How does Omega 3s Help You Burn Fat?

Does FAT really make you FAT?

The right answer to this question depends on what type of fat we’re talking about. Certain fats are actually essential for many important bodily functions, but the wrong kind of fat can lead us down an unhealthy path to gaining weight and a long list of diseases.

Fat to Avoid

Hydrogenated Oils

You have probably already heard in the media that hydrogenated oils are detrimental to your health so avoid them at all costs. But what exactly are they?

Hydrogenation is a chemical process used to make fat more stable. This method completely alters the liquid oil’s molecular structure so that it no longer resembles a natural fat. Because your body does not recognize the transformed molecule as a natural fat, it cannot process it and treats it as a toxin. This “toxin” has been linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, birth defects and obesity.

You must read labels! Hydrogenated oil and partially hydrogenated oil can be found in most packaged foods (margarine,cookies, cereal bars, sugar cereals, crackers, chips, pretzels, microwave popcorn, and low-fat and fat-free snacks). There are even many packaged foods advertised as “health foods” that include hydrogenated oils as ingredient.

Fats That You Have To Eat

Your body cannot survive without fat – specifically essential fatty acids. Your brain, hormones, immune system, and digestion are all dependant on fatty acids (that's the reason people who go on very extreme low fat diets often suffer many health problems).

Omega 3 Fats

Omega 3 Fats are essential to human health but unfortunately it cannot be produced by the body which is why it is essential that we get these great fats from food. Foods high in Omega 3 fats are leafy green vegetables, flax seeds, raw walnuts, organic eggs, salmon, sardines and grass fed beef.

Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. These acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy can develop vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include extreme tiredness (fatigue), mood swings or depression, and poor circulation, poor memory, dry skin and heart problems.

Cooking Oil

The only oil that is suitable for high heat cooking (and one of the healthiest oils you can consume) is raw, organic, unrefined coconut oil. Coconut oil has been proven to be one of the healthiest oils available for the human body and increases the body’s metabolic rate (helping in weight loss)

Oils are best RAW

Olive oil and flax seed oil are two wonderful oils to use for salad dressing or on cooked or raw veggies. These oils have a lower melting point and are more stable (and healthier) when kept raw.

Key points you need to know about fat and fat consumption:

1. Avoid products containing hydrogenated oil and partially hydrogenated oil

2. Consume foods high in Omega 3’s

3. Cook with Organic, Unrefined Coconut Oil

4. Use Olive Oil and Flaxseed oil raw for salads and veggies. Also include avocados as a healthy source of fat into your meal plans.

Remember all fats are not created equal. Proper use of the good fats can be a great way to keep you and your family at optimum health.

Watch this video on Healthy Diet

How To Construct A Weight-Training Body Routine That Works

If you are one of those guys who go to the gym only on the weekends, then you don't have much chance of you building up solid muscle bulk compared to those who go on a regular schedule. So it's vital that you take your gym trips seriously and develop a good weekly routine.

To do this, you should have the time to work out for 3-5 days a week doing an hour each time. But how do you organize your training schedule?

Well, there are two types of routine you can do: A Full Body Routine or A Split Body Routine. Let’s have a look at the differences.

What Is A Full Body Routine?

A full body routine involves 3 workouts per week, at each workout you train ALL your LARGE muscle groups.

When I say large muscle groups, I mean your upper legs , back, chest and shoulders. So each workout will include at least one back exercise, one chest exercise, one shoulder’s exercise and one legs exercise.

This means each muscle will get around 1 exercise per workout.

So What Is A Split Body Routine?

A split body routine on the other hand, splits your large muscle groups over a number of sessions, ranging from 2 to 5 sessions. So for example you may have one day where you work your chest, one day for shoulders, one day for back and one day for legs. Using split routines, each muscle group is likely to get more than 1 exercise per workout.

I recommend you do the split body routine and I’m going to show you some of them.

2 Session Body-Split Routine

This involves getting a full body workout from two sessions. In other words you work your large muscle groups over 2 workouts (e.g. session 1-Back And Legs , Session 2- Chest And Shoulders.

If you do 4 workouts a week you can cover your body twice doing this, and in each session you can even add 1 exercise to work the smaller muscle groups, like biceps, triceps, abs, forearms and calves. Choose the one you feel requires the most work.

4 Session Body-Split Routine

Here you get a full body workout from 4 sessions.

In a nutshell at each workout you work a different large muscle group. You can also add one small muscle group per workout, so you can complete 3-4 exercises on a large muscle group and 1-2 exercises on a small muscle group each session. (e.g. session 1-legs and calves , session 2-chest and biceps , session 3-back and triceps , session 4-shoulders and abs)

So How To Choose Which One Is Suited For You?

As a beginner you should start off with a full body routine. This allows your body enough time to recover AND it makes sure you do not overtrain your muscles.

As you get more advanced you can move from a full body routine to a split body routine, where it is best to start with a 2 session split. This is more intense, and provides a better workout than a full body routine, BUT this is only beneficial if your body can take it. So only do this if you are NOT a beginner.

Finally, to increase intensity you can move into the 4 session split body routine. This will provide your muscles the best workout and best growth. But please only do this when you are strong enough to, otherwise you will fail!

So now you know what your weekly routine should look like.

Get FREE DVDs on Body Routines here.

The Truth About Saturated Fats

Video: The Truth About Saturated Fats

Simple, Healthy Meal Plans You Can Start Right Now

Is it possible to put together a simple and healthy meal plan that is not going to be complicated and hard to follow?

Yes, it is.Let me show you how. The healthy meal plans below will help you achieve your health goals while simultaneously shedding fat off your body.

Here are 3 healthy meal plans you can get started on right now.

Breakfast

Protein should be included in every meal throughout the day - in breakfast as well. Make sure to include organic cottage cheese, eggs, smoked fish or raw nut butter as one component of your healthy breakfast. You can include carbohydrates in the form of oatmeal, sprouted grain bread, fruit and/or vegetables.

3 great sample breakfasts are:

2 hard boiled eggs, 1 slice sprouted grain toast and ½ grapefruit

Oatmeal with almond butter, topped with fresh berries and a bit of Stevia to sweeten.

Smoked salmon over sliced tomato and 1 green apple

Lunch

An easy way to ensure that you always have healthy protein available for lunch is to pack leftovers from dinner the night before. E.g. hamburger, chicken legs or wild fish are all great to include in a salad or over vegetables.

3 great sample lunches are:

Baked Tilapia over sautéed spinach, green salad with chick peas (oil and vinegar as dressing) followed by ½ cup of pineapple.

Leftover chicken legs with ½ sweet potato and broccoli.

Lean hamburger over portabella mushroom and brown rice with a green salad or cooked vegetables, 1 orange.

Dinner

Be creative with dinner. Look for recipes that are quick and easy and modify them with your own healthy ingredients as needed. Make sure to remember to include protein and carbohydrates.

3 great sample dinners are:

Buffalo meat balls over rice pasta with sautéed broccoli.

Mexican salad: Ground beef over shredded lettuce and tomato, brown rice and guacamole.

Grilled Salmon with asparagus, green salad (oil and lemon juice as dressing) followed by a fresh fruit salad.

Snacks

Don't let your body get too hungry. Hunger often leads to binge eating of unhealthy food and makes sticking to a healthy eating habit much more difficult. It’s important to keep snacks handy so you never experience hunger or low blood sugar level without having a healthy option nearby.

3 great snacks are:

2 Tbsp almond butter on ½ apple

Cottage cheese and pineapple

Trail mix made up of walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit (no sugar added)

Incorporate just a few of these meals into your daily eating regimen and you will see an incredible difference in your weight loss results. Following simple and healthy meal plans like the above is the first step in achieving your health and fitness goals.

To get started right away on your own fat loss goals , download these Simple and Healthy Meal Plans right now.

Interview with Mike Geary - Six Pack Abs

If you're interested in discovering some areas where you may be going wrong in your abs training and your attempts at losing stomach fat, I have an interview for you below that you'll want to read.

In it, Men's Health Magazine writer Craig Ballantyne, grills Abs-Expert Mike Geary, author of the internationally popular book, The Truth about Six Pack Abs, on the topic of abs training and the biggest myths and mistakes he sees in this field.

Also, be sure to check out Mike's site at:

Get 6 pack abs fast/

Here's a copy of the first half of the interview below. In this part of the interview today, we'll just deal with training aspects.

In a couple days, I'll send out the rest of the interview, which Craig and Mike covered the nutrition aspects we need to consider to lose stomach fat and get those hidden abs to show. Enjoy!

CB: Okay Mike, so where does the average man or woman go wrong when it comes to training abs?

MG: Most people are probably going to be surprised with this answer. In their quest for 'six pack abs', the biggest mistake I see people making is wasting WAY too much of their time training their abs directly... pumping away with all kinds of different abs-specific exercises.

I'm sure you know what I'm referring to. The person is trying so hard to get those abs to show, that they're spending almost all of their time in the gym with hundreds of reps of various crunches, leg raises, twisting exercises, etc. Meanwhile, all of that wasted time directly training the abs could have been better spent on a properly designed full body workout program that would elicit a much better metabolic response and increase the fat-burning hormone levels in their body as well.

After all, losing the stomach fat that is covering the abs is the MOST important aspect for most people to finally be able to make their abs visible. Unfortunately, pumping away with hundreds of crunches and leg raises does NOT cause much of a metabolic or fat burning hormonal response.

This is the main focus of my Truth about Six Pack Abs book... full body training programs and proper nutrition to strip off that stubborn belly fat and reveal the six pack that's hiding underneath!

Of course it wouldn't be an abs book if I didn't focus on ab development too, but I make sure firstly that the most important concepts for lasting body fat reduction are understood.

CB: Do you see any gender differences in mistakes they make? And more importantly, do you see any gender differences in the response to various types of ab training?

MG: To be honest, I don't really see any need for men or women to train differently. Bottom line... the best exercises are the best exercises regardless of gender.

However, in regards to mistakes I see between genders... Yes, I tend to see women more often are deathly afraid to use weight training with anything but really light weights. That is a shame, because THE most effective way to gain control over your body fat for life, is to maximize your lean muscle that your body carries, as well as working that muscle hard through intense resistance exercise regularly.

It's important for women to realize that regular strength training using heavier resistance will NOT "bulk them up" (as long as caloric intake is controlled), but rather is one of the key secrets for losing body fat and staying lean year-round. As a matter of fact, some of the leanest females that I've trained over the years are the ones that aren't afraid to work hard with the weights.

I also notice that most women (and a lot of guys too) spend way too much time with slow cardio exercise. This is simply not necessary, and the way I combine high intensity resistance training into full body routines provides enough of a "cardio" workout in itself usually. We'll get back to this in a minute though.

CB: What about ol' school sit-ups? Do you use these? Are they good, bad, or does it "depend"?

MG: Sit-ups are a controversial topic. I don't think they're good or bad per se, but rather "in between". I didn't include them in my program. I simply don't feel they are necessary, and I think there are much more effective abs exercises to focus on. Personally, I almost never do sit-ups except occasionally for a little variety every now and then.

CB: Give us a weekly sample ab training program. How many days per week? What are a couple of the best exercises you'd pick? How many sets? Reps? Rest?

MG: Well, first I'd like to point out that the full body movements that make up the majority of my programs indirectly work the abs and the entire "core" area to a fairly decent extent. However, I do include abs-specific exercises into the routines generally about twice per week. The "abs-specific" portion of the workouts generally only take about 5 minutes at most with very little rest between exercises.

Once people are past the beginning phase of gaining some initial ab strength, I try to get them away from the exercises that are too easy, where someone can do 50 or 100 reps, as is frequently common with standard crunches. Instead, I like to focus on higher resistance exercises that actually stimulate the muscle fibers to a much greater degree.

One example of a higher resistance abs exercise is hanging leg raises with a proper "pelvic curl up". It's funny but usually someone that has been wasting so much time with hundreds of reps of crunches can usually only do a few solid reps when they first attempt some of these higher resistance exercises.

We also make sure not to neglect some rotational movements, as well as some work for the deeper muscles like the transversus abdominis.

CB: What do you use for burning fat, intervals or slow cardio? Or both? Any gender differences here? Or differences between fitness levels (beginner vs. advanced)?

MG: In most cases, my answer is definitely intervals... or as I like to call it "variable intensity training". In general, I think slow steady pace cardio is a waste of time, especially if the goal is lasting fat loss.

I think people need to get away from this thinking about "fat burning zones" and calories burned during the actual workout, and look at the bigger picture of what you're doing in your workout to stimulate the greatest metabolic response in your body... and the best metabolic and hormonal response is achieved through variable intensity training and strength training, not slow steady-pace cardio.

Now I will say that if someone is really deconditioned and can't handle higher intensity exercise routines just yet, this still doesn't mean that they can't simply use lower intensity routines, but still use it in a "variable intensity" fashion, by alternating between higher and lower exertion levels throughout the workout.

That wraps up our training portion of the interview. For more info about whether the Truth about Six Pack Abs Program is right for you, be sure to check out the following site:

Get 6 Pack Abs Fast

Magic Foods For Optimal Health

Article by

IsabelDeLosRios

If there was a magic food that would cure everything (weight gain, heart disease, aging, your annoying boss) would you eat it? Of course you would!

Unfortunately, I can’t say I have found that one magic food yet (as soon as I do, I promise to let you in on it). The good news is there are several foods you can eat that give you some extra bang for your buck. By this, I mean, not only are they tasty and healthy additions to your meal plans, they also provide a chock full of antioxidants to your body.

What exactly are antioxidants?

Antioxidants have been all the rage for quite some time now, but many people don’t know exactly what they are. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen (in almost everything we do each day), they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. (Exercise is a good example of a healthy activity that naturally produces free radicals.) Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and help prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, and cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage.

You can see how it’s important for us to get these “free radical scavengers” into our bodies each day, especially if we have made exercise a part of our daily routine.

What foods contain antioxidants?

Lucky for you and me, the list of foods containing antioxidants is pretty extensive: vegetables, fruits, most nuts, fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic are just a few examples of some great, healthy foods that will get you your daily scavengers (and all foods that are part of your Diet Solution Meal Plans).

There are some foods that are particularly high and famous for their free radical destroying abilities. Here are three of my favorites.

Acai Berries

Acai is a fruit that grows on the Acai Palm Trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. The Acai berry is small in size (smaller than a grape) and is dark purple in color. Although Acai may be small in size, it is jam packed with antioxidants and amino acids, and is thought to be one of the most nutritional fruits of the Amazon basin. Acai has 10 Times the antioxidant power of red grapes and twice that of blueberries.

With that being said, I am not going to tell you that this fruit is the cure all for everything that ails you (like many internet sites trying to sell their Acai berry supplements and going a bit overboard with their claims). The Acai berry is a wonderful antioxidant and it is a great addition to your healthy meal plan, but not a magic potion that will cause the weight loss many make it out to be.

Green Tea

Green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and white tea all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. All teas from the camellia teat are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. Whether it’s green or black, tea has about 8 to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables (although the types of antioxidants are a bit different).

You can see how including a cup or 2 of tea can be a great way to get a mega dose of antioxidants into your day. However, just as people have taken information about the good ‘ol Acai berry too far, they have done the same with green tea. Yes, it is a wonderful addition to any diet, but it is not the miracle drink many people make it out to be. Studies have shown that it may have some metabolism increasing effects and assist the body in fat burning but drinking jugs and jugs of it all day is not going to guarantee long term weight loss. One to two cups is more than enough to receive its benefits. We also want to remember that tea does contain caffeine and some people need to be careful with their daily caffeine intake.

Pomegranate

The pomegranate is a popular exotic fruit whose origins are from the Middle East and Asia. It is also known as the granada, grenade, and the Chinese apple. Aside from its rich flavor and the number of ways to eat and drink it, studies have shown that pomegranate contains more antioxidants than green tea, cranberries and even red wine.

Pomegranates have also been shown to promote healthy blood pressure levels and low cholesterol. Pomegranates may be especially helpful for men as studies have concluded that it may help prevent prostate cancer and growth.

How can I incorporate these great foods into my daily meal plan?

1. Start your day with one cup of green tea. I say the morning, so the caffeine does not affect your sleep that night. You can sweeten your tea with Stevia, Xylitol, Agave Syrup, or a small amount of raw honey.

2. Eat a pomegranate as your fruit of choice with breakfast, lunch or snack or drink 2-4 ounces of pomegranate juice. I suggest mixing your 2-4 ounces with water and sip alongside one of your meals.

See Video on Healthy Diet

Is milk a no 1 enemy to health?

Do we have to drink our milk each day to get a sufficient amount of calcium?

The answer to this question is NO. We do not need to drink milk as part of a healthy weight loss plan or to obtain a healthy amount of calcium each day.

Consider the following facts:

1. Americans drink the most milk of any other country, yet they still have the highest rate of osteoporosis.

2. Pasteurization kills off all the necessary digestive enzymes in the milk (This is why so many people are now suffering from lactose intolerance).

3. Pasteurization also transforms the major part of the calcium contained in milk into insoluble, in other words making 50% of milk’s calcium unusable by the body (This contributing to the high rate of osteoporosis).

4. Milk sugar (lactose) converts into sugar your body uses very quickly, leading to highs and lows in your blood sugar level and an up and down energy rollercoaster ride for you.

How could this all be true? Isn’t milk supposed to do a body good? Well, yes it is, but milk was really only intended to be consumed in its natural state (unpasteurized). Sound scary? Many states in the US and most organic farmers will ONLY drink milk if it’s unpasteurized and they are extremely healthy.

The other fact we need to consider is that most cows are being given an excess of growth hormone just to keep them producing massive amounts of milk. This, in turn, makes them sick, at which occassions they are given antibiotics. The growth hormone and antibiotics get into their blood stream and then into the milk they produce. Who drinks this chemical laden milk? We do! (Actually, I don’t and maybe you’re starting to consider whether you shouldn't).

The next big concern is “How will I get enough Calcium?” As mentioned above, most of the Calcium in milk is not absorbed by the body. More calcium is absorbed from foods such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, salmon and sardines (with bones preferably) . It makes sense that more calcium come from greens since cows preferably eat grass and they have a lot of calcium inside their bodies . That's why a lot of health programs advertise you eating grain grass!

If reducing your risk for Osteoporosis is your goal, do the #1 activity that prevents this debilitating disease: Exercise! Weight bearing exercise has been shown to be the best way to prevent osteoporosis. Putting small stresses on your bones via strength training helps to re-build them stronger. No one, and I mean no one, should be neglecting doing some exercise their life.

Here are my tips on drinking the right kind of milk, calcium and preventing osteoporosis:

1. If you consume dairy on a regular basis, try to find raw (unpasteurized) milk.

2. If the thought of raw milk scares you, purchase the next best thing: certified organic milk products as they will be free of antibiotics and hormones.

3. Since most of milk’s calcium is not absorbed by the body, make sure to get your calcium from other sources: leafy green veggies, broccoli, sardines (with bones) and salmon.

4. Commit to a strength training routine on a consistent basis. Not just for your muscles and for the way you look in the mirror (although this does help) but for your bone’s sake as well.

Milk and dairy do not have to be a staple in your diet in order to absorb adequate amounts of calcium and achieve an ideal level of health! You can establish an extremely healthy way of eating, reach your weight loss goals, and feel great each day without drinking milk at all.

To get started on your own Heatlhy Meal Plans right away, read this eye opening Fat Loss Report.

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Are Potatoes, "White Foods" and Glycemic Index Friend or Foe for a Lean Body?

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
I'd like to start a little discussion today about carbohydrates... and in particular, "white foods" as well as potatoes. One reason I wanted to mention this is because so many health and fitness professionals trash talk potatoes about being a bad carbohydrate choice because of the high glycemic index. Some even say such ridiculous things as "avoid any and all white carbohydrates".
Ok, now while I certainly agree that white bread and refined white sugar are two of the worst things we can be feeding our bodies, I definately don't agree with avoiding any and all "white carbohydrates". Now I know all of the buzz lately has been about colorful foods and the protective antioxidants that they contain. They tell you to focus on colors and stay away from white.

"White Foods" aren't necessarily always the enemy

It's true that colorful foods are great, but it is a big mistake to specifically avoid white foods! There are plenty of white foods that have specific nutrients that are hard to find elsewhere. Let's look at a few examples...
Onions & Garlic
What about onions and garlic? They are both white and they are chock full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals that aren't easy to find elsewhere in a normal diet... such nutrients as allicin, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and other unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.
Cauliflower
Another example of something white that is great for you is cauliflower. Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C, fiber, minerals, and special compounds such as glucosinolates and thiocyanates, which are specifically abundant in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. And a little-known fact is that some of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to combat other estrogenic compounds in our food supply and environment and can help prevent excess belly fat. So eat up on that cauliflower!
Mushrooms
Not many people realize this, but surprisingly, even white mushrooms have high levels of unique nutrients and antioxidants. White mushrooms are high in a couple types of antioxidants called polyphenols and ergothioneine.
Potatoes
Now that also leads us to another example - white potatoes (which by the way, can also be found in red, yellow, purple varieties, etc). Many health professionals claim that potatoes are a bad carbohydrate because they are thought to have a high glycemic index. First of all, if you've read my Truth about Six Pack Abs book, then you understand that glycemic index is not necessarily the most important factor in choosing your carbohydrates.
While a generalization can be made that most low glycemic index carbohydrate choices will help you lose body fat easier than high glycemic index choices, it is not all that it's cracked up to be. There are many other factors that determine how your body will react-to and process the carbohydrates you ingest, such as glycemic load and also how you combine the high GI food with other foods.
For example, using glycemic load as an example... it is known that watermelon has a high glycemic index. However, the glycemic load of a normal serving of watermelon is just way too low for your body to start packing on body fat just because you ate a high glycemic index fruit. You would have to eat such an enormous quantity of watermelon just to get enough grams of carbohydrates to have any negative glycemic effect, that it is just non-sensical.
Not to mention that watermelon is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and lycopene. There's just no reason to avoid it simply because it has a high GI. My point is... candy bars, cupcakes, and donuts make you fat... NOT watermelons, carrots or potatoes... French fries excluded of course.
Also, as i mentioned, food combinations are important in how your body processes the carbohydrates and the associated blood sugar and insulin response you receive. For example, if you mix a high glycemic index carbohydrate with an extra source of fiber, healthy fats, or even certain proteins, many times the blood sugar and glycemic response will be slowed down considerably by the way you combined the food. Again, I talk in detail about this entire topic in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book. Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form... with the entire skin, and please don't ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath of trans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.
Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you get a decent shot of fiber too.

Will 7-9 potatoes per day make you fatter?
On the topic of potatoes not being so bad after all, I don't remember where I saw this referenced, but I recently saw a particular study that had participants eat something like 7-9 whole potatoes per day for several weeks.
At the conclusion of the study, the potato eaters had actually consistently lost weight! I'd venture a guess that the reason the people lost weight is that they were probably so full from eating all of those damn potatoes, that they actually consumed less calories than normal! An average sized potato only has about 100-120 calories, and I can surely imagine you'd be full constantly from eating 7-9 potatoes each day.
Now I would never recommend going to those extremes, but my point is that an occasional potato is not going to hurt your efforts to get lean, especially if you combine it with some other fibrous vegetables and maybe a healthy fat and some protein.

Can You Gain Muscle & Lose Fat At The Same Time?

The dilemma of burning fat and gaining muscle at the same time has always been a question that has debated. Some so called, health fitness “gurus” will say that the two goals can be done simultaneously together whilst some of the top trainers will say “hell no!”.

So, what is the correct answer? And who’s fooling you into wasting your time and money?

Well to answer that, let’s look at a little bit of science. Don’t worry it’s all easy to understand stuff:

Fat Burning Education

Look, your body needs energy to run, and it uses a certain number of calories to do so. When you consume fewer calories than what your body needs and uses, the body is forced to get those extra calories from somewhere. So, it gets it from your internal stores i.e. from your stored fat. This is why, if you eat less than what you use, you will burn more fat!

BUT, there is a negative, it also burns calories from your carbohydrate and protein stores, which leads to muscle breakdown! This is not so good!

In addition to that, the lower the carbohydrates levels in your blood, the more fat that is burnt. So that's why you get those low carbohydrate diets being thrown around everywhere! However this is not so great for muscle gain again, because the less carbohydrates in your blood, the more muscle loss!

So we've looked at diet, but what about exercise?

Well for fat loss, you are required to do a lot more cardio, which burns the more fat during exercise. In fact, by doing it on an empty stomach early in the morning, you will burn the most fat! Again unfortunately, this leads to muscle loss though!

However at least, both muscle gain and fat loss agree that by doing weight lifting, with heavy weights and aiming for 6-12 reps, you can achieve fat burning but also muscle gain too.

Super Muscle Growth Science...

Well unlike fat burning, to make sure you do not burn off any muscle, you want to make sure that you eat more calories than you use. This way your body doesn't have to go into its internal stores, which would burn muscle!

In addition to all that, you are looking for a diet which contains a higher level of carbohydrates, protein and fat compared to what you would have for fat loss..

- More carbohydrates means less muscle breakdown
- More protein, means more muscle growth
- More fat, leads to hormones being secreted which boost your muscle growth

But again this type of diet makes it hard to burn fat! Finally, in terms of exercise, weight-lifting helps prepare your muscles, so they are ready for the incoming nutrients to be built back bigger. But you want to avoid cardio, as much as possible, because it leads to muscle loss! So Here's The Question Again...Can You Gain Muscle And Lose Fat At The Same Time? Well, science says there is a MASSIVE contradiction in the diet for someone who is trying to burn fat and gain muscle! Looking at exercise, both agree on weightlifting…BUT where cardio is important to fat loss, it is important to avoid it for muscle gain! So UNFORTUNATELY, achieving fat loss and muscle gain at the same time, is virtually impossible, UNLESS, you somehow have some of the best genetics in the world! Those “Gurus” only tell you that it’s possible, because they know that’s what you want to hear, and it means you’re more likely to buy their product! I’m NOT here to please some fantasy you have, I’m here to help you get actual results! So What Is The Solution? Separate your goals-Use bulking and cutting phases. The Bulking Phase is all about packing on muscle and nothing else. The cutting phase is all about fat burn! What you do is build you muscle up first, using the bulking phase, then use the cutting phase AFTER to burn that fat away and show off your shredded physique. If you want a full step-by-step routine, you can get everything you want to know in "BodyBuiding4Idiots", which come together in my full bodybuilding system. AUTHOR BIO Arun Chase (from Bodybuilding4Idiots.com) is the well-renowned author of “Pack Muscle, Destroy Fat”, the ultimate muscle building and fat loss bible, which is written in simple and easy steps, so that anyone from any level can understand. Arun’s system also includes an extensive nutritional program, a complete weight training regimen, a full motivational action plan, practical day to day tips and full email personal training support. This system has taken the fitness industry by storm and has helped thousands achieve the dream physique they never thought was possible.

3 Vegetables That Help You to Burn Stomach Fat

by Mike Geary

Specific vegetables that actually help to stimulate the burning of stomach fat? Sounds crazy right?

Well, check this out below and you'll see why it's not so far fetched.

First, one fact that you may have not realized is that there are certain chemicals in our food supply and in our environment, such as pesticides, herbicides, and petrochemicals that have an estrogenic effect inside our bodies. This problem can increase belly fat on both men and women, so pay attention.

These are called xenoestrogens, and exposure to them from these chemicals in our food supply, water supply, and the environment is one factor that can actually stimulate your body to hold onto belly fat. The problem is that in today's world, even if you eat organic and live in a relatively low-pollution area, it is almost impossible to not get at least some degree of daily exposure to xenoestrogens. They are even in household cleaners and cosmetics!

So how can you fight against these xenoestrogens so that they are not forcing your body to hold onto stomach fat?

Well, that's where these specific types of vegetables that I'm going to show you can help.

There are many classes of vegetables, teas, spices, etc that have compounds which can help to fight against the effects of xenoestrogens. However, one of the most powerful classes are cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.

These types of cruciferous vegetables contain very unique compounds (phytonutrients) such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that can help to combat the effects of xenoestrogens in your body, and therefore, can help you to burn abdominal fat more effectively.

As if you needed another excuse to eat more broccoli and cauliflower... Now, you can add losing stomach fat to the list!

Now here's the cool thing... On this link, I'm going to show you my program that explains specific teas, spices, and other sources of these unique compounds that help to fight against xenoestrogens and help you to Burn Belly Fat faster and more effectively. Enjoy, and good luck with your fitness goals! Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Mike Geary's Chocolate-Peanut-butter Fudge Recipe

(peanut butter can be omitted if you prefer plain chocolate):

• Extra dark chocolate bar (3-4 oz bar works well -- look for at least 70% cocoa content, between 70-85% -- this minimizes the sugar content)
• 4 or 5 Tbsp of your favorite organic nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter all work well)
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup of organic coconut milk (great source of healthy saturated fats from medium chain triglycerides - MCTs)
• 2 tbsp rice bran (additional healthy fiber source)
• 2 tbsp oat bran (more healthy fiber including soluble fiber)
• 1/2 cup raw pecans, almonds, or walnuts (yes, more healthy fats, antioxidants, and tons of vitamins/minerals)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional based on your tastes)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a little stevia to lightly sweeten (stevia is a natural non-caloric sweetener as opposed to harmful artificial sweeteners)

Start with the coconut milk, nut butter, and chocolate bar in a medium saucepan and put it on the lowest heat possible. Continuously stir asthe chocolate, coconut milk, and nut butter melts together. Once these melt together add in all of the other ingredients and stir together very well.

Once everything is mixed well together, spread the mixture onto some waxed paper laid out in a baking dish and throw it in the fridge to solidify.

Now you have some of the healthiest chocolate fudge ever known to man!

Keep in mind that you still need to keep your serving portions small because this is still a calorie-dense snack even though it is super-healthy. The good news is that it is lower in sugar and calories than typical fudge and has loads more nutrition than any typical fudge.

Enjoy! Tell your friends that Trainer Mike Geary gave you this recipe.

Check out these 5 tips to Get a Flat Stomach faster with no bogus diet pills or useless "abdominizer" gadgets. Good luck with your fitness goals!

Are artificial sweeteners a toxin?

What qualifies something as a “toxin”? A toxin is a substance that your body does not recognize as a natural food source. The reason why artificial sweeteners have “zero” calories is because your body does not recognize them as a food source. For example, the chemical process to make Splenda (sucralose) alters the chemical composition of the sugar so much that it is somehow converted to a completely different molecule than sugar. This type of “fake” sugar molecule does not occur in nature and therefore your body does not possess the ability to properly metabolize it. That's why the makers of Splenda claim that it has zero calories, because in theory it should not be digested or metabolized by the body (Although it has been shown that some people’s body do absorb up to 15% of the artificial sweeteners they ingest). So the more artificial sweeteners you consume in a day, the more you are overwhelming your liver with toxins and the less able it is to do one of its jobs - that is processing fat. What happens if the liver can’t do its job? You can’t lose weight or even worse - you gain weight.

What if you don’t use artificial sweeteners? Don’t be fooled. Almost every diet product on the market has some kind of artificial sweetener added to it. Even some children’s snacks are now being made with sucralose (Splenda) and most flavored waters and drinks contain sucralose or aspartame.

Add up how many things you eat in one day that contain some form of artificial sweetener. The list probably is very long. How overwhelmed do you think your liver is? Does it have the ability to work properly? Even if you keep your calories at bay and only drink Diet Coke with your meals, will you truly get down to the weight that you reallywant? The answer is “no” and until you are ready to commit yourself to a healthy way of eating, weight loss will always be a constant struggle.


What else do sweeteners do?

Sweeteners increase appetite

Artificial sweeteners tell your taste buds that, “sweet stuff has arrived,” which to the brain means, “nutrition has arrived.” BUT when artificial sweetened drink or food reaches the small intestine, the receptors find no nutrition. A message is then sent back to the brain saying, “We’ve been tricked-there’s no nutrition here.” The appestat (the part of your brain that triggers satiety) sends the message to “keep eating because we need nutrition to help process all this fake food and run your body.” So even after you eat a good portion of healthy meal (along with your diet coke) you still feel like your hungry all day, or you become very hungry soon after. Your healthy eating efforts may be sabotaged by your body if you continue to feel hungry all day. No one likes to feel hungry so you continue to eat more food until you feel satisfied, which in your effort to lose weight, may just be too much.

Sweeteners Increase our Sweet Tooth

Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar, aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Such sweeteners can only increase our sweet tooth and increase our taste of sweet things. If you can never get rid of your sugar cravings, any healthy eating plan will be difficult because you will constantly be craving for “sweet”. Studies have also shown that artificial sweeteners promote the same blood sugar fluctuations as regular sugar, which, again will bring on “sugar lows” which will increase appetite and cravings. This is not to say, that something sweet now and again is not ok, but it is those people who can not control their sugar cravings that are being sabotaged by using these artificial sweeteners.

What are some alternatives to sweeteners?

Giving up sugar and artificial sweeteners may be difficult, especially if you are accustomed to everything having such a sweet taste. There is a wonderful alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners is an herb called Stevia. Stevia is an extraordinarily sweet herb, 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. It is almost calorie-free, so it is perfect for people who are watching their weight. Unlike sugar, it does not trigger a rise in blood sugar so you will not get a sudden burst of energy followed by fatigue and a need for another “fix”. It increases energy and aids digestion by stimulating your pancreas. Stevia also presents great advantages over saccharine and other artificial sweeteners in that it is not toxic. What's a big advantage of stevia over sweeteners is that it is a plant that is found in nature and is not man-made in a laboratory. Stevia can be found at almost all health food stores. Stevia can be used exactly like sugar and artificial sweeteners to sweeten drinks and it can even be used in baking.

If weight loss or staying away from sweets has always been a problem for you, take notice of how much artificial sweetener you have been ingesting. That just may be the culprit. Make a resolution this year to give up the “fake” stuff and start using natural alternatives like Stevia. You will not only be helping your weight loss efforts but you will also be benefiting your health.

Learn the real truth behind how to Lose Fat and Keep it Off.

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Are You A Hardgainer? Here’s The Solution

Hardgainers find it difficult to gain muscle and weight. Are you one of those people that face such a problem?

Well don’t worry, today you will find out whether you really do suffer from hardgainer genetics and how you can gain massive muscle if you do.

So if you’re ready, let’s get cracking!

The Hardgainer Test- Here’s How You’ll Know If You Really Do Suffer From Hardgainer Genetics.

It’s important you take my “Hardgainer Test” below. This will decide the type of workout that is best suited to you and your body. So answer these 8 questions, honestly and then see the results below.

1) When you put one hand around the wrist of your other hand, does your thumb and middle finger cross?

2) Are you narrow framed?
3) Are your arms long in length?
4) Do you struggle to put muscle on no matter what you try to do?
5) Would you say you were skinny as a child?
6) Are you hyper and always on the go?
7) When you stop training for a while, does your body get thinner and Narrower
8) Do your family and friends tell you that you need to put on weight?

If you answered YES to 5 or more of these, it is likely you are a hardgainer, BUT there is nothing to stress about, as I’m about to cover a solution.

The Hardgainer Program To Massive Huge Muscle Growth

There is just too much to cover in one article, but I am going to do my best to give you as much of the solution as possible. I’ll cover nutrition, exercise and how you can make small changes in your practical life that can really help....

> NUTRITION

The main area where you’re likely to need the most help is in your nutrition. So let’s look at what you need to do.

First you need to work out how many calories you use in a day, this is dependent on how active you are. To give you an indication, it is likely to be around 2500-3500 calories per day, if you are working out between 3-4 times per week.

You want to then consume around 500 calories more than what you use in a day. This requires you to count calories. You should consume these calories by eating 5-6 meals per day.

In addition to all that, you want to eat more carbohydrates. Eat things like wholemeal rice, wholemeal bread, bananas, beans etc. This will reduce muscle breakdown, so you keep the muscle you want on!

Also increase your protein intake, with foods like grilled chicken breast (skinless), turkey breast, tuna etc and get in some casein protein shakes.

Doing all of this can really help you with mass growth!

> WORKOUT

With your workout routine, you want to avoid cardio at all costs, and just focus on weightlifting.

With weightlifting, add 1 set per exercise where you choose a weight, which causes you to tire out after doing between 2-6 reps. Then for the rest of the sets, choose a weight where you get exhausted in 6-10 reps.

This overall is great for muscle gain, and also will help improve your muscle gain potential!

> PRACTICAL DAY TO DAY LIFE

With most hardgainers running around loads, you need to slow yourself down and make time for relaxation to do the simple things in life like lounging in bed or watching television.

But if you find that hard, why not take up meditation. This will relax you exactly the way you require.

And That's It...Let's Recap...

You can defeat your skinny genetics, as long as you get your nutrition, weightlifting and some practical aspects correct! Remember you can achieve anything you put your mind to! And I’m here to help you achieve that.

You can also get my full step-by-step hardgainer program, which will literally take you by the hand and transform you from a skinny hardgainer to a muscular, buff and shredded fitness model! AUTHOR BIO Arun Chase (from bodybuilding4idiots.com) is the well-renowned author of “Pack Muscle, Destroy Fat”, the ultimate step-by-step muscle building and fat loss bible for Hardgainers. Arun’s system includes an extensive nutritional program, a complete weight training regimen, a full motivational action plan, practical day to day tips and full email personal training support. This system has taken the fitness industry by storm and has helped thousands achieve the dream physique they never thought was possible.

© 2010, Bodybuilding4Idiots.com. All rights in all media reserved. You may reprint this article so long as the article and author bio are reprinted intake and all links are made live, leading to the bodybuilding4idiots.com website. This article may never be sold individually or as part of a package.