So, you’ve started doing cardio workouts to burn some fat, tighten up, and get in shape. Perhaps you’ve started going for a walk each morning or a run on your lunch break. Or, maybe you began using the elliptical, stairclimber, or rower at the gym. Maybe you’ve joined a class. But no matter what you do, you’re not seeing the results you want, and you’re not sure why. Well, here are eight reasons why your cardio workouts may not be working and what you should do about it.

I’ve been asked questions about delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for years, and lately have received more questions about DOMS than ever, so obviously people are fascinated by this subject and many are concerned about the implications. Some people wonder exactly what causes DOMS, others want to know how to reduce the pain, a few want to know how to avoid it completely and then there are a few “odd ones” who want to know how to get more sore! (Know anyone like that?) In today’s Burn the Fat Blog post, I will answer some of these commonly asked questions about DOMS…

I started training in the early 1980′s and right from the start, I was engrossed with the bodybuilding style of training and eating. I think it’s always valuable to take time for reflection, and realizing this year that I had accumulated 30 years of training experience (including 28 competitions as a natural bodybuilder), I thought you would enjoy a post on my “lessons learned” that might help you in your own fitness endeavors, and hopefully help you shave a few years off your learning curve. I hope you find it helpful (and in parts, entertaining… so don’t take it all too seriously )…

Tom Venuto Book Club #2: The Max Muscle Plan by Brad Schoenfeld. Category: Muscle and Strength.

“Prolonged sitting is making you fat and slowly KILLING YOU!” In the past few years, newspapers, magazines and TV have been broadcasting warnings about the hazards of too much desk time.  Now there’s a new twist to the story: The newest research says that even if you work out religiously, if you also have a sedentary job and spend a lot of time in a chair, you may still be at risk! Read on to find out if you’re an “active couch potato” and if so, what you should do about it …

Most of us worry about our weight, personal appearance, and much more. But these are not the only reasons for concern. Excess body fat has profound metabolic consequences, putting us at risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and possibly depression. Nonetheless, the prevalence of obesity, a Body Mass Index of 30 or more, continues to rise in this country. Today, 33% of American adults are obese, compared with 15% in the late 1970s (1). Not to mention, kids are on the horizon for obesity, along with many health problems at such young ages.

My name is Bill, and I have always wanted to be the person with the before and after pictures. I can’t believe I finally accomplished a worthy transformation this.  Like so many people, getting leaner and healthier is something I have tried to do many times before; I entered the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle challenge four times and dropped out every time. The 5th time, I not only finished the challenge and reached my goal (I lost 34 pounds in 3 1/2 months),  I’m also confident that now I have all the tools to continue on this journey, and make these changes last a lifetime.

Tom Venuto Book Club #1: Talking Back to Diet Gurus: An Un-revolutionary and Un-sexy guide to fat loss (kindle edition) by Mike Howard.  Category: Diet and Fat Loss

I have read so many Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle success story articles since I originally became a member, that I’m amazed I’m now adding to them myself. After winning the Burn the Fat Challenge, and especially now that spring is here and I’m not hidden under layers of clothing, I get asked, “How did you do it?” quite a bit. I get the impression that most people want a simple answer like “no carbs” or “cut out all sugar”, but I tell them for me reading Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle carefully and paying close attention to the mental training and goal setting in chapter 6 of the book are what made all the difference. It really does work! 

“Terror from within”… “What if our entire approach has been dead wrong”… “If a foreign nation were doing that to our children we would defend our families”… These are just some of the incendiary quotes from “Fed UP”, the documentary film directed by Stephanie Soechtig.