It’s cross-posted here on the Brinkzone.

Review By Will Brink and Elissa Lowe

If you’d rather not plow through a long review, we’ll give you the short version up front: if you’re a man, the Alpha Male Challenge is a must-read… whether you’re a couch potato who hasn’t exercised in years or the proud owner of a six-pack.

It’s also worth a read if you’re a woman: there’s useful info here for both sexes. And – let’s face it – you’re in a position to inspire and encourage the men in your life: husbands, boyfriends, family, friends and colleagues alike.

Yes, the Alpha Male Challenge is that good – and as professional fitness writers, we’ve seen what the market has to offer. It’s rare to find a book as comprehensive as this one is.

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“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Lao Tzu

About a decade ago, my husband, John, was tipping the scales at 257 lbs.  Despite his height (he’s 6′ 3″), he was borderline obese, and – even worse – had a family history of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  He knew he had to deal with the weight, and was taking action, but had a looong way to go.  Needless to state, I was on the lookout for ways to inspire and motivate him to succeed, and – after some searching - I found what looked like the perfect e-book for him.

It was Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto.

BFFM was my first introduction to Tom’s writings, and I could not have asked for a better one.  Unlike many other programs, it was a detailed roadmap – not only for getting into shape – but for reaching the next level.  Tom truly is one of those ”teachers” alluded to in the above quote… Unlike many other popular and “fad” diet programs, BFFM provides readers with a template for lifelong fitness and maintenance of their ideal weights.

Nonetheless, it’s not for everyone.  Tom is a successful natural bodybuilder, and BFFM reflects his training and discipline.  While it’s “user-friendly”, it’s also fairly detailed – which is why he saw the need for a simpler program that would be just as effective, but more in tune with the “goals of ordinary ‘real people’”.

That program is The Body Fat Solution. It was written for…

…men and women who are overweight…This book is for the busy working person who doesn’t have all day to spend in the gym or in the kitchen preparing complicated meals.  It was not written for the full-time athlete, bodybuilder, fitness professional, or person with unlimited time to exercise.

The Body Fat Solution is for the layperson who wants simple explanations and practical action strategies to apply in daily life.

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I just finished reading Tom Venuto’s excellent book, “The Body Fat Solution“, and will be reviewing it here later this week.  For now, all I’ll say is that it includes a thorough discussion on emotional eating, which I thought was one of the most valuable parts.  Needless to state, eating for comfort - or in response to other “triggers” that have nothing to do with physical hunger - makes it difficult, if not impossible, for many people to achieve their weight loss/fitness goals.  Fortunately, Tom has extensive, first-hand experience with helping his clients and readers get their eating behavior(s) under control.  You can get a quick feel for his approach by reading his BurnTheFatBlog post on the subject: “5 Steps to Beating Emotional Eating“. 

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If you’ve ever seen the movie “Dodgeball”, then you know who White Goodman is.  Played by comedian Ben Stiller, the over-the-top fitness nazi and owner of “Globo Gym” is a short man with an oversized ego.  As he quips in the TV commercial that opens the movie: “Here at Globo Gym we’re better than you… and we know it.”

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That’s what Paul wrote on the e-mail he forwarded to me this morning.  He was being sarcastic, of course, but I could hardly blame him.  Here’s the message he received:

I would like to introduce UltimateFatBurner.com, and your valued customers, to Cellulean, the most effective Active Cellulite Solution on the market.  I believe Cellulean is a perfect complimentary product to be utilized with all your weight loss and fat burning products. Your clients are motivated and focused to improve their overall body image and appearance; Cellulean will help.

Please contact me at your earliest convenience so we may discuss this opportunity in more detail.  I look forward to hearing back from you and helping you to become an authorized Cellulean Wholesaler.

Can anyone tell me what’s wrong with this picture?

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I published this article in a recent newsletter. It is of sufficient importance that it warrants a reprint, here on the blog. Enjoy!

Just a few years back, I could count the number of prominent web sites entirely dedicated to reviewing supplements on one hand. Now, a search for just about any product – especially those dedicated to weight loss – brings up dozens of sites. Many have names like “consumer-something or other”, and give the impression they offer a “consumer advocate” type service in the genuine best interests of their visitors.

Most don’t.

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This AP-iVillage poll was a bit of a downer, I thought…

Half the women surveyed in a new Associated Press-iVillage poll aren’t down with their weight – even the 26 percent of respondents whose body mass index (BMI) is in the normal range.

But apparently women aren’t as concerned with health as with girth: of the 1,000 respondents, just one third said they don’t like their physical condition – despite the fact that obesity and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of ailments like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

“So many women think more about the number on the scale than whether their blood pressure or cholesterol is normal,” says registered dietitian Keri Gans, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “They really don’t think about disease risk as much as they do about their weight.”

…The poll, which was described in an AP article on Yahoo.news, also found that women exercise for a median of just 80 minutes per week, which means that half the women do even less exercise.

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As recently witnessed by Elissa in this superb post, things are really heating up on the HCG feedback page over at Real-Customer-Comments.com (if you’re interested in learning about HCG and the Simeons protocol, you can read the full review of HCG here!)

Seems I’ve really irked a few folks by pointing out that ALL the documented evidence shows that HCG does not provide any benefit over that provided by a placebo. While these folks may have experienced great results on the protocol, it’s likely they are directly attributable to the Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) and not the effects of HCG.

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Yesterday, I wrote an extended post about MSN.com exercise “expert” Martica Heaner…and how she punted on a reader question on whether an “older body” could get “lean and hard.”  She used the question as a springboard to discuss the effects of exercise on aging (good), but utterly failed to seriously address the reader’s actual concern.  So I filled in the blanks for her.

Lo and behold, I encountered a virtually identical, “fitness Q & A” scenario on a visit to the LA Times this morning. 

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I happened to read Martica Heaner’s column, “Expert Advice” on MSN.com this morning.  It wasn’t bad at all… In fact, I thought her article, ”Do Exercise and Nutrition Affect How Old You Look?“, was a pretty decent rundown on the effects of exercise (and secondarily, nutrition) on the aging process.

Nonetheless, it reminded me of a line I recall from Babylon 5: “Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers.”  As usual, Heaner led off with a reader’s question..but her reply was definitely NOT an answer.

Here’s the original question:

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OMFG.

I’m amazed that anyone would even ask that question.  The woman belongs in a hospital, not a beauty pageant.

Scarlett Johansson tells it like it is:

Since dedicating myself to getting into “superhero shape,” several articles regarding my weight have been brought to my attention. Claims have been made that I’ve been on a strict workout routine regulated by co-stars, whipped into shape by trainers I’ve never met, eating sprouted grains I can’t pronounce and ultimately losing 14 pounds off my 5′3″ frame. Losing 14 pounds out of necessity in order to live a healthier life is a huge victory. I’m a petite person to begin with, so the idea of my losing this amount of weight is utter lunacy. If I were to lose 14 pounds, I’d have to part with both arms. And a foot. I’m frustrated with the irresponsibility of tabloid media who sell the public ideas about what we should look like and how we should get there.

…I’m someone who has always publicly advocated for a healthy body image and the idea that the media would maintain that I have lost an impossible amount of weight by some sort of “crash diet” or miracle workout is ludicrous. I believe it’s reckless and dangerous for these publications to sell the story that these are acceptable ways to looking like a “movie star.” It’s great to get tips on how to lead a healthier lifestyle, but I don’t want some imaginary account of “How She Did It!” I get into and stay in shape by eating a proper diet and maintaining a healthy amount of exercise. The press should be held accountable for the false ideals they sell to their readers regarding body image — that’s the real weight of the issue.

It’s not that you can’t find good diet and fitness info in ”lifestyle” mags, but it’s like dumpster diving: you have to be dedicated to sifting through piles of garbage to find the (comparatively few) items of value.  And – needless to state – you have to know the difference upfront, which makes them virtually useless as sources of valid information.

As far as I’m concerned, the only thing these mags are good for, is a laugh or two while I’m standing in the supermarket checkout line.

Which is the reason Sam Thomas developed a website on the topic…he knows, from personal experience.

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Click here to watch…

Last weekend my girlfriend and I were in Montreal for the annual SiteSell company dinner. Of course, we took this as an opportunity to spend an extra couple of days in one of my favorite cities, doing a little sight-seeing, and taking a nice break from the daily grind.

Of course, what I do here is never far from my mind – even if I am taking a break – so it’s not surprising that a visit to our hotel’s restaurant for a buffet breakfast led to a little reflection. You see, about a week back, I made a post about a study that showed 9 out of 10 adults could be overweight or obese by 2030. This led to an interesting discussion, including several good points by Johnny about personal responsibility and the parent’s role in raising healthy and nutrition-conscious children. Continue Reading »

From the Department of What Will They Think of Next?

The Fling Bar…

We created FLING™ Chocolate Fingers to celebrate the female spirit – the unapologetically feminine playful, naughty, flirtatious, and alluring nature that brings shimmer into the world.

FLING™ is a sweet, light truffle on a subtle crisp layer enrobed in shimmering chocolate that’s as glamorous as you are. At under 85 calories per finger, it’s slim, but not skinny. Indulgent but not greedy. Naughty but nice.

And it literally does sparkle…there’s mica embedded in the chocolate.

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I just finished gagging my way through this NYT profile of celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, who was quoted as saying (p. 2):

She said a woman should never lift more than three-pound weights. “Most gym programs overwork major muscle groups,” she said. “Repetition builds and bulks muscles.”

Judging from her arms, it looks like she takes her own advice.  Madonna and Gwyneth should sue.

Coming from the word “motivate”, meaning, to provide with a MOTIVE.

Strangely, I’ve never looked at this word from that particular perspective before.  And that leads me to realize that I’ve never truly understood what motivation really is.

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Ran across this during my travels across the blogosphere.  I have a tough time as it is with gender-specific marketing for ordinary products…so it was amusing to see these particularly lame yogurt ads get skewered by comedian Sarah Haskins.

Actually, I prefer Greek yogurt to all that sweetened Yoplait junk – higher in protein, and sinfully rich-tasting – even the nonfat.  Great stuff.

(h/t Shakespeare’s Sister)

That’s the title of this New York Times article by Gina Kolata…which is one of the best ones I’ve seen on the subject, lately. 

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