Not All Meats Are the Same!

An extremely important part to my diet is consuming plenty of protein. In order to consume protein I eat eggs, protein shakes and lean meats.

The real question is: What is considered a lean meat?

I know a lot of people that will go out and by the most expensive steaks thinking that they are getting lean meats.

Wrong!

Steaks like filet mignons are high in fat. It's why they taste so good! Same is true with chicken legs, they are probably the fattest meats on the chicken.

Here's what you should be looking for:

• The leanest beef cuts are round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
• The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
• Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean”. You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean. I would also suggest trying ground bicon. I made the switch and really do not taste a different from ground beef.
• Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking (buying it skinless is a lot less hassle though).
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.

Now that you know what meats to buy here's some tips on how to cook them:

• While doing your cooking preparation make sure to cut all visible fat off of the meat.
• Try not to fry the meat. I prefer to broil, grill and roast my meats.
• Once you are done cooking be sure to drain all the fat!
• Try to avoid breading your meats or adding any heavy sauces or gravies

Water for Weight Loss??

I'm almost 2 weeks into the Turbulence Training Transformation Contest 7.  I think I'm doing a pretty good job too!  (I'll have an update later on my weight loss).  My biggest problem with losing weight has always been my diet.  Afterall, I love to workout, but eating small healthy meals has always been my problem.

So far I've been able to eat small healthy meals (5-6 per day). But the most important part of my diet is not what I've been eating, but what I've been DRINKING.

WATER!!

I have been trying to drink at least a gallon a day.  I've given up diet soda (I may have 1 with my reward meal each week) and the only other drinks I consumer are green tea, black coffee and protein shakes.

So why is water so important for weight loss?

If you do not drink enough water you will become dehydrated.  If you're dehydrated there is no way that your body can operate correctly and this will lead to a reduced fat loss rate.

Without enough water your body won’t burn fat as quickly, your muscles will loose strength (so there's no chance you will burn fat and gain muscle at the same time!!) and you’ll feel tired and fatigued.

There are a bunch of studies out there that show the horrible effects of what mild dehydration can do! 

So although water may not be a magic weight loss drink, it helps keep your body primed for fat burning.  Properly hydrating your body will allow you to feel less fatigued, more alert, perform better, think straighter, and feel like a million bucks!

A Diet That Works! Part II

In my last post, I told you why low carb diets work.  Now I'd like to tell you why some low carb diets don't work!

There are two primary reasons for the failure of the low-carb nutrition plans: boredom and media bashing.

One causes irritability. The other, doubt. Unless you're certain that your plan will work, you will eventually go off of it.

This is true of any plan, no matter how ideal it is. Certainty rules.

That's why I believe in having a flexible, tasty plan like Every Other Day Diet.

Then boredom is easily solved.

Jon Benson shares my own unique ideas about "cycling" carbs and fats in the presentation here:

click.here ------> Every Other Day Diet

Believe me it really works.  I've used the EODD before and I never found myself irratible.  I've also tried the Atkins diet and although it works, I thought my wife was going to divorce me because of all of my mood swings!
Using Jon's cycle strategy you will rarely if ever become bored and you will not become irratible. And your body will burn more bodyfat too. It's just a cheap metabolic trick...but boy, it works.

The second reason is media and medical bias. One study after another has proven that low-carb plans, even the Atkins plan, works and is safe to use for most people.

Check with your doctor first, of course.

I've seen researchers get down-right angry when the results come back. In one study, carried out for a full year, the low-carb plan out-performed the so-called "healthy" Dean Ornish plan.

Lower blood fats, more fatloss, and more energy were the results.

My preference always comes back to low-carb nutrition. I just cycle it in a way that allows me to get plenty of veggies, some grains, and ample fiber.

Even a slice of cheesecake here and there... : )

Hey...I said "low-carb", not "low-life!"  That's another downfall with most other low carbs diets.  You can't enjoy anything!  With the Every Other Day Diet, I am able to have 'reward' meals!

P.S. One of these days the mainstream medical community will wake up to the fact that 90% of the population will never eat 15 servings of veggies per day.

While this may be "optimal", it's not at all practical. I'd rather give you down-to- earth practical nutrition advice that you CAN and WILL follow -- and enjoy.

Makes sense, doesn't it?

click.here ------> Every Other Day Diet

Only 9 Hours Left!

Happy New Years!

I hope everyone had a great night last night. Now its time to move onward into 2010 and reach all of our goals!

If your goal is to lose weight and get in shape then Craig Ballantyne has a great deal. As I've written before he is offering his Turbulence Training program plus access to his TTMembers forum for only $19.99!

PLUS you will be able to enter the 7th Transformation Contest and have a chance to win $1,000!

Beside the Turbulence Training package, the TTMembers forum and the Transformation contest, Craig is giving you an additional $100 dollars in bonuses!

To add on to that if you follow the instructions on Mike's Six Pack Abs, I will give you an additional $90 in bonuses that will help you lose the fat even faster! That's almost $200 in bonuses plus the awesome Turbulence Training package and TTMembers forums.

So go to Mike's Six Pack Abs and follow the simple instructions to get Turbulence Training at half price and the $200 in bonuses.

I lost 35lbs using Turbulence Training last year so I can tell you first hand that it works. The best part is that you will not be in the gym for hours! 3 days a week for an hour is all it takes.

Mike's Six Pack Abs

Have a great 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.

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

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!

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.

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

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.

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!!

Sunday's Meals and Workout

I was traveling most of the week so I wasn't able to to my main Turbulence Training workouts. However I was able to get workouts completed and ate healthy (post on this to come later tonight).

Workout

Today I was able to get back to my Turbulence Training Lean and Jacked workout. I did workout C and was glad to get back into the gym.

My favorite part of the workout were the dead lifts which will definitely get you jacked. I also did 555 repetitions of kettle bell and body weight exercises, if that doesn't help get me lean than I don't know what will!

Meals

I fasted from 10pm last night till 2pm today.

Once the fast was done I had a great omelet with 4 egg whites and 2 whole eggs. I also added some bison, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes to it!

In a few minutes I plan on having some chicken with spinach.

For dinner I will have tilapia with zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper and onions.

Before I go to bed I will have a protein shake.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Happy Vegetarian Day!!

Did you know that today is "World Vegetarian Day"?

In celebration and to get a healthy change to my diet, I plan to become vegatarian for the day! I'm using recipes from Kardena Pauza's Easy Veggie Meal Plans book.

This morning I had this great vegetarian smoothie:

Strawberry-Mango Smoothie - 385 calories

1 cup strawberries stemmed
1/2 mango peeled
3/4 cup/6 oz Almond milk or Raw almond yogurt
4 Brazilian Nuts (Raw & Soaked)
2 tsp agave or brown rice syrup or Really Raw Honey, or 2-3 Dates
1 medium sized Cucumber
1 tsp NutriBiotic Vanilla Brown Rice Protein Powder
Add ˝Cup Water and blend together
Optional: Dash Stevia, water, ice to taste only

Place all ingredients in a high powered blender. Add several cubes of ice if desired and blend until smooth. Continue adding ice untildesired consistency is reached. Pour into glass and garnish with mint leaf as option.

Today is the perfect time to try out a day of vegetarian eating. To celebrate Vegetarian Day, Kardena Pauza is having a Limited Time 50% Off Sale for her Easy Veggie Meal Plans.

Click here for the veggie sale:

=> Easy Veggie Meal Plans

For the next 48 hours you'll get 50% off the Easy Veggie Meal Plans to celebrate World Vegetarian Day and the start of Vegetarian Month.

I look forward to hearing about how you improve your health and energy, and dramatically transform your body with the Easy Veggie Meal Plans! Leave a comment and let me know what your favorite recipes are! Personally, I can't get enough of the smoothies!