Fat Burning & Muscle Building Articles by Tom Venuto

Articles By Tom Venuto

Article Categories
Fat Loss/ Weight Loss/ Diet Related Articles	Bodybuilding and Muscle Building Articles
Fitness Psychology and Motivation Articles	Holiday and Seasonal Specific Articles

Fat Loss/ Weight Loss/ Diet Related Articles

Trans Fatty Acids: The poison in our food supply that people
are STILL eating!
Most people are eating a poison every day without giving it a second thought. This substance can increase belly fat and consuming even small amounts (2% of total energy intake) is consistently linked to coronary heart disease. The research also says that this stuff can increase visceral fat, contribute to insulin resistance, increase risk of type 2 diabetes, increase bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, trigger systemic inflammation and adversely affect almost every cell in your body.
Calorie Restriction For Life Extension: What They Didn't Tell
You On Oprah
On a recent episode of the Oprah show, one of the guests was a 51 year old man with the heart of a 20 year old. He's been following a calorie restriction plan and they said he might be one of the first people to reach 120 years old by following this plan. There have been stories both in the lay press and scientific press about calorie restriction for years and it has been a frequent talk show topic on other many other TV shows. However, before you cut your calories in half in hopes of adding another decade onto your life, you'd better get the other half of the story they didn't talk about on Oprah.
Irvingia Gabonensis Supplement Craze: In-Credible Weight Loss from
an African Tree?
Irvingia gabonensis is the latest weight loss supplement to hit the marketplace, saturate the internet with advertisements, ignite forum discussions and flood my email inbox with questions. In the weight loss marketplace, this may gain the dubious distinction of becoming the next hoodia or acai (scam), but I'll just present the facts, make my case and then let you judge for yourself.
The Real Way to Stop Eating Fast Food
“How could you eat that junk? It's so bad for you!” (nag, nag). “Don't you know those fries will give you a heart attack?” (nag, nag). “You have to stop eating all that fast food, it's going to make you fat!” (nag nag). “You have to eat more healthy food like fruits and vegetables - they're good for you!” (nag, nag). Your friends nag you, your family nags you, your doctor nags you, the health newsletters, websites and magazines - they all nag you, and of course, your personal trainer nags the heck out of you, to stop eating all those BAD FAST FOODS. But does all that nagging you and bad-mouthing the fast food industry really help anyone stop?
The 2 Pounds Per Week Rule and How to Burn Fat Faster
Why do you always hear that 2 pounds per week is the maximum amount of fat you should safely lose? If you train really hard while watching calories closely shouldn't you be able to lose more fat without losing muscle or damaging your health? What if you want to lose fat faster? How do you explain the fast weight losses on The Biggest Loser? These are all good questions that I've been asked many times. With the diet marketplace being flooded every day with rapid weight loss claims, these questions desperately need and deserve some honest answers. Want to know where that 2 pounds per week rule comes from and what it really takes to burn more than 2 pounds of fat per week? Read on.
Stop Cravings and Stop Binge Eating: Advice from a Pizza Man
In a surprising comment made during a popular UK radio show, the founder of one of the largest Pizza chains in the United States and United Kingdom told listeners not to eat too much pizza!
Speed Eating and Fat Loss: Diet Advice Your Mom Was Right
About All Along
A new study just published in a recent issue of the journal Obesity has revealed that thin people eat very differently than heavy people at all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. Researcher Brian Wansink and his team from the Cornell University Food and Brand Laboratory observed diners at 11 different Chinese buffet restaurants across the United States. Their goal was to find out whether the eating behaviors of people at all-you-can-eat buffets varied based on their body mass.
Avoid This Killer Weight Regain Mistake
Previous research has concluded without a shred of doubt that high levels of exercise are one of the keys to keeping fat off and maintaining your ideal weight. In this new study just published in the October 2008 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers found for the first time, proof that the drop in physical activity that happens automatically during calorie restriction is directly correlated to weight regain.
Listen to Maintainers, not to Losers: 5 Secrets For Keeping the
Weight Off for Good
I have very little interest these days in all the media-hyped stories of dramatic, rapid losses of body weight. “Big losers” don't impress me, for numerous reasons. For example, weight is not fat. “Weight” could be composed of mostly lean tissue, or it could be mostly water weight. In fact, I would go a step further and point out that rapid loss of bodyweight correlates very highly with a greater chance of relapse, weight re-gain and long term failure.
What The New "Low-Carb" Study REALLY Says
A news media feeding frenzy erupted recently when a new diet study broke in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Almost all the reporters got it wrong, wrong WRONG! So did most of the gloating low carb forumites and bloggers. Come to think of it, almost everyone interpreted this study wrong. Some valuable insights came out of this study, but almost everyone missed them because they were too busy believing what the news said or defending their own cherished belief systems ...
How I Got "Ripped" Abs For The Very First Time
I'll never forget the very first time I got ripped, how I did it and how it felt. I've never told this entire story before or widely published my early photos either. Winning first place and seeing my abs the first time was sweet redemption. But before that, it was a story of desperation...
Fat Burners: The Unadulterated Truth
If you've paid any attention at all to the weight loss industry, chances are you've probably heard about some kind of fat burner supplements. The ads that promote these fat burners usually have a very lean model, often with a six-pack claiming incredible fat loss success. These companies would like you to believe that the only way to guarantee fat loss progress is by supplementing your diet with one of their "miracle pills," and that it is not so much a matter of proper nutrition and hard work.
Wu Long Tea Weight Loss Scam
With all of the recent buzz, you've probably heard a lot about the incredible fat loss benefits of drinking wu long tea. The odds are good that if you're interested in improving your health and losing fat, you probably either drink tea, take a green tea supplement or you've at least thought about it. But what if I told you that most of the fat reducing claims for green tea were absolute, total BS, based on misinterpretation or deliberate misreporting of the research? Unfortunately, it's true. If you've bought green tea based on the claim that it causes large reductions in body fat, then you have been scammed.
2 Cardio Mistakes You're Still Making
The controversies over cardio for fat loss are endless: steady state versus intervals, fed versus fasted, long and easy versus short and intense, and so on. Obviously there is a lot of interest in cardio training and how to do it right. Sadly, most people are still doing 2 things terribly wrong and it's killing their results…… As best as I can figure, there are two major reasons why people are still mucking up their cardio programs for fat loss.
Steady State Cardio 5 X More Effective Than HIIT????
High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT for short, has been promoted as one of the most effective training methods ever to come down the pike, both for fat loss and for cardiovascular fitness. One of the most popular claims for HIIT is that it burns “9 times more fat” than conventional (steady state) cardio. This figure was extracted from a study performed by Angelo Tremblay at Laval University in 1994. But what if I told you that HIIT has never been proven to be 9 times more effective than regular cardio… What if I told you that the same study actually shows that HIIT is 5 times less effective than steady state cardio??? Read on and see the proof for yourself.
How Liquid Calories May Be Making You Fat... Even Your
Favorite Protein Drinks!
At least 7 scientific studies have provided strong evidence that energy containing beverages (i.e., “liquid calories”) do not properly activate the satiety mechanisms in the body and brain and do not satisfy the appetite as well as food in solid form. Epidemiological research also supports a positive association between calorie-containing beverage consumption and increased body weight or body mass index. New research now suggests that soda may not be the only culprit...
THE GREAT ABS MISTAKE "He Was Doing One Thousand
Crunches And Sit Ups A Day... But Still NO Abs!!!
After 18 years in the fitness business, “How do I get great abs” is still BY FAR the most frequently asked question I receive out of the 30,000+ emails that come into my office every month. No doubt, it's because abs are the one body part that most people are the most frustrated with. Although their questions are often phrased differently and each person's situation seems unique, my answer to “how do I get great abs” is almost always the same… and you're about to hear it...
3500 Calories To Lose A Pound - Is This Formula All Wrong?
Most fitness conscious people have heard that there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so if you create a deficit of 3500 calories in a week, you lose a pound of weight. If you create a deficit of 7000 calories in a week, you lose two pounds, and so on. Right? Well, not so fast. Dr. Kevin Hall, an investigator at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda recently published a new paper in the International Journal of Obesity that throws a wrench in works of the “3500 calories to lose a pound” idea.
Alcohol: Why Some People Can Drink It Without Getting Fat
Alcohol has been implicated as a factor that may hurt your efforts to lose body fat. Whether alcohol is "fattening" has been a controversial subject because technically, alcohol is NOT stored as fat; it is oxidized ahead of other fuels. Whether moderate drinking is healthy has also been a subject of controversy. Many studies show cardiovascular benefits associated with moderate beer or wine drinking, while other studies show improved insulin sensitivity. Some experts however, say that alcohol has no place in a fitness lifestyle. A recent 2007 study published in the journal Obesity adds new findings to our knowledge about alcohol, insulin resistance and abdominal obesity and gives us some insights into why some people seem to drink and get fat while others seem to drink and get thin!
Foods That Burn Fat: The Top 10 Lists
Anytime the topic of my blogs, articles or newsletters has turned to my own personal grocery shopping list, there has always been a spike in interest. It seems that many people are not only curious about what foods a natural bodybuilder eats to maintain single digit body fat, but they also want to be taken by the hand and told exactly what foods to eat themselves while on fat-burning or muscle building programs. That's why I decided to put together four separate “top 10” lists of healthy foods that burn fat and build muscle.
Fish Oil May Help Burn Fat, But It's No Fat-Burning Miracle
Unless you've been living under a rock somewhere for the last several years, you've probably heard about the health benefits of eating fatty fish or taking fish oil supplements. Well, it looks like you might be able to add fat loss alongside the other benefits like heart, blood, brain, skin and joint health (and the rest of the list, which is too long to print here). However, the fat loss benefit is not as much as some people want you to believe...
The Incredible Shrinking Fat Cell By Tom Venuto
Earlier this week someone in our discussion forum wrote, "I haven't LOST any fat... I know EXACTLY where it went! I got a chuckle out of that because I "got" the joke, but truth is, most people really don't know where the fat goes when it's burned or how the fat burning process takes place, so this is a really good question.
Abdominal Training Secrets - The Interview, By Tom Venuto
With David Grisaffi
In this full-feature length interview, Tom Venuto interviews Abdominal and core training expert David Grisaffi about the best ways to flatten your abs, improve athletic performance, decrease body fat and eliminate low back back.
The Low Body Fat Secret Of Bodybuilders And Fitness Models
By Tom Venuto
The secret to getting super lean – I'm talking about being RIPPED, not just “average body fat” – is all about mastering the art of "peaking." Most people do not have a clue about what it takes to reach the type of low body fat levels that reveal ripped six-pack abs, muscle striations, vascularity and extreme muscular definition, so they go about it completely the wrong way...
Body Wraps And Waist Wraps: The Difference Between Losing
Fat And Losing Inches
"Body wraps" and rubber waist belts have been around for ages in the weight loss and spa industry. Claims include loss of body weight, loss of body fat, and loss of inches. When your body fat decreases, your circumference measurements usually also decrease, but what few people realize is that “fat” loss and “inch” loss are not one in the same. If you don't know how to tell the difference, you could be falling for one of the oldest, most notorious fitness and weight loss scams in the book.
Tom Venuto's Top 10 Travel Fitness Tips, Part 1
just because you're traveling doesn't mean you can't follow your regular exercise regimen. If you want to continue to improve your physique while on the road, you can! Here are 5 ways that I did it on my last extended business trip that you may find helpful as well. It begins with a simple decision.
Tom Venuto's Top 10 Travel Fitness Tips Part 2
just because you're traveling doesn't mean you can't follow your regular exercise regimen. If you want to continue to improve your physique while on the road, you can! Here are 5 more ways that I did it on my last extended business trip that you may find helpful as well. It begins with a simple decision.
Cortisol, Stress And Body Fat: Straight Answers To
The Top 20 Questions About The Stress Hormone
It seems that every time science uncovers some type of association between body fat and anything, opportunistic entrepreneurs are waiting in the shadows to create a product and a marketing campaign around it. The most recent example is when researchers discovered a correlation between cortisol and abdominal body fat. Cortisol was then blamed as the latest culprit in the obesity problem, and cortisol-suppressing pills were touted as the “miracle solution.”
Protein Supplements Vs. Protein Foods
Did you ever notice how so many articles about protein in bodybuilding and fitness magazines are slanted towards hyping some "revolutionary" new protein product? did you ever wonder why? Are protein powders and supplements really better than protein foods? Although protein powders can be very useful, as with most aspects of the bodybuilding supplement industry, the subject of protein is often driven more by marketing hype than science.
How To Use Super-Sizing, Portion Distortion And Dietary
Displacement To Your Advantage
Ever since the independent film, Super Size Me was released, research on the relationship between increasing obesity and increasing portion sizes has skyrocketed and the results have been virtually unanimous. There have been numerous well-designed studies published just in the last several years which confirmed exactly what we suspected (and much of what Super-Size-Me suggested)
How To Repair A Damaged Metabolism
If you've caused metabolic damage as a result of following starvation diets or losing weight too rapidly in the past, it can be extremely difficult to achieve any further fat loss at all. The good news is, metabolic damage can be repaired. All it takes is the right combination of metabolism stimulating exercise and metabolism stimulating nutrition...
Induction Destruction: The Perils Of Diving Into Strict Diets Head First
One thing that almost all mainstream popular diets have in common is an “induction phase” (or the equivalent). This is often done under the scientific-sounding labels of “making the metabolic switch” from “carb burner” to “fat burner.” However, "induction" is simply a politically correct way to say you have to crash diet and starve yourself in the beginning... which is a one way ticket to eventual weight regain and metabolic destruction!
Increase Your Metabolism And Curb Your Appetite With This
Fat-Burning Food Group
There have been countless studies performed on the role of protein in the muscle growth process to try and determine exactly how much protein you should consume to build muscle mass. Recently, several studies have looked at the role that dietary protein plays in helping you lose fat, and more importantly, helping you keep it off! One thing scientists have discovered is that eating lean protein foods is important for regulating body composition because it decreases your appetite.
What a "Muscle-head" Says About Organic Food
Last week I was talking about nutrition with one of my workout buddies and when I mentioned grass fed beef and "organic food” he asked, "Do you mean like what you get at Whole Foods Market?" I said, "Yes, exactly... that's a natural food and organic supermarket." He said, "Yeah well, that place costs so much, I call it Whole Paycheck!"I was rolling on the floor laughing, but the truth is, organic food really is expensive so it's a valid question to ask, “Is it worth it?” After researching the subject, let me offer you my take on it from a bodybuilder's viewpoint. This is a perspective on organics you may not have heard before.
Nutrition Or Training - Which Is More Important?
Legendary bodybuilding trainer Vince, "The Iron Guru" Gironda was famous for saying, "Bodybuilding is 80% nutrition!" Is this really true or is this just another fitness and bodybuiding myth passed down like gospel without ever being questioned? This IS an interesting question and I believe there is a definite answer:
Banking Calories - Eat Less Now To Pig Out Later?
Suppose you're on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You're expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.” You're not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you're going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?
Top 10 Bonehead Workout Mistakes
Common workout mistakes has always been a very popular topic in fitness publications. But no matter how many times this subject is re-hashed, you almost always hear about the same half a dozen or so mistakes, including poor form, overtraining, going too heavy, not stretching, not warming up, and so on.. Ironically, you seldom hear about the biggest mistakes of all. I call these humongous bloopers “bonehead mistakes” because once you start to analyze and think about them, they're really just common sense
Don't Be A Big Loser: Why You Should Say No To Quick Weight Loss
There are hundreds of ways to lose weight quickly, but only one way to lose fat and keep it off in the long term.
How To Lose 20 Pounds In 5 Minutes
Absolutely guaranteed to be the fastest way to take off 20 pounds that you have ever seen.
Did You Inherit Fat Genes? The Truth About Biology And Body Fat
Is obesity a genetically inherited disease or something you control? Some researchers say it's all genetics, but with billions of dollars in weight loss drug sales at stake, you might want to think twice before listening to those who say fat is just fate.
The Glycemic Index: Is Glycemic Index The key to fat loss or
just another diet gimmick?
Many diet programs revolve around the concept of Glycemix Index (GI). Some even say that the GI is the “key to fat loss.” While the GI is one important aspect of fat burning nutrition, using GI as your only criteria for choosing foods may not be the diet panacea that some “gurus” want you to believe.
The Truth About Counting Calories And Weight Loss
Count calories, count portions or calories don't count? Discover the truth
Everything You Need To Know About Loose Skin And Weight Loss
If you're extremely overweight or if you've been extremely overweight in the past, then you know that getting rid of excess weight is only one of the challenges you face. Once the fat is gone, you are often confronted with an equally frustrating cosmetic problem; Loose skin.

Fitness Psychology and Motivation Articles

No Pain No Gain: Fitness Myth or Ultimate Fitness Truth
No Pain, No Gain. Is this aphorism just a fitness myth and downright bad advice? A lot of people seem to think so. As a bodybuilder with 25 years of training experience and more than two dozen trophies on my shelf, I have another perspective to offer you. Success with your body and in every area of your life is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone and that means embracing pain.
The Little Thing in Your Head That's Keeping You Fat
I have no doubt that a scientist somewhere just read the title of this article and said out loud, “YES! Venuto is right! That little thing in your head – the hypothalamus – it IS the thing that is keeping you fat! By George, that Venuto guy isn't a dumb bodybuilder after all – he's been doing his research!” At which moment, I will be shaking my head and thinking, “you need to get out of the laboratory and into the real world, with real people, buddy.” Okay, okay, to be fair, Neuro-endocrine control of appetite and body fat really is quite fascinating. But today, I'm talking about PSYCH-ology, not PHYSI-ology. The little thing in your head that's keeping you fat is actually just a...
8 Reasons Why You Keep Falling Off The Diet Wagon
Clearly, we have an obesity problem in America and many other countries across our planet. Yet, I propose that we do not have a weight loss problem today. In case you're confused at this apparent contradiction, consider these statistics:
Faith Based Diets: Does God Punish You For Being Fat?
Faith based diets have been around for decades. But is overeating really a sin? Does God punish you for being fat? A recent column in an issue of USA Today answers, “weight loss is hard enough without feeling that the almighty is on your back, too”...
The New Visualization Breakthrough: Mental Training Tactics For
Health And Fitness Success
Understanding the mind's role in motivation and behavior is one of the most critical elements in physical fitness success. If you struggle with changing habits and behaviors or if you can't get motivated, then even the best training and nutrition program is worthless. With new discoveries in the science of visualization, you can make amazing breakthroughs in your health and fitness achievements
Don't Catch These 2 Diseases
One of my favorite motivational speakers is Brian Tracy, who is one of the world's top experts on success psychology and personal achievement. In case you haven't heard of Brian, he is sort of like a calmer, more “laid back” version of Tony Robbins. Not long ago, I had the chance to attend a seminar Brian held at the Jacob Javitz center here in New York City. One part of his talk really grabbed my attention, and I'd like to share it with you...
Why Some People Quit And Some People NEVER Give Up
Throughout my 18 years in the fitness industry, I have noticed that some people who start a diet and exercise program give up very easily after hitting the first obstacle they encounter. On the other hand, I noticed that some people simply NEVER give up. These people are like the bulldog that refuses to release its teeth-hold on a bone. The harder you try to pull the bone out of his mouth, the harder the dog chomps down with a vice-like grip. What's the difference between these two types of people? Psychologists say there is an answer.
Count Down To Fitness Success And Keep Your Motivation Drive Alive
There are many fantastic ways to get focused and motivated to start a new diet or exercise program, but often the most difficult thing to do is keep that drive and ambition alive and see your goal through to completion. Within just weeks of beginning a new fitness program, many people have already hit their first snag or setback, and as a result, have slipped backwards in the mental focus and motivation department. Setting goals in writing is an essential step to success, but how do you stay focused on them? One technique I have used ever since my very first bodybuilding competition 18 years ago, is...
Can You Think Yourself Thin?
On a recent special edition of The Larry King show, panel experts Bob Proctor, John Assaraf and others who were featured in the movie 'The Secret' explained that recent breakthroughs in neuroscience along with understanding mental laws, reveal why goal setting, the "law of attraction" and "positive thinking" really do work, regardless of whether you look at them from a metaphysical or a scientific perspective
Building A Better Body One Brick At A Time
Losing weight and getting in shape doesn't happen overnight. Once you understand the truth about what it really takes to build a better body, you'll never fall prey to fads, gimmicks or scams ever again...
Health And Fitness Is Not A 12 Week Program
Thinking about entering one of those 12 week transformation challenges or going on a quick weight loss diet? If so, you'd better read this first

Bodybuilding and Muscle Building Articles

The Greatest Quad Builder... That Almost No One Wants To Do
It's axiomatic that the exercises which give you the best results are always the hardest ones to do. If you want a huge back… you row and deadlift. If you want huge legs, you squat… OR… you do THIS leg exercise – that almost no one wants to do because its one of the hardest of them all. Which one am I talking about? FRONT SQUATS!
The Ideal Body Measurements
I'm often asked what my body measurements are and/or what are the ideal measurements for a bodybuilder or a classical muscular male physique. Believe it or not, there are actually many formulas for determining the “ideal body proportions.” On the other hand, you might want to take them with a grain of salt...
Build a Bigger Chest in 3-4 Workouts or Less
If your pecs are a weak body part, or, if you've simply hit a progress plateau in your chest development, then this high intensity chest training program will packs slabs of muscle mass on your chest after just 3-4 workouts and I guarantee it. This is a high intensity bodybuilding workout for advanced bodybuilders only. (Beginners don't even think about it...)
The Low Body Fat Secret Of Bodybuilders And Fitness Models
The secret to getting super lean – I'm talking about being RIPPED, not just “average body fat” – is all about mastering the art of "peaking." Most people do not have a clue about what it takes to reach the type of low body fat levels that reveal ripped six-pack abs, muscle striations, vascularity and extreme muscular definition, so they go about it completely the wrong way...

Holiday and Seasonal Specific Articles

5 Excuses That Won't Fly in 2009
It's 2009. Your old excuses for not getting in shape won't work. As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) said, ZIP IT! I don't want to hear them anymore! Read em', then haul your excuseless butt to the gym!
Instead of New Year's Resolutions, Set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Goals
Why do new year's resolutions usually fail? Why do you start with guns blazing on January 1st, but by February, you're losing motivation, cheating on your diet, skipping workouts, and slipping back into old patterns? John LaValle, a master trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) suggests that we should take a closer look at the meaning behind the word “Resolution.” Being derived from the word “re-solve," it really means “to solve again.” And isn't that exactly what happens? You solve the same problem again and again, year after year?
Your Fitness Future Foretold: 20 Predictions for the New Year
Happy new year! Today is your lucky day because I'm going to predict your future and forecast exactly what kind of results you're going to get in the next 12 months. Sylvia Browne, step aside... I'm pretty good at this...
My Holiday Fitness Challenge to You
Media reports say that most people gain between 5 and 10 pounds of body fat in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. According to research from the New England Journal of Medicine, the average amount is much more modest - just over a pound. However, even modest holiday weight gain may be cause for concern: A study by the National Institutes of Health found that this seasonal weight gain - even just a pound - is usually not lost after the holidays; it simply adds to the “weight creep” that sneaks up on us as we get older.
How to Stay on Your Diet and Stay in Shape Over the Holidays
Without Turning into a Miserable Scrooge! (A Holiday Survival Guide)
I'd like to share with you 10 ways that you can follow your diet and stay in great shape over the holidays without turning into a “miserable Scrooge.” If you follow this advice, then you'll be one of the proud few with a New Year's resolution to be the best you've ever been in the new year to come - instead of one of the guilt-ridden many who must resolve to reclaim what they lost over the year that's just passed them by.
Brain Science And New Year's Resolutions
It doesnt matter how much you know about nutrition or exercise. Until specialized fitness knowledge is linked with goals and directions, you won't accomplish much or keep the changes long term. Most people believe they are "setting goals" when they make a new year's resolution. However, most resolutions are casually set, lightly taken and only done once a year on January 1st. Neuroscience has now shed some light on why New Year's resolutions almost always fail and how to set goals scientifically for permanent change and results that last

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