Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

So I am starting a new book. It is called "Burn the fat, feed the muscle". Here is a little review of the book that I found online. I will be doing my own review after I read it.

Introduction
In burn the fat feed the muscle, Tom Venuto stresses the importance of some principles such as no quick fixes, weight loss is not the same as fat loss and that the book is not even just about fat loss but more about making people healthier.

Goal setting, strategies and motivation.
As we all know goal setting is very important to reaching what you want with your health and although I have written extensively about this subject in the past Tom Venuto has done a fantastic job in burn the fat feed the muscle of really crystallizing the art of goal setting so that it will work much better for almost anyone.

Body types, how to identify what you need
This is the first place in burn the fat feed the muscle where I like the way that Tom Venuto has really broken down how people have different body types. Almost every trainer I have ever seen thinks that every person’s body will react the same way with the same diet and exercise and this book stops that idea dead in its tracks.

Eating, Food, Liquids, and actual meal plans
Tom Venuto covers a couple of very important points that are very often overlooked in most other books and those are proper intake of liquids and foods that you should eat. Tom Venuto uses about 20 pages to cover foods that you should and should not eat including replacements for some of the bad foods that you are already eating.

Supplements
Tom Venuto, in Burn the fat feed the muscle, and I are of essentially the same mind on the use of supplements and how this industry is very good at marketing many overpriced products with very little benefits to almost any user unless they are in a very sickly state. Let’s face it, in North America our prosperity has not lead most people to under eat so the supplementation is not the most important thing.

However, Tom Venuto has included information on the most important supplements and I was a little surprised but happy to see how straightforward he is about many of the supplements in the bodybuilding industry and the effect that magazines advertising has had on the objectiveness if those magazines.

Cardio training
We all know how important exercise is in losing weight and the diet that has been created in Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle is definitely geared toward having both cardio and weight training as an essential part of the package. I have never seen a diet that did not at least mention exercise but this book stresses it as very important part of the equation and many other diets would do their followers more justice by stressing a lot more exercise.

Weight training
What would you expect from a natural bodybuilding champion. Tom Venuto covers the exercises that you should do to gain strength and muscle as easily as possible and goes into a lot of detail with tactics that you have never seen before.

source:http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/burn-the-fat-feed-the-muscle-complete-review.html

Weight Watcher Results: Week 28

Wow! Well, I have been kind of slacking on my blogging. Not really on purpose but it has been a busy week. I didn't post a weigh in last week but sadly it was exactly what I weighed today. This week has been hard. Lots of challenges. An out of town (overnight) business trip, visitors from out of town and Halloween.

I have got to get better about tracking my points! That is where I am really slacking as I know it is mostly diet that keeps this train going. I can't lie though, I have been slacking on the treadmill too! Confession......I am totally hooked on 24. The bad part is...that I have watched 8 episodes (none of them on the treadmill). I better get Travis to hold me accountable. He tried once and I just blew him off.

I am running out of time. I only have 4 weeks till Thanksgiving and if I don't get down to 185...I might just die. I have been hovering between 195 and 200 for like 3 months. What the hell. I mean, I have been far from perfect but should still be going in the right direction. I think I am going to dedicate myself to eating portion controlled lunches (lean cuisines, smart ones, etc) at least from now until Thanksgiving. I need something to jump start this engine again. I am feeling discouraged. I also have not been eating breakfast, which I know is so important.

Lots of goals from now until Thanksgiving:

1) Track points

2) Treadmill at least 3x per week

3) Eat breakfast

4) Drink two Nalgene bottles of water per day (64 oz)

I know that this is the secret to success! I have got to quit slacking off!

Witchy Warrior

So today was another weekend warrior but in spirit of halloween it was "Witchy Warrior". My friend Jordan was in from Nashville and joined me. She was a good sport! Actually she was awesome. She is in great shape and pushed herself to finish all of the exercises strong. Her push ups were the most impressive to me.

Yesterday was a 2 hour workout. We did a warm up & stretching, a 4 minute walk, jog, run, sprint, 8 strength circuits 2x, relay sprints, 8 more strength circuits 2x, 8 cardio circuits 2x and then stretched out. It was hell! It was damn cold too. We were outside at the park.

Tammye, my trainer was very creative with our exercises. We jumped over hay bails, and used pumpkins for all sorts of exercises. These were no mini pumpkins either. They all ranged between about 8-10 pounds. By the time we were done, I was spent! I try to do everything but sometimes it is so hard. My core strength is just not strong enough so I over compensate by using my back and/or legs and then I fail. I am looking forward to the day that my core can be stronger. The good news is, that my friend Jordan says she can notice my legs changing. She can see a little definition in my calf and shin.

I am trying to stay positive although I am discouraged at my weight loss. It has been very slow lately. I know what I need to do. Now I just need to do it! As I carved pumpkins yesterday I looked at the 8 pound pumpkins and had to be proud that I have lost 7 pumpkins. Do you know how much that is. Think about it! Now the goal is to lose at least one more 10 pound pumpkin by Thanksgiving. When I look at the size of a pumpkin it is a rude awakening to where I came from and that I still have a long way to go. It is unbelievable to me that I could still easily lose 7 more pumpkins and still be in the normal weight range.

"24"

Well, I started season 2 of "24" and the good news is...I think I am already hooked. Now I am recruiting Travis to hold me accountable! The deal is....I can only watch it, if I am on the treadmill. I am loving our i-pad and Netflix. I can easily download all of the seasons directly to the i-pad for no additional charge, other than the $9 bucks a month we pay for our Netflix account already. There are 8 seasons, obviously with 24 episodes each and that means I can be watching for a while. I had totally forgotten about the Netflix app and being able to stream immediate content. Thanks Amanda for reminding me. Sweet! The show is regularly an hour but with no commercial breaks they are about 48 minutes. This is perfect for a good cardio workout!

An Apple a Day

So...it is apple season. The apples are so good right now. They are crisp and sweet and a great snack. I am really enjoying the apples. My new favorite snack is an apple with a little bit of peanut butter or a little salt. They are actually really filling. Especially on my days that I work out..when I get home I really don't want a big heavy meal. The last couple of weeks I have just had an apple with some PB for dinner on Thursday nights.

We have all heard an "apple a day keeps the doctor away"...but where did that come from? I decided to look into the nutritional benefits of apples and this is what I found.

Apples have properties that no other fruits have and its benefits have been proven overtime. You will be able to get the benefits of these properties individually with other fruits, but an apple combines everything and makes it simpler. It has been shown over and over that if it’s not simple, easy and fast, people won’t take care of their health.

1-Apple contains Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps greatly your immune system. A lot of people who lack Vitamin C in their diet have poor healing, bruise easily and have bleeding gums.

2-Prevent Heart Diseases. The reason it can prevent both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease is because apples are rich in flavonoid. Flavonoids are also known for their antioxidant effects.

3-Low in calories. A regular size apple has between 70-100 calories. Eating an apple when craving for candy or chocolate can make the desire disappear since apple in itself contains sugar, but gives you only ¼ of the calories.

4-Prevent Cancers. Notice the plural. We all know that cancer comes in several forms and in different places. Apples target multiple cancers such as colon cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer in women.

5-Apples contain phenols, which have a double effect on cholesterol. It reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. They prevent LDL cholesterol from turning into oxidized LDL, a very dangerous form of bad cholesterol which can be deadly.

6-Prevent tooth decay. Tooth decay is an infection that seriously damages the structure of your teeth, which is caused primarily because of bacteria. The juice of the apples has properties that can kill up to 80% of bacteria. So there you have it, an apple a day also keeps the dentist away!

7-Protects your brain from brain disease. This is something many people don’t know, and when you consider that your brain makes the person you are, it gives a whole new perspective. Apple has substances called phytonutrients, and these phytonutrients prevents neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsonism.

8-Healthier Lungs. A research at the University of Nottingham Research shows that people who eat 5 apples or more per week has lower respiratory problems, including asthma.

So, enjoy the yummy apples this season. There are so many different varieties. My favorites are Gala, Pink Lady and Braeburn apples. Not only are they filling and delicious but they can also promote good health. On average Americans only eat an apple a week but really an apple a day is needed to get the health benefits. Hudson loves apples. We bought a little slicer that cores and cuts the apple in wedges. It was about $5 and makes the apple so easy to eat and is super fast!

Source

The Competition is ON!!!

See these two girls here?? Yes, they are my friends Jana and Amanda Cupcake! This pic was taken on the lake when they were both here in TN. How I miss them! So, why their picture you ask? Because....

A friendly little competition has been made! Whoever can lose the largest percentage of weight loss by Thanksgiving. This Sunday we are all giving our weights to each other via picture/text message. We haven't decided for sure on what the prize will be but IT is ON! Good luck ladies...you're gonna need it!

No weight post

Well, I didn't get around to posting my weight on Sunday. I was working at the info desk at church that morning, running late, etc. Then Monday morning was hectic too and I forgot. I am doing fine though and will post a new picture of the scale on Sunday.

Finally recovered from Weekend Warrior! Here is a picture of what my bruise looked like the next day! Ouchy!

I went to work out last night. My rear is killing me! I was not the only one with a bruise. Several of my girlfriends also had scratches and bruises but I think I get the award for the biggest one! I am really loving my workouts. Wish I could add another night like Tuesdays. However, with teaching CPR and other commitments it is hard to leave the kiddos at home with Travis for another night. I have really been slacking on the treadmill too. I was so committed when I was watching Biggest Loser. I swear I just need a new show. I have been talking about it for months now but I think I am going to start "24" season 2; since it always leaves you on a cliff hanger, I think I will be motivated to watch. I am watching Biggest Loser again this season but haven't found that special connection with anyone. I think I like the "pairs" shows the best.

Travis took this picture of my last week. While I haven't lost a ton on the scale...I can definitely tell my body is changing. Hoping for a good number this week though!