Online Weight Loss Support: The Inner Circle

One of the best online weight loss support programs on the Internet is the Burn The Fat Inner Circle.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle provides all of the information anyone needs to effectively and safely lose body fat and keep it off permanently. But some people need more than information, they also need motivation, mentoring and social support. This is why Tom created the Burn The Fat Inner Circle.The Burn The Fat Inner Circle was created by fat loss expert Tom Venuto, the author of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle.

The Burn The Fat Inner Circle is a world-wide community of men and women of all ages and backgrounds who are committed to getting and staying lean, fit and healthy. Inner Circle members share knowledge and information with each other, motivate, mentor and support each other, and interact with each other in the various Inner Circle forums.

As a matter of fact, one of the many things that sets the Burn The Fat Inner Circle apart from other online weight loss support programs is the number of forums it contains. There are over 20 forums in the Inner Circle, including the beginners forum, the female fat loss forum, the fat loss after 40 forum, and the recipes forum.

Here are some of the other outstanding features of the Burn The Fat Inner Circle:

Direct access to Tom Venuto - Tom is a top fat loss expert who knows what it really takes to lose body fat and get fit and healthy. Inner Circle members can ask Tom anything they want.

A knowledgebase second to none - The Inner Circle contains a huge database of information on exercise, nutrition and every other topic related to getting lean, fit and healthy.

MP3 and streaming audio interviews and podcasts - The Inner Circle contains downloadable podcasts and interviews with Tom Venuto and other fitness experts.

A custom-built calorie calculator - Inner Circle members have access to a custom-built calorie calculator that quickly and easily determines exactly how many calories to eat to lose body fat.

Fat burning recipes - Inner Circle members have access to plenty of delicious, easy to prepare recipes that were created and taste-tested by Tom Venuto himself.

Weight loss success story interviews - The Inner Circle contains written interviews and audio MP3s detailing the inspirational stories of how members were able to lose body fat and get fit and healthy.

A 100% money-back guarantee - Inner Circle members can preview the program for up to eight weeks. If they aren't completely satisfied, they can receive a full refund of their membership cost.

In summary, if you want to lose weight but you just can't seem to get started with or stick with a weight loss program, the Burn The Fat Inner Circle online weight loss support program might be just what you need. To learn more about or join The Inner Circle, Click Here.

Cortisol and Weight Gain

Studies have identified a link between cortisol and weight gain, but what is cortisol and what does it do?

Cortisol is sometimes called the "stress hormone" because cortisol levels increase in response to stress. When cortisol levels increase, it causes blood sugar and blood pressure levels to increase so the body has more energy to handle a stressful situation.Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands as part of the body's daily hormonal cycle. Cortisol helps regulate blood pressure, cardiovascular function and the body's use of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

There are many hormones in our bodies which in the proper amounts maintain good health but in deficiency or excess have negative effects or contribute to health problems. Cortisol is no different. High levels of cortisol can cause cravings for foods high in fat and sugar, which can lead to weight gain. High levels of cortisol can also cause high blood pressure, high blood sugar, increased abdominal fat, and loss of lean muscle mass.

Since cortisol levels increase with stress, the best way to maintain a healthy level of cortisol is to reduce stress and lessen the impact of stress that can't be avoided. Trying to avoid stress completely isn't possible, and it's actually not desirable. Stress is an important part of life because it triggers positive adaptations and growth. It's continuous stress, and the resulting continuous high levels of cortisol, that you want to avoid.

What about using one of those cortisol reducing supplements that claim to be the key to weight loss? Don't waste your money, as these products are not backed by any scientific evidence. As a matter of fact, the Federal Trade Commission charged the marketers of some cortisol reducing supplements with making false and unsubstantiated claims about their product's effectiveness for weight loss. As a result, the companies had to refund millions of dollars and stop making unproven claims about their products.

In summary, cortisol is an important hormone and part of the body's natural stress response. While there is a connection between high cortisol and weight gain, high cortisol is only one contributing factor to weight gain, not the primary cause. An excess of calories from too much food and too little physical activity is the main cause of increased body fat and weight gain.

Colon Cleansing and Weight Loss

Colon cleansing and weight loss is a popular topic, but is colon cleansing really an effective and safe way to lose weight?

There are two basic ways to cleanse the colon - colon cleansing products and colon hydrotherapy (also known as colon irrigation or high colonics).Colon cleansing and weight loss is a popular topic, but is colon cleansing really an effective and safe way to lose weight?

Colon cleansing products include supplements in powdered, liquid or capsule form and detoxifying teas. Colon hydrotherapy is a procedure conducted by a colon hydrotherapist where a rubber tube is inserted into the rectum and the colon is then flushed with water. Additives such as probiotics,

What Are Fat Cells?

Everyone has fat cells, but exactly what are fat cells and how do they function in the body?

When you consume more calories than your body needs, regardless of if the calories come from fats, carbohydrates or proteins, the extra calories are stored as fat in fat cells.Fat cells (also called adipocytes or lipocytes) are the cells that make up body fat (adipose tissue). The main role of these cells is to store fat so that it can be used by the body for energy.

When your body needs to use stored fat for energy, fat is released from the cells and the cells shrink. This is why you look leaner when you lose body fat - because your fat cells are now smaller.

The way to trigger the release of fat from fat cells is to consume fewer calories than you burn, which creates an energy deficit in the body. The optimum way to create this energy deficit is by cutting back on calories and increasing physical activity.

It was once believed that the number of fat cells a person had could not increase in adulthood and that only the size of the cells could increase (or decrease). It's now known that fat cells can increase both in number and size during adulthood.

What happens is that when a fat cell expands to its maximum size it can divide, producing an increase in the actual number of cells. A person becomes overweight when their fat cells increase in number, in size, or in both.

Some people are genetically predisposed to have more fat cells than others, and women have more fat cells than men.

An overweight person's number of fat cells depends on how overweight the person is, but it can be over 10 times more than a person with normal body composition. An overweight person's fat cells can also be up to three times larger than the fat cells of a healthy person with normal body composition.

The bottom line is that the more fat cells you have and the larger those cells are, the more difficult it will be for you to lose body fat.

But don't get discouraged if you're overweight or obese. If you follow a proven fat loss program likeBurn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, you will lose body fat and get a leaner, fitter, healthier body. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Top 5 Fat Burning Hormones

Here are details about the five primary fat burning hormones produced by the body.

Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, but it's also found in females. On average, women have about one tenth the amount of testosterone that men do.Testosterone

Testosterone helps the body build and maintain lean muscle mass and burn body fat efficiently. It also helps keep bones strong, helps boost energy and libido, and helps sharpen memory and mental focus.

Shorter, more intense workouts, especially weight lifting, increase testosterone levels. Prolonged workouts can sometimes decrease testosterone levels.

A diet consisting of a mix of lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats will help maintain optimum testosterone levels. Some saturated fat also needs to be included in the diet, as it's needed for testosterone production.

Human Growth Hormone

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is produced by the pituitary gland. HGH helps the body build and maintain lean muscle mass and burn body fat efficiently. It also helps keep bones strong, helps boost energy, and helps in controlling blood sugar and insulin levels.

Shorter, more intense workouts, especially weight lifting, increase HGH levels. Getting an adequate amount of sleep on a regular basis is also necessary for maintaining optimum HGH levels since most HGH is produced during sleep.

Leptin

Leptin is produced in fat cells and secreted in the bloodstream, where it travels to the brain and other tissues, causing decreased appetite, increased metabolism, and increased use of stored body fat for energy.

Regular exercise and a diet consisting of a mix of lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats will help maintain optimum leptin levels. Very low calorie diets cause leptin levels to plummet.

Getting an adequate amount of sleep on a regular basis is also necessary for maintaining optimum leptin levels since leptin levels rise during sleep.

Thyroxine

Thyroxine is the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Most thyroxine is converted to triiodothyronine by organs such as the liver and kidneys. Triiodothyronine helps regulate metabolism.

Exercise can increase thyroxine levels by up to 30%, with shorter, more intense workouts increasing levels the most. Shorter, more intense workouts can also cause thyroxine levels to remain elevated for several hours after the workout is over.

Epinephrine

Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is produced by the adrenal glands at times of acute stress to enhance the capability of "fight or flight." It's also produced during exercise, where it causes the breakdown of stored body fat to be used for energy.

In summary, fat burning hormones play an important role in keeping your body fit and healthy. So make sure that you're following an effective nutrition plan and exercise routine to keep your body producing optimum levels of these hormones.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is a great resource that shows you how to create an effective nutrition plan and exercise routine. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Kettlebell Training and Fat Loss

Many people aren't aware of the connection betweeen kettlebell training and fat loss. Here are the details of how kettlebell training helps reduce body fat.

Kettlebells are also compact and portable, which makes them great for home use, and they're fun to use.Kettlebell training has been growing in popularity as more people discover the many benefits of kettlebell training. Kettlebell workouts build lean muscle mass and increase strength, improve flexibility and balance, and strengthen the core muscles and the joints.

When it comes to kettlebell training and fat loss, here are the three primary reasons why kettlebell training is such an effective way to reduce body fat:

1. Kettlebell training burns calories during the workout.

Kettlebell exercises such as swings, snatches and cleans and presses require mutiple muscle groups to work in unison, which provides a great full-body workout. This type of full-body workout burns a lot of calories.

2. Kettlebell training burns calories after the workout.

An intense, interval style kettlebell workout is one of the best ways to increase Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC, commonly known as the afterburn effect, refers to how many additional calories your body will have to burn in order to repair, recover and return back to the way it was before the workout took place.

3. Kettlebell training increases metabolism.

Kettlebell training builds and maintains lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so the more lean muscle mass you have the higher your metabolism will be. The higher your metabolism, the more calories your body burns to maintain itself.

A study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) showed just how effective kettlebell training can be for burning calories. Researchers had subjects perform a 20-minute kettlebell snatch workout typical of a common kettlebell routine, and the calorie burn during the workout was substantial.

The lead researcher of the study stated: "We estimated oxygen consumption and how many calories they were burning aerobically, and it was 13.6 calories per minute. But we also measured the blood lactate, so anaerobically they were burning another 6.6 calories per minute. So they were burning at least 20.2 calories per minute, which is off the charts. That's equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace."

Researchers credited the brisk calorie burning to the fact that the kettlebell snatch workout is a total-body movement that's also done very quickly due to the interval training format.

In conclusion, kettlebell training is a very effective way to burn calories and lose body fat. Kettlebell training can help anyone get leaner, fitter and healthier.

If you're considering trying kettlebell training, check out Turbulence Training Kettlebell Revolution. It's a complete kettlebell training program that you can perform right in the comfort of your home. To learn more about Turbulence Training Kettlebell Revolution, Click Here.

Weight Lifting and Fat Loss

Many people aren't aware of the connection between weight lifting and fat loss. Here are the details of how weight lifting helps reduce body fat.

While weight lifting (also known as weight training or strength training) doesn't directly burn body fat like aerobic exercise does, it's still a very effective way to reduce body fat because of the short-term and long-term metabolism boost it provides.Aerobic exercise is the type of exercise that many people associate with losing body fat. This is because aerobic exercise not only burns calories, it's the only type of exercise that directly burns body fat.

Weight lifting provides a short-term metabolism boost because an intense weight lifting workout is one of the best ways to increase Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC, commonly known as the afterburn effect, refers to how many additional calories the body has to burn in order to repair, recover and return back to the way it was before the workout took place.

Weight lifting also provides a long-term metabolism boost because it builds and maintains lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so the more lean muscle mass you have the higher your metabolism will be. The higher your metabolism, the more calories your body burns to maintain itself.

No other type of exercise provides the kind of short-term and long-term metabolism boost that weight lifting provides, which is why every fat loss program should include weight lifting.

And there's one other very good reason why every fat loss program should include weight lifting. If your fat loss program consists of only aerobic exercise and a reduced calorie diet, you'll end up with a leaner body, but one that's soft and flabby. If your fat loss program includes weight lifting, you'll end up with a leaner, firmer, stronger body.

Now for any of you women who might be worried that you'll end up with big, bulky muscles if weight lifting is a part of your fat loss program, the reality is that women don't have enough of the hormone testosterone (a key hormone for building muscle) to develop big, bulky muscles. Without using steroids to unnaturally alter their testosterone levels, it's not possible for women to develop big, bulky muscles.

And for any of you guys worried about building big, bulky muscles, the reality is that unless you have the right body type and the right genetics, which not many men do, it takes a long time and a lot of hard work to build big, bulky muscles.

The bottom line is that there's no need to worry that you're going to end up looking like a bodybuilder if weight lifting is a part of your fat loss program. Even if you ever did reach the point where you felt that you were getting too muscular, you could just switch over to a maintenance type of weight lifting routine.

In conclusion, now that you're aware of the connection between weight lifting and fat loss, make sure that any fat loss program you undertake includes weight lifting.

If you're looking for a proven fat loss program that includes weight lifting, you should take a look atBurn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

How to Increase Metabolism

There are several techniques for how to increase metabolism, and anyone can speed up a sluggish metabolism by following one or more of these techniques.

The faster your metabolism, the more calories your body burns to maintain itself. This is why people with fast metabolisms can eat more food than people with slow metabolisms and still not gain weight.Your metabolism naturally slows as you get older, dropping 2-3% every decade after age 20. A slow metabolism is one of the reasons why many people gain weight as they get older. Even though they're eating less calories than when they were younger, they're burning less calories because of a slow metabolism.

Here are five techniques for how to increase metabolism.

1. Lift weights.

The loss of lean muscle mass can begin as early as your mid-20s. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so the more lean muscle mass you lose the slower your metabolism becomes. The loss of lean muscle mass is primarily the result of a sedentary lifestyle - if you don't use your muscles they waste away. Weight lifting is the most effective way to build and maintain lean muscle mass.

2. Do high intensity interval training (HIIT).

HIIT consists of alternating high intensity "work intervals" with low to moderate intensity "recovery intervals." For example, you sprint 50 yards and then walk 50 yards, and then continue to alternate these work and recovery intervals. Or you pedal at a fast pace on a stationary bike for 30 seconds and then pedal at a slow or moderate pace for 30 seconds, and then continue to alternate these work and recovery intervals.

HIIT can boost your metabolism for hours after the workout is over because it increases Excess Post-exercise Oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC, commonly known as the afterburn effect, refers to how many additional calories your body will have to burn in order to repair, recover and return back to the way it was before a workout took place

3. Eat breakfast.

Skipping breakfast after a night of fasting results in your body going an extended period of time without food, and this causes your metabolism to slow down as your body tries to conserve energy. Eating a healthy breakfast that consists of some type of lean protein and some type of complex carb will prevent this metabolism slow down.

4. Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Eating five or six smaller meals or snacks throughout the day will increase your metabolism because of the energy required to digest the meals or snacks. Just make sure that the meals or snacks consist primarily of lean proteins, complex carbs or fibrous vegetables, as these foods require the most energy to digest. Simple carbs and fats require much less energy to digest and don't have the same effect on metabolism.

5. Don't drastically reduce calories.

Going on a very low calorie diet is one of the worst things you can do for your metabolism. Your body reacts to a drastic reduction in calories by going into starvation mode. Once your body is in starvation mode, your metabolism slows down considerably as your body tries to conserve energy.

For more tips on how to increase metabolism, check out Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. It contains plenty of information on how to speed up a sluggish metabolism. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Abdominal Fat Loss Tips

Abdominal fat loss should be a high priority for you if you have too much belly fat. Excess belly fat is not just unattractive, it's also very unhealthy.

Here are three abdominal fat loss tips that will help you lose belly fat and get a leaner midsection.Excess belly fat increases the risk for a variety of health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

1. Don't waste time trying to spot reduce.

Spot reducing is based on the flawed notion that it's possible to burn off fat from a specific area of the body by selectively exercising that area. This is why some people, when trying to lose belly fat, perform countless sets and reps of abdominal exercises in the mistaken belief that they are burning off fat from their midsection.

The reality is that exercising a specific area of your body will build and strengthen the underlying muscle but it will have no direct effect on fat loss in that area. You don't have control over where your body will burn fat. If you want to lose body fat in a specific area, such as your midsection, you have to reduce your overall body fat.

2. Cut calories, but not drastically.

Many people who want to lose belly fat go on some sort of crash diet. They drastically reduce calories hoping to lose as much belly fat as possible in the shortest amount of time. This is actually one of the worst ways to try and lose overall body fat and belly fat.

A very low calorie diet is not a healthy, long-term way of eating; it's a temporary way of eating that produces temporary results. Any body fat you lose on a very low calorie diet you'll most likely gain back once the diet ends and you go back to your old eating habits. A very low calorie diet will also slow down your metabolism and cause you to lose lean muscle mass.

If you want to lose body fat and keep it off, follow a fat loss nutrition plan. A fat loss nutrition plan is based on cutting back on calories, not on drastically reducing them. It's also based on eating certain healthy foods that are less likely to be converted to body fat. A fat loss nutrition plan is not a temporary way of eating like a diet is, it's a permanent way of eating that can be followed for a lifetime.

3. Do cardio and strength training.

Most people know that aerobic exercise is a very effective way to burn calories and lose body fat; but many people don't know that strength training is also a very effective way to burn calories and lose body fat.

Strength training builds and maintains lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so the more lean muscle mass you have the higher your metabolism will be. The higher your metabolism, the more calories your body burns to maintain itself and the more body fat you lose. Strength training will also give you a strong, defined, athletic looking body.

An exercise routine that includes both cardio and strength training provides much more fat loss bang for your buck than an exercise routine that includes only cardio.

In conclusion, I hope these abdominal fat loss tips have been helpful. For more fat loss tips and information, check out Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. It's a great resource for getting lean, fit and healthy. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

The Dangers of Belly Fat

Many people aren't aware of just how serious the dangers of belly fat are. Here's what you need to know about how belly fat can affect your health.

While excess subcutaneous fat can certainly accumulate in the belly area (above the ab muscles), it's usually excess visceral fat that causes the belly to bulge.There are two types of body fat - subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is stored just underneath the skin. Visceral fat, better known as belly fat, is stored mostly underneath the abdominal wall (under the ab muscles), where it pads the spaces between the liver, stomach and other internal organs.

Excess belly fat has more of a negative impact on health than excess subcutaneous fat. This is because belly fat is metabolically active tissue that secretes inflammatory substances that can be harmful to the body. These inflammatory substances affect internal organs and can contribute to a variety of health problems.

The dangers of belly fat are numerous. Having too much belly fat increases the risk of developing the following health problems:

• Cardiovascular Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Stroke
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Breast and Colon Cancer
• Dementia

There's also a link between excess belly fat and an increased risk of premature death. One study found that each five centimeter increase in waist size (a little less than two inches) raises the risk of premature death by 17% in men and 13% in women.

Even if you're not overweight, you may still have too much belly fat. There are plenty of people whose weight is normal or low based on Body Mass Index (BMI) or height and weight charts who have an unhealthy amount of belly fat.

The most effective way to lose belly fat is also the most effective way to lose body fat anywhere else on your body: combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine.

A fat loss nutrition plan is not the same as a diet. A diet is a temporary way of eating that produces temporary results. Any belly fat you lose on a diet you'll most likely gain back once the diet ends and you go back to your old eating habits. A fat loss nutrition plan is a permanent way of eating that will help you lose belly fat and keep it off.

A fat loss exercise routine should include aerobic exercise and strength training, as both types of exercise are very effective ways to burn belly fat and overall body fat. There are also plenty of health and fitness benefits associated with aerobic exercise and strength training.

A great resource that shows you how to create a fat loss nutrition plan and a fat loss exercise routine is Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

In conclusion, the dangers of belly fat have to be taken very seriously. Belly fat is not just unattractive, it's also very unhealthy.

How to Burn Body Fat More Effectively

Here are five tips for how to burn body fat more effectively with aerobic exercise and weight training.

Doing cardio first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, will ensure that your blood sugar is low, which will put your body into a quicker and deeper fat burning state.

1. Do cardio first thing in the morning.

2. Do cardio after weight training.

If you're going to lift weights and do cardio during the same workout, always lift weights first and then do cardio. Research shows that cardio done after weight training enhances fat burning both during and after the cardio session.

3. Do high intensity interval training.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of alternating high intensity "work intervals" with low to moderate intensity "recovery intervals." For example, you sprint 50 yards and then walk 50 yards, and then continue to alternate these work and recovery intervals. Or you pedal at a fast pace on a stationary bike for 30 seconds and then pedal at a slow or moderate pace for 30 seconds, and then continue to alternate these work and recovery intervals.

HIIT is a very effective way to lose body fat because it not only burns a lot of calories per minute, it's also one of the best ways to increase Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC, commonly known as the afterburn effect, refers to how many additional calories your body will have to burn in order to repair, recover and return back to the way it was before a workout took place.

4. Vary your cardio workouts.

Many people do the same aerobic exercise routine month after month, and this often leads to aerobic adaptation. Aerobic adaptation is where your body adapts to a particular cardio routine, and it can cause fat loss to come to a stop.

You need to make periodic changes to your cardio routine, such as alternating between different types of aerobic exercise (e.g., treadmill one workout, elliptical machine another workout) or doing high intensity interval training instead of traditional aerobic exercise.

5. Do more free weight exercises.

Studies have shown that you burn more calories when performing free weight exercises such as squats than when performing machine exercises such as leg extensions. This is most likely due to the greater number of stabilizer muscles that are used when performing free weight exercises.

For more information on how to burn body fat, check out Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. It's packed full of information on how to use nutrition and exercise to get lean, fit and healthy. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Are You Skinny Fat?

Even if you're not overweight you may still be skinny fat. Here's what you need to know about this common condition.

This is because they're skinny fat, which means they have poor body composition - a high amount of body fat compared to the amount of lean mass (muscle, bones etc.).There are plenty of people whose weight is normal or low based on Body Mass Index (BMI) or height and weight charts but they're actually not very fit or healthy.

For example, a 5'5", 110 pound woman with 35% body fat would be considered underweight based on BMI, but almost 40 pounds of her total weight is body fat.

People whose weight is normal or low but who have a high amount of body fat have the same increased risk for health problems such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease as overweight people.

In addition to increased health risks, people whose weight is normal or low but who have a high amount of body fat have bodies that are soft and flabby. They look okay in clothes, but they don't look very good in a bathing suit or when naked.

Many people are skinny fat because they lead an unhealthy lifstyle, and a lot of overweight people end up skinny fat because they go about losing weight the wrong way - they go on a very low calorie diet and do little or no exercise.

When you drastically reduce calories in order to starve away body fat, you also starve away lean muscle mass. Many people on very low calorie diets lose more lean muscle mass than body fat. When you lose lean muscle mass, your body becomes softer, flabbier and weaker, and your metabolism slows down.

The way to lose body fat without ending up skinny fat is to combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine.

A fat loss nutrition plan is based on cutting back on calories, not on drastically reducing them. It's also based on eating certain healthy foods that are less likely to be converted to body fat. A fat loss nutrition plan is not a temporary way of eating like a diet is, it's a permanent way of eating that can be followed for a lifetime.

A fat loss exercise routine that includes aerobic exercise and strength training enables you to lose body fat without losing lean muscle mass. There are also plenty of health and fitness benefits associated with aerobic exercise and strength training.

A great resource that shows you how to create a fat loss nutrition plan and a fat loss exercise routine is Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

The Thermic Effect of Food: Calorie Burning Foods

Here's what you need to know about the thermic effect of food and how it can help you lose weight.

You're probably familiar with the term "negative calories." This term refers to certain foods, such as lettuce and asparagus, which have a high thermic effect and a low calorie density. Most of the calories in these foods are burned off just to digest them, so it's almost impossible for these foods to be stored as body fat.Some of the calories in the foods you eat are burned off during the digestion of the food, so the net amount of calories absorbed by your body is actually less than the amount contained in the food. This process is commonly referred to as the thermic effect of food.

Foods with a high thermic effect will increase your metabolic rate because your body has to work harder to digest, process and utilize the food.

Lean proteins and complex carbohydrates are the two food groups that have a higher thermic effect and will increase your metabolic rate more than any other type of food.

Lean protein foods such as chicken breast, egg whites and white fish have the highest thermic effect at almost 30%. This means that if you eat 100 calories of chicken breast, almost 30 of those calories are burned off just to digest it. Therefore, the net caloric value is only about 70 calories.

Complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, whole grains, brown rice, beans and oatmeal also have a high thermic effect of around 20%.

Fats have the lowest thermic effect, only around 3%. This is one of the reasons why dietary fat is so easily stored as body fat. Simple carbohydrates also have a low thermic effect.

If you consume too much of any food, it will be stored as body fat. But lean protein foods and complex carbohydrates, due to their high thermic effect, are less likely to be converted to body fat than other types of food.

So if you're trying to lose body fat, you should be eating several small, healthy meals or snacks throughout the day that consist primarily of foods with a high thermic effect.

Metabolic Cooking is a great resource that can help you develop an eating plan consisting of high thermic effect foods. It contains over 250 healthy, easy to prepare recipes that are made with ingredients that have a high thermic effect. To learn more about Metabolic Cooking, Click Here.

Why Can't I Lose Weight?

Are you one of the many people asking yourself why can't I lose weight? Have you given up trying to lose weight?

Here are the three most common weight loss mistakes that you have to avoid making if you want to permanently lose weight and get fit and healthy:While there can be a number of reasons why someone struggles to lose weight, there are three very common weight loss mistakes many people make.

Having unrealistic expectations.

If you have unrealistic weight loss expectations, you're setting yourself up for failure right from the start. You'll get frustrated and discouraged when weight loss doesn't happen as fast as you think it should and you'll give up trying to lose weight.

A good weight loss goal is one to two pounds of body fat per week, or one percent of total body weight per week if you're extremely heavy (e.g., three pounds if you weigh 300 pounds). This is the healthiest and safest way to lose weight, and this will also most likely result in permanently keeping the weight off.

Going on a very low calorie diet.

A very low calorie diet can produce quick weight loss, but what happens once the diet ends? Most people go back to the same old way of eating that caused them to be overweight in the first place and end up gaining back any lost weight. The reality is that very low calorie diets almost never result in permanent weight loss.

Another major problem that very low calories diets have is that they cause you to lose lean muscle mass. When you drastically reduce calories in order to starve away body fat, you also starve away lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so when you lose lean muscle mass your metabolism slows down. The slower your metabolism, the easier it is to gain weight and the harder it is to lose it.

Relying on weight loss supplements.

With all of the hype and deceptive advertising in the weight loss supplement industry, it's not surprising that many people think all they have to do is take a particular supplement and the pounds will start dropping off.

The reality is that plenty of studies have been conducted on weight loss supplements, and no credible evidence has been found that any single supplement results in significant weight loss. At best, some weight loss supplements provide a slight boost to metabolism or a slight suppression of appetite.

Now that you're aware of the three most common weight loss mistakes that have to be avoided, you're probably wondering what does work when it comes to losing weight. The best way to permanently lose body fat and get fit and healthy is to combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine.

A fat loss nutrition plan is based on cutting back on calories, not on drastically reducing them. It's also based on eating certain healthy foods that are less likely to be converted to body fat. A fat loss nutrition plan is not a temporary way of eating like a diet is, it's a permanent way of eating that can be followed for a lifetime.

A fat loss exercise routine that includes aerobic exercise and strength training enables you to lose body fat without losing lean muscle mass and without slowing down your metabolism. There are also plenty of health and fitness benefits associated with aerobic exercise and strength training.

If more people combined a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine, there would be a lot fewer people asking themselves why can't I lose weight.

A great resource that shows you how to create a fat loss nutrition plan and a fat loss exercise routine is Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Do Weight Loss Supplements Work?

Do weight loss supplements work? Are weight loss supplements really an effective way to lose weight?

These supplements make some impressive claims. Some supposedly suppress appetite. Others supposedly increase metabolism and burn body fat. Still others supposedly block the absorption of fats, carbohydrates or calories. While all of these claims sound great, are they really accurate?Go on the Internet or walk into any drugstore, grocery store or health food store and you'll see a wide variety of weight loss supplements, from pills and capsules to powders and liquids.

Weight loss supplements are not subject to the same rigorous standards as prescription drugs. Generally, weight loss supplement companies do not need to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before producing or selling their products. It's the responsibility of the supplement companies to produce products that are safe and effective and to ensure that any product information, such as what's on a product's label and packaging, is accurate.

The FDA is responsible for taking action against any weight loss supplements that are found to be unsafe after they reach the market. The FDA can also take action when a supplement's product information is found to be misleading or deceptive. Weight loss supplement advertising is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The reality is that the FDA and the FTC don't have enough resources to adequately regulate the multitude of different weight loss supplements on the market and all of the advertising that's used to promote them. This lack of regulation is the reason why so much weight loss product information and advertising is misleading or deceptive. Plenty of product information and advertising contains claims that are not supported by any scientific evidence, fake or embellished testimonials, and before and after photos of people who have never even used the product being promoted.

This misleading and deceptive product information and advertising is a big reason why the weight loss supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are plenty of people looking for a quick fix or magic pill solution to losing weight, and they will gladly spend their money on any supplement that promises quick and easy weight loss.

The truth is that no weight loss supplement exists that is going to magically melt away pounds of fat from your body. Plenty of studies have been conducted on weight loss supplements, and no credible evidence has been found that any single supplement results in significant weight loss. At best, some weight loss supplements provide a slight metabolism boosting effect or a slight suppression of appetite.

In addition to how ineffective they are, some weight loss supplements can also be unsafe. They can cause an increase in heart rate or blood pressure that can put a user at risk for dizziness, headaches, seizures, heart attacks, strokes, and even death.

Even if you don't believe the scientific evidence of how ineffective weight loss supplements actually are, think about this: If weight loss supplements did work, why are there more overweight and obese people than ever before when there are so many different weight loss supplements available.

The bottom line answer to the question of do weight loss supplements work is that weight loss supplements are an ineffective and potentially unsafe way to lose weight.

If you need to lose weight, skip the weight loss supplements and instead follow a weight loss program like Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle that focuses on nutrition and exercise. This is the proven way to get a leaner, fitter, healthier body. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Do Low Carbohydrate Diets Work?

Do low carbohydrate diets work? Are low carb diets really an effective way to lose weight?

Here's some of what Tom has to say about low carbohydrate diets that I want to share with you:In his book Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, fat loss expert Tom Venuto covers low carbohydrate diets in detail, including the pros and cons of low carb diets and when to use a low carb diet.

A common example of a dangerous generalization is "carbohydrates are fattening." This sends people - of all body types - into an unnecessary state of "carbo phobia." If you lump all carbohydrates into the same category, you're failing to acknowledge that there are healthy, nutrient-dense carbs as well as unhealthy, empty-calorie carbs.

The low carb gurus who preach that "carbs are bad" have caused more confusion with their dogmatic viewpoints than anything else in the history of the weight loss industry.

The truth is, low carb, high protein diets may work phenomenally well for carb intolerant endomorphs, especially if they're sedentary. But people with different body types lose muscle and suffer from low energy, irritability and loss of mental clarity with carb depletion. Because carbs are fuel, they also need to be prescribed based on a person's activity level and training intensity.

Another flaw in recommending a very low carb approach across the board is the assumption that everyone has difficulty metabolizing carbs, so everyone should be on a low carb diet. A large percentage of obese people do have symptoms of metabolic syndrome and carb intolerance. However, according to my research and experience working with thousands of clients with a wide variety of body fat levels, I estimate that only 20%-30% of the overall population is carb intolerant. Only a fraction of that 20%-30% is seriously carb intolerant.

The best way to look at very low carbohydrate diets is as a last resort for those with extreme difficulty losing body fat the conventional way. Most people will lose body fat simply by adding a regular exercise routine to their schedule and by "cleaning up" their diets. A "clean" diet means you've mastered all of the nutritional basics like eating small, frequent meals, controlling portion sizes, cutting down on saturated fat, avoiding sugar, drinking plenty of water, and eating lean protein at every meal.

Calories are always the most important factor in losing body fat and the first factor you should consider. Only then can you accurately calculate the optimal ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat specifically for your unique needs.

I hope this information from Tom Venuto has helped answer the question do low carbohydrate diets work and cleared up some of the confusion surrounding low carb diets.

Check out Tom's Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program for more information on how to lose body fat and get fit and healthy. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Why Starvation Diets Don't Work

Many people turn to starvation diets when trying to lose weight. They drastically reduce calories hoping to lose weight as quickly as possible.

They're making a big mistake.

A very low calorie diet can produce quick weight loss, but what happens once the diet ends? Most people go back to the same old way of eating that caused them to be overweight in the first place and end up gaining back any lost weight.

The reality is that very low calorie diets almost never result in permanent weight loss. A very low calorie diet is a temporary way of eating that produces temporary results.

Another major problem that very low calories diets have is that they cause you to lose lean muscle mass. When you drastically reduce calories in order to starve away body fat, you also starve away lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so when you lose lean muscle mass your metabolism slows down. You also get weaker and your body becomes softer and flabbier.

For many people, the pattern of going on and off starvation diets and losing and regaining weight continues for years or even for an entire lifetime. With each repeated bout of very low calorie dieting their metabolism becomes slower, so they gain weight easier and have a harder time losing it.

If you want to permanently lose body fat and get fit and healthy, going on a starvation diet is not the way to do it. What you need to do is combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine.

A fat loss nutrition plan is based on cutting back on calories, not on drastically reducing them. It's also based on eating certain healthy foods that are less likely to be converted to body fat. A fat loss nutrition plan is not a temporary way of eating like a diet is, it's a permanent way of eating that can be followed for a lifetime.

A fat loss exercise routine that includes aerobic exercise and strength training enables you to lose body fat without losing lean muscle mass and without slowing down your metabolism. There are also plenty of health and fitness benefits associated with aerobic exercise and strength training.

A great resource that shows you how to create a fat loss nutrition plan and a fat loss exercise routine is Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

In conclusion, starvation diets are flawed, and you have to avoid them if you want to lose body fat permanently and get fit and healthy.

Avoiding Weight Loss Scams

With so many people being overweight or obese, weight loss scams are more prevalent than ever.

If you need to lose weight, you need to be very skeptical when it comes to weight loss programs and products.

Many of the ads for weight loss programs and products are very convincing. They promise fast and easy weight loss and contain testimonials from satisfied customers and inspiring before and after photos.

The truth is that many of these ads are deceptive. The claims made in these ads are not supported by any scientific evidence. The testimonials are embellished or made up. The before and after photos are doctored or are photos of people who have never even used the advertised program or product.

But isn't this type of deceptive advertising illegal? It certainly is, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is responsible for regulating weight loss program and product advertising, doesn't have enough resources to adequately regulate the countless ads for all of the different weight loss programs and products on the market. The reality is that weight loss program and product advertising is virtually unregulated.

So how do you avoid wasting your money on weight loss scams when so many of the ads for weight loss programs and products are deceptive? It's actually quite easy - don't purchase any weight loss program or product that makes any of the following claims:

"Lose 30 pounds in 30 days."

You might be able to lose 30 pounds in 30 days, or some other high amount of weight in a short period of time, but the weight loss will primarily be water and muscle, not body fat. It's physiologically impossible to lose that much body fat in that short a period of time. A realistic weight loss goal is one to two pounds of body fat per week, or up to 1% of total body weight if you're extremely heavy.

"Lose weight without dieting or exercising."

Programs or products that promise quick and easy weight loss with no effort on your part are bogus. If you want to lose body fat and keep it off, you have to make lifestyle changes. You have to cut back on calories, eat a healthy diet, and increase your physical activity.

"Lose weight while eating whatever foods you want."

Losing body fat requires eating a healthy, reduced calorie diet consisting of a good mix of lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats. You're never going to lose body fat if you're eating calorie dense foods that are loaded with sugar, saturated fat or trans fat.

"Block the absorption of fat, carbs or calories."

There's no scientific evidence that any pill or supplement can block the absorption of fat, carbs or calories.

In conclusion, by avoiding weight loss scams, you're one step closer to achieving your weight loss goals.

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is a great resource that can help you achieve your weight loss goals. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

Weight Loss vs Fat Loss

When it comes to weight loss vs fat loss, you need to know the difference between the two.

Many people who want to lose weight go on some sort of crash diet hoping to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time. They drastically reduce calories and become fixated on what weight the scale shows.

As their weight decreases, they assume that all or most of the weight being lost is body fat. They oftentimes couldn't be more wrong.

The reality is that when you go on a very low calorie diet, you often end up losing more water and lean muscle mass than you do body fat.

Very low calorie diets cause you to lose water because when calories are drastically reduced your body gets needed energy by burning glycogen (stored glucose in the liver and muscles). Glycogen holds on to water, so when it's burned for energy it releases water, which is expelled via urination.

Very low calorie diets cause you to lose lean muscle mass because when you drastically reduce calories in order to starve away body fat, you also starve away lean muscle mass.

Between the loss of water and lean muscle mass, as much as 75% of the weight you lose on a very low calorie diet might not be body fat. This is why the weight loss on very low calorie diets can be so deceiving.

Losing weight needs to be all about losing body fat. It's excess body fat that makes you look and feel bad, and excess body fat is what increases your risk for a variety of health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.

The most effective way to lose body fat is to combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine.

A fat loss nutrition plan is based on cutting back on calories, not on drastically reducing them. It's also based on eating certain healthy foods that are less likely to be converted to body fat. A fat loss nutrition plan is not a temporary way of eating like a diet is, it's a permanent way of eating that can be followed for a lifetime.

A fat loss exercise routine that includes aerobic exercise and strength training enables you to lose body fat without losing lean muscle mass. There are also plenty of health and fitness benefits associated with aerobic exercise and strength training.

A great resource that shows you how to create a fat loss nutrition plan and a fat loss exercise routine is Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.

In conclusion, when it comes to weight loss vs fat loss, there's a big difference between the two, and it's important to understand the difference.

Calories and Weight Loss

Here's what you need to know about calories and weight loss if you want to lose weight and keep it off permanently.

The word calorie is used interchangeably to describe the amount of energy in food and the amount of energy stored in the body as adipose tissue (body fat).A calorie is a unit of energy. Specifically, a calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree centigrade.

When it comes to calories and weight loss, if you burn more calories than you consume, your body will tap into stored body fat for energy to make up for the calorie deficit and you'll lose weight. If you consume more calories than you burn, your body will store the surplus calories as body fat and you'll gain weight. Some foods may get stored as body fat more easily than others because of the way they affect your hormones or blood sugar, but too much of any food will get stored as body fat.

Since you must create a calorie deficit if you want to lose body fat, what's the best way to create this deficit? Should you decrease calories, increase physical activity, or do both? The best way to create a calorie deficit is to combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine.

A fat loss nutrition plan is based on cutting back on calories, not on drastically reducing them. It's also based on eating certain healthy foods that are less likely to be converted to body fat. A fat loss nutrition plan is not a temporary way of eating like a diet is, it's a permanent way of eating that can be followed for a lifetime.

A fat loss exercise routine that includes aerobic exercise and strength training enables you to lose body fat without losing lean muscle mass and without slowing down your metabolism. There are also plenty of health and fitness benefits associated with aerobic exercise and strength training.

Even though combining a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine is the best way to create a calorie deficit and lose body fat, many people make the mistake of doing just the opposite - they go on a very low calorie diet and do little or no exercise.

A very low calorie diet can produce quick weight loss, but what happens once the diet ends? Most people go back to the same old way of eating that caused them to be overweight in the first place and end up gaining back any lost weight. The reality is that very low calorie diets almost never result in permanent weight loss.

Another major problem that very low calories diets have is that they cause you to lose lean muscle mass. When you drastically reduce calories in order to starve away body fat, you also starve away lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is metabolically active tissue, so when you lose lean muscle mass your metabolism slows down. The slower your metabolism, the easier it is to gain weight and the harder it is to lose it.

The bottom line when it comes to calories and weight loss is that there's no better way to create a calorie deficit and lose body fat than by combining a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine. When you combine a fat loss nutrition plan with a fat loss exercise routine, the result will be not just a leaner body, but a stronger, fitter, healthier body.

A great resource that shows you how to create a fat loss nutrition plan and a fat loss exercise routine is Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.