(This is a guest post by Jon Benson, author of  Every Other Day Diet, 7 Minute Muscle and Fit Over 40)

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I bet you didn’t know this …

Obesity… even being overfat… is a disease.

No, really.

At least that’s what several social groups wish you to believe. “Suffers Of Obesity” is just one of those groups. Their entire stance is obesity (which, btw, can be only 30lbs or so over your ideal bodyweight) is an actual disease.

Well, is it?

Yes… and no.

Comedian Ricky Gervais has a hilarious go at this stance… that obesity is a disease. You sometimes have to laugh, you know? ; )

“No… it’s not a disease… it’s greed. You just love to eat,” or so Gervais believes.

Well, in my first newsletter for 2010, a new decade with new ideas, I’m here to share a new idea with you:

We really need to redefine some words.

One of those words is “disease”.

Case-in-point:  Wikipedia.com defines disease…

“In human beings, “disease” is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, and/or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person. In this broader sense, it sometimes includes injuries, disabilities, disorders, syndromes, infections, isolated symptoms, deviant behaviors, and atypical variations of structure and function, while in other contexts and for other purposes these may be considered distinguishable categories.”

Let’s think about that.

If you bump your knee against a sharp object, is this a new disease called “bumpuskneeitis?” Er… no. It’s an accident. Sure, it may ’cause’ a specific set of symptoms that could broadly (as in as broad as the back-side of a barn) be considered a “disease”, but … no. It’s an accident with biological consequences.

Social problems?  So, if I decide to read 17 books on why my parents suck as a teenager and develop anti-social behavior, is this a “disease”?  NO!  This is the angst of youth combined, perhaps, with poor parenting!  Sure, it can lead to mental issues that could be classified as “disease”, but guess what?

It’s totally within your control. No one force-fed the books to the teen. And no one is force-feeding you, or anyone you know.

That decision is yours and yours alone… and anyone, repeat ANYONE on the face of planet earth can change their behaviors and attitudes toward food.

Okay, some more thoughts on disease:

Let me give you a few examples of what is typically thought of as “disease”…

— Leprosy
— Cancer
— Hypothyroidism

We’ll just take three… there are thousands as you know.

Now, we can all agree that these three states represent true “disease”. The first you could catch by accident; the second is a combination of genetics, environment, and who-knows-what-else, and the third is almost always genetic.

One, cancer, is something you ‘may’ be able to do something about. For example, lung cancer. 90% of lung cancer patients contract the disease from smoking.

Let’s just cover these 90%, shall we?

And folks, I’m asking for an open mind here…

Is lung cancer, in the case of the 90%, REALLY a disease?

Or is it a biological consequence?

Sure, “cancer” is a disease. But what caused it in this case? Something involuntary? Hardly. Something that could not be stopped?

No way.

The 90% caused it. Period.

Welcome to the real world.

So, I propose this:  We redefine “disease” as an abnormal biological condition that we DO NOT have direct cause or effect over.

Airborne viruses: Disease.  Obesity: NOT a disease.

And yes, lung cancer in chain smokers:  NOT a disease; it’s a biological outcome. The end result should be treated as a disease, of course, but come on: Where is the responsibility folks?

Life, if you want to live it fully and without fear, is ALL about taking total responsibility. That’s empowerment. Anything less is… well, LESS.

In our example, lung cancer is no more a “disease” than, say, me hitting myself over the head with a hammer every day and causing brain damage is a disease.

Brain damage (not self-induced) = disease.

Brain damage caused by self-inflicted hammer-hitting = biological consequence. In this case of sheer stupidity!

Now, one could (and many will) make the argument that I had a “mental” disease that caused me to WANT to hit myself over the head with a hammer… but… well…

At this point we need to redefine the word “disease” in my opinion. Here’s why:

First, if this were the case, I could say that all criminals have a disease.

They all have a mental disease that makes them want to kill, steal… you name it.

This may in fact BE true… we do not know… but do we hold them NOT responsible if it is? No, we do not.

And that brings us back to obesity.

Obesity and being overfat is not a disease folks…
—— >  it’s a biological consequence.

And, with the exception of the extremely ‘rare’ cases of total glandular dysfunction from birth, obesity… your bodyweight… is your responsibility.

Period. End of story.

Sorry, but that’s the way the ball bounces.

Am I being mean? No. I was obese. I have a right to speak my mind about it, and trust me:  My depression (a disease… sorta… some genetic, but a lot of it was caused by eating too much sugar) definitely aided in my obesity.

Then how come I’m not obese any more?

I found a better way to eat. I re-trained my body to crave this style of eating (and exercise) over stuffing myself with pizza and burgers every day.

Here’s what I use:

Click here —> Every Other Day Diet

It torches belly fat… and it reprograms the body and mind to use food as fuel… especially if you use my “7 Minute Body” workout system (you can get it at 77% off after you pick up EODD on the page above… ; )

So be brave. Be fearless. And be responsible.

Oh… and be sure not to catch “internetemailitis”… its a disease that causes you to want to check your email more than 10 times a day.

I have it. So be careful… may be contagious. : )

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P.S. Author Jon Benson documents his journey from obesity to total leanness in EODD. He had to overcome ‘real’ diseases, like pituitary failure from a high fever (i.e. viral pneumonia that almost killed him) and clinical depression (partially what he calls “his fault”; partially not… i.e. half disease, half biological consequence.) He KNOWS what you can do once you have a solid plan in place and a determined mind.

Then no “disease” can stop you… at least the ones that do not kill you.

So go for it… be brave, be responsible… and be lean!

Click here —>  Every Other Day Diet

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(This is a guest post by David Grisaffi, author of Firm And Flatten Your Abs)

“Stomach exercise” is the most frequently asked about and searched on (via internet) yet misunderstood subject in the entire field of health, fitness and exercise. And it’s no wonder. Regardless of age, experience or gender, everyone wants a flat “stomach” because the abdominal region is the true showcase of your physique. Since the abs are usually the last place to “shape up” and “lean out,” then most people would say that if you’ve got abs, you’ve got it all.

Well, in my way of thinking, this is only partially true. There’s more to a complete physique than “abdominal exercises” and “six pack abs” and most people are completely wrong about “stomach exercises” and “”stomach muscles.” (you’ll find out why in just a moment)…

The Difference Between “6-Pack Abs” And Truly “Fit Abs”

Having a great looking set of abs is very much a matter of low body fat. But make no mistake, just being lean and seeing a “six-pack” doesn’t mean you are strong, fit or conditioned. Real fitness means more than visible muscle development, it means strength, endurance, and stability, and this type of true functional fitness does not come from merely eating the right foods or reducing your body fat.

Nutrition is so important that you could even say that “abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym” and you would not be telling a lie. But this clever maxim is not telling the whole truth either. Great abs come from nutrition AND training, not one or the other. The training develops them. The nutrition uncovers them.

Don Juan Ponce de Leon arrived in America in 1493 looking for a fountain of youth and today in the “stomach exercise” marketplace, it seems that far too many people are looking for a “magic fountain” in order to flatten their waistlines.

Ponce never found the fountain of youth and you will never find a magical solution for flat abs. There are no short cuts. It takes a change in lifestyle to get a change in health, physique and performance. That includes nutrition AND training.

There’s No Such Thing As “Stomach Exercises”

Proper choice of exercise is a critical factor in your quest for a firm and flat waistline. But you will never get a great “stomach” from ANY “stomach exercise” because your stomach is a part of your digestive tract, not your skeletal muscular system! So let’s get the terminology straight, shall we?

The area of you body you really want to improve is called your “core region.” Many people refer to it as the “abdominal region.” However, training only with “ab exercise” is NOT the optimal approach.

        THIS is your stomach!    

The abdominals only include the front (anterior) side of your body and if the only type of training you do is abdominal training, you may be unwittingly setting yourself up for lower back problems. If you don’t think this is serious, then consider this statistic:

According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 31 million Americans are suffering from low back pain at any given time.

So would you like to trade great abs for a bad back?

I didn’t think so. The good news is that you can kill two birds with one stone. You can develop great abdominal muscles, great core muscles and a strong, pain-free back by using exercises that focus not on the “stomach,” (which is not a muscle you train at all), not on the “abdominals,” (which is only part of the muscles you need to target), but on the entire core.

The core is the key to your success.

The core is the entire complex of muscles around your hip and waist region from your lower rib cage to the bottom of your pelvis. If you just focus on “abdominal exercises” alone (or “stomach” exercises, LOL), you will develop what I refer to as a “one dimensional body.” I focus on training the body as a whole, or “multi-dimensional training” to develop a complete person and to develop effective and powerful athletes.

What every program I write has in common is that I do not attempt to “isolate” the abdominals (or train the “stomach muscles!”) It’s all about the core and about integrating your body as a unit so you function better in daily life.

As you do core-focused exercise programs you not only train your muscular system but also the system that drives your muscular system – that is, the nervous system. This may very well be the most important secret for getting better results in your workout programs.

The more efficiently your nervous system works, the better your results will be. Core workouts that improve both muscular strength and conditioning while also improving neural drive will develop stronger neural control of the associated muscles.

This type of training for your core may very well be the most important secret for getting better results in your workout programs.

• THIS is why my “brand” of core training gets results in women who have had C-sections, or other abdominal surgeries when nothing else worked

• THIS is why the core exercises I recommend will flatten out a “pooching” belly, which is a result of deep muscular weakness and lack of neuromuscular control (It’s NOT just a body fat problem!)

• THIS is why my clients have overcome agonizing lower back pain when all else failed

• THIS is why my workout program have helped men and women recover from embarrassing incontinence

• THIS is how I have helped hundreds of new moms regain their flat and firm midsections after having their babies

• THIS is why my clients remain injury free, while so many other training programs are actually the CAUSE of injuries

• And THIS is why my type of training – PROGRESSIVE CORE TRAINING – develops amazing athletes – top wrestlers, PGA golfers, and pro boxers with powerful punches and abs of steel.

The purpose of this article was not to give more workout routines (I’ve written an entire book about core training that’s FULL of workouts (Firm And Flatten Your Abs).

The purpose of this article was to “install” 3 incredibly important lessons into your brain:

• You can’t train your “stomach” because your stomach is an internal organ of digestion not a skeletal muscle!

• You can’t totally “isolate” your abdominals because your abdominals do not work in isolation, they work in conjunction with the rest of your body (and “isolation” as with only doing crunches, is not the optimal approach anyway).

• You get more by training your core! You become a better athlete, you help prevent injuries, you get stronger and you get that coveted 6-pack abs look.

I hope the “morals” of these lessons have already sunk in and will become a part of your own fitness philosophy… and the next time you hear someone talk about “stomach exercises”, you’ll now be able to get a good chuckle out of that.

About the Author:

David Grisaffi majored in physical education and holds multiple certifications including 3 from the prestigious CHEK Institute: Level II high Performance Exercise Kinesiologist, Golf Biomechanic, and health and lifestyle counselor. He’s also certified by the ISSA as a personal trainer and specialist in performance nutrition. David has been a high school wrestling and baseball coach and is currently an independent trainer and strength coach. He has been sought after by some of the top athletes in professional sports including world champion boxer Greg Haugen and professional golfer Michael Putnam. David’s ebook, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is an online best seller which teaches you how develop “six pack abs” while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. Find out more at: Firm And Flatten Your Abs website

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Fitness madman Jon Benson is at it again… this time telling us you can get “skinnny eating fast-food…” And he intends to prove it. Naturally you have to modify the way you eat fast food (duh!) but his tips are really clever. Here’s 3 for you today…

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3 Fast food Fat Loss Tips
(by Jon Benson, author of Every Other Day Diet, 7 Minute Muscle and Fit Over 40)

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Believe it or not you can get lean by eating fast food.

I know, it sounds crazy… but in a few weeks I’m going to prove it to the world with the release of my newest mini e-book “Fast Food Fitness: How I Dropped 40lbs Eating Fast Food Every Day.”

Do you think I’m joking?  I’m not.

Of course there’s a WAY to eat fast food and drop the pounds. You can’t just eat like everyone else does. That’s common sense.

And believe me, there are more healthy ways to drop the pounds than eating fast food… for sure.

But the way I figure it: Would you rather be healthIER and lean or UNhealthy and overfat?

Silly question… so consider “Fast Food Fitness” a path to the lesser of two evils… and one that actually got me to 10% bodyfat (that’s pretty lean!) a few years ago.

Here’s how it started:

I simply hate to cook!  I have since solved that problem… I hired a part-time chef (it’s cheaper than it sounds)… but until two years ago I was eating out every single meal… I mean EVERY MEAL.

Most of the time… not all of the time, but most of the time… these meals were fast food joints like burger joints and even fried chicken places.

But I had to keep my physique, so … what to do?

Well… you’ll have to wait. At least a few weeks.

If you want the book for half-price, you have to own a copy of “Every Other Day Dietplan“… everyone who owns a copy before “Fast Food Fitness” hits the Internet will get half-off.

So go here if you don’t have EODD yet …

Click here —->  Every Other Day Dietplan

Here’s 3 of my top 25 fast-food diet-tips… just these 3 will take you 1/3 of the way there…

First, use my Half-n-Half Principle. Order whatever you are going to order and then have the person behind the counter cut the order exactly in HALF.

Half to go… half to eat there.

Eat half now…. then the other half 3-4 hours later. Believe it or not you will store less bodyfat and even increase your metabolism eating like this.

Simple trick… give it a shot.

Second, ditch all the starch. That means buns, bread and anything made of flour. BUT here’s the “still tastes good” trick I use. I keep ONE of the pieces of bread from, say, my hamburger. Then I “pick” at it while I enjoy the meat and either a small diet soda or tea. Eat no more than 5 “picks” at the bread… about half a slice. You still get the exact taste of a burger with none of the stuff that makes most people over-fat.

Third, for you chicken lovers, split your order between fried and baked chicken. KFC has excellent baked chicken… try it. Then strip most of the skin off the fried chicken. Not all… most.

You still get the taste, but with far fewer bad food-stuffs and calories…. make sense?

Enjoy the tips… but remember, the healthiest (and tastiest) way to eat is still my Every Other Day Dietplan, which works in your favorite foods each week….

Click here to learn more about —-> Every Other Day Dietplan

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I’ve just finished reading Fat Loss Manifesto by Joey Atlas. I’m glad that he has finally come out to explain why exercise doesn’t make you lose weight. His perspective goes against the mainstream media but it’s something that I’ve always known from experience.

You can grab a FREE copy here:

–> Fat Loss Manifesto

This is a must read for busy women who eat a clean diet and work out hard, but still FAIL to lose weight. Worst still, some end up putting on weight! How could this be happening?

Are you often hungry and eating more on workout days? As a result, you consume more calories than you burn off. It’s no wonder that you aren’t shedding the excess pounds, but also gaining more!

This is what Joey calls “Metabolic Compensation” (page 20) and a very common complaint by people who try the typical workout/gym method to lose body fat. They are hungrier and tend to eat more after exercise compared to when they were more sedentary.

He mentions that every one has a unique ‘personal metabolism’ (page 24). Most fat loss products and programs force your metabolism to do things it doesn’t want to resulting in The Metabolic Mismatch Factor (page 25). When a fat loss method does not match the human metabolism, you either gain or not lose weight despite your strict and disciplined efforts.

The solution?

“Metabolic Synchronization” (page 25) is the way to lose body fat permanently. The idea is to tap into what your metabolism naturally wants to do instead of forcing it to do something it shouldn’t.

Check out the Metabolic Synchronization ‘To Do’ List on page 26. Are you doing these 11 things to leverage the power of Metabolic Synchronization for permanent fat loss?

He goes on to share 3 food spindle cheat sheets (choose one that suits your lifestyle) that match your eating pattern and food intake to your natural metabolism and appetite.

You can get a FREE copy of the Fat Loss Manifesto here:

–> Fat Loss Manifesto

Joey has just released “Fat Loss For Busy Women” program, based on Metabolic Synchronization. Check out my review here –> Fat Loss For Busy Women Review

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Happy New Year, everyone! I hope the new decade has kicked off so far so good for you

Before the start of my cardio kick class today, I had the opportunity to speak with a few of my participants. “I’m going to lose weight” is the common new year’s resolution among them. Good start… but I wonder how long they’ll stick to it. There’s always next year to make the same resolution. I’ve seen the number of sign ups increased in January of every year at fitness clubs. Everyone got excited and hype up about losing flabs and bulges. Come February or March, some would have lost momentum and quit.

I view new year’s resolutions as just simple wishes that often don’t get fulfilled. Easy to make and yet, easy to forget and not follow through.

Staying lean, fit and healthy is not something you decide to do at the start of each new year. It is a daily ritual, just like eating and sleeping. You don’t put off eating your dinner till the new year, do you? The same goes for getting into shape. It requires daily commitment and hard work. There is no quick fix.

I don’t know about you… I rather work hard for a healthy body than pay the costly price of being fat/obese –> sickness (diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, etc), medical bills, low self esteem, depression and so forth.

The choice is yours. Make a decision to live a healthy life, take action and you won’t regret it in the years to come.

Here’s an article by Tom Venuto on why you should be setting goals instead of new year resolutions.

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Goal Setting For The New Decade: Beyond The New Year’s Resolution
By Tom Venuto
BurnTheFat.com

When you pause and reflect on the past decade as you look ahead to a new one, it makes you appreciate how short life is, how valuable time is and how quickly the time can pass you by - with nothing to show for it, if you don’t plan otherwise.

That’s why the passing of another decade can feel like a wakeup call as much as a fresh start: Looking at the technological wonders that surround us in 2010, I can’t help thinking it feels like science fiction.

In fact, modern technology is one of the reasons why some people have succeeded at body transformation while others have failed.

I’m still in awe of the web. The satellite navigation system in my car amazes me every time I drive. I can store a library of books in a device that fits in my pocket. It blows my mind that we can speak to each other face to face through the internet live on video. That’s straight from Star Trek! And those are just the everyday little things.

The cover story of the January 2010 National Geographic magazine is titled, “Merging Man and Machine” – it’s about bionic limbs. Richard Branson’s company, Virgin Galactic just unveiled spaceship two and is preparing to launch civilians into sub orbital space flights.

It’s the greatest time to be alive in all of human history! Unfortunately, today’s modern conveniences have brought a dark side upon us.

Rising obesity has paralleled the march of technology. The chair-bound, desk-job, computer, car, elevator, television based society of today is helping to make millions of people fat and lazy.

Our current way of life is less than a century old, yet our biology hasn’t changed in tens of thousands of years. Our bodies were designed to move and work, not sit and click.

We’ve become spoiled. Complacent. Dependent. And we are paying a price for it. We are fatter than ever before in all of human history. More than two thirds of Americans are now overweight. One third are obese.

People are dying because they‘re too fat.

Ironically, none of our new technology can solve our body fat problems.  There’s no easy way. No pill. No machine. No drug. More knowledge isn’t going to help. We already have most of the answers. We know more about the human body than ever before. But it’s all academic.

The problem lies in the doing. You have to do the work – in the gym and in the kitchen. Hard work.

We are a quick fix society. It’s partly human nature, but technology is making us more impatient. We can have products delivered to us with one click and even do it from our cell phones. We have instant downloads, movies on demand, and drive through coffee shops. We get  our food made and delivered in just minutes while we are sitting in our cars, and it’s still not quick enough. The internet is blazingly fast, but most people will abandon a web page in seconds if it hasn’t loaded. It’s no different with fat loss. We want six pack abs yesterday.

Simultaneously fighting the pull of human nature and the convenience of new technology is no easy task. But there is a solution: Future Orientation.

The most successful people in the world today are those who have a long term perspective. They plan 5-10 years in advance and beyond. They know how to enjoy and live in the present moment, but they take action and make decisions based on their future vision.

The passing of another decade makes you take stock of yourself and your achievements, or lack thereof. “What did I accomplish in the last 10 years? Am I a better person today than I was in 2000?”

If you don’t like the answers, then it’s time to finally get serious about your future because the next 10 years are going to fly by even faster than the last 10 as the pace of life and society gets even faster.

To succeed in the new decade, think beyond new year’s resolutions. Think beyond the 12 week fitness goal. As you write your goals this year, don’t stop with 3 month or even 1 year goals.

Project yourself into the future: 3, 5 and 10 years from now. For each point, dream, fantasize, visualize: if your body, your health your physical performance were perfect in every way, what would that look like? Describe it in vivid detail.

With our ingrained penchant for quick fixes, we often overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and set unrealistic deadlines on our short term goals. But the flipside is that we often underestimate what we can achieve in the long term, so we set our long term goals too low.  Do you realize that people have gone from broke to billionaire in 10 years? In this internet age, some have done it even faster.

My challenge for you this year is to start thinking about your body and your life with the same type of creativity that has led to our greatest technological advances:

Not the same thoughts as yesterday. Not just positive thoughts. just bigger thoughts. NEW THOUGHTS! Creative thoughts! Inventive thoughts! From new thoughts will spring new goals, new actions and new achievements.

Fitness goals should not take over your life, they should enhance every other part of it. So take this opportunity to achieve balance by setting long term goals for every area of your life – health, fitness, finances, career, relationships, experiences, travel, possessions and spiritual growth.

Most people didn’t set any goals 10 years ago. They’re among the masses who are in the same place today as they were a decade ago.  

Some people only set short term goals, so they accomplished a few little things, but then stopped, as if a goal were a final destination rather than a stepping stone along a path. Other people set goals but didn’t follow through on them. They forgot that goal setting and goal achieving are two different things.

Don’t fall into these traps.

If you need coaching in the goal setting process – from the daily and weekly baby steps to the long term goals and dreams that span a decade – read chapter one of Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle.  If you already have it, now is the time to revisit it.

If you don’t own a copy yet, you can get the program at:

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

Most people make resolutions. Some people set well-formed goals. But long term goals are the goals that almost everyone forgets to set.

If you didn’t do this exercise 10 years ago, do it now. If you do, I guarantee that in 2013, 2015, 2020, you’ll not only find yourself living at a whole new level, you’ll find yourself living in another world - one of your own creation.

Happy New Year!

Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

Founder & CEO of
Burn The Fat Inner Circle

PS. Remember, goal setting is just the start. Goal ACHIEVING requires a nutrition and training plan.  Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is the most comprehensive fat loss program of its kind because it teaches you every element necessary to succeed: nutrition, cardio training, weight training and “mental training” (goal setting and mindset).

Learn more about the Burn The Fat program at:
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

Learn more about our Burn The Fat Inner Circle community at:
Burn The Fat Inner Circle

About the Author:

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

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Trans fatty acids or trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oils to solidify them into margarine or shortening. Hydrogenation is a chemical process that improves the taste and extends the shelf life of food products. Trans fats are commonly found in fried, baked and processed foods such as fries, cookies, crackers, doughnuts and pastries.

Trans fats are a double whammy as they raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels. High intake of this man made fat causes inflammation and clogs the arteries, thus increasing the risk of heart disease. Other potential health problems associated with trans fats are obesity, diabeters, cancer, asthma and decreased immune function.

From 2006, the FDA requires food manufacturers to list trans fats on nutrition labels. Prior to that, there was no requirement so people were not aware of the quantity of trans fats consumed in a food product. Be aware that 0 trans fat does not necessary mean no trans fat. The FDA allows the labeling of 0 gram of trans fat when there is less than half a gram of trans fat per serving. The danger is people tend to eat more than 1 serving and can easily consume too much trans fats at a time.

The FDA provides no maximum safety limit for daily intake of trans fat while the American Heart Association’s recommendation is less than 2 grams per day.

You should look out for trans fat ingredients such as partially or fully hydrogenated oil, margarine or shortening on food label. If you see any of these, there is definitely trans fat in the food product even though the label says 0 gram of trans fat.

As food companies eliminate the use of trans fats, they are also replacing them mainly with refined vegetable oils such as canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, etc. Refined oils are highly processed with heat and chemicals, so they are as bad or worse than trans fat and cause various health problems. If you see vegetable oil as an ingredient on label, it is definitely refined oil (although no trans fat) and you want to avoid the food product.

Here are some tips to reduce or eliminate bad trans fats from your diet:

1. Consume minimally or no processed foods.

2. Choose healthy oils such as coconut oil (for cooking), flaxseed oil and olive oil.

3. Use a good quality butter instead of margarine or other vegetable spreads.

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(Editor’s note: this is a guest post by Jon Benson)

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You may be wasting your time in the gym or at home if you are trying to shape your body or get rid of body fat.

Most people are. That is when it comes to exercise for getting rid of belly fat and getting into better shape.

I was in the gym today (nothing new… ; ) and I saw all 4 of these exercises being performed by various gym members (again… nothing new.)

And they are useless for 99% of the people on the planet.

Here they are…

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USELESS EXERCISE 1: Walking Dumbbell Lunges

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Okay ladies, this one is for you… although I see guys do this exercise as well.

This is where you take a pair of dumbbells and kneel with one leg, then the other, and so-on, walking around the gym as you go.

The idea behind this exercise is to work the butt, and to some extent the thighs… but it’s a joke. It’s something invented by trainers who should know better.

If you want to build and tone your butt, exercise one leg at a time. Lunges are a great exercise for this, but save your energy. Do them on a Smith Machine or with a barbell. Work one leg at a time, too. Do not alternate legs. This just wears you out aerobically before it has a chance to get to your glutes.

Here’s how I perform lunges:  On a Smith Machine, with pretty heavy weights… one leg at a time. I will do 2-3 sets, or do them in my 7 Minute Body-style workout fashion. I will finish one leg (and one butt cheek) before moving to the other leg.

Why? Again, to focus on the muscle more intensely and to avoid turning a leg/butt workout into a cardio session.

Jon Benson covers exactly how to work the butt area for the best results in 7 Minute Body and 7 Minute Muscle, found right here —– >  7 Minute Body & 7 Minute Muscle

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USELESS EXERCISE 2:  The Sit-up

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I’m shocked that people still think sit-ups done the old-fashioned way actually work the abs. Even worse, most people have been fooled into believing this actually helps get rid of bellyfat.

Nonsense. Belly fat is burned off when you have a good nutrition plan and through general exercise, not using exercises for the abs. Ab exercises are fine, but guess what?

I never train my abs more than 3-5 minutes. Today my ab workout took 3 minutes and 12 seconds to complete. And my abs are sore!

But without the nutrition plan, forget it… I’d never SEE my abs at all. I’d just have a nice wall of muscle with a bunch of flab covering it up.

The best nutrition plan for abs is The Every Other Day Diet plan, found here:

Click here —– >  The Every Other Day Diet

The best exercises to do for the actual ab muscles are hanging leg raises, done slowly, crunches (if you do them right)… and that’s really all you need.

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USELESS EXERCISE 3:  The Bench Press

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I’m going to get a lot of flack from the guys out there who love to bench, but I’m here to tell you that this exercise for bodyshaping is all but worthless.

Why? Because most people are not built right body-wise to bench press on a flat bench with a barbell. I am not, that’s for sure.

Bench presses work if you have short arms, a relatively short torso, and your shoulders are genetically strong.

Protect your shoulders and really work your chest by doing incline dumbbell presses with your palms facing OUT, not in toward your head. This protects the rotator cuff, a part of the shoulder that is often injured using barbell bench presses.

Combine this with a good cable fly or press movement and you’re set. Again, you only need about 7-14 minutes of chest work tops to get the job done.

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USELESS EXERCISE 4:  Most Cardio Exercises

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Yep… saved the best for last.

Here’s a fact:  Most cardio (bike, treadmill, glider, whatever) is a waste to time… UNLESS you do it at the right time with the right nutrition plan.

The calories you burn from cardio will be easily negated simply by eating a bagel! Hardly effective for getting rid of bodyfat. Weight training and/or resistance training at home or with your body weight, as covered in 7 Minute Muscle, is your best bet for exercise that burns-off mega-calories and keeps on burning long after the exercise session is over.

Here’s how to use traditional cardio wisely:

1. Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach;
2. Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately);
3. “Burst” for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate.
4. OR, do cardio right after weight or resistance training when your heart rate is already elevated and your blood sugar is lower. Your body burns blood sugar first during exercise.

Cardio for most people only needs to be performed 3-4 times a week for 20 minutes. The only time I break this rule is when I want to get my body fat below 10%. Then I will do more, but only using the rules above.

Hope this saves you a ton of time with your workouts.

You can get both books, The Every Other Day Diet plan and 7 Minute Body, for a big-time discount by going here and watching this presentation:Click here —– >  The Every Other Day Diet

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The holiday season is here again

This is the time when fitness goals are put aside as most people get busy with Christmas shopping, dinner parties and family gatherings. They expect to gain weight and then lose it after the new year.

I don’t know about you… I’d rather keep the weight off then gain it now and lose it later. So much easier and less frustration.

A little planning is all you need to stay lean while enjoying your holidays. Here are 6 super tips to avoid the holiday weight gain.

Nutrition

1. Cheat meal

Treat your holiday party or meal as a cheat meal. If you’ve been strict with your diet most of the time, reward yourself with a cheat meal once a week can prevent cravings and binge eating.

2. Don’t starve and binge.

Never skip meals prior to a party or dinner as you are likely to overeat later. Consume a high protein meal with lots of vegetables before heading to a party, and you reduce the chances of bingeing while at the party.

3. Drink alcohol in moderation.

Alcohol = empty calories. Even red/white wine. Don’t be fooled by the antioxidant benefits of wine. Eating grapes is a better way to get antioxidants but without the empty calories.

Alcohol promotes fat storage and prevents fat burning. Double whammy!

4. Portion control

Eat from a smaller plate to prevent over eating.

Workout

5. Schedule workout

“No time” is not an excuse for skipping workout. Plan and schedule your workout like you do for any other appointment. Make sure you adhere to the workout schedule.

Stick to short intense exercises if you are short of time. Some exercise is better than no exercise.

6. Prepare for a feast day by working out the day before.

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If you’ve ever been on a calorie restrictive diet, you’d know that it can NOT, does NOT and will NOT work. I bet you ended up frustrated… not only because you failed to lose weight but also for gaining weight.

Below is a great article on Why “Dieting” CAN’T Work” by Joel Marion. He reveals how “cheating” can actually help your fat loss efforts and why typical “diets” don’t work.

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Why “Dieting” CAN’T Work
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

“Arghhhhhhh!”

Ever feel this way? Or maybe a better question is: Ever been on a diet?

Why is dieting so psychologically draining?

Well, for one, it requires change in a major area of our lives—the way we eat—and for most of us, change is a very uncomfortable thing.

Fact is, changing old habits and forming new ones is never an easy task; however, with dieting, it becomes exceedingly difficult given all of the physical adaptations that occur (which we will soon discuss).

Consider what happens in your mind when you go on a diet.

Almost immediately you are faced with an array of cravings. Just the sight or smell of food mentally adds to your already present hunger pangs. You find yourself craving foods that normally you have no desire to eat.

Every time you come in contact with an “off-limits” food item—whether it be on a television commercial, in a magazine, or physically right in front of you—the battle begins.

Do you give into the temptation to experience immediate pleasure, only to be swarmed by overwhelming guilt shortly soon after? Or do you stick it out and allow the anxiety to increase with every day?

It seems like a lose-lose situation—and it is.

And what if you’re not making as much progress as you had hoped? What if you’re seemingly doing everything right and the scale just isn’t moving?

Feelings of frustration, discouragement, and even depression emerge, making you even more inclined to break your diet.

I mean, who wants to sacrifice without being rewarded? At least when you bite into a chocolate chip cookie, the taste is satisfying. But working hard to reap no return on investment? Well that, that just flat out sucks.

There has to be a better way—and fortunately, there is.

The simple truth is this: “diets” can’t work.

If you tried ‘em and failed, you’re just like 99% of the rest of the world, myself included: normal.

You see, any time you restrict calories, you literally “program” your body to fight against your every effort to lose weight.

Not quite making sense? Time for a little history lesson.

Think back for just a minute to the time in which our ancestors roamed the earth. You know, the hunter and gather, feast and famine type days.

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

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

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

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

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

Enter “starvation mode”.

Friend to our ancestors; anything but to the dieter.

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

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

Sad scenario, I know.

But what if there was some way to “trick” your body into thinking you aren’t dieting when you actually are?

What if you could essentially “block” the body from entering starvation mode, keeping fat burning at its highest point, week after week?

Well, you can.

And even better news—you can do it by strategically “cheating” on your diet with all your favorite foods.

Is it apple pie that you crave? Chocolate chip cookies (like me)? Or maybe just the freedom to order whatever you want from your favorite restaurant’s menu? Whatever it is, believe it or not, you can actually use those foods to help you lose fat faster.

But it needs to be very strategic, and with Cheat Your Way Thin, that’s exactly what I teach you how to do.

“So how does strategic cheating override the starvation protection mechanism?”

That’s a good question, and one I’m more than happy to answer.

You see, it takes the body about one week of calorie restriction to substantially trigger “starvation mode” and perpetuate the negative adaptations we discussed previously (decreased metabolism, slowed/stalled fat loss, etc).

On the other hand, it takes a much shorter period of time to reverse these trends via strategic practices of “overfeeding” or dietary “cheating”.

Essentially, by incorporating bursts of strategic cheating like I teach in Cheat Your Way Thin, you can literally turn your metabolism into your fat burning slave by ensuring you always have an internal environment primed for burning fat—and you do it with your favorite foods.

Oh, and did I mention just how HUGE that is psychologically?

Thinking back, I can remember when I used to “cheat” only to quickly be overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and failure. 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 Thanksgiving Dinner AND 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.

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.

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

Finally, a diet that actually WORKS.
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Pretty convincing (and insightful) if I do say so myself!

If you want to cheat your way through the holidays this year, and actually LOSE a massive amount of body fat (while everyone else is stuck gaining it), then be sure to pick up the full “blueprint” while it’s still less than half price:

Cheat Your Way Thin <== Ends Soon (Thursday, Nov 26th, 2009)

And get ready for your first BIG Cheat Day tomorrow — Thanksgiving Day!

To a happier, fuller, leaner you this holiday season

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Red bean soup is my favourite healthy snack or dessert. It stops my craving ‘cos it’s filling and satisfying.

Red beans (also known as adzuki beans) are high in fiber and protein, but low in fat. They are good sources of iron, magnesium, potassium, thiamin and phosphorus.

It is easy to prepare and cook. Any leftover can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Warm it up if you want to eat it hot.

Ingredients:
1 cup of red beans
8 cups of water
1/4 cup of sago (optional)
Brown sugar or stevia

Instructions:
1. Wash and soak read beans in water overnight. Drain.
2. Combine red bean and water in a large pot and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and let it simmer in the covered pot for at least 2 hours or until the beans are soft or have broken apart.
4. Add brown sugar or stevia according to taste.
5. Add sago and cook for another 10 minutes or until the sago turns from white to transparent.
6. You can serve it hot or cold.

I grew up eating my mum’s homemade red bean soup and still love it to this day!

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