Former Fat Guy - Health Fitness Nutrition

The incredible story of a man who dropped almost 300 pounds. now leading a very active lifestyle at a lean, successful 220 pounds. learn weight management skills from someone who's been there and done that!

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Cheat Days and Diet Compliance

QUESTION: Hello Tom, I've been doing BFL for the past year, and did well at first, losing 3 dress sizes and 5% body fat, but then I totally hit a plateau and have had no more results since December. I'm wondering if I've been strict enough with my eating I bought your ebook, Burn The Fat, and I'm very excited about the information I've read so far, but I need some clarification about the eating part. I've been eating according to the BFL philosophy with one "cheat" day per week. What I'm reading in your Burn The Fat program is instead, to allow myself a couple of "cheat" meals any time during the week or on the weekend, but not to take an entire day off the program. However, in your list of foods that turn to fat, you mention that certain foods should only be eaten very rarely. Does that mean that they shouldn't even be eaten at a weekly cheat meal? I can live with that, but then, what constitutes a "cheat" meal, (for example, if my favorite hash browns aren't allowed? :) I know you get a billion emails, but I would really appreciate it if you have time to answer. Kind regards, Kathleen ANSWER: It's not productive in the long term to totally deprive yourself of foods you enjoy. What you have to do is find a sensible way to work even your most "sinful" favorite foods into your diet, but do it in an amount and frequency that doesn't set you back or sabotage your progress. This can be done by allowing yourself some "cheat meals" (some people call them "free meals" or "reward meals.") One really good way to look at the "cheat meals" concept is in terms of "compliance," which means, what percentage of your meals are following the guidelines of the program and what percentage are off the program. Too many meals or days off the program and your results are compromised. Too many days in a row eating nothing but "rabbit food" and you go crazy with cravings, right? How much you need to comply (stick with) your program varies from person to person. It depends a lot on how ambitious your goals are and on how responsive your body is to nutrition and exercise. When making your decision, keep in mind we all have different genetics and body types, which is something I discuss in great detail in chapter 5 of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle (www.burnthefatbook.com). Are you a carb-tolerant mesomorph who gains muscle easily and loses fat easily or are you a carb-sensitive endomorph who gains fat easily? Depending on the answer, your diet program may need to be more or less strict than others. Don't compare yourself to others - you have to get to know your own body type. Some people can "Get away with" more cheat meals and still make progress (Yeah, I hate them too!) Unless you're a competitor in physique sports like bodybuilding, fitness or figure, or you're getting ready for some type of transformation challenge or photo shoot, I suggest at least 90% compliance. Whether you adjust your level of compliance above 90% (get more "strict") or below 90% (get more lenient), depends how far away or close you are from achieving your goals, and most importantly, on what kind of results you're getting each week. If you're complying 90% of the time, and you are getting awesome results, you don't have to change a thing, and you may be able to loosen up your diet a little. I know some people who are definitely only "on the program" 80% or 85% of the time and they look great. 90% compliance means you are following healthy nutritious, fat burning eating guidelines 9 meals out of 10. If you're eating small frequent meals like the burn the fat program suggests, that's 5 small meals a day X 7 days a week = 35 meals. 90% compliance means about 31-32 of those meals are spot-on! The other 3 or 4 are for you to enjoy special occasions, reward yourself, and live a little. If you're like most people, and you simply want to drop a few pounds, trim a few inches off your waistline and look better in shorts or in a swimsuit for summer, then 100% compliance is unrealistic AND unnecessary. 90% compliance is more realistic as a lifesytle, while being strict enough for most people to get results. On the other hand, if you had a very ambitious goal like preparing for a figure or fitness competition and you thought you had to reach at least 12 or 13% body fat (which is very low for women), and you knew you would be onstage with judges looking at every inch of your body in a teeny bikini (paying very close attention to whether anything on your butt and thighs was "jiggling"), then you would want to be as strict as possible during the pre contest diet period (100% compliance or very close to it). Keep in mind also, that this is a competitive situation and every time you "cheat" and your competitors don't cheat, you decrease your probability of placing high in the contests. Unless you have a competitive physique goal like this, however, then total deprivation of pleasure foods or cheat meals (100% compliance), is not necessary because you always tend to crave what you cannot have. That's a binge waiting to happen. I prefer this 90 or 95% compliance approach over the "entire day of cheating" approach, because I have seen people use the term "cheat day" pretty darn loosely (basically making it the equivalent of BINGE DAY), and they do a lot of damage in terms of setting their progress back. They end up frantically playing "catch up" for the better half of the following week with punishing extra exercise and dietary deprivation. Slow and steady is better than binge and punish don't you agree? Allow yourself some leeway. Enjoy food. Enjoy life. Have your pizza, or chocoloate or your hash browns or whatever makes your stomach happy. It will help, not hurt in the long run. Just be sure to be mindful of your calorie limits, and when you say you are going to comply 90% of the time, then keep your promise to yourself and comply! For more information about dieting for fat loss, visit: www.BurnTheFatBook.com [Robs Note: to read a review of Burn the Fat, visit my Burn The Fat Review. Also, I have reviewed Tom's latest book, Fat Burn Files] About the Author: Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle.” Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's Fat Loss program, visit: www.burnthefatbook.com

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Fit at 40 : Anti Aging - Life Extension - Longevity - Become Your Best

Birthday Bungee Jump

My Birthday Bungee Jump I celebrated my half birthday this summer in June and I was treated to a Bungee Jump at Whistler Bungee (www.whistlerbungee.com). North America's longest bridge bungee jump at 160 feet. Notice the backward flip I did at the end of my second bounce. The first bounce, I did a forward flip, but you can't see it. This was my 4th bungee jump I've done now. The last time I did it, I tried the flips at the end of the bounces, but wasn't able to do it. So... I thought about it, visualized it happening and how I would do it. Visualization paid off, and I was able to get two flips out of the deal - one at the end of each of two bounces. Very cool. Ready to jump Jumping Would I jump again? absolutely, but probably only from Whistler Bungee again because after having done a bungee jump from North America's longest Bungee, why would I want to go anywhere else. The only exception would be from that place in New Zealand which did the first Bungee jump. Not sure of the link, but I know someone who's jumped there. Next question is "why would I post this on a weight loss blog?". Well, if I can serve as an inspiration to people who need to or want to lose weight and show them what kind of lifestyle someone can have after successfully dropping a bunch of weight (300 pounds in my case), then so be it. I would not have been able to do this 15 years ago at the weight I was at (475 pounds). Being in shape has it's advantages. My advice? do something, take action on your health and weight and begin to live your life to it's fullest.

Warrior Camp

Warrior Camp I just spent the past two weeks at Wizard Camp and Warrior Camp. What a transformational experience for the participants. I led one of the events again this year and had 240 people come through my Warrior Camp event. As for staff and volunteers, again, filled with an abundance of amazing, talented, giving, thoughtful and sexy creatures. Miss Anonymous and Myself Again An affirmation I had years ago was to be surrounded by beautiful women and that affirmation has paid off at Warrior Camp this year again. Coop and Jennie Jennie is simply the best girl I know. I told her dad, another volunteer that he did such a good job raising her. She is filled with love, laughter and joy. Jennie brightens a room when she walks in and I'm proud to have had her affections for two weeks. I’m in Los Angeles right now for my yearly Sunrider convention. I just took a taxi to Albertsons and spent $20 on water for the next 5 days. With taxi costs, that comes out to $40 for water for the week. I provided an article about "Hydrate Before Warrior Camp" for my Warrior Camp website and I truly want to stress the importance of drinking water. Bottled drinking water is the best in my opinion. Related: Enlightened Warrior Training Camp, My 2003 Warrior Camp notes

What is the Miami South Beach Diet

What is the Miami South Beach Diet? Who can benefit from the Miami South Beach Diet? These are just simple questions that most of the people often ask when they encounter the term “Miami South Beach Diet”. So what’s the fuss about? Well, just to make everything clear, the term “Miami South Beach Diet” is particularly used here to refer to the origin of the South Beach Diet. It is interesting to know that the term “Miami South Beach Diet” first came out when a Miami cardiologist Dr, Arthur Agatston formulated this diet program for his patients who have suffered from heart disease, so to have a better health. From then on, the South Beach Diet is then addressed as a “Miami South Beach Diet”. So, the Miami South Beach Diet as many of the people commonly associated it with the mentioning of the actual beach, doesn’t really involve lounging on the beach all day, or partying at a chic club at night. Yes, it may have an enchanting identity but the Miami South Beach Diet plan is fairly simple and candid. The primary objective of the Miami South Beach Diet is indeed to clear someone’s diet of the kinds of carbohydrates and fats that are adamant to weight gain. As such, the Miami South Beach Diet generally differentiates the “good” carbohydrates from the “bad” carbohydrates and maintained that by removing the bad carbohydrates out of the diet, you can lose weight. Also considerable is the lowering of the body’s levels of cholesterol and insulin, which is said to ultimately lead to weight loss. In contrast to what most people may think, the Miami South Beach Diet was not really designed by a pack of overweight surfers. It is therefore interesting to know that the Miami South Beach Diet is actually based on the concept that the high-glycemic carbohydrates or those which rate higher than 55 on the glycemic scale, such as white bread and white rice are bad carbohydrates that lead to weight gain. With that, the Miami South Beach Diet then recommends that dieters consume more low-glycemic carbohydrates or good carbs, like whole grains and vegetables, which take more time to break down and don’t lead dieters to cravings for high calorie foods. Although the Miami South Beach Diet plan is made originally for those who have heart disease or diabetes, it is good to hear that the Miami South Beach Diet plan is also applicable to people who wishes to minimize their blood sugar levels and shed some extra pounds. This diet is said to have been devised to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle and lose weight. Author: unknown Related: South Beach Diet - What it is, South Beach Diet Lures Vegetarians (cbs news)

Post-Workout Nutrition

by Zach Bashore While you train, your muscles use metabolic fuels a fast rate. In order for physical work to be constant, the body circulates stored fuels to create fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose available for oxidation. In order for the body to recover from a training session, your body must be quickly changed to an anabolic state. The foods that you eat after training effects hormonal balances in the body in order for an anabolic environment to take pleace. With the rapid intake of carbohydrates and protein, the body is then able to replace damaged muscle tissue and replenish fuel reserves. There has been much controversy over which type of carbohydrate is best post-workout. Some say that a simple carb is optimal while others preach that complex carbs such as oatmeal or pasta work just as well. According to Burke, "There is no difference different types of carbohydrates eaten post workout and the rate of glycogen replenishment as long as sufficient quantities of carbohydrate are consumed." Still, the type of carbohydrate you consume post workout will depend on personal preference and whichever one suits you best. Protein is crucial in order to keep your body in an anabolic state post-workout. Protein also provides amino acids that rebuild damaged muscle tissue after a hard training session. So which type of protein is best post-workou and how much should I consume? The best souce of protein post-workout is 100% whey protein but if whey is not available to you, then any other lean protein source will do the job. The amount of protein you need in your post-workout meal will vary on the individual. I keep track of how many calories I`ve burnt during exercise and replenish that same amount in a 75-25% ratio of simple carbs to protein. This works best for me, but you will need to alter the percentages to best suit your needs. Getting enough fluids is also important after you train [Rob's Note: see Why Hydrate]. Some people sweat alot while training while others don`t sweat at all. A good estimate is to have 1ml for every calorie you eat during the day. If you have an insulin spike directly after training you are going to need another meal in a 50-50 ratio of complex carbs to protein to bring glycogen stores back to normal. Treat this meal as any other meal of the day.

Fat Facts

By Zach Bashore For years, people have been living by the notion that by eating low fat, he or she will drop pounds. Many of these people don't realize what fat really is and why it is essential for the human body. There are also fats you should avoid eating because they can be dangerous to your body and can make you gain fat if you eat to many of them. You are also going to learn about the benefits of a diet that consists of an adequate supply of healthy fats. First of all, you need to become educated on the bad fats that are in the foods you eat. These bad fats come in a variety of foods under the names "saturated fat" and "trans fat". Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and they maY increase the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood. Hydrogenated fats, also known as trans fats, also elevate cholesterol, increasing which may the risk of a heart attack. Omega 6 and Omega 3's are the main sources of the good fats you should consume. If you prefer getting your proper nutrients through your diet, then these Essential Fatty Acids can be naturally found in salmon, tuna, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and most cooking oils. On the other hand, if you prefer getting your healthy fats through use of supplentation, then you should invest in a good fish or flax seed oil supplement. Many EFA's have been scientifically proven to treat and prevent many health problems such as cardiovascular disease, psoriasis, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetic neuropathy. Good fats also have a positive effect on your body. You will benefit from and increased metabolism, improved insulin action, improved testosterone production, improved energy production of cells, and protective liver functions. The average adult allows around 98,000 calories from fat to be stored in the body. These calories allow for cushioning, insulation, and organ protection. So don`t be afraid when it comes to adding fat to your diet. Your body simply cannot function without it and should always be taken into consideration.

Raw Foods

Everyone wants to take better care of themselves and that includes making certain that they are eating the best foods that they can. Raw foods are believed to be the right choice when it comes to picking healthy ingredients, but you may be surprised to learn that eating a diet rich in raw foods isn’t as simple as going to the grocery store and choosing a few items. When you decide to start eating foods in their natural state consider where that food is coming from. Most vegetables that you purchase at your local grocers have to travel quite a distance before they reach the store. In order to keep them looking and tasting their best they are covered with preservatives. Before they are even picked they come in contact with chemicals in the form of pesticides. If you want to avoid ingesting all of these unwanted additives there are a couple of things you can do. One is to purchase organic raw foods. These are grown in such a way that no chemicals are used in the growing process. There are also no preservatives used so that you know for certain exactly what you are eating. You are getting all the best parts of the food without anything unnatural being added. An alternative to purchasing organic fruits and vegetables is to grow your own. Many families have grown and eaten their own raw foods for many years. This is not only an inexpensive way to eat healthy but it also affords you the chance to get out in the summer sun and do some gardening. Imagine how satisfying it will be when you pick your own carrots or lettuce. This is really what raw foods are all about; completely fresh and free of any additives. If fruits and vegetables aren’t your favorite food group, consider diving into the world of sushi. There is a sushi bar in almost every town and city now. Sushi has become one of the most popular raw foods there is. Some people can’t imagine eating raw fish but it’s delicious and at least worth a try. It truly is one of the tastiest and more nutritious foods there is. It’s always a good idea to eat foods that you not only enjoy but are also good for you. Consider the source when you are shopping for raw foods. In the case of fruits and vegetables, these are things that need to be consumed shortly after purchase. It’s a good idea to buy a few items every couple of days so the food doesn’t go bad before being eaten.

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