Burn the Fat 2010 Holiday Challenge Blog Contest

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?To show that you can start at any time, any age to realize your health is important and you are a role model to everyone you come into contact with.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?As a “wellness champion” i strive to continue on my journey to fight type II diabetes as I age and keep an active lifestyle for myself and others.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?to finish 2010 is a must because to throw away all the hard work i have done transforming so far would be a total travesty.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?to start the new year in full flow is a total must because i know my goals are being reached constantly,and i can help others hit their goals also.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing 2010 STRONG is a must for me because I will get back to my healthy life. I will learn to balance my lifestyle. I will become the role model that I once was. I am going to be a teacher and the most important thing I want those children to see is that a healthy lifestyle can make you strong healthy and keep you looking young at any age. I am 45 and those kids will never know it, They will see a strong healthy woman who makes health and fitness a priority and if I can drag them along on the journey so much the better. I know that being fit and strong influences others to a healthier lifestyle and that is really important to me especially since I live in the south and there are too many overweight people who are struggling with diseases. Unfortunately that includes young children. I want to show them that anyone can be healthy. As a former 240 pound woman I know how hard it is to be unhealthy and I know how good it feels to be healthy and fit. Healthy and fit feels better! And that closet full of cute clothes that don’t fit anymore is a helpful incentive too!

A healthy and fitness minded lifestyle became a MUST 2 years ago when I was diagnosed with diabetes. One year ago, I got serious and joined a gym. They have given me some great support and advice. Since joining, I’ve lost 57 pounds and 10 inches from my waist. I have more energy and I am more confident. But, to be honest, one of the biggest things that finishing strong, and starting 2011 even stronger is how I look naked. If we’re honest, most would say the same thing.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because I know from previous experience if I don’t set goals for continuing my forward move, my only other option is to move backward, and that is not acceptable to me. It’s fun to challenge myself. And, if it’s fun, I do it. The “doing it” part is where I used to get hung up with regard to implementing this lifestyle change. These challenges are what have gotten me over the proverbial “hump.”Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?Starting 2011 on the right foot is a TOTAL MUST for me because there is something very motivating about feeling like I have a head start – and I know that’s how I’ll feel if I have already made progress when most of the people I know are just beginning to think about it.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than I am today for the following reasons:1. I would much rather be closer to, than further away from, my bikini body for next summer.2. Why give myself MORE work to do after the holidays?? MORE work that I will probably not feel like doing after a season of indulgent eating and being sedentary.3. “After Holidays” sales are the best. Especially when I am full of energy and shopping for smaller clothes.And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution?”I MUST do this now because I CAN. I can do this anytime, but NOW is the moment that will get me the absolute best results I can possibly achieve. Every day I wait, is one day longer I need to wait to see results. NOW is what makes the most sense to me.

If I’m strong and working out I can have some occasional holiday treat w/o knowing how much work the new year holds!”

Why I MUST finish 2010 strong and start 2011 even stronger?There is no other option. I will NEVER be the gal who started this journey in January of this year. Thanks to BFFM and Holy Grail, I’ve learned to eat clean, discovered that I LOVE to lift heavy and have made this who I am as well as what I do.Eating clean and working out is now a lifestyle I maintain, it’s not a “diet” to go off of. There is no finish line! Living this way is a MUST for me.I’m healthy, strong, fit and dare I say, fabulous for a gal of 51!One of my goals now is to pay it forward… I want everyone to feel as wonderful as I do! :-)

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST – I have health issues with COPD and and surgery scheduled 12/29/10 for stage 1 uterine cancergetting healthy is a must

Hi.I want to be in better shape so I can keep up with my son. He’s 4, I’m 39 on dec 6th. I’m tired of being fat. I workout with weights and do cardio. But I’m still fat. I eat half way decent. I’m trying hard and working at it. But I’m not seeing any weight lose and the strength is sluggish at best. I’m 5’9″ and 225 pounds. Very soft in the middle. I’ve never seen a six pack on my body ever noteven when I was younger. That’s what I’d like to see and have for jan. An honest to goodness sixpack and energy to spare.I’m in desperate need of your assistance on this thanks.Patrick

Why is finishing 2010 Strong an Absolute Must for you?I am almost to my lifelong fitness goal and I will not rest until I do it! I met my first goal during the Summer Challenge, and I am only 2% away from my best fitness results ever!I will succeed because I want it so bad I can taste it. I am also getting married in August which is yet another motivating factor.I must also succeed because I know that some of the students in my fitness classes are being motivated to improve their own fitness levels all the more because I have made such improvements in my own physique. I am not going to let them or myself down. Since I only have 2% body fat left to lose to get to my goal, I will probably not be the “most ripped” or show the “biggest overall improvement” but that really isn’t what this competition means to me. It is ACHIEVING WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO. Because I know I will do that, I have already won this competition.

First of all, I’ve been living a healthy lifestyle for many years and giving up at the end of this year would be absurd. I’m the healthiest, most energetic, strongest, best looking, smartest I’ve ever been. This is the time to keep going and to even raise the stakes!I feel that I’m getting closer to my peak and 2011 might be that year. I’m getting more and more like-minded people in my life, thus my progress will become even greater. I can feel it, I can taste it.You are never too energetic, too strong, too healthy, too good looking or too positive. I must start each and every year the best way I can!The best time is always now not tomorrow. If I start tomorrow, I’ll have one day wasted and there is one more day until I’m able to successfully achieve my fitness goals.

Starting 2011 on the right foot is the result of finishing 2010 STRONG. It is an ABSOLUTE MUST because it’s the best time to do it. it’s just like when I quit smoking 8 years ago.I didn’t smoke and watched my diet at the same time so I didn’t gain weight and compensated while quitting. Tackling everything at the same time is easier than indulging and correcting later.I want to feel better which will help not gaining a pound during this time or year.

FINISHING STRONG IN 2010 IS A MUST for a variety of reasons. Only 6 months ago I was in the best shape of my life. My weight was down and I was exercising regulary and I was wearing a size 4 as an added benefit. My Dad died in April and I held it together until my teaching year ended. At the end of June, all of my healthy habits became moot to me. I just didn;t care. I went into a dark place that i had no idea even existed. Now, November 20th, I’m starting to climb out of it. I gained 25 pounds and failed to exercise. I finally went to the gym today.I feel like I’m at a crossroads. I can either continue my ‘victim’ state and get even more unhealthy (and my dad wouldn’t want that) of I can start to be the CEO of my own life and regain that zest for health and life I had a few short months ago.Regaining my health would also be a great experience for the high school students I teach. I’d like to show them that life can be really hard, but those difficulties don’t last forever.2011 IS GOING TO BE THE BEST YEAR EVER!Meredith

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you? I am female and over 40. I started my journey last year, having lost as of this writing, 135lbs. Every day I know I am getting stonger and healthier. I’ve been reading this blog now for almost a year and appreciate the modivational words that Tom pens… I am proving to myself that I can have that body that I’ve always dreamed about. I absolutely believe that I can do this – as long as I continually put in the efforts. “It’s simple, but not easy”. I’ve picked up a lot of believers and people that are amazed at my progress and how good I look now- but they haven’t seen anything YET!Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you? Because I know that 2011 is going to be MY Year: I claim it for me. No matter what’s going on with all the other things in my life: I know that I am the Master of my body and that I will succeed in obtaining and maintaining my goal. THANKS Tom for the BEST Blog out on the net!You ROCK.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?To not be the fat child that turned into the fat adult that yo-yo’d all their life. To be strong and confident in myself, and keep the weight off for LIFE!Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?To never give ground, never say its only 5lbs+++ that keep on increasing until its 30lbs and counting and having to start all over again. Never again looking in the mirror and not recognizing the person staring back.

Finishing strong is a MUST for me because I have already taken the big first steps, which are the easiest. The HARDEST steps are FINISHING and STAYING the course! I was told by my doctor in May that I had multiple issues, cholesterol numbers way off, triglycerides were at 347, I was way overweight for my body type and I was pre-diabetic. At 5’7″ and 43 years old, I was at 204 pounds which doesn’t sound like a lot for a man but for my body type I should be around 155-160.I said ENOUGH, I am NOT going to be a diabetic and changed my lifestyle completely. Hiting the gym and learning as I go how to gain muscle and burn fat, eat right and turn things around. I am now at 163 pounds, my numbers are all in line and A1C is holding steady at 5.8. Now the tough part is burning off the remaining, stubborn belly fat, building more muscle and STAYING with it. I’ve learned a LOT the past few months since I began this journey but the hard part is just beginning. Losing the fat initially is the easy part, burning the rest and staying healthy is the hardest.

This contest along with all the email updates through the year has helped me stay motivated in attaining my goals. I am already working on 2011 goals thanks to the priceless information I have received here. THANKS!!!!

I have set my mind to a lifestyle of health and fitness, not “diet” every since my life of anorexia and bulimia was redeemed and healed by my daily walk with God. I have come this far, now I feel my life is to live His will, to help and give to others who may struggle like I did.It’s a must for me as I have 5 children to keep up with, be a role model for (sons are in athletics in high school)and enjoy a full life with!!I cannot let my age (47), slight ADD, painful scoliosis, or diagnosis of HPV and surgeries for cervical dysplasia get me down!! I know I can do all things through God Who strengthens me!! You can, too, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31. Bless you all!!

Tom, I turned fifty last month and although I have never been too overweight I have not been happy about the way I look so I will be entering the 2010 Holiday Challenge and will come out with my body looking how I alwats picture it should look.I love BFFM and am now going with Holy Grail.To all who will be doing this challenge this time round . We CAN do it , we will do it right !,and we will FINISH

I’m tired of losing battles within myself, especially those that concern my physical appearance. I’ve been mentally locked inside a fat, little girl all my life and I’m ready to be set free. In our society, image is what defines you and, like it or not, most people’s first impressions of you are based on your physical attributes.I feel judged on my physical appearance every day by people I don’t even know and it embarrasses me. This perceived judgment has taken a toll on my self-confidence. I am unable to hold sustained eye contact with others because I don’t feel strong enough to bare their scrutiny. I don’t feel beautiful enough to be looked at so I look away and I keep moving.Instead, I’ve created a persona of whom I want to be and she is the person you will initially meet. She is outgoing, intelligent and powerful. She smiles at you and shakes your hand with confidence and warmth. She is an example for others and she is unstoppable… until she leaves and I am left alone with that fat, little girl who has taken up residence inside my head.It’s as if I’m living two different lives; two different LIES.In his book, “The Body Fat Solution”, Tom Venuto talks about attitudes, the power of words, and reframing meanings. He states, “Healthy and successful people have their own vocabulary. They see problems as challenges. They view failure as feedback. Frustration is fascination. Confused means curious. Shoulds become musts…”So here it goes:I MUST mentally evict that fat, little girl from my head and become the person I know I can be.I MUST have WILL power:I WILL change myself in the next 49 days.I WILL lose the body fat and build muscle.I WILL make this my priority and my lifestyle.I WILL be the example for my family and friends.I WILL be beautiful enough to allow others to look at me for as long as they want because I WILL be strong enough to bare their scrutiny.I MUST be healthy and I WILL succeed.

Finishing 2010 strong and starting 2011 strong are both MUSTS. 2010 was a bad year. It saw the death of our young child. I am determined to get in/remain in the best shape I can be for our other child. Weekdays after 4:30 and weekends will be fun time with him. I MUST keep myself going to be the best father I can be.

Finishing 2010 strong and starting 2011 on the right foot are MUSTS for me to keep making consistent progress. Persistence in the key!

Finishind Strong in 2010 is a must because I started a little over a year ago, and even though I made some progress, I look in the mirror … I still don’t like what I see. My friens have notice some weight loss (sometimes I think they’re just being kind) but I’m not satified and I beleive that I can and I will do better.

My mom past away this Sept of a massive heart attack Im scared it might run in the family. I have 3 great kids 19,16 and 12 and a beautiful wonderful wife.I went to the doctor for a physical this past Oct, Im 46 going on 47 my doc informed me my cholesterol level is 260 which is way high. He gave me 6 weeks to lower it or else he is going to put me on meds. Im 5’7″ 208lbs he told me exercise and eating right should lower it .Im already on blood thinner(coumadin) 10 mg since 2003.I will and must get back in shape my family means to much to me I dont want to die. If I die i want to die in shape bury me in shorts and a tank top at least when they see me in my coffin they will see a lean mean fighting machine not a fat blob and say we know why he died.

Why is it a must cause i have always been small an ‘weak’. I refuse 2011 is going to be life changing, I have always been 50 – 50 kind-of a guy…. i kill myself in the gym but then dont put in the hard work in the kitchen.not anymore!!!

Finishing strong in 2010 is a must for me because I want to change from “thinking about it” to DOING IT. I want to change from “making a great start” to FINISHING WHAT I STARTED. I have lost 35 pounds in the last two years and kept it off, but now its time to finish and lose those last 10-15 pounds. I want the flat abs, I want the energy, I want a functional body, I want to ride 100 miles on my bicycle on May 1, 2011 and do it fast and finish happy.

I MUST do this now rather than later because we are not promised tomorrow. I do not want to waste another second of my life being disatisfied with who or what I am. Being overweight is a hurtful thing. I have transformed many things in my life over the past year including losing some weight but it isn’t enough. I want to reach the goal I have set for myself and I cannot let anything — including procrastination — stop me. I have considered others before myself long enough. It’s time I do what is best for me so that I can be healthy enough to keep on doing for others and live long enough to see a portion of the impact of my contributions.

Finishing 2010 strong for me is a must because in terms of self-confidence for me, the holiday periods (Christmas, and the summer) are serious low points because of my body. If I can even make a small but noticeable impact on my body in the next month, I’ll just feel so much more confident about myself in a period which always makes me want to blend into the wallpaper!Also, my birthday is the 2nd Jan and I turn 27. This next year is going to be a big one for me, I’m aiming for a change of jobs, moving in with my fiancee and generally undergoing a lot of upheaval – if I’m set up into a good state of mind regarding fitness and nuitrition before all the crap gets on top of me, I know I’m less likely to fall back to square one. I know my resistance is weak when life is getting on top of me, I want to be prepared, seeing results and having made lifestyle changes that are embedded before the stuff hits the proverbial fan so I can keep going and not wilt and give in to bad habits again.Lastly, in terms of why is it important to start the new year off strong, I am rubbish at New Years Resolutions – I am in that group that lets the excuse to over-indulge at Christmas wash over me, then come the 1st Jan when it comes to start those resolutions, I’m 10 pounds heavier than I was before the holidays and the mountain to climb seems insurmountable, so I lose enthusiasm and just get back into excuses mode! If I break the cycle now before I hit the prime excuse period, then hopefully I’ll come out strong on the other side. I mean, I’m all for enjoying Christmas (too much!) so I want to know that I can rise to the challenge of enjoying Christmas, enjoying good food and company, but not to over-indulge and still come out the other side feeling and looking better.I’m feeling really fired up about this. I think this holiday challenge is a great motivator, and also having a good old think about why is a sure-fire way to get buzzed to get started!

The reason I must be in better shape in January 2011 than I am now is I’m going to win the Holiday Callenge! And my team-mates and I must see our abs because we’re resolved and commited to that goal! We will and we must. AND because I am getting certified to become a Personal Trainer. I must have the body that my clients are looking to attain for themselves. My mission statement is to “INSPIRE, EDUCATE AND MOTIVATE WOMEN TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF FITNESS AND NUTRITION.” That is why I MUST!

As a 79 year old caregiver for my bride of 57 years and survivor of a triple by-pass, finishing 2010 strong and starting 2011 the same way is a must!By following Tom’s advice and a regular exercise program, I’ve gone from 224 lbs down to 179 with body fat of 16.9% – heading for 15% – and have never felt better.I’ve found a marvelous Internet site that complements the great information Tom gives on his website and in THE BODY FAT SOLUTION, which I keep on my nightstand for ready reference. It makes keeping food and exercise logs, which I’ve found critical for success, as easy as a few mouse clicks on the computer.www.livestrong.com is built around a database of hundreds of thousands of food items. Just type in the brand name of almost any grocery item or entre at nearly all the major restaurant chains and the site knows and tracks the serving size (which you can adjust according to what you’ve actually eaten), plus the calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, protein and sugar, with a click of the mouse.It allows you to choose your average daily activity level (from a number of choices from sedentary to vigorous) then type in almost any exercise activity from walking, swimming, gardening, water aerobics, weight lifting, etc. etc. you do in addition and it computes the number of calories you’ve burned, based on the number of minutes you’ve spent.Based on your age, gender and weight, it computes the number of calories you should eat each day to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight or gain it and at what pace, (such as “a pound a week”) it adjusts the number of calories left for the day to reach your desired daily calorie goal as soon as you type in anything you have eaten. It also computes every component and tells you what percentage of the recommended daily allowance you‘ve consumedIf you eat certain foods together – say for breakfast – you can store those as a “typical” meal and one mouse click puts each of those foods into your daily list. If you have a favorite personal recipe and can list the ingredients, it will compute the calories plus all the components and remember them whenever you serve that dish.If you find an item that isn’t already in their huge database and the brand has a website or if you look at the food label and type in what it says on to the form the site provides, that item will be added to their database after it has been checked for accuracy.www.Livestrong.com stores the daily data, allows you to print it out, shows you totals by week or month, recalls it by date, see it as a graph or pie chart.My “numbers” confirm that Tom Venuto is THE expert on diet and nutrition you should be following for the coming year!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I am tired of feeling weak and out of shape. I need to get motivated and push myselft. Last year I was doing really good, training for an Ironman. Then I let myself go and I feel terrible about it. It ends NOWWhy is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I need to get myself in shape again so I can get ready for my next ironman and feel good about myself once again.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?It is TIME to get going. I want to start this next year on a fitness high note and be ready for my training into the next year. I don’t want to feel the way I am feeling about myself right now.

I am I high school senior who is hopefully going to attend ucf in the fall of 2011 and I don’t want the person I’ve become in highschool to follow me to collage and into the rest of my life. You see in highschool I have become a binge eater and I almost always don’t feel good and I always feel gulity or angry with my self. As a result I’m always distracted during class so my grades have gone down alot and to top it all off I have become extremely lazy which has brought down everything in my life. That’s why I will make a change by the end if 2010 and must keep this change in 2011! I have almost three weeks of winter break coming up so I will have no excus why I can’t excrise everyday and preoccupy myself enough not to binge eat. By the end of this break I will reverse what has happened to me in highschool and keep it going (the habit will be formed by then) as a fitting end of leaving those horrid halls and moving on finally.

Finishing strong in 2010 is important to me because it’s the capstone to my successes of this year (losing 40 pounds) and the start of my successes in 2011 (building 20 of those pounds back as the pure muscle I’ve always wanted).

Finishing 2010 STRONG is important to me because each goal achieved opens new possibilities. When I reached my first goal of 175 lbs (down from 205), I set a new goal of decreaseing bodyfat from 23% to 15%. After reaching that goal, I set a new goal of 10% bodyfat. Next goal is 6-pack abs. Why?!? Because without goals and direction, it’s too easy to get sloppy and undisciplined.As we discipline our minds and bodies, new goals become possible that were once thought beyond possible.

I strongly believe that those who do not Find time for Physical Fitness will have to Make time for Illness.In the world we’re living, we have opened the door to many problems with our sedentary lifestyle. An unfit animal in the wild has a far less chance of surviving than an animal that is fit. In the wild fitness means everything.Why Fitness is important for me?1. At 40, I have to be fit to be keep up my soccer hating, Taekwondo Red-Belt 6 year old son.2. I see Physical fitness could as a preventative cure for many of the diseases caused by physical inactivity.3. With a family history of Diabetes and BP, being fit to me means a number of things: being in shape, eating right, not being overweight and taking care of my body. All of these things are essential to living a long and healthy life.Is Finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me?There is no 2nd thought in that and here is why. Unlike many years, in 2010 I have been sticking to my resolution and have made the commitment to succeed. I know that this is normally seen as a cliché resolution but I feel empowered to make it work this year, which is evident from the fact that I was able to reduce my BF from 22% in Feb 2010 to 16% in September. (Goal is to bring down to single digit by Feb 2011.)I have always considered myself to be a physically active person. I work out regularly, play soccer and love to push myself at the gym. However, things started to change when I turned 40. It wasn’t as easy to maintain the balance between my work and family and I started to see lull in my discipline. I have a very demanding career and life has become more active with two children (6 & 1). Eating on the run (usually while commuting), skipping or undisciplined workouts and lack of sleep have taken their toll. I realize that this is going to get worse in the forthcoming years and I will have to be Fit now and I can do it.

Finishing 2010 strong is a must for me as I am trying very hard to not lose condition from a running injury that has left me non-weight bearing since August. I started upper body weight lifting since it was the only exercise I was allowed to do and I want to start 2011 right and get back into my previous shape as quickly as possible while maintaining my strength gains. Working out the last few years has changed my life and so I see no reason why I should wait until New Years to start.

None of us truly ‘owns’ our bodies, they are given to us for a short time on this earth. It is our responsibility to care for them, steward them, and use them wisely and to the benefit of others.Therefore, I MUST start 2011 off on the right path to health and wellness in order to:1. Honor my Creator who gave me this marvelous machine to care for2. Be a better husband and father3. Physically and emotionally feel better and therefore pass that along to my loved ones, friends, and friends I don’t yet know…4. Stay healthy as I move into middle and old age

Finishing 2010 STRONG and starting the new year on the right foot an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because I’m entering the “World Police & Fire Games” in New York next year – in the best shape of my life!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Because I started 2010 strong and I don’t want to stop now! I started my weight loss in late 2009 and have lost almost 40 lbs between then and now. I finished my fat loss in October and have been successfully maintaining since then. But most of all, I want to prove everyone wrong who says “If you lose weight, you’ll gain it back.”Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I have two fitness goals for 2011: to deadlift my body weight (I’m over halfway there) and to maintain my weight loss for one year, so that I qualify to register for the National Weight Control Registry. (I want to maintain my weight loss for my whole life, of course, but joining the Registry will make me very proud.) I’ve learned that maintenance takes as much vigilance and commitment as fat loss, but you’re in a better mood during it. :) To qualify for the Registry, I can’t gain more than 8 lbs, so I have to start 2011 strong and keep on truckin’.

Wow, some great posts already! Really inspirational. let me contribute this: finishing 2010 strong and starting 2011 right, in a lot of ways, mean just the same thing. if you’re not doing it now then there is a lot to over come when you try and make that New Years resolution stick. If you cut through the excuses NOW and are doing it then your resolution really is just rededicating yourself to an existing goal and maybe improving that goal. For me there is another importance as I’m getting married soon and not only do I want in great shape but I want my future wife to be like, “what have you been doing? I want to try that!” I think, like training with a partner, working to help someone else or to inspire someone to greater things helps me in my personal goals. Maybe that is part of the reason I stuck witj Tom’s program and no other’s, I think his desire to help and inspire others inspires me to do more.

Getting Healthy and Fit is my no. 1 priority. I have made the decision to change and become the gatekeeper of my mouth. I want to eat to “live” rather than live to “eat”.

I CHOOSE to finish 2010 strong because after loosing 20 pounds, growing a bit, and making great progress over the past couple of years I plan to see the same progress the next year (or couple of years) as I try to build more muscle and stay lean. I want to see the same determination twords gaining more muscle that I have had twords loosing fat.

Finishing 2010 STRONG and starting the new year on the right foot an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because my health has been getting worse lately and I have worked so hard to get my kids where they are today–I want to see them graduate from high school and college, and enjoy the fruits of my labors for years to come. I’ve long neglected myself to ‘save’ my kids by homeschooling them to overcome learning disabilities. As many moms do, I’ve focused on everyone else’s needs rather than my own, and now I am paying a price with my health. As we are at an exciting pinnacle, where my oldest child will graduate and go off to college (he’s already been accepted), I find my health declining and know I need to loose a lot of weight and regain my physical health to fully enjoy living my life again, and celebrate all that we have worked for these past several years!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG and starting the new year on the right foot an ABSOLUTE MUST?I’ve burned 30 lbs of fat this year and while this is a great achievement I have recently noticed myself slacking off and starting to lose focus. It’s the perfect time to get back on track on continue with my program. I have about another 10 lbs to go. I absolutely must finish strong and start the new year on the right foot because there is no way I am giving up on all the hard work I’ve done already.

I’ve been an on-again-off again exerciser for most all my life. Always enjoy working out,(just find it hard too stick with). Now in my middle age, I see I can NOT eat what I please. And to stay at a reasonable size, I must eat healthy and work out. I adore the fitness models I see in magazines and know I can have a nice looking and healthy body if I stick with it. I’ve always dreamed of having six pack abs and it is now or never to challenge myself cause time waits for no one. I will be another year older in April. I have the Holy Grail program and need the Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program to lose more body fat. I am up for the Burn The Fat Challenge cause this is what I need to see that six pack I’m looking for(by April). Also I want to have lots of energy to go on enjoying life and deal with all the challenges it has, and to live a less stressful life without the fat! Now is the time, not next year!

Finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because I’m turning 40 in 2011 and I want to be in the best shape of my life. My dad died at 67, grandfather at 55… I want to make sure I’m around for my grandkids!Started at 235 on 10/4 and I’m at 217 right now, I’m shooting for 209 by end of year, and hitting 175 sometime in 2011. I need to nail down that goal! :)Keep it up everyone, you’re worth it!!!

I must finish 2010 strong because all I have done the rest of the year is “think about it”. It’s time to move on it.

Some people do things because they MUST – (Like a donkey that moves because of the stick).Some people do things because of MONEY – (Like a donkey that moves towards the carrot).Others do things because they wish to move towards that which they find themselves in – the will follows upon the intellect.These are different kinds of MUST – the lowest motivation of course is the absolute necessity- the highest motivation is the want for want’s sake.I want to be fitter by Jan 1 because that is where I see myself – if I do not achieve it, then the object of the WILL will not be attained.

I MUST finish strong in 2010 because in 2011 I will return to college to finish my degree and finally fulfill my dream of going to law school. It has taken 5 years for me to rehabilitate myself – on my own – from being very ill and suffering from a spinal injury, I was in a wheelchair for 3 years. My doctors told me I’d be an invalid for life.I recently returned to work after years of being completely disabled, and was promoted to a higher level position (immediately) than I had ever held as a senior paralegal.I MUST finish strong and continue to get stronger. I plan to live a very long life (I am 45 now), continue to improve my physical appearance, and be able to make a difference in the world despite my own adversity. I truly believe the worst is behind me and I only have good things to look forward to in my new life.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing strong makes for an excellent start to 2011, how else can you start of a new year feeling and looking great, with confidence you can only get from healthy living.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?2011 Is a new year too close for comfort with a lot of uncertainties for me in all aspects of my life. If I have certainty about myself, it gives me a great sense of control and hope.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I have been working like crazy, not making time for myself, I’ve been feeling guilty to take a bit of time, but its important, if I’m happy with myself, I can give so much more to others.And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution?”Like the saying goes, its now or never!!!!!

Hi Tom,As a woman with a personal weight loss of over 80 lbs, and as a fitness professional, I wanted to say how grateful I am that you are educating people with authentic and real information. Your information is clearly explained, and I believe you have a gift for taking very complex ideas and making them easy for people to understand.You are always genuine, and thankfully always explain there are no quick fixes! Education and action are two of the most important steps in achieving a fitness goal, and it’s fantastic that you guide people in the right direction!Well done!Margie

In the past year, I lost my paternal uncle to a heart attack, my paternal grandmother to congestive heart failure, and just recently, my dad to bone and lung cancer. This is my motivation to finish 2010 stronger and healthier than I started. The pain they went through physically, mentally and emotionally is my reminder to take care of myself. I am determined to live a full, heathly life.

Finishing 2010 off strong is a must not only for me but for my family. I have spent years helping others and have neglected taking care of the most vital person in my life. ME. I had unfortunately fell under the category of I had no choice but to change. A category I refuse to me face to face with again. I have a son whom I cherish but if I do not learn to take care of myself first, I will not be there for him as he deserves me to be. I love helping all these people in my life, but I have spent so much time doing so I stopping helping myself. A strong finish for me began a few months ago and I vowed to myself to reshape my life in health, family, and business. This road has been one hell of a push but the self reflection that it didn’t have to be has been a greater visual . I have a ways to go, but I think the hardest part for me a was learning to personally ask for help and not just try find the right solutions in life on my own. Every morning I wake up and really focus on what it is I want in life and health, and just make it a point to make decision based solely on what is going to help me reach those goals . I am loving my life but I choose to change my life to make it continually better not only for me but for my son and those around me. I am going to truly change my health and fitness and not just preach to others about what their true potential is and how to attain it but to become a product of that true potential myself. Finishing 2010 strong is just the beginning for me. I truly have come to terms with knowing that life’s obstacles are usually put there by usually by ourselves and it’s our job to either move them completely out of the way and create our own new path or build something truly amazing out of what never should have been an obstacle in the first place.

Finishing 2010 strong is a must for me because I have two little girls and my parents both died at an early age. I can’t afford to go down the same path as them and I want to live a long life for myself and my kids. I’ve been fit off and on but it’s time to quit playing games and make this a lifestyle like it was 10 years ago. I’ve signed myself up for a 5k as motivation and I’ll go from there. Failure is not an option this time.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I like to finish what I start and, so far, 2010 has been a successful year for weight maintenance and strength building. I also have a brand new baby girl. I’m her primary caretaker during the week (and I work 2 p/t jobs), so keeping up my fitness plan has been a real challenge at times.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I am the type of person that needs to be working towards a stated goal to achieve and maintain my fitness objectives. If I deviate from my plan too much, I quickly abandon the whole plan (IE nutrition for the day; I do enjoy a scheduled cheat day 1x week) and must begin all over again. Since I do not want to lose any ground, it is essential that I navigate the holidays and enter into 2011 on solid footing and according to my fitness plan.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I have yet to reach my goal of six-pack abs + I want to be healthy and have the energy that I now enjoy.And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution?”Proscrastinating will never allow me to reach my goal. I tend to either put things off or attack them right away–no in-between with me; all or nothing. I want to finally attain my goals in 2011–so I can raise them even higher.

Well, after reading wisdom from this and several other sites, i have figured it out: how to live and eat in such a way to feel and function at the top of my game. i love the steady flow of my energy now, having fine tuned a diet and fitness regime that really works.so i am not about to let the temptations of the holidays blow me back to the yo-yo eating, bloated, regretful, low-energy, irritable state of being that has previously been my lot (like so many americans). I have worked HaRD to achieve success: at 7% body fat, I am a lean, hard, strong, exuberant, joyful, energetic woman AT the PEAK…I feel good in my own skin and can share this tremendous energy with the people in my world. I REFUSE to give this UP!

I absolutely must finish 2010 strong because I have put in so much effort from July until now; wasting all of that energy and focus to get lazy in December would be devastating to me psychologically.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I must start 2011 on the right foot for the same reasons as finishing strong at the end of this year; I want to always be progressing. As a professional musician, I am constantly learning new repertoire which I use to hone my skills that much sharper. I never let a day go by to take the opportunity to do something better than the day before. I take this same attitude with my training; as long as I see incremental improvements it’s better than going backward. January 1 becomes the new baseline; onward and upward!I want to see progression in my development, which I have been focusing on for the past three and a half years on. The newfound confidence I have that comes from actually liking my body’s appearance is immeasurable; it spills over into my performing and my daily interactions with people, not to mention my love life. Each day that’s better than than the day before is helping bring me closer to the ultimate goal of having incredible stamina in all areas of life. Therefore, I want that January 1 baseline to be pushed as high as possible, to limit the damage from the inevitable backslides that happen during the holidays.I tell my students, if you don’t like how you’re doing something, then there’s no time like the present to fix it. Why wait if you acknowledge there’s a problem? It’s one thing to be unaware and have to have things pointed out to you, but if you know there are things to be addressed, then go ahead and do it! This is exactly why self improvement can never be put on hold; if not you, then who? If not now, then when? I MUST DO THIS NOW.

I am 60 years old and trying to loose about 15 lbs of what I consider to be a fat, fat and more fat roll. I have been watching my weight….inch up over the years. Over the last year I have dropped about 10 lbs and that was encouraging. Thanks for the interview with CHEAT YOUR WAY THIN author, John Marion. I am now eating up the glycemic scale and I am seeing some encouraging results…had chocolate bar today…one of my yummy things on cheat day.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for me? This contest is what I need to help me recover emotionally and physically from a rough year. I went through a difficult divorce after 24 years of marriage and six children, my mom passed away and my business tanked with the economy. I did manage to do some exercising and it did help with depression, motivation and energy but soon slipped out of the routine and regained ten pounds that I lost and the depression. I want to finish this year on a positive note and start the new year in the same way. Working out solo doesn’t work for me so I’m joining our cities Rec Center and the Burn the Fat Inner Circle, I think this will give my the nudge I need to get my life back on track.

It’s so simple, really. I must and I will. In every aspect of my life, I’m becoming a person who says “I must” rather than “I should” or “I wish I could” or “I would, if only…”. In my teens and twenties, I lived in a fog of self-doubt and depression, nursing old childhood wounds and impotently wishing my life could be different. With some hard emotional work, some lucky breaks, and the support of loved ones, I slowly started to turn that around in my late 20s. I wanted to leave the corporate world and become a freelance journalist. And so I did. I later wanted to return to my old love of music performance, and in my mid30s, I studied, practiced, and worked my butt off toward launching a late-blooming career as a professional jazz pianist and singer. In recent years, I’ve desperately wanted to shed fat–the evidence of earlier depression and bad habits–and build my strength so I can keep up with my young son. And so I did. I’ve spent the past few years patiently reading, investigating, and experimenting with better nutrition and exercise ideas until I found what works for me. This past summer’s burn contest came at exactly the right time. In the past, I might have lost steam halfway, but instead I stuck with it despite many distractions and finished strong, thrilled with my results. I’ll turn 45 at the end of December. This holiday burn is deeper than a “must” for me. It simply IS. The start and the end are nonnegotiable items on my calendar. In January I will be the fittest, strongest, and leanest I’ve ever been in my life, and I’ll begin my 46th year in the body that matches the person I now am: strong, healthy, effective, and calmly in control of my future.

How awesome! I’m ready to burn the fat and get in my best shape ever! I look forward to the challenge and doing what it takes to really make a difference in my lifestyle and my body!I MUST get in the best shape of my life. I MUST gaine control of my health not because I want to just look good, but because I owe it to myself! I can’t do this for anyone else but me.I believe that some people have challenges, but I know as an African American Woman, there are a lot of health problems that my family faces, and a lot of the women in my family have let themselves go doing so much for others. So my reason for getting in my best shape is so that I can live a happy and fullfilled life, and take care of myself. I want to enjoy life and be at my best, but in order to do that, I have to stay healthy and fit! I MUST take control of my life so that I have a better chance of fighting off the challenges and health risks many of the women in my family due today! The time is now and I’m committed!!Steph P Jones

I’ve always had problem loosing weight, but I’ve lost 28 lbs. so far and working on getting rid of 45 lbs. more!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Because time is limited, as I have turned 25 years just a few months ago I now understand how the first 25 years of my life just passed without me even realizing how important every moment in your life is.By not being in shape, I’m wasting so many opportunities in my life to really enjoy each of those moments. I’m not fulfilling my purpose of being fully happy by meeting my own starndards of what I expect from myself.It would be a shame to let pass another year without taking the right action to make my quality of life the way I want it to be and have a satisfactory clear image of what can I accomplish by learning from the best resources available.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?Because I have a vision of seeing myself as a different person inside out, a truthful transformation that would bring joy to my life. To be able to feel comfortable doing things I felt alwasy uncapable of, and having the energy and strenght to enjoy each and everyday to its full potential without wasting it with sedentarism behind closed doors.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?The beginning of 2010, I started stronger than I ever have. Being that this is the year I turned 50–I reallly wanted to celebrate a milestone and show myself what age 50 really looks like. I have been spending 30-60 minutes on my treadmill–which is a manual treadmill. It is not fun–but I know that exercise is a very important part of my life and help eliminates many of the diseases that most people think should just attack you when turning 50. I beg to differ. However, one important point that I have recently learned is the importance of strength training. Now, I am really beginning to see my body “come around”. There have been days whcih I fell off the wagon, but I have started on my journey and refuse to give up. It began in 2010 and I look forward to an explosive 2011.

I am writing this while experiencing a caffeine/sugar headache withdrawal. I have crossed the “want to” into “HAVE TO!” when I stepped on the scale to see my highest weight in my life this AM, and while walking my dog, noticed my frickin outdoor jacket barely zipped, well, Now I’m Pissed! At myself, my situation, everything. I gave away my power when this stupid economy took a dive, hubby lost his job..again, and I was informed we were in the hole with our house, & would be selling the home I loved for way less than it was worth, would be leaving my private massage practice I worked so hard to build (OK it was slow, but leave it!?!), and also the town in CA I called HOME for 24 years. In fact, my only choice was where to move, OR or NC. As you can see by my URL, I have a music CD, and thankfully had just taken the photos days before I was informed my Husband was using the home equity line of credit to get us by…for let’s say, some length of time. Those photos show a happy, fit woman, who looked younger than her 50 yrs, Finally doing her Dream of creating a music CD. It was on my bucket list. You wouldn’t recognise me today. I Look & Feel Way Older than I am. So, I HAVE TO do your challenge, because it is My Challenge to myself…to Reclaim My sense of self back. It has been a journey away on many levels, and now I have to journey back. Thanks for letting me share. May I inspire others to pull themselves back up, to reclaim their empowered mind, “spring in your step” health, & a “looking younger than you are” body, and SEE that person you used to be looking back at you in the mirror, with a smile from ear to ear! Here is to us all, and thank you for the inspiration Tom. Blessings on our journey, Laurel

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing this year strong is as important as finishing every day strong. It is proof of my commitment to a healthy lifestyle. To fall off track just because it is “holiday” season, is not a good enough excuse. In fact, there is no excuse to fall off track. This is a lifestyle, not a diet. I am finishing the year strong because I live every day strong.

Finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because I have found that meeting my goals creates a better me in more ways than just physical! I have met every fitness goal I have set for myself in the last 17 months and will continue to set goals and achieve the healthiest me possible! So far I have lost 120 lbs and I want to continue to improve my body composition. If I am not moving forward with my goals, then I am moving backward… backward is NOT an option!Starting 2011 on the right foot is a TOTAL MUST for me because many people are now looking to me for inspiration and guidance. I must begin 2011 strong, stay strong in 2011 and finish 2011 strong to keep me the best I can be and show the way for my children, husband and friends.I want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than I am today because…* Improvement is the ONLY OPTION!* Any slight gain is easily conquered by an immediate return to discipline! There is NO EXCUSE for giving up or losing control!* Losing control of my health would deter my mental improvements as much as my physical! I have proven that I am able to achieve things I used to think unachievable! I will prove to myself and others that I CAN DO IT!I MUST do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution” because procrastination breeds FAILURE! I am a WINNER! I don’t hesitate to make the healthiest choices for me… In 2009 between Thanksgiving and the New Year, I lost 7 lbs! I KNOW I can do it and there is NO REASON to wait!

Interesting question – well, because up until now 2010 has been absolutely the hardest year of my life – with my husband’s condition (MS) getting worse to the point that he can barely walk, both of us unemployed for the whole year, finishing strong this year and starting strong the next one would mean that I finally got a little control over our lives – now more than ever I need to be healthy to both care for my disabled husband and be the main financial provider.

Finishing strong in 2010 is an ABSOLUTE MUST because over the past few months, I have reduced my blood pressure from hypertensive to the high end of the normal range solely with better nutrition, increased cardio and a modest fat loss. Instead of letting the holiday season be a reason to disrupt my exercise regime and my nutrition goals and risk losing those gains, I MUST maintain the discipline and end the year with my blood pressure reading solidly in the middle of the normal range.Getting off on the right foot in 2011 is an ABSOLUTE MUST because in August I will be making my first ever overseas trip, a walking holiday in the UK, and I MUST improve my body composition so that I can carry a 15kg backpack instead of 15kg of excess body fat.

Why is it so important to me to end 2010 with a bang? It is important to to me because I have several health problems such as stress,High blood pressure and high Cholestorol, being overweight, and trouble sleeping. I have a 5 year old son who is very active and I would love to get back in shape, so I can spend good quality time with him and give him the love and attention he needs from me. With the health problems that I Have I’m not getting to spend the quality of time that I should be for his budding mind and body. I would love to spend more time with him and give him the nuritraning that he needs to make him a better person and grow up to be the best man that I know he can be.

Kudos for all who’ve entered for real and/or in spirit! I began the journey on my own with good results. However what was is no longer what is, coz I didn’t learn from my mistakes. I have lost 3 people in my pursuit of getting rid of weight that has weighed me down over the past 40 plus years. There is one image that has stuck in my head. It’s the image of a women who was killed and the photo of her naked body was shown at the trial. I work in a Courtroom as a clerk. When I saw that photo, as terrible as it was, my thought was OMG I don’t want to look like that when I die! That was 2 years ago and it still has not left my mind. How terrilbe to see a human being killed, then have her body displayed anked for the coroner to take a photo of. I’m 53 going on 54 and I am totally disgusted with myself! Low self esteem is my responsibilty! I did it to myself and take ownership of it.Now is the MUST thst will occur!I must ditch the excuses.I must lift up my head and get back to feeling good about myself again.I must stop talking.I must start walking, literally!I must get through the holidays with a positive outlook.With all those MUSTS in mind I will succeed! :O)Here’s to ending 2010 on a positive note and beginning 2011 with a sooner then later mentalilty. AS I MUST DO THIS NOW!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?It’s important to continue the transformation I started back June and I absolutely must finish strong to maintain the gains I have made so far and to keep the transformation happening!Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?Starting out on the right foot will make next year’s running season competitive! No more goals of finishing races.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I would like to hit the slopes again; another hobby I’ve let slide as I’ve gotten more and more out of shape. The best snow is in January and February, so I want to be in “game shape” by then!And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution?”By New Year’s it’ll be damage control time and I’ll have let the clock slide forward another year on my fitness. Not gonna happen. This holiday season is going to include more trips to the gym, not less – best of luck everyone – but we know it has nothing to do with luck!

I used to be an athlete. In one way or another, I worked out on a daily basis, whether I felt like it or not. I developed the self discipline necessary to keep fit. I even began to tell others, ” I don’t get sick.” The computer between my ears apparently accepted that verbal input, and for the last forty years I have never had so much as a cold.One day I got married, and before long, I found myself working ungodly hours in order to provide for my wife and our two children. Now my kids are grown and we are expecting our first grandchild in three months, which will be around the time of my 60th birthday. I look in the mirror and no longer see that athlete from thirty years ago. I am still 5′ 7″ and 180 lbs, but now my body fat is around 30%. It is way past time to get back the mind set of doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done. It is my goal to be around for a long time to enjoy my grandchildren and see them grow into adulthood.I am still in good health overall, and while I may need to modify some exercises at first, I firmly believe that I will succeed in getting back to a lean, trim body. Thanks for all that you do to make people’s lives better.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I started 2009 at 242 pounds and I lost down to 191 by November of 2009. This year I have said that I wanted to finish this transformation and finally get down to the 6% body fat that I have always wanted. I maintained my weight for a while then gained some muscle and put on a little fat in the process as well. I must finish this journey this year so I can start 2011 in the best shape of my life!!!Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?As I mentioned before I basically did not make any progress on loosing fat in the past year. If I want to reach newer and bigger goals in 2011, I must get it started on the right foot and have momentum as I go!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?This year has been a year of endings, marking my new beginning. After spending the last two years as a caretaker for an ailing parent following several years of numermous trials, I found myself spirit broken, battling the depression, the stress, the feeling of over-committment and hopelessness of my life. Now, I am basing my life on my personal priorities such as those things and people that I love and turning it away from society’s expectations and priorites. Between June ’09 and April ’10, I gained 30 lbs. I am now taking care of myself, willing to invest in the things that contribute to the life I want to live. This year is a new apartment (next door to my gym) for me that fits my needs and next year, the return to the abandoned performing arts career.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?/What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I want to be in better shape because it is an essential part of the new life I live. How I look, feel and treat myself is no longer a compromise but a priority for my career, my love life and myself.Today, I am hopeful, smarter and believe in the restoration of all things broken. It’s time for my body to reflect my spirit.

I am sick of feeling disappointed in myself & my LACK of achievements year after year. I never feel ‘ready’ for one year to end and another begin as it means time is passing me by & i am getting older and NO closer to accomplishing my dreams & goals. Something has to change and if not now, when? What am i waiting for? How bad do things have to get to force a change. I would prefer to take control & become the master of my destiny not a victim of my circumstances. That’s why it’s so important that I regain my confidence & self esteem and get my life back on track.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Because after 20 or so years of living a sedentary lifestyle my waistline is forever expanding, trousers with elasticated waists are beginning to seem like a good idea and my girlfriends compares my physique to that of an overweight silver back gorilla… Pot beliied, big @rsed and the occasional grunt!I need to prove to myself that my best years are still in front in of me and I want to look good and feel confident naked! That would please my girlfriend!

2010 has been an absolutely horrible year for me. I have frequent foul moods, causing many of my close ones to be upset. Also, I have been teased by many peers about my weight problems.2011 will be an important aspect of my life. i have a important exam which will most likely determine my future. To have a great future, i must start on the right foot.

heyy… really need to reduce weight real soon. i just have 42 days left with me. i have cleared my army interview but declared unfit. i’ve been given just these 40 days to reduce weight. and i have to do it, no matter what!

It’s a MUST for me because: while I have an acceptable level of health, I want stellar health! My body’s “set point”- that place it seem to hover back to when I “take a break”- isn’t stellar. For longevity’s sake, it MUST be stellar in my mind. The world’s oldest people aren’t fat, anybody else notice this? I’m sure Tom V. has! And it isn’t just about living a long time either. I want the quality that comes from being lean. And I have done enough physically demanding things and had some times of better leanness to know the difference between 28% body fat and 20%. It feels great. I am to the point now that I MUST ingrain in my muscle fibers, my fat cells, and even my mental tape that 18% is my preferred set point. I don’t know if I’ll ever do a fitness contest, but I do know that 18% is an awesome and athletic and healthy place for ME, and I have a lot I want to do in the next 70 years of my life. :)

Why??? I have been asking myself the same question for years and now I say Enough, no more 2XL clothing, no more being tired all the time, no more gasping for air just by walking, no more diabetic medication, no more shots, no more pills, no more feeling like you are about to die when apnea cuts your breathing in half. It’s time for me to wake up and say Yest to life, yes to teaching my kids how to live a full and healthy life, yes to enjoying myself, yes to be able to just pick-out clothes out of the regular sections and it fits, yes to being able to play and enjoy my kids and hopefully able to get to know my grandkids and being a happy grandma.

Everyday I wake up sad,Remembering all the bad food last night I had,This vicious circle of weight gain must end,A new lifestyle is my new friend.Today is the day I will start,Everyday closer to my goal in my heart.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I have to get back on the exercise wagon I fell off of to continue my journey to a healthier life. Migraines wiped me out the past few weeks and I am a lethargic blob compared to when I was in control. So I have to reach in for that inner strength I know I have and complete this year on a solid, healthier foundation.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I want to start the year in control and stay in control of my transformation to a healthier life.And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution?”New Years resolutions so often are made every year and then after a few weeks fall to the wayside and are never made real. This is a journey of a lifetime of healthier living for me that must be resumed NOW instead of later so I can follow through for the rest of my life.Thank you for asking these questions and for making me think about what I want and why.

After many false starts, this year, I am finally on the right track towards continued health and fitness. In the last month and a half, I have lost 11 pounds and, although I still have a long way to go, I am starting to feel and look much better! Finishing strong in 2010 is a MUST because I will not allow myself to falter, or take another step backwards anymore. This WILL be my time to succeed. I will start 2011 fitter, more energetic and lighter unlike the millions of people who choose that they must overindulge duing the holidays, not exercise and wait until the New Year to set another resolution that is destined to fail. I must do it now, I will not wait any longer!Thanks for the opportunity, Tom!!

This day makes 2 months and 11 days STRAIGHT that I have thought of nothing but fat, fat, fat! I AM FAT! That’s it! I have been on the cycle of ups and downs of losing it and telling myself I never want to be that fat again. What a suprise to see myself here again FAT! Why because losing it really is not that hard! It’s keeping it off that is. Maintenance is the pits! Or so I thought! I have nobody (or excuses) to blame it on but myself. I DID NOT LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES. I AM A FOOD ADDICT. That’s it. I love food, the taste of it the feelings it gives me. Even though I get my fix by eatting food, then the crash begins because I ate my way to FATTNESS. You know what? 5 years ago I was in the best shape of my life. And I did it by eatting low carbs, mod protein, mod to low fat. The not so funny thing is I didn’t have a set goal written down. I don’t remember what my weight was when I started wearing size 8’s. I only remember my goal was to be thin and I did it!! HOW YOU ASK? All though I hadn’t read Tom’s BFFM book at that time, it is just like TOM V has written in his ebook!! I ate low carbs, moderate protein,(only because my personal trainer at the time mentioned I wasn’t eating enough of it) and mod to low fat. Saddly I didn’t keep up with the cardio and weight training! Now I’m right back to where I was when I started the fat loss journey with even more fat. I’m afraid to weigh myself even though I feel my skin getting tighter around my stomach and the most disgusting thing is my breasts are touching my stomach and that’s not gravity do to old age!! HELP IS A MUST! AND I WILL GET IT!! MORE THEN ANYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE!! THIS IS A MUST (EVEN) URGENT PLEADING TO YOU TOM!! I MUST HAVE YOUR HELP! RIGHT THIS MINUTE! NO MORE PROCRASTINATING! NO MORE FAT!!

Because it’s time for all of us in our 50’s (I’m 52) to show the world that we are strong, fit and HOT! :)

It’s never a thought NOT to finish strong.I see people without legs, arms, deformed spine, etc., and I remember to be thankful for my healthy body. And the only one to blame if I’m not healthy is ME!(I hate it when things are my fault, so I work at being healthy every day–almost ;)As far as being healthy in ’11….I want to be as ‘youthful’ for as long as possible. Who cares about living a looooong life if you’re not healthy. So, every new year is a reminder to be healthful.

I have one body to live in for this short life. If I want to enjoy every single minute and live life to the fullest, I MUST take very good care of that body.I want to beat the genetic odds and avoid preventative diseases and illnesses that plague the rest of my family. They are hostages in their own bodies, unable to do basic things (like walk) without pain due to obesity and its various associated illnesses. That scares the crap out of me.While I am healthy and in a normal BF range, I could be so much more! I don’t want to settle for anything but AWESOME. I MUST keep my heart healthy, I MUST keep my weight in a very healthy range. I MUST be around for a very long time for my children. I must be attractive to my mate (compliments from others are always nice too!).For the first time in my life, this January, 2011, I don’t want to have ‘get fit, lose fat’ to be a thought that flitters through my head. I want to be the one to inspire others. To lead the ‘healthy charge’… To show people that, regardless of your schedule or situation, by taking control of everything IN your control, you can be and do anything you want. I don’t like hearing excuses from others and I sure as heck don’t want to hear them from myself. There is nothing holding me back but Me. Watch out world, here I come!!!!

Finishing 2010 strong is an absolute MUST for me because I have to prove to myself that my nutrition plan does not have to go the dogs just because it is the festive party season. I will show myself that I do not have to sacrifice all my hard-won gains during the year to enjoy myself. It is also crucial that I get off on the right foot in 2011 because I will be starting a new job in a new country. That means I will be meeting many new people who will have no pre-conceptions of who I am and can present myself as a health-aware, nutrition-aware individual from day one.

Ending 2010 strong (and therefore starting 2011 strong) is important to me because I will turn 49 in 2011 and definitely want to be leaner before I hit 50! My husband and I are looking to retire Dec 31, 2020 (not that far off now) and I want to be sure that I am still strong and fit enough to travel, site see, snorkel and scuba dive, as well as enjoy life and play with any grandkids that may happen along before then.Also, I found the shortness of breath through the soccer season this summer unacceptable. I am not ready to give up on competetive sports.

Finishing 2010 STRONG is a must for me because I have been hit with some severe obstacles to health and wellness this year. In 2006, I went from being over 200 lbs at 5′ 4″ and totally out of shape to being a strong, lean 140 lbs and in great shape. (I went from a size 18 to a size 2!)I maintained that success, and achieved the goal of becoming a certified Personal Trainer with ACE. As soon as my handicapped homeschooled son graduated high school, I was ready to FLY on this new chapter in my life.Then– I fell ill, and found out I had been struck with undiagnosed endocarditis, which had severely damaged one of my heart valves. My parents and in-law fell ill as well, and I had to help take care of them. My son fell ill in June and has been almost bedridden since. With all these changes and set-backs, it has been extremely difficult to both adapt my fitness routine and to find the energy and motivation to continue with my fitness pursuits.WHY do I want this now, instead of waiting till January? I MUST do this NOW, because even though I haven’t regressed to my old, bad ways, I know that if I don’t soon get back into a workable routine for my new circumstances, regression will be inevitable. With my new state of cardiac insufficiency, any excess weight gain and a lack of fitness are certainly not good states to slide into. This contest is the motivation I need to find a new, workable routine, a new pathway to my goals, and an incentive to overcome the inertia and depression I’ve been battling.I’m in it to win it– wow, Maui?! Who wouldn’t be?! But honestly, the accountability alone is a prize for me in my current isolated, rather homebound situation. Thanks for the opportunity for making yet another major positive change in my life, Tom! I’ll certainly keep you posted on my progress and I intend to make you very proud!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you? Because I finish what I’ve started. I started 2010 @260 pounds now I’m 190 pounds and I want to fill out. I have extra skin that could use it I would love some size with the fat!!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?-I never want to be what I was in Feb of 2009; out of shape and in constant pain from a recurring neck injury I suffer through to this day. I made a commitment then to get away from my gooey 246 lb frame and make a difference not only in my life and health but my family’s life and health. By continuing my journey through fitness it builds my confdence and reduces some of the pain in my cervical spine, and it provides my children with a good role model that no matter what obstacles you have in your life you can overcome anything and be healthy.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?What I’ve decided to do is not a “resolution”, it is a lifestyle change. I have goals for 2011; although I have lost 65 lbs I still have a lot to accomplish in my body image. I do not want to make a “Sucker’s Choice”; I want to prove that you can have a great and satisfying holiday season AND continue on my fitness journey…not have one or the other. I CAN enjoy myself through the holidays without making the excuse that it’s ok to gorge myself and workout later or “tomorrow”…or that it’s the holidays like it’s an excuse to just go nuts and forget about all of the hard work and pain I have experienced in the past 20 months. This will be the first holiday season in a long time that I have felt great and i will not jeapordize that for “instant gratifications” if you will.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?Because I am making my decsion to be responsible for my actions, rather than let the season dictate that it’s ok. I have goals…those goals won’t be met if i can’t stay true to myself and my commitments.

I want to finish strong for 2010 No hypes here. 2010 has been a traumatic year for me since I injured my wrist and had to have surgery to repair a torn ligament. After the surgery due to repercussions from all the pain meds etc dragged my body down very much that I put on lots of weight and had severe ibs and digestive problems. Just finding Tom Venuto’s site by chance has put extreme hope and faith in losing the fat and building myself up including my abs to someone at age 35. I am 58 years old now and will be getting fitter and lean the most I have been in 25 years. I want to be an inspiration to others that If you put your all into it, your body will reward you with a lifetime of good health and improved self esteem. I am just happy to have found Tom Venuto. Having ones health and fitness accomplishments is worth more than all the money in the world. Thank You Tom for letting me share. I have something that I can truly be Thankful for at Thanksgiving!

i’am 52 and tried of my belly and weight, tried almost everything from 25yrs old to now. i will give this a honest tried but have my doughts.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG and starting the new year on the right foot an ABSOLUTE MUST for ME?I will be at 110lbs. (my goal weight) on January 2011. I will proudly wear my “skinny jeans” and look HOT welcoming in the New Year!!LOOK OUT!!! There is NO stopping me now!!!

It’s a MUST for me because I’m sick of making excuses – they don’t work!! Also, I want to look hot!!!

i am a 47 year old women. i have many different illnesses and i am tired of feeling pain . i know i will still be ill even if i lose all the weight that i need to lose but atleast heart health and bone health will be on my side. i was a much thinner in my younger years then at 25 everything went sour. i have been on and off regimes, diets and anything you want to call them. today i have decided that i am sick of being the fat girl on both sides of the family although they will not say it to my face i can feel them talking about me from across the room . well this is enough time to get my younger body back and to move on and live the rest of this life on the thin side. i am allowed to be a hot mother just like everyone else and believe me i am re-inventing myself and my body to fit in and to be happy with myself and everything else around me. i find life goes by so fast and i have already lost alot of time i can not get it back but i can sure well take advantage of the rest of my life on the this trail. this fat road is going to be gone and never come back. i will take the time to to say that i want to finish this year with atleast a fourty pound lost and i am sure that i will make it . with your style of eating i have already lost 20 pounds . with the next 20 pounds i will be under 200 and that has been an issue. i seem to sabotage myself every time i come close to 200. so i have decided to put the scale away for atleast two weeks and then try to weight myself or even better i will tell my husband to weigh me and then write it down and not show me. why do we have so much trouble at a certain weight. anyhow all this to say that the big girl in me ias going , going, gone for this new year. i promise to get to new years atleast 40 pounds lighter and to feel good about myself and everyone else around me.life will be so much easier.there is also another reason for doing this i have to teenage daughters and i am seeing the effects of all the damage i have caused for my girls. they where not eating properly and this was becoming a concern for one of my girls. they have been watching her at school because she has been starving herself because as smy mother would say they do not want to grow up to be fat and i understand that totally so if i make the change then they will have to follow my example ( i make the meals at home) and they are already getting healthier. i just want to take a few more minutes and thank-you for this great eating plan this is by far the easiest plan i have ever done or seen and i am very greatfull to you for helping me on this great voyage that i am about to undertake. so thank-you again mr. Venuto’s. your’s sylvie

I want to finish 2010 strong because I only have now to change mybody. Procastination is dangerous and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Better to start now and be closer to my goal than to stall till the beginning of 2011 when I would most likely be further away from my goal and probably lack the support and motivation of this contest.I want to start 2011 stronger so that I can push my body to new limits and see amazing transformation of my physique.

I have been on and off on training and use of good nutrition to keep in shape and eventually attain my goal weight. It is very important for me to finally nail this challenge both for health and sense of tangible achievement. I really must lose the excess weight to maintain good health and to forestall my hypertension from developing into something worse.I once attained goal weight but became too excited about it and let it slip away. I have been struggling to regain the motivation to keep going. Now is the time to go for the prize once and for all.

Finishing 2010 strong and starting 2011 stronger is a must for me because I do not believe in new years resolutions and I want to live a victorious life starting now !!

I’ve wIred 39 years why wait more? Waiting until the new year will make my weight loss even harder because guaranteed I will put more weight on over the festive season.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Because I am bored looking fat every time when I look at my self in a mirror. I always plan to burn my fat and look hot, but I have a problem of procrastination. If I don’t be strong this year, I will never do it next year also.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?Because I will be healthy, fit, and very happy in my life. I am very young, but I look like older. I am always embarrassed when people thought I was older when I tell them my age. So I want to look younger and happier.

So that i will reach my goal before new years and i will not need to make a new year’s resolution this year

I MUST finish this challenge because I’m sick of hanging on to jeans that I once fit into. And keep longing to fit into again. I don’t like what I see and feel when I get dressed in the morning. I’m tired of feeling guilty because I don’t get up and run in the morning. I hate my sausage arms, I want my defined arms back. I have to stay strong and healthy so I can reach my longevity goal of being a great grandmother. That’s assuming my kids, kids have kids, of course.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I work hard on my body but I don’t feel it well. I must fix my nutrition or I am doomed to be flabby forever.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I didn’t start 2011 on the right foot and wasted too much precious time focused on the negative and not the positives in my life. To cope, I ate and ate and skipped workouts. I cannot let this happen again.

I always thought the holidays were a poor time to work on a fitness goal – all the parties and junk food around all the time. Years I used that as an excuse. But that is just it – now is exactly the time! Make the change when it is hard and you will be all set for the rest of the year. It is the last chance to do it before 2010 is gone. Set the deadline for the end of the year and have at it!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I’ve had the worst year of my life financially in 2010 and have actually lost 16kg this year due to quite often not having enough money for food. So yeah I’ve proved that a reduced calorie intake works, laughs. As I have about another 60kg to lose, finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me to focus on PURPOSELY losing weight in a HEALTHY manner and to set next year up to be much better, by this year creating structure with regards to my eating and exercising habits.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I divorced 4 years ago and life has since been a struggle in far too many ways. In 2010 i commenced the diploma of graphic design and will finish at the end of 2011. I’ve lost 16kg this year – not on purpose – and believe that by setting myself up NOW to start 2011 off on the right foot, i can lose another 30-40kg by the end of 2011. This is a TOTAL MUST for me so that when i finish my studies, i will look like a normal sized person when applying for jobs. Starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for me as the results i achieve in 2011 will affect the quality of the rest of my life across more areas than just appearance!Big warm hugs for providing access online to such valuable information. Thanks.

I must start my journey today. I have to finish 2010 with a stronger leaner physique. Most people would laugh if they knew I used to be a competitive bodybuilder eight years ago. I was big and ripped. Those days are long behind me as I graduate college and entered the “real world”. Every year after college I have gotten fatter and fatter. I have wrecked my metabolism from yoyo dieting and am currently 230lbs with around 22% bodyfat. I cannot wait until January 2011 because I will be 5lbs heavier and a higher bodyfat. I will look at the holidays as my last chance to eat good food before my diet which really leads to gorging. I have been in this nasty cycle every year. This year will be different. After reading this article, I began to clean up my diet and even added cardio to my weight training regimen. I must be in the habit of fitness and allow myself a nice meal on Christmas without extending it into a weeklong binge. I can start the year leaner and stronger. I will start the year leaner and stronger. I will not binge and I will not put this off any longer. I am making a lifestyle commitment and I will return to my former physique.

simply enough: to get healthier (e.g. to not require statin pills anymore).

Next year I finished my PhD and turn 30. Right now I am stressed out, my body hurts, my running has become nonexistent and my self-esteem is low. I am tired of these feelings (emotionally and physically) and realize that I can’t let this degree. and my job, interfere with my health. I have made a leap of faith and am changing my career path drastically after I am done and want to do the same with my health. I went from running a half marathon this past March to barely being able to get a half mile in. Something is not right with that and I can’t just wait around till I am done in May and start thinking about my health then. It has to start now cause there will always be something getting in the way.So the 2010 holiday season is the best place to start. I am signed up for a 65 mile trek in Sweden next August to ring in my 30th and celebrate my doctorate and i want to be in peak physical and mental strength.

Finishing strong in 2010 is very important to me as I have been going strong since Feb and it is finally starting to pay off.Starting 2011 on the right foot will be easy with the 2010 challenge to keep me motivated.I turned 50 a weeks ago and am planning on this half century to be my fittest and happiest !

Finishing 2010 strong and Starting 2011 Right is an absolute must for me because I deeply love and accept myself and I am excited to see the many things I can achieve. I want to watch myself get into the best shape of my life for the best year of my life yet!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?This has been a year of growth for me. I’ve come into a new stage of life, with my “children” all becoming independant adults. I’m grandma now to 3 delightful children, and I want to be the “fun” grandma who plays, and is active, with them.I started the year strong, entering and finishing the first Holiday Challenge. I now have the time and energy to dedicate to the continuing self-improvement that I find so satisfying and empowering.

Finishing out 2010 for me is a new beginning to my life. After losing my job two years ago, and my father earlier this year, it was kind of easy to let myself go. I have had to make a career change and have been accepted into nursing school beginning in January 2011. I have to make great improvements quickly, because I am a firm believer that you lead by example. It became my goal after taking care of my father to help people. However, how can a person help someone else if they can’t help theirselves. It is time for change and this would give me great motivation to do so.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for me? Closing out 2010 in a healthy fashion will just carry over into 2011 for me. It is all about life changes. This is no quick fix, I realize that, and there are going to be some painful days, but that will just make me appreciate what I have done when i reach my goal. It is time for me to change my old habits and behaviors, for myself, my daughter, and also my career. I have totally lost all self confidence because of the weight I have put on over the years. I want my old personality back. I want the old David everybody loved back. More than anything I want to love myself again

I AM 1000% COMMITTED TO NOT ONLY ENDING 2010 STRONG, BEGINNING 2011 IN THE BEST HEALTH AND SHAPE OF MY LIFE, BUT CONTINUING TO EXCEED MY PERSONAL BEST EVERY FOLLOWING YEAR!!!!”What’s different now?” you may ask. I asked myself that very same question. What was limiting me from becoming my personal best, even from achieving the physical shape I had once been in? 6 years ago I had brain surgery to extract a tumor which left me with a seizure disorder. Doctors, family and friends warned me to be careful when exercising and to not exert myself. Not only did my self-limiting beliefs hold me back but the voices of everyone around me told me I could only go so far. In the subsequent years since my surgery, I have gradually found that not only does exercising the way I used to make me feel incredible, but better nutrition has decreased the frequency of seizures! This is why this is a MUST for me because discipline is paramount. My body MUST stay accustomed to the physical demands I place on it so that I don’t have seizures (even while on medication). My nutrition MUST stay on point in order to support my work in the gym, much more so than before the surgery. My goal is to eventually stop all medications and be in the best health and shape of my life!!! I MUST put all of those previous limiting beliefs behind me FOREVER!!!!! NOW IS MY TIME!!!!!!!

Wow!!! I love that pic of 2011 crashing down on 2010!!! Cause thats how I feel to come on real strong and start to take action right now instead of waiting till 1 january!!!!!Ending 2010 is a ASOLUTE must for me because this year for me was full of turmoil in a big way and despite of all the craziness that happend and is still happening, I want one thing to stick like it have never sticked before: my HEALTH Awareness! I also turned the big 4.0 this year and I make a promise to myself to start livin’ my best life! And be my authentic me for the very first time!I need to lose 25 kg. I want to lose 25 kg!!! More than ever before I’m determind like nobody’s business!!! Because I want to be in the fitness business so bad! I’m a late bloomer in finding my passion: Fitness and Wellness! I want to make people feel and look better in a way that they also start living their Best live!So to start 2011 on the right foot is indeed a TOTAL must because it is the start of my new life and career,my new REALITY!! And I know I’m going to be in better shape in the 1st week of 2011 than I’m now..I because this time I got my eyes deadset on the prize: healthier stronger sexier and more confindence than I ever was before and finally start livin’ my life the way its supposed to be all along! So I finally can make myself and my momma proud! Can you believe that?! A grown woman saying that?! ;-)Oh and I’m DONE being the queen of procrastination!!! My life has been onhold for way to long already! The couple of weeks we still have in 2010 I see as a headstart and right now I’m in the zone about 88%. Thats gotta be a 100% ofcourse so every help leading me in the right direction I’m going to grab with my both hands and will all my mighty!! peace X

Finishing strong in 2010 is an absolute must because it tells me that I made a change of life style to become fit and stay fit. It means that I made a commitment to really enjoy life and take the exercise and nutrition programs with the end result in mind which to stay healthy and strong. Using your comments and suggestions in Burn the Fat Newsletter is a means to an end for changing my life style.Starting 2011 on the right foot is a TOTAL MUST for me because I want my exercise and nutrition to be such a part of my life that I can go on to share this life style change with others. What I have learned in Burn The Fat News Letter has helped to solidify the life style changes that have worked for me. By starting off on the right foot I will be better to adapt to our changing environment and still maintain the same life style changes that are a part of me. Starting off on the right foot with the diet and exercises will keep me focused to overcome the huddles in our environment.I want to be in better shape the first week of January 2011 because my main focus is to enter a marathon in which I have never experienced. I would like to finish the marathon knowing that I went past my normal limits and for a brief moment I went beyond what I normally could accomplish.I must start today and not procrastinate because I have only this hour today to exercise and get in shape. I have only today to eat nutritious meals and get the rest I need to stay healthy. Today I must be the change I want to see happen.

Why is finishing 2010 strong an ABSOLUTE must for me?Because I won’t let down my team and at 37 I can’t possibly bear another year where one of my new years resolutions is “to get back on track”

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I still feel like I’m that same guy I was 20 years ago when I was in my 20s. But the mirror and 40lbs say that’s not so. I’m tired of not being able to do the things I could back then or wear the clothes.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I spent the first 54 years of my life trying to be thin. I finally managed it in 2010. It wasn’t a lot of weight but it was always there. I finally succeeded and now the challenge is to maintain it. I don’t want to go back. I’ve worked hard to get there and don’t want my efforts to go to waste. I need to make it through the holidays without going back to my old ways.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?If I don’t maintain on the strenght that I possessed for 2010 then all is lost so surging forward in constant maintenance is of ultimate importance to me. I am so happy that I have achieved what I’ve always wanted. It’s quite interesting that people who used to make comments about “extra” weight are now telling me to gain. They can’t make up their minds.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing 2010 strong is a must for me to build enduring momentum as I enter into 2011. Progress is beginning and I must hold onto and increase the energy that is coming at me.Two years ago, my husband were at our ideal weights and loved the way we looked. Unfortunately, other circumstances entered into life and our marriage took a downward spiral as we watched our bodies return to obese states.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?This IS the year! Nearly half of my life is over, I just turned 45, and I want to be fit, healthy and strong to live a more fulfilled life. Being healthy and happy with my physcial body clears the garbage to embrace the happiness I have reclaimed with my husband and I want to be engaged in all of life’s splendor! This is no longer something I am willing to just give lip service, it is action time.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing strong is an absolute must for me, because it prepares me for the incoming new year. Instead of making resolutions to be dropped 1 week afterwards, finishing the year strong will be like a jumpstart for me.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I have a birthday in February, with a goal to lose 25 pounds between now and that time. So I MUST start on the right foot in order to be successful.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I want to enter the year feeling healthier and stronger than ever before.And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution.As I stated in the first question, it jumpstarts me into the new year. No more false resolutions, but more like a continuation of forward movement—something started at the end of the year and completed in the beginning.

Tom, you want to know why finishing 2010 strong and starting 2011 on the right foot is a must for me and so I will tell you.I am a 215lb man hiding out in a 238lb suit. I am a man that runs 30 miles a week, who is only getting 5 to 18 in right now.I am a man that swims miles, whose 11 kids are almost faster than him in the pool. I am a fat burning muscle building Ironman who time has come. And when the suit is gone and the miles are all in I will be who I was meant to be.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because I want it to be a personal choice, rather than having it be imposed upon me by the consequenses of not choosing or choosing poorly! I don’t want to be sitting on the other side of a heart attack or stroke, looking back and saying “I wish I had made my health a MUST back then …”Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?Living right in 2011 is a TOTAL MUST because it is MY future, and MY future MUST include time for MY HEALTH. Period.

For me it’s not a MUST at all, actually. But I’m going to do it anyway.Thank you for reminding me that motivation isn’t in the planning, and that “will do this someday” just isn’t good enough.

Finishing 2010 in style (in better shape) is important for me. Here in Quebec winter is on our heels. Everyone changes their summer tires for winter ones. Well, my tire is around my waist (upper body). I’ve been through the summer tires, I’m wearing all-seasonal and the big Michelin tire is on it’s way! Being rolly-polly is not comical and having no control is even scarrier.That’s why I have recently , in the past weeks, signed up for weight loss and have confidence in shedding my tires for some firm and solid treads! Ready to face any challenges that life might offer me, like my dream trip south.Amy V.

Because I want to finish this year on the most positive of notes. Strong body, strong mind! No matter how challenging life gets if your fit you can handle it! Who doesn’t feel great inside when they look & feel great outside?? Life has been hard and challenging lately but I get out and do five miles or an hour of weights and my outlook changes. I love being fit and I want to bring that into 2011

For the last 10 years, I’ve started and stopped at least once and sometimes 2 – 3 times over the course of a year this program or that program and I’ve never been able to get to where I want to be physically… I’ve consistently flamed out, usually 3-4 weeks in … I’m 45 now and can’t believe this much time has gone by and I’m still sitting here with this body… I need to make this happen now… I have 2 young children and I want to be able to play with my grandkids someday… My career needs seismic change that requires energy and confidence… My relationship with my wife needs a romantic kick… call it a mid life crisis or just an awakening of some sort, but I need to maximize my health and body and I need to do it now… the timing of this contest couldn’t be better and I’ve never been so focused and enthused about a program and getting fit, in body and soul… simply, the time is now to make this happen!

I humbly admit that this is my third time to compete in this challenge. The past two I never finished due to injuries. Third time a charm to finally complete what I need to finish and this is another olive branch to do it. Keep your eye on me this time Tom I am going to finish strong.ThanksDiane d

Finishing 2010 strong is an “ABSOLUTE MUST” for me because I want to be a positive influence and role-model for my family. I want to encourage them to develop healthier eating habits and exercise more. I want to be the best person that I can be and I believe that mind, body and spirit are connected. This past year I have been on a journey to learn about living a cleaner lifestyle, and building healthier habits. Finishing out 2010 in control of myself, especially including my eating and exercise habits, will be the exclamation point on all I have accomplished this year.

Ending 2010 strong is important to me because I’ve finally realised that New Year’s Resolutions don’t actually make me any more likely to lose weight. I always say I’ll start on Monday or the 1stof the next month. Then I make the excuse that I’ll just eat whatever I want until that day.At 34 years old, I’m now over 300lb and 50% body fat. It’s time to finally get serious and take back control of my health. I have 4 children under 8 (2 with disabilities) who need to me to around and in good health so that I can look after them.I didn’t realise how selfish I have been by risking my health to eat whatever I want. My family deserve more and I would never forgive myself if I died and left them to pick up the pieces.So, I’m taking back control! I’m not waiting until Jan 1 but I’m taking back control right now. I’m going to start living life rather than watching it pass me by.

this is a must for me because i have been overweight since i was ten years old. i finally went from 200lbs to 150 shortly after graduating high school, only to gain it all back and then some by getting married and having one child after another after another.if i dont make a change now i will be obese forever.please help me Tom. I cannot do this on my own. tell me exactly what, how much ,and when to eat and exercise videos that i can follow along with you and I will be forever endebted and grateful for your help. thanks in advance,Karah.V

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Finishing 2010 STRONG is an absolute MUST for me because it is a continuation of my personal evolution this year. Last January, I started a journey to find me. I have removed myself from unhealthy relationships; I have started taking responsibility for me by taking care of myself rather than taking care of other people. I am investing in my future: emotionally, financially, and physically. Finishing 2010 strong is the perfect transition to a successful 2011.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?In 2011, I will be 60 years old. By my birthday in July, I will lose 50 pounds as well as four inches in my waist. I will also achieve a long-standing dream by participating in a full marathon over the summer of 2011. Therefore, starting 2011 is a total must for me.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I began my transformation journey about a year ago, as unhealthy lifestyle lead me to high blood pressure and a blown out knee. The “MUST” for me hit, as I realized if you don’t use it you are going to lose it. I have lost 30-40lbs (fell off for the last few months). This brings me to finishing what I started. I don’t like saying, “finishing what I started” because I will never be done. Rather continuing on the journey of living healthy. Finishing 2010 strong is a “Must” as staying committed will get me back and keep me feeling great physically and mentally.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?I just turned 30 and I’m going to roll into 2011 with a positive attitude and visible abs. Commitment to a healthy lifestyle will keep me focused, feeling great (physically and mentally), looking good, and the ability to lead by example. I will make 2011 my best year yet.

Ending 2010 strong and starting 2011 even better is an ABSOLUTE MUST because I’m not getting any younger. New Year’s resolutions are silly in view of the concept of “If not now, when?” I’m dedicated to doing what is right for me, and being an example to my husband. If I can (and WILL) do it, so can he. After all, I’ve always wanted to be an athlete–no time like the present. And when January rolls around I’ll be well on my way when everyone else is in the starting gate. There’s a marathon in my future, and a criterium, and a really neat Little Black Dress . . .Today is the Day! Bring on the Brave New World.

Ending 2010 and beginning 2011 in tip top shape is a all because: I MUST have ME back! But ME is going to be better than ever! I must believe in ME again. I must feel better about ME which in turn will help my family feel better about ME. This is all about ME! i know that sounds selfish, but my life has been about everyone but ME and now it’s my turn! I must and WILL turn my life around so that I can strut my stuff around in a bikini while running around playing with my kids and then going home to bed with my loving husband knowing that i am confident about ME and show him how much I love him without being ashamed of my body. I must believe again in ME!

Since starting my fitness “recovery” and journey I have reversed my signs of aging and early illnesses associated with being obese and sedentary. I am happy, more fit, and enjoying middle-age life. This transformation has translated into increased happiness for my family and friends. I go out more, I have stopped hiding from the world. I must finish strong and fit in 2010 to show others in my family and circle of friends that t is NEVER EVER too late to feel good about ourselves and improve our health.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I received a letter today. I was admonished for slacking off the last few weeks. Why had I returned to some of my old habits and let all of my hard work start dwindling away. That letter was from my conscience. My conscience won’t let me be a quitter. My conscience wants me to finish strong in 2010. My conscience wants me to be a winner. My conscience is why starting on the right foot in 2011 is a TOTAL MUST for me.

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?Well from April – July I only lost 8 lbs after having my 2nd child.From July 23rd to today I have lost exactly 44 lbs. I need to keep this momentum going because I still have a lot of weight to lose.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?If I keep going and improving, I can lose 100 lbs (or even more) within a year and I need a positive attitude for that, especially as someone who does not do well emotionally in the winter.What are the REASONS WHY you want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than you are today?I am 38 years old. I am currently 234 lbs (down from 278 which was my July 23, 2010 weight) and I have a baby who will be 1 on March 24, 2011.My son will be 9 in 2011. My step-daughter will be 11 in 2011 and the healthier I get, day by day is what will help keep me going so I can be a healthier and happier ME which makes me a better Mom and a better spouse.And, why MUST you do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution?”Because I already made the decision. On July 23, 2010 I said (paraphrasing from the movie “Network” that I was “fat as hell” and that I was not going to take it anymore!Forget New Year’s resolutions — it’s about daily re-affirmations that I am on the right path for a change for the rest of my life!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?I have been reading Tom’s Book Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle this year. I have been working out for 3 years, first at a health club, and then switching to my home gym in May of 2009. However, I wasn’t losing all the weight I wanted to lose. I lost 25 # initially, then hit a plateau. It becomes easy to give up when you can’t seem to lose the weight you want to lose.Well, everyone in my family – both parents (who are now dead) and 4 of 5 siblings have high blood pressure and diabetes. My mother died at age 46, from complications from high blood pressure and diabetes. So far, I do not have either, but it is only because I have always exercised and tried to watch what I eat.I realize that excess weight and eating the wrong foods is a huge health hazard. I see it in several of my siblings who have excess weight, heart problems, and are already paying the price in terms of health in their early 50s.I am trying to get my weight down so I don’t get any of these lifestyle diseases. I have slightly elevated cholesterol. So, I’m changing how I eat NOW – NOT waiting til Jan New Year’s Resolutions – so I can keep my health and live a longer and healthier life. Health is everything. You don’t always appreciate it until you no longer have it.I work with older people in my profession. They have taught me this: Nothing else matters. If you don’t have your health, all the money in the world doesn’t matter. You don’t have a quality life without good health.So, in addition to my daily workouts on either elliptical machine, or a long walk, I have added lots more vegetables to my daily food intake. I have cut out sugar, flour, and alcohol. I won’t be eating any of our traditional Thanksgiving “treats” except the lean meat, and the veggies.I plan to live a long and healthy life. And, if the process of getting me to my goal weight of 120 (and body fat in line with my weight) earned me a trip to Hawaii (my first), I would very much enjoy it. I have already lost 34 pounds from my own efforts. I have 50 more pounds to lose to be at goal, so lots more work to do!It would be a great bonus for all the effort I am making at preserving my health and trying to be a beacon of light and hope to others who need to work on their weight and their health. :)

Finishing 2010 STRONG is an ABSOLUTE MUST for me because:I REFUSE to go backwards ever again! I will NOT take my focus off burning fat and building muscle just because it is holiday season.I WILL NOT put back the fat I have worked so hard to lose.My eating and exercising habits are set, and I WILL NOT slip back into old bad lifestyle habits.I have spent 10 weeks establishing wonderful BFFM lifestyle habits that are working for me and AM STICKING to them.Starting 2011 on the right foot is a TOTAL MUST for me because:I have rebounded so often and do not want to feel disappointed in myself in the New Year – it is not a good way to start a year – it must start with a feeling of achievement and optimism to set the tone for the rest of the year.When you set a New Year’s resolution and plan to begin in January, it is too easy to find excuses to postpone starting with your resolution: January turns so quickly into February, then before you know it you are 6 months into the ‘new’ year, and you have not even started working on your New Year’s resolution…….. DO NOT PUT OFF ‘TILL TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY!The REASONS WHY I want to be in better shape the first week in January 2011 than I am today are:My New Year’s resolution is that I will be going bikini shopping in the first week of January as by then I WILL HAVE a great, sexy bikini body to put in one.I will reach the goals I have set. For 01 January 2011 that is 22% body fat and I am on track to reaching it.I will change my goals on 01 January 2011 (from purely fat loss as per BFFM) to building muscle and losing even more fat as per the ‘Holy Grail’ method.SUMMARY: For the last 8 years I have intermittently started ‘dieting’ and exercising, only to fall off the proverbial wagon.Winter after winter of hiding the ugly truth under large jerseys and elastic pants, I would face the beginning of each summer looking at myself in disgust, knowing that if I had stuck to the plan I would be looking slim and feeling healthy.The utter feeling of failure and low self esteem is a feeling I am determined I will NEVER feel again.I MUST do this NOW instead of being a procrastinator and waiting until January to make a New Year’s “resolution”, because this is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE, not a ‘once-a-year’ effort.“He who has a ‘WHY’ to live can bear almost any ‘HOW’.” – Friedrich NietzscheYours in health and fat loss, Danette Nel

why is it a must finish 2010 OBSOLUT because its my dream of achieving something important for life time not just for a short periond of time.why starting now is the right foot ? we always wait for the rigth time there is never a rigth time why not start now?why do i want to be better in january 2011 because i will be able to wear my bikinny to the beach not hiding with long hit shorts i will be a proud woman thaks to tom.wainting is one of the things i hate and by starting now will give me more energy for 2011 so that i will keep going for life.

Hi Tom,I am from South Africa Indian (remember where the World Cup was hosted). I am 51 years old, 1,52cm tall (shall I say short) and weigh 57kgs. I would say that I don’t have cellulite and have lots of muscle on my legs and some shaply muscle on my arms. However, my abs seems somewhat is some shape a bit I have loose belly fat which shake around when I walk – but is is not a lean section of my body. I even bought Mike Geary’s “truth about abs” e-book and have been trying it and haven’t seen any drastic change to my mid section yet.I am anxious and I am so motivated (I know myself compared to others) and eat healthy every day all my life – strictly least over the past 4 years, and I workout Mon to Friday. My friends and family says I look good, yeh, but I don’t think so. I can feel those rolls around my mid section everytime I sit – they are those disguisting ones.I am desperate to get that much closer if I had the tools – PLEASE help.RegardsDianne

Being strong inside and out – that is the true challenge. I am always struck by Before and After shots because in the ‘After’ shot the person is always smiling, looking happier in themselves. Perhaps this is the true accomplishment, and the outer self only reveals the inner breakthrough. Maybe we hide under fat, the way an animal hides when he is frightened, and when we feel braver and truer to ourselves, we are not afraid to show the world who we truly are and how strong we are. It’s just a theory, but I feel confident when my body is strong and faithful to me. When I go pear-shaped I feel it’s not me, and feels a little like my body betraying me … does this make sense to anyone else out there?

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?To regain my Self- respect. I feel such a hypocrite advising people on how to get their health back on track when i myself am overweight. I have been brow-beating myself too long – living on a 24/7 guilt trip, falling prey to a vicious cycle of false expectations and failures.. Your book from the very first chapter on goal-setting opened my eyes. that Finally, finally I CAN be IN control.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?It’s a TOTAL MUST for me, failure this time is NOT and option| I’m re-writing the scripts. So many things are at stake. I have 8 friends whose health are in danger due to TypeII diabetes and its life threatening complications, liver problems, coronary artery diseases. To a large degree they all look up to me for advice and health/nutrition counsel. I cannot give them what I do not have.So this time, I will be healthy and focused enough to inspire and give hope to others just as you’ve inspired and given me hope.

I have not gone online for a few days and just saw this. I absolutely must finish 2010 strong. My reasons are as follows: Living a full and healthy life is my mission. I must do this for myself and also for my 5 children. I need to be healthy and strong so that I can always be there for them to give proper guidance and direction and be a tower of strength for them. I must do this particularly because obesity runs in our family and I have taken the initiative to break the cycle. I am making the effort to be healthy physically and emotionally by eating right and exercising and living a healthy life. Previously, I use to be on diets all the time and of course they did not work because my weight was like a yo yo just up and down. Now thanks to you I have learnt the true way of keeping healthy. I must do this to be a living example to my children so that they will be encouraged and motivated to do the same. The next reason is that on January 6th I will be 49 years old and I am committed to living a healthy life and avoiding all the lifestyle diseases that usually plague older people. I ABSOLUTELY MUST END 2010 STRONG AND GO FORWARD INTO 2011 AND THE REST OF MY LIFE IN ABSOLUTELY GOOD HEALTH FOR MYSELF AND FAMILY.

I have procrastinated so long, and backslid so much that I’ve lost sight of myself!I just found my New Year’s Resolution from LAST YEAR! and guess what?! I weigh 3 lbs. more than I did on Jan. 1st, 2010 :( Dammit!I refuse to wait until after the holiday to get back on track, but I need some help!I have been a member before, but do not have the extra money in my budget for the holidays to join right now.I will get back to the gym today, and clean out the cupboards, but being in the ‘inner circle’ with a chance to win some great prizes and recognition would really be a bonus to motivate my butt off the couch!I did buy the first edition of your book, but it is at home in my closet and I am on the road until Dec. 4th, so could use access to the ‘inner circle’ to stay on the right track and refresh my memory!I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT!Hoping to hear from you soon!On the road to success!

I’ve worked out my entire life and had a natural 15% body fat. Now, I haven’t “really” worked out in quote a while. I had shoulder surgery in April and have been very limited in what I could do. The surgeon said no exercise for three months; not even a treadmill since I had a tramatic injury and then surgery. Well, I can work out now and need to get back in shape. My body fat percentage is up and I’m tired of not looking like the old me. I need a body transformation!!

I must finish strong, because I need to lower my cholesterol with the fat loss, be stronger to handle the dogs at the Woods Humane Society (I am a volunteer there), and because health is important to me. I am an RN and I want to represent good health and a strong body. I have had several surgeries in the past which resulted in not being able to keep in shape with recoveries and I want to build back up again. I used to be so in shape and I want to be there again! And I want a trip to Maui. Never have been there, and my goal is to visit places I have never been.

It is important for me to finish 2010 strong because I am overweight and have type II diabetes… and I am the mother of 3 young boys that I love dearly. I need to be alive to watch them grow and help them become healthy young men.

I MUST get fit in 2010 to save my marriage. I’ve gained 50lbs over the past 3 years and we all know what that can do to a womans self esteem. I’ve only been married 1.5years. And we all know how LOW self esteem can affect one’s entire personality. The person I was 3 years ago is gone. I can’t get her back until I am once again happy with myself. I feel like a failure since I fail at every diet and workout regemine I try. I can see the difference in the way my husband looks at me. I WILL get back to being fit for ME, and only me, BUT I also realize the positive impact it will have on my marriage. Our relationship in the bedroom has suffered the most.. .I don’t want him looking at me, touching me.. that is not good for a newy wed couple to go through :( I have to take cotrol of my life again. By trying to show my husband what a good cook I am, I have become someone I said I would NEVER become.. which is an overweight, insecure woman who doesn’t want to leave my house for fear I will run into someone I know who won’t recognize me due to the weight I’ve gained.

I am 47 and quite fit and strong but I have put on 40-50 pounds after going through menopause and being on anti depressants. I have quit the drugs but am really struggling with my weight still. I am determined to try to resolve this issue this year as my self esteem is being effected by this.

Hope i’m not too late with a post! I’m in my early teens, roughly 40 pounds heavier than some of my friends, however i am taller & fitter than them. Already lost about 10 kilos, but now it’s become a must in my life to loose weight because i want to feel good about myself. I don’t want to feel self-consious anymore. Also i would like to get rid of all of my fat while i’m young, so that when i’m older i won’t have any problems & so that i can enjoy my childhood. For ages i’ve been looking for some break through of fat loss other than just exercize 24/7, that’s because i have like 5 major exams every 2 months, & it’s constant revision. So i don’t have as much time to exercise. I don’tknow if burn the fat will help me or not, but if I do get a chance to try it, it would be really nice to at least have the satisfaction of knowing that i tried something else. But i think i’ll just stick with running with the school, or so my parents tell me to do! mel.

Beginning the year as STRONG as possible is a MUST for me because I’m a goalkeeper in a youth team from a first division soccer club in Ecuador. I’m currently the 2nd choice goalkeeper, meaning that I’m a substitute.I’ve been waiting the whole year to play more games, but it seems to me that I have to get my physique to a greater level and finally get the first goalkeeping spot from the first choice goalkeeper.Now, 2011 is near, and im DESPERATE to completely change my body. I have a lot of time, specially since I study by distance (internet school) and there is soccer vacation though out december because the tournament just finished.I can actually put the stuff at work, and I keep consistency. Visualization and mind power is key too, and I’m ready to take action.

I am a 5’5″ female and weigh 153 lbs. Last January, I started a weight loss plan and lost 38 lbs. Changing my eating habits and increasing my exercise have been mandatory for keeping the weight off. I would like to lose 10-15 more lbs. and find out what the perfect weight for me feels like. I have more energy and feel better than when I was heavier. I walk, jog and use a gym. Taking control of my body and looking my best is important to me. Improving my body will improve my health and make me a happier person.

Growing up I always learned to finish what I started.2010 is almost over but in the last few weeks anything can happen.I want to push my limits and see my goal in 2011.The best thing is to strive to see what you did not accomplishthis year and to finish them the next year.Nutrition, fitness, health… these are very important but what reallycounts is believing in yourself and finishing strong.-Thanks for everything this year Tom!

Why is finishing 2010 STRONG an ABSOLUTE MUST for you?To finish 2010 is a must because I’ve worked hard in transforming my body from 19% bodyfat down to 12% bodyfat and the holidays are the toughest time to remain dedicated to the diet.Why is starting 2011 on the right foot a TOTAL MUST for you?To start 2011 on the right foot will help me to accomplish my goals of maintaining the muscle I’ve built and continuing to reduce my bodyfat %. I would like to get down to the single digits for bodyfat or at least 10% without losing muscle mass. I know it can be done and I need to start off on the right foot.