How To Get Rid Of Arm Flab 03/29/2011
 By Jon Benson How to get rid of arm flab is something most people deal with when trying to keep fit over 40. Fitness author Jon Benson, our guest blogger, shared this letter with me to share with you. Cheers, padre art ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Got arm flab? Know someone who does? Some women I know with a healthy sense of humor refer to it as "their wings" because their arm flab flaps when they walk or jog. It's time to get rid of your wings ladies . . . . . . and guys, listen up: You are not immune to arm flab. Even if your don't have any, the tips I'm about to give will help you build stronger arms. Before I go any further, I have to tell you about Marty Web. Marty looked like . . . well, your typical 59-year-old housewife. Actually she looked a bit worse. She was a good 80 pounds over her ideal body weight. And she had her wings . . . . . . big time wings. Loads of arm flab. That was at age 59. At age 61. . . wow. Different story. Marty transformed her body to such a degree that even I could have never guessed she was an OUNCE overweight! Her story and 52 others just like her, male and female, are in my first book -- and my best-seller Fit Over 40. I'd like you to read more about the cure for arm flab here . . . Marty replaced her "wings" with toned, beautiful arms. And you can too. She has two pages in Fit Over 40 . . . too much to cover in an email . . . but here's the basics to get you started: 1. You have to get your nutrition down pat. Most people think that the flab on their arms (or anywhere for that matter) can be solved by "turning it into muscle." This is not true folks. Fat does not turn into "anything". It is used for energy. Period. Muscle is muscle. Fat is fat. You must use low-insulin nutrition like I recommend in all my books, including Fit Over 40, to lower your body fat. For ladies, the back-of-the-arm body fat is often the last bit to go. But I promise ~~ it will go. I can go for anyone. Marty Web and dozens of other ladies in Fit Over 40 prove that in living color . . . and they share how they did it. Low-insulin nutrition means eating more protein-rich foods, foods that are not processed, and plenty of tasty veggies. But it does not mean you cannot have your pizza and burgers here and there. I do every week and my body fat is low. 2. You must train your triceps. The back of the arm is made of three muscles called the "triceps". You have a long head, a medial head and a lateral head that form the triceps muscle group. If you cannot access a gym, you can do plain-old pushups to work all three heads of the triceps. Here's a few tips. First, if you cannot do a pushup with your legs straight, start by doing them on your knees. Work up to straight-legged pushups. Second, do one third of your reps with your hands facing away from your body, one third with your hands facing toward your body (fingers pointing toward you) and the final third with your hands in the "normal" pushup position, facing the same direction as your body. This will work the various heads nicely. If you have access to a gym, see the exercises for the triceps found in my book Fit Over 40 and say good-bye to arm flab: 3. Finally, you have to have a role model. Find someone like Marty who has lost their wings and use their success to help show you how to get rid of arm flab. Put these three things together and you too will be "grounded" ~~ wingless, but with a lovely pair of arms that never jiggle and look fantastic.  Add Comment Your Heart Attack Risk 03/19/2011
 Test your heart attack risk. Our guest blogger Jon Benson shares his insights on our level of risk for a heart attack and more, what to do about it . . . Cheers padre art ~~~~~~~~~ Want to know what your real odds are of having a heart attack? How about a stroke? Diabetes? Okay, this isn't sounding like a positive letter . . . but hang in there. It gets a lot better and more positive. I was having lunch today with my CPA and my good friend Sherry Strong. Sherry's upcoming book is a must-read. I will let you know when she's ready to release it. Since Sherry has been here visiting me in Dallas I have learned SO much about natural food preparation and what really causes heart disease. Our conversation took a turn to "doctor's tests." I think most of them are worthless. Some are vital. It's important to know the difference. I'm going to give you the three tests you absolutely must take if you want to help ensure your future health in a moment. But first, let me give you Sherry's argument to my third test. Yes, we nutritionists argue sometimes. I'll let you decide. But statically it's far more accurate than any blood test . . . and get this: You can do it at home for FREE. So far, are you with me? Good. I'm going to go in reverse order, third test to last . . . The third test is simply this: Measure your waistline Use a tape measure and do not pull it tight. Measure right below the navel. Write down that number in inches. Measure your height (out of shoes) Write that down too. Multiply your waist inches by 2. If that number is greater than your height inches you are FOUR TIMES more likely to have heart disease. For example; If you have a 36-inch waist and you are 70 inches tall, you are at a much greater risk for heart disease (36 x 2 = 72 which is greater than 70.) However if you have a 34-inch waist and you are 70 inches tall, you risk is far less (34 x 2 = 68 which is less than 70.) Four times. That's more predictive than cholesterol tests by far. And a lot less expensive to boot. Don't just read about this test ~~ DO IT. I'll give you something you can do ABOUT it if you fail this test in a second. The great news is that this is one factor that is totally within your control. Test number two: Know your SED rate. This is an inflammatory marker in the blood. Test number one: Know your hsCRP and LP(a) levels. Both of these can be done as one test usually. Both are inflammatory markers as well as key indicators of heart disease. Go to your doctor and ask for these three blood tests. Usually they can be done all at once. Sometimes they are separate, but they are all crucial. If you are thin and look healthy, listen to this: You too can be Lance Armstrong or Jim Fixx . . . and not know it. Lance and Jim looked like two of the healthiest men on the planet. Lance beat testicular cancer but came within an inch of his life. Jim died after a short jog of a heart attack very young in life. Looks can be deceiving. This is Sherry's argument ~~ and she's totally correct. That's why I give you THREE (well, actually four) TESTS. You see, it's virtually impossible to have a normal SED rate, a normal hsCRP level and a normal LP(a) level and be at imminent risk for any of these killer diseases. Possible, perhaps ~~ but almost not. So, if you look healthy and feel like a bazillion bucks, you still need to know your levels of these inflammatory markers. If you are overweight or obese, you totally absolutely MUST do the waist/height test as well as the others. You see, it goes both ways. Some obese folks test out okay at the doc's office. Their cholesterol, blood pressure, and all typical readings are okay. Rarely does a doc run an hsCRP or LP(a). And rarely do they run a SED rate. See the importance here? Both the fit and the unfit can be at dire risk and not even know it. Now, here's the solution: A low-inflammatory nutrition and training plan, along with plenty of stress-free time. I can help you with the first two things. The third thing ~~ de-stressing ~~ is up to you. You may want to spend 30 minutes a day doing yoga, walking, meditating, praying, or whatever calms your MIND and BODY down. Check it out: Lance and Jim were both doing insane amounts of exercise . . . so much that they demanded insane amounts of high-inflammatory foods. Foods like processed carbohydrates for example. And they both got sick. One of them died. My good friend Dr. Steven Chase believes that 85% of cancer is preventable. That's right! 85%. And he's an oncologist -- a cancer doctor. And you know heart disease is 95% preventable . . . or did you? But all of these killers, especially diabetes, demand a low-insulin, low-inflammatory nutrition and exercise plan. Lance and Jim had sky-high inflammatory levels from all that exercise. It was literally TOO much exercise. That's why so many marathoners die of heart attacks. They eat inflammatory foods and engage in high-stress exercise for too long of a time. So, what's the answer?
Most workout plans are either too easy or too intense for too long a period of time. My System is super-short (7-14 minutes a day, plus walks when you can.) This is enough to build all the muscle you need plus burn body fat when combined with the nutrition plan. My System's nutrition plan is ideal if you are willing to "diet" for a day or two, then enjoy a day of eating "normal" foods. Hey, no one is perfect. Anyone who has half a brain should know that not very many people (myself included) are willing to do without their favorite foods forever. That's silly -- and it's not necessary to burn body fat. In fact, my System 'demands' that you eat these foods . . . at certain times . . . TO BURN MORE BODY FAT! Wild, isn't it? It's the System I've used for years. It's the combination of two books: 7 Minute Muscle + Every Other Day Diet Get them both for one low price . . . Any of my three Upgrade Kits come with both books, a full year of support from me on the Every Other Day Diet group Forum, and so many bonuses I can't list them all. This combo is something I am so very proud to share with you. It's the ultimate System for lowering body fat, increasing lean muscle, lowering insulin, lowering inflammation, and reducing your risk of heart attack. Whether you are in shape or obese, this System is one that will work for you . . .  "Ask the Fat Loss Guru" 12/10/2010
 Burn the Fat - Fat Loss mini course We are lucky to have a Q & A session with the 'Fat Loss Guru', Tom Venuto. Tom is a nutritional expert, trainer and more (see his bio below). He is answering some direct questions on this topic, "How Do Bodybuilders And Fitness Models Get So Lean?" Cheers, padre art +++++++++++++++ QUESTION: "Tom, on your website you wrote: 'Who better to model than bodybuilders and fitness competitors? No athletes in the world get as lean as quickly as bodybuilders and fitness competitors. The transformations they undergo in 12 weeks prior to competition would boggle your mind! Only ultra-endurance athletes come close in terms of low body fat levels, but endurance athletes like triathaletes and marathoners often get lean at the expense of chewing up much of their lean muscle." There seems to be a contradiction unless I'm missing something. Why do bodybuilders and fitness competitors have to go through a 12 week 'transformation' prior to every event instead of staying 'lean and mean' all the time? If they practice the secrets exposed in your book, shouldn't be staying in great shape all the time instead of having to work at losing fat prior to every competitive event?" ANSWER: Thanks for your question. There's a logical explanation for why bodybuilders and other physique athletes (fitness and figure competitors), don't remain completely ripped all year round, and it's the very reason they are able to get so ripped on the day of a contest . . . You can't hold a peak forever or it's not a "peak", right? What is the definition of a peak? It's a high point surrounded by two lower points isn't it? Therefore, any shape you can stay in all year round is NOT your "peak" condition. The intelligent approach to nutrition and training (which almost all bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors use), is to train and diet in a seasonal or cyclical fashion and build up to a peak, then ease off to a maintenance or growth phase. I am NOT talking about bulking up and getting fat and out of shape every year, then dieting it all off every year. What I'm talking about is going from good shape to great shape, then easing back off to good shape . . . but never getting "out of shape." Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? Here's an example: I have no intentions whatsoever of walking around 365 days a year at 4% body fat like I appear in the photo on my website. Truth be told, that is day of contest condition. Off-season (when I'm not competing), my body fat is usually between 8 - 10%. Mind you, that's very lean and still single digit body fat. I don't stray too far from competition shape, but I don't maintain contest shape all the time. It takes me about 10-12 weeks or so to gradually drop from 9% to 3.5%-4.0% body fat to "peak" for competition with NO loss of lean body mass, using the same techniques I reveal in my e-book. It would be almost impossible to maintain 4% body fat, and even if I could, why would I want to? For the few weeks prior to competition I'm so depleted, ripped, and even "drawn" in the face, that complete strangers walk up and offer to feed me. Okay, so I'm just kidding about that, but let's just say being "being ripped to shreds" isn't a desirable condition to maintain because it takes such a monumental effort to stay there. It's probably not even healthy to try forcing yourself to hold extreme low body fat. Unless you're a natural "ectomorph" (skinny, fast metabolism body type), your body will fight you and you'll always be hungry. Not only that, anabolic hormones may drop and sometimes your immune system is affected as well (and I hate to say this, but sometimes - for some people - even the, uh . . . "reproductive functions" . . . decline a bit when you're that lean). Hey, I'm just being honest. It's just not "normal" to walk around all the time with literally NO subcutaneous body fat. Instead of attempting to hold the peak, I cycle back into a less demanding off-season program and avoid creeping beyond 9.9% body fat. Some years I've stayed leaner - like 6-7%, (which takes effort), especially when I knew I would be photographed, but I don't let my body fat go over 10%. That’s "the line" I draw - it's like a personal "rule" for me. This practice isn't just restricted to bodybuilders. Athletes in all sports use periodization to build themselves up to their best shape for competition. Is a pro football player in the same condition in March-April as he is in August-September? Probably not. Many show up fat and out of shape (relatively speaking) for training camp, others just need fine tuning, but none are in peak form . . . that's why they have training camp!!! There's another reason you wouldn't want to maintain a "ripped to shreds" physique all year round - you'd have to be dieting (calorie restricted) all the time. And this is one of the reasons that 95% of people can't lose weight and keep it off - they are CHRONIC dieters . . . always on some type of diet. Know anyone like that? You can't stay on restricted low calories indefinitely. Sooner or later your metabolism slows down and you plateau as your body adapts to the chronically lowered food intake and reduced body weight. But if you diet for fat loss and push incredibly hard for 3 months, then ease off for a while and eat a little more (healthy food, not "pigging out"), your metabolic rate is re-stimulated. In a few weeks or months, you can return to another fat loss phase and reach an even lower body fat level, until you finally reach the point that's your happy maintenance level for life - a level that is healthy and realistic - as well as visually appealing. That's how we physique athletes do it . . . Bodybuilders have discovered a methodology for losing fat that's so effective, it puts them in complete control of their body composition. They've mastered this area of their lives and will never have to worry about it again. If they ever "slip" and fall off the wagon like all humans do at times . . . no problem! They know how to get back into shape fast. Bodybuilders have the tools and knowledge to hold a low body fat all year round(such as 9% for men, or about 15% for women), and then at a whim, to reach a temporary "peak" of extremely low body fat for the purpose of competition. Maybe most important of all, they have the power and control to slowly ease back from peak shape into maintenance, and not balloon up and yo-yo like most conventional dieters. What if you had the power to stay lean all year round, and then get super lean when summer rolled around, or when you took your vacation to the Caribbean, or when your wedding date was coming up? Wouldn't you like to be in control of your body like that? Isn't that the same thing that bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors do, only on a more practical, real-world level? So even if you have no intention of ever being a bodybuilder, don't you agree that there's something of value everyone could learn from physique athletes? Don't model yourself after the huge crowd of "losers" who gobble diet pills, buy exercise gimmicks and suffer through starvation diets like automatons, only to gain back everything they lost! Instead, learn from the leanest athletes on Earth - natural bodybuilders and fitness competitors . . . These physique athletes get as ripped as they want to be, exactly when they want to, simply by manipulating their diets in a cyclical fashion between pre-contest "cutting" programs and off season "maintenance" or "muscle growth" programs. Even if you have no desire to ever compete, try this seasonal fat loss "peaking" approach yourself and you'll see that it can work as well for you as it does for elite bodybuilders. If you're interested in learning even more secrets of bodybuilders and fitness models, visit the Burn The Fat website: Train hard and expect success, Tom Venuto, Fat loss coach  Tom Venuto 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 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 us:  The Burn the Fat Inner Circle opened in 2006, the World's Premier Fat Loss Membership Website . . . the perfect companion resource to Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is the #1 best selling diet and fitness ebook in the history of the Internet. In fact, it's one of the best selling e-books on ANY subject in the history of the Internet. Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle Inner Circle is a fat loss support community and much, much more. Over 16,000 members and growing. Does Cold Weather Make You Store Body Fat? 12/05/2010
 Burn the Fat Is there a relationship between cold weather and body fat? Our guest blogger, best-selling author Tom Venuto, has some insights for us. Cheers, padre art +++++++++++++++++ By: Tom Venuto Do you get fatter in the cold weather? It’s a good question right now, considering that this year’s farmer’s almanac is predicting a frigid winter and true to the prediction, the Huffington Post just ran a story, “Cold Temperatures Greet The New Year.” It’s FREEZING here in New Jersey and it’s not like this is the Yukon territory. Some of my friends up in the great white yonder think that temps in the 20’s are balmy. Yeah right. With the wind chill, even my bones had goose bumps today. I can’t even fathom the sub zero stuff those guys live in. Adding insult, my friends in LA and South Florida have been more than happy to share their local January weather reports with me. 80 degrees and sunny. Thanks guys –you suck. Back to the question. I just got an email from a burn the fat reader who asked, “Tom, is there any evidence that during cold winter weather it gets harder to lose body fat? For me, it seems easier to drop fat during the hot weather.” Yes, there is. First there’s the psychological explanation: in warm climates, people are wearing less clothes and enjoying the outdoors and people want to look good when they’re exposing more flesh! In the cold, you’re covered up, so there’s less self-consciousness and no public accountability. Therefore, most people tend to stay on a diet more diligently and train harder when summer rolls around. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been studied at length by psychologists. Often more than just the “winter blues” but an actual type of depression, SAD occurs during the short days and long nights of winter and fall, when there’s less sunlight and colder temperatures. Symptoms include;
Because of their tendency for fall and winter weight gain, many people have suspected that cold temperatures influence weight gain on a metabolic level, not just eating more. Exposure to cold temperatures can cause a shivering thermogenesis, which means there’s an increase in metabolism to produce more heat (heat production = calories burned). However, if you just got the bright idea of turning off the heat in your house, or going for a swim in the cold surf every day to “burn more fat”, I wouldn’t recommend it. Deliberate exposure to the cold, either cold air or cold water doesn’t pan out into real world fat loss results, even though there are actually “fat loss gurus” who recommend it. Here’s why: If your body uses some energy for shivering or heat production, it can compensate later for that energy loss by increasing your appetite. Not only that, research at the hyperbaric environmental adaptation program at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland reported that, “The combination of exercise and cold exposure does NOT act to enhance metabolism of fats . . . Cold-induced vasoconstriction of peripheral adipose tissue may account, in part, for the decrease in lipid mobilization.” It’s just not practical to freeze your butt off in an attempt to speed up your metabolism a tiny little bit, so your fat loss scheme wouldn’t last long if you tried. A great example of how cold temperatures affect energy balance is in the case of swimming. For years, people thought swimming actually made you fat. There were all kinds of theories, like, “it makes you retain a layer of fat for insulation, like seals.” Actually, the most recent research shows that swimming is a perfectly good fat burning exercise, except for one thing: Swimming, especially in cold water, increases appetite dramatically. The seasons affect your activity levels too. Pedometer research published in the journal Medicine and Science and Sports And Exercise uncovered a huge difference in the number of steps taken between the summer and winter:
You have to keep up with your training and nutrition program in the winter, or else. (Need a program? Here’s the most popular and effective one available) Although studies have found that seasonal weight gain is usually very small, it’s the type of slow weight creep that goes unnoticed. Over a period of 10, 15 or 20 years, it’s enough to accumulate into becoming overweight or obese. Thus many men and women wake up one morning at age 40 or 45, look in the mirror and ask themselves, “How did I get so heavy?” Answer: just a pound or two a year, after each winter season, left unchecked. To stay lean all year round, you have to remain alert about increases in your appetite, body fat and decreases in your activity. This is a YEAR-ROUND LIFESTYLE! Stay active, stay diligent about nutrition, stay accountable, and if you start to experience weight gain, nip it in the bud - fast! Train hard and expect success, Tom Venuto, author of Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle Founder & CEO of Burn The Fat Inner Circle  About the Author: Tom Venuto is the 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, Fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) Bodybuilder and Freelance writer. Burn the Fat 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 here:  Burn the Fat Inner Circle is a support group for anyone that wants healthy weight loss. It's been proven that losing weight with any diet is more likely to succeed when the dieter has a support group of like minded individuals. With a membership 16,000 strong (and growing) the Inner Circle offers a group of helpful people either in the same place you are or successfully advancing in their weight loss program.  The Skinny on Fats 11/26/2010
 Fitness author Jon Benson wants to share these insights on fats and their relation to body fat. Cheers, padre art +++++++++++++ Let's get this one out in the open:
We've been sold a bag of lies when it comes to fats. Fats are essential for your body's hormone production, skin health, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and even burning body fat. Yep . . . you need fats to burn fat! Studies have been conducted to attempt to elevate cholesterol levels using high-fat diets. Most all of them have failed miserably -- in fact several "lowered" total cholesterol while raising the so-called "good" cholesterol (HDL). That being said, you don't need the following . . .
Here's my simple dietary fats solution:
Just do me a favor: If you are on the "Fats make you gain body fat and have heart attacks" bandwagon, jump off. We have consumed fat for countless thousands of years. Just consume it the way we always HAVE (naturally, not stuffed with hormones and cooked up in a lab) and you'll be fine. If you want a diet-solution that actually uses dietary fats to help you take off the body fat, then use this one: It's a real-world plan that allows you to eat your favorite foods and still shed the body weight you want. And yes -- that includes fats. Here is an in-depth look at the subject of fats.  Here are some fat loss tips that fitness author, Jon Benson, would like to share with you before the coming holidays. Cheers, padre art +++++++++++++++++++++ Want to be leaner? Good deal . . . here are 5 tips that will help you along . . . TIP 1 Ditch the Starch Starches, such as rice, potatoes, some veggies, oats, etc. are often considered "health foods." While they can be healthy, they can also pack on stomach body fat like crazy if you overdo them. As you may know, my "Every Other Day Diet" System (EODD) actually encourages you to eat starches and even sweets several days a week to get rid of excess weight: (Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your body weight goals.) Well . . . how does THAT work? Simple: Timing is everything. And we take a "weekly" approach to foods rather than a daily approach. This keeps your metabolism guessing. If your body cannot figure out what you're up to, fat burning is that much more powerful. And you can get by with eating starches . . . at least a specific times on specific days. But if you're not going to do EODD, then you'll have to wing it. And the best way to wing it is to simply cut starches out entirely for 4-8 weeks. Then slowly add them back a few days per week. This is no where near as effective (or as fun) as the EODD method, but it will get you pointed in the right direction. TIP 2 Can the Sodas This one is really hard for me. I've been hooked on diet-soda on and off for years. When I go to get into top shape (like I am now) I have to get rid of the diet-sodas . . . yes, DIET-sodas. Need I say "real" sodas too? They are loaded with sugar. Why diet-sodas? A recent study revealed that people who drank diet-sodas actually increased body fat when compared to those who drank sugar-sodas. What the . . . ?? Yep. Your body cannot be fooled by aspartame and chemicals. Sorry, but that's the truth. Here's a personal story: When I cut out the diet-sodas my body fat drops like a rock in a pond of clear water. And that's what you need to be drinking: A quart of pure water per 50 lbs of body weight a day. I mix it with lemon and a bit of Stevia (an herbal sweetener) and make lemonade. It's wonderful! TIP 3 Stay Hungry Arnold's first movie was "Stay Hungry" (well, after "Pumping Iron" that is). You cannot rest on your butt and stay hungry. You cannot think you've "arrived" and stay hungry. It takes a special person to be hungry . . . and an even greater one to stay that way. I want you to stay hungry in two ways: In how you workout and literally . . . stay a bit hungry before you go to bed. Not "starving" . . . just a bit hungry. For your workouts, I have a great solution. If you pick up EODD you'll get a limited shot at "7 Minute Body" . . . my combination of "7 Minute Muscle" and "The 7 Minute In-Home Workout" in one book... and for more than half off . . . but that's a very limited deal. Gotta have EODD . . . you'll need them both . . . (Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your body weight goals.) You see, progression -- "forced" progression -- is the best way to stay hungry. 7 Minute Body forces you to progress without thinking about it. Progression is built into the System. As far as staying hungry at night? Check with your doctor and if he/she okays it take 500mg of potassium and 1000mg of magnesium/calcium a few hours prior to bed. This helps with the hunger pangs. Also, keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. If you get really hungry, eat one with half the yolk (toss the other half). It keeps me full for an hour at least. TIP 4 Cardio Clarity Hours and hours of cardio a day is not the answer. However, you can do "light" cardio (i.e. brisk walking, or riding the bike at 60% of your max) just to burn off calories. That's okay . . . and personally I don't find it that boring if I'm watching a TV show. It does not interfere with my main fat loss exercise (weight training . . . YES!) and it burns off about 400 calories an hour. What does work is early morning fasting cardio . . . but you only need 9-15 minutes. I explain the GXP Protocol (Modified) in the 7 Minute Body book, available only if you pick up EODD, and you can get it at more than half off: (Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your body weight goals.) TIP 5 Get Raw at Night Raw veggies with your last meal and as a snack will really help your fat burning along. I started with red peppers because they're sweet. Now I eat virtually every veggie raw at night without thinking about it. Give this a shot. The fat loss is well worth it. Note from padre: Jon is still giving away "Radical Fat Loss Blueprint" along with EODD for a few more days. And he is giving a lucky few the chance to pick up the Supplement-Kit that comes with Radical Fat Loss for almost 100 bucks off . . . the video and details are here:  4 Common But Useless Fat Burning Exercises 11/12/2010
 You may be wasting your time doing fat burning exercises 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 . . . +++++++++++++++ USELESS EXERCISE 1: Walking Dumbbell Lunges +++++++++++++++ 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: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ USELESS EXERCISE 2: The Sit-up ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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 belly fat. Nonsense. Belly fat is burned off when you have a good nutrition plan and through general exercise, not using exercises for the abs. Fat burning 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 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. +++++++++++++++++++++ USELESS EXERCISE 3: The Bench Press +++++++++++++++++++++ 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 body shaping 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. ++++++++++++++++++++ USELESS EXERCISE 4: Most Cardio Exercises ++++++++++++++++++++ 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 body fat. 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: Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach; Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately); "Burst" for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate. 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 fat burning exercises. padre P.S. 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: padre  3 "Rebel" Tricks to Lose Body Fat 11/10/2010
We can thank fitness author Jon Benson for these 3 tricks to Lose Body Fat. He gave me permission to share this method of thinking outside the box to help with your fat loss. Cheers, padre art +++++++++++++++++ You know what? I like "weird." I've always been a bit on the fringe side of the fence if you know what I mean. A bit of a rebel. So were guys like Einstein, Mozart, and Picasso. Not that I'm putting myself into their category of genius by any stretch . . . but I love their approach to life. BE BOLD . . . OR GO HOME. Makes sense to me. This life it too darn short for anything less than being bold. That means taking some risks here and there. That means taking action while the others are content to sit on the couch being the same person they were yesterday. And the day before . . . And the month before . . . And the year before. Do you want to live your years like that? Or do you want to dive into life? Be the greatest "you" possible? Then be a bit of a rebel. Here's some "rebel tips" for fat loss I think you'll enjoy . . . REBEL TIP 1 Flip The Food Pyramid Upside-down The USDA's Food Pyramid is an utter joke. It's origins stink up the joint, let me tell you. First, the grain industry was in a pinch when the Food Pyramid was created. And wouldn't you know it . . . the grain industry increased their "contributions" (read: bribes) to certain politicians to get placement atop the pyramid . . . or in this case at the very bottom. The "foundation" if you will. Just think about this for a moment: The USDA wants you to eat (gasp) MORE starch than vegetables? More bread than fruits, lean meats, and hormone-producing fats? Are they NUTS?? Yes . . . they are nuts. (Which, by the way, are no where near the foundation . . . nuts, that is.) You'd be better off flipping the sucker upside-down. That would look like this: 40% of your calories from healthy fats 30% of your calories from protein 30% of your calories from carbs Roughly, that is. Sounds . . . rebellious, right? Well it is. Too bad I have the science (and the abs) to back it up. If you want a system laid out for you, then go here: REBEL TIP 2 Cardio Is Not Smart-ee-o At least the way the so-called "experts" want you to do it. Look: This isn't rocket science. Just walk into any gym . . . take a look at the folks who only do cardio work for 45-60 minutes every day. Do they look any different from year to year? Let me save you some time: NO. They do not. Cardio (unless you are into endurance sports) is a waste of energy done this way. First, it increases your carbohydrate cravings. For most people that's not a good thing. Why? Because cardio at this pace burns mostly SUGAR, not body fat. What do you want to burn? Exactly. Body fat. Finally, cardio is no where near as efficient as resistance training at dissolving body fat . . . and certainly not even CLOSE to resistance training when it comes to shaping lean muscle and getting the look all these cardio bunnies are after. Now, I 'do' have a rebel cardio trick . . . and it takes 9-15 minutes 2-3 times a week to perform. That's it. And you get ALL the benefits heart-wise of long-session cardio. Combine that with some brisk walking and my overall fitness plan and presto: No more body fat. Here's what is cool: I put my new in-home version of this resistance-based workout online for a few days at a major discount . . . but it's only for people who pick up this: This is completely illustrated with photos too . . . and you do not need anything but resistance bands and perhaps some cheap dumbbells to do this in-home. Or you can use the gym-based workouts (included with videos.) Train like this just 3-5 days a week and you can kiss long, boring cardio goodbye. REBEL TIP 3 Do Not Overwork Your Abs Here's a mistake I see most people make in the gym: They do endless sets of crunches, leg raises, and (gasp again) sit-ups . . . all geared toward seeing those toned abs they want. Guess what? Waste of time. In fact, it's worse than that . . . it can literally shut down your recovery ability. You'll slow your progress in the gym (or at home) . . . and your fat-burning too. And you may give up your plan entirely because of it. Here's the brutal truth: Ab 'muscles' are easy to build. It only takes about 3 minutes 2-3 times a week . . . that's it. ( Note: I included my "3 Minute Abs" in the fitness book I just told you about . . . it's only for those who get EODD though . . . ) The muscles are not what make your stomach flatter . . . it's the nutrition plan folks. You're just building muscle underneath layers of body fat . . . not good. I do very little direct ab training. When I do it's usually 3-5 minutes tops 2 days a week. And my abs are . . . Well . . . good. : ) More about how I rely on resistance training and my special "favorite foods diet plan" to get and stay lean. So be a rebel. Thumb your nose at the establishment and step out on your own. Trust me: You'll be a leader in every sense of the word if you do. 4 Fat loss Tricks No One Tells You About 11/06/2010
Here are some more interesting fat loss tricks from fitness author Jon Benson. He wanted to make sure our readers have this valuable information. I especially like the first trick! Cheers, Padre art +++++++++++++++++++ There's a club you should join. It's called The Insider's Club. It is that club whose membership is based only on what secret goodies the members possess. In our case, this is the Fatloss Insider's Club. Only those in the know can join . . . FREE to them of course . . . : ) So, if you want to get rid of some lbs . . . FAT LOSS TRICK 1 Eat Pizza? Today I went for some New York-style pizza here in Austin, Texas. Do I feel 'guilty'? No way . . . in fact tomorrow I will feel LEANER. What the what? I had to set up my body for this bit of metabolic trickery of course. You cannot just "eat pizza" and shed the pounds . . . I wish you could! But my personal System for fat loss not only "allows" pizza (and all my other favorite foods) . . . it DEMANDS that I eat it. Here's another true story: I blew off my "feed meal" (that's what it is called in my System) four days ago. I have been on a massive fat loss roll for weeks now and frankly I just did not feel like eating a lot. That's another benefit of my System . . . it really cuts your appetite and food-cravings down. Anyway, the next day in the gym I fell on my face! I was weaker and not any leaner. I went home, ate literally about 6000 calories and presto: Leaner than 'ever' the next day and ready to train hard. Learn how to use this System here FATLOSS TRICK 2 The 10-Minute Cardio Trick If you want to just get into good heart health, you only need GXP Cardio (covered in the System mentioned above) 2-3 days per week for 9-15 minutes. That's it. However if you want to use "smart cardio" (not long, boring cardio) then you need a bit more. Just a bit. It's my 10-minute trick. Start with just every other day. Then move to 4 days . . . and then 5. If you are pressed for time, this is ideal. Even if you are not, it works like magic. 10 minutes in the morning 'before' you eat. Just make sure your heart rate is only about 65% of your max . . . in other words, you are not breathing super-heavy at all, but you are working up a sweat. That's it. 10 minutes 'before' lunch. Just cut your lunch hour short by 10 minutes . . . that's all. You don't sweat enough to need a shower . . . don't worry. Walking stairs works great, or walking outside . . . be creative! Then 10 'harder' minutes about 2 hours before you go to sleep. Get your heart rate up to where you are breathing a little harder. That's it. You can even start with just two sessions of 10 minutes (morning and night) if lunch is out. FATLOSS TRICK 3 Increase Your Fat? Yep. I want you to eat more dietary-fat . . . but I want you to replace some of your carbohydrates (starch like rice, potatoes, etc.) with healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil and almonds. Fat dulls the appetite and all three of the fats above actually help your body get rid of its fat-stores if you decrease carbs. I have the plan laid out for you. More here: FAT LOSS TRICK 4 Think Resistance Far better than cardio will ever be. That would be resistance training. Either weight training or in-home resistance training using bands and body weight. Studies confirm what we fitness pros already know: Resistance training not only sculpts the body (cardio cannot) but it also burns 9-12x more body fat over the long-term than cardio. But you need both. And both cardio and resistance training (in-home or in the gym) is worked into my book "7 Minute Body." You can get it when you pick up "Every Other Day Diet" for 75% off-retail . . . it is all detailed here . . . Welcome to the Club! Yours In Fitness, J O N B E N S O N P.S. I'm still giving away "Radical Fat loss Blueprint" along with EODD for a few more days. And I'm giving a lucky few the chance to pick up the Supplement-Kit that comes with Radical Fat loss for almost 100 bucks off . . . the video and details are here: Sorry... EODD Readers Only.... so pick it up today. FREE Fat Loss Course and Book! 11/04/2010
Wow. FREE fat loss book and 7-day course. FREE! This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time. Fitness pro Jon Benson released a bombshell last week on the fat-burning world. He is giving away a book's worth of material in his FREE 7-Day Personal Fat Loss Certification Course. FREE . . . and get this: Anyone who completes the course gets his book "The Radical Fat loss Blueprint" FREE as well. So there's nothing to buy at all . . . in fact you get tons of FREE stuff AND you can even earn bucks in the program. It's just too cool for words. Go see about this FREE fat loss Course and book for yourself! Here is a short review: The Course is for anyone who wants to become their own "personal" fat loss expert. It is complete with a quiz each day and more material than most people sell in a book . . . and it's totally FREE. After the course, you get his "Radical Fat loss Blueprint" FREE too. This is all about how he and a group of "guinea pigs" experimented with natural techniques and got up to 21 lbs of unwanted body fat off in just 21 days. The average was 17.5, but some people got as much as 30 lbs off. All with little to no muscle lost. It then outlines the 'exact' workout and supplement "feeding" schedule Jon still uses to get into top shape in 21 days. This is down to the 'hour' . . . and it includes home workouts or gym workouts. Your choice. This is his gift to my readers, and I am thrilled to share it with you. Enjoy the course! |   Enhance the effectiveness of your diet with a Fat Loss Support Community over 16,000 member strong.
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Authorpadre art is author, fitness enthusiast and lives the Mediterranean lifestyle (diet).  ArchivesMarch 2011  CategoriesAll   Get Off the Couch with Joan
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