4 Worthless Fat Burning Exercises

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4 Common But Useless Fatburning Exercises

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You may be wasting your time in the gym or at home if you are trying to shape your body or get rid of body fat.

Most people are. That is when it comes to exercise for getting rid of belly fat and getting into better shape.

I was in the gym today (nothing new… ; ) and I saw all 4 of these exercises being performed by various gym members (again… nothing new.)

And they are useless for 99% of the people on the planet.

Here they are…

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USELESS EXERCISE 1: Walking Dumbbell Lunges

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Okay ladies, this one is for you… although I see guys do this exercise as well.

This is where you take a pair of dumbbells and kneel with one leg, then the other, and so-on, walking around the gym as you go.

The idea behind this exercise is to work the butt, and to some extent the thighs… but it’s a joke. It’s something invented by trainers who should know better.

If you want to build and tone your butt, exercise one leg at a time. Lunges are a great exercise for this, but save your energy. Do them on a Smith Machine or with a barbell. Work one leg at a time, too. Do not alternate legs. This just wears you out aerobically before it has a chance to get to your glutes.

Here’s how I perform lunges: one leg at a time. I will do 2-3 sets, or do them in my 7 Minute Body-style workout fashion. I will finish one leg (and one butt cheek) before moving to the other leg.

Why? Again, to focus on the muscle more intensely and to avoid turning a leg/butt workout into a cardio session.

Jon Benson covers exactly how to work the butt area for the best results in 7 Minute Body and 7 Minute Muscle, found right here.

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USELESS EXERCISE 2:  The Sit-up

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I’m shocked that people still think sit-ups done the old-fashioned way actually work the abs. Even worse, most people have been fooled into believing this actually helps get rid of bellyfat.

Nonsense. Bellyfat is burned off when you have a good nutrition plan and through general exercise, not using exercises for the abs. Ab exercises are fine, but guess what?

I never train my abs more than 3-5 minutes. Today my ab workout took 3 minutes and 12 seconds to complete. And my abs are sore!

But without the nutrition plan, forget it… I’d never SEE my abs at all. I’d just have a nice wall of muscle with a bunch of flab covering it up.

The best nutrition plan for abs is The Every Other Day Dietplan, found here.

The best exercises to do for the actual ab muscles are hanging leg raises, done slowly, crunches (if you do them right)… and that’s really all you need.

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USELESS EXERCISE 3:  The Bench Press

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I’m going to get a lot of flack from the guys out there who love to bench, but I’m here to tell you that this exercise for bodyshaping is all but worthless.

Why? Because most people are not built right body-wise to bench press on a flat bench with a barbell. I am not, that’s for sure.

Bench presses work if you have short arms, a relatively short torso, and your shoulders are genetically strong.

Protect your shoulders and really work your chest by doing incline dumbbell presses with your palms facing OUT, not in toward your head. This protects the rotator cuff, a part of the shoulder that is often injured using barbell bench presses.

Combine this with a good cable fly or press movement and you’re set. Again, you only need about 7-14 minutes of chest work tops to get the job done.

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USELESS EXERCISE 4:  Most Cardio Exercises

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Yep… saved the best for last.

Here’s a fact:  Most cardio (bike, treadmill, glider, whatever) is a waste to time… UNLESS you do it at the right time with the right nutrition plan.

The calories you burn from cardio will be easily negated simply by eating a bagel! Hardly effective for getting rid of bodyfat. Weight training and/or resistance training at home or with your body weight, as covered in 7 Minute Muscle, is your best bet for exercise that burns-off mega-calories and keeps on burning long after the exercise session is over.

Here’s how to use traditional cardio wisely:

1. Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach;
2. Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately);
3. “Burst” for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate.
4. OR, do cardio right after weight or resistance training when your heart rate is already elevated and your blood sugar is lower. Your body burns blood sugar first during exercise.

Cardio for most people only needs to be performed 3-4 times a week for 20 minutes. The only time I break this rule is when I want to get my bodyfat to a really low percentage. Then I will do more, but only using the rules above.

Hope this saves you a ton of time with your workouts.

Enjoy your holidays!

Elizabeth

P.S.  You can get both books, The Every Other Day Dietplan and 7 Minute Body, for a big-time discount by going here and watching this presentation: Click Here.

Elizabeth

Free “Stubborn Fat” Video

If you have stubborn bodyfat that just does not want to budge, you will find this free video helpful.

It’s only 16 minutes long and covers the connection between your “hormones” and bodyfat.

Not only bodyfat… Your sexual-drive, your energy, your mood, and of course issues like menopause, andropause (male menopause) and more.

Give it a look.

Just by taking some of Dr. Lucille’s advice (natural, without harmful drugs) you can kick-start your hormonal system back into overdrive.

That’s the best way to end stubborn bodyfat and reboot your drive at the same time.

Find Out if You Too Are At Risk

Fitness expert Jon Benson gave me permission to share this article with you. Hope you all find it as informative as I did! =D

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 Find Out If You Too Are At Risk

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Want to know what your real odds are of having a heart attack?

How about a stroke? Diabetes?

Okay, this isn’t sounding like a positive letter… but hang in there. It gets a lot better and more positive.

I was having lunch today with my CPA and my good friend Sherry Strong. Sherry’s upcoming book is a must-read. I will let you know when she’s ready to release it.

Since Sherry has been here visiting me in Dallas I have learned SO much about natural food preparation and what really causes disease.

Our conversation took a turn to “doctor’s tests.” I think most of them are worthless. Some are vital.

It’s important to know the difference.

I’m going to give you the three tests you absolutely must take if you want to help ensure your future health in a moment.

But first, let me give you Sherry’s argument to my third test.

Yes, we nutritionists argue sometimes. ; )

I’ll let you decide. But statically it’s far more accurate than any blood test… and get this:

You can do it at home for free.

So far, are you with me?  Good.

I’m going to go in reverse order, third test to last…

The third test is simply this:

Measure your waistline. Use a tape measure and do not pull it tight. Measure right below the navel.

Write down that number in inches.

Then measure your height out of shoes in inches. Write that down too.

Multiply your waist inches by 2. If that number is greater than your height inches you are FOUR TIMES more likely to have heart disease.

For example, if you have a 36-inch waist and you are 70 inches tall, you are at a much greater risk for heart disease (36 x 2 = 72 which is greater than 70.) However if you have a 34-inch waist and you are 70 inches tall, you risk is far less (34 x 2 = 68 which is less than 70.)

Four times. That’s more predictive than cholesterol tests by far.

And a lot less expensive to boot.

Don’t just read about this test — DO IT. I’ll give you something you can do ABOUT it if you fail this test in a second.

The great news is that this is one factor that is totally within your control.

Test number two:  Know your SED rate. This is an inflammatory marker in the blood.

Test number one:  Know your hsCRP and LP(a) levels. Both of these can be done as one test usually. Both are inflammatory markers as well as key indicators of heart health.

Go to your doctor and ask for these three blood tests. Usually they can be done all at once. Sometimes they are separate, but they are all crucial.

If you are thin and look healthy, listen to this:

You too can be Lance Armstrong or Jim Fixx….and not know it.

Lance and Jim looked like two of the healthiest men on the planet. Lance beat testicular cancer but came within an inch of his life. Jim died after a short jog of a heart attack very young in life.

Looks can be deceiving.

This is Sherry’s argument — and she’s totally correct.

That’s why I give you THREE (well, actually four) TESTS.

You see, it’s virtually impossible to have a normal SED rate, a normal hsCRP level and a normal LP(a) level and be at imminent risk for any of these killer diseases.

Possible, perhaps — but almost not.

So, if you look healthy and feel like a bazillion bucks, you still need to know your levels of these inflammatory markers.

If you are overweight or obese, you totally absolutely MUST do the waist/height test as well as the others.

You see, it goes both ways.

Some obese folks test out okay at the doc’s office. Their cholesterol, blood pressure, and all typical readings are okay. Rarely does a doc run an hsCRP or LP(a). And rarely do they run a SED rate.

See the importance here?

Both the fit and the unfit can be at dire risk and not even know it.

Now, here’s the solution:

A low-inflammatory nutrition and training plan, along with plenty of stress-free time.

I can help you with the first two things.

The third thing — de-stressing — is up to you. You may want to spend 30 minutes a day doing yoga, walking, meditating, praying, or whatever calms your MIND and BODY down.

Check it out:

Lance and Jim were both doing insane amounts of exercise… so much that they demanded insane amounts of high-inflammatory foods. Foods like processed carbohydrates for example.

And they both got sick. One of them died.

My good friend Dr. Steven Chase believes that 85% of cancer is preventable.

Re-read that:  85%.  And he’s an oncologist — a cancer doctor.

And you know heart disease is 95% preventable… or did you?

But all of these killers, especially diabetes, demand a low-insulin, low-inflammatory nutrition and exercise plan.

Lance and Jim had sky-high inflammatory levels from all that exercise. It was literally TOO much exercise.

That’s why so many marathoners die of heart attacks. They eat inflammatory foods and engage in high-stress exercise for too long of a time.

So, what’s the answer?

1. Short workouts that are intense, effective, and enjoyable. Weights and cardio both, or in-home resistance workouts will work fine.

2. Longer “soft” workouts like brisk walking that helps de-stress the body and burn more bodyfat.

3. A nutrition plan that allows for your favorite foods at the RIGHT TIME of the day but also helps you burn bodyfat without activating your body’s stress-producing hormones like cortisol…cool.

Most nutrition plans are stressful. Big mistake. Stress can cause you to hold on to bodyfat. Plus stress causes inflammation.

Most workout plans are either too easy or too intense for too long a period of time. My System is super-short (7-14 minutes a day, plus walks when you can.) This is enough to build all the muscle you need plus burn bodyfat when combined with the nutrition plan.

My System’s nutrition plan is ideal if you are willing to “diet” for a day or two, then enjoy a day of eating “normal” foods.

Hey, no one is perfect. Anyone who has half a brain should know that not very many people (myself included) are willing to do without their favorite foods forever.

That’s silly — and it’s not necessary to burn bodyfat.

In fact, my System ‘demands’ that you eat these foods at certain times TO BURN MORE BODYFAT!

Wild, isn’t it?

It’s the System I’ve used for years.

It’s the combination of two books:

7 Minute Muscle + Every Other Day Diet

Get them both for one low price…

Go here  <— Helps you pass the tests

Any of my three Upgrade Kits come with both books, a full year of support from me on the Every Other Day Diet group Forum, and so many bonuses I can’t list them all.

This combo is something I am so very proud to share with you.

It’s the ultimate System for lowering bodyfat, increasing lean muscle, lowering insulin, lowering inflammation, and ensuring your health.

Whether you are in shape or obese, this System is one that will work for you.

This system helps you pass the tests.

Get Rid of Arm Flab

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How To Get Rid Of Arm Flab

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[ Editor’s Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]
 
Got arm flab?

Know someone who does?

Some women I know with a healthy sense of humor refer to it as “their wings” because their arm flab flaps when they walk or jog.

It’s time to get rid of your wings ladies…

… and guys, listen up:  You are not immune to arm flab. Even if your don’t have any, the tips I’m about to give will help you build stronger arms.

Before I go any further, I have to tell you about Marty Web.

Marty looked like … well, your typical 59-year-old housewife. Actually she looked a bit worse.

She was a good 80 pounds over her ideal bodyweight. And she had her wings…

… big time wings. Loads of arm flab.

That was at age 59.

At age 61… wow. Different story.

Marty transformed her body to such a degree that even I could have never guessed she was an OUNCE overweight!

Her story and 52 others just like her, male and female, are in my first book — and my best-seller Fit Over 40.

I’d like you to read more about it here — Cure for arm flab.

Marty replaced her “wings” with toned, beautiful arms. And you can too.

She has two pages in Fit Over 40… too much to cover in an email… but here’s the basics to get you started:

1. You have to get your nutrition down pat. Most people think that the flab on their arms (or anywhere for that matter) can be solved by “turning it into muscle.”

This is not true folks. Fat does not turn into “anything”. It is used for energy. Period.

Muscle is muscle. Fat is fat.

You must use low-insulin nutrition like I recommend in all my books, including Fit Over 40, to lower your bodyfat. For ladies, the back-of-the-arm bodyfat is often the last bit to go.

But I promise — it will go. I can go for anyone. Marty Web and dozens of other ladies in Fit Over 40 prove that in living color… and they share how they did it.

Low-insulin nutrition means eating more protein-rich foods, foods that are not processed, and plenty of tasty veggies. But it does not mean you cannot have your pizza and burgers here and there. I do every week and my bodyfat is low.

2. You must train your triceps. The back of the arm is made of three muscles called the “triceps”. You have a long head, a medial head and a lateral head that form the triceps muscle group.

If you cannot access a gym, you can do plain-old pushups to work all three heads of the triceps. Here’s a few tips. First, if you cannot do a pushup with your legs straight, start by doing them on your knees. Work up to straight-legged pushups.

Second, do one third of your reps with your hands facing away from your body, one third with your hands facing toward your body (fingers pointing toward you) and the final third with your hands in the “normal” pushup position, facing the same direction as your body. This will work the various heads nicely.

If you have access to a gym, see the exercises for the triceps found in my book Fit Over 40:

Say “Goodbye!” to arm flab.

3. Finally, you have to have a role model. Find someone like Marty who has lost their wings and use their success to inspire you.

Put these three things together and you too will be “grounded” — wingless, but with a lovely pair of arms that never jiggle and look fantastic.

Is Bodyfat “Contagious”? New Research says, “YES!”

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New Research: Fat Is Contagious?

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[ Editor’s Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

It’s like a dream come true.

“Gaining bodyfat is the result  of a virus.”

Wouldn’t that be great news?

Well…

Let me tell you about the AD-36 adenovirus. Adenoviruses are the same nasty bugs that cause the common cold. We all have these viruses in various forms in our body all the time.

That last bit is a critical distinction.

Remember that.

The Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana has been doing some really ground-breaking research on AD-36. AD-36 affects stem cells… more specifically fat cells, both pre-formed and post-formed.

This means AD-36 can make MORE fat cells if contracted as an infant and make your fat cells larger if contracted as an adult.

Or so the theory goes.

To quote the study:

“Earlier researchers have concluded that Ad-36 may be contributors to obesity by super-charging fat cells to grow and store more fat. Until now, though, those researchers thought the viruses targeted pre-fat cells (called pre-adipocytes), causing them to convert in higher numbers to fat cells and causing those fat cells to be larger. Those studies were in mice. Pasaricas work determines the virus targets stem cells in humans.”

The result?

“In one test, a third of obese people had the rare and highly contagious virus compared to just 11 percent of thinner people. Weight gain can last three months until the body has built up resistance to the bug.”

Wow. Sounds like we have a winner here. A virus that you can catch that literally makes you gain bodyfat!  All we need is…

a vaccine!

Right?

Wrong.

First of all, notice that 11% of LEAN people have AD-36. And at any given time, just like a cold or a flu virus, you could contract AD-36. If your body has ‘never’ been exposed to it, you may require about 3 months to build up antibodies to ward it off.

Now, you can gain a lot of weight in 3 months… but come on. You cannot become obese in three months unless you are really, REALLY working at it.

Plus, like most viruses, you build up immunity to AD-36. Researchers do not know how long the immunity lasts, but some theorize it could last years… some even decades.

And let’s not forget those 11% who are lean and have the virus.

Why did they not all of a sudden get “sick” with bodyfat?

Because they are not EATING or LIVING in a way that allows them to gain bodyfat no matter what nasty freakin’ viruses may be floating about, that’s why.

That’s right folks:  It is always going to come down to the food we put in our body and the way we move.
 
Here’s another hypothesis presented by Sherry Strong, food philosopher and nutritionist:  “This could very well be the result of nature creating a mutation to encourage us to eat more due to the fact our consumption of natural, whole and organic foods is so low.”

Brilliant observation… and one that makes complete sense.

Even if a “virus” is responsible for 20% of our weight gain, what about the other 80%?

We do not need a vaccine other than good food and a common sense workout plan.

Here’s the best —

Short, killer workout plan.  <— the “vaccine” for bodyfat

Here’s why I love this workout:

1. It’s fast. 7-14 minutes 3-5 days per week. Anyone on earth can do this.

2. The Basic Upgrade (you will see it) still comes with a copy of my book “The Every Other Day Diet.” Put the two together and you have an absolute winner of a plan that’s practical and enjoyable.

3. Plus, anyone who owns “Every Other Day Diet” gets my upcoming “Radical Fatloss Blueprint” book freee. It comes out March 1st.

That’s 3 good reasons to go here and check out 7 Minute Muscle…

The “vaccine” for body fat.

Here’s one more:

You know better.

You know that there’s never going to be a magic pill for health, vitality, energy and looking your best.

We can keep hoping… or you can take action and get what you want now.

To me, that makes more sense than AD-36 “Super-Retro Fat-burning Vaccine” to hit the marketplace in 2021.

The Secret to a Better Lovelife

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The Secret To A Better Lovelife

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[ Editor’s Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

Today we need to chat about your hormones.

Yeah, I chat a lot about hormones. That’s because I have been to Hormone Hell and back. Twice.

I’ve lived to tell the tale.

It’s scary… and it’s one of those hidden illnesses that you might not even know you have.

I had it at 27. I did not affect my love life, but that was probably due to my youth. If I did not treat it then, I would have no love life or drive at ALL right now.

I treated it with drugs. That is all we had back then.

Today I use a combination of therapies, many of which are natural….

1. I train with weights to increase testosterone-levels naturally.

2. I train and do cardio before eating in the morning do increase gH levels naturally without drugs.

3. I cycle my calories to increase my thyroid levels naturally.

As you can see there are many ways to increase your hormone levels naturally.

But it’s not all exercise and nutrition. Now we have several “botanical” supplements:  Herbs and other natural helpers to help the fight.

I wish I would have known about Dr. Lucille when I was 27.

She’s the expert in that field. Herbs, nutrition for hormone help, and how to protect your body IF you have to take drugs to help the problem like I do.

I listen to her. So should you.

Here’s her site:

Natural energy help.

The best thing about having your hormones optimized is energy.

Yes, you will burn more bodyfat.

Yes, you will increase your love life and your desire to have intimacy.

Yes, you will increase your resistance to disease and common illnesses.

But I think MORE ENERGY is the best.

I have the energy to do anything I want at just about any time I want.

Here’s an example:

Today I had to go to the funeral of a dear friend. She passed away after struggling with a lifetime of various illnesses, many of which were made worse by lifestyle choices. Some she had no control over.

We all loved her dearly.

We drove until 1:00AM this morning. I got up early for the funeral but not early enough to eat breakfast.

I had a large lunch afterward and then we headed back — another 3 hour boring drive in traffic.

Even with all of this emotional stress, my body only needed a 2-hour nap to pop right back into high gear. I could literally go and workout now at almost 11:00pm if I had to.

I’m glad I don’t because I have a night of packing ahead of me for a business trip!

Still, the point is simple:

Hormone Health = Greater Energy

Most people do not exercise because… get this….

They do not FEEL like it.

I don’t mean “feel like it” as in they would rather do something else, although that is the case sometimes.

I mean “feel like it” in the sense that they have NO energy to do it.

They are tired, run-down after a 9 to 5 day, and feel zonked.

You too?

If so, you need this info…

Natural energy help.

Remember:  More energy, more lovelife. More workouts that burn fat. More done in the day.

More living… in the best way possible.

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Training With Weights vs “Weight Training”

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Just a word of warning:

I will be using the term “bodybuilder” or “bodybuilding” to refer to anyone who wants to build lean muscle and burn body fat in this article.

That means you.

Yep… you are a “bodybuilder.” That does not mean you want to look like a monster on stage and pose in front of thousands of people wearing nothing but your undies.

That means you want more lean muscle and less body fat — that’s it.

With that in mind, here’s something you have to know:

Bodybuilders do not “lift weights” — we “train” with weights.

We use weights as a tool like a sculptor uses a hammer and chisel.

The object of the game is not to lift some heavy weight from Point A to Point B and back. That’s weight lifting. “Bodybuilding” is about making the muscle you want to change do all the work.

Here’s two ways to do it:

1. Lower the weight and focus:  Most people are just concerned with the lift itself. “Get this weight off of me!” seems to be the unconscious mantra. This will not get the job done. In fact you may end up looking bulky rather than sleek… or just not change at all. Instead, lower the weight slightly, slow the pace down (especially on the descent of the movement) and picture the muscle in your mind doing ALL of the work. Literally put your mind in the muscle. You will be amazed at how different the same exercise feels with this degree of concentration,.

2. Contract, hold, release:  At the top of any movement, contract the muscle hard. Hold that contraction for a second or two, then release it and lower the weight slowly. This will not only cause faster muscle growth (that is a good thing) but also demand that you use less weight to get the job done. This means your joints — shoulders, knees, elbows — will last a lifetime. At 45 my joints are in perfect health. Protect yours at all costs.

Just remember:  You are not just lifting weights when you train for muscle shape and “tone” — you are a sculptor. Treat your tools and your body with that degree of care.

I cover many more tips on how to build lean muscle and burn body fat faster in my book “7 Minute Muscle”.

Read more here:

Click here for more muscle in far less time.

Burn More Bodyfat With Spices

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Burn More Bodfyat With Spices

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[ Editor’s Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

It’s the spice of life.

Food that is. Or opinions. I guess there is a lot of things that are officially “the spice of life.”

I think spices are the spice of life.

I have a new-found love of spices since hanging around a killer healthy-food chef for the past week.

Wow oh wow… I had no idea.

And hey — I’m helping her put her recipes into to a book that will be out soon.

I’ll send you all a video of this woman doing her thing too in a week or so… prepare to be blown away.

Back to spices:

Not only can spices save an otherwise boring healthy meal…. turns to find out spices can help you burn more body fat.

The January 2006 issue of The Journal of Physiology and Behavior cited numerous studies on several spices that increased thermogenesis in the body.

Thermogenesis is simply heat — and since a calorie is a unit of heat, guess what?

More thermogenesis = more calories burned

=

Less body fat.

Pretty cool stuff this thermogenesis.

In fact thermogenesis is the foundation of my upcoming handbook “The Radical Fatloss Blueprint.” Out in late February.

I’m giving this book away for free for 21 days to anyone who owns a copy of “The Every Other Day Diet.”

The book comes out in late February… and it is… well, radical.

Up to 21 pounds in 21 days.

But you can only do it for 21 days. Fair deal, right?

If you want the book for free, make sure you have “Every Other Day Diet” so I can send it to you the last week of February.

Get EODD here —

More thermogenesis, less body fat.

For now, here’s the spices that work the best to help you burn bodyfat:

1. Capsaicin, the compound gives red chili pepper its heat, increased energy via heat expenditure by up to 23% after ingesting it at breakfast.

2. Black Pepper increases body heat (thermogenesis) by bonding to TRPV1 receptors in the brain.

3. Turmeric has both anti-cancer and pro-thermogenic support. Best of two worlds if you ask me.

Combine these three spices:  Red chili pepper, black pepper and turmeric, and use them liberally (as you can handle them) on your lunch and dinner meals.

Just be careful not to overdo the spices, otherwise you’ll end up with more heartburn than fat burn.

I’ll be including FAR more powerful ways to burn body fat radically in “The Radical Fatloss Blueprint” — and you can get your copy free the last week of February if you own Every Other Day Diet.

Get it here  <— more thermogenesis, less body fat.

Free 26-page E-book

Life is all about balance.

At least I think so.

So does hormone expert Dr. Holly Lucille.

Holly’s idea of balance goes beyond day-planners and schedules. She talks about “internal” balance: Balance between your  natural hormones to help create energy,  lower body fat, and jacking up your sex.drive.

Good stuff.

I wanted to give you this today. It’s an  excerpt from Dr. Lucille’s fantastic book,  “Creating and Maintaining Balance.”

 Pick it up here free <— 26 pages of Holly’s book

Enjoy!

Rest Between Sets Secret

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 How Long To Rest Between Sets

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[ Editor’s Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

A lot of my readers ask me how long to rest between sets while exercising.

The answer is: It depends on your goals.

If you are training to increase strength, I recommend resting a bit longer – up to two minutes for exercises like squats and heavy dumbbell work. But if you want to burn the most amount of body fat and gain lean muscle, I recommend resting for very short periods of time.

“The Iron Guru” Vince Gironda used to recommend leaving your hands on the bar between sets — now THAT is short rest intervals!  He would frequently rest only 15-20 seconds between sets.

This is similar to the strategy I use in 7 Minute Muscle — very short rest intervals and very intense training. Smart, short, efficient. That’s the way to go.

A good place to start is simply reducing your rest intervals by 10 seconds. No matter what workout you’re using, decrease your rest by 10 seconds between sets. You may not be as strong on the last few sets (if you are training traditionally… if you use 7 Minute Muscle your rest is “built-in” and not an issue.) Over time you will work your way back up to the same amount of sets and reps but done in far less time.

This means more work output, which means more muscle if your nutrition is good.

This is the best way to train most of the time:  Limited rest, intense sets, and short workouts.

They are the ones that produce results.

Go here for more information  <— Short, effective workouts.

Exercise Less, Not More!

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Exercise Less, Not More!

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[ Editor’s Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

If I had to pick out the number one reason most people fail to achieve good results in the gym, guess what it would be?

Over-training. Exercising too much.

Sounds counter-intuitive, but trust me: It’s quite real.

Folks write to me all the time and say…

“Jon, I don’t get it. I cannot lose body fat and I’m running six days a week for an hour and training in the gym five days a week for 45 minutes!”

My answer back is usually:

“You are training 4x more than me, and I’m a fitness pro!”

Look, do you take 21 aspirin for a headache, thinking the more you take the faster your pain will go away?

No?

So why apply the same logic to fitness? Only a certain amount is required. Beyond that, you are spinning your wheels.

When I wrote 7 Minute Muscle (Available here), I exposed all the lies about training too long and why this is not the best way to achieve the results you want. Check it out if you want the facts.

One more thing:  75% of your progress will come in the kitchen, not in the gym or on the treadmill.

As for me, I would much rather eat smart and train less than train all the time and be forced to eat 6-8 times a day just to recover from it all.

That makes no sense to me at all.

You?

Short, intense workouts  <— Less Is More!