you can answer the question yourself (which will also test how serious you are :) ). To be honest, unless I know this person personally, I usually don't answer these types of emails BECAUSE unless you are MEASURING what you are doing nutritionally, there is NO ONE-MINUTE CHANGE THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

My advice would be useless because none of the other nutrition variables in your program are CONSTANT so you would have no way of measuring if this one-minute change actually worked or not. Answering your question becomes a waste of time for me and asking your question becomes a waste of time for you.

I really do want want to see you build your best body so I do answer them but in a way that is more helpful because this person is asking the wrong question! Unless you show me EXACTLY what you have been eating EVERY DAY for the past month and unless you have a way of controlling EVERY VARIABLE for the next month or so (to a realistic compliancy) then we have no way to determine if "dropping carbs" actually made a difference or not.

Here's The Simple Truth

Simple truth: you probably have no idea what you're eating. You're not alone, 98% (or more) of the population is in the same boat. That leaves only 1-2% of the population that actually have desirable, attractive and healthy physiques. I'm assuming you want to be one of them since you're still with me?

You may be applying "nutrition health tips" found in magazines like eat more protein, eat more frequently, get more fiber, eat veggies with every meal and all those other great tips. And if you're getting the results you're after and look and feel the way you want then you don't have a problem.

Keep doing what you're doing and rock on! If you ARE NOT, however, this is a major problem we can solve TODAY.

Here's Why Meal Plans WORK

Let's say you follow a meal plan 80% of the time. So if there are 5 meals per day, 7 days a week, then you have 35 meals to adhere to. You follow it 80% of the time meaning you eat 28 of the 35 meals. Not bad at all.

But what do you do if step on the scale after one week and nothing changed?

Maybe you need a new diet plan? Maybe you need to drop the calories? Maybe there is something wrong with the plans? Surely, this must be the case.

Wrong! The solution is simple.

***Follow the meal plans better than you did last week.***

Aim for 85% compliancy.

Just like you try to lift an extra 5 pounds with your weights or do an extra rep, you should be applying the same principle of PROGRESSION to your nutrition. When you start getting closer to 90% compliancy, I promise you'll be standing out in EVERY crowd.

Without following the plan and knowing what you are eating you have no way of making improvements and are a victim of winging your nutrition and hoping the fat might magically come off.

Following A Meal Plan Is NOT For Everyone

There is no shame in admitting if this sounds too intense for you. Not everyone is meant to have a perfect body and not everyone is as committed to their health and fitness as others. I'm the last one to point the finger here! The only shame is believing that you're doing "everything right" when you're clearly not even coming close.

The reality is that if you are not following any sort of meal plan right now and were to FOLLOW the Empowered Nutrition meal plans just 20% of the time and gradually complied more and more, you would easily and quickly start losing that next 10, 20 and 30 pounds of stubborn fat.

Your body will be in better HORMONAL BALANCE which will boost the fat burning hormones within your body so you can get into the best shape of your life - inside and out.

I think you know what you need to. You need to take advantage of the most powerful resource you can ever invest in. Here's what you're going to do now:

1. Download the meal plans:
--> http://BellyFatBurning.com/Recommends/Empowered

2. Use the calculator to figure out which plan to start with.

3. Print off the first week and start your first healthy meal TODAY. Not tomorrow, not next week, not in a few months. Today. Now is the time. Go get started and I can't wait to hear about your results!

The Best Ways To Burn Belly Fat

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Best Ways to Burn Belly Fat

I often get asked, “What’s the best way to burn fat and lose my belly?” People want to know if aerobics is better than strength training, or if traditional cardio exercise is better than intervals.

Well, to say I've done them all would be an understatement.

With over 15 years experience helping others, training myself, training for sports, spending countless hours in the gym, AND actually conducting laboratory research studies on different exercise methods, I'm pretty confident in knowing what works and what does not.

But first of all, I want to frame my responses. I'm going to talk about what works for people that have a limited amount of time to exercise, mostly because I expect you readers don't have 90 minutes per day to devote to a workout, unlike the typical audience of a fitness magazine.

That's why there is a huge disconnect between some of the information found in magazines and the ability of the reader to apply it to their lives.

We just don't have 6-8 hours per week for exercise, nor do we need it. If you're a triathlete, you might need that, but not someone that just wants to lose fat and gain muscle.

Having said all that, the bottom line for getting a better body is...

Use bodyweight exercises to warm-up, strength training supersets to build muscle, and then finish your workout with interval training to burn fat in a short amount of time. I've structured my system so that you are in and out of the gym in 45 minutes, three times per week.

You'll do 5 minutes of bodyweight exercises to warm-up. This is a much more efficient approach than spending 5 minutes walking on a treadmill, which really doesn't prepare you for anything except more walking on a treadmill.

Then we move into the strength training supersets, where we use two exercises performed back to back with minimum rest between each. This cuts our workout time, while still giving us maximum results. We only need 20 minutes for this, and we'll use basic exercises, and sometimes even more bodyweight exercises, depending on the client's goal for muscle building.

And finally, we'll do 18 minutes of interval training. A warm-up, followed by six short intervals at the appropriate fitness level for the client, interspersed with short periods of low-intensity recovery. Finish with a cool-down. And that's the workout. Again, about 45 minutes total.

Compare that to what most people do, which is run, jog, cycle or use the cardio machines for 45 minutes straight. Sure, that will burn calories, but it doesn't build a better body.

In fact, there are a few "dark sides" to long slow cardio, including less-than-optimal results, the potential for overuse injuries, and it is an inefficient form of exercise. If you only have 30-45 minutes for your workout and you spend it all on a cardio machine, when are you going to train the rest of your muscles and sculpt a better body?

So the best way to burn belly fat is with a combination of strength training and interval training. It’s fast, it works, and it’s fun!

____________________________

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 Fat Loss, or read my review of his product in my post here.

A Guide To CLA

CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid that is found in a number of foods. Fatty acids are the basically the building blocks of fat, in the same way that amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Other types of fatty acids are linoleic acid (Omega-3) and linolenic acid (Omega-6).

CLA is found in large quantities in many foods such as dairy, beef, veal and turkey. Most people probably get at least a gram a day from their normal diet. For example, cheese has between 3 and 7 milligrams of CLA per gram of fat. Considering that the benefits of CLA supplementation aren't seen until you take around 4 grams, that would be a lot of cheese to eat.

I'm dieting and exercising, why would I take fat?

Well CLA is a naturally occurring fatty acid that is found in a number of food, so it would be unlikely that you could avoid it. However contrary to popular belief, not all fats are bad. Studies have shown that CLA may actually be effective at supporting fat loss and increasing lean body mass by altering the way the body uses and stores energy.

During strenuous exercise the body produces many different catabolic (muscle wasting) hormones, cortisol being the most abundant. It now appears that CLA has potent anti-catabolic effects. So it's possible that CLA might help promote muscle growth by minimizing catabolism.

CLA has also been shown to have powerful antioxidant capabilities. Antioxidants help to control compounds known as "free-radicals", which flow through your system causing damage to your cells and generally wreaking internal havoc. Some studies showed that CLA provided better antioxidant properties than both beta-carotene and Vitamin E. In another study it appeared that CLA helped the nutrient transport system across muscle-cell membranes. So basically CLA helps increase muscle growth by increasing the nutrient flow into muscle cells.

Can I just take fish oil?

Studies have shown that when compared to fish oils, CLA is the only one observed to provide any of the above benefits. Although linoleic acid can be converted to conjugated linoleic acid to some extent in the digestive process, the amount created is basically insignificant. You would need to take way too much fish oil to be able to convert the CLA you need, and would probably end up getting sick anyway.

Also, taking too much linoleic acid can lead to the production of arachidonic acid, which can lead to a decrease in the production of hormones called eicosanoids. These hormones basically control the production of all other hormones in the body, including testosterone and growth hormone.

How much should I take?

Studies that have shown CLA to promote muscle growth have used approximately 1% of the total mass of their diet. So if you estimate that a 180 pound person eats around 500 grams of food per day, you can multiply 500 grams by .01 to arrive at 5 grams. Since you generally consume a gram of CLA in your daily diet, it would be safe to say that supplementing with an additional 4 grams would be sufficient. However this is just a guideline as some people will need less and some will need more.

The good news is that CLA has no know side effects. It is a naturally occurring compound in many foods and extensive research has shown no toxicity or any adverse effects.

How My Diet “Screw-Up” Turned Out To Be The Best Mistake I Ever Made

By Joel Marion

Here it is: the true, behind-the-scenes story of how my most embarrassing “screw-up” as a fitness professional just so happened to be the best mistake I ever made.

You know, I’ve been a part of the fitness industry as a personal trainer, nutritionist and author for close to 10 years now. During that time, I’ve had the opportunity to write for nearly every newsstand publication you can think of, appear on more health and fitness radio shows than I can count, and I’ve even been fortunate enough to have my ideas broadcasted over the airways of some of the most prestigious television networks.

But you know what else? And this is way more important than any of that:

When it comes to dieting for fat loss, I’m just like you—and I always have been.

You see, on February 18th, 2003 I set out to achieve a very real, personal goal of mine to get into the best physical shape of my life.

And for at least a week prior, I sat there and meticulously mapped out every single item I planned to eat over the course of the next 12 weeks.

The end result? Exactly what you would expect to see in a “solid” fat-loss nutrition program: plenty of fruit, veggies, lean protein, and healthy fat.

And of course, none of my favorites.

No pizza, no mac n’ cheese, no ice cream, and certainly none of those mouth-watering chocolate chip cookies that I had grown to love so much over the years.

Surely, it wasn’t going to be an easy ride, but I knew it’s what I absolutely had to do to achieve my goals.

Or was it?

Fast forward three weeks.

I roll out of bed, head to the bathroom, step on the scale and notice that the numbers didn’t change one bit since the day before. In fact, they hadn’t changed all week.

What the heck, right?

I mean, I’m sitting there doing everything in the world I thought I should be doing, and instead of losing fat as fast as humanly possible like I should have been, the exact opposite was happening—I wasn’t losing fat at all.

Three days and a bunch of cardio later, same story.

(By the way, does any of this sound the least bit familiar?)

By this time, I was feeling pretty discouraged. Simply put, the fruits of my labor just weren’t adding up to the effort I was putting in—a scenario which ultimately paved the way to my most embarrassing admission:

Maybe a day or two later, I get invited to this party—hosted by Italians. Need I say more?

Thought so.

I walk in the door and smack dab in front of me is a seemingly endless table spread-full of pasta, meatballs, pastries, and Italian desserts.

But hey, I’m a personal trainer and fitness buff, so I resisted, right?

Wrong.

It didn’t take but fifteen minutes and a single offer to “grab something to eat” before I was living up to my reputation of having the biggest appetite in town.

Plate after plate of Italian goodness—devoured.

It was GREAT.

Until the next morning, of course, when I woke up guilt-ridden feeling like a complete failure.

Yeah, I know, things weren’t going as fast as I would have liked, but so what?

Bottom line, I made a commitment to myself, and when the going got tough, I broke it.

Let me ask you a question: Have you ever felt extremely guilty after eating something you “shouldn’t have” while trying to lose weight?

Believe me, I know how you feel. Like I said, I’m no different than you.

So did I quit?

Not this time. Even with my royal screw-up hanging over my head, I knew I needed to get back on track.

So I did what any good fitness pro would do: I stood up, brushed off the dirt, and got on with the plan.

Now for the really embarrassing part.

No more than a few days later, temptation decided to rear its ugly head once again, this time in the form of not one, but two large, freshly baked pizzas sitting on my kitchen table as I walked through the door from a long day at work.

Apparently, my roommates at the time didn’t much care that I was “on a diet”. Nice looking out, guys.

So I get offered a slice, and naturally (so as not to be rude, of course) I accept.

Before you knew it, that one slice turned to two, then three, and it wasn’t long before I had put the finishing touches on nearly an entire large pizza.

Can you just imagine what I’m thinking at this point?

Just in case you can’t, let me get you up to speed: I’m thinking I might as well find a new freakin’ career path because I can’t even manage to resist the same cravings I regularly tell my clients to withstand.

Talk about a humbling experience.

So you’re probably wondering, did I quit after yet another “screw-up”? Surprisingly, (even to me) I didn’t.

Believe it or not, the next day I woke up, did some cardio, and actually managed to have a pretty successful remainder of the week diet-wise.

Then, the day I had been dreading—weigh-in day—finally rolled around.

To be honest, I stepped on the scale that day for one reason: to find out just how much ground I had lost—and would therefore have to make up—over the course of that last week.

Well, I never found out that number.

No, it’s not that my fat butt broke the scale, and no, I didn’t suddenly, albeit conveniently, forget how to read.

You see, when I looked down at the scale that day, I discovered something pretty unreal—despite having just experienced the most undedicated week of my entire dietary life, I somehow managed to lose three pounds.

A simple weigh-in fluke? I’m right there with you, but get this: No more than a few seconds later I grabbed the measuring tape from the bathroom sink only to find out that my waist measurement went down a full inch to boot.

What?

I was floored. This made absolutely no sense to me (at least at the time it didn’t; now, it makes all the sense in the world, and I’ll soon fill you in).

So what in God’s name happened?

How in the world did a week full of pizza, pasta, and pastries pull me straight out of a fat loss rut and supercharge my results way beyond what I was able to accomplish by staying “strict” with my diet for weeks beforehand?

Is there an explanation?

You better believe there is.

In the Death of Dieting Video, we scratched the surface. In my next article, we're going to dig A LOT deeper. You're not going to want to miss the next update. Keep your eyes peeled for "The Most Important Hormone You Probably Never Heard Of".

In the meantime, if you haven't gotten the chance to go through the Death of Dieting video or Monty and Teri's powerful case study videos, be SURE to check those videos out at Cheat Your Way Thin.

Your friend,

Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
2001 Body-for-Life Grand Champion
Men's Fitness Training Advisory Team
LifeScript.com Women's Fitness Expert Panel

41 Ways To Gain 41 Pounds Of Rock Solid Muscle Mass

By Vince DelMonte

Today I want to give you 41 tips and ideas for gaining more muscle and getting more ripped than you can imagine.

In the past 3 years I have supported 26,755 customers in over 120 different countries with the critical elements to build muscle mass and to experience consistent muscle growth.

Today I’m sharing 41 of my own secrets that I used for building 41 pounds of steel-solid muscle in only six months – without any drugs or steroids, without bogus supplements, and while training less total hours than before.

In just weeks, you can make the same life-changing transformation. Start using my advanced muscle building strategies on how to build muscle, fast!

Whether you approach your physique as a hobby or a job, you should not leave any element to chance and hope it works. In order to defeat plateaus and forge a ripped and muscular body you need all the tips and tricks you can get. None of these techniques will work alone but by combining as many together as possible you’ll see a huge difference in your muscle growth – faster than before.

1. Begin with 3 full body weight training workouts every 48-hours.

2. Take your body weight in pounds and multiply it by 15 to determine your daily caloric intake if you want to gain weight.

3. Perform only 1 exercise per body part each full-body workout but perform a different exercise for each body part every workout. By the end of the week you’ll have hit each muscle group three times from three different angles.

4. Consume carbohydrates in a 2:1 ratio to protein after your workout in liquid form.

5. Perform each set to muscular failure.

6. Use a training journal and track your progress.

7. Drink at least 4-6 liters of water each day.

8. Vary your rep and set schemes more frequently than any other training variable.

9. Focus on exploding up on the concentric portion of your movement and taking 3-4 seconds for the eccentric portion of your program.

10. Aim to build at least 5-6 pounds of lean muscle mass each month. Anything more will be fat gain.

11. Eat at least 10-15 serving of fruits and vegetables each day.

12. Focus on compound movements for 80% of your workouts.

13. Alternate between dumbbells and barbells every 2 weeks.

14. Only change an exercise when you plateau on two workouts in a row.

15. Enter a fitness model or bodybuilding show or transformation contest to keep you motivated.

16. Follow a program for at least 12-16 weeks before trying your next one.

17. Pyramiding your sets to consistently increase your strength 5% each week.

18. Consume a variety of whole eggs, chicken, lean beef, fish and whole-milk throughout the day for high quality (bioavailable) muscle building protein.

19. Use a training partner for motivation and an extra push to experience faster muscular growth.

20. Never train hungry if you want to build muscle fast.

21. Concentrate your carbohydrates when your body needs them most – breakfast, pre workout and post workout.

22. Ensure you do the squat and the deadlift each week to increase the release of growth hormone and testosterone.

23. Hire a personal trainer if you have never received professional coaching on technique and form.

24. Stretch at least half the amount of time that you lift. If you lift 3 hours a week, schedule at least 1.5 hours of yoga or static stretching.

25. Train a muscle group through it’s entire range of motion to stimulate muscle size.

26. Use a 3-day a week 20-minute interval cardio plan, post-workout, to maximize the muscle to fat ratio while bulking.

27. Train your most underdeveloped muscle group first in each workout.

28. Avoid processed food, packaged food and fast food.

29. Avoid protein bars and any muscle building supplement that has sucrulose, aspartame, or other artificial or natural sweeteners.

30. Get at least 8-hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

31. Don’t be afraid to overload your muscles with maximal resistance and miss your goal reps.

32. Consume a combination of olive oil, fish oil, coconut oil, mixed nuts and natural peanut butter each day to make sure you get ample healthy fats for testosterone and other muscle building hormone production.

33. Take a complete week off after 12-16 weeks of training.

34. Get a spotter to help you with your heaviest set.

35. Have a training program. Never go to the gym without a plan.

36. Perform 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching before each weight training workout.

37. Schedule regular ART-therapy or massage therapy to avoid injuries.

38. Cold shower after every intense weight training workout. It sucks, but it works.

39. Eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.

40. The core of your workout should revolve around squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, pull ups, dips and weighted core work.

41. Train with someone bigger and stronger than you. You’ll be challenged and motivated to work out harder.

If you have an advanced tip or trick that has helped you, share it on my blog and let me know what your favorite tip was.

To read more about how my natural solution on how to build muscle fast and get ripped without drugs, supplements and training less hours than before, you can get more info at the Get Ripped Club website by clicking here.

———————————-
About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at MuscleGrowthTips.com.

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before. You can read my review of his product in my post here.

© 2006-2009, Vince DelMonte Fitness. All rights in all media reserved. You may reprint this article so long as the article and author bio are reprinted intake and all links are made live. This article may never be sold individually or as part of a package.

The Most Important Hormone You Probably Never Heard Of

By Joel Marion

Lepti-what??

It’s name is Leptin (derived from the Greek word leptos, meaning “thin”), and it’s without a doubt the most important hormone you probably never heard of.

You see, leptin was only first discovered just over 10 years ago, and as far as weight loss is concerned, that’s extremely recent.

Leptin’s function? To communicate your nutritional status to your body and brain.

Leptin levels are mediated by two things. One is your level of body fat. All else being equal, people with higher levels of body fat will have higher leptin levels than those with lower levels of body fat and vice versa.

Because leptin is secreted by fat cells, it makes sense that under normal conditions there is a direct correlation between leptin levels and the amount of fat you are carrying.

Unfortunately, when you’re attempting to lose fat and begin to restrict calories, conditions are anything but “normal” and the body responds accordingly by lowering leptin levels.

This is because the second mediator of blood leptin levels is your calorie intake. Lower your calorie intake and leptin will fall, independent of body fat.

So, yes, you can be overweight and still suffer from low leptin levels – just go on a diet.

So what happens when leptin levels fall and why the heck does it matter?

Again, under normal conditions leptin levels are normal and the brain gets the signal loud and clear that nutrition intake is adequate. Metabolism is high and the internal environment of the body is one very conducive to fat burning.

Until you start dieting.

Go on a diet and leptin levels quickly plummet (by 50% or more after only one week), sending a signal to the body that you’re semi-starved and not consuming enough calories.

This puts the breaks on metabolism and creates a hormonal environment extremely conducive to fat storage. Thyroid hormones (hormones extremely important to metabolism) respond by taking a dive and the abdominal fat-storing stress hormone cortisol skyrockets measurably.

Hello belly fat.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the appetite stimulating hormones ghrelin, neuropeptide-Y, and anandamide all hop on board to make your life even more miserable.

You don’t have to remember any of those names, just remember that when leptin drops, you get seriously hungry.

Despite having a pretty good reason for its reaction, it’s pretty ironic that our bodies are primed for fat loss at every other time except when we are trying to burn fat.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could maintain high leptin levels and a body primed for fat burning while dieting? It would seemingly solve all of our problems.

But in order to do this, we’d have to somehow keep leptin levels high as we attempt to lose those extra pounds.

How about “supplementing” with leptin?

A couple of problems here: First, leptin is a protein based hormone, which means that it can not be taken orally (otherwise, it would simply be digested). So that rules out a leptin pill.

This leaves the method of “supplemental” leptin administration to injection. And leptin injections DO indeed work, reversing the metabolic adaptations to dieting and “starvation” even while continuing to restrict calories.

In 1996, Ahima et al. used leptin injections to reverse starvation-induced neuroendrocrine adaptations in mice.

“Well, that’s nice and all, but I’m human.” Point taken; research with rodents doesn’t always correlate to similar findings in humans, however…

In 1999, Heymsfield et al. performed a double-blind placebo controlled study analyzing weight loss over a 24-week period in 73 obese humans. Subjects either injected daily with leptin or a placebo (i.e. bogus alternative). At the end of the 24-week period, the leptin group lost significantly more weight than the placebo and a higher percentage of fat vs. muscle.

In 2002, Rosenbaum et al. administered low-dose leptin to subjects (male and female) who had dieted to a 10% decrease in body weight. During the diet period, thyroid hormone levels, 24-hr energy expenditure, and other metabolic markers substantially decreased. The result of the leptin replacement therapy? “All of these endocrine changes were reversed…”

Thyroid output and daily calorie burn increased back to pre-diet levels.

In 2003, Fogteloo et al. showed that leptin injections “tended to reduce the decline of energy expenditure associated with energy restriction, whereas the tendency of energy intake to increase back to baseline levels in placebo-treated subjects was largely prevented in subjects treated with leptin.”

Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Let me put in simple terms: not only did the leptin group experience less of a decline in metabolism, but they were also less hungry, allowing them to more easily stick to the prescribed diet.

In 2004, Welt et al. reported that leptin given to a group of women with thyroid disorder immediately raised circulating concentrations of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

In 2005, Rosenbaum and company were at it again, again showing that energy expenditure and circulating concentrations of T3 and T4 all returned to pre-weight-loss levels with regular leptin injections.

So, as theorized, keeping leptin levels high during a diet does indeed solve our dilemma by avoiding the negative metabolic (and perhaps behavioral) adaptations that calorie restriction perpetuates.

The problem?

Daily leptin injections are far too expensive, costing thousands and thousands of dollars per week. So, we can pretty much forget about supplemental leptin as a solution (which is probably moot anyway considering that not too many people are going to voluntarily plunge a needle into their skin daily).

A REAL Solution

Now that we know that leptin injections aren’t going to save us, let’s talk about the possibility of manipulating your body’s natural leptin production.

And I’ve got good news – this can indeed be done, and without involving needles or thousands of dollars. In fact, we’ll swap the injections and mounds of cash out for two things I can guarantee you’re absolutely going to love: more calories and more carbs.

We know that leptin levels decrease by about 50% after only one week of dieting, but fortunately, it doesn’t take nearly that long for leptin to bump back up with a substantial increase in caloric intake.

In fact, research has shown that it only takes about 12-24 hours.

So, the answer to the fat loss catch-22? Strategic high-calorie, high-carb CHEATING.

By strategically cheating with high calorie foods (and yes, even stuff like pizza, ice cream, wings, cookies, burgers, fries, etc), you can give leptin and metabolism a major boost mid-diet which sets you up for plenty of subsequent fat loss when you resume your reduced calorie eating regimen.

This means greater net fat loss week after week, and ultimately, a much more realistic, maintainable way to bring you to the body you truly want and deserve.

So what’s so special about carbs?

Well, leptin, carbohydrate and insulin have been shown to have very strong ties.

Calories alone don’t get the job done, as research shows that overfeeding on protein and fat has little effect on leptin.

In order to get a strong leptin response from overfeeding, there needs to be plenty of carbs in the mix. In fact, the relationship is SO strong that research conducted by Boden et al. at the Temple University School of Medicine shows that leptin levels will not fall even in response to all-out fasting so long as insulin and blood sugar are maintained via IV drip (16). That’s CRAZY.

Because of this carbohydrate/insulin-leptin relationship, it makes sense that foods combining both carbs and fat (like pizza, burgers, cookies, ice cream, etc) work best for reversing the negative adaptations caused by dieting because of the BIG-TIME insulin response they produce.

But even more importantly, this relationship gives us an indicator of just how important and useful carbohydrates are on “diet” days.

And THAT'S what I’ll be back to talk with you about tomorrow. How we use strategic carbohydrate cycling along with planned cheating in the Cheat Your Way Thin program to ensure that you never go a single day without a body primed for fat loss.

Stay tuned; our journey continues tomorrow...

In the meantime, if you did not read my MOST embarrassing admission, be sure to go do that now by clicking HERE. It's the ONLY reason Cheat Your Way Thin exists.

Here's to loving your diet (and I promise you will),

Joel

Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
2001 Body-for-Life Grand Champion
Men's Fitness Training Advisory Team
LifeScript.com Women's Fitness Expert Panel

Strategic Carbohydrate Cycling

By Joel Marion

In yesterday’s update I talked to you about the most important hormone you probably never heard of – leptin. If you missed that update, do NOT pass go, do NOT collect $200 until you have read that article. It really is that important and I guarantee you’ll walk away from that article having learned a lot. Click HERE to read about the most important hormone you never heard of.

Without a doubt the most important thing you can do while attempting to drop body fat is to maintain high levels of leptin day in and day out.

With Cheat Your Way Thin, we accomplish this via two different means:

First, every so often we use strategically timed periods of overfeeding or “cheating” to restore leptin levels to baseline. These full-blown cheat sessions are almost magical when it comes to interrupting the starvation feedback loop, preventing your body from “turning against” your dietary efforts and putting the kibosh on fat loss.

In addition to strategic cheating, we also use strategic carbohydrate cycling throughout the week in order to safeguard against falls in leptin and other fat burning hormones even on “diet” days.

If you paid close attention to yesterday’s article, you remember that leptin and carbohydrates have VERY strong ties. I even shared a study in which leptin levels were maintained during an all out fast (no food whatsoever) by simply maintaining blood glucose and insulin via an IV drip. Wow.

When It Comes To Leptin, Carbohydrates Are King.

But, just like with cheating, you can’t just eat a boatload of carbs every day and expect fat to magically melt away. It’s all about strategy.

So here’s how we do it.

After a Cheat Day, when leptin is extremely high and the body is incredibly primed to burn fat, we go with a low-carb approach. By going low-carb here, we can fully take advantage of the fat burning environment that the Cheat Day created. The end result - total fat loss domination early in the week.

Unfortunately, you can’t get away with this forever as leptin will inevitably start to drop off in the face of a daily absence of carbohydrate.

So just as leptin begins to drop off mid-week, guess what we do? Yep, add more carbohydrates—the influx of blood glucose and insulin push leptin back up and communicate with the brain that everything is A-OK. Then, toward the end of the week once the body begins to adapt again, we up the carb ante once again.

In addition the Cheat Days, the weekly carbohydrate progress of low to moderate to high ensures that you never go a single day without a body primed for fat loss.

With regular dieting, come week two you’re metabolism is already beginning to suffer.

Do you see how strategic this is? Do you see why this works so well?

It’s everything “typical” dieting isn’t.

Oh, and here’s another benefit of carbohydrate cycling ==> extreme variety.

Diets for the most part are BORING. Same foods every day. Not so with Cheat Your Way Thin – the menu is literally ALWAYS changing (and that’s in addition to being able to eat whatever you want on Cheat Days). Have a steak in the beginning of the week, a large fruit salad mid-week, and then pasta toward week’s end. It’s ALL fair game. We limit nothing, and frankly, you don’t have to.

Oh, and did I mention just how huge all of this is psychologically?

Remember those feelings of guilt and failure I experienced when I first “cheated” back in 2003? If you missed my MOST embarrassing admission, check that out HERE. Never again. Now when I cheat, it’s planned. And each time I do, I walk away knowing that I just accelerated my progress.

Frankly, it doesn’t get much better than knowing that you just used your favorite dessert to speed along fat loss.

Anxiety? Nope. When cravings arise, there is major comfort in knowing that you’ll be able to enjoy that very food in just a few short days when your next cheat session rolls around.

Simply put, strategic cheating solves the dietary dilema by providing you with powerful metabolic benefits and perhaps even more powerful psychological ones.

Feelings of discouragement and decreased motivation? Definitely with other diets, but with Cheat Your Way Thin, you’ll actually be excited to step on the scale week after week to view the consistent, steady progress that regular, strategic cheating yields.

Are you ready to experience just how enjoyable dieting can be?

Here's to loving your diet (and the results),

Joel

Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
2001 Body-for-Life Grand Champion
Men's Fitness Training Advisory Team
LifeScript.com Women's Fitness Expert Panel

7 Fat Loss Strategies For Busy Moms

By Holly Rigsby, CPT
Fit Yummy Mummy

Would you like to "jump start" your metabolism and lose your ‘mommy belly' once and for all? If so, the following seven tips are exactly what you need to improve your workouts and ignite your metabolism. Try some or all of these tips, but beware, the result may be a number of admiring second glances and the need to pull your ‘skinny jeans' out of the closet.

1. The majority of your workouts should be composed of free-weight, bodyweight or cable exercises.

Compared to machines, free-weight, bodyweight and cable movements often require more skill, create muscular balance, and have a greater metabolic cost. For example, it is more difficult to balance the weights, and to coordinate muscles when performing free-weight exercises. Although this may sound like a disadvantage, it is actually a benefit. By balancing and stabilizing free-weights or cables you are working more muscles through a greater range of motion resulting in more muscles developed and more calories burned.

2. Use exercises that work more than one muscle at a time.

When focusing on fat loss, you can't worry about "shaping" exercises, instead you should use exercises that'll get you the biggest bang for your buck and work as many muscles as possible. Isolation exercises can be used at the end of a workout to work on a specific target area, but they just serve to supplement your core movements.

Virtually every savvy fitness professional is privy to the fact that compound exercises recruit the most muscle groups for any given body part.

If you seek lean, toned muscles and the increase in metabolism that comes with them, you must choose exercises that work as many different muscles as possible. One of the main reasons why squats are superior to leg extensions for improving your body is that they also work your butt, hamstrings and inner thighs in addition to toning your quadriceps while leg extensions focus on just the front of your thigh and don't really offer any other benefit. That same rationale hold true for arm exercises too. That's why dumbell presses and dips will are more valuable for your arms than triceps kickbacks and pushdowns.

A good rule of thumb is to use movements that will allow you to use the most weight. These will have a systemic effect on your body that'll help maintain or increase your lean muscle, and in turn ignite your metabolism.

3. Pair exercises.

Pair your exercises together so that you alternate between upper-body exercises and lower-body exercises or between exercises that target opposing muscle groups (e.g. chest and back).

This type of approach will keep your workouts short and efficient by eliminating much of the downtime that comes between sets of a single exercise since you are working on one movement while resting from another. This approach can also yield huge benefits in your mission to burn fat. Since you'll constantly be moving and keeping your heart rate elevated, you'll be burning far more calories than you would during a typical workout.

4. Keep your reps between 8 and 12.

Through research, it has been determined that the best range for building lean muscle is roughly between 8-12 reps. Since the main focus of your resistance training efforts is to gain lean body mass and stimulate your metabolism, this rep range fills the bill perfectly. "High reps for tone and fat loss" is one of the biggest (and most unproductive) training myths! Somehow the aerobics, yoga and Pilates' community have convinced us that when we perform bodyweight exercises or light resistance training for high reps, our muscles magically take on a beautiful shape without growing or bulging. On the other hand, if you challenge yourself with moderately heavy weights, your body will take on a bulky, unflattering appearance. If you believe this, you probably still believe in the Tooth Fairy!

5. Rest only 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

When you keep the rest periods under one minute, it's easier to stay focused on the task at hand and keeps your heart rate elevated. In addition, it forces your muscles to recover more quickly between sets, along with keeping your nervous system revved up.

If your first movement in an upper/lower body pair is squats, you might want to rest 60 seconds before attempting your second movement. However, if your first exercise is a fairly "easy" exercise, like lat pull downs, you might only wish to wait 30 seconds before doing the second part of the pair.

6. Perform total body workouts.

You must drop the notion that muscle groups work independently of one another. Muscles work together and should be trained that way. Besides, not only does this approach mean less time in the gym, but by working the whole body three times per week, you'll be maximizing the fat burning effect of your program.

7. Cardio is not the cure-all for fat loss.

Cardiovascular exercise aids in the creation of a caloric deficit, but the caloric expenditure during cardio is temporary. Strength training addresses the core of the problem by permanently increasing the rate at which the body burns calories by adding muscle. The best programs will include both strength training and cardiovascular training, but the core or the programs effectiveness is resistance training.

Take these strategies and incorporate them into your workout routine. Not only will you save a lot of time, but you'll also soon see a leaner and more toned body. Not to mention a few more turned heads and the re-emergence of your skinny jeans.

________________________

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to Fit Yummy Mummy to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

You can also read my review of her product in my post here.

2000 Calorie Vegetarian Meal Plan

By Vince Delmonte

I know this is longer over due and the reason I have been late on delivering advice for all my vegetarian friends is because I’ve never been a vegetarian bodybuilder.

Recently I debated with a vegetarian bodybuilder who is a follower of probably the most well-known of all vegetarian bodybuilders, Bill Pearl, who followed a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means he eats eggs and dairy products.

My friend swears that you don’t need to eat meat to have big muscles, have lots of energy or be healthy. I am not 100% sure if eating meat to get big is just a persistent and recurring myth. However I would definitely consider the theory that you can find anything you need in other foods than you can find in a piece of meat.

The only thing I can personally claim is that I do not feel as tight or muscular when I do not consume protein or consume lower amounts. And every time I have made my best muscular gains, I have been taking in over 300 grams of protein a day which would be considered high for me.

Today it is not my interest to debate, it’s just to provide some support on putting together a lacto-ovo diet and I’ll discuss some alternate food choices if you do not want to consume dairy or eggs.

Here is a 2000 calorie vegetarian meal plan:

Breakfast:

Early Riser Vegetable Omelet
This tasty vegetable omelet gives you the energy to kick-start your day!

4 Whole Eggs
3/4 cup Mushrooms
1/2 Pepper (bell or cubanelle)
1 Orange
1/4 cup Onions
1 2/3 tsp Olive or coconut oil
Calories: 383

Snack:

Tofu Gumbo Creole

1/2 cup Celery
2 cups Tomatoes
1 Pepper (bell or cubanelle)
1 cup Okra
1/3 cup Rice
2 tsp Olive or monounsaturated oil
12 oz Tofu
Calories:474

Chop the tofu and vegetables into chunks. Boil the rice. Meanwhile, saute the tofu and vegetables, except the tomatoes, until done, seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Add the tomatoes and some mustard and Worcestershire sauce, now dump in the rice and bring to a simmer, then enjoy.

Lunch:

Dhal

1/4 cup Lentils
10 Egg whites
1 Tomato
1/2 cup Onions
1 cup Carrots
2 cups Spinach
2 tsp Olive or monounsaturated oil
Calories: 474

You’ll also need a garlic clove and a small piece of ginger (dried can be substituted). Chop the onions, garlic, and ginger and fry. Add chopped tomato, curry powder (according to how hot you like it), 1 tsp tumeric powder, and if you’ve got em, some cumin and coriander. Then add 1-2 cups water, lentils, carrots, egg and spinach, then simmer. Season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Dinner:

Broccoli Ginger-Tofu

2 cups Broccoli
2 cups Snow peas
1/2 cup Onions
1/2 cup Grapes
2 tsp Olive or monounsaturated oil
12 oz Tofu
Calories: 474

In a pan heat oil and saute tofu. Add vegetables, ginger and water. Cook until done, then reduce heat for about 20 minutes. Serve grapes for dessert.

Snack:

Cottage Cheese, Berries, Kiwi and Nuts. Separately or together, a great combination!

1/2 cup Cottage cheese, light/low fat
1/4 cup Blueberries
1/8 Kiwi
1/8 cup Mandarin orange, canned
1 tbsp of mixed nuts
Calories:119

Total = About 2000 calories at 40% Protein, 30% Carbs, 30% Fat

I trust you understand that this is just one generic day. Prioritize high quality fats and protein in each meal when making food substitutes. Here are some options:

Alternate Protein Source Options:

* Hemp seed nut and flour
* Tofu
* Beans (kidney, black, garbanzo, soy, adzuki)
* Legumes
* Soy protein powder
* Unsweetened soy drink

Good quality fat sources:

* Extra virgin olive oil
* Flax seed oil
* Hemp seed oil
* Avocado
* Non-roasted nuts and seeds

If you are a vegan then you may suffer from low calcium levels. Here are some of the best food choices to get in calcium rich foods without eating dairy:

* Almonds
* Beans
* Dark, leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale)
* Sesame seeds
* Sunflower seeds

If you are training intensely to build muscle you may suffer from low energy levels which would not be directly related to a vegetarian diet but because you may be missing out on iron-rich foods by not eating meat. Include these iron-rich foods:

* Fortified cereal
* Split pea soup
* Dried peas and beans (kidney, lima, lentils)
* Bran
* Soybean nuts
* Prune juice, raisins
* Peanut butter
* Apricots
* Green beans
* Walnuts, cashews, pecans, almonds

Feel free to post any specific vegetarian questions below and if you’re trying to go about being a vegan or vegetarian the right way then I would love to help and will do a few more articles in the future on this topic. Just tell me what you want to know.

———————————-
About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at MuscleGrowthTips.com.

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before. You can read my review of his product in my post here.

© 2006-2009, Vince DelMonte Fitness. All rights in all media reserved. You may reprint this article so long as the article and author bio are reprinted intake and all links are made live. This article may never be sold individually or as part of a package.

Review of Turbulence Training

Turbulence Training promises fast fat loss results for men and women who don't have a lot of time for exercise. This is a bold promise, and the workouts promise maximum results in only three workouts per week.

Let's take a look at this claim, and see if it really measures up!

Before we get to the program, let's take a look at the expert behind the workouts. I've come across Craig Ballantyne's name many times in popular fitness magazines such as Men's Health and Men's Fitness, and even in Oxygen and Shape magazines. So the program is clearly put together by a trusted fitness expert.

I've also talked to Craig about his training and education background, and I'll be honest, it was impressive, unlike the trainers with weekend certifications that pop up at large commercial gyms. Craig's experience goes back to the mid-nineties, in both the gym and in the research lab. He's actually led research trials on sport supplements, strength training, and cardiovascular training.

Plus, Craig has been a strength coach and has worked with hundreds of clients in thousands of training sessions. This is a unique, and thorough background, so its not surprising he's come up with a new training system for fat loss.

In fact, Craig's articles are always pretty hard on traditional aerobic cardio workouts. So if you're looking for new ways to spend 30 or 60-minutes doing cardio, then this program is not for you. But if you only have 45 minutes to workout, a couple of times per week, and you have access to only a bench, dumbbells, and an exercise ball, then you'll like what Craig has for you here.

Now one of the biggest questions about the program is simply, "What is Turbulence Training?" Well according to Craig, its the combination of resistance training and interval training used to boost your metabolism so that your body burns calories and fat between workouts. He says, "Cardio doesn't boost your metabolism after exercise. Only strength training and interval training do that - while you work, sleep, and eat - your body will be shedding fat."

Fortunately, Craig's unique system of bodyweight exercises, dumbbell exercises, and interval training can all be done at home, with minimal equipment (if you are really strong, it might help to have a chinup bar). So again, if you are one of those people who loves machines, or cardio equipment, or marathon workouts, then this program is not for you.

Frankly, I've used the program myself and recommended to many others. Why? Because no one has time for long workouts! That's why. After an eight or ten hour workday, a round-trip commute of 60 minutes, and spending time with my family, I just don't have time to do another 90 minute workout every day of the week.

In fact, I either get up early and do the workout before work, or I do it just before bed. This workout is perfect for busy men and women. But its not the type of routine that is going to turn anyone into a pro bodybuilder. If you want maximum muscle and want to bulk up, try another one of Craig's programs. But the Turbulence Training system is best for burning fat without sacrificing muscle - so you end up lean, defined, chiseled and toned.

And its fun! So many workouts are boring (i.e. long cardio) or repetitive (i.e. doing the same bodybuilding workout over and over again). But Turbulence Training uses a lot of unique (but not fluffy) exercises, including some cool, killer bodyweight moves that will make you more athletic and increase your functional and core strength - again, all with minimal equipment needs.

But, I am even able to recommend this program to friends who are just starting out, because Craig has put together a 6-week introductory program, and a 4-week intermediate program in addition to the 16-week advanced training phase (PLUS, the Turbulence Training program comes with a massive amount of bonus workouts for muscle building, bodyweight only, advanced fat loss, and even a female specific bonus).

But each workout progresses into the next. He's used all of these workouts with hundreds of clients - so they are safe and effective. Sure, you can get other programs that leave you smashed and puking after the first workout, but Turbulence Training is not like that. Soreness doesn't matter, only results matter! And you are in expert hands with Turbulence Training, and Men's Health expert, Craig Ballantyne.

Craig's Turbulence Training also contains a contract -- basically, your pledge to being committed to the program. It also includes an ebook on Nutrition Guidelines from expert, Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., and an extensive Q&A section, a 21-Healthy Habit Building Plan, plus the complete Turbulence Training workouts for beginner, intermediate and advanced level individuals.

All users will benefit from the Turbulence Training MP3 audio where Craig goes over the program, plus you can find every single exercise explained in detail, complete with photos.

Okay, so bottom line. Turbulence Training is NOT....

• Long, slow cardio workouts
• A machine-based exercise circuit
• A bodybuilding program to gain bulk
• A workout with lots of time-wasting isolation exercises
• A restrictive eating plan

Turbulence Training provides NONE of the above. On the other hand, Turbulence Training is perfect for busy men and women who want to burn fat in the comfort of their own homes without spending a lot of money on equipment or space on exercise machines. Oh, and you'll actually have fun and you won't "dread" these workouts - heck, they will be over before you know it!

If you're in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Craig's program. I was very impressed with all of the Turbulence Training workouts, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Craig's expertise. For the money, it's the best deal in the fitness and fat loss industry - so much better than diet pills! And remember...

Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training is backed by a 8-week money back guarantee. And this is a real guarantee... if you are not completely satisfied, you will receive your money back, no "ifs," "ands," or "buts." So you really have nothing to lose.

Weight Loss For Women At Home

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training

A woman's workout should consist of leg raises, biceps curls with soup cans, and triceps kickbacks with water bottles.

Can you believe that silliness?

Neither can I, but that is what passes for "professional fitness advice for women" these days.

I could see this info being accepted in the 1930's (maybe?), but in the year 2007? Please...

Does anyone really believe that biceps curls with water bottles is going to prepare women to carry their children to bed, a bag of heavy groceries in from the car, or swing a sledgehammer during home reno's?

No way. You need real-world workouts and fat loss advice. Not fluff.

Am I the only one that finds those types of recommendations disrespectful to the physical capabilities of women? You'd think that Linda Hamilton's chin-up scene in Terminator 2 would have turned the tide of female fitness, or perhaps Demi Moore's GI Jane.

I've watched women get fit fast at almost any age with Turbulence Training. In fact, we've had girls from 18 to 82 years young kickin' butt with Turbulence Training.

Today, I want to share the story of a classic "supermom", you know the mom with 3 active kids that has to drive them everywhere, eat on the run, and still find room for workouts. Her name is Brandy Kirton, and she'll show you how real women train, eat, and find the time to do it all with proper planning.

CB: Brandy, tell us about your past exercise and nutrition experiences. At what point did you find out about Turbulence Training and what persuaded you to start using it?

BK: I started working out back on high school. I'm 30 now. I became a personal trainer for a few years in my early 20's. So I learned a lot about nutrition and weight training. I have been in great shape and not so great shape in the last 10 years. I think I found Turbulence Training just surfing the web and decided to give it a try. I was desperate to lose weight after my 3rd kid.

CB: And how was this a change from what you had done in the past?

BK: I was doing 30 minutes of cardio and then lifted for 30 mins 3 to 4 times a week. That was if I actually could make time. I would not work out if I knew I couldnt get it all in. I would think, "What's the point of 20 mins?".

CB: What kind of results have you achieved with Turbulence Training? And is there anything else, besides the results, you love about the Turbulence Training programs?

BK: I love how it changes every month so I never get bored. I also love that I have no excuse about not having time to fit it in. My results have been great. I am getting toned up and consistently loosing inches. I also have a lot more energy.

CB: Do you workout at home or in a gym?

BK: I have to work out at home. No time to get to a gym.

CB: Has Turbulence Training had a positive impact on your lifestyle?

BK: Turbulence Training has made a huge impact on me. I don't feel like it takes up my whole day or get bored of the same thing day in and day out. I feel strong and love the daily emails. It helps me stay motivated. I work full time, have three kids 9, 5, and 11 months, and a husband. My older two kids play every sports so there really
is no extra time. I have to get up at 5:30 to work out before they wake up but its worth it. I feel great after I am done and no matter what happens that day I have already got my work out in which feels great.

CB: Do you have any social support? If so, how has this helped you?

BK: My mom comes over in the mornings to work out with me. I need that accountability so that I don't sleep instead. Its hard to get up but I always feel so much better when I do.

CB: What are your daily obstacles and temptations that you have to avoid with respect to nutrition and training? And what strategies do you use?

BK: With all the practices, games and running around I have to do its hard not to grab McDonald's with the kids. I try to either bring food with me or wait until I get home. If I
have to eat out I do try and find grilled chicken or subway.

CB: How do you plan your nutrition?

BK: I have to go shopping on Sunday to stock up on all my healthy food. Otherwise I will eat whatever I can find which usually is not good for me.

CB: Thanks Brandy, keep up the great work.

****
The message is clear. Plan, prepare, commit, and be consistent. Brandy didn't use any magic pills or potions to succeed, she simply found a great workout plan, and did what she had to do.

As a supermom, Brandy practically has to create time out of thin air in order to do her workout, but again, she knows what she has to do and she does it. She's committed. She has social support. She knows the correct options for eating on the run.

She has made the effort to plan for the obstacles (lack of time, workout motivation) that we all come across. And by doing that, she's cleared a simple path to success.

And she doesn't waste time in the gym with slow, boring cardio workouts. Instead, she sculpts her body in half the time with the Turbulence Training workouts.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

---------------------------------------------
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, click here to visit Turbulence Training.

You can also read my review of his product in my previous post here.

Review of Warp Speed Fat Loss

Warp Speed Fat Loss is a really remarkable program. It was tested on hundreds of participants in a top gym in California and was designed by Alwyn Cosgrove, one of the world’s top weight loss experts (this guy is a true legend in the fitness industry) and Mike Roussell, a certified nutritionist with a degree in biochemistry. So what this means that the focus will not be primarily on one author’s professional interests but on all of the aspects concerning weight loss.

When I first got my copy of this program, I was a little bit skeptical. Many people promise but not deliver, however this system is different. It is the first healthy weight loss plan allowing large scale fat loss in a short amount of time. You can lose up to 21 pounds in a month on this program which normally would take you around 3 to 6 months. So if your aim is to look great in your naked – read on.

How does it work?

Warp Speed Fat Loss combines years of weight loss knowledge into one workout program. It cuts out a lot of scientific jargon and is a unique combination of fat dissolving methods. The concept behind this brilliant system is that while exercise and diet control can both independently cause weight loss, it is only the right combination that will bring in the best results at the quickest pace.

When the authors combined the principles of Warp Speed Fat Loss together, they expected to get double the effect. What they actually found was the synergistic effect was more like 2 X 2 = 10. When fat burning techniques combine correctly, the body multiplies weight loss by huge factors. However, to achieve great results like this you will need to follow the guide exactly. It's not something you can mix and match. What you receive is an exact eating plan and exercise routine.

This book is divided into two sections exercise and nutrition. But the difference between this system and the rest of the products is the stress on timing of food intake. The diet is based on a low calorie and high fiber diet which uses the food’s thermic effect on body most effectively. This program is based on strategic training like metabolic resistance training, high intensity interval aerobic training, high intensity interval aerobic training etc. which help the body to only lose fat but not muscle.

Bonuses

The entire package consists of:
Bonus # 1. 24 Warp Speed Fat Loss Workouts
Bonus # 2. Warp Speed Fat Loss Workout Sheets
Bonus # 3. 28 days of delicious Warp Speed Fat Loss Meal Plans
Bonus # 4. Warp Speed Fat Loss Exercise Library
Bonus # 5. Targeted Fat Loss and Interval Fat Loss Audio Coaching
Bonus # 6. Warp Speed Diet Primer Video
Bonus # 7. Straight Talk About Calories Video
Bonus # 8. Fat Loss Mastermind Audio

Add-Ons:

In addition to these you also get two more new releases:
Add-On # 1. The “Great Unveiling” Rapid 6 Day Weight Reduction Protocol”
In this special report it will show you exactly how to manipulate your body’s water and sodium levels in order to look unbelievable in only 6 days.
Add-On # 2. The “Ripped Ready Abs” Routine
Do you want razor sharp abs? This cool “secret weapon” goes perfectly with the Warp Speed Fat Loss Program.

Does the Warp Speed Fat Loss really work? Read the Pros and Cons…

Pros
• Created by Alwyn Cosgrove and Mike Roussell, both experts in their respective fields.
• Very easy to use and understand e-book. The entire program isn’t long or hard to read. You can begin applying it almost immediately.
• The testimonials of this program are very impressive. People manage to lose weight with this system.
• You will also get 10 additional bonuses when you get the program.
• Has a money back guarantee for 60 days, so this is a risk free investment, if you’re not happy with the product you can get a full refund.
• No side effects were reported.

Cons
• This product is not for those looking for an everyday weight loss and control program because it requires a very strict regime and only those who follow it to the letter will reap the maximum benefits.
• This product is meant for those who are already a little bit on the fit side and need to lose 21 pounds in a month only to look good and not for health reasons.

If you would like to see some videos of the type of information you can expect to get from Warp Speed Fat Loss, then please check out the videos posted here.

Video - Don’t Trust Your Eye For Noticing Fat Loss
Video - Reduce Your Carbs to Lose Weight
Video - Green Tea as a Weight Loss Supplement
Video - How Much Fat Loss Is Safe?
Video - How Low to Go on Low Carb Diets
Video - Lose Your Beer Belly While Watching TV
Video - Ketogenic Diets
Video - How To Lose Belly Fat
Video - How Can I Lose Weight?
Video - The Fat Loss Secret
Video - What’s The Best Fat Loss Exercise?
Video - What’s The Fastest Way To Lose Weight?
Video - What is The Easiest Diet Program?
Video - Choosing a Diet Program
Video - What Is The Best Diet Program?

How To Lose Belly Fat For Women

by Mike Roussell PhD(c)
UglyFatLoss.com

Do you want to lose belly fat? If so then it is important to know two things.

1. Not all belly fat is created equally.

2. As a woman when you get older you will naturally get more belly fat then a man does (I know, it is unfair).

First let’s look at why belly fat isn’t created equally. There are two types of belly fat – visceral and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fat is the fat that you can pinch around your waistline. Visceral fat is the fat that is on the inside of your ab muscles surrounding your organs. To get a tight toned six pack you need to really get rid of both but specifically the subcutaneous fat as that is what is ‘masking’ your abs.

Visceral fat is very bad because it is linked to many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. Visceral fat is also metabolically active, meaning that is doesn’t just sit there (like subcutaneous belly fat) is can actively promote inflammation which scientists think is the driving force for many diseases. Fortunately when you go on a weight loss diet you will lose both visceral and subcutaneous belly fat.

Now back to why women gain more belly fat then men as they get older. As a woman goes through menopause research shows that their body fat tends to get deposited less in their thighs, hips, and arms and more in their stomach area.

As you age and your metabolism slows down, the amount of fat in your body slowly increases. Women experience an even greater fat percentage increase than men do. Then after menopause, your body fat distribution tends to shift — less in your arms, legs and hips, and more in your abdomen. This change in body fat distribution is mainly due to hormonal changes that occur in menopause.

How can you stop this? Preventing storage of body fat in your stomach isn’t as complicated as people make it. In fact you really need to attach stomach fat just like you attack any other type of body fat. You need to use a reduced carb diet, metabolic resistance training, and interval training. This three pronged approach to losing weight is extremely effective in both men and women. It is important to realize that as we get older we move less to increasing activity and stimulating your metabolism to that you burn more calories and burn more fat is the best approach for women who want to lose belly fat (men too, actually).

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

About the Author/More Info:

Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit UglyFatLoss.com. Mike Roussell is a nutrition doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania. Mike's writings can be found in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, and Testosterone Nation. Mike specializes in fat loss nutrition and diets for busy men and women who need to lose weight fast without it interfering with their lives. Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat to lose weight in record time.

You can also read my review of Warp Speed Fat Loss in my previous post here.

Review - Unbreakable Body Corrective Exercise Program

Do you suffer form old sports injuries? Do you have an aches, muscle pains or stiff joints? If so then read on - this might be just what you need.

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Keith Scott's new product called Unbreakable. I truly believe this product has been long overdue in the fitness industry. On a basic level Unbreakable deals with showing you how to get and/or stay healthy while training with previous injuries. It is a system that allows anyone to eliminate the pain and restriction of old injuries and to rehab those injuries properly while still allowing you to perform at your peak. No matter what your age, sport, game or hobby, Keith's system can and will improve your performance by getting you healthy again.

The best part of Keith's Unbreakable system is that he gives you special plug-ins, which are specific corrective exercises that you incorporate into your current exercise plan that allow you to continue using whatever training program you are currently on while still eliminating all your pain, weakness and injuries. What this means is, you can plug in your exercises and integrate them into whatever routine you're currently using - whether you're training for strength, fat loss, muscle gain, or anything in between.

If you are someone who has amassed countless injuries from years of extreme sports and athletics, or just from years spent in the gym, then you know how much it sucks not being able to do what you love. When you can't lift weights, run, swim or golf because of an injury, you can easily get absolutely miserable and depressed.

Thanks to Keith's knowledge and the Unbreakable system you never have to deal with that again. With summer right around the corner, you definitely don't want to miss any workouts. And you certainly don't want to be sitting on the sidelines because you're too sore to move while everyone else is having a good time.

Keith has been in the sports medicine field for over 18 years, has a Masters degree in Sports Medicine and taught at the University level for over 8 years on the topics of injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and exercise science, and he's a certified athletic trainer with his CSCS. So you can rest assured that he knows what he's talking about.

The experience he gained while working with hundreds of athletes over the years enabled him to discover new and exciting ways to help people with their issues and bring relief fast. Keith has taken that knowledge and distilled it down into this program.

So what do you get?

For the price of $77 you get everything listed below:

* Detailed Self-Assessment Guide
* Self-Assessment Explanations
* 10-Week Corrective Exercise Plan
* Corrective Exercise Descriptions
* 16-Week Strength and Conditioning Program
* Exercise Description for the Program
* Targeted Soft Tissue System
* Fix Me Now plug-ins
* Nutrition Guidelines
* Fat Burning with High Intensity Interval Training, 10 pages

Bonuses:
* The Fast and Furious Fat Burning System (HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training)
* The Recovery Guidelines Manual
* Free 30 Day "UNBREAKABLE BODY CLUB" Trial Membership

It also comes with a 60 Money Back Guarantee, so if you're not 100% satisfied you can get a refund. However, I don't think that will be necessary. Just take your time and read through everything carefully as you prepare for your 16-week Strength and Conditioning program. In just a few short weeks you could be on your way to living a pain free life, doing the things you want to do.

Don’t pass up this opportunity to take back your life. If you're looking for a great tool to keep yourself healthy and performing at a high level, you should definitely check out the Unbreakable program. This is your chance to live a better life and regain the body that you deserve, free of pain, and free of problems. The choice is yours.

Why Cardio Doesn't Work for Fat Loss

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it should work so perfectly well for all men and women, but as anyone who has tried it knows, the practicality of it just doesn't add up.

After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the other hand, it works just fine for others.

British researchers wanted to get more insight into this paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who weren't previously exercising.

(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).

Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That's a lot of exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average of 8.2 pounds, which is great - I was positively surprised by the results.

So cardio will work for some people, however, in my experience, it works best in young men, who need the help the least!

Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between individuals was huge. Check this out...

The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks, while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.

The scientists think they know where things went sour. They classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the "Compensators" and the "Non-compensators".

The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio efforts.

Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge "compensatory" increase in appetite experienced by this group.

Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it does, research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.

So if your cardio program is not working for you, check your appetite and calorie intake to see if you are "compensating" for your efforts. If you are, you might be better off using a program of high-intensity resistance and interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your weight loss efforts.

As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research, interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. And increased catecholamines can reduce appetite, among other fat-burning benefits.

In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks of cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of 8 pounds with aerobic exercise.

So again, check your appetite, and consider giving high-intensity exercise a go for your next workout program.

Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity Turbulence Training.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author

Learn about the "Dark Side of Cardio" in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at Turbulence Training. Craig 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 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.

You can read my review of his product in my previous post here.