The BEST New Year's Resolution

Well, the big day is here!


I hope you have a safe, happy, and healthy New Year's planned and that you are ready to make 2010 your best year ever.

I promise to help YOU every step of the way! (I'm actually working on a new site to move the blog too!)

In the spirit of the New Year's countdown, fat loss expert Craig Ballantyne wanted me to share with you the top 10 reasons you need to get started with Turbulence Training before the 50% off sale ENDS on Friday, January 1st, at 9pm, EST.


#10 - You need to lose that holiday fat and the Turbulence Training workouts are PROVEN to do that - just take a look at all of the amazing success stories and winners of the TT Transformation Contest (That could be YOU in just a few short weeks...).

I started using Turbulence Training last year and I lost 35lbs through September! Of course I fell off the wagon, but I know when I start the Trasformation Contest this Sunday that I will have NO problem losing the fat I want to lose!

#9 - You get TWO bonus AB Workouts when you become a TT Member, including the classic "TT for Lower Abs" that includes advanced exercises that work the insertion of the internal obliques - commonly referred to as the lower ab area.

Not only is Craig giving you these 2 great workouts, but I'm throwing in 4 extra bonuses ($90 Value) when you purchase purchase the 50% off Turbulence Training package through http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

You are looking at over $200 in bonuses when you combine my bonuses with Craig's. Now that's a great investment for only $20!

#8 - No more long, slow, boring cardio...EVER. There's no need to lose fat! I have a full time job where I can work anywhere from 40-60 hours a week plus I LOVE to spend time with my wife and son, so I don't want to spend hours in the gym. Turbulence Training lets me do that! I go to the gym 3 times a week and I am done with my workout in less than an hour.

#7 - You'll be able to watch all of the TT for Fat Loss workouts on video in the Member's area to see perfect form for all exercises. This is better than a trainer! You'll have 24/7 access to this area to ensure you are doing each exercise properly.

#6 - You'll get bonus reports including "Expert Transformation Secrets" and the motivational "Mastering the Fat Loss Mindset". These are excellent reports that Craig is giving away. Remember if you buy through http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/ you will be receiving over $200 in bonuses from Craig and myself.

Ready to get started? Click here to get Turbulence Training and all both Craig's and my bonuses for 50% off: (That's $200 in bonuses PLUS Turbulence Training and access to TTMembers.com for only $20!)

=> http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

#5 - In addition to the monthly TT Workouts, you'll also get access to the Advanced TT for Abs Nutrition program from Isabel De Los Rios.


#4 - You'll be given amazing social support from other men and women from all over the world who share your struggles and who have made amazing fat loss transformations even though they have busy jobs and big families and many other obstacles to work around.

I have made some very good friends on the TTMembers.com. Everyone is on that forum will help you, its a great community.

#3 - In the TT Member's forum, you'll get step by step guides and help from other members on how to dominate your body transformation and possibly even win the $1000 grand prize for men or women.



#2 - You'll get 50% off the complete Turbulence Training for Fat Loss package, used by over 11,261 TT Members and millions of readers of Men's Health, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, and Prevention magazines.

#1 - You'll get all of your workout and nutrition questions answered by fitness expert Craig Ballantyne on the forum, often within just hours or even minutes of you posting your questions.

PLUS...it's guaranteed that you will 100% love everything about the Turbulence Training program and the TT Member's area or you can just let Craig know and he'll give you a full refund within 60 days.

There's no risk to you to get started with TT.

I promise you'll love it.

Ready to get started?


=> http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

(just follow the simple instructions to receive all of your bonuses)

Happy New Year!

Here's to your best year ever,

Mike

PS - I want to take this opportunity to Thank YOU so much for being a reader and friend in 2009, and I can't wait to help you get more results, freedom, confidence, and happiness in 2010.

Even More Turbulence Training Bonuses!! Great Way to Start the New Year!

I was so excited about the 50% off Turbulence Training sale announcement yesterday that I forgot to mention there's a LOT more to this special than just the savings on the TT program.

In addition to the money you'll save, fat loss expert Craig Ballantyne is also giving you 5 bonus workouts. You'll get:

1) TT Hard-Core Fat Loss - The most intense TT workout
2) TT Booty For Life - 8-weeks to a better butt
3) TT for Buff Dudes & Hot Chicks - 2009's most popular workout
4) TT for Meatheads - For guys who love lifting for muscles
5) TT Bodysculpting for Women - Bodyweight exercises for women


AND...you also get two new programs EVERY month in the TT Member's area. For January, you'll get "TT 2K10 - The Ultimate Fat Loss Workout" and "TT Beginner Total Torso Training".

Plus, once you're a TT Member, you'll get to access the forums where you can ask Craig Ballantyne specific questions about your very own nutrition and exercise program - so you get the personal attention you need to succeed.

The member's area is also full of thousands of other TT users from all over the world to give you social support and to help you overcome all of the obstacles in your way.

All of these bonuses PLUS the 4 ebooks that I am giving away makes this the perfect way to start your 2010 fat loss efforts! And its all only $20!! The return on this investment could be huge! Just imagine yourself once summer comes and you are a lot leaner, heck you may even have 6 pack abs!
That's why it's a guarantee that 2010 will be your best year ever thanks to Turbulence Training.

But hurry, the 50% Turbulence Training sale is only on until Friday, January 1st.

Click here to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime sale:

=> http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

It's the perfect way to start your body transformation and kick-off the New Year to make 2010 your best year ever!

PS - The 50% Off Sale Ends Friday, January 1st at 9pm EST.

Please don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to lose fat for good - without doing long, slow, boring cardio workouts. Not only will you be getting my 4 Ebooks (just follow the isntructions on http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/) but Craig is giving you some awesome bonuses plus the chance to enter the Transformation Contest and win $1,000!!

Click here to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime sale:

=> http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

This is going to be your BEST YEAR EVER! You deserve it.

Turbulence Training 50% Off Sale Starts at Midnight!!

Wow, I just heard from fat loss expert Craig Ballantyne and he is kicking off his 7th Turbulence Training Transformation Contest by having his FIRST EVER 50% off sale on his world-wide best selling program, Turbulence Training.

Plus, you can win up to $1000 in the Transformation Contest just for losing your belly fat, so here are 3 amazing reasons to get started with Turbulence Training today.

Reason #1 - Turbulence Training is guaranteed to help you lose fat (and you get a 60-day guarantee so you can try out the program for 2 months to judge for yourself). Believe me it works wonders! After all I did finish third in the 6th Transformation Contest!

Reason #2 - In the 7th TT Transformation Contest, the winners of the male and female divisions get $1000 cash PLUS a 3-year Platinum Turbulence Training Membership. It could be YOU! Craig pays out the 2nd and 3rd place winners too!

Reason #3 - The most important reason to get started with Turbulence Training immediately is the fact that it's on sale for the FIRST time ever. Until Friday, January 1st at 9pm, EST, the price has been slashed by 50% in order to get as many people as possible started on their Turbulence Training Body Transformation.

Reason #4 - I'm going to give you 4 great books that will help you with your fat lose, for FREE!! Yep, that's right, free! To be honest, I put on some weight since I finished third in the transformation contest (I'm really disappointed in myself!). To turn things around I read 4 great books that I think will help get my weight back down and hopefully get those abs popping! These books were so good, I asked the authors if I could give them away and they agreed! These books sell for $90 and I'm going to be giving them away to you for free, all you have to do is buy Turbulence Training and join me on the TTMembers forum. We can lose the weight together!

So here's what you need to do now:

1) Go to http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

2) Follow the instructions on the site in order to get my bonuses (you just have to click a link.)

3) Click on the Get Started Link under the Big Yellow Start Button on the Turbulence Training site (this is after you click on my link from http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/ )

4) Download your copy of Turbulence Training and all of the workout bonuses and start using the workouts and nutrition advice today to lose that holiday blubber and get a headstart on your New Year's fat loss program.

5) Create your username and password for the TT Member's area. Once you do that, leave me a comment with you screen name so I can look for you on the forums!

6) Post any personal workout and nutrition questions on the TT forum and Craig Ballantyne will answer those for you within hours. I'm serious the man is a machine!! He lives and breathes for this forum!

That's all you have to do to get started losing fat today!
But hurry, the 50% Turbulence Training sale is only available until Friday, January 1st.


Click here to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime sale and remember you have to follow the directions in order to get my bonuses:

=>> http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

It's the perfect way to start your body transformation and kick-off the New Year to make 2010 your best year ever!

(And you could win up to $1000 in the Transformation Contest!)

Remember to comment with your screen name once you get on the forums!

Mike

PS - The 50% Off Sale Ends Friday, January 1st at 9pm EST.

Please don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to lose fat for good - without doing long, slow, boring cardio workouts.

That means you won't have to wait in line at the gym to do cardio when everyone goes back to the gym as a New Year's resolution.

Click here to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime sale and get $90 worth of bonuses:

=>> http://www.mikessixpackabs.com/

This is going to be your BEST YEAR EVER! You deserve it.

4 Common But Useless Fattburning Exercises

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

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

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

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

Here they are...

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:

7 Minute Muscle

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. Ab exercises are fine, but guess what?

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

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

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

Every Other Day Diet

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

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:

1. Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach;

2. Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately);

3. "Burst" for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate.

4. OR, do cardio right after weight or resistance training when your heart rate is already elevated and your blood sugar is lower. Your body burns blood sugar first during exercise.
Cardio for most people only needs to be performed 3-4 times a week for 20 minutes. The only time I break this rule is when I want to get my body fat below 10%. Then I will do more, but only using the rules above.

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

Enjoy your holidays!

Mike

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:

CLICK.HERE

A Way to Eat Your Favorite Foods and Still Shed Bodyfat Like Crazy...

Let me get right to the point:

If you thought you had to give up yourfavorite foods in order to shed unwanted bodyfat, then this will be one of the most important letters you ever read.

Two "former fatties" developed a System ofeating that allows you to eat whateveryou like every other day and still loseall-the-weight you want.

No pills. No guilt. Just a dietplan for theREAL WORLD, developed by real people.

If you want to skip ahead, go here --

EVERY OTHER DAY DIET

>>> Most Dietplans Are Too Hard

Most of what you've read about how to shed bodyweight is a lie.
Some 'experts' expect you to believe theyeat chicken and broccoli every night fordinner and rarely if ever cheat.

Right. And I'm the Dalai Lama!

Just as bad, these plans are too difficult for anyone to follow for more than a few weeks.
So when folks like you discover they can eattheir favorite foods every single week andstill shed the weight you should see the look on their faces.

They can't believe it.

Some think they have to take some "superpill" to succeed. Not true!

Others think they will have to spend hours a day in the gym killing themselves. No way!

Here's the truth:

Jon and Jan were both obese. Over the pastfour years, they perfected a System that showsyou how they went from obese to "cover model"fit and still eat their favorite foods.
Not "once a week" either -- they INSIST you eat yummy food frequently and without guilt or worry.

>>> Even better, they never count a single calorie!

See for yourself --

EVERY OTHER DAY DIET

Here's the facts: there is NO SUCH THING as a perfect diet plan.

But thousands of people make billions ofbucks off of selling the idea that there is onlyONE way to eat in order to get lean.

Even worse: these people create dietplansso ridiculously strict that even fitness pros likeJon and Jan can't follow them!

They had to create a plan anyone could follow. Women, men, and even kids.

You should see these pictures! They used Jan's six-year-old daughter Kari to prove a point --
This is so simple a even CHILD can do it!

And you should see their clients...the few whoknow about this System...

They get to eat pizza, burgers, ice cream,and more...and still lose-the-weight!
This is not a pill or a scam...this is scienceapplied to the real world.

The science: you take advantage of the factyour body prefers a change of pace and canrespond by burning ugly fat.

The real world: no one is going to eat saladand tuna every day for the rest of their life inorder to shed bodyfat and feel good again.

Simple, right? Common sense!

You absolutely MUST HAVE a dietplan youcan live with for life.
And that's what this is.

Even better: through our special link-below, you get this new System at **HALF PRICE ** for a limited time only:

EVERY OTHER DAY DIET

That's HALF PRICE just for being on my Preferred Subscriber List. How great is that!
What is this new System called?

>>> Announcing "The Every Other Day Diet!"

Great name, isn't it? Pretty much says it all.

But this isn't just a 'book'. You are supported for an entire year with audios, recipes, success stories, and more.

All for less than the cost of a dinner for two at a cheap restaurant.
That's hard to beat.
Plus you get it at half price.
PLUS you get 10 killer bonuses worth over $500.

Call it a gift for being a loyal reader. Or call it a Holiday Special...whatever you like.
This is a simple plan that you will absolutely love.

It's a System that took years to perfect and is about to take the entire nation by storm.
And you get it first.

Go read more --

EVERY OTHER DAY DIET<== click P.S. Thank you for being so patient, too. Jon and Jan received countless emails about The Every Other Day Diet..."When is it coming out?" "How can I get an advanced copy?"

"How the heck does it work??"

Go here and get your advanced copy...at half price...and discover the System for yourself --

EVERY OTHER DAY DIET <== click

20 Vegetarian Holiday Recipes

I love the Thanksgiving holiday! Why? Because I can enjoy all of the meals while still eating healthy.

For example, here's what I try to get a lot of:

Appetizer: Shrimp and raw veggies

Dinner: Turkey (very little gravy), sweet potato, lots of veggies

Desert: This is my cheat for the week so I allow myself to indulge in a slice of my favorite chocolate pudding pie.

Sounds good right!?! Well it is, but I do have some vegetarian friends who hate this holiday! Well I'm now going to give you veggie recipes that will make your meatless holiday a great one!

Fortunately, I just received an email from vegetarian recipe expert, Kardena Pauza, and here's what she has planned:

"For Thanksgiving, we are going to be at my good friend's house so we will bring some dishes over to contribute to the dinner.

The dishes I am going to make are in the new Vegan holiday recipe book that I just prepared for you.

So on Thursday, I'll be "cooking" up a storm, preparing...

1. Cauliflower mashed potatoes and vegan gravy
2. Healthy Vegan green bean casserole
3. Raw chocolate truffles - my specialty!
4. Fresh, homemade cranberry sauce

And my vegan friends will surprise me with their awesome holiday dishes. I cant wait to have pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes! Two of my favorites!

If you want to try those out, plus 16 more of the best holiday Vegan recipes to help you eat healthy and veggie over the holidays, then I have great news for you.

You'll even discover a substitute for Thanksgiving Turkey, Beef Wellington, and more yummy chocolate desserts."

And to celebrate Thanks-Veganing (and November's World Vegan Month), Kardena is including her 20 Vegan Holiday Recipes book along with a $30 discount on the Easy Veggie Meal Plans System.

But hurry...the $30 off Easy Veggie Meal Plans celebration discount is only available until American Thanksgiving Thursday, November 26th at 11:59pm. As soon as "Black Friday" morning comes, the bonus is removed and the price goes back up.

Click here for the veggie holiday recipes bonus & $30 off holiday sale:

VEGGIE HOLIDAY RECIPES

PS - Be a FAST ACTION taker and start celebrating vegetarian eating and Thanks-Veganing by improving your health, boosting your energy, clearing your complexion, and dramatically transforming your body with these special holiday recipes and the Easy Veggie Meal Plans today!

VEGGIE HOLIDAY RECIPES

3 Secrets For a Fat Burning Holiday Plan

If you want to do the impossible and LOSE fat over the holidays,then this is going to be the most important fat burning tips articleyou ever read.

Losing fat and keeping the weight off over the holidays is easier than you think. And I'm going to show you exactly what you need todo to lose fat while enjoying yourself at big meals and parties over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

There's just 3 simple steps you need to follow.

1) You need to plan out your reward meals in advance. Remember, itis a big psychological boost to your fat loss program if you canstill enjoy your favorite foods while transforming your body.
So here's what you need to do. Simply grab a calendar and mark offthe days when you have a big meal planned. Don't forget, you getat least one meal per week when you can have whatever you want.

That means you can mark off Thanksgiving Thursday, and then your work holiday party, then your family Christmas dinners, and any other event you have planned. Once per week you get to reward yourself for doing such a great job with your program. So enjoy!

2) The second thing you need to do is plan out your fat burningexercises sessions in advance, so you know exactly what you need todo in order to free up more time for holiday parties, shopping, andmerry-making.

Remember, you don't have to do long, slow, boring cardio if you want to lose stomach fat. In fact, you have to do just the opposite. You need to cut your workout time, cut the time you spend at the gym, and just say NO to cardio and crunches. Both are a waste of your time - and that's my holiday gift to you - never having to do those silly exercises ever again.

Switch to the simple, bodyweight and home fat burning exercises inthe Turbulence Training system. You'll love how you can burn fat inthe comfort of your own home in just a few short minutes each week.


3) Stay strong with social support. Now more than ever is the time of year when you need to spend time with your social support group. Make sure you are still checking in on the Turbulence Trainingmember's forum to get help and support on sticking to your fat burning plan over the holidays. You'll get help from others all overthe world to lose fat while everyone else at work gains weight.

So that's all you have to do...just follow that simple 3-step plan of reward meals, planning, and social support, and you'll lose fatover the holidays.


I strongly recommend you get the exact diet and fat burning plan that I use from Turbulence Training from world famous fitness expert, CraigBallantyne.

Plus, with today's special offer, you can try out the Turbulence Training Fat Loss System for only $4.95 for the next 21 days.


Click this HERE to try out Turbulence Training today:


=> TURBULENCE TRAINING


PS - Don't forget...
The Turbulence Training System has a 60-day guarantee. If you aren't 100% satisfied, just let Craig Ballantyne know and you'll get every penny back.

=> TURBULENCE TRAINING

Here's to your Fat Loss during the holiday season!!

GIGO for Weight Loss

I went out with a friend to lunch this week and he asked me a question that I hear a lot:

"Mike, I've been exercising a lot lately, but I have barely lost any weight. Why?"

My friend works in the computer industry so I decided to answer his question in familiar terms for him.

First, I told him that exercising was a great start in his fat loss journey. However, I told him his diet was even more important than the exercise. I asked him if he understood the term GIGO. Of course he said yes and told me GIGO stood for Garbage In Garbage Out for computer programing. So basically if you put bad code into a computer than you can expect to get bad results.

I proceeded to tell my friend to apply the same GIGO theory from computers to his fat loss goals.

He looked at me like I was nuts!!!

I went on to explain that if you put garbage into your body (junk food, sweets, soda, etc.) then junk is going to come out (fat, cellulite, stomach rolls, etc.). In order for my friend to be successful he needed not only to exercise but also cut his caloric intake and start eating healthy foods.

So remember when you are trying to lose fat that your diet is MORE important than exercise. If you put garbage into your body than you will get garbage (FAT) back out!

Want to Lose Weight Before The New Year?!?

I've always thought that everyone's New Year's resolution to lose weight was pointless. The resolution maybe will last 2 months and then everyone usually goes back to their old ways. Why not try and get healthy and lose fat NOW?!? I've always used transformation contests for extra motivation and I've found a new one that you can join to start losing fat before and during the holidays.

This contest is being run by Tom Venuto, author of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. Please check out what Tom has to say. If you want to start getting healthy and losing fat now, this contest could be the motivation you need!

Please read below or if you want to sign up:

(1) Purchase the Burn The Fat e-book

(2) Join the Burn The Fat Inner Circle fitness support community ("contest central")

Tom Venuto's Holiday Fitness Challenge to You

Every year as Thanksgiving gets closer, you’ve probably seen the depressing reports: “Most people gain between 5 and 10 pounds of body fat in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.” I’m not sure if this worries you or not, but a lot of people are terrified about getting fatter in the next two months. They anticipate the workouts falling by the wayside and the holiday food calling out to them irresistibly, defeating even the strongest willpower. There’s good news and bad news about this.

Good news: According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the average amount gained is much more modest - just over a pound.

Bad news: A study by the National Institutes of Health found that this seasonal weight gain - even just a pound - is the kind of weight gain that most people don’t lose when the holidays are over; it simply adds to the “weight creep” that “sneaks up” on you as you get older.

People often wonder how it’s possible to wake up one morning at age 40 or 45 and “suddenly” they’re 30 pounds fatter - or more - than they were in college. Mystery solved.

Of course, some people really do pack it on over the holidays, but whether its a pound or ten pounds, did you ever ask yourself why does holiday weight gain happen at all?

In previous years, I’ve asked my readers and here are some common answers I was given:

Holiday Excuse Survey Says…

“I’m too busy over the holidays to work out as often as usual.”
“I’m more stressed over the holidays, and the food is there, so I eat more.”
“I have at least three parties to attend and then there’s Christmas and New Year’s, so it’s impossible to stay on a diet”
“No one can tell me not to enjoy myself over the holidays so I’m just going to eat whatever I want.”

These answers all have a few things in common:

“Either/Or” Thinking and “Reverse Goal Setting” Exposed

First, they assume that you can EITHER get in better shape OR enjoy yourself, but not both. Stated in reverse: You can either deprive yourself of holiday enjoyments or gain weight, but it has to be one or the other. The truth is, “either/or thinking” is neurotic thinking and a great killer of fitness programs.

Second, these are all excuses or rationalizations. “I’m too busy” for example, is always an excuse, because I have never known someone who was too busy to make time for his her highest life priorities. We all have the same amount of time - 24 hours a day – the real problem is, most people don’t make exercise and healthy eating a priority. And remember, words mean little. Actions reveal a person’s true priorities.

Third, none of these are the real reasons most people gain weight over the holidays to begin with. The real reason is because an intention was never set for the opposite: To get in better shape over the holidays.

Most people set a “goal” to get in worse shape over the holidays. It’s not consciously set, of course, as few people would intentionally set out to get fatter. They simply do it by default. In their minds, they accept that it must be just about impossible to stay in shape with everything going on over the holiday season, so why bother?

Rationing Lies For Holiday Failure

Once the decision has been made, then the rationalizing continues:

“Why should I deprive myself?” “Family is more important”“Worrying about diet and exercise during the holidays is neurotic” “I don’t care if I gain a few pounds, I’m going to enjoy myself anyway”“It’s only these two or three weeks that I let myself go wild”“I’ll start the first week in January and lose the weight then.”

As a result of this “negative goal-setting,” they expect to work out less, eat more and gain a few pounds, and they don’t seem to even consider alternatives.

But what would happen if you…

SET A GOAL TO GET IN BETTER shape over the holidays?

What would happen if you decided that it was not an all or nothing proposition and that you could enjoy the holidays and all it has to offer and get in better shape at the same time?

And what if you decided that your health and your body were the highest priorities in your life, because you realized that can’t enjoy anything else in life, including family or holidays, if you don’t have your health?

Here’s what would happen: You’d get in better shape!

I’m not all that different from you just because I’m a bodybuilder and fitness professional. I have many of the same problems, concerns and struggles as you do. Although today I always get in better shape between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, that’s a result of a conscious choice, a close examination of my old belief systems and a lot of action. For me, it all started about eight years ago.

For most of my adult life, I wasn’t much of a traveler and I didn’t enjoy flying or staying in hotels. For one thing, I had so many business commitments in the East Coast health club business, that I seldom left town for long, as I had to “tend to the stores.” But I also had a belief that if I traveled, my workouts and nutrition would suffer. After all, “it would be hard to stick with my usual bodybuilding diet, and I wouldn’t have access to my usual gyms”, I told myself. For these reasons, I never did much travel..

Then I was forced to take some trips for business reasons. Predictably enough, my nutrition and workouts suffered while I was spending time in airplanes and in hotels. With my experience having confirmed my beliefs, I re-affirmed to myself, “See, travelling is nothing but a pain. You just can’t stay on a diet and training program when you’re out of town.”

After several more trips, I noticed that something very negative happened: I surrendered. I had resigned myself to “not bother” while I was on the road. I let my expectations create my reality.

But I didn’t let it go on for long. As soon as I became aware of what was happening, I decided that I wouldn’t tolerate it, so I challenged myself and my previous limiting beliefs. I asked myself, “Why the heck not? Why let myself backslide? Why even settle for maintaining? Why not challenge myself to improve while I’m traveling?” The answer was: There was no good reason, there were only excuses.

From that day forward, I set a challenge for myself…

To come back from every trip or vacation in better shape than when I left.

Of course there were exceptions, as when I went on a vacation for total R & R. But I never let travel get in my way again. I prepared food that I would eat on the planes so airline food was never an excuse… I usually chose hotels that had kitchens, so I could cook my own food. I went food shopping immediately after check-in. I wrote my training schedule and scouted gyms in advance… And I actually found myself training harder than usual.

No matter where I was training - it could even be some “dungeon” of a gym in the middle of nowhere - it didn’t matter because my mind was focused on improving and looking better when I came home than when I left. I had a goal to motivate me!

What do you think happened? It’s not hard to guess: I always came home in better shape than when I left.

Since then, my “travel challenge” has become somewhat of a ritual in my life. When I’m away from my “home-base” it becomes a “fitness road trip.” I search the Internet or yellow pages or ask locals to help me find the most hard-core gym nearby wherever I will be staying (Gold’s Gym works for me!) When I get there, I train every bit as hard as if I had a competition just weeks away. I look forward to it now. In fact, this is what led me to my “holiday fitness challenge” idea.

Like many people, I travel over the holidays, so I’m automatically in “travel challenge” mode at thanksgiving, Christmastime and New Year’s. But with the additional temptations and busyness that the holidays bring on top of the usual travel stresses, I saw fit to declare a new challenge:

“The Holiday Challenge.” The difference was that for my “holiday challenge,” I pledged to not only to return home in better shape than when I left, but to enjoy the holidays to the fullest at the same time.

People who think I deprive myself to look the way I do would be shocked: I eat like a KING over the holidays including Pumpkin (or apple) Pie at Thanksgiving and OF COURSE my mom’s famous red and green Jell-O Christmas cake. Then on New Year’s I’m usually toasting champagne and having a blast with friends or family….

The difference is, I don’t eat like that very often.

Every other meal stays right on schedule and I work out hard and consistently over the holidays; I don’t let everything fall apart just because ‘tis the season.’

The idea that you can EITHER enjoy the holidays OR stay in shape - but not both - is wrong, it’s damaging and it’s limiting.

Life is not an either or proposition; it’s a matter of balance.

Success does not mean going to extremes. Success can be a simple matter of re-examining your beliefs, rearranging your priorities, setting goals, changing the questions you ask yourself and re-evaluating your expectations.

Your expectations will become your reality. What are you expecting? Are you expecting success? Are you expecting to be in better shape after holiday parties, celebrations, banquets, dinners, and desserts? If not, then why not? What’s preventing you from enjoying all of the above and still getting in better shape? Do you have a limiting belief which dictates that it’s one or the other? Could it be that you never set a goal, intention or expectation to do it? Could it be that you’re rationalizing or making excuses? If so, then I challenge you to change it this year.

As of this writing, there are less than two months until the end of the year. Why not see how much you can improve your physique over the holidays, without depriving yourself of any holiday enjoyments or festivities? Just step up your expectations. Step up your standards. Step up your nutrition. Step up your training. Step up your action. Step up and accept the “Burn The Fat holiday fitness challenge and see what happens!

That’s right… The First Annual Burn The Fat Holiday Fitness challenge contest is open from Wednesday November 18th to Wednesday November 25th.

Over the course of a “50-Day Burn” which spans all three major holidays - Thanksgiving (US), Christmas and New Year's - you'll have the motivation, the accountability and structured program to end the year strong, start the new year on the foot and possibly get in the best shape of your life.

Even better, you'll be able to eat delicious Holiday Food and enjoy yourself to the fullest at the same time because this is a lifestyle program which allows your favorite foods in moderation and balance.

And the best part of all: I'm sending the winners of the contest to Negril Jamaica to show off their new bodies on the beach in 2010!

Taking the Burn The Fat Challenge is simple. You can enter the contest two ways:

(1) Purchase the Burn The Fat e-book

(2) Join the Burn The Fat Inner Circle fitness support community ("contest central")

You'll be automatically enrolled with either purchase.

Or, if you want ALL the contest details and the FULL list of prizes, visit the CONTEST PAGE

Train hard and expect success!

-Tom Venuto,

The Best Fat Loss Exercise?

There is no single best fat loss exercise. Instead, you must have a list full of effective fat loss exercises, mainly exercises that focus on compound movements. This list will eliminate boredom and physical staleness from repeating the same fat burning exercises over and over again. Plus you will always keep your body guessing which helps ensure that you won’t plateau and will prevent overuse injuries.



That being said, I do have a favorite fat burning exercise. Not only is this exercise a great fat burner, but it can also be done anywhere! When this exercise is done properly, a few minutes of this exercise can burn as many calories as jogging at a steady pace for an entire boring hour!

Let me introduce you to the Advanced Burpee! The Advanced Burpee can be broken down into 4 steps. Please remember when performing this exercise that form is more important than speed. Make sure you take things slowly at first until you have sound form.

1. Stand as if you were going to perform a body weight squat. Squat down, keeping your lower back straight and put your hands on the ground in front of your feet as if you were a frog about to jump to the next lily pad.


2. Kick your feet back to bring yourself to a push-up position.


3. Perform a push-up.


4. At the top of the push-up thrust your legs back up into the squat position (‘frog’ position) with your hands still on the floor.


5. Finish by jumping up in the air with your arms straight up, as if you wanted to touch the sky. Once you’ve landed, quickly drop back down into the ‘frog’ position (step 1) and continue to do the exercise for the allotted time or # of repetitions.

Since the Advanced Burpee can be done anywhere, I use it as a complete workout when I’m traveling or when I don’t have time to make it to the gym.

The workout is rather simple: I set my stop watch to 5 minutes and do as many Advanced Burpees as I can in the allocated 5 minutes. I keep track of how many Advanced Burpees I do and try to improve on that number the next time I perform the workout.

Although there are a lot of different fat burning exercises out there, the Advanced Burpee is one of the most effective and one of my favorites!

3 Secrets to Get a Booty for Life Today!

If you want to lose thigh fat, get sexy legs, and build a perky butt and booty that you can be proud of for life, then this will be the most important article you ever read.

Nutrition is the secret to success for women when it comes to sculpting their bodies and losing thigh fat.

Do you keep a nutrition log? If not, you must start doing so!

Research shows you'll lose more fat if you track your diet and write down what you eat.
Record every aspect of your nutrition for at least 1 week. Most people have no idea how many calories they are eating each day. Just doing that will help you lose inches. After you have tracked your diet for a week go to FitDay.com and enter in your weeks food intake. Fitday will tell you exactly how much and what you are eating!

Here are 3 more secrets to success if you want a Booty for Life...

1) The #1 diet secret to success is...

To remove excess sugar and processed foods from your diet and switch to cheaper and healthier foods. In the Booty for Life program, you'll receive a complete calorie counter and meal plan guideline to help you identify the perfect fat burning meal plan for women.

2) Small nutrition changes can help you lose a lot of fat.

This can be as simple as committing to one small nutritional improvement per day (such as replacing your lunchtime soda with water) and one large change per week (such as setting aside time on a Sunday to shop and prepare for your weekly meals).

In the Booty for Life program, you'll also get...- The Treats and Cheats Food Guide- A step by step system to determine the number of calories you need- Detailed guides to good carb, high-protein, and healthy fat foods- A perfect meal plan for eating multiple meals, even for busy women

3) Exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home - and even while LYING DOWN! - can help you sculpt your booty and "perkify"your butt.

In the Booty for Life workout program, you'll discover..

• Unique LYING DOWN exercises that work your butt
• Proven exercises to burn belly fat
• You don't need long, slow cardio or boring crunches

And you can build a beautiful butt in the comfort of your own home!

Click this link to get the complete Booty for Life program and nutrition guide:

BOOTY FOR LIFE

The Number #1 Rule You Need to Lose Weight!

So what is the #1 rule you need to lose weight? First, let me tell you that it’s not some fat loss pill, colon cleanse or acai berry drink! Those items DO NOT WORK and are just a waste of your hard earned money!

The #1 rule of weight lose is:

Eat Less and Exercise More!

Pretty simple right? The formula for losing weight is really easy: If calories consumed is less than calories expended than you will lose weight! There’s no magic pills, cleanses or fruits needed! You just need to find good exercise and eating programs.

I've lost over 35lbs so far this year following this easy formula. For an exercise program, I'd highly recommend Turbulence Training. A great diet program is the Every Other Day Diet. If you hate dieting than try Eat Stop Eat.

Great Tip That Works for Flattening the Belly

We all know that wisdom often comes with age.

Well in this case, fatloss wisdom comes with really, really... REALLY old age.

I'm talking Fred Flintstone-age. Think more Spartans than Fred Flinstone though, they had better bodies!

But once I saw how it works, it made perfect sense to try it myself...
... and what do you know?

Flatter stomach; less bodyfat; and better muscle tone. Even sleep improves.

All from this 1 tip.

There's a presentation you need to see:

--> Click Here

That will tell you all about it.

Enjoy!

P.S. On this page you'll also discover how to get a really powerful fat loss plan for FREE...
Folks can shed up to 21lbs in 21days if they do it right...I tried it during TC5 during my last 3 weeks of the competition and I finished in 3rd place!

Top 5 Ways to Fight Junk Food Cravings

1. Just try and stick it out - This is obviously the hardest way to avoid not eating junk. I’ve never smoked, but trying to just sit back and ignore the craving must feel similar to trying to quit smoking cold turkey.

2. Remember your goals - If you are in a transformation competition, like myself, or have a reunion or wedding coming up, remind yourself of your end goal and why you can’t succumb to sweets. Most likely you will not want any junk food after thinking about your long term goals.

3. Get on the Internet and find motivation - If I’m craving sweets or any type of junk food I head straight to the Internet or health magazine. Why? Because pictures fitness models, buff guys and really hot chicks makes me realize that my body is not where I want it YET. Seeing these pictures makes me think if I really NEED the sweets/junk food.

4. Drink some water - Sometimes when you are feeling a craving for junk you’re not really hungry, but thirsty. Try drinking a one or two glasses of water and wait 10-20 minutes. I’m willing to bet your craving goes away.

5. Have something sweet, Fruit!! – If you really need to eat something then have some fruit. It should fulfill your sweet craving and it is very good for you. If you are worried about the extra carbs in fruit than try eating berries. (Strawberries, raspberries, blue berries, etc.)

A Tip for More Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

I read an interesting article out of the Journal of Science & Medicine in Sport this morning. This tip could help you burn fat faster and even add muscle too!

The study investigated the growth hormone (GH) response to different rest periods during training. 12 healthy trained females participated in the study and were asked to perform lower body resistance exercises. The participants were then assigned different rest intervals of 30 seconds, 60 seconds and 120 seconds.

The study found that the women with the 60 and 120 second rest intervals had a spike in GH after their workouts BUT the women with the 30 second rest intervals had the greatest spike in GH.

So what does this mean?? It means that you should be doing some of your exercises with 30 second rest periods in order to help you get those ripped six pack abs you've always wanted and even gain some muscle.

In my current Turbulence Training workout, Craig has a majority of the exercises done with 60 seconds of rest, but he does have some exercises where there are no super-sets, just 1 exercise that you do with only 30 seconds rest!

reference: Journal of Science & Medicine in Sport 12:73-78, 2009

5 More Fat Burning Tips for You

At this time of year, we can use every last tip to help avoid holiday weight gain. Since I've been using Turbulence Training for so long, I've asked Craig Ballantyne for some tips. Here's what he had to say:

So here are 5 more fat loss tips for beginner & advanced readers.

1) No liquid calories (with the exception of a post-workout drink).

Get rid of all the juices, the sodas, and the sports drinks. Liquid sugar is the last thing you need when you are trying to lose fat.

You must also limit your alcohol intake - especially if you are making mixed drinks...that is a double calorie bomb! A single "Jack and Coke" is over 200 calories (100 calories from booze and 100 calories from the Coke).

2) No fast food.

Do not eat at fast food restaurants. Even if you choose what you think is healthy, remember this:
Fast food restaurants are all about profit!!

And in order to profit while giving you cheap, quick, and easy to prepare foods, the quality of the food ingredients will be poor -especially the protein.

Now you might have read that you can still make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. But you know what, that's just politically-correct opinion. If it's fast food, it's poor food.

Walking into a burger joint and grabbing a chicken breast on a white bread bun with a piece of old lettuce and a half-green, half-pink tomato is "barely" healthy eating.

The politically-incorrect truth is that it's going to take time and effort to eat properly. You will have to plan, shop, and prepare healthy meals. You will have to spend time cleaning, cutting, and cooking your food. That's the truth.

But believe me, it will taste so much better than fast food, and healthy eating will make you more alert. Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will make you want to have an afternoon nap at your desk.

Make one small improvement to your nutrition everyday for the rest of your life.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If you are eating 2 servings per day, then go up to 4 servings per day by the end of the week. And even if you think you are doing great by having 5 servings per day, you still need to double that (take 2-3 weeks to work your way up to 10 servings per day).

Stick with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables - organic if possible.

4) Eat 1oz of almonds or walnuts per day (1/2 oz in the AM, and the other half in the afternoon).

Most nuts are roasted in oils (possible source of trans fats), so stick to natural or dry-roasted nuts.

Don't panic...this small amount of nuts won't make you fat, but will fill you up and help you lose weight.

5) Be consistent with your workouts.

And make sure the workouts are efficient and effective. To make it easy for you to follow, stick with the Turbulence Training fat burning workout system.

It doesn't matter if you train in the morning before or after breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or at 1pm on days when the moon is in line with Saturn...don't worry about the details, just train consistently.

Click here to get Turbulence Training

6) BONUS TIP: Go for a walk after lunch or dinner (or anytime you eat a big meal).

Research shows this will help you control your cholesterol and triglycerides, plus any movement is better than sitting around watching the TV and snacking.

Improve your lifestyle everyday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MSAuthor, Turbulence Training

Fat Burning Abdominal Circuit Workout

Most people think abdominal workouts require hundreds of sit-upsand crunches. The truth, however, is that they are just a waste ofyour time, and in some cases, may actually injure your low back.

If you really want 6-pack abs along with a sculpted body then themost efficient and effective way of achieving it is through totalbody exercises.

In this workout you will be performing nine total body exercises incircuit fashion. Therefore, each exercise will be performed back to back to back with no rest in between.

Start with kettlebell swings. These are 2-hand swings and you need to power up with the hips. Drive them back and power them back up.

Move immediately into extended pushups. Move your arms out in front of you as you lower yourself down and back up.

The next exercise is a stability ball pike. This is a more advanced version of the stability ball jackknife. Place your feet on theball and your hands on the floor and pull the ball in as you push your hips up until you are in a pike position. Try to get your hips as high up as possible. If you are not very flexible, just do jackknifes in place of them.

Move immediately into stability ball back extensions. Plant your feet against a wall or something stable. Your chest is supported by the ball. Place your hands behind your head and raise yourself upand back down.


Next is a 1-arm kettlebell swing. Make sure you are driving back with your hips and back up. If you are more advanced, you can do snatches in place of the swings. Do all reps on one side and then do all reps on the other side.

Next you will do high rep close grip pushups. Tuck your elbows into your sides with your hands closer together as you move down and back up. Do as many as you can.

Move immediately into stability ball leg curls. Place your feet onthe ball and bridge your hips up with your arms out to the side. Curl the ball in while keeping your hips up the entire time. Do 20 reps.

The next exercise is a stability ball rollout. Place the ball infront of you and start in an upright position, roll the ball out.Get a nice long stretch as you roll out and contract your abs when you pull it back in. If you have an ab wheel, you can use that inplace of a stability ball. This is going to be harder than using astability ball.

Finally, you're going to finish off preferably with a sprint as the last exercise. If you can't do sprinting, you can sprint in place or finish with burpees.

In most cases, although you aren't directly targeting your abdominals, you are still required to brace them which in turn indirectly works your abdominals for a powerfully efficient abdominal workout.


If you want maximum fat burning results, switch from crunches and cardio to the belly fat burning Turbulence Training workouts:

=> TURBULENCE TRAINING

Today is the BIG Day for Your Nutrition (End of Vegetarian Month!)

Did you know that October is "World Vegetarian Month"?

It's the perfect time to try out a day of vegetarian eating, and to help you with that, my friend Kardena Pauza has put together a complete set of Vegetarian Meal Plans for you.

Plus, to celebrate, she is having a Limited Time 50% Off Sale forher Easy Veggie Meal Plans.

Click here for the veggie sale:

=> Easy Veggie Meal Plans

Until Saturday night, you'll get 50% off the Easy Veggie Meal Plans to celebrate World Vegetarian Month.

I look forward to hearing about how you improve your health and energy, and dramatically transform your body with the Easy VeggieMeal Plans System today!

Happy Vegetarian Month!!

=> Easy Veggie Meal Plans

Tuesday's Workout and A Great Breakfast Recipe!

I finished up with TT's Lean and Jacked over the weekend. It was a great workout program and I really enjoyed my 4 weeks doing it. I've never done a workout before that has you lifting heavy for one part and doing high repetitions/low rest the other! I will say that Lean and Jacked is named correctly!!

Today I started the newest Turbulence Training workout, TT Fusion 2K9. Since Craig always varies his workout designs to keep your body guessing, I did something today I haven't done in almost 2 months!! HIIT on the treadmill! I have been purposely avoiding the treadmill because of my bad ankle and have been trying to do tabatas as my HIIT. Today I got back on the treadmill and it felt great to do something different!

Oatmeal Pancakes

This recipe is from Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. It is a really healthy breakfast that you can prepare a night or two in advance and stick them in the fridge for breakfast the next morning.

Ingredients:

¾ cup Quaker quick oats or old-fashioned oatmeal
4 egg whites
1/2 apple, diced
1 scoop protein powder
1 Tsp. Cinnamon

Yield: 1 large pancake

Directions:

1.) Put all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Stir until the mixture has a semi-liquid pancake-batter-like consistency.

2.) Spray some non-stick spray on a frying pan and pour the mixture into the pan.

3.) Cook on medium heat. When one side is lightly browned and solid enough to flip, turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook the other side until lightly browned and firm.

Serving Size: 1 pancake
Calories: 423
Protein: 39.5 g
Carbs: 53.5 g.
Fat: 6 g.

NOTE: This makes a really filling breakfast! I was NOT able to finish 1 whole pancake. My recommendation is to use a less oatmeal so it is not so filling.

This is the Best Investment You Can Make in YOURSELF!!

If you are struggling to transform your body and you don't like going to the gym, then I have amazing news for you from fitness expert, Craig Ballantyne. Like many of you out there, I spent years and a lot of money on personal trainers (WAY TOO EXPENSIVE) and other get thin quick schemes (I WAS STUPID!!). The only program that has worked for me is Craig Ballantyne's Turnbulence Training system.


While nothing beats training with Craig Ballantyne in person, the next best thing is having every one of his Turbulence Training workouts demonstrated on video so that you can watch in the comfort of your own home (or hotel room, as you'll see in a minute).


And the great news is that today is your one and only chance to getone of 45 copies of the Turbulence Training Complete Package.


You'll get...


1) The Turbulence Training for Fat Loss DVD's and Manual - This is the program I started to lose all of my weight with, EXCEPT you get the DVD's to make sure you are doing the exercises with proper form. This is like having your own personal trainer right in your own home with 24/7 access!! You may think this package is a bit expensive but it pays for itself right here!


2) The 6-Month Bodyweight Workout and Manual plus the Bodyweight 500and Bodyweight 1000 DVD's - This is great so you don't even have to go to the gym!! This enables you to get your workout in anytime and anywhere!!



3) The Turbulence Training Hotel Room Workout DVD's - I just used this workout on my business trip to D.C. last week! It is fast, effective and will really help you to burn the fat!!


4) A bonus 1-Year Platinum TT Membership - The TT Members forum is awesome!! I've been a part of it since January and I love it!! Not only do you have Craig there to answer ALL of your questions, but you have other TT Members there for support, motivation and new ideas!! Did I mention that being a member also entitles you access to Craig's newest monthly workouts?? The Platinum TT Membership alone is a $240 value (Craig charges $20/month) so you're getting a huge value!!


5) An autographed copy of Craig's best-selling book, "Just Say NOto Cardio" - Great book and its signed by a great guy, nuff said!!


Whew! That's one big box that is going to show up on your doorstepwhen you get started with the Turbulence Training Complete Package.


Click this link to get your copy:


=> Turbulence Training Complete Package


Honestly this is one of the best investments you can make in yourself!! This package will start paying dividends immediately!! Consider it an early Christmas present for yourself. It contains everything you'll ever need to transform your body at home...and if you ever have any questions, you'll be able to ask Craig on the forum thanks to your 1-Year Platinum TT membership.


PS - Craig only created 50 copies...



...and 5 have already been given away. And since over 125,000 readers of fitness sites all over the Internet will hear about this one-time sale, those remaining 45 copies are going to go fast!
I'll be surprised if they aren't gone within 24 hours. So don't wait,visit this website to get your copy immediately:


=> Turbulence Training Complete Package


PPS - It's just like having Craig show you the exercises in the gym, but even better, because you'll have access to the Turbulence Training membership forum for the next 12 months to ask Craig all of your nutrition and exercise questions. So you will have 24/7 access to a trainer, try and find a trainer at your local gym that will do that at this price!


PPPS - Craig is also taking care of the shipping on all orders, so you'll get the Turbulence Training Complete Package for only $197 today...but hurry, this offer ends when those 45 copies are gone.

Mistakes with my intermittent fasting

I discoverd a mistake in my intermittent fasting that I hope you can learn from.


I usually fast twice a week and have been following Eat Stop Eat since February. I have seen great results since I started fasting, but I realized a mistake I was making that when corrected, should lead to more fat loss.


So what was I doing wrong? I was eating too much!

I know what you're thinking, if I was fasting, how was I eating too much?? I wasn't eating at all during my 24 hour fast. It's after the fast ended that I was eating too much! I wasn't eating junk, but my meal size was too big and effecting my fat loss.


Eat Stop Eat is based off of weekly calorie counting. So if my daily maintence level (calories at which you will not gain or lose weight) is 2,500 calories, then your weekly maintence calorie level is 17,500 (2,500 x 7).


I usually eat at maintence five days a week and consume 12,500 calories. The other two days of the week I will fast from dinner the night before to dinner the day of. Up until today I would eat a healthy dinner, but it would be quite large, probably 800-1,000 calories.


If I eat a dinner of 1,000 calories two times a week then my weekly calories is now at 14,500 calories. That puts me at a deficet of 3,000 calories which is almost a pound (lb = 3,500 calories). This is also a deficet without any exercise factored in.


BUT if I lower my meals to 400-500 calories after a fast then I can increase my caloric deficet to 4,000 calories, which will help expedite my fat loss!! This may not seem like a big change, but it adds up over time.


Lowering my total calories consumed after I fast will help me get to my ripped six pack abs even faster!


Eat Stop Eat has really helped me lose a lot of fat throughout my weight loss journey and should help even more now that I've correct my post-fast meals. To find out how Eat Stop Eat works (including how your growth hormones increase when you use it) please follow the link below:


=>Eat Stop Eat

Quick Tip & Thurs Workout and Meals - 10/8

Quick Tip: When you get up in the morning make sure that you have at least 2 glasses of water. Why? Would you go to work and not drink anything for the 8 hours you were there? Probably not, but that is what you are doing when you're sleeping so make sure you re-hydrate when you wake up.

If you're like me, you need your morning coffee. Make sure you drink your 2 cups of water first because coffee is a diuretic and will dehydrate you even more!

Thursday's Workout

I have to admit that every time I look at one of Craig's Turbulence Training workouts and think 'this will be a piece of cake,' I'm dead wrong!!

Today I made that mistake yet again!! I did Workout B from TT's Lean and Jacked. This is more of a leg workout and does Craig really try and kill your legs!

Instead of the usual superset, Craig starts you off with one exercise where you're told to use enough weight to get 8 reps. The only difference is that you only get 30 seconds rest between sets!! I always try to use a weight that challenges me so this was rough! But rough in a good way!!

I then continued the workout and did another superset. By this time my legs were burning and I would have been happy going home, but I wasn't done. Craig then throws his 'Kettlebell 500' at you! This was 500 repititions of kettlebell and body weight exercises. All of the exercises were made up of compound movements so your abs were getting hit hard throughout the 500 reps. Oh and I did it with as little rest as possible (that's where the 'Lean' part of the workout comes in!)

I really think that Lean and Jacked is my favorite Turbulence Training workout!

Thurday's Meals

I fasted until 2pm when I had a 3 egg omlette with bell peppers, mushrooms and bison.

At 5pm I had a salad with hard boiled egg and turkey on top with balsomic vinegar dressing.

For dinner I plan to have a small piece of steak with mushrooms, onions and spinach.

Guest Post from Jon Benson: 5 Surprising Things That Make You Leaner

Today I have a guest post from one of the great trainers out there, Jon Benson. I've used a bunch of Jon's programs including his 7 Minute Muscle.

Since the goal of this blog is to help get me below ten percent body fat so I can finally see my 6 pack abs, I've asked Jon to talk about what you should and should not be eating. After all, what you eat is attributable to at least 80% of your success in getting ripped, lean and finally finding that six pack!!

[ Editor's Note: Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

5 Surprising Things That Make You Leaner

Want to be leaner?

Good deal... here's 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 bodyfat 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:

Every Other Day Diet <-- click.

( Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your bodyweight goals. )

Well... how does EODD work?

Simple: Timing is everything.

And we take a "weekly" approach to foods rather than a daily approach. This keeps your metabolism guessing. As Mike has stated before, your body adapts rather quickly. So if your body cannot figure out what you're up to, fatburning 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 bodyfat 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. Which is why Mike always preaches the importance of eating all natural foods whenever possible!!

Here's a personal story: When I cut out the diet-sodas my bodyfat 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 bodyweight 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...Why? Because as Mike stated above, 80% of your success is tied to your diet, but you still need to be successful with the other 20% so that is why I am offer you this deal.

Every Other Day Diet <-- click. ( Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your bodyweight 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. Mike gets his "light" cardio in by taking long walks with his wife, son and dog! It does not interfere with my main fatloss 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:

Every Other Day Diet <-- click. ( Some of you may see a survey here on how best to help with your bodyweight goals. )

TIP 5 - Get Raw At Night

Raw veggies with your last meal and as a snack will really help your fatburning 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 fatloss is well worth it.

----> Note From Mike:

Jon is still giving away "Radical Fatloss Blueprint" along with EODD for a few more days. I used the Radical Fatloss Blueprint along with Turbulence Training during TC5 and saw my body fat really drop to all time lows! He is giving a lucky few the chance to pick up the Supplement-Kit that comes with Radical Fatloss for almost 100 bucks off... the video and details are here:

Every Other Day Diet <-- click.

Tuesday's Workouts and Meals

This is the last week of doing Turbulence Training's Lean and Jacked workout. Remember that if you did join Turbulence Training's Transformation Contest 6 that you have to use a Turbulence Training workout throughout the contest. I haven't decided what I want to start next week yet.

Workout

Today I completed workout A from Lean and Jacked which is a chest and back workout with some ab work thrown in.

I moved up all of my weights by at least 5 lbs on DB exercises and 10 lbs when using a barbell. Man was I wiped at the end of my workout. After the first super-set I was pretty spent. The triple presses really took it out of me, but that's why I love that exercise.

If you're following Craig's time recommendations then you will be winded and sweaty by the end of this workout! I measured my heart rate after one of my sets and I was at 80% of my max heart rate.

Meals

Today I did my first day this week of Eat Stop Eat (I usually fast 2 days a week). So far today all I've consumed is A LOT of water and 2 cups of black coffee. The more I read about intermittent fasting, the more it makes sense, I'm glad I'm doing it.

Tonight for dinner I plan to have a big salad with green bell peppers, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, some chicken and balsamic vinegar.

7 Traveling Tips for Fat Loss

Last week I had to travel to Washington DC for a few days to help my company fight the IRS. Yes, I know this may be a lost battle.


Traveling is very tricky when you are trying to lose fat, get ripped and finally see your six pack abs. Here are some tips that I applied to my trip to DC to help me maintain my healthy eating habits and workouts.


1. Planning - This is the most important tip! If you can plan, than you should be able to stick close to your fat loss plans. Since you should be allowing yourself a 'cheat' meal each week, I'd recommend that you plan your cheat meal for your trip (more on this below).


2. Use your Intermittent Fast - I try to fast for 24 hours twice a week using Eat Stop Eat. Since I knew I would be traveling for most of the day Wednesday, I planned (See #1 above!) a fast to use Eat Stop Eat. This worked out great because did an intermittent fast from Tuesday after dinner to Wednesday's dinner. I stuck to drinking black coffee and water up until dinner and I felt great, especially since I knew I was burning fat!


3. Make Sure You Cheat - I knew that I would most likely come upon an eating situation where there would be pressure to eat something 'unhealthy.' If you allow yourself one cheat meal a week then this a great way to plan (Once again see how important #1 is?) your cheat meal, just don't go overboard!!


My second night in DC I went out to dinner with my boss and a consultant. I enjoyed half a steak sandwich, some fries and a beer. Notice that I didn't eat the whole steak sandwich. Although it was my cheat meal I still used portion control.


4. Workouts - While I was in DC I was working 10-12 hours days so there wasn't a lot of time for workouts. So what did I do? I planned (#1 again!) to get up a bit earlier and get a workout done.


If your hotel has a gym that is available for you to use than you should be able to get your Turbulence Training workout in.


Unfortunately, the gym at my hotel did not open until 8am!! So what did I do? I did workouts in my room. Since I planned ahead, I printed out Turbulence Training's Body Weight Workouts and did them every morning. They were quick but very effective! I woke up 30 minutes early and was able to use some furniture in my room to get in an effective workout.


5. Fruit & Vegetables- Eat as much fruits and vegetables as you possibly can!! I actually paid $20 for a breakfast buffet my last morning in DC and just ate fruit and a bell pepper. Everything else looked really greasy but I was able to fill myself up with a banana, lots of strawberries and half a bell pepper. During my lunches and dinners I asked for steamed vegetables instead of fries or a potato and I made sure I ate them first so I'd get filled up.


6. Water, Coffee and Tea - Just because your traveling doesn't mean you should be drinking calories! I stuck to water, coffee and green tea while I was away. If you're thinking that diet soda doesn't have calories, your right. BUT it does have sodium so you can retain water weight when you drink diet sodas.


7. Pack for the Plane - I knew I would most likely get hungry at the airport when I was waiting for my plane home, so I planned ahead! Remember that $20 breakfast buffet I had for breakfast? Well I put some walnuts and almonds in a napkin and had them as a snack with my bottle of water at the airport. They made a great snack.


If you plan ahead when you travel you will do a great job in your fat loss efforts! Remember to eat plenty of fruits and veggies and drink plenty of water!!