This will be a quick update.

I am going to be packing. We fly out VERY early tomorrow for our weekend with Jeffery Combs. We're both very excited!

I finished the page for my Amazing Fat Loss Secrets Revealed CD set. This will begin shipping within the next two weeks. Unlike the 10 Fat Mistakes CD, which I will be shipping from here, this one will be handled by my fulfillment center in Atlanta, Georgia. They should be set up and ready to ship out by as early as next week, but you are free to pre-order your copy before then.

I conducted an interview with Paul Becker of TrulyHuge.com that you can listen to here — he had a lot of great information to share.

I'd love to give you some great updates from the news, but the suitcase is waiting for me to fill it. I'll be sure to load you with more information on Monday.

Until then, have a blessed weekend.

Warmly,

It's another beautiful day in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

I enjoyed the workout yesterday. Last night, I had a phenomenal interview with Paul Becker of TrulyHuge.com.

Some people are curious about my nutrition. I started yesterday with a shake ... usually I do a fruit smoothie (like this morning, I mixed all natural organic tangerine juice with a banana and a handful of grapes and strawberries) but yesterday it was a protein shake (protein blend with fiber) mixed with a banana and organic peanut butter. I had a snack of cottage cheese. I was out for lunch, so I got a small chicken sandwich on whole wheat at a sandwich shop. I did not eat chips or anything else, and had water to drink. Dinner was awesome ... my wife cooked a lentil stew with lentils, carrots, onions, and some other ingredients. Then, she blended it to make a split pea soup consistency. It tasted great. We enjoyed that with whole wheat bread that I dipped in olive oil. That's a typical day for me.

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, don't you agree?

There is a lot of talk about the death of low-carb diets, but let's get real. They've been around for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years ... does the media really believe that just because one company filed bankruptcy, the entire movement is dead? I don't think so!

If you decided to trade in your low-carb diet for something new, consider the no-fad diet instead. That's not "no-fat" it's "no-fad."

I got so excited about this article that I almost spilled coffee on my laptop! It's about the rich antioxidants found in coffee. The article says it contributes more than fruits or vegetables but I think I'll stick with a single cup or two and eat those fruits and veggies, too. After all, I haven't found a way to get fiber out of coffee and I hear it is not very friendly to Vitamin C.

Cancer: it's not just a question of what lurks in your genes. Read a terrific article about how diet, exercise, weight control and even childhood eating habits may influence your risk of cancer.

If you are really busy, you can plug into this machine to lose fat over your lunch break. The treatment takes one to two hours, does not involve surgery, and costs 800 British pounds (about $1,400 US ... you can receive three months of my coaching for less and probably accomplish more).

Read how nutrition for the elderly is different than nutrition for those who are younger.

An "expert" warns that doctors must train in nutrition. Ever been told to eat less and move more by an overweight doctor when your body fat is 10%? I have.

It's good to know I'm not the only one who rants that smoking and poor diet are the two leading killers of Americans (and perhaps people in other countries as well). This article disuccess how smoking and obesity are top health threats.

Parents are asked to save their children from obesity in this article.

Lifting weights does more than build strength and musle. It also fights bone loss.

That's it for now ... have an abundant day!

Warmly,

What an exciting weekend!

My daughter had her picture day on Friday. On Saturday, Doreen was in the office so Alyssa and I spent the morning together. We picked up some supplies for the office, a wireless connection for her computer so that she can connect to the Internet, and then I surprised her. When we moved from South Dakota, she had a goldfish. She took great care of the goldfish and had owned it for over a year. The fish made it all the way down to Florida, but then apparently the heat got the better of it and it died. Doreen and I told each other once we had our own place, we'd surprise Alyssa with a new pet to take care of. This time? A turtle.

We picked up her turtle over the weekend along with the tank, filter, food, heat lamp, and all of the other fun supplies that turtles require. She was very excited. I think the turtle's name changed about three times over the weekend, but it appears to have settled as "Sonny."

I also had a productive weekend with the business. I organized most of my office (still need to go through some documentation) and worked on three products. One product already exists: Healthy for the Holidays. I currently have been shipping and fulfilling this, but sent over the source files for my fulfillment company in Atlanta to begin managing it. The second product is the four-part teleseminar that I conducted called "Amazing Fat Loss Secrets." I've shipped the disc and box art along with the source audio files to release it as a 4-CD set. Finally, I've begun work on Lose Fat, Not Faith II: Recipes for Success. This companion book to Lose Fat, Not Faith will contain success stories, healthy recipes, and specific workout routines.

The book will not be released for several months. The other products should be available within the next few weeks. Once they are ready, I'll create an option to purchase my entire library — Lose Fat, Not Faith Paperback, Lose Fat, Not Faith 5-CD Audio Program, Healthy for the Holidays 2-CD Set, 10 Fat Mistakes Single CD, and Amazing Fat Loss Secrets 4-CD Set — at a significant discount.

We went to the beach yesterday. I have been going for several weeks and applying the same sunscreen. Apparently either playing with my daughter rubbed it off or I didn't apply it well, because my back is now burned from my waistline up to my neck. It is very interesting, however ... I've been burned a few times in the past, and was always in pain and miserable. This time, despite it being a fairly solid burn (hey, I was on my stomach on a towel for a good hour in the middle of the day, thinking my back was fully protected) it doesn't hurt! In fact, it already looks better today than it did last night. I've never "handled" a burn so well. I wonder how much has to do with my newer, healthy lifestyle, and how much has to do with my positive mindset, and how much is just coincidence? Interesting!

I'm very excited because Thursday my wife and I fly to Los Angeles, California to visit my business coach, Jeffery Combs. It will be an exciting and abundant weekend. I will also meet a few of my clients. One couple that I am coaching and who has lost a few dozen pounds will be there, along with my good friend and client Ed Orlowski. I also have a client who lives in the Pacific Palisades that I might meet at the Venice Beach gym. She trains with a few "classic bodybuilders" and it will be an exciting opportunity to meet some legends!

Before I dive into today's news, it's time for me to go on a jog and do some push-ups for my program. I'm using the workout generated by my own online workout generator. I'll give you an update when I get back from the run ...

... whew, what a run it was! You'd think 20 minutes would be a walk in the park, considering I'd finished a half marathon just a few months ago. However, in the hot sun and with half the run on the beach, it was a challenge. Many people don't enjoy beach running. It takes a certain skill with picking up your feet more and definitely works the calves a bit extra. I personally love it because the last thing I want is to pound the pavement. Give me trails or beach sand any day! The beach was beautiful this morning.

I came back and did a few sets of push-ups mixed with stretching. That's it for today. Tomorrow I don't have a workout scheduled, but I intend to listen to Holosynch™ while I ride the recumbent bike.

I believe the best way to begin this week is to ask that you make your health a priority. Isn't that a great article?

There are too many "systems" of training to list. I will be sharing quite a few training routines and techniques in my upcoming sequel to Lose Fat, Not Faith. In the meantime, I recommend The Men's Health Book of Muscle for a rolodex of routines. One system that has been popular for years is the SuperSlow method, as mentioned in this article about a woman who dropped 12 inches.

As a Sports Performance Nutritionist I always find it interesting to see how the media chooses to portray sports supplements. Most are like this article and lump them all together, grouping protein powder and multivitamins as if you could compare thyme and chicken breast as competing food sources. I especially enjoy the comments about creatine because apparently "the effects of their long-term use remain unknown." How long is long-term? This supplement has been studied for 15 years ... how long do we need? Then there's the wrestling coach who tells us to "do it naturally." It's tough to find a food item in the store these days that doesn't have at least one or two ingredients that require a profiency with Latin to understand. What is natural?

If you like to golf you'll be happy to read about losing weight on links. If you would like some free dietary advice from registered dieticians, check out this article about a service from the American Institute for Cancer Research.

What's the best diet to go on? How about the non-diet diet as we teach on the Lose Fat, Not Faith Audio Program? Of course, diet describes the way you eat, and you probably will have to change this to enjoy success, but it doesn't have to be as strict or drastic as many people recommend. Here's another opinion on the no-diet diet.

How about fitness to avoid ... dementia? Perhaps that is a good selling point for these buildings that improve your fitness.

Did you know part of aging has to do with the bones in your face shrinking? Very interesting. In Canada, concerns abound with the potential acceptance of overweight women by using "real women in ads." It's a complex topic balanced between health and stereotypes or even discrimination. Where do we draw the line? It seems we shouldn't accept obese or overweight women unless we are also willing to accept underweight models as well because both share similar health risks due to their condition.

You've heard about all of the crazy fat-burners on the market. The next contender appears to be the blue agave plant (better known for the source of tequila) ... apparently, juice extracted from this plant can help dieters shed pounds and cut cholesterol. Miracle plant, or special advertising section for the Mexican economy?

With so much hype about losing weight on a vegetarian diet, Newsweek cautions us to look at the bigger picture.

I'm getting over a cold that I fought with a positive mental attitude and proper nutrition. Apparently, I'm not alone in using and believing in this technique.

Wow, we are really being inundated with news about obesity! From claims that after-school snacks lead to obesity to warning labels on jeans (yes, I'm serious — check out the picture!). It's a worldwide phenomenon ... here's an article about Nigerian women and obesity. This article declares, "Obesity goes global."

Of course, the solution isn't going to be a new weight loss system, special training routine, government program or plant. The solution really begins with you. Are you doing everything you possibly can to live healthy? If so, you are part of the solution. People will see your example and you will impact more lives than you may be giving yourself credit for. You can always take those extra steps to share your knowledge with friends, families, and co-workers in need of assistance. Point them to websites, share your favorite books, exchange recipes, and do anything you can to make a difference. There are millions of people today who are obese. Personally, you might only impact a dozen individuals. But when those dozen impact a dozen each ... well, you get the picture. It starts with you, and what difference you choose to make.

Blessed be,

I couldn't have asked for a better day.

I also want to thank all of you who sent cards, e-mail, and other considerations. It was very special and I appreciate you deeply.

This morning, back to the regularly scheduled program. I started the day with a nice, large glass of juice. I've enjoyed having smaller, lighter meals because it actually shrinks my appetite and when I do have fun (like going out for my birthday) I couldn't overeat if I wanted to!

I'm going to use my own online training software to develop an endurance routine, to see where that will carry me.

Let's go ahead and set that up.

First, it asks me the type of workout. I want to do both cardio and strength training. Here is a sample screen it presents me with:



Next, it asks how often I train. I have not been consistent at all since the move, so I'm going to go ahead and admit that I've "trained sporadically" ...

One the next screen, it wants to assess my strength, and uses push-ups as a method to "guess." It will adjust to be more specific later. I can probably do over 30 push-ups, but again, since I've trained sporadically, I want to start at a decent level for myself, so I'll choose the 16 - 30 range.

Now it would like to understand my cardiovascular ability, and asks me what I run a mile in. Again, I could probably top 6 minutes for a mile, but I'll choose 8 - 6 for now.

What is my primary goal? Let's face it. I've gotten soft, so I wish to focus on fat burn. Other options include weight loss, speed and power, endurance, and combinations of the above.

Now it wants to know my preferred cardio. I like to run, so I'll choose that one. Other options include bike, swim, row, cardio machine, combinations, and others (i.e. your own equipment).

Then it asks me how often would I like to strength train? Hmmm. I'm actually not doing as much resistance for this training program, but I want to do bodyweight, so I can get away with more volume. I'll pick 3 days out of the week.

Now it wants to know the type of workout I'd like for my strength training. I want to do just body weight workouts, so that's what I choose instead of free weights, machines, or a combination.



Then it's even kind enough to ask me what date I'd like to begin with! I'll choose Monday.

And that's it! It's scheduled my workouts. I start out with a few easy runs and some light body weight work that includes push-ups, pull-ups, calf raises on steps and lunges. It also gave me a "fat burn split session" where ... "After a thorough warm up with light activity and stretching, start a split cardio session of 2 x 10 mins and 1 x 5 mins. For the first 10 mins aim to work at 65% of your Heart Rate Maximum (HRM). For the next 10 mins aim to work at 75% of your HRM. For the last 5 mins aim to work at 80% of your HRM. Don't rest in between periods and workout continuously for the 25 min session. Stretch and warm down thoroughly after your workout."

Of course, I don't have to split hairs about the heart rate, I can use perceived intensity levels as well. I'm excited to begin my program next week!

Click here to try the same software to develop your own training routines for 2 weeks free.

Weight loss and healthy living definitely is not just about the workout routine or the nutrition. this article shares some points that I agree with 100% ... including faith, acceptance, patience, ability, preparation, attitude, habit, and healing. Definitely a keeper.

As writers across the nation struggle to capture the next "big diet trend," a baker in Portland offers us a diet book based on the Da Vinci code. He claims it is based on "universal patterns," which I would agree if marketing is one of them. With a release date of April 2006, I wonder if the Da Vinci fever will still be in full swing?

If you're concerned about the cost of living healthy, consider a career change. Both Microsoft and Starbucks will compensate their employees for weight loss programs if they meet certain criteria.

The British Columbia Medical Association says that family lifestyle change, not dieting is the key to weight loss for children.

Today the World Health Organization warns of increase in obesity problem. The problem? 1 billion overweight people today will become 1.5 billion by 2015. Fortunately, this article claims to have the cure.

Don't forget, today is the last day to pre-order your copy of the 10 Fat Mistakes CD without paying any shipping or handling.

Blessed be,

Yesterday we picked up a desk for my wife. Our master bedroom in this house is huge, so we were able to set it up in a corner and provide her with her own office space. This will be important when we consider deductions for tax purposes, as I have a full room dedicated to my office, and she has a large portion of the master bedroom that serves a similar function.

My mother stopped by after spending several days in South Dakota for my cousin's wedding. Alyssa and our dog, Lizzie, both were so excited that they absolutely would not leave her alone. After she left, we headed out to a local Italian restaurant. We split an antipasto and a lasagna. It was delicious. We also had a single slice of key lime pie split three ways, but I must give my daughter credit for eating most of it!

This morning, my daughter surprised me. She had set her alarm, woke up early, and hid in the kitchen. When I woke up, she jumped out and screamed, "Happy Birthday!" and handed me a beautiful card that she signed and drew a little picture of our family. This will be the first celebration in a long time that includes my parents, because they are only a few miles away. We are meeting at a local restaurant this evening. It is strange to me to be back "home" where I was raised.

One thing you'll find out on your birthday is how many forums you are a member of. Most ask your birthday and are sophisticated enough to send out personalized messages (I haven't learned how to configure that in my Natural Physiques™ forums yet, but it may be there already). I found out I'm part of forums I don't even recall joining! That happens a lot. As I watch my web statistics to see where traffic is coming from, sometimes I have to join discussion groups to see the messages that are linking into my site, and then I simply forget that I had been there.

My site was down this morning when I logged in to load some new articles. I sent a message to my administrator, who happens to be the landlord mentioned in my book and the one person who spent a good deal of time helping me lift and load the heavy items into our new home (thanks, Tom! Now where's my website?!) Grin.

While I did not make our international convention this year, I heard there were some fun announcements. The most exciting to me is the special kit that they've developed. I've started quite a few clients on a special 5-day program to jumpstart their nutrition plan.

These programs are controversial. You'll hear everything from, "It's just a gimmick to sell the products" to "there is no scientific basis" and then "It changed my life." As a health coach, it is very important to me to move beyond mere speculation and hype and get into what produces results. This is why I like this particular program. While it is a kit that includes specific supplements, it's the process that is more important and I always offer my clients a way to do the program without purchasing any supplements. Whether it is simply a juice fast, using whole foods that are selected for their protein and fiber content, or it is using this specific kit (which people enjoy because it's convenient and tastes good), the key to this is very simple.

I don't promise that it will detoxify your organs or cure any major disease. I don't promise that the rapid weight loss is going to be consistent after the first week or that you should even pay attention to it, because let's face it — most of that initial weight you lose on any program is typically water weight. But after doing this myself (click on the link to see the pictures and read the report), and after having several clients who have lost well over 50 pounds long term start with it, I believe it is an option for some people.

The key lies in the fact that the program creates a baseline. It breaks the cycle of fatty and high-sugar foods most people are on. It also limits choices, which may seem Spartan, but there is a method to the madness. If you are eating lots of junk and suddenly presented with the choice to eat healthy foods, most of you will decide the healthy foods just don't taste as good and will crave the junk. What happens when you go on any sort of modified program, whether it is raw food, juice, or a fiber cleanse like the one I'm sharing here, when you are done with your 3, 5, 7, or however many days you follow it, suddenly you are craving the healthy foods.

The first customer I tried this with was frustrated because she could only stick with a program for a few weeks before giving into cravings. She tried this cleanse and after the five days, was so motivated to eat healthy foods that she went on to lose another 60 pounds. Her last update tells me she is still losing and improving her health daily. There was no magic bullet or pill ... it wasn't easy ... she had to work for what she earned: consistent, healthy eating, lots of exercise, and focus ... but the cleanse was something that helped her jumpstart the process to gain momentum.

If this is something that interests you, take a look at the kit here then visit this link and follow the instructions to be a preferred customer so that you can save about 10% from the order. If you e-mail me after you pick up the kit, I'll also provide you will e-mail support during the 5 days of the cleanse at no additional cost.

Let's start today with some motivation ... how about these women who collectively transformed their physiques in a major way?

Unlike many programs that tell you what you can't have, this article shares several foods you should add.

If you think transforming your health is just about you, think again. One woman was challenged by her mother to lose weight with a promise that Mom would donate $100 for every pound she lost. In the end, she ended up raising more than $47,300 for the Ronald McDonald House of Missoula. Now that's powerful!

If you are looking for a personal trainer, then read this article to learn more about how to choose one.

To make it easier for you, I'll respond to the points they make relative to my own practice:

Credentials — I am a Certified Fitness Trainer and a Specialist in Performance Nutrition through the International Sports Sciences Association. I also lost 65 pounds myself and placed as a Top Finisher in a major international physique transformation competition.

Personality — you're reading it! LOL. Actually, personality is very important, which is why I set up free assessments and call my customers to chat for a bit.

Cost — you can see the cost to hire me personally by scrolling to the bottom of this form, or review the options for our online service (that also includes access to a team of trainers) over here.

Location — I coach internationally. If you require more coaching on your proper form, then I advise finding a local trainer who can be there with you to interact. I offer packages that include me flying out for a few days to do this as well.

Ask around — this is one of the most important steps. You can read testimonials of my clients here and may also ask for references to connect with and communicate directly with existing or prior clients. This step allows you to move past our own bias (of course we get excited about positive testimonials) and hear the experience directly from someone else.

Consult the Internet — you're already ahead of the game with that one!

I told you walking is popular this week! Did you know there will be an America on the Move Day of Action this September 28th?

Baby boomers, look out. "They" are now saying most of you are stuck with boomeritis.

My professional writing career began with technical articles that were published in trade magazines for midrange computers. While I've had dozens of articles published online, my first fitness article to appear in print was for a short-lived magazine in Gwinnett County, Georgia. This article about simple tricks to teach your kids about nutrition from the Gwinnett Daily Post triggered some memories of those first months when I was starting my business and not sure where it would lead me. I thank God for granting me the courage to "stay in the game" long enough to see results!

Speaking of results, the greatest results in this business are when our clients overcome their own obstacles and create breakthroughs to success in their own lives. As you may know from my "Maximize Your Cardio" audio (part of the Lose Fat, Not Faith Audio Program) I believe the key to successful cardio is finding something you enjoy. A few of my clients enjoy dancing as their favorite form of cardio, and this woman lost 80 pounds after signing up for a dance class!

You still have just over a day to pre-order the 10 Fat Mistakes CD and have your shipping waived.

That's it for now, I'm off to relax for the rest of the day. This will be a day of reflection. Just as my family gathers on New Year's Eve to celebrate our accomplishments and set new goals, this is a day for me to review where I was a year ago and what I intend to be doing a year from today.

Blessed be,

Wow!

The response to my pre-release of the 10 Fat Mistakes CD has been nothing short of amazing! Thank you all for your incredible support. It truly is a pleasure to see such powerful support and to hear your stories and feedback. I sincerely appreciate you!

Yesterday, my wife and I wanted to pick up some fresh oranges and stopped at a place we thought was a grove. It's not the right season for fresh citrus, but they produced a few citrus drinks. I'm a dry red guy myself, and have always shunned white wines and especially sweet wines. However, we tasted a few of their products and decided we enjoyed the white sangria (a blend of citrus wines) and a raspberry wine.

I've been brave and am trying more seasfood. It only makes sense, living so close to the ocean. I used to abhor seafood. It's hilarious to observe my body react when I eat foods that my conscious mind says "taste good" but my body is stuck in old habits of "Ew, I don't like it." I spent so much time telling myself I didn't like it, that even though I enjoy certain fish, my old habits still rear their ugly head. I had a stew with tuna steak and salmon, couscous and red curry for lunch. For dinner, I sampled a stuffed clam and crab legs. While I enjoyed the taste, my instincts tell me I don't want shellfish so I'm debating that one.

Remember that you can still reserve a copy of the 10 Fat Mistakes CD by midnight on Friday (September 23rd) and pay just $15 for CD with free shipping worldwide.

I was told my ears should have been burning last night. My business coach, Jeffery Combs, interviewed my marketing coach (and my own coaching client) Dr. Joe Vitale and might have dropped a few names. Unfortunately, the Tuesday calls conflict with other engagements so I was not able to make it to the live call. However, I do believe Jeffery will be posting this to his archives over here (it will be near the bottom when it appears — I highly recommend you listen to some of the other calls archived there as well, especially if you are a network marketer).

My CPA told me that I'm definitely in a growth market. I have to agree ... heck, personal training is even gaining ground in China!

Our walks are always interesting now that we live near the beach. I mentioned all of the crabs, jellyfish, and other exciting creatuers we saw the other day. Here are one trainer's top three recommendations for spicing up walks. Walking is a popular subject in the news today.

Running, on the other hand, has come under attack after four deaths during a half-marathon event. The picture of an overweight person running has the caption, "Running without practice could prove fatal."

Just because someone is a personal trainer doesn't qualify them to give out nutrition advice. This is why my second certification was as a Specialist in Performance Nutrition — I wanted to be able to address the entire equation, not just the small role that exercise plays.

If you want to wage a "sneak attack against fat" then apparently smart snacking is the trick. You might not want to call it a snack, however. Words are power and we often associate snacks with treats and junk food. Why not call it a "feeding" (a term Jon Benson uses) or a "smaller meal?"

I enjoyed this article about firming your butt ... by taking a vacation to San Francisco!

I'll be heading that way next week. It won't be San Francisco, however. It will be Los Angeles. Doreen and I fly out next Thursday and will enjoy a great, long weekend with entrepreneurs from around the country. I look forward to it!

By the way, if you enjoy this blog and receive value from it, please share it with others. You can share your favorite posts with friends by clicking on the little envelope with an arrow right at the bottom of this post!

Blessed be,

Finally!

Yesterday, they came to take away the huge trailer that had been parked in our driveway over the weekend. We shuffled the cars back into the driveway and celebrated that we are officially "moved in." The next milestone will, of course, be "unpacked."

The red tide has finally receded, so when we walked to the intercoastal waterway, it was teeming with life. Large and small crabs skittered about the rocks. We watched huge schools of fish swim by. A surprisingly fast conch was slithering across the bottom. The real fun came when a few jellyfish floated by, small white ones with long tendrils that looked like delicate umbrellas opening and closing. A tiny little crab detached itself from the seaweed covered rock it had been hiding on and swam to the jellyfish. It crawled onto the top of the jellyfish and caught a free ride for several feet. The jellyfish, obviously annoyed, was going in circles and pumping furiously, but the crab just held on for several minutes before swimming back down. Alyssa was so excited.

She happens to be studying the ocean in school, and her teacher told her to bring in some of the shells we've collected. I found a really large conch over the weekend, and that was one of the first ones she chose.

Last nights call with Jon Benson was filled with great content but was cut short with technical difficulties. We ended up terminating the call and decided we'd reconnect later this week to record it over. It appears the entire teleconference system went dead.

This morning we will be meeting with a local CPA to transfer the books from South Dakota to Florida. I look forward to the meeting, as the third quarter is coming to a close.

I received the proof for the "Ten Fat Mistakes" audio CD. My wife and daughter both listened in as I played several of the key tracks. We all agreed this is an awesome CD and look forward to releasing it. I haven't confirmed the exact date with my production company yet, but I believe I will be able to ship it by November 1st. I am accepting pre-orders now, and waiving shipping costs for anyone who reserves a copy. I have five times as many subscribers to my e-Zine as I have copies of the CD ordered, so I'm not sure how long they will last. If you are interested in holding a copy and having it shipped at no charge, visit the Ten Fat Mistakes Audio CD link.

I decided to start today with the triumphant story of a man who was diagnosed with HIV, yet chooses to be a victor instead of a victim. Read about the bodybuilding parachutist.

Arnold Schwarzenegger took a bold step and signed legislature that bans junk food and sets new nutritional standards for vending machines in schools. He states that Californians have gained 360 million pounds in the past decade. That's 1.3 trillion calories of surplus.

Other schools are striving to ingrain fitness values in students. It's great to find schools that are paying serious attention to the nutrition content of their meals. In the corporate world, some companies are so concerned with overweight employees that they are offering cash for them to stay fit.

Despite all of the evidence that excess abdominal ("tummy") fat can increase the risk of heart disease, six out of ten Americans don't see the link, according to a recent survey. Despite the majority who don't understand this, the fact is that a waistline of over 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men is considered high risk for heart disease and diabetes, according to the American Heart Association.

Here are a few nutrition myths to look out for. (Note that very few people claim dry nuts are lower calorie than roasted nuts ... instead, the fact is that raw nuts typically don't trigger the cravings that roasted nuts do, and so people are more likely to eat less, and some claim they are more nutritious).

You've heard vitamins are good for your health ... did you know they might also help with weight control?

Blessed be,

Before I begin my update, I want to share a link for those of you still looking for ways to contribute to the hurricane relief efforts. It is Operation Superhero. This is not a page that will collect your money and promise to send it into good hands ... it links to a few other charities that were researched and found to adhere to the standards of good conduct and efficiency that you would expect for your contributions. You also have the benefit of receiving a few bonuses after you make your contribution, so it creates a win-win situation.

I have been out of pocket for a few days as we moved into our new home. It is on St. Pete Beach and we absolutely love it. The moving truck was parked in our driveway on Thursday of last week, and my wife and I had everything but three large pieces removed with one day. The last pieces waited until I could find a friend willing to help me, and that friend turned out to be the very landlord and friend I mention in Lose Fat, Not Faith.

We had a wonderful weekend. Aside from unpacking boxes, we also had a nice stroll four houses down to the bench and picnic table that are right on the intercoastal waterway, and sat down to enjoy the water and sunset. Every day this weekend, we found time to head down eight blocks to the beach. We have masks now, so my daughter and I spent most of the time diving and looking for shells (mostly conch shells). We've gathered together quite the collection!

I decided the one appliance I'd like to pick up is a good juice machine. I've been juicing for years, and have done plenty of research. Our old juicer was a cheap model and was on its last legs (it stayed in South Dakota). The model I decided it was time to try out is the Breville JE900 Juice Fountain. I was looking at a higher-end model from Breville, but when we went shopping for some other items, I found this one and decided to go with my instincts and purchase it. Over the past few days, we've gone through a ton of fruit and we are very excited about the machine. It is the best juicer I've ever owned, hands down. Not only is it easy to clean, it is well-designed (for example, the chute for the pulp goes inside the pulp collector, whereas many other models simply sit on top, allowing the pulp to spray onto the counter), and the best part is that the chute is so large you can drop in whole apples! That saves a lot of preparation time. I made juice with three apples and several bunches of pears this morning in about two minutes.

Those of you reading this get a sneak peak at the design for my upcoming CD single based on the popular eReport, "10 Fat Mistakes." I've been very happy working with FulfillmentCentral.com for fulfillment and on-demand services. This project is a larger scale (I'm pre-ordering 1,000 units, so it's not "on-demand") and is through Flow Motion, Inc.. They do incredibly high quality work. While the final version is subject to change, here's a preview of the sleeve and disc design:

 

Before I dive into the news, I just have to add that being back in my own office is wonderful. I had a tiny corner of a small room for the past several months, and to say "cramped" would be an understatement. I am thankful for what we were provided, and appreciate having a full room as an office so much more now that we are moved.

Here's an inspirational story about a bodybuilder who stands five feet tall and weighs only 100 pounds. In the article "Powerful woman comes in smallest of packages" she shares that her daughters "like fruits and eat pretty healthy ... no Burger King, no chips."

No chips? Ouch!

I had some this weekend ... but those were baked corn chips seasoned with lime and chili powder.

Here's an article about Tibetan rites (it wasn't designed by Tibetans nor in Tibet) and how it may be a solution for those of you who consistently use the "time" excuse not to exercise.

Poor nutrition may cause up to a 20% percent loss in productivity across the world, according to this article.

If you need something sweet on your healthy menu, try figs.

We've mentioned using hypnosis for weight loss in the past. ABC News covered it here. To read our original article, go here.

"I was about 360 pounds at my heaviest weight." Read this for the rest of the story about an amazing 150-pound weight loss success.

Are your kids obsessed with junk food? Take them here to develop a "healthy obsession" with food and exercise instead!

I hope you have a wonderful, healthy, and abundant week.

Warmly,

I probably won't have an update until sometime Saturday, as we are moving to the new place and won't have Internet up immediately. I am having a great time here, but also am very excited to get my office set up and organized so that I can get back to producing!

I have TWO new CD projects that are just around the corner. The first is an audio version of the popular, "10 Fat Mistakes" eReport. It is one hour and expands upon the concepts introduced in the article. It was recorded at one of my seminars. This is my first project with a new company that I am excited to work with ... they do very professional grade work. I believe this will retail for $15 but I may launch it with a special offer for those of you already familiar with the eReport.

I'm also creating my own CD set out of the teleseminar I recently conducted that revealed the fat loss secrets for losing that last little bit of abdominal fat. This one I am creating myself, and simply transferring the audio from the teleseminar to the CDs. It will be a 4-CD set and will retail for $59.99 plus S&H.

Unfortunately, my move came right at the same time as the international convention for the company I partner with. I had a BLAST last year, and they always announce new product formulations (or new products, period). I can't wait to see what the innovations for this year are. Last year, the highlight was the completely reformulated paraben-free skin care line.

Here's an exciting diet ... apparently, a man lost 100 pounds on a cookie diet. Now, if we could just combine that with the Subway diet, most people would be set for life.

This is an interesting study about exercise and belly fat. I say interesting, because instead of just focusing on fat in general, it focuses specifically on abdominal fat. I know when I don't exercise consistently, my abs disappear quickly ... even when I'm eating healthy. While I still believe nutrition is the real key to permanent weight loss, exercise certainly plays a role (I can't wait to get moved and back in a routine ... we will be working out from home again, instead of in the gym as we had for awhile).

If you are refusing to let go of your soda habit, consider this article that claims drinking soda is more than just adding extra calories — it could be seriously damaging your health.

Me? I switched from soda to diet soda, which I still don't feel is great but at least I got rid of the calories. Then, I moved more to water. Now, my favorite carbonated drink is a glass of San Peligrino with a lime squeezed into it.

If you are upset about the proliferation of women-only fitness clubs, I don't believe the solution is to threaten the receptionist and then file a discrimination suit. Instead, either find a new place to workout or start your own men-only fitness club. Instead of being part of the problem, why not move into the solution?

Some people take their nutrition seriously. Combine that with the strange cravings that come with pregnancy, and you have a recipe for disaster. Men, take heed: it's good that you care about your significant other's eating habits, but don't raise the issue in the kitchen near the cutlery.

And that's all I have to say about that!

Blessed be,

... and the car is okay! Just had it checked out, and it's chipper top to bottom. A few minor items that we took care of, and some normal wear and tear to be addressed, but that's it. I'm still excited about paying cash (and not much at that) for a car that happens to be more loaded than my Accord EX was!

We got the keys to the new house last night. Found an awesome bedroom set for Alyssa and loaded that. We also found some furniture for the living room. So far, we've pieced together two rooms and for well under $1,000 ... not bad.

Before I move on, I want to mention that good friend Dan Robey is having a 3-day special for his Power of Positive Habits (if you read this in the future, the 3 days more than likely will have been expired, but get the book anyway, because it's a great read). I still have to ask Dan how he got his book in all the bookstores (I pop into the self-help and health and fitness sections to see whose books are where, and there is always at least one copy of his in the stores I visit). Get it with this special, because you get a lot more bonuses in addition to the book itself.

Before I had the chance to publish this, I received some feedback from a customer.

You are growing and it "appears" that you are endorsing partnerships to make money first and help people second. And if this is not true, then you are losing sight of the big picture ... Bottomline, be careful what you endorse and how you endorse it. I'd hate to see you fall into the ocean of mass marketers who only pretend to care and come across as such.

I sincerely appreciate feedback like this. Marketing always seems to touch a nerve. I know because I used to really get emotional, too. I absolutely disliked any mention of sales or bonuses or other items. What I found was that I was missing out on quite a bit through my bias ... when I learned I had the freedom to simply ignore the offers I would not receive value from and to invest in the ones I would, my world changed. For example, Joe's offer for his recent best-selling book seemed "too good to be true" but I trusted my intuition and purchased it. I STILL have not listened to all of the bonus audios or read all of the bonus reports I received ... and I LOVE the ones I have had the time to read through or listen to!

I still recall the first few months after I released my book, Lose Fat, Not Faith. I had a simple page up that described what was in the book and how to buy. This is what everyone said they wanted. "No hype, no testimonials, just tell us what it is." I listened, I put my page up, and I waited. I'm glad I didn't hold my breath.

When I hired a marketing coach, he told me to have a headline that would grab the attention of the reader. "Don't lie, don't mislead, just get straight to the point." Currently, I have the first sentence of a testimonial directly from someone who wrote me to say, "So far, this has to be one of the best books on whole life improvement ever written." That's powerful, and wasn't written by my best friend, my mother, my wife, or my second cousin. It came directly from one of the first customers to purchase and read my book.

I then go on to say, "If I personally delivered 300 pages of empowering information, and if I shared with you these SHOCKING secrets to losing fat that don't force you to go on a strict diet and won't have you running until your feet fall off, would YOU make a life-changing transformation?" Purists may argue the book is 304 printed pages. I've had plenty of readers tell me they were shocked by much of the information ... and of course the goal is a life-changing transformation.

Why am I explaining this? Because here's what happened.

After I made the changes, I got quite a bit of "hate mail." People wrote me to tell me I'm just in this to make a buck, that I'm a huckster, that it was a shame I changed my format. I took it personally. I felt bad.

Then, something else happened. Something strange. I began receiving a FLOOD of testimonials ... the same ones you can read on this page. It was amazing. Why so many testimonials? Because at the same time people were writing to complain that they didn't like my marketing, people were BUYING the book. The new page helped move people to a decision that ultimately resulted in them creating major, positive changes in their lives.

This is when I realized that I can't please everyone. Instead of taking the negative e-mail personally, I decided to celebrate the positive testimonials. I learned to LOVE being a salesperson because I can directly impact lives!

I was faced with a choice. I feel Lose Fat, Not Faith contains powerful information and will change lives. It already has. So, I could sit on this book that I spent so much energy creating, and let it ... just sit there ... or I could choose to "get it out there."

Here's where the BEST PART comes into play. I offer a 100% money-back guarantee. Just like my friend, Dan Robey, does with his offer. So if people don't like it, it's okay ... they won't lose a thing other than the time they took to read it. I honor full refunds.

Normally, I don't feel the need to explain myself. Some get it, some don't. Those who know me and have connected appreciate what my vision is. However, as I was reading this feedback, I thought ... hey, this blog is about taking the lid off. Letting people see what goes on inside, and "behind the scenes." So why not write and share this ... because if one person was upset, I'm sure there are others, too.

Consumers: don't let yourself get angry or upset over marketing. If it does that to you, unsubscribe. Stop receiving the messages! Turn off the TV and leave the newspaper on the curb and keep the phone book in your desk. Otherwise, celebrate your free will. If an announcement doesn't connect with you, that's fine ... turn down the volume when the television commercial comes on, flip past the full page ads, or delete the e-mail you don't want!

Marketers: celebrate what you do. Don't take it all personally! I truly do appreciate feedback like this ... it "appears" that you are endorsing partnerships to make money first and help people second, however, I will continue to follow my passion and vision to share these messages through my products and services because of this ... I've got this faith about you. Through you, somehow, through your teachings of nutrition, fitness, and spirituality, I'll find the peace and strength of character that I know is hidden away inside me. I believe in what you teach and your calling to share your story and your knowledge with others. Thank you for being my inspiration. Now THAT is powerful!

I'll be off and on for the next several days. While we have the keys to the house, our truck gets here tomorrow but the Internet isn't hooked up until Saturday ... I'm not sure when we'll move in but it may be before we're connected.

Speaking of being connected, I believe one of the most significant impacts the Internet has had is simply this: more people can now work from home. I enjoyed this article about how fun it is because it also mentions staying fit at home.

If you're a happy geek like me who laughs at the Yahoo! commercials ("Snatch up some Missy") because you remember how "awesome graphics" looked on the Commodore 64, you'll enjoy the recent article in Wired (sorry, this is the print version, not online) that goes through the history of the Internet year-by-year after Netscape's IPO. I had a lot of fun with it ... remember PointCast?

When I spoke with Tom Venuto the other day, he mentioned the power that protein has for raising the metabolism and helping shed fat. Here is an article that relates how protein diet plus exercise equals more weight loss. Then again, a a low-fat vegan diet does the trick as well. Instead of asking, "Which is better or more effective or burns more fat?" Ask this, "Which am I more likely to enjoy and feel great following?"

One topic of consistent controversy is the so-called "detox." Many people share that "this is hype" and get angry when they see people sharing their experiences. There is certainly a group who believes that unless there are several scientific studies supporting a notion, it has no place in people's lives. Personally, I cannot scientifically support my faith no more than I can scientifically support the tremendous benefits I've received from juice fasting and going on detox programs. I have not yet tried the "liver flush" described in this article.

Remember the tug-of-war I mentioned between proponents both for and against soy? The soy side is tugging a bit with this mention that more soy in the diet means fewer fractures for women.

Many people today are card-carrying members of the two most popular clubs in the world. The first, the "Not Much Club" (when you ask someone what's going on, and it's always, "Not much") is a topic for a different day. The second is the "No Time No Money" club that half of the workers in Ireland cited (the time portion of it) as their reason for not exercising. Read more here.

Do you feel that fitness gets harder as you get older? You're not alone. Fitness after 40 is hard for women, but it also is no excuse not to put in a little more effort to reap the rewards!

Wow ... it looks like if you jump into a new diet, you can lose more than just fat ... how about your hair? (I lost mine ... but that had more to do with a razor than my nutrition).

High doses of Vitamin C may be effective at combating cancer. Be careful, however. The article refers to Vitamin C directly injected into the bloodstream. Oral Vitamin C (the type you chew or swallow) may not have the same impact.

Until next time, blessed be,

Last night was my interview with Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Author Tom Venuto (his book is available here). It was a fun interview. I've corresponded with Tom for quite some time, but this was our first opportunity to spend time together with our voices and not just our e-mails. He is a passionate and humble individual and it shows in the interview. We do not record the Q&A sessions, which are often loaded with information, so if you are interested in listening live to upcoming calls (we have M-Power creator Jon Benson coming on next week) then go here for information on how to dial in and participate on the live call.

So, I should be driving my new car soon! It's a decade old, has over 137,000 miles, and most people hadn't heard of it because the company went out of business. This is one of those cars that has more opinions than political candidates ... people either love them or hate them. It's a 1994 Eagle Vision TSI ... and the visible condition is immaculate. I think the only reason the leather survived so well this long is because the tinted windows keep the sun from frying the interior. As for the engine, etc ... well, that's what the mechanics are looking over right now.

A special thanks to those who have contributed so far to the hurricane relief efforts. We had someone buy our CD set outright for $100 ... that was a generous $100 donation and the CD is now on its way. I put another set up, and you can always check out the status of our products in auction by searching for Lose Fat, Not Faith at eBay.

Thanks to Dave DePew for his fantastic radio interview ... I enjoyed it.

There are quite a few people who choose to just throw up their hands and say, "Fat is good" instead of taking the necessary steps to shed extra pounds to live a healthier lifestyle. While I focus a lot of attention on overweight and obesity I believe the most important aspect is definitely health. Unfortunately, I know few obese people who actually lead healthy lifestyles ... while there are always exceptions, most people who adopt healthy habits also manage their weight as a benefit. However, if you are looking for a good excuse not to drop pounds, you can certainly find them in studies like this one that comes to us from Scotland (via Germany) that implies that because teens aren't concerned with being overweight, we should just let them be.

Another reason to consider releasing fat: obesity may be linked to fatal blood clots.

If you don't do it for health, what about singing? According to this article being fit helps people sing better.

The entertainment industry certainly appreciates the current focus on waistlines ... more and more shows are airing that feature weight loss, such as NBC's Biggest Loser.

Got metabolic syndrome? Article discusses this condition, which some are adamant doesn't exist.

Here's more on the benefits of fish oil (we have a pharmaceutical grade fish oil available here.
» Find books about fish oil.

Here are a few recipes using olive oil, one of my favorite oils.

For those of you in search of a magic bullet, I'm sorry ... we still haven't found one. We did, however, manage to uncover fitness in a bottle ... you have to see it to understand.

And, on that note ... we'll talk!

More reviews of my book, Lose Fat, Not Faith, are appearing online.

The most recent one, over at Livin' La Vida Low-Carb, is very special to me. The reason is not because this is such a popular and informative site (I link to it permanently through this blog), but due to two facts ... first, it is a third-party review. Jimmy Moore is not an existing Natural Physiques™ customer nor someone mentioned in the book. Second, and this is very important, his site advocates a low-carb approach. In my book, I speak of the "low-carbohydrate myth." This would in many cases alienate many readers who are emotional and defensive of their programs. Jimmy, however, took this in stride ... he mentioned it in his review but did not allow that to cloud his assessment of the book as a whole. I appreciate objective criticism and as I wrote to Jimmy after finding his reivew, I've learned quite a bit about the "low-carb lifestyle" since I wrote the book. While I still know that it is possible to lose fat without going "low-carb" I can appreciate the thousands, perhaps millions, of lives that have been positively impacted by this movement.

I found this site that actually tracks the sales rank of the book over time over at Amazon.com. While the graph as of this posting shows it declining, I noticed today that the rank is much higher. Thank you all for keeping me on the charts!

These past few weeks have certainly been filled with abundance. This weekend, we decided "at the drop of a hat" to drive over to Miami. I am in the market for a car (we've shared one so far, but I'll need some wheels to drop off packages at the post office, pick up my daughter from school, etc) so when a convertible Infinit popped up on our radar, we decided ... hey, we'll make a mini-vacation out of it! We drove to Doreen's parents in Port Saint Lucie, stayed the night, headed down to Miami and decided we did not want the vehicle ... so we headed back to Fort Lauderdale, had a nice lunch, stopped by the two-story borders, and then drove home. My daughter is as fascinated with science as I am, so we picked up some masks that evening. Yesterday, we went to the bench early in the morning and had a blast. We found sand dollars, dozens of whole, unblemished conch shells, and watched crabs scuttle about on the ocean floor.

My wife had picked up a book of Miami recipes called Miami Spice. We cooked "adobe chicken" and "yuc´ with mojo" ... it was delicious.

We also found a car that we are looking at one more time this evening to make a final purchase decision.

This Wednesday, we move into our new home.

Next week I celebrate 31 years of living, and the week after, we fly to Los Angeles to meet with my mentor Jeffery Combs.

Is this an exciting month, or what?!

This week, Indystar.com tackles steroid use in an article that does a solid job of promoting Jose Canseco's book, Juiced. One of our own Florida teens warns others about muscle enhancers, while Tallahassee's Kamerion Wimbley discusses getting big — 'the right way'.

» Will Brink and Charles Poliquin on Muscle-Building Nutrition

Good news for expecting mothers ... new research will explore the links between diet and pregnancy.

Is what we eat more important ... or how we eat it?

Soy protein has been the victim of a major tug-of-war battle. It's healthy. It's not. It is. No, it's unhealthy. Not true. Yes, true. Blah blah. Oh, and here's a tug from the pro-soy side: diabetics with fatty livers may benefit from soy.

Have you heard of the Mediterranean Diet? According the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this diet can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Obesity is now attacking the residents of Tanzania, with 1 out of 3 adults suffering from hypertension as a possible result.

The dairy industry still wants us to believe that dairy combats childhood obesity. This article makes a case for eating breakfast (especially ones that include cereal) ... which I find is interesting because many "diets" don't allow cereal.

Most families don't make grade in nutrition. The results of this test are showing on our waistlines.

That's it for today's updates ... remember, we still have items on auction (if you are reading this in the future, this may no longer be true) over at ebay to benefit Hurrican Katrina victims by donating 100% of sales proceeds to the Red Cross.

Blessed be,

It's here!

My e-Zine provider has been rather slow today, so few (if any) have received the notice in e-mail, but the latest Lose Fat, Not Faith e-Zine is now available. I'm very pleased with this edition, and look forward to comments and feedback.

I apologize to those who have requested free assessments or ordered product and have not yet heard back from me. Being out of communication for several days has definitely made this a "catch-up" week for me, but I am on top of it and you will hear from me soon! I appreciate your patience and understanding.

You learn something new everyday! While we talked about this study a few weeks ago, I found another article that goes more into detail on how certain cells can either turn to bone or turn to fat in the body. If you are concerned with osteoperosis, it also helps to not eat liver. If you are supplementing with Vitamin D, make sure you get the right kind.

» Reversing and Preventing Osteoperosis

What makes an "expert" to the media? They're always talking about these "experts." Here is an article where this interesting group of experts offer advice on healthy weight loss for kids.

» Books about weight loss for kids

This is National Cholesterol Education Month. Of course, this is an event sponsored by Big Pharma to make sure you are scared stiff into buying into their billion dollar industry. Who really cares about cholesterol anyway? The truth is, we care about cholesterol because we were told it impacts our cardiovascular health (even though half of the people who suffer from cardiovascular disease have normal cholesterol levels).

Why not National Homocysteine Month instead? Read more about it here, but don't forget that Big Pharma doesn't have a billion dollars invested, so there are going to be plenty of sites that call is "quackery" or "unconfirmed." I'll stick with my CoQ10, which, according to this site ...

Researchers believe that CoQ10 inhibits blood clot formation and boosts levels of antioxidants. One study found that people who received daily CoQ10 supplements within 3 days of a heart attack were significantly less likely to experience subsequent heart attacks and chest pain and were also less likely to die of the condition than those who did not receive the supplements.

I'm no doctor, but my mother-in-law recently had a slight rise in her cholesterol, and was prescribed fish oil!

If thought weight loss was tough, Reader's Digest has some easy methods to lose weight.

If you can't remember to eat well and exercise, it might be because you aren't eating well or exercising. Seriously, it seems that diet and exercise may slow memory loss!

Here's something that will come as a surprise to protein fanatics: high-carb, vegan diet causes major weight loss. I'd have to agree ... while I wasn't strictly vegan, my high carb, low protein program allowed me to drop over 30 pounds in 3 months.

If you do pile on the protein, however, you may end up with a different issue: too fit to fit in clothes!

Utah is attacking the donut-eating cop stereotype by firing unfit deputies.

Do you find value in blogs like this? Recently, a major health columnist attacked weight loss blogs. I'll let you read this yourself (it is biased in the opinion of someone else with a blog). If you'd like to share your own opinions about weight loss blogs, you can write her at the e-mail listed in the linked article.

Until next time ...

Whew!

What a weekend.

We flew out of the "connected zone" into the Black Hills of South Dakota. With no Internet, no television, no radio turned on in the house, and limited cellular reception, it was truly a "hiatus" for the several days we were there.

I did manage to make a few donations for hurricane relief. You obviously want to choose whatever you feel comfortable with, but the two organizations that I decided to contribute to are posted at the main site: Feed the Children and Red Cross. If you are considering investing in any Natural Physiques™ products or services, I strongly encourage you to wait and contribute to the hurricane relief effort first. My products will be here, but the hurricane victims require our support now. I will also contribute 10% of your investment to the charity of your choice when you hire me as your coach, just let me know your intention when you sign up and we'll take it from there.

I also posted the Lose Fat, Not Faith Audio Program and my paperback, Lose Fat, Not Faith to e-Bay, with 100% of the final sale going as a donation to Red Cross. Find those items here. If you already have these, please share this with others so that they can donate to a good cause and receive quality products that will benefit them as well.

My former landlord and long time good friend Tom posted this entry to his blog ... perhaps the first review I've had from someone actually mentioned inside the book.

Aside from packing, I did get quite a bit of reading in during the weekend. I have found that my reading has increased in speed, but my retention has also increased. I wonder if it's due to training myself to respond to e-mails quickly and efficiently? At any rate, I read two books cover to cover, The Yoga of Time Travel, written by one of the speakers in What the Bleep do we Know?, and Power vs. Force which reveals a very interesting testing technique that I have witnessed myself. Can you imagine that your muscles actually go weak when you are presented with something negative or detrimental to yourself or society? It's a fascinating read, but even more impactful when you see the experiment duplicated in person. We will be doing this at my seminars. I just started reading Blink!, and am already excited about what I've read so far.

If you are a fan of Tom Venuto, then you'll want to check out our upcoming Become Your Best Podcast Schedule because he will be our first guest! You will have the opportunity to dial in, listen live, and ask questions at the end of the call. That's coming up this Monday, September 12th (just a few days before we move to the new place).

This will be a brief entry because it's time to catch up on all of the e-mails I've been blessed to receive while I was out of town. I look forward to responding! Before I go, here's some of the news in the health and wellness arena ...

I decided to go beyond personal trainer and address the whole mind, body, and spirit aspect of living healthy and releasing fat. I believe, from my own experience not only with losing 65 pounds of fat, but coaching others over the years, that faith and "inner belief" has a lot to do with success. I'm not speaking in specific denominations here, but referring to the power of the mind and how it is often neglected when people are looking to transform their lives. In an interesting twist, I found out that while I'm a personal trainer turned life coach, there are several psychiatrists turned personal trainers! Apparently, it is a valuable asset to their practice because of the ability of exercise to counteract depression.

Here's more on how it's not just the food, but our behaviors that count.

Some experts wonder if dieting is bad for you. I also would like to know why I experience a strong sense of deja v&uactue; when looking at the picture that accompanies this article ... has anyone else seen it before?

There are still those who want to blame television for eating disorders, but that one is easy to test ... toss out the TV and report back in three months.

An OBGYN in Atlanta told me that the pharmaceutical grade multivitamin I sell through the company that I partner with is superior to most prescribed prenatals. One reason may be due to the folic acid content, which has been shown to decrease birth defects like spina bifida.

This article mentions that the Vitamin D may help combat prostate cancer when combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While they mention some over the counter examples, why not look into grapeseed extract (scroll down to read about proanthocyanidins )? Our multivitamin contains this, along with Vitamin E, which may increase lifespan.

Maybe it's not extra fat you are looking to shed, but excess stress. If that's the case, take a look at the anti-anxiety diet.

That's it for today, we'll be "talking" soon!