5 Excuses That Won't Fly in 2010

I had the pleasure of having Tom Venuto on my FitTalk Show last year. Over the holidays, we had exchanged emails talking about how being more fit and healthy remains the top goal for most people, particularly with all the talk of health care.  
I shared with Tom my article, Another New Year's Resolution, as he was a resource I had mentioned in my article.  During our exchange, we talked about how excuses remains the most common deterrent with people when it comes to weight loss success.
With that, Tom told me that he had an article he had written called, 5 Excuses that Won't Fly in 2010 and I am excited to publish Tom's article as a guest blogger.


5 Excuses That Won't Fly in 2010
Written by Guest Blogger: Tom Venuto
Author: Burn The Fat


It’s 2010. 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!
1. I have no time.
According to a story in a recent issue of Men’s Health magazine, Barack Obama works out for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Obama doesn’t just play basketball either. Our new president stays fit to lead with cardio and weight lifting. He also says he wishes he could train 90 minutes a day. Have you ever seen what the daily schedule of a U.S. president looks like? If the busiest man in the world can train every day for 45 minutes a day, then what’s your excuse? ZIP IT! You ain’t got one!
2. It’s too expensive.
Getting in shape certainly is expensive… if you keep wasting hundreds of dollars, month after month on worthless “miracle” weight loss pills, internal cleansing gimmicks and “magic” potions that all claim to make you slim. Deceptive advertising and slick marketing for bogus diet aids is more rampant than ever. 2010 was the year of thewu-long tea scam, the acai berry scam, and, of course, the ubiquitous “cleansing” and “detox” gimmicks . Unless you put on your critical thinking cap and learn to investigate before you invest, then you’ll get scammed by 2010’s flavor of the year as well. Your quest for those elusive “6-pack” abs will not only continue to be expensive, you’ll go broke. Walking, jogging, calisthenics and body weight exercises are FREE. If you want to know what’s really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor’s bill when you’re sick.
3. No one will support me.
Experts on social influence say your income will be approximately equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. Not only do I think that’s pretty darn accurate, I also believe that your health is your greatest wealth, and your physical condition will be about equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. It’s a real challenge to stay positive, focused and active when you’re surrounded by critical people and negative influences. However, in 2010, lack of support is no longer a valid excuse. Online social networking is exploding (check out Twitter and Facebook ) and more IN PERSON friendships and associations are being made from an internet connection than ever before. Training buddies can be found online. Connect with them. Mentors and coaches are easily found online. Hire them. Support forums have been around for years. Use them. No support from your current friends? Stop whining, start reaching out and go make new ones. In 2010, support partners and new friends are just a click away.
4. I can’t lose weight because of my genetics.
The marvels of modern medical and biological research are astonishing. Our top scientists have mapped the human genome! In the past few years, numerous genes linked to obesity have been discovered. However, the obesity epidemic we’re facing today has only developed over the past 50 years and genetic mutations that lead to serious obesity are extremely rare. Genetic predisposition only means that you have a tendency. It’s when the genetics meet lifestyle and environment that the genes express themselves. If you have a family history of heart disease, is it smart to smoke, eat junk, be a stressed-out, type-A maniac and a couch potato? Well of course not, and it’s the same with obesity. If you have a tendency predisposing you towards obesity, you’d better be the person doing the MOST exercise, not the least. You’d better be the person paying the MOST attention to your nutrition. You’d better be the person with the healthiest lifestyle. But unfortunately, it’s usually the opposite. Most people throw up their arms in frustration saying, “what’s the use, I was dealt a bad hand.” Sorry. That won’t fly in 2010. The latest research says genetics are a factor, but a tendency is not a destiny!
5. I don’t know how.
The lamest excuse of them all in 2010 is “I don’t know how.” NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT! Ponder that for a while. You don’t need to know how at first. To get started, you only need to know WHAT… what is the goal? Setting well-formed goals is the master skill of success. Not wishy-washy resolutions that have no resolve behind them, but real goals. In writing. With emotional ooompf! As you continue to affirm, visualize and focus on your goal with clarity, belief, and expectation, your new goal or intention will be received by your subconscious. Once a goal is accepted into your subconscious mind, your brain, being a goal-seeking mechanism, will turn on your attention filters to seek out all the information you will ever need to reach your goal. It will also turn on an infallible navigation system to guide you to your goal like a torpedo to its target. As your brain guides your attention, your direction and your behavior, you will discover that today, in 2010, there is more good information, coaching and instruction available than ever before. And when you’ve activated that “success radar” in your brain by setting goals effectively, it’s not as hard to find honest, accurate and helpful HOW-TO advice as you might think. In fact, you found this webpage, so you’re doing pretty good right now, aren’t you?
No more excuses. In 2010, remember my Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Creed: You can either make excuses or get results, but you can’t do both!

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

Another New Year's Resolution

Another year has come and gone and another New Year is before us.  Hundreds of thousands of people are feeling the effects of another holiday season of too much over indulgence and too little exercise.  Hundreds of thousands of people are yet again, making another New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. 

If you are one of the many who is yet again, making weight loss your New Year’s Resolution, ask yourself why you find yourself with the same goal at the start of every year.  Why will this year be different from all the others?

Don’t think of it as a New Year’s Resolution.  That phrase in itself has a negative connotation and doesn’t sound long term.  New Year’s Resolutions have a built in bad reputation for failure.  Their life spans are short, goals never quite reached.  I would suggest that you look at it from a different perspective.  Don’t call it a New Year’s Resolution.  It’s a proposal to YOURSELF, a life long commitment to YOU,

Everyone starts off motivated with good intentions of weight loss success, but they fall off the path somewhere.  Why?  What are the excuses that stopped you   in the past?  Have you really taken the time to sit down with a pen and paper and write down why your previous efforts didn’t succeed?  If you were to do that, you would get a good understanding of where your efforts got derailed and ask yourself what you could do differently this time around to prevent that from happening again.

Establishing good habits take time.  They don’t happen overnight.  The things you do habitually require no thought and they are actions you perform consistently day after day.  The same concept applies towards exercising on a consistent basis and improving your nutrition.

My diet and exercise habits didn’t develop overnight and it wasn’t easy in the beginning.  It was a conscious effort.  My nutritional habits are second nature to me now.  It requires no effort for me to avoid foods that aren’t nutrient rich. 

When it comes to exercise, a lot of people will come up with excuses as to why they don’t.  The number one excuse most people have is that they don’t have time.  I had the opportunity to interview Tom Venuto on my FitTalk Show and when we discussed the “I don’t have the time” excuse, Tom’s response to that was, "you have all the time in the world. You have the same time everyone else has. Twenty four hours in a day. The same amount of time as Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Warren Buffet and The President." What you haven't done is taken the time to sit down and prioritize your life - put health as a high priority.”

If time is an issue for you, one of the best ways to maximize your time and your efforts is to walk into the gym with a “game plan”.  There are thousands of workout programs out there and fitness professionals such as myself who can create a game plan for you.  When you walk into the gym knowing exactly what it is you need to do, i.e., what exercises, how many sets, how many reps, your workouts will be more focused and you won’t be wasting time trying to think about what to do next.  Your workouts will have a purpose.  Having a “game plan” will help keep you motivated to complete the workout you walked into the gym with.

Most programs are 3 months, 12 weeks, 90 days.  Once you have chosen a program, (book, e-book, fitness professional or an on line service such as the one I provide), commit yourself to the length of the program.  Set aside an appointment with yourself at the same time 3-4 days per week.  By doing this, you are creating a habit.  If you can stick to a 90 day program, you are on your way towards making exercise part of your lifestyle.

If you want to get a great e-book, I highly recommend Tom Venuto’s Burn The Fat program.  I provide a personalized on-line services much like my in person client’s get. 

The next component is your nutrition.  I never refer to it as a “diet”.  Following a “diet” is never long term, or a lifestyle.  “Diets” tend to be quick fixes and most people have difficulty sticking to a “diet”.  What you want to do is think of yourself as making better food choices and it can be a gradual process so you don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself or going through withdrawals that some foods can cause once you suddenly omit them from your diet.

In order to make better food choices, you need to be aware of your current food choices.  This suggestion is nothing new; however, it’s tried and true.  Keep a food journal. Make an effort for 1 week to write down everything you eat and drink.  This will make you more aware of what you eat. 

When you find yourself snacking, be aware if you’re snacking in front of the TV, computer, etc.  Rather than bring a bag or container with you to your desk, living room, etc., put a single serving in a bowl and eat only the serving in the bowl.  Better yet, substitute the snack for a better choice such an apple with a handful of nuts. 

If you are a soda drinker, and you notice that you are having at least 1 can of soda a day, rather than quit soda cold turkey, try cutting back on the amount of sodas you drink per week.  That’s one simple change that can help make a difference.  Over time, you will be able to give up soda. (Regular and diet are both bad for you).

When you look at foods, ask yourself if the choice you’re making has any nutritional value.  Are the foods you eating have ingredients you can’t pronounce or is it in its natural state (i.e., fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc.).  Just like your workouts, if you stick with making better, nutritional food choices for 90 days, you will develop new habits that will get you closer to your weight loss goals.  Another tip, if you prepare your meals in advance and carry them with you, it will help you avoid eating foods that aren’t in line with your goals.

Finally, you want to build muscle and burn fat.  Like anything else, it’s a process.  There is no quick fix.  No magic pill.  If there was, obesity wouldn’t be an issue.  Also, the results you get are what you put into it as a lifestyle.  Just as being fit and healthy is a lifestyle choice, being unfit and overweight is a lifestyle choice too.

Here’s to a lifetime of good health through better nutrition and an active, fit, body.

Recommended resources

 Tom Venuto Burn The Fat E-Book

ShariFitness On Line Personal Training & Coaching

The Fitness Industry Rebuttal to Time Magazine Article

An irresponsible article was recently published by Time Magazine, which drove the top fitness experts into a fury. I was enraged when I first read the article and went on a “Rant” on my Facebook Fan Page and Twitter. How shameful that a respected and well known publication would put out something so misleading, particularly when we are well aware of the alarming obesity statictics. Thankfully, there are health advocates such as myself doing our best to help dispel the myths and misconceptions that are fed to us about health, fitness and wellness through the media. The Time Magazine article is called Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin and I suggest you read it.

What the article is basically saying is that if you exercise, you will not lose weight because exercise makes us hungry afterwards and tend to eat more and eat junk food after exercise.
This is TIME Magazine! Are you kidding me!?

As a fitness professional, I encourage people to exercise. I also advise people that the should eat AFTER they exercise, however, as a responsible fitness professional and many of my very well respected peers in the industry, advise people that they should have either a whey protein shake with a piece of fruit or a lean source of protein with a carbohydrate. It’s basic common sense that if you go to your local burger chain drive through, or eat donuts after your work out, you WILL gain weight. Exercise and diet go together. Weight management is most successful when careful attention is given to both physical activity and proper nutrition. The article said nothing about all the benefits of exercise and referred to exercise as “punishing .”

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) put out a statement in response to this article Experts Debunk Myth about Exercise, Weight Loss.

The other day, I received an e-mail from one of the most highly respected fitness professionals in the industry, and best selling author, Tom Venuto about why Time Magazine Owes the Fitness Industry an Apology.

I’m going to share with you excerpts from the email I received from Tom:

The truth about exercise, appetite and weight loss

John Cloud, a writer for Time magazine, says that he gets hungry after exercise, so he often eats more on the days he works out than on the days he doesn’t. Therefore, he proposes that exercise won’t make you thin and might actually prevent you from losing weight.

You don’t say? You mean that you don’t lose weight if you put the calories you just burned right back in by stuffing your face with muffins and doughnuts! Who’d have thunk?

It’s tough not to pick on a “fitness journalist” who thinks that exercise turns fat into muscle. But sarcasm aside for a moment, exercise can increase hunger in some cases. Hunger is a normal regulatory response of the body to maintain energy balance and weight homeostasis anytime you’re in a calorie deficit and losing body mass, whether that is achieved through exercise or dietary restriction.

That doesn’t mean exercise is ineffective for weight loss, it means you need DIETARY RESTRAINT to lose weight! Dietary restraint means that if you want to lose weight, sometimes you have to feel hungry and NOT EAT! (even while stressed, emotional, tempted, etc.)
This takes work, and part of that work is to practice the self-discipline to not eat every time you feel the urge and to pursue the self-education to understand the realities of the energy balance equation.

You’ll have to provide the self-discipline, but let me see if I can help with the education part (pay attention, Time magazine!)

Not exercising = not smart

The International Journal of Obesity recently published a review of the effects of exercise on appetite regulation. Dr. Martins of the Obesity research group in Norway explained that in our obesogenic environment today, NOT exercising is likely to lead to weight gain:
“It has been systematically shown that the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle inevitably produces a state of positive energy balance, as the physiological system is unable, at least in the short to medium term, to compensate by decreasing energy intake.”

Translation: if you sit on your butt, and you live in a Western society in this technologically-advanced, convenience-based world, surrounded by eating cues and temptation, it is hard NOT to gain weight, especially for people with a genetic predisposition to obesity.

The bottom line from Tom:

The effectiveness of exercise for weight loss was never really in question. The real issue is compliance to a calorie deficit.

Exercise IS effective for weight loss – significantly so – especially when you combine weight training and cardio training with an effective nutrition plan, as recommended for years in my Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle program.

The health benefits of exercise are indisputable. Not to mention that training makes you look good naked. No amount of dieting will ever make you stronger, fitter and more muscular. Only training can do that. Dieting without exercising turns you into a skinny fat person. You may look thin in clothes, but when you take off the shirt, you will still look soft and flabby.

But no matter how much you exercise, you can’t lose weight if you eat yourself into a calorie surplus. Just because you start an exercise program doesn’t mean you have free license to abandon all restraint and freely indulge in eating anything you want.

I recently did a tribute to Jack LaLanne and what he taught back in the 1950’s and 60’s still holds true today. When it comes to health, fitness and wellness, utilize common sense. When you come across information such as the Time Magazine article, if it sounds questionable, chances are it is.

If you are not familiar with Tom Venuto and his best selling book, Burn the Fat, I highly recommend it. I learned a lot from it during my transformation.








Wishing you all exceptional, health, fitness, wellness and happiness,
ShariFitness