There's just no excuse for it ... I've had you suffer this long without a search feature! Sorry about that. It's now added, so you can search through this blog. Some of the links may expire (that's the nature of breaking news ... once it breaks, it's broken) but there is still a lot of information to sift through.

It's sometimes hilarious to see how long it takes the media to catch onto trends in the fitness world. For example, one news source claims that functional fitness is a new workout craze. Wow. We were hearing about this years ago ... yet they still think it's new. The article is interesting, even if the topic is old.

Another news item claims to have found the trigger for obesity. Surprise ... overeating leads to a hormone imbalance that leads to being overweight. And leptin is part of it. Again, I'm afraid the scientists are a little late ... we've known about the role of leptin for years now (yes, even what they discovered with their experiments on rats, but we also have to remember that rat metabolism is similar to human metabolism, but not the same.) People still want to pop their hoodia and go to sleep and wake up looking like the next fitness model. Be careful, however ... some of these magic bullest can kill. Fortunately, this time it was elks and not humans, but who knows what the next wonder drug is secretly doing to your insides?

As much as I emphasize the importance of finding quality, pharmaceutical grade supplements, people still insist on buying the cheapest products that cater to the latest fads. It's no surprise that a recent study found that only 13 out of 23 products on the market passed testing by ConsumerLabs (the company I partner with did just fine with their testing ... they are listed here and stand firm behind their million dollar athlete guarantee.

Of course, instead of going for the latest magic bullet, you could always lose weight by setting yourself on fire ... I don't recommend this, but a Hong Kong spa sells this as a service.

Call me stubborn. I've met so many people who have lost hundreds of pounds by making a choice and sticking with it that it's going to be hard to convince me that some magic surgical procedure or weight loss pill is going to do the trick. Even if they DO burn the fat, what is going to keep it off? It's the process of releasing fat that teaches you to live fit and lean. If you take away the process, and wave the magic wand, then you are still the same person and will continue to have the same bad habits that put the fat on in the first place. Suck it up, stop trying to take shortcuts and start your journey!

Want to learn how? Then stop making excuses and do what hundreds have already done ... invest in the weight loss that is not a diet or special training program, but a guide to unlock your inner transformation. I guarantee it ... don't like it? Send it back, and I'll refund the investment. You deserve to try it out, especially this time of year. In fact, why not grab the entire library and save big time? If you already have some of the products, give them to your friends or family who deserve the opportunity to change.

I often sift through reams of "expert advice" that just isn't good advice at all. I was glad to stumble across this bit about lifting weights to burn fat. Will it help? Yes. Will it magically add pounds of muscle and turn your metabolism into a raging inferno that makes the felt melt away in your sleep? NO! You can't rely on weight training alone.

I love this one ... you literally are what you eat ... and who you hang out with! They say if you want to know how successful someone is, look at their closest friends. One of the core philosophies of Natural Physiques™ is that attitude will do more for your figure than a diet plan or training program. Why do you think my clients share that, "It's not a diet ... it's a lifestyle?"

The glycemic index diet is gaining some popularity, but you would do well to take a reality check before diving in head first. Here are my thoughts on the glycemic index in Lose Fat, Not Faith ... use Google's print search to view entire pages of the book (I hope the link works, if not, go to Google Book Search and type in "lose fat not faith glycemic index") ... I've submitted a request to fix the cover.

They say that sex sells, so the latest diet book is trying to sell sex as a weight loss measure. Something tells me that the math doesn't add up: 66% of Americans are overweight or obese, but I bet almost 100% of them have sex, so it doesn't appear to be working as a weight loss tool. In less exciting news, a professors say that simple math is the key to diet success. Aw shucks, wasn't the other one more fun?

I'm happy that gyms are catering to the fitness needs of children. It's needed.

Mary Ryan is a woman I can relate to. She is a fan of healthy, realistic diets. Thanks, Mary. We need these doses of common sense.

You can now add increased risk of broken bones to the growing list of obesity-related problems.

What is your health worth? When people ask for a free assessment with me, they often state that their health is priceless ... yet often they still will not invest just $15 to learn the most common fat loss mistakes (and how to avoid them) or just a little more to stay healthy for the holidays. What steps are you taking? Did you know that the 10 Fat Mistakes CD is available for volume discounts? It can make a great stocking stuffer and you will save big when ordering multiple copies. Even if you're not ready or do not see the value in this, you deserve to at least do a free test drive of our online personal training tool (you can even track your own workouts for free ... no credit card information required).

I hope you are having a wonderful, blessed week. Until next time,