Holy Grail Body Transformation Review

Tom Venuto is the creator of Holy Grail Body Transformation Program.  A few years ago Tom created a workout/ diet program called Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. That program was very successful and was just an ebook.

What is an Ebook you might ask? Well in this case you buy Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle and you get a PDF book that you can print up on a printer at home (or at work) or read on the computer.

Well now Tom has moved into this new decade by leveraging some of the new technology that everyone has at their computer. Sure everyone has Adobe Acrobat but now people have ipods and other ways to take in some of the great fitness and diet info that is out there so Tom has come up with a new system called The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program

What is the Holy Grail Body Transformation Program?

Holy Grail Body Transformation Program

Well over the last several years more and more people have come to recognise that Tom was correct when he said that it takes a great diet, Great workouts, and a great plan to lose weight, and also that gaining muscle is not a bad thing.

Building muscle is important for men and even for women that are scared of getting Huge, ripped and looking like female bodybuilders. (it won’t do that)

So why has this new program been created?

There are 3 major reasons for the Holy Grail Body Transformation Program

1. To Lose fat without losing muscle
2. To Gain muscle without gaining fat
3. To Gain muscle and lose fat at the same time!

Many people are not seriously over, but they are seriously unhappy because their body is soft and flabby without tone and firmness. Fat loss with muscle gain is exactly what these people need.

The best part is, once you understand how to use these techniques for simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain, you can also use them if your goal is strictly fat loss. How? By using even one or two of these techniques, you’ll be able to hold onto every ounce of your precious muscle tissue when you’re dieting.

This is a new type of body transformation system that has just been published for the first time in digital format (e-book and MP3 audio), so you can download the program instantly, read or listen to it in an afternoon and get started the same day.

Tom Venuto – Creator of Holy Grail Body Transformation Program

But before you download the program or even read another word, I have to warn you. This not an easy goal to achieve and I have no miracles to offer you inside this new book. This is a serious and very strategic program for committed people who are analytical thinkers and hard workers.

Concurrent muscle gain and fat loss is the most difficult goal to achieve. That’s why people call it the “Holy Grail”; because it’s so elusive. But…

Although difficult it is scientifically possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time

The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program is the first course of its kind that builds on the foundational fat-burning principles, adds muscle-building techniques and then puts it all together in a highly strategic system for gaining muscle and burning fat simultaneously, while explaining the process scientifically…

With that, let me give you a closer look at what you’ll learn inside the Holy Grail Body Transformation Program ebook…

The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program Highlights:

• The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program is delivered in an instantly-downloadable PDF e-book AND a downloadable MP3 audio edition.
• The CORE of this program is a nutrition plan like you’ve never seen before, based on cyclical dieting and nutrient timing.
• But the Holy Grail program doesn’t stop with nutrient timing advice you’ve heard before. This goes far beyond post workout nutrition, deep into the realm of nutritional periodization.
• New discoveries in the emerging sciences of within-day-energy balance, nutrient timing and natural hormonal manipulation have pointed the way to a proven method for achieving simultaneous muscle gain with fat loss…

And if your goal is muscle gain, but you want to avoid gaining “bulk” (adding fat with the muscle), this new approach works brilliantly for gaining pure solid lean muscle, without fat gain.

When Tom was asked about this almost dieting nirvana of fat loss while gaining muscle here is how it went:

Q: “Come on Tom,  I thought it was impossible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time? Don’t you need a calorie deficit to burn fat and a calorie surplus to build muscle?”

Tom: “Well, yes – calories do matter – but it’s much more complicated than just calories because of factors such as within-day energy balance, hormonal response and “energy partitioning.”

Tom went on to say the following:

I’ve been studying these complex interactions of nutrition and training with metabolism and hormones for almost 21 years, but I was just like you – I was equally skeptical that significant concurrent muscle gains and fat losses could be achieved by anyone other than genetic superiors or performance-enhancing drug users.

It was these extraordinary contest results achieved by ordinary people – naturally – that prompted me to search for the common denominators in body composition transformations. I also dug into the scientific literature to create a new program so that you could duplicate these results yourself. The program was named… Holy Grail Body Transformation Program

Mark my words, this is going to become the next big thing – a whole new science of nutrition to achieve a goal that countless experts and trainees had written off as impossible.

Here’s a Sample of This New Body Transformation Science That You’ll Discover Inside the Holy Grail Body Transformation System e-book:

• Why most people – even fitness pros and dieticians – are dead wrong about the biology behind losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time … and why you MUST understand the true “temporal mechanism” or you’ll never have a prayer at deliberately achieving this elusive goal
• Why you MUST understand “energy partitioning” – the fat-burning, muscle-building process BEYOND CALORIES-IN vs CALORIES OUT!… this is the key to forcing your body to drive energy and protein INTO MUSCLE CELLS and pull calories OUT OF FAT CELLS!
• The power of hormones to dramatically shift fat to muscle… discover what steps you must take to achieve hormonal control for maximum muscle growth and fat loss… this is MUST-HAVE information because if your hormones are out of whack, the game is over
• The 4 “X Factors” of concurrent muscle gain and fat loss – these are the special conditions that allow above average muscle gains while losing fat at the same time… and there’s good news and bad news about the X Factors that you need to know before you get started
• The 5 “X2 Factors” that influence your ability to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time… They all depend on your current body composition (lean or fat) and dieting status (dieted down or not dieted down)… Depending on which category you’re in, it can totally change your approach
• Why you almost never gain muscle in a continuous calorie deficit… and the one exception that allowed a group of over women to gain muscle and lose fat while eating 800 calories a day (I don’t recommend this, but the lessons from this case study are valuable)
• How to choose the right body transformation goal: should you focus on burning fat, gaining muscle or doing both at the same time? If you pursue the wrong goal, you’ll be wasting time and you might even get fatter
• How to steal the proven system of training periodization from world class athletes and apply it to your muscle-building and fat-burning goals… Plus, how nutritional periodization might be the single biggest breakthrough for building muscle and burning fat at the same time – This is a HUGE BREAKTHROUGH!
• 5 post-workout nutrition strategies to improve muscle growth and optimize recovery from your workouts… Forget fancy post workout nutrition calculations or expensive supplements – these tips are so easy to apply, you’ll kick yourself for ever thinking this was complicated
• Carb tapering and carb targeting strategies explained for 2010… These are the latest updates to the time-tested techniques used by some of the best bodybuilders, fitness models and figure competitors in the world
• Cycle dieting techniques under the microscope… find out which methods work and which ones will actually make you fatter
• The 5-point training optimization checklist: Compare your workout to these MUST-HAVE conditions for gaining muscle while stripping fat… see what’s missing, plug the holes, and watch your results explode!
• 4 reasons why cardio can help you gain more muscle, if you do it right… and why you will get weaker and smaller if you do it wrong
• The 8-point cardio power plan: follow these 8 guidelines and you can’t go wrong with your cardio program
• 8 carb-cycling menu plans … all DONE FOR YOU, laid out meal by meal, calculated for precision and results (appendix 1)
• 4 calorie calculators … use the instant quick method or crunch the numbers for greater precision – it’s your choice… all the formulas are provided for you (appendix 2)

So What Do I think? Is this the promised Holy Grail of Fat Loss?

I have to trust not only Tom but the thousands of successes that he has acheived as a trainer and motivator. This program is trustworthy for no other reason than Tom Venuto is a legend in the natural bodybuilding to Weight loss coach area. Not only all this but tom has only released two books before, he has put a lot into this program to make sure that everyone WILL succeed not just waste time on another “diet”

Your Quest For the Holy Grail Just Got Easier… The Straight and Fast Path Shortcut To a Leaner AND More Muscular Body Is Now Just a Click Away!

Losing fat is a frustrating challenge for millions of over people. Building muscle is downright HARD to do as well, and thousands of bodybuilders and athletes struggle for years to make gains. Doing BOTH at the same time is near impossible unless you know EXACTLY what you’re doing.

The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program is the type of strategic program that you NEVER discover casually on your own. It’s the result of meticulous scientific investigation combined with years of experimentation, testing and tweaking. If you get lucky and “accidentally” gain muscle while losing fat, you’ll have no clue how you did it, which means you won’t be able to do it again and you won’t be able to explain how you did it to others.

If you want the shortest, fastest, straightest path to muscle building and fat burning success, you need a guide…a plan, a roadmap… and the Holy Grail Body Transformation e-book is it.

If you’re serious about physique transformation, then grabbing a copy of The Holy Grail Body Transformation system is a no brainer decision. And to sweeten the deal, Tom even added more (he does this to keep the program lean and add valuable bonuses to you)  Tom has built a few fantastic bonuses right into the Holy Grail program.

So what all does Holy Grail Body Transformation Program Include?

• You get the complete Holy Grail body transformation system (v2.0):
• The 109-page HOLY GRAIL BODY TRANSFORMATION e-book
• The 8-part 3 1/2 hour Holy Grail audio edition (audiobook, read by the author)
• The T.N.B. Workout Program
• The Holy Grail Carb Cycling Meal Plans and
• The Burn the Fat 2.0 Food Data base.
• If you place your order before our launch promotion ends this Friday night, you’ll also get the four bonus reports:
• Extreme and controversial fat loss techniques
• The super lean seminar
• The Science of Goal Achievement
• How to Measure Your Body Fat In the Privacy of Your Own Home.

ALL of this is yours for just $49.97 (and we can’t guarantee how long the program will be available at this low price).

Once you place your order on our secure server, you will be instantly directed to the download page, where you can download your fat burning and muscle building manual and get started just minutes from now.

The e-book is in PDF format, which can be viewed on any computer (PC or MAC). You can read it right on your computer screen, or you can even print out your own hard-copy and put in a 3 ring binder, plus of course those MP3 files that you can listen to on your ipod or other MP3 player.

Check out the Holy Grail Body Transformation Program Right now, and let us all know what you thin in the comments below.

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Free Burning Fat and Building Muscle Reports

I have not written too much about this program in the past but Tom Venuto, who is famous for Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle, is launching a new program called Holy Grail Body Transformation.

The 2016 version of this program has just launched and as part of this Tom has been giving out free reports letting people see a glimpse of what there is in the program.

Free Burning Fat and Building Muscle Reports

This is what is included in these free reports. Grab them today before they are gone!

The End of Bulking How to gain muscle without losing Fat – Maybe the only thing worse than never having seen your abs
is having great abs and then losing them…And it happens all the time. As challenging as it is to carve out a six pack, many people do eventually achieve that goal. Then, satisfied with their level of leanness, they decide it’s time to shift gears and start adding some muscle. That’s when it (abdominal definition) all starts going downhill. You see, most people don’t know how to gain muscle without gaining back the body fat along with it.

Never Lose Muscle Again: How To Lose 100% Pure Fat – The top 3 muscle-retaining factors that determine whether you’ll lose muscle or keep your muscle on a fat loss diet (they are very simple, but you can’t dispute their truth or importance)

• 13 NEW fat loss research discoveries from scientists at the National Instutite of Health and how you can use them to lose more fat without losing muscle
• Why over people have totally different physiologies than lean people or even people with “average” body fat… and why you MUST adjust your nutrition according to your current body fat level
• The New Rules of Cutting Calories: if you’re still cutting “500 calories a day to lose 1 pound per week” or cutting “1000 calories per day to lose 2 pounds per week” you might be completely sabotaging yourself .. find out why!

50 Body-Sabotaging Mistakes – Inside this FREE report , you’ll discover:

• The short-cut to bypassing weeks, months or even years or frustratingly slow progress and reach your fat loss, muscle-building or body-shaping goals faster than you ever thought possible
• Other people have already cracked the code on body transformation… see how you can easily “copy and paste” the mental and physical success strategies of those who already succeeded (why re-invent the wheel?)
• How to find the one “bottleneck” that’s been choking off your progress for months or years…and how to fix it

I will try to put up a review of the program before it comes out. Tom has given me some info on this new plan that I can blog or post to you

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9 Tips How To Eat To Lose Fat

Mens Health has a great article on the nutrients and eating skills necessary to lose fat. I usually hate the slant of these articles because I thing the target them at 18 year old kids getting ready to go to the bar but thats just my attitude.

The article is great and I am going to paraphrase the points here as I think there is some knowledge I can add and the article was a little wordy.

9 Tips How To Eat To Lose Fat

1. To lose weight, you must cut calories
The low-fat/low-carbohydrate debate comes down to this: You still have to eat fewer calories than you burn if you want to lose weight. Every study I looked at shows this. The perfect weight-loss diet is the one you can live with, whether you cut fat, carbs, or some combination.

2. Take Whey protein
A daily shake made with two scoops of whey protein, fruit (fresh or frozen berries or a banana), and water or crushed ice will decrease hunger. You can buy whey protein at any grocery store nowadays, this is the best option for protein enhancement in your diet.

3. Meat kills fat
Protein takes the most calories to assimilate and digest, followed by carbohydrates, followed by fat. Animal proteins increase thermogenesis more than vegetable proteins, so the best calorie-burning foods are lean meats. Build your dinner around lean chicken, beef, or pork. That way, you’re burning the most calories through digestion at the end of the day, when your metabolism is slower. This is one of the big reasons that I think people are too concerned about their fat intake but at the same time do not eat enough protein.

4. Take Branched Chain Aminos
Try to get at least 10 grams of Branched Chain Aminos a day. Since they’re most abundant in meat and dairy products, you can get the better part of that by following rules 2 and 3. (Two scoops of whey protein and 3 ounces of beef contains 10 g of Branched Chain Aminos.) You can also buy Branched Chain Amino supplements (which, you should be aware, are expensive).

Look for supplements that are 50 percent leucine, 25 percent isoleucine, and 25 percent valine. I personally do not like these as it is the single most expensive way to get your protein.

5. Beware of fried foods
Highly refined carbohydrates, such as fructose-sweetened beverages and low-fiber breads, are a terrible idea. These products raise your blood sugar very quickly and then they burn off very quickly and you end up feeling tired and hungry much sooner than you should. Goodbye diet, hello diabetes.

There is a way to make refined carbohydrates even worse: Fry them. Researchers have found a suspected carcinogen called acrylamide in such products as potato chips and french fries. Anytime I get a chance to talk you out of eating worthless snack foods, I do it.

6. The fullness of Fiber
Fiber’s effect is the opposite of snack foods. When you have fiber in your stomach, food takes longer to enter the bloodstream, and your blood-sugar level stays steady.

The benefits: You’ll have a more consistent energy supply and less between-meal hunger. You can safely and easily take in more fiber by using a supplement. (MD Labs’ Fiber-Psyll is a good one; go to MDlabs.com.).

Start with 7 to 12g a day, mixing some with water and drinking it before your main meals.

I recommend that you eat some All Bran for breakfast. I love All Bran and it is very high in fiber. A good size bowl of All Bran with milk gives you all the fiber you need. Lately as well I have started taking Flax seed meal and Psyllium Husk.

7. Count on calcium
Recently, nutrition researchers discovered that dairy and other calcium-rich foods help you stay lean, prevent osteoporosis, and possibly prevent colon cancer. The recommendation is to take in 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day. (A cup of milk contains 300.)

I have seen a lot of research saying that the calcium from Green leafy veggies is much better for your body than trying to get Calcium from Milk, check it out for yourself if you are not much of a milk drinker now.

8. Get your Omegas
Each year, we learn more about the health benefits of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, which are found in fish, nuts, seeds, and flaxseed and fish oils. These health benefits–less risk of heart disease and diabetes, for example–are great on their own. But omega-3 fats contribute to a better physique as well.

For example, omega-3s reduce inflammation throughout your body. That not only prevents heart attacks (inflammation in the tissues surrounding blood vessels is a major cause) but also helps your muscles recover faster from workouts.

Bigger, less-inflamed muscles mean a faster metabolism, and speeding up your metabolism is crucial when you’re trying to get lean. If you don’t eat fish twice a week and can’t stomach fish-oil supplements, try eggs high in omega-3s, which are found in the dairy case, next to the regular eggs. You can eat four of them a day without any negative effect on your cholesterol levels.

I just take a Omega 3 vitamin every day. Remember if you are taking Flax Seed oil that it spoils when exposed to air very quickly.

9. Make a plan Set a Goal
Next time you read a weight-loss story in a newspaper or magazine, count the number of disparaging references to popular diets.

Based on the way diet gurus trash their competitors, you’d think there was no plan on earth that actually works. But the truth is that you can’t lose without a diet. You must have a plan.

The more sophisticated it is, and the more tailored to your likes and dislikes, the better. You can’t wing it and expect to see results.

Remember the Basics. I won’t offer you the perfect weight-loss regimen, because research has yet to discover one. But even the worst plan is more likely to succeed than no plan at all.

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Fitness Tips for Women

It is a fact that women gain faster and much easier than men do; in addition, women also have a much harder time when it comes to burning fat and losing weight.

And although it is a very tedious and arduous task for women to lose or to maintain their physique, it is a very achievable task once they set their heart on doing it.

Fitness Tips for Women

Here are some fitness tips for women to achieve or to maintain a healthy and fit body:

Fitness Tips for Women

Have a well balanced diet. Being fit highly depends on the food we consume everyday. The best way to eat better is to introduce more whole grains and fiber-rich kinds of food, especially fruits and vegetables into your diet. It is perfectly fine to have desserts once in a while but everything has to be taken in moderation.

Do without vices. Women who are into smoking and drinking are scientifically proven to age faster and to develop a related disease or illness as they grow older. Smoking, drinking, and even taking illegal drugs, slowly makes the body deteriorate and people who participate usually pay for the consequences during the latter part of their lives.

Drink water as much as possible. This is one of the health tips that transcends through time and has proven to be a lifesaver. Water is the elixir of life and it has a lot of health benefits, especially for women. Water flushes out toxins and other elements and helps your body function properly.

Load up on Vitamins and Calcium. Calcium is one of the most needed nutrients for a woman because it can help in reducing premenstrual syndrome and can also prevent osteoporosis from developing. Other vitamins also help in keeping the body healthy and the skin younger-looking as well.

Have a workout plan. Exercise is a much needed component of physical fitness; however, a woman must have a workout plan that works best for her and her body. Not all forms of exercise work well with every woman and whatever form of exercise a woman may do, the important thing is to maintain consistency.

With these fitness tips for women, getting to your desired and size may be much more achievable. But remember only you have the power to change your lifestyle for the better. Now it’s up to you to put in the work to eat healthier and to exercise on a more consistent basis.

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Why You Should Have a Fitness Buddy

Getting physically fit is a very daunting task that takes time, patience, money, and endurance. Often, many women feel as if they are all alone in their journey and do not have someone to talk to or someone who understands their plight.

When this happens, they tend to want to give up and go back to their easier but unhealthy lifestyles. Having a workout, diet, and fitness buddy is such an important part of a successful lifestyle change.

Why Do You Need A Fitness Buddy?

First and foremost, people tend to stay more motivated when they have someone else there to encourage them along the way.

A buddy can help stay on your case when you start to “slack off” and they can also help you compare successes. They can really help you to maintain your accountability.

In addition, a fitness buddy offers up some friendly competition, which also stimulates and maintains motivation.

Sometimes people simply need a friendly reminder that they need to do things, and a fitness buddy is perfect for this.

They can help to remind you it’s time for your workout, or that you need to go grocery shopping for some fresh produce.

No matter what the reason, they make a great resource for helping to keep you in check, and sure that you’re holding up your end of the bargain.

When Can A Buddy Help You Out?

If you enjoy walking around your neighborhood as a form of exercise, a walking buddy is extremely important for safety reasons, and so you will have someone to chat with along the way.

Walking with a partner makes the entire trip seem much easier and it helps it to go by faster.

This concept also applies to working out at the gym. Your fitness buddy can be your spotter and can encourage and motivate you to lift just five more pounds this week.They can also be good for carpooling so you both save a bit of money on gas and on transportation.

When you feel a bit discouraged, you can turn to your buddy for advice or help. They can be a great support system in times of need or when you’re just feeling down.

It’s also nice to have someone who is going through the same thing you are, and whom you can share a goal with. There are countless reasons why having someone to share your fitness journey is a good idea for you, but for them as well.

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Successful Fitness Tracking

There are many keys to weight loss success. On the quest to lose weight, get in shape, and improve your health, a few fundamentals can make all the difference. They can make the path to a healthy lifestyle much easier.

Sounds, great, right? Losing weight and getting in shape is a challenge in and of itself so why make it harder than it needs to be?

One of the key fundamentals of successful weight loss and fitness is the concept of fitness tracking. It is also the concept that is most often overlooked or ignored.

What is Fitness Tracking?

Fitness tracking is simply the practice of tracking your results or actions over time. There are actually several different fitness and health related data points that you can track.

For example, you might track the pounds you lose each day or week. Or you might track the number of miles you walk or the calories you burn. We’ll talk about what to track, how to decide, and how to track it over the next couple of pages.

For now, know that the data you track and the choice you make depends on your goals and personal preference.

For example, if your goal is to run a 5k or a marathon then you might track your mileage and/or pace. If your goal is to lose weight through dietary changes then you might keep a food journal or track your calories.

In addition to having a variety of data to choose from there are also many different ways to track that information. Your fitness tracking can be as simple as pen and paper or as technical as using a device to track and record the information for you.

The most important thing is to find a system that works for you. Fitness tracking results are only as good as your system. IF you don’t actually follow through and track the information then you won’t reap the many benefits.

The Benefits of Tracking Your Progress

Speaking of benefits, you may be thinking at this point that all of this tracking sounds like more work than it’s worth. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There are tremendous benefits to be gained when you simply track and review your fitness data.

Motivation

One of the most persistent challenges anyone faces when trying to get in shape and/or lose weight is the challenge of finding the motivation to actually follow through. It’s easy to say you’ll run for twenty minutes a day and not as easy to actually put the shoes on and get out the front door. It’s easy to say “I’ll stop eating junk,” and less easy to break the habit.

Motivation is key.

Tracking the data helps you see what you’ve accomplished and where you want to go. When you consistently track the information that is relevant to your goal, you’ll be able to see tangible results. One of the reasons that motivation is so difficult to find is that often you don’t see immediate results for your efforts.

For example, let’s say that you want to get in shape and decide to use “inches lost” as your measurement. You take a few steps to change your diet and increase your fitness.

For the first month or even two months you may not lose much weight depending on your new lifestyle changes.

However, you will likely lose inches and you wouldn’t know that you’re making progress unless you actually measured. This measurable progress is extremely motivating. Fitness tracking can be the key to you actually following through on your goals.

Goal Setting

Speaking of goals, there’s no benefit to merely tracking information for the sake of tracking it. You need to set a goal. And setting a goal helps you create a target. Consider the difference in success between the two statements:

“I want to lose weight.”
“I want to lose 30 pounds.”

Or

“I want to start a running program.”
“I want to train for and run a marathon in six months.”

The difference is tremendous. One statement gives you something very specific to focus on and the other is more like a dream. You might as well say, “I wish I could lose weight. Or I wish I could start a running program.” These are not effective statements. Goals are what get you to where you want to be.

Accountability

When you don’t have someone at your back urging you to follow through and holding you accountable, it’s so very easy to get off track. Fitness tracking is often the only thing a person has to help them stay accountable to themselves and their goals.

Imagine looking at your fitness journal every day. You know that if you skip a day, you’ll track lackluster results. You won’t achieve your goal. Yet if you follow through you’ll be pleased not only with yourself but also with your results. Tracking the information helps you hold yourself accountable. It’s actually quite powerful.

Planning

Just setting a goal isn’t enough. You need to have a plan to turn that goal into a reality. Simply saying “I want to run a marathon in six months” won’t make it happen. You have to decide how you’re going to achieve that goal.

Fitness tracking helps you create a realistic and achievable plan.

For example, let’s say that you want to lose thirty pounds. You decide that three pounds a week is a reasonable goal. So that means you have ten weeks to lose the weight. You now know what your weekly goal is and you can plan how you’re going to achieve it. Fitness tracking forces you to break down larger goals into smaller bite sized pieces. It forces you to plan.

Celebration

This ties right back into the motivation benefit because there’s nothing quite as powerful as success. When you achieve your day-to-day goals, and you celebrate those successes it accomplished two key things:

It helps you get through the rough days. You know you’ve achieved success in the past and it pushes you through those times when you just don’t reach your goals.

It motivates you to push harder, set bigger goals, and take larger steps to achieve them.

There’s no motivator quite like creating a habit of success and fitness tracking is one of the best ways to not only witness those day to day successes but to celebrate them. Speaking of celebration, consider how you want to reward yourself for your large and small successes. (Hint: think about rewards that are good for you.

For example, you might purchase a new blender to make smoothies or you might buy a new workout outfit for the larger successes. You might treat yourself to a favorite movie or a day at the park or beach for a smaller celebration.)

Now that you’re motivated to start tracking your fitness it’s time to decide what to measure. Let’s take a look at some of the many options.

What Should You Measure?

In this section we’re going to outline a few of the many types of information that you can track. We’ll discuss why you might want to track the information and what goal(s) the data might support. In the following section we’ll go into detail about the different approaches, tools, and techniques for tracking your fitness information.

Miles

Why track miles? If you are starting a walking, running, or cycling program than it makes great sense to track your daily, weekly, and even your monthly mileage. Let’s go back to the example of someone who sets the fitness goal of running a marathon. It’s a popular goal and certainly one that can help a person get into great shape and lose weight too.

If your goal is to run a marathon, or to walk one, then you might decide to start your plan by walking or running three miles a day. You may need to build up to this so for the first week or two you’d walk/run the distance. You could then track how much time you spent walking and running each day. The first day, maybe you only run for a total of ten minutes and the rest of the time is spent walking. Then you know that tomorrow you’ll aim to run for at least 11 minutes. Baby steps are still progress.

By the end of the month you’ll likely be able to run 3 miles every day without stopping. Your next goal may be to add a mile to your distance each week. Five days a week you run for three miles and the sixth day you run four miles. The next week you up it to five miles and so on.

Soon you’ll be running one very long run each week and building your base for marathon day. As you can see, tracking your mileage can be critical to your success with this type of goal. It also works for any other type of program where distance is your goal.

Another reason to track your mileage might be if you’re wearing a pedometer and striving to reach a daily mileage goal. Using the pedometer you can track your steps or miles and gradually take measures to build on your daily and weekly mileage.

With both of these examples, it’s imperative that you have some sort of tool to measure. To track your steps or daily walking miles you’ll need a pedometer. It’s impossible to guess how much you walk each day.

A tool is required. For running, cycling, or walking distance goals you can map out a path using a tool like mapmyrun.com or Google pedometer.

It’ll show you the distance for any path you create. You can then use this data to plan and calculate your distance. GPS watches are also useful but we’ll talk more about tools and technology in the next section.

Calories

Many people choose to use calories as a means to lose weight. It’s important to know that while this can be effective, not all calories are created equally. Calories from an apple are used differently in your body than calories from a cookie. Spend your calories wisely.

That being said, people on a low calorie diet can and do lose weight because they burn more than they consume. This is usually not a long-term solution to weight loss but when it’s combined with dietary changes and exercise it can be part of an overall plan to get healthy.

Tracking calories can be difficult. One of the reasons is that the serving size for foods varies. You’ll not only need to know how many calories per ounce but also how many ounces you’re eating. Calorie breakdowns on a nutrition label are only part of the solution. There are some wonderful online resources that help you identify how many calories are in various foods as well.

When tracking calories you will likely want to set a daily goal and then create a system to track your calories as you eat.
For example, after you eat breakfast you’ll record your calories. After lunch, you’ll record your calories and so on. You’ll keep a running tally so you know how many calories you have left during the day. You may also want to track how many calories you burn.

For example, if you’re on a 1200 daily calorie plan and you end up going for a three-hour hike, you’re going to need more calories in your body than your regular 1200. Tracking calories consumed and calories burned is the best way to make sure you’re giving your body what it needs, but not more than it needs. It is helpful to know that a pound of fat is 3500 calories. So if your goal is to lose a pound a week then you know that over the course of seven days you need to burn 3500 more calories than you’ve eaten.

Pace

Pace is the rate at which you performed an activity. It’s a measurement of time and speed.

For example, you’ll burn more calories if you walk a 12-minute mile than if you walk a 20-minute mile. If you have calorie burning goals, weight loss goals, or you want to run or bike a fast race then you may want to track your pace.

When tracking pace there are several different approaches you can take. You might work on intervals.

For example, you walk at a fifteen-minute pace for five minutes and then increase the pace to twelve minute pace for five minutes. Alternating like this helps you build up not only your stamina and endurance, it burns more calories. Runners often take an interval approach when they’re trying to increase their race time.

You’ll want to decide what your goals are and why you’re tracking your pace. Then you can decide how to approach it.

For example, if you’re using an interval approach then you may want to document how long each interval should be and then documents your goal pace as well as the pace you actually achieved.

Another approach might be to simply work on increasing your pace over time. You might start with a 15-minute mile jogging pace with the goal to get it down to a 10 minute pace. Each week you aim to improve your pace/time by 30 seconds. Tracking your results after each run will help you determine what’s possible and it’ll help you plan for success.

Event (what you did today)

Sometimes a person has the goal to simply be more active. They may decide that they want to do something active each day for at least twenty minutes. In this case, instead of tracking measureable data, you’ll track your event. You’ll answer the question, what did I do today that was active? Maybe you went to a yoga class. Maybe you walked the dog. Maybe you jumped rope or went for a swim. Simply getting off of the couch or out of the chair and getting daily activity each day can go a long way toward improving your health and fitness.

Inches

Another wonderful way to measure your health and fitness is to measure inches lost, or gained if you’re striving to build muscle. This is simple enough to track and evaluate and one of the best ways to track this information if you’re trying to lose weight is to measure inches around your waist.

For example, many doctors recommend a woman’s waist size be less than 30 inches and a man’s to be less than 35. If your waist is larger than this then your goal is to get it below the optimal number for your gender.

Now of course simply measuring your waist at the end of the week isn’t enough. It’s not going to shrink just because you want it to. However, knowing your starting number and your goal number will help you take the right steps. You might make dietary and exercise changes and measure their effectiveness. If you run for a month and eat fewer calories you’ll undoubtedly see a reduction in your waist size. Tracking the data serves as a means to motivate you and to evaluate your lifestyle and make changes.

BMI – Body Mass Index

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the following are the BMI ranges for various health statuses:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

So how do you calculate you’re BMI and what does the information mean?

Body Mass is actually a percentage of your height to your weight. It is your weight divided by your height.

For example, if you weigh 200 pounds and you’re five feet tall than your BMI is 39.1.

There are limitations to BMI. It doesn’t measure body fat. A person with large bones and a large muscle mass will weigh a lot. If the ratio of their height to their weight is large then they’ll have a substantial BMI – they can be in the obese category even if they don’t have a high body fat percentage. A body builder is a prime example of this limitation. They generally have a very high BMI but are nowhere near being classified as obese as body builders usually have extremely low body fat.

So while BMI is generally a good indicator of weight and obesity, it’s not an ideal indicator. If you’re tracking BMI, consider also tracking other data points so that you know you’re striving toward optimal health.

Body Fat

Body fat is perhaps a more reliable measurement of health. However, it can be tricky to measure.

There are scales that you can purchase which measure body fat by sending a harmless electric current through your body when you step on the scale. The slower it moves through your body, the more fat you have. Unfortunately, this isn’t a very accurate way to measure body fat. It can change during the day depending on a number of factors.

The Skinfold test is another way to measure body fat. To do this, you’ll need a skinfold caliper. It’s often easier to have this tested at the doctor’s office or by a personal trainer.

Another way to measure body fat is with a body fat calculator that takes your height, weight, waist circumference, neck circumference and the circumference of your thigh or hips. These numbers are crunched into a formula and you can get your BMI as well as your body fat percentage. There are underwater hydrostatic tests, which are incredibly accurate and can be tested by a service.

Whichever method you use to measure your initial body fat is the measurement you should continue to use.

For example, if you use a calculator to establish your body weight right now, then when you measure it again next month, use the same calculator. Like BMI or inches, knowing your body fat is a data point that will help you make lifestyle changes. As the number decreases you know you’re on the right path to a healthier lifestyle.

Pounds

A simple thing to track on your quest for better health and fitness are the pounds you lose each day, week or month. This is easy to measure and easy to track. However, it’s not always as motivating because there may be some weeks where you lose a lot and some where you don’t. If you’re considering using pounds as your primary metric, consider using another data point to back it up.

For example, how are you going to lose those pounds? Maybe you’ll swim every day. Then track how long you swim in terms of meters or minutes. Increase your time and use fitness tracking as a means to motivate more activity. The pounds will come off more easily and the two data points will be more motivational and more powerful.

Meals/Food

Sometimes all life needs is a little tweaking to get you back into the healthy lifestyle you once enjoyed. If this is the case then consider tracking your meals or tracking the food that you eat. This is also helpful for weight loss because we often don’t realize how much we eat and how much of that food isn’t good for us.

You might set a goal to eat nine servings of vegetables and fruit each day and then use a tracking system to measure your results. You might create a plan to eat three meals and two snacks each day each within a specific calorie and fat count. Food tracking can be whatever you need it to be and it can be incredibly useful information.

Now that you have some idea of what you want to track and how to set goals that fit your desired needs, it’s time to take a look at the tools you can use to track the information. Like your health and fitness goals, the tool you choose should support you. It should be easy and even fun for you to use because the only way to succeed is if you follow through and actually track your results.

Tools You Can Use to Track Your Fitness

As you evaluate the various options, consider how you track other information in your life right now.

For example, do you use a paper calendar to schedule appointments and meetings or do you use an application for your smart phone? Do you track your finances with software or do you have a printable budget that you use each month? What’s your tracking personality and what type of system are you more likely to use and enjoy?

Journals

Fitness tracking is at its simplest when it comes in the form of a good old-fashioned fitness journal. Now you can purchase journals that are designed to help you reach speck goals.

For example a running journal will be set up to track miles and pace. A strength-training journal will be set up to record repetitions, weight, and sets. A weight loss journal might be set up to measure pounds lost and calories consumed or burned.

If your goals fit into one of these predetermined categories then buying a readymade journal is an easy way to start your tracking process. However more often than not there are bits of information that you want to track that a readymade journal just doesn’t offer.

You can make your own fitness journal. Composition notebooks are ideal for this. Simply set up the notebook to track the daily information you want it to track and you’re good to go. Over time you’ll want to label your notebooks because you’ll undoubtedly collect many of them.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are easy to use and easy to access. You can also print out a spreadsheet if you want to track the information by hand but want a more organized system for your data. And if you have a smart phone then most spreadsheets are accessible online or can be easily shared. This makes it easy for you to track your data when you’re on the go. And while spreadsheets are easily modifiable, you’ll have to create the spreadsheet and your tracking system yourself or find a template online.

Applications

Applications are the trend for fitness tracking. In fact, if there’s information you want to track, chances are there’s an app for that. They’re super if you enjoy technology and have the means to access the application wherever you are.

For example, maybe you don’t have a smart phone but you do have a computer. You can access the application on your computer but don’t’ have it with you when you’re out and about. In this case you may need another interim method to track your data.

Some applications can be quite expensive so make sure to review the application well before you purchase. Many have “light” versions that are free. This is a great way to try out an application before you purchase the full-scale version.

Software and Gadgets

Fitness technology has come a long way. There are some truly incredibly devices that literally do all of the tracking work for you. Let’s take a look at some of the basic technology devices and related software then you can do some comparison shopping to find the right tool for you.

Pedometers and Activity Trackers

There are now devices that you can wear which track your every movement. They range from simple clip on devices like the FitBit to arm bands and even watches. These devices track your movement in many ways. They track steps like a pedometer. However, they can track the three dimensional movement of your body so if you’re running your movements will be tracked differently than if you’re walking. They track intensity and calories burned based on their interpretation of your movements and they’re quite accurate.

These devices then sync with a wireless device that uploads all of your information to a computer program. This program is accessed online or it’s installed on your computer. You can then see at a glance what you’ve accomplished for the day and over time. And most devices and systems allow you to change or add to the information.

For example, the FitBit lets you upload the food you’ve eaten for the day so you can compare calories consumed with calories burned. It tracks distance traveled and it even tracks how you slept. There are many other devices like the FitBit and they’re getting more advanced every day.

GPS Devices

Global Positioning Devices are spectacular if you want to track distance. They also track elevation and pace. They’re ideal if you’re starting any type of running, walking, or cycling program. They’ll likely track all the information you need to know. And like the Activity Trackers mentioned previously, they download this information either through USB connection or wirelessly.

Most GPS systems are watches because they’re easy to wear. However, Nike and Apple teamed up to create iPod applications that use your iPod as a GPS device. It’s a combination of tactics that also lets you listen to music as you work out.

Watches

And of course you can’t go wrong with a basic sports watch that tracks distance, time, and intervals. You can then write down or document the data for your workout and you’re good to go.

The choice between devices and systems is up to you. Consider your personality and how you tend to utilize information. If you want to be able to see the data quickly and record it with little effort then an activity device like the FitBit or the BodyBugg may be an ideal solution.

On the other hand, many people just can’t go wrong with a little notebook and a pen. Decide what’s right for you then embrace it completely and watch your fitness and health results skyrocket. Fitness tracking will make a huge difference in your quest to improve your life.

Wrapping Up & Tips to Use Tracking and Follow Through

As you begin your quest for better fitness and improved health, take time to step back and assess the process. Consider what is working, what isn’t and what you need to change to improve your systems.

For example, if you find that tracking your time and distance every day is just too much for you to track, consider investing in a device that retains your information for a week or more. You can download the week’s information once a week and review the results.

Step back and assess often. The best way to stay on a path toward success is to make sure the path you’re on is the right one for you. You have to assess. And don’t forget to reward yourself for your successes and to forgive yourself for the failures.

Losing weight and getting in shape is a process. There will be ups. There will be downs. That’s why it’s so important to track your results. You can acknowledge and appreciate the ups and the successes and this information will help you push through those downs.

In so many cases once a person starts tracking their fitness results, they never stop. They learn to appreciate the value of the right information. They learn that they don’t intuitively know how much they eat or how many calories they burn. And they learn the power of knowledge to help them make good decisions about their health and their lives.

You wouldn’t head out on a cross-country journey without a map and a means of tracking where you are. Why would you start trying to make lifestyle changes to improve your health without a map and tools to identify where you are? That’s all fitness tracking really is, it’s a map to show you where you are and where you want to go. It’s a map for success.

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10 Reasons To Lose Weight

Everyone has a different reason for wanting to lose weight. Those reasons may be for the purpose of beauty, lifestyle, or health. However, the weight loss journey itself can be difficult, and it’s even more difficult to stay motivated and carry on.

If you find yourself in a situation where your morale is low, here are some exciting weight loss facts that will get you back on track.

Staying At A Healthy Weight Helps Prevent Diabetes

90% of those diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes are above their ideal weight. Although some people are more at risk than others, Type 2 Diabetes is largely a preventable disease.

Unfortunately once you get the disease, it can be hard to reverse it or keep under control. It’s far easier to start on prevention right now. Your doctor can certainly advise you if you’re at risk from diabetes.

Losing Weight Makes You Look Better

Being overweight can affect your self-esteem – being slim is widely regarded as more attractive. That’s not to say that you aren’t already beautiful, but sometimes your weight plays mindset games with you that make it hard to notice your fabulous attributes!

Start shedding some pounds and you’ll see yourself in a different light, not just because you’re getting into shape, but also because the exercise has a positive mental impact.

Being Lighter Helps You Feel More Energetic

Huffing and puffing as you follow your kids around is certainly not pleasant, and many overweight parents can’t play with their kids the way they wish they could.

Imagine being able to keep up with your kids, playing soccer, jump rope, or going for a bike ride together. Liberating, isn’t it? It will also make you feel more involved in your kids’ lives.

Even if you are not a parent, being able to keep up with your more athletic friends and family members will feel amazing.

It’s a well-known fact that regular exercise improves quality of sleep and, although you’re exerting energy on your workouts, you actually have more energy as a result. For many, the feeling eventually becomes addictive (in a good way!)

Exercise Is a Great Stress Buster

Many people turn to food whenever they are stressed, or even bored, but food is never going to solve your problems. A much better alternative is exercise, which not only burns calories, but also provides you with endorphins that decrease stress and give you a burst of energy.

Of course, you may find it difficult to actually perform the exercise, but once you are done your body will reward you with an overall good feeling. So remember, don’t reach for that cupcake when you are feeling stressed; instead, put on a Zumba DVD and get dancing!

Looking Better On the Outside Can Help You Feel Better On The Inside

Lots of people feel great on the inside once all the unwanted weight slips away. This does not mean that all your problems will be solved once you lose weight. It just means that you will feel more confident with the way you look, and the extra energy you have will make you feel happier and more in control of your life. This may, in turn, affect your outlook of life and make it more positive. This isn’t a certain thing, but it definitely is the experience of many people who have lost weight.

Losing Weight Will Save You Money

Sure, there may be hundreds of weight loss products on offer, but the truth is that losing weight can actually save you money. For example, you might start walking or cycling more instead of driving – over the course of the year that’s a lot of petrol money saved! Or you could simply cut down on that weekly fast food meal. Even just a $5 weekly fast food spend adds up to $260 in a year!

Looking at the bigger picture, losing weight and reducing your chances of certain health conditions could save you hundreds (or even thousands!) of dollars worth of hospital fees and health insurance payments. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Shedding Those Extra Pounds Will Boost Your Sex Drive

Studies have shown that men with excess weight have lower testosterone levels, which can negatively affect sex drive. For men and women, working out can also help the blood flow more freely to key areas that’ll help you feel more sexual, and feeling more energetic will also boost your libido.

You won’t just feel in the mood more often, either – studies show that those who exercise are more likely to have a satisfying sex life.

Remember, boosting your sex drive is most certainly not about being stick-thin and getting rid of all curves. It’s about maintaining a healthy level of activity that keeps your body systems running smoothly.

Your Healthy Lifestyle Will Positively Influence Others

Studies have shown that healthy people will positively influence those around them, especially their immediate family. Your spouse and children will be more likely to get up and get active if there’s someone showing them how it’s done!

If you have kids, use this to motivate you to be a good example to them. And remember, once your family gets involved, they will also in turn motivate you to keep going. It’s a win-win situation for everybody!

Losing Weight Lowers Your Cholesterol

Paying more attention to your diet in an effort to lose weight can help you lower your cholesterol levels. What does this mean in real terms? It means you’re less likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes. Narrowing of the arteries due to excess cholesterol can also cause conditions such as angina.

In short, losing weight, eating more healthily and lowering your cholesterol is one of the best ways to prevent a sudden death, because in many cases the first sign of heart disease is your first heart attack.

The healthier you are, the longer your life span, and the greater your chances of living to see all your grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, grow up!

Diet Affects Mental Health

Don’t forget, good physical health is extremely crucial to good mental health, too. Nutrition is extremely important when it comes to mental health, anxiety and depression. By watching your diet and understanding nutrition as part of a weight loss plan, you’ll be preventing or helping to cure mental health issues, too.

Depression can have a huge impact on your weight. For some, it causes you to overeat and it makes it extremely difficult to feel motivated to exercise. For others, it’ll cause excessive weight loss. Neither is good for your physical or mental health, which is why eating healthily and exercising regularly is always a good idea.

Need Even More Motivation? – 3 Bonus Tips

Hopefully these 10 facts will keep you motivated to lose all the excess “baggage” on your body. There are several things you can do to further keep your motivation alive when you feel it waning:

1. If you were slim before, put a picture of your slim self on an easy-to-see place to motivate you to return to that weight. If you have been overweight all your life, place a picture of you at your highest weight in the same type of location. This will motivate you to not return to that state, and to make a change.

2. Tell your friends and family about your weight loss plans so that you can get some support from them, and so that they can hold you accountable to your word. Knowing that you have told people about it will help you stay on track so that you won’t be embarrassed when you fail.

3. Another great motivation tool is a weight-loss buddy. Having a partner to do workouts and share your frustrations with can keep you focused on your goals and make the journey a little bit easier. You can even split meals with your weight loss buddy to learn to practice portion control.

If there are other things that can help keep you motivated, you can practice those methods as well. Every weight loss journey is different, and it is necessary to adjust your motivational tools accordingly.

Just remember, by losing weight you’ll be boosting your confidence, lowering your health risks and positively impacting those around you. Good luck!

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