Looking at the food court in a local shopping mall today I thought about these two questions:

How many people have calories on their mind?

Do any of them count calories?

I’m gonna go out on the proverbial limb here and say probably none of them.

Harsh? Maybe. But I too was once a frequent visitor of the common food courts eating fattening foods and feeling my clothes getting tighter by the fry. So chalk this up to experience.

After several failed attempts at losing weight, I finally took some responsibility and found an unlikely weapon against fat-> The PENCIL!

[I used to yawn or skip right over any talk about goal setting. But after giving it a go in my fat loss journey, I'm using it

Fat loss tip extraordinaire or some old-school reverse psychology? Don’t worry, I had the same reaction when I first discovered eating fat was necessary for losing weight.

Too often we hear confusing messages about dietary fats and what it really does to your body like:

1. Fats make you gain body fat.

2. Fats lead to heart attacks.

3. Fats are evil and should be avoided at all costs.

To put it bluntly, the three points above are FALSE .

We’ve been completely misled when it comes to fats.

Fats are essential for our body’s hormone production, skin health, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and even burning body fat.

Studies have been conducted to attempt to elevate cholesterol levels using high-fat diets. Most all of them have back

The time, or rest between sets, (a series of exercises done consecutively i.e. he did 4 sets of 10 reps on the bench press) is an important factor in your ability to complete a workout.

Very often the question raised on the gym floor is, how long should I wait after completing a set to start another set?

The answer is: It depends on your goals.

[Do you frequently spend your rest periods looking at yourself in the mirror or at the hottie on the treadmill? Stop! Focus on the time between your sets and you'll get more done (fat loss and muscle building) in less time!]

More Rest For More Strength

For example, when I’m training with Vince DelMonte’s

It’s a question that was recently asked of us here at The Fat Loss Authority and a very important one to discuss.

If you remember anything from your Health Study classes in school, you’ll remember that 99.99999% (I’m exaggerating but not by much) of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth. The other 1% is primarily found in your bloodstream and helps control muscle movements, blood clotting and nerve impulses.

Simply put: if you lose calcium from your bones, your bones will be weaker.

In a 2006 study performed by various physicians in the state of New York, it was found that the calcium concentration of water varies from 1 to 135 mg/L across the USA and Canada.

Most spring waters were found to have a relatively low calcium concentration, with an average of 21.8 mg/L. Purified

It’s usually a tough balancing act between losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time. The reason being is the opposite demands these goals impose on our bodies.

To build a lot of new muscle tissue, your body needs energy. In the simplest terms, you’ll need to consume more calories than you’re burning each day. To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn.

If you do try to do both things at once, your progress towards either goal will be so frustratingly slow that it won’t be long before you say “screw this” and throw in the towel.

Wouldn’t it me amazing if the energy your body needs to build new muscle tissue came from stored fat? Unfortunately, when your body is in a predominantly catabolic state (which it will need to be if you want to

I recently had a fabulous pasta dish topped off with giant portobello mushrooms. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t usually opt for a carb heavy entree when dining out, especially pasta. For one, I’m Italian, and all Italians prefer their mama or nonna’s homemade pasta dishes so why order something I can get at home?

I did it for the mushrooms!

[Do you remember the Super Mushroom in Super Mario Bros? It caused Mario to grow larger along with the Fire Flower, which allows Mario to throw fireballs; and the Starman, which gives Mario temporary invincibility. I may dust off my Nintendo tonight!]

Let me explain. Mushrooms are a terrific substitute for meat as they contain a paltry 18 calories and zero grams of fat per cup. They also possess a meaty flavor and hearty texture which helps out your

Watching the finale of Biggest Loser last night was inspiring. No need to recap, just find it on TiVO and you’ll be amazed at the transformations. But one thing that the audience should not gloss over is the end goal. As in, there is no end goal:

It’s a lifestyle!

[Congrats to Jerry Hayes for winning the at home portion of Biggest Loser. At 64, he was the show’s oldest contestant ever. He was eliminated early in the competition but continued to lose weight after the show going from 369 to 192 pounds, a loss of 177 pounds, or 47.97 percent weight loss. Look at the intensity in Jerry's face!]

If you want to burn off fat and keep it off permanently, there are a few things you absolutely must do (ie.

Now with the warmer weather arriving, it’s a great time to get outside and get moving! Whatever you choose to do this season to stay active, it doesn’t have to require you to refinance your mortgage or burn a hole in your wallet.
 

Here are five inexpensive activities that you can enjoy to stay fit and lose weight:

1. Walking and Jogging

You can get active on your own or with a group, all that is required is a pair of running shoes, shorts, and some t-shirts. Does it get any simpler then this? Probably not, but if you want to make it more interesting, get yourself a pedometer and keep track of your progress.

2. Hiking

Similar to our

Remember Olivia Newton John? Who couldn’t with the catchy song “Physical” from 1981 and other hits before and after. And who could forget her performance in the smash hit movie “Grease”? I’m starting to hum “Summer Nights” out loud right now! So where am I going with this? I bet very few people remember her as a breast cancer survivor who is now a tireless advocate for breast cancer research and other health issues. So in tribute to Olivia, here are some general guidelines for everyone to consider when determining your health. Note, there are additional tests (ie. prostate) for both males and females so use the following recommendations as a starting point.

Traveling can be a lot of fun and is usually on everyone’s to do list. But it also can disrupt your daily routine, especially your exercise program. Regardless of why or where you’re travelling, keeping fitness in your plans is easier than you think. With a little effort and discipline, you can work around busy schedules to squeeze in some regular physical activity. This way you’ll have more energy to see the sites and enjoy your vacation a whole lot more! Here are 4 tips to keep in mind on your next trip:

1. Plan Ahead

Start planning before you leave. Research area hotels and see if there’s a pool, health club, or exercise room. If they are costly or don’t have any of the above amenities then ask if there’s a