It’s always the media and advertising-hyped stories of rapid and massive weight loss that get most of the attention these days (think “Biggest Loser”). It’s easy to look at these dramatic “success stories” and choose them as your role models. But it’s usually not the person who lost the most weight or who lost weight the fastest that you want to emulate. In fact, “losers” are the last people you want to listen to…

Attitudes are mental, but there’s no question they affect your life physically in every possible way. The right attitudes can lead you to peak health and fitness. The wrong attitudes can sabotage even the best-designed nutrition and training programs. There’s one attitude problem in particular that kills the diet and exercise programs of thousands of people every year – it’s called the “all or nothing” attitude. Psychologists call it “dichotomous thinking” or “cognitive distortion.”

Last year, I used some of the tactics from today’s guest post to finally hit 30 reps of strict chin-ups for the first time in my life at age 46 (bodyweight at the time – 191 lbs). I had been able to consistently do at least 20 reps in a row and could work myself up over time to about 25 reps or so, but then always hit a brick wall. The one technique that was most effective in helping me hit my PR was the “grease the groove” method, where I actually practiced pullups and chinups multiple times per day, every day! Might sound crazy, and it’s not how I usually train for bodybuilding, but for pull up endurance, it worked just as promised… – Tom V.

A lot of people have been asking me lately, “Should I be eating more fat?” This post will not only answer that question, you’ll also learn how dietary fat fits into the macronutrient tracking and meal planning system used in bodybuilding and fitness diets designed to build muscle and burn fat…

Every cliché you’ve ever heard about the importance of planning is true. Failing to plan is a disaster waiting to happen. Planning is power.  Planning is confidence. Planning is success. It’s no secret that I’m an advocate of meal planning, and it’s a major part of my Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle system. I’m also a supporter of flexible dieting. If you don’t know what flexible dieting is, or if you do, but it seems like flexible dieting and meal planning don’t go together, then this will be the most important post you’ve ever read… 

The good old days of bodybuilding… when every boy and man marveled at the physiques of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Frank Zane, Lee Haney, Samir Bannout and other greats of the 70’s and 80’s. These men were legends and were revered by some almost as gods. The old school bodybuilders were ambassadors of physical culture and beacons of inspiration. They motivated generations of fans to start lifting weights and strive to become their best selves.

Setting priorities is a valuable concept that has been around for a long time in many forms (including the famous 80-20 rule or Pareto Principle). Taking several priorities and putting them in order is known as creating a “hierarchy,” which is often shown graphically in the form of a pyramid. I first read about “the fat loss hierarchy” over a decade ago, and lately there’s been a big resurgence of interest in the topic. Both coaches and athletes alike are keenly interested because so many people are still confused and overwhelmed about nutrition and failing to get results.

Goal setting theory has been formally researched by psychologists since at least the 1960’s. More than 1000 studies have confirmed that goal setting is one of the most effective techniques you can use for motivation and achievement in sports, fitness, business and personal life.  But you have to set, think about and pursue your goals the right way. Want to triple your success rate? Read on and start applying these strategies today!

What is the best time of day to work out? I wouldn’t blame you if you were confused about this because everyone seems to have an opinion: Conventional wisdom says train in the morning to start your day right and improve compliance. Past research has  uncovered evidence that  training in the late afternoon gives you the best results. In recent years, a number of training experts have  claimed that neither of these times are ideal and that you should actually train at night. A recent analysis published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research has shed some new light on the controversy. 

In the 1980’s and 1990’s, nearly everyone in the fitness industry was not only recommending crunches, they put the crunch on a pedestal and described the exercise with superlatives. I remember reading one of Dr. Frederick Hatfield’s books many years ago, where he said, “The crunch is the Cadillac of abdominal exercises.” Well, I would have said “Mercedes of ab exercises,” but you get the point – he was suggesting that crunches were the best vehicle to develop your abs… Are they? Let’s take a closer look…