QUESTION: Dear Tom: If you are going to go out and have a drink or two with friends, which drink is the best when you’re on a fat loss program like BFFM? Would it be wine or a vodka mixed with soda? Is champagne better or worse than the other two?

ANSWER: The first thing I would suggest is that you ask a better question! The answers you get are only as good as the quality of questions you ask. “Which alcohol is best?” is not a very good question when your goal is to get leaner.

What if ALL alcohol is a bad choice? what then?

If you asked, “How much damage would I do to my body and how much would I slow down my results if I drank during my fat burning program?” you might get a different feeling towards alcohol. This type of question presupposes that there WILL be a down side, it’s only a question of how bad it will be.

If you focus on the consequences of drinking, (like getting a beer gut), instead of how you can best “get away with it,” it may change your attitude. Then if you shift focus to the abs and lean body you want, and change your question to what is the best way to get great abs and a lean body, it will change your attitude and motivation even more.

[3] I do not recommend daily drinking as part of a fitness lifestyle, because daily drinking can become habit forming. My recommendation is limit drinking to weekends, holidays and or special occasions.

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto Fat Loss Coach http://www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

http://slade556.burnthefat.hop.clickbank.net/

QUESTION: Dear Tom: I’ve been going to the gym for the past year now, but I have only lost 2 pounds. I eat about 1800 calories a day and I do 3 cardio and 3 weight training sessions a week. I am 5 feet 5 inches and 128 lbs. I would like to be at 120 lbs.

To lose 8 more lbs isn’t a lot to ask, but I’m really frustrated. I’ve been VERY persistent, and I rarely cheat except once each weekend, but at this rate, it will take me another 4 years for me to reach my goal! Please help!

Vicky

About the Author:

A new study just published in a recent issue of the journal Obesity has revealed that thin people eat very differently than heavy people at all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants.

Researcher Brian Wansink and his team from the Cornell University Food and Brand Laboratory observed diners at 11 different Chinese buffet restaurants across the United States.

Their goal was to find out whether the eating behaviors of people at all-you-can-eat buffets varied based on their body mass.

Trained observers recorded the height, weight, gender, age, and behavior of 213 patrons. The various seating, serving and eating behaviors were then compared across BMI levels.

The heavier (higher BMI) patrons:

• ate more quickly
• chewed more food per bite
• used forks
• sat facing the food buffet

The thin (lower BMI) patrons:

• ate more slowly
• chewed less food per bite
• used chopsticks
• sat facing away from the food buffet

This study confirms earlier research from the University of Rhode Island published in the journal of the American Dietetic Association which found that eating slowly leads to decreases in energy intake.

Scientists even have a name for this now:

“TIME-ENERGY DISPLACEMENT”

Time-Energy Displacement means that the more time you take to eat, the less energy (calories) you are likely to consume. The faster you eat, the more energy (calories) you’re likely to consume.

But wait, there’s even more! A study from the University of Alabama looked at satiety (how full a food makes you feel), energy density (calories per unit of volume) and eating time of various foods. To maximize the effects of Time-Energy Displacement, it was found even more advantageous to choose foods that FORCE you to ingest calories more slowly.

This includes choosing more:

Foods that have a high satiety factor such as high fiber and high water foods (so you feel fuller more quickly):

• Peas
• Red beans
• Raspberries
• Broccoli
• Green beans
• Chick Peas

Foods with a high “chew factor” (so you can’t eat them fast if you tried; you have to chew them thoroughly):

• Lean meats such as top round, lean sirloin
• Celery
• Apples
• Pears
• Peaches

Foods with a low energy density such as salad vegetables and greens (so you’d get tired of eating before you took in a lot of calories):

• Tomatoes
• Artichoke
• Cucumber
• Salad Greens
• Cabbage
• Okra

These results also confirm all the studies that have been advising us not to drink our calories. Liquid calories, especially soft drinks and dessert coffees are two of the biggest sources of excess calories in the typical American’s diet.

The problem: calories in liquid form can have a very high caloric density and can be consumed very quickly. Liquid calories also do not activate the satiety mechanism in your brain and gastrointestinal tract the way solid food does.

“Don’t inhale your food” used to be an admonishment about proper eating etiquette you heard from your mom. It is now scientifically-proven fat loss advice.

To learn more research-proven tips for burning fat, visit the “Burn The Fat” website at www.BurnTheFat.com

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” 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: www.burnthefat.com

http://slade556.burnthefat.hop.clickbank.net/

Faith based diets have been around for decades. But is overeating really a sin? Does God punish you for being fat? A recent column in an issue of USA Today answers, “weight loss is hard enough without feeling that the almighty is on your back, too”…

Recently, I was sitting in a wonderful little breakfast “parlor” on Main Street in Santa Monica (California), enjoying a bowl of oatmeal, a mountain of fresh fruit and a “sexy omelette” (the bodybuilder’s favorite). There was even a “Schwarzenegger omelette” on the menu - I kid you not! Although the usual dietary temptations are omnipresent everywhere, I noticed a lot more healthy eateries and healthy options on menus out here, which is okay by me! It seems like people are much more health conscious in Southern California compared to back home in the New Jersey/New York City area.

One thing is for sure - people are definitely in better shape. No doubt, it’s partly due to the year-round beautiful weather. You can’t hide under those winter coats in this weather! When I left Newark airport it was a blustery 37 degrees. It’s 77 degrees and sunny as I sit here on my hotel balcony, laptop on my lap, overlooking the palm trees and Pacific ocean.

A friend of mine once said that “Palm trees are God’s way of saying, LIVE HERE!”

Speaking of God, that brings me to the subject of this article. As I was finishing up the last few bites of my high protein omelette, I came across an article in USA Today that I simply HAD to pass on to you because it’s related to some of the weight loss work I’ve been recently doing and it bears some important lessons.

The column, written by Christine Whelan, a professor of sociology, said that religious diet groups are growing in number and some of them say that “God might not approve of that second piece of pie.” In fact, some of these groups, reported Whelan, warn that God will punish you for overeating and being fat. The Weigh Down Workshop, one of the most “hard-line” of such groups, tells their participants that God will “destroy you” if you abuse your body by overeating.

Well, we’ve certainly heard of gluttony referred to as a deadly sin, but is this going a little too far?”

I’m not sure what other people think, but I prefer to think of God as a loving God, who does not punish a person in the hereafter for being fat in this life. But then again, why would he have to? He has created a magnificent physical world based on immutable physical laws of cause and effect, reward and consequence, which mete out all the “punishment” needed, right here in this life: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoarthritis, gout, and even cancer. All of them are linked to obesity. Combined with the emotional pain of being overweight and the lower quality (and sometimes quantity) of life, I’d say that’s punishment enough, wouldn’t you?

But enough of my theological viewpoint, I found some tremendously valuable practical lessons in the newspaper article.

I don’t believe that instilling guilt or fear of eternal damnation is an uplifting way to change behavior. Perhaps it might be effective for some, as fear of consequences can be a powerful motivator. But aren’t there more positive ways to achieve behavior modification than hellfire and brimstone?

For example, metaphors are also powerful motivators, especially because metaphors are language that your unconscious mind can understand. Didn’t Jesus teach in parables and metaphors? What if you said your body was like a temple? Would you behave differently? Would you look after your “temple” with more care? Those with spiritual beliefs almost certainly would, if they kept that in mind and believed it on a deep level.

In my books, I delve into the emotional, psychological and social aspects of body fat loss.

Some of the chapters are devoted to teaching you how to build a fortress of positive, uplifting, inspiring energy around you in the form of positive, uplifting, and inspiring people. But many of my readers and clients tell me this is easier said than done in their world. “What am I supposed to do when peer pressure from my friends is pulling me down?” “What do I do if my own family won’t support my new, healthier choices? What if they keep bringing potato chips, cookies and ice cream into the house?” “What if no one supports me?”

Enter spiritual diet support groups. Not all of these groups are so extreme as to pronounce that being fat is a sin. And as Whelan put it, “religion may be the ultimate trump card of many behavior modification programs.”

No matter how independent we are, we all need support in our journeys toward personal improvement. It’s the great paradox of succeeding in any endeavor in life - you have to do it by yourself, but you can’t do it alone.

Spiritual communities and religious support groups can be the last refuge of support and encouragement for some people. For anyone with spiritual beliefs, these groups may be one of the best places of all to turn for social support. There’s your church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship. There are also organized weight loss support groups.

One such group mentioned in the USA Today article is BABES - Beautiful Accountable Babes Exercising Sensibly. The mission of babes is “connecting with others to lose weight and build friendships.” Accountability. Exercising. Connecting with others. That all sounds pretty sensible to me! Moreover, according to BABES co-founder, Barb Swanson, “we are not into sin and judgement. God wants balance and it’s more than the size that you are.”

Indeed it is. As I have said before, body fat is not a person, it’s a temporary physical condition. What we really are is far more than physical bodies.

There’s enough guilt, fear and shame for people who are struggling with weight issues already. They don’t need any more negativity from their spiritual leaders. Instead, if you are a person of faith, use your spiritual community as a source of social support and inspiration, and motivate yourself by focusing on the positive and uplifting side. It will pay you eternal dividends.

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” 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: www.burnthefat.com

Are you carrying a few extra pounds? Are you overweight? Are you obese? Unfortunately, for a lot of you, the answer to one or more of these questions will be yes. We live in an overweight society. Every day, the news is proclaiming just how many people in the United States are not just overweight, but actually obese. The problem is that no matter how much we want to lose weight, it can be difficult.

When you are carrying a lot of extra fat, exercise can be almost impossible. It is not a question of laziness. It is simply difficult to do, because all that weight makes it so hard. Sometimes you just need a jumpstart, something to help you start your journey. Alli can do that for you.

You see, unlike its competitors, Alli believes in a full body approach to weight loss. Like many other products on the market, this system does include capsules. However, unlike the greater majority of its competitors, this weight loss product offers totally safe diet pills. How do you know they are safe? Well, how about this: they have the complete approval of the Food and Drug Administration. How many diet pills can say that they are FDA approved? A better question: how many over the counter diet pills can say they are FDA approved? Not many, certainly - not a whole lot can even claim to be safe. Clearly, Alli is different. The big news is that this product is different for even more reasons. For instance, it does not want you to rely solely on the pills. In fact, when you go with this product, you get much, much more.

You get an introductory guide, explaining all about the system. You also get a health guide, plus literature to help you calculate how many calories you need to be taking in and how many calories you are ingesting each day. Even more importantly, Alli has implemented a “buddy system.” They offer a support system, so that you will always be able to talk to someone when you need help. How wonderful is that? Because sometimes food can be an addition as well. To be able to talk to someone when you get a craving to binge or overeat is so incredibly beneficial.

Alli is unlike any other product on the market today. So many diet pill manufacturers want to make you think that you can lose so much weight, just by taking the pills. They want to make you think that you do not need to do anything else. The truth of the matter is that any weight you lose in that way is going to come back, and you will likely gain even more right along with it. This product is different. This product knows the value of diet and exercise - and it also knows that sometimes, we need a little kick start to help us start.

Dean Whittet is a health and vitality expert and has provided help to thousands of men and women alike. Be sure to visit his website to read Alli reviews and customer feedback.

Every year millions of people attempt to lose weight. Some do it as part of a New Year’s resolution, others for a special occasion like a wedding or school reunion, and some do it simply because they’re unhappy with their weight – and have been for years - and want to change the way they look for the better. Unfortunately, most people who attempt to shed some weight see only a small amount of success, that doesn’t last for very long. Others see none at all. So what’s going on? Why is losing weight so hard? Why do so many people fail? And, perhaps most importantly, what can you do to make sure you aren’t just another person who ends up in the “tried and failed” category of dieters?

The answer lies in two special things: knowledge and application. First you need to know exactly what to do, then you’ve got to do it. No ifs, not buts and no cutting of corners.

Today is the perfect day to start expanding your knowledge. Once you have your plan in place, which contains every change you need to make and how you’re going to make it, you’ll be ready to begin losing weight. We’ll start by looking at 7 really powerful weight loss tips. These facts accurately sum up fundamental rules of successful weight loss that every person who’s serious about improving their body shape and size should know and remember:

1. Stop Searching For That Special Wonder-Method

If you’re one of those people who has put off making a concerted, definite effort to lose weight using tried-and-tested methods, in the hope that you’ll be able to find and use a simpler, easier approach, you aren’t alone. It’s easy to put things off and blindly wait for a miracle method to come along and do all the hard work for you – but you have to realize that it’s never going to happen. The only way your body is going to be the way you want it to be is if YOU do what’s needed to get it that way. Once you accept that fact, you’re ready to really begin your journey.

2. Real, Long-Term Weight-Loss Is Only Accomplished Through Permanent Changes In Your Lifestyle, Not Through ‘Diets’

Because ‘diet’s’ are temporary, so are the results they bring about. Instead of saying to yourself, “Okay, today I’m going to start my diet!” say, “Today I’m going to change my lifestyle,” and focus on doing just that.

3. Don’t Let Your Initial Enthusiasm Overpower Common Sense

Making those first few changes in your lifestyle and getting the ball rolling is great – you’re fired up and raring to go. But make sure you don’t let your surge of enthusiasm overpower your ability to make good decisions. You need to pace yourself and take things one step at a time.

4. Become Calorie Aware

To lose weight consistently, at a significant but safe rate, you’re going to need to control the number of calories you consume on a daily and weekly basis. That means becoming aware of foods that are very calorific and foods that aren’t. You don’t need to become a nutritionist to do this though. Just get used to looking at food labels and keeping a running total of how many calories you consume throughout the day.

5. Set ‘Near’ Goals and ‘Far’ Goals

It’s okay to dream about your perfect body and how great it will be once you’ve got it – in fact, it’s a really positive thing to do. It helps stay you motivated and working hard. However, it’s important you break your big end goal down into smaller chunks in the form of short-term goals. For example, to lose 2 pounds a week for a month. Or to fit into a certain pair of jeans you used to be able to comfortably wear a few years ago.

6. Don’t Starve Yourself Or Completely Avoid Eating Fats

To lose weight and keep it off for more than a few weeks, you need to avoid skipping meals or otherwise starving yourself. It’s much better to eat little and often. Break up your three main healthy meals with equally healthy snacks to keep you from getting hungry and hankering after “bad” foods – a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit both do the trick nicely. Also DO NOT avoid all foods that contain fat. Your body needs fat to survive and stay healthy. Just focus on eating healthy fats, such as those found in Omegas 3, 6 and 9 – include them in your balanced diet to ensure your weight goes down and STAYS down.

7. Use A Complete Plan That Covers Each Of The Vital Areas Of Body Improvement

If you want to lose weight and generally improve the overall health, fitness and appearance of your body, it’s no good only making one or two changes to your lifestyle. You need to use an approach that covers each of the necessary areas of improvement: psychology, motivation, goal setting, diet, fitness & exercise, etc. That doesn’t mean achieving your ideal physical form is going to be really hard or feel impossible, though. Just that to do it you need a complete approach that covers everything and misses out nothing.

—

‘Perfect Body Plan’ is a brand new e-book that has been designed in a special way. It allows anybody who reads through its pages – regardless of what their specific, individual goal is – to achieve their perfect body. It only uses tried-and-tested techniques that fuse diet advice, multiple fitness and weightlifting programs that anyone can perform, and psychological guidance that MAKES SURE you achieve your goals. Whether you want to lose weight or gain it, get fit or simply look good naked, ‘Perfect Body Plan’ has the answers…

Take a look now at http://www.perfectbodyplan.com

If you have never been here before I highly recommend reading some of the weight loss program reviews on the right hand side under blogroll. Doing this will give you a better idea of what product will best serve you on your journey to lose weight.

Remember, you can lose weight. It’s not a matter of if, but when! Another great place to start is to sign up for our e-course using the opt in box above to get some of our insider tips, tricks and secrets to burn the fat and flatten those abs. It is totally free of charge and if you no longer want the tips simply unsubscribe. It’s that simple!

Now let’s get fit!

Mark Whitmore