20 Worst Foods in America

I am going to let you in on a secret...


America is not leading the world in obesity, overweight people anymore
We definitely have the largest amount of obese teenagers, but...

Other countries have taken the lead with total obese people and other countries are quickly catching up

Here are 20 reasons why Americans are some of the fattest people on the planet -- and you just gotta laugh

Some of these meals have more calories than what some people eat ALL day long!

There is much more to successful fat loss than how many calories you take in -- the quality of those calories is more important, but even more importantly, the real question to ask is WHY are you eating whatever it is that you are eating?!?!

This article is pretty funny...check it out

20 Worst Foods in America

The most Important Nutrition Study ever done

Do you want to know what many experts consider to be the most important study on nutrition ever done?

Click on the link below to watch a short story on you tube, but you may want to understand the reasons first:

It was the only study ever done to compare different cultures around the globe.
It was the only study ever done to compare the effects of industrialized, processed foods compared to organic, whole foods diet within the same people.
It discusses the first stages of degenerative diseases.
It also shows you some of the healthiest Nations in the world.
It is also the basis for biochemical individualization of nutrition - in other words, this study was the first and foremost study ever to demonstrate the importance of eating according to your unique Metabolic Type.
See a short video about this study HERE

Why don't the French get FAT?

Why don't the French get Fat dammit!?!

I am going to tell you why French people dont get fat
It has to do with their mindset
Mindset is what my upcoming book Fat Loss Psychology is all about

Your mindset is your thoughts, attitudes, beliefs and strategies about how you see and live in this world
mindset is also the number one reason people are unhealthy and why 98% of dieters 'fail'

I will tell you why in a minute - but I am also going to let you in on a secret that might be more important:

Being skinny does not equal being healthy
In fact, being skinny or thin can be very unhealthy

I know lots of people who use extreme methods to get skinny
These methods are promoted in the media
People try these methods because they are popular

The first lesson I teach in my book is FOCUS
Instead of focusing on getting skinny
I suggest something much more empowering - focus is on getting healthy

WHY?
You cannot lose weight to get healthy - You must get healthy in order to lose weight
A simple sift in focus can have profound effects

Now, on to the French...

There are several reasons why they are not as fat as Americans

First they eat more whole foods
Food, in general, in Europe is not as processed as it is in the US
Second, they eat more saturated fats
Third, they enjoy life and are not driven by fear & stress like Americans typically are
Finally, their Mindset!
They use internal cues - such as no longer feeling hungry to stop eating,
reports a new study from Cornell University. Americans tend to use external cues -
such as whether their plate is clean, they have run out of their beverage or
the TV show they're watching is over.

The reason they are not as fat as Americans lies in mainly in their mindset

However, if you are eating non-foods that are grown with synthetic pesticides or have
artificial ingredients you will find it difficult to know when you are done.
The brain has an appestat control system that lets you know when you are done.
The more distracted you are (TV, etc) or the more intoxicated you are (alcohol, food allergies) and the more junk foods you eat,
the more difficult it is for your body to function and your brain to get its signals.

I teach my clients to pay attention and be present when eating.
Having an 'attitude of food gratitude' will help you enjoy and digest your food better
Dont watch TV when eating
Chew your food well
Dont drink when eating

Simple tips = profound results.

Antonio

Best Supplement Ever!

...if you are coming from one of my newsletters...I pasted the links at the bottom of this post.


Here it is

My favorite supplement for burning fat, eliminating PMS and doing SO MUCH MORE!
There are tons of other benefits!
You would have to be a fool (or a vegan) not to use this food.

Here are some of the benefits found in this powerhouse food or supplement:

Improves overall health
Protection against heart disease, depression, bipolar disease, ADD / ADHD, alcoholism,
postpartum depression, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes & arthritis
Promotes optimal LDL to HDL cholesterol ratio
Promotes cellular integrity
Supports energy levels, concentration & mental acuity
Helps promote healthy pregnancy
Maintains normal blood sugar levels
Helps keep tissues & joints healthy
Fights free radical damage

What is it?
Omega 3 fats

The best source of these essential fats is from fish. I generally promote the use of the oil as a
supplement as opposed to eating fish because the oceans have become so polluted and most fish have
heavy metals, petrochemicals and other poisons....sad, but true.

If you want to learn more, check out:
http://www.sas.org.uk/

www.gotmercury.org


I generally prefer cod liver oil because it also has vitamins A & D


Living in NYC and not seeing the sun for the past 6 months can make you a little cranky. So vitamin D is crucial for optimal health & mood and has these benefits:

Essential for a strong skeletal system
Helps regulate blood levels of calcium and phosphorus
Promotes bone formation and mineralization
Regulates cellular integrity
Promotes healthy immune function
Plays a role in healthy blood sugar levels
Improves mood
Promotes a healthy heart
Helps regulate proper body weight
Helps maintain a healthy reproductive system
Promotes healthy tissue
Helps contribute to an overall sense of well-being


Here are some benefits of Vitamin A:


Helps maintain healthy vision
Promotes healthy thyroid function
Promotes a healthy immune function
Keeps mucous membranes healthy
Promotes normal inflammatory response


The liquid form is superior to capsules
Certain brands are superior to others

For all my readers outside the USA, you may have to do some research.
The brands I get and recommend to my clients are:

www.drrons.com

Dr Ron's is the highest quality product on the market
Dr Ron's also comes as a liquid with a butter oil and cinnamon and it actually taste like candy!
I am not kidding!

www.carlsonlabs.com

Carlson's cod liver oil is exceptional in quality and purity


What about Flax Seed Oil?

Just to clarify a common misconception - flax seed oil is an inferior form of
Omega 3 because you may be getting rancid oil and most people cannot convert
the ALA into DHA and EPA which are the main benefits of fish oil.


There it is folks!
Feel free to email me any fish oil brands you find outside the US and I'll do my best to research the company.
Have a great weekend and talk to you next week

peace
Antonio

Ready for the Beach?

Are you Ready for the Beach?

Spring time officially started last week and that means 2 things here in NYC:

1) It's still cold, so be patient :-( but you can get excited and start planning! :-)

2) Get the shorts and bikinis out NOW and get ready to hit the beach! Woohoo!!!!


Have you followed the advice in my newsletters?

I get feedback every week from my subscribers and the ones that have followed my tips are getting amazing results.

Here are my top 10 tips to get your beach body now:

1) Eat 4-6 times per day - NO MATTER WHAT!

2) Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day - spaced out in between your meals!

3) Have a very clear reason WHY you want to get in shape and create a new, lean sexy body.

4) The way to stick to your fat loss goals - and not fall off the wagon - is to KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE WHY!

5) Keep your WHY on an index card, business card, document on your desktop or in a folder and have it on hand all day long.

6) Visualize your new lean, energetic, sexy body at least twice a day.

7) Make a vision board of the life you are creating and update it often. Have much more than just your body, add all elements of a healthy, fulfilling life to your board - including material items you want (car, clothing, surfboard, etc), spiritual, social, financial, personal, relaionship and your ideal career.

8) Make a plan! How will you create this life? Start with the top 7 steps to get it done!

9) Take action every day - from your top 7 action steps - from exercising, shopping, and spending time with people who support you and share the same values.

10) Appreciate what is working in your life and practice an attitude of gratitude. I coach people in stress management and one of the most important techniques I teach is not only how to cope with challeneges in life, but how to cope with the blessings in life: Count your blessings!

Yes, these are simple tips.

Some of them might be blatantly obvious.

Often, the simple and obvious tips are the most effective.

Don't get caught up in all the details, and don't focus on what you don't want - simply look at the big picture and create a vision for the life you are creating.

Count your blessings and go out and kick ass today!

I have a fr.ee tele-seminar coming up with the author of The Diet Solution so stay tuned....

Yours in Health

Antonio

Professional Stress Crusher
www.BurnSports.com

Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink...

What to do about drinking water?

I recommend drinking bottled water from European or other remote lands far away from the U.S. as the cleanest sources of water.
Try to find glass bottles, if you can.

Why?

There are no clean water sources in the U.S.
Glass bottles are healthier, not only for the environment but also for your health.

Plastic bottles leach fake estrogens and other harmful particles (that don't belong in our bodies) into the water and there are serious health problems that arise from this. The longer the water sits in plastic, especially with the heat involved in shipping, the worse it is for you.

Why expensive European brands?

The quality is better and they spend less time in the bottles in shipping and on shelves and therefore are generally healthier.

You can also look into in-home water filtration systems, but they also present some difficulties and some of them waste a lot of water in the process as well.

OMG - But what about the environmental cost of importing something that's available here and plastics are not good for the environment!!!

Remember this -- there is an environmental issue with EVERYTHING you eat, drink or purchase!

So I suggest you make wise decisions that create health for you and the planet. Honestly, how much can you contribute to this planet when your sick and tired from drinking crappy water?

If you sacrifice your health to save the environment, you end up with a healthy planet and sick people.
Why not recycle and save yourself and the planet?

You are the most valuable component to this planet & environment.

The health of the planet is a reflection of its people's health.

When you are healthy, you set an example for others to follow.

So by taking responsibility for your own health, you can do a lot more for the planet than you can when you drink tap water that is full of parasites, heavy metals, PCB's, industrial waste, sewage, petro-chemicals and not to mention the massive quantities of pharmaceuticals that your Brita filter just can't clean.
Three final notes --

1 - Don't be fooled by Dasani or Aquafina - they are made by Coke and Pepsi and are nothing more than toilet water.

2 - If you can't afford bottled water, then get a better job. Seriously, if you can not afford to be healthy, your job sucks. Life is not meant to be a struggle, so get clear on your dreams and using a smart plan, follow them diligently with all your heart & soul, and the money will come. You can do more for this planet the more money you have.

3 - In case you run up against a trendy, neurotic GREEN co-worker who is self-righteous and makes passive aggressive comments about drinking bottled water, remember this --

...their Gap jeans and Nike shoes were made in sweatshops in third world countries where underage and underpaid 'employees' are being exploited

...their Starbucks liquid crack is draining their hormonal system, making them irritable and unable to reproduce and those supersized cups can't be recycled anyway

...their junk food diet is being manufactured by mega-corporate giants who are selling addictive foods and harmful chemicals to children

....the alcohol they drink is a massive waste of natural resources

....and last year when they didn't give a damn about the environment, you were already working out, eating organic and saving the environment....you get the point.

Keep an eye out for new developments in water filtration systems.
Drink clean water & eat organic food from small, local farms and you can do more for the environment when you are healthier.

peace

Antonio

Drugs in Your Drinking Water

Would you like drugs with your drinking water?

You may have heard about this by now, but it's something everyone needs to know about.

A wide variety of pharmaceutical drugs have been found in drinking water supplies across the U.S in 24 major metropolitan areas - from Southern California to New York, Philly, Detroit and Louisville...to name a few.

The Associated Press completed an extensive research project and surveyed the nation's 50 largest cities and here is what they came up with:

* Officials in Philadelphia said testing there discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in treated drinking water, including medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems. Sixty-three pharmaceuticals or byproducts were found in the city's watersheds.

* Anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety medications were detected in a portion of the treated drinking water for 18.5 million people in Southern California.

* Researchers found metabolized angina medicine and the mood-stabilizers in drinking water from a water treatment plant Northern New Jersey which serves 850,000 people.

* A sex hormone was detected in San Francisco's drinking water.

* The drinking water for Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas tested positive for six pharmaceuticals.

* Three medications, including an antibiotic, were found in drinking water supplied to Tucson, Ariz.

* How about New York City which has a reputation for the best drinking water in the country? They found trace concentrations of 16 medications including heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, anti-convulsants, a mood stabilizer and a tranquilizer.

This is just a small portion of the reports findings.


How do drugs end up in our water?

Simple, they pass through the body and end up in your toilet, which eventually ends up back into your drinking water.

Awesome! ;)

I don't know about you, but I'm not drinking that kind of water. I would imagine that you feel the same way.

And let's not forget chlorine and fluoride. Do a little research yourself and you may be surprised what you find. There's evidence that adding chlorine makes some pharmaceuticals more toxic.

If you know me, you know I have been saying this for years and it's finally hitting the mainstream.

So what's the solution for drinking water?

* Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day.

* Don't drink tap water. Drink clean, spring water from European sources, in glass bottles if you can.

* If you can't get clean spring water, then add a tiny pinch of Celtic Sea Salt to your water bottles.

Now, I know some people are going to whine about how plastic bottles are not good for the environment - and anything being shipped overseas is a waste of natural resources.

So just wait until Wednesday for my next newsletter covering these specific environmental issues that everyone 'going green' needs to hear.

Until next time, don't drink toilet water and talk soon

5 Steps to Success

I know it's been awhile since my last newsletter.


The reason is that I have been super busy with all my amazing clients and I am finishing up my book Fat Loss Psychology.

Just so you know, I am also working on a multi-media cook book. It's going to be really cool!

Here are your top 5 Secrets to Success in Health, Fitness and Permanent Fat Loss.

1. Planning & Preparation - You must plan your shopping, food prep and cooking. You may want to cook for 2-3 meals at a time. You don't have to become Bravo's Top Chef, but you also don't want to be Chef Boyardee. If you want success, take responsibility by planning your shopping, prep and cooking times, or hire a personal chef.

2. Planning your Workouts in advance. It's simple. Go to Outlook or your Daily Planner now and block out the days and times you WILL workout. Don't try to 'find' the time - 'make' the time and it will happen. Workout with friends or get outdoors with family and friends and go hiking or play at the beach.

3. Managing your Self. You can't manage your health until you can manage your self. Also, you can't manage time, but you can manage your energy and your schedule. How much time do you spend alone quieting your mind? Do you practice some form of meditation or prayer? Do you visualize the health, vitality and the sculpted body you are creating? Managing your self involves planning your life - your ideal life that you would love to live. It also involves managing your energy, your workouts, your eating, your weekends, your vacations and who you spend time with. This is a critical step to having a healthy, fulfilling life.

4. Eat 4 - 6 times each day - NO MATTER WHAT. The most common reasons people are overweight, unhealthy, depressed and can't stick to their goals is because they skip meals. You cannot lose fat, get healthy or improve your health & energy levels if you skip meals - so eat often.

5. Pay Attention! Every meal and exercise session will produce physical and mental/emotional response. The food you eat becomes your hormones. Your hormones are your emotions. You cannot manage your health until you can manage your emotions. Eat fresh, whole organic foods and notice what meals do to you afterwards. Do you get craggy, sleepy and have mood swings? Do you feel focused, centered with balanced emotions and have good mental clarity and energy for 3-4 hours?

Many people are desperately searching and mistakenly believe 'the answer' to looking and feeling good is losing weight. This may be popular, but it's totally false.

The majority of people who lose w.e.i.g.h.t, do it using very unhealthy methods that have devastating effects on the metabolism. In fact, 98% of those people gain it back and have now damaged their metabolism.

'Losing w.e.i.g.h.t' and looking good happen when you do the right thing and take responsibility for your life and improve your health.

Feeling good comes from having clarity and a balanced perspective, setting & achieving specific goals and living from your heart. It is impossible to have that when you eat crappy foods, skip meals and do excessive amounts of cardio.

Follow these 5 simple tips and consider yourself successful.

Are Your Beauty Products Making You Fat?

The world 'organic' is not carefully regulated on personal skincare and beauty products like it is used on food.

These days, because government policy is heavily influenced by food manufacturing industries, the only way to know what you are truly getting is to do a little research into the companies you purchase to see if they are truly organic.

If you want to be healthy and lose fat, eating organic and using organic skincare products is essential.

Why?

Your body stores toxins in fat.

If your skincare products do not have the green USDA label on it, your products most likely contain synthetic ingredients (toxins) that are making you fat, tired and may cause serious damage to your reproductive system as well as give you cancer.

Government, industry and academic studies consistently show that ingredients in common skincare products are linked to cancer, developmental /reproductive toxicity, alleriges & other immunotoxic issues, neurotoxic (poisonous to the brain), endocrine disruptors (damage your homronal system), persistant and bio-accumulation, organ system toxicity, skin/eye/lung irritation and may have other contamination issues.

There are huge loopholes in the public health laws governing these industries that allow manufacturers to include toxic ingredients and not list them, including those which are illegal and well known to be toxic and carcinogenic - even things like lead, mercury, and placenta.

Commercially produced skincare, frangrances and 'beauty' products may be destroying your health and your ability to lose weight and get pregnant.

The avergae American woman actually ingests (eats) about 5 lbs of make up through her skin each year. The popular saying 'You Are What You Eat' takes on a whole new meaning here, doesn't it?

If you want to be healthy, lose fat, improve your mood, brain chemistry and prevent disease - go organic. Not just in your food, but in your skincare and beauty products.

Here is a list of websites with REAL healthy, organic products that are safe for you, your baby and our planet.

www.iamapeacekeeper.com
www.safecosmetics.org
www.store.annabellina.com
www.greenproductsalliance.com
www.aubrey-organics.com
www.bestorganicsforhealth.com
www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org - click on Cosmetics Companies and Breast Cancer
www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
www.ewg.org
www.organicconsumers.org
www.mercola.com

Remember, if you want to be successful in health, fitness and permanent fat loss - you need 3 things:
The Right Nutrition
The Right Exercise
The Right Mindset

Part of having the right mindset is knowledge. Knowledge of the companies you are supporting and making sure that the stuff you put on your skin and in your body are naturally pure, free from harmful chemicals that will disrupt your hormomal system's ability to burn fat and be healthy.

Happy shopping!
Antonio

Fitness Inspiration #2 - Must See!

Fitness Inspiration

Bloating and Gas and Farting - Oh My!

You giggle about it with friends, but you would never do it on a date.
You can’t stand it when your fiancé does it, but…

Would you like to know what causes gas, bloating & farting?

More importantly, would you like to know how to stop it????


FOOD SENSITIVITY
Flatulence, a.k.a farting (go ahead say it! You know it’s funny!) is one of the best indicators of food sensitivities / intolerance.

Some flatulence (flatus, wind or gas) is a normal once in a while. It's a product of all mammals’ digestive process; if you have a dog then you know what I mean. It’s basically methane - a colorless, odorless gas – that should pass easily, should not feel hot or stink up the place!

If you feel pressure or heat, or if you are constantly making jokes about your boyfriends’ Dutch oven, this may be a sign of not digesting certain foods properly and that slowly damages the digestive system. Gaining weight will happen, but is the least of your worries in this case.

Keep a food journal and notice what happens immediately and for 2-3 hours after you eat. Look for bloating, gas, farting, mood swings, acne and fatigue.

You'll be doing yourself a favor and, more importantly, you can avoid possible serious health risks if you want to be lean, have children and live a long and fulfilling life.

FIBER
Some people suggest 20 to 40 grams of fiber daily are an essential part of a healthy diet! But as I discuss in my BLOG – this ONE SIZE FITS ALL approach to eating doesn’t work. Some people may need more, some people less.

Many people over 35 have digestive systems that are simply too weak to digest raw vegetables. Yes, some fruits & vegetables should be eaten raw, but until your inner ecosystem is healthy, you may have trouble digesting raw vegetables.

I suggest lightly cooking vegetables by baking, simmering, sautéing or lightly steaming them to make them more digestible. You can also use butter or coconut oil to make them more nutritious and delicious.

DYSFUNCTIONAL DIGESTION
Most people over 35 have a dysfunctional digestive system. Years of dieting, diet sodas, coffee, sugar, unmanaged stress and artificial/synthetic ingredients in processed foods have damaged their metabolism.


I have most of my clients over 35 take a Digestive Enzyme until we figure out exactly what’s going on. My favorite is Support Digestion from www.BioMatrixOne.com


GLUTEN INTOLERANCE
Gluten is the protein found in most grains except buckwheat, millet, rice and corn. Gluten intolerance is very common and found most frequently in people with Irish, English, Scottish, Scandinavian, Northern European and Eastern European backgrounds.

The best way to discover if you are intolerant, is to cut out breads, pasta's and all grains for 2-3 months. After 90 days add a small of gluten back into your diet. If you show any signs and symptoms, then you are gluten intolerant.

If you cut out grains and processed carbs for just a few weeks, YOU WILL LOSE FAT - since all carbs are sugars!

If you really want to eat grains, you can purchase gluten free products (breads, rice pasta's, bars, crackers, etc) from Whole Foods.

You can visit websites such as these to order gluten free products online.
www.glutenfree-supermarket.com
www.glutenfreeda.com
www.foodchoices.com

4 Unhealthy 'Health' Foods

I meet LOTS of women in NYC who tell me they want to get in shape, lose body fat and look & feel fabulous.

Many of them are really excited to tell me about their diet and exercise routines and say things like 'this works for me' or 'I love it.'

I have yet to figure out WHY they are meeting with me in the first place if what they are doing is 'working so well' or they 'love it' so much.

The truth is this - the dark circles under the eyes, fatigue, late afternoon energy drop, coffee addiction & sugar cravings, bloating and excess bodyfat tell me a different story.

Just because something is popular in magazines, gyms or on TV does not mean that is true, that it works or that it is HEALTHY.

Here are 4 'health food' myths that are very popular right now in New York City that are anything but 'healthy.'


1 - RAW FOOD DIETS - Yes, its popular and no it is not natural, sustainable or healthy. Plan on skiiing this year? What about a trip to Costa Rica? Visiting family in Illinois or Florida? Other than fruits, vegetables and some nuts, you won't have much luck finding raw foods restaurants anywhere except Manhattan or LA.

It is very important to have raw foods in your diet, including fruits and certain vegetables. However, there is insufficient protein and saturated fat to make raw foods a healthy diet for any human being. The idea that saturated fat is bad for you or clogs your arteries is completely false and not supported by any real science and I discuss this in my f.r.e.e report www.12FatLossSecrets.com.

Since raw foods are heavy in calories (loaded with nuts & coconut), one small desert can pack on the pounds. If you have a sweet tooth, these are better desert choices, but you'll have to plan your meal accordingly.

I love Pure Food and Wine take out, as an addition to my main course and only once in awhile.

The premise of the raw foods philsosophy is that raw foods are 'alkaline' and becoming too 'acidic' makes you sick and diseased. They say that eating meat or cooked foods makes you 'acidic.'

What they don't understand is that exercise also makes you 'acidic.'

So if you the 'alkalinize or die' motto were true, all my female clients who are lean & strong, yet still maintain a beautiful feminine aesthetic with excellent posture and have an abundance of energy - would have died a long time ago from all the squatting, interval training or med ball conditioning that we do.

Also, there are cultures around the world, who live healthy, robust and long lives and are free from cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other self-induced diseases adn they eat plenty of meat - including raw meat and organ meats.

The idea that any one food acts the same in all people is ignorance. This 'one size fits all' approach to eating is DEAD.

Don't fall for it. Get my report or go to www.mercola.com and sign up for his newsletter to learn what works and what doesn't work for women's nutrition.

2 - WHOLE GRAINS - Yes, whole grains are better than refined, processed grains, but they are still not healthy. If you compressed human history into one year, we have only been eating grains for about one day. The human being is not designed to eat grains and all you have to do is look at your co-workers to see who eats the most grains and who eats the least and you will see the difference.

This is a popular myth that causes many women to have skin problems, bloating and excess body fat. The bottom line is this - grains are carbs. All carbs are sugar. Reduce grains and you reduce sugar in your diet. What does that mean? You will lose more body fat, stabilize your blood sugar levels & mood, improve your health and prevent disease.

I suggest my new clients avoid grains except for millet, buckwheat and starchy carbs like brown rice & corn. Since 75% of the poppulation is sensitive to gluten (the protein in grains) grains are best left alone to the rest of America who is addicted to sugars.

3 - Dairy Products - Although yogurt is popular and your OBGYN may have suggested it for its active cultures(aka probiotics), pastuerized dairy is anything but healthy and may be causing your skin issues and bloating and make it difficult to lose that last 5 pounds.

Simply put - commercial dairy products contain hormones, antibiotics and pesticides from their feed. Commercial dairy cows are fed grains, not grass, like they are designed to. This changes the composition of the fats, especially the CLA content.

Here is an excerpt from Sally Fallon, author of my favorite cookbook 'Nourishing Traditions':

'Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

Calves fed pasteurized milk die before maturity.'

You can get better quality probiotics whi I highly recomend from www.mercola.com or www.vsl3.com

Do your body good by finding raw milk in your area or just don't touch it. Look up www.realmilk.com

NOTE - even people who cannot tolerate dairy generally can eat butter. I recomend butter to everyone.

If you want to learn the importance of butter and see why pasteurized dairy products are crap, go to www.westonaprice.org to learn more.


4 - Cliff Bars or other junk food 'health' food bars -
Here is where raw foods comes in handy. Raw food bars are the only healthy bars on the market and the most popular bars are usually the worst, especially Cliff bars, Power bars and Balance bars. These 'energy' or 'protein' bars that you find at Whole Foods are full of sugars, grains and synthetic, processed dairy products and other ingredients and require MORE ENERGY TO PROCESS than teh actual energy they deliver. Thats one of the problems. The bloating and farting is another.

What does that mean to people who love these bars?

It means you will have to eat real food and plan your meals if you really want to be successful and lose fat, get fit and live a healthy and inspired life.

Making some of these changes may seem difficult if you are just starting out, but go back to the previous posts about Planning Your Success and everything will work out for the best. I promise.

Peace
Antonio

7 Pieces to the Fitness & Fat Loss Puzzle

There are 7 pieces to the health, fitness and fat loss puzzle
It's not just about exercise
Its not just about eating

A truly holistic, or whole person approach to health, fitnes and fat loss involves
understanding and managing:

1 - Mindset - your thoughts, attitudes, beliefs and strategies about life.
This includes your goals and balancing emotions. Not managing your mindet is like letting
monkeys run wild in your office. When you have a clear Vision... set goals to achieve your
vision....stay focused and enjoy the process of your creating your Vision...understand
that everyone and everything has a purpose in your journey and every event is designed to
keep you on track to your Vision so you can live the life you deserve.
It might not be popular, but it is essential for a healthy, fit and inspired life.

2 - Breath - breathing sits at the top of the health totem pole. Learning how to breathe
properly is necessary for a strong metabolism.

3 - Eating - boils down to 2 things: quality & quantity. Awareness of how food makes you
feel is the first step to success. Everybody is unique and discovering
what works best for you is part of the journey. Each person tolerates carbs differently and
requires differnt amounts of fat and protein - discover what works best for you or refer
back to my last email to get Paul Chek's book so you can learn right away.

4 - Exercise - again, this is individualized. The more stress one has, the less cardio and
strength training needed. The more sress, the more mind-body and restorative work
should be done. The less stress, the more strength training the body can handle.
You can get great results with a 'less is more' approach when you learn a few intelligent
exercises.

5 - Hydration - simply put - drink half your body weight in ounces of clean water per day.

6 - Rest - 'wind down' before hitting the sack and do your best to get to bed by 10:30 pm.
TV stimulates your nervous and hormonal systemsand thats not conducive for fat loss or
health & vitality.

7 - Stress Management - unmanaged stress produces cortisol which makes you fat, tired and
age prematurely. It is associated with almost every disease known. There are 6 types of
stress and I will cover this more in upcoming newsletters. The two biggest are mental/
emotional stress, either from yourself or others. Refer to #1 above for the first step in
reducing stress. The other is chemical stress. Chemicals can come from industrialized
household cleaning products, recreational drugs and mostly from processed (man made)
foods as well as alcohol, soda and coffee.

Understanding this whole-person, or holistic, approach to fitness & fat loss gives you an
advantage over 95% of the fat loss programs out there. Yes you will lose fat, but you will
also IMPROVE the QUALITY of your life.

Focus on these 7 pieces of the puzzle will help you get fit, lose fat and live a healthy and
inspired life.

Untill next time,
Antonio

www.BurnSports.com
www.12FatLossSecrets.com
www.burnsports.blogspot.com

Cardio for Fat Loss...plus a cool video

Lesson 3 Cardio for Fat Loss
...plus a cool video...

Everyone seems to be doing cardio right after New Years.
So it must be the best thing to do....right?
Wrong.

Most people have good intentions, but bad ideas with exercise.
Cardio is the perfect example...

What if I told you that cardio is actually the worst type of exercise for fat loss and health?

Would you doubt me because everyone at the gym does it?
Do you need research or can you think for yourself and just LOOK at people running in the streets or on the treadmills to see how unhealthy and miserable they are?
Look at their faces and you will see desperation, stress, pain or the look of someone fiending from a high they're getting....

Getting high doesn't erase depression or burn stress...
When you come down from that high, guess what?
Metabolism slows back down and the depression and stress are still right there!
Next time you go to the gym or health club - look at the people who are there consistently doing healthy strength training. It's rare, but if you look, you will find them...and they look good.

Then look at those people who are doing cardio. There is more of them, they are inconsistent and the look on their faces or their posture says it all...

Cardio does not burn fat.
Cardio does not burn stress.
FACT - cardio causes hormonal stress that makes you fat and age before your time.

If you are overweight, cardio is a bad idea because you have too much weight to be pounding into your joints and already have hormonal stress - cardio makes it worse.

The BEST way to burn fat, improve your health, get strong and lean is with a LESS IS MORE approach to exercise.

If you are overweight:
Walk outdoors for 20-30 minutes and follow the eating guidelines in my fre.e report.

If you are healthy and have just a little fat to lose:
Exercise 3-4 days per week with total body exercises that use Swiss Ball and bodyweight exercises only.
Workouts should last 30 minutes.
If you really want to do cardio, do less than 20 minutes at a time on alternate days from your strength training. Or you can do 1 or 2 interval training sessions per week - that's it!
Interval training is much more effective - 10-15 seconds of high intensity walking/elliptical followed by 45 seconds easy walk and repeat 2-3 times.


If you are overwhelmed, overstressed, underslept, addicted to coffee and tired during the day - you don't need traditional gym exercise, you need:
Walking, yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong
Reduce your stress
Get more rest
Drink more water
Eat better QUALITY food, especially more fat and protein
Find a job you LOVE

Since everyone is an individual - internet fitness guidelines don't make a lot of sense. I strongly suggest you get a book or hire a coach. Even if you see a coach once a month.
My favorite book to get started and INDIVIDUALIZE your plan is Paul Chek's 'How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy.' You can get it at www.amazon.com.

Also, I am building an online community where you will get direct access to me, my coaches, my goal setting system, recipes, a blog and guidelines on how to live a healthy and inspired life - so stay tuned.

In the meanwhile, check out this short, but VERY COOL video and hit the gym before you go out tonight...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdd31Q9PqA

Have a great weekend
Antonio

Antonio Valladares
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach
Exercise Specialist
www.burnsports.com

www.FatLossPsychology.com

www.12FatLossSecrets.com

#1 Fat Loss Tip for ‘08

Planning Your Success part 2


What’s the most effective way to burn fat and achieve all your health, fitness and fat loss goals this year?

It’s not generic crap that we are seeing all over the internet this week.

It’s Planning.

That’s right – planning for success. You plan your vacation, don’t you?
You plan your finances, right? Some people even plan their outfits for the next day. Yet how many people plan their health, fitness and fat loss success?

In the last newsletter I shared the first half of this successful formula. If you set New Years Resolutions – write down what they are and refer back to Lesson #1.


Here is the second half that will show you how to stick your goals and master the fitness mindset.

Lesson #1 and 2 can be found at our blog – www.burnsports.blogspot.com

I also added some fat burning exercise tips as well ;)

Step 3 - Aligning Your Goals with What You Love
Go through each area of life in your Vision and list 10-20 ways that achieving your goal will benefit, serve or enhance that area of your Vision.

For example -
How will losing 10 pounds of fat enhance or benefit your CAREER?
Will you have more energy, less fatigue and better focus?
Does that help you to be more effective & efficient at your work?
Will reduced stress make you a happier, more productive person?
Will you earn more respect from co-workers or your boss?
Will your productivity increase your chance for pay raise or promotion?
Will you have more clarity & confidence after exercising and eating a healthy breakfast first thing in the morning before work?

List the benefits and don’t stop until you feel inspired and have certainty about your goals.

This is a powerful mental exercise and it pays BIG TIME. Do the work.
List 10-20 benefits and your goals become much more meaningful and you will achieve them - success is guaranteed! You may have to do this daily, weekly or monthly – all depends on you and it’s worth it.

Step 4 - Planning
Plan your workouts in advance – what days and times are best for you?
Create your food shopping list IN ADVANCE.
Plan your grocery shopping, grocery delivery or online ordering - usually 2-3 days per week if you eat whole, fresh foods.
Plan your weekly meal schedule - do you need to cook for 2-3 days in advance and have ready-to-go meals?
Which restaurants or deli’s are close to work so its EASY for you to get your meals?
Collect the menu’s, phone numbers and websites of what you need to have your food ready to eat – BEFORE you get hungry.

Fat loss tips -
The healthiest & leanest people only workout 3 or 4 days per week for less than an hour each time ;)
Don’t waste your time with cardio –it does NOT ‘burn’ stress or fat!
Get Paul Chek’s ‘How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy’ book and you will know more than 95% of the personal trainers in the industry www.amazon.com
Every meal should have a protein, fat and carb.
Eat 4-6 times per day.
Crappy food = crappy body.

Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail. Plan your success.

Holiday Tips so You DONT Gain Weight

Holiday Tips so you DON’T Gain Weight….

Although everyone likes to give and look out for others during the holidays, if you are tired, bloated, hung over and beating yourself up emotionally from partying and overeating, you cant really ‘give’ much of yourself or ‘look out for others’ when you don’t feel well - can you? To have a wonderful holiday experience and get started on your fitness and fat loss goals and still enjoy some parties, follow these simple, yet powerful tips that are proven to work and you might even lose a pound or two during the holidays….

1 - Take care of yourself FIRST and you will have plenty of love & energy to give others. Set goals to not overextend your self, your bank account or your stomach this holiday season. Set health, fitness and weight loss goals NOW, not New Years. New Years Resolutions DO NOT WORK so don’t bother. Instead, go out and have fun on New Years and forget the whole resolution thing! Set realistic goals NOW for the next 4-6 weeks. Then make your personal projections for the first quarter of 2008, by asking yourself these health, fitness & lifestyle questions – Who would I love to be? What would I love to do? How would I love to look and feel? Ask yourself daily.


2 – Get in mini-exercise sessions whenever you can. Don’t worry about getting to the gym for an hour and don’t waste time with cardio. My 15 min body weight workouts will do the trick. Exercise the morning of your company or family parties and stay true to your self by setting realistic goals for eating and drinking and getting to sleep at a reasonable time.


3 - Focus on food quality and quantity throughout the holidays. Every meal should have a protein, fat and carb. Your stomach is not any bigger during the holidays so don't treat it as such. Every meal should have a protein, fat and carb. Split the meals up into thirds untill you know what your metabolic type is.


4 – Get Up, Get On Up! Dance or go for a walk after dinner. If you’re at a company party and want to dance, wait a little while to start digestion and then get on up and hit the dance floor! If your home with family, go for a nice walk with your nephews and your brother’s dog. Walking is man’s best medicine and will help digest your meal.


5 – Alcohol - if you are going to drink alcohol, set goals and limits. Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Have a small snack like a handful of walnuts or almonds or bring fish oil pills or get a fat/protein appetizer like cheese, fish or avocado. If you wake up hung-over, don’t beat yourself up. Just get up and set goals to take better care of yourself and feel better more often.


6 – You cant BURN OFF what you did on the treadmill. That’s a lie so don’t buy into it. Don’t drink sugar-loaded mixed drinks just because they are cute or trendy. Also, there is no difference between red wine and tequila – all alcohol is a highly refined sugar that causes intoxication, inflammation and weight gain. No, there is no antioxidant benefit to drinking wine – especially when your getting smashed and eating crap. That’s another lie so its best not to lie and just be honest. Want to be healthy? Stop getting drunk. Period.

7 –Drink water – half your body weight in ounces every day. Add a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt and drink 10-15 minutes before dinner. This will help you digest your meal better.


PS– I will be switching to another newsletter service in the nest week or two – you will be sent an email asking you to confirm your subscription in order to continue receiving these newsletters. Remember, this newsletter is now weekly AND you also get a 5 week e-course, a preview of my upcoming book and a complementary teleseminar with a world-class nutritionist….or you can beat the crowds and head on over to www.12FatLossSecrets.com and sign up NOW!

PSS – I am teaching a live workshop in January on achieving ALL your health, fitness and weight loss goals. Discover exactly what you need to know if you want to sculpt the body of your dreams, reduce stress and live a healthy and inspired life! Keep your eyes open for my next newsletter with details!!!

Planning Your Success

Getting results doesn't happen by chance or by miracle - it happens with intelligent planning. This exercise includes the secret that
most 'experts' know nothing about - setting and achieving goals.
Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail.

If you don't want to be one of the 98% of dieters who fail, then take the time to do this exercise - it will change your life.


1 - Start with a Vision

Your Vision is your mental image of the life you would love to live. Your Vision is much broader and more compelling than a goal. Your goals are easier to achieve when they are attached to a Vision that you created.

When you encounter challenges, which you will, your Vision will inspire you to keep going because it is more meaningful than a goal. You will have less distraction and will not allow obstacles to slow you down when you have a clear Vision. Your Vision involves all areas of life and you can start with 2-3 sentences in each area. Ask yourself, who would I love to be in each area:

a) Physical - health/fitness/material goods like clothing, car, house, etc
b) Personal - mental/emotional growth; what makes you unique?
c) Career - do you love what you do? what would you love to do?
d) Financial - how much would you love to earn, invest and spend?
e) Family - immediate or future family
f) Social - socializing, networking, contributing to society
g) Spiritual - your connection with god, the universe or others


2 - Set Specific Goals

List 2-3 SPECIFIC and REALISTIC goals you would love to achieve THIS MONTH ONLY. Don't just say 'lose weight' or 'I want to be happy' - get crystal clear on what you would love to do with your body, health and fitness. Be creative and think outside the box - workout schedule, grocery shopping, fun & creative endeavors, energy levels, body fat, drop one dress size, lose inches, new wardrobe, weekend sports with your nephews, snowboarding or surfing lessons, hiring a coach, quality sleep, better focus and clarity, balanced emotions, etc...


3 - Attach Your Goals to Your Vision

Go through each part of your Vision and list 5-10 reasons how achieving this goal will enhance or benefit that part of your Vision. For example, if your goals is to lose 5 pounds of body fat, start with your favorite part – i.e. Spiritual - and list how being lean, healthy, stronger and 5 pounds lighter will enhance your ability:
to connect with, be more present and compassionate with others, love yourself & family better, less focused on body image and bloating and more focused on journaling, reading or spending time developing a spiritual practice or studying world religions. Whatever your definition of spiritual is – just list the benefits and your goals become much more inspiring than just 'lose wei.ght' or ‘join a gym.’


I am sure you are anxious to get the real deal on fat burning foods and exercise -but trust me, this first lesson is THE way to guaranteed results. The following 4 lessons are all about fat burning foods, how to individualize your eating, the best and worst exercise for fat loss and lifestyle factors that contribute to flatter abs and leaner bodies.


Talk soon
Antonio

PS - If you have any questions or want to see something specific in
your newsletter, please email me at info@burnsports.com

April-May '07 Newsletter

This issue is dedicated to FAT-LOSS and a little something you should know about supplements. Do you know anyone who takes fish oil, calcium or wants to take a pre-natal someday? If you do, then you may be interested in this...

CLA for Fat Loss
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) is a good fat. Actually, it’s a trans-fat, not the man-made trans-fats used in restaurants, but a very healthy fat found in certain animals. CLA has been researched extensively and some of the benefits include:
Decreases abdominal fat
Prevents fat-storage
Increases metabolic rate – This is critical to burning fat and staying strong and healthy.
Enhances muscle growth - Muscle burns fat, which also contributes to increased metabolism, which is useful in looking and feeling your best!
Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides
Lowers insulin resistance - helps prevent diabetes and makes it much easier to control your weight.
Reduces food-induced allergic reactions - Food allergies cause weight-gain, fatigue, acne and poor health
Enhances immune system
Antioxidant benefits
Anti-inflammatory
Powerful Anti-carcinogen

CLA is found naturally in beef, buffalo, bison, lamb and raw dairy products from grass-fed, organically raised animals. It is critical to understand the difference between grass-fed, organic animals and commercially-raised, factory farmed animals:

Animals that roam free to exercise are not only stronger, healthier and leaner, but are also free from growth hormones, antibiotics and pesticides.
Grass-fed milk contains 5 times more CLA than grain-fed milk.
The toxins in factory-farmed animals will not only make you fat, they will make you sick! Remember - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!


To find out where to get grass-fed meats in your area, go to www.eatwild.com




Top 10 (or so) Fat Loss Tips

$30 billion dollars is spent each year on weight-loss. Unfortunately, the majority of those big spenders are losing their money, not their weight. Here are 10 free tips that work better than anything you can purchase.

First things first -

1. You cannot lose weight to improve your health - you must improve your health in order to lose weight.

2. More of the same = more of the same. If what you are doing is not working, stop doing it and hire an expert.

3. On a similar note, it does not matter what celebrities or your co-workers are doing. Each person is unique and there are proven methods for finding which methods work best for you. Look at the previous posts for Paul Chek's book or email info@burnsports.com to learn exactly what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat and to create an exercise program to meet your needs.

4. Eat 4-6 times each day no matter what! Do not skip meals and do not get hungry!
5. Eat according to your metabolic type.
6. Eat organic whenever possible.
7. Every meal / snack should have protein, carb and fat.
8. The best time to eat a carb that's not a fruit or a vegetable (i.e. rice, potatoes, quinoa, millet, etc)is immediately following exercise.
9. Eat whole foods - not protein shakes, bars or other man-made processed foods.
10. Eat fat to lose fat - There are 3 types of fat - saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated - we need all 3.
Saturated fat from organic, free-range animals and you can use butter or coconut oil for cooking.
Monounsaturated fat from mixed nuts, avocado and olive oil.
Polyunsaturated fat should from fish oil, eggs, flaxseed oil and walnuts.
11. Separate cardio and strength training days. Hire an expert coach for appropriate types of strength training and minimize or eliminate cardio for best results.
12. Drink nothing but water - half your body-weight in ounces per day.
13. If you are addicted to coffee (as most New Yorkers are) and you think you can improve your health and lose weight - you are delusional and need to grow up.
Switch from coffee to green tea if you want results. Becoming free from addictions is not easy and requires a strong vision for your health / life, comittment to making your vision a reality, support, the right diet, the right exercise plan and the right mindset. Make a plan and hire a coach.

Supplements
Do you take a multi-vitamin, vitamin C, fish oil or folic-acid? Did you know you are about to lose your right to purchase supplements?
The FDA and pharmaceutical manufacturers want a piece of the $30 billion dollar a year industry and your right to purchase supplements are 5 days away from being taken away. It's true. Congress is about to pass a law that takes away your right to purchase supplements. It's already happened in parts of Europe and it's quietly happening here. To protect your right to take responsibility of your health, please visit these sites:

www.jonbenson.com/fda_threatens_your_freedom.php

www.healthfreedomusa.org

January - February 2007 Newsletter

I will keep this newsletter short and get right to the point. The vast majority of everyone you know who sets health and fitness goals will fail. 95% of those who diet fail. That few 5% won't even last 5 years. There are a few reason: the wrong diet, the wrong exercise, the wrong reasons, not setting goals the right way, etc...

It has nothing to do with willpower. The main point everyone seems to be missing is this -- success (in any realm) happens first in the mind. In order to be successful in health and fitness you need 3 things: the right diet, the right exercise program and most importantly, the right mindset. Even if you have the first two, if you don't have what it takes to succeed mentally, the best trainer and metabolically appropriate diet will do nothing for you when you lose motivation or get distracted or tempted by your 'friends' to eat something that will make you fat. DO you see what I'm saying? Yes, it can be simple.

I wrote an article and have abook coming out called 'Fat Loss Psychology' which details the whole process of setting and acheiving goals and exactly what people need to do to create the body of your dreams - keep your eyes open for an announcement soon, but in the meanwhile, follow these proven tips and YOU WILL SUCCEED.

The Secret - The Secret is one of 10 primary laws of our universe that has been idetified by modern science. Not the science you learned in high school or college 20 years ago. But cutting edge science which many people are totally unaware of. And if you live in NYC and have a high performance lifestyle / career, you shouldn't expect yourself to keep up to dayte with modern science.

There are laws that you and I are subjected to at every single moment. Understand how your world works and you will be successful in any endeavor. Its a fact. Its proven. Get The Secret and learn to appreciate the power of your mind in creating the life of your dreams! www.thesecret.tv or pick it up go to East West Books on 5th Ave between 13 - 14 street.


How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy by Paul Chek. You might know who Paul Chek is unless you know me or work with one of the FEW in NYC. Chek Practitioners are the elite in health and fitness industry and there are less than 10 of us in NYC. If you ever took my famous Burn classes at Equinox, you are definitley familliar my Sucker-Free Fitness programs and hardcore attitude. I was so hardcore because there is so much nonsense being offered in teh fitness industry and peoplke were so accustomed to it and health clubs continually promote it and I just couldn't stand it! Get this book and you can by-pass all the crap that is offered in health clubs, gyms, magazines and TV. This book is considered the Bible of health and fitness by some of the leading experts in this industry and every person should have it for a few key reasons - there are questionairres to determine:
1 - Your unique metabolic type so you know what to eat
2 - Your unique exercise needs - there are 3 exercise systems:
a)Mind-Body/Wellness
b)Functional Fitness
c)Performance Training.

You can determine your overall stress level and learn valuable lessons about your TRUE state of health and fitness which helps you determine which exercise system is most appropriate for you at this time. You can then dive into several chapters of exercises, eating and stress management techniques based on your results from these questionairres. Both of these books are essential for anyone who wants to look, fell and function better!


Got Goals?
If there is anything that you want in life that is different than what you currently have (your body, health and fitness levels, career, income, lover, etc) - you must change. The first thing that must change is your mind. Study any of the world's leading experts in personal and professional development or the few elite health and fitness experts and they will all tell you the same thing - success happens in the mind FIRST.

The reasons people do not achieve their goals has NOTHING to do with will-power, not having enough time or any of the millions of excuses that you have heard or may think.

In order to create the health, fitness and body of your dreams - a lean, sexy, strong and well-defined body, radiant health and abundant energy levels, the resiliency to deal with long work days and jack-ass co-workers and still feel great, sleep well and wake up refreshed, energized and excited about your life - you must first get CLEAR on what you want.

1 - WHAT
GET CLEAR ON WHAT YOU WANT. Not what magazines, TV, your parents or your boyfriend has told you you should look or live like, but what EXACTLY do YOU want to create in your life? Identify exactly what you want in all key areas of life - mental/intellectual, physical (health, fitness, toys or material posessions), financial, relationship and career. Most people are focused on what they don't want and they contunally attract what they don't want. This is where the Law of Attraction comes into play. Get clear on exactly what you want.

2 - FOCUS OF WHAT YOU WANT
I'm not saying focus on what you want, I am saying THE focus of what you want is critical.
Are you trying to 'lose weight' or 'improve your health'?
Do you want to 'lose'? Is your focus on 'weight'? The focus of your goals is critical. Saying 'I want to improve my health, strength, vitality and energy levels!' -or- 'I want to shed unnecessary body fat.' is much more conducive for success. The first examples are focused on what you dont want and based in negative emotions which will not inspire you.

What do you really want? You want the emotion that is associated with looking and feeling better, right? Focus on positive feelings, which are motivating.

Choosing goals that come from your heart and are based in positive feelings will create a healthy foundation on which you can build the life of your dreams. Take your time with this section and don’t be afraid to ask yourself important questions regarding your goals.

4 - GOALS or LIFESTYLE?
Goals have an end point. Success, however, is a direction, not a destination. You lose 15 pounds and then what? Where do you go from there? Choosing a healthy lifestyle where you exercise 3 days a week and eat to feel good as a goal allows you to do more, be more and enjoy life more and it is not only more rewarding, but more sustainable than just 'losing weight'. How you live promotes health and fitness. You only need to exercise about 3 hours a week to be healthy, fit and look fabulous. What you do the other 160+ hours is more important and impactful. The solution is in Lifestyle, not weight-loss.


5 - WHY?
This is a critical step to effectively achieving goals. Setting goals for the sake of setting goals almost always ends up in failure. Goals must be set in alignment with what is truly valuable to YOU. This will require some self-exploration to discover who you truly are, what your core values are and what your purpose is in this life. What is your purpose in this life? What are your physical needs? What are your mental health needs? Your scheduling needs? Your personal and professional space needs? What about family needs? Cultural or social needs? What is your spiritual phiolosophy? Do you know who you really are??? Once you have addressed these critical issues, you will then be driven to achieve your lifestyle goals. Losing 15 pounds so you can fit into your 'skinny jeans' is shallow, it will not inspire you to do what you need for the long-term to be happy and healthy.

6 - WHEN?
Any goal is just an idea untill it is written on paper - then it has power. Write out your goals and the reasons why you want them and make a realistic time-line to achieve them. What are your daily, weekly and monthly goals to achieve your new lifestyle? I am sure you have heard the saying 'Failing to plan is planning to fail.'

7 - DAILY PRACTICE
What is your daily practice? Writing down your goals is great, but it is not enough. YOU MUST TAKE ACTION EVERY DAY. You must review your goals every single day and be intimately involved with them on a regular basis throughout your day or it won't happen. Get excited about the body you are in the process of creating. Most people spent 30+ years living an unhealthy life ful of alcohol, soda, chips, pizza and ice cream and then expect to look skinny in a week or two?!?!? Come on now. Every single thing you do contributes to your future. You create your future one day at a time. Be patient and do not get discouraged. What will you eat today? When are you going to the gym this week? When wiull you walk to work instead of taking a cab or subway? What will you do differently today that will help you become the person you WANT to become?

8 - WHAT'S THE PRICE?
Ask yourself every morning - What must you happen for it to be ineviatble to reach my goals? What must you do every day? Every week? When will you go grocery shopping? What will you have to give up in order to achieve your goals? If you think you do not have to sacrifice something in order to be successful, you are only fooling yourself. You will have to sacrifice the the things that made you fat or unhealthy or unhappy in teh first place - the junky processed foods, hours of television, meaningless magazine reading or useless socializing or whatever it is that made yourbody something you don't like.

9 - USE THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
Use positive language and the present tense when setting a goal. It is better to say “I weigh a healthy, trim and fit 115 pounds” than “I want to lose 20 pounds.”

10 - SMALL VICTORIES
Give yourself credit when credit is due. Follow the 90/10 rule. Follow the principles you learn from us or in Paul Chek's book 90% of the time and plan the other 10%. If you eat 4 times a day, 7 days a week and follow this rule, how many meals can you 'cheat' and still get results? When you do something that makes you proud and happy, celebrate by doing something for yourself. Go get a massage, by some new clothes in a smaller size, get a subscription to Yoga Journal, etc

11 - SUPPORT
Creating a support network is a necessary step to success. Be very careful of who you tell your health, lifestyle and fitness goals to. Most people who are not fit and healthy DO NOT have the courage to do so and will judge you, criticize you or will encourage your failure with a smile and a seemingly 'harmless' joke. Introduce yourself to NEW co-workers or neighbors who go to the gym regularly or make new friends at the gym. Hire a CHEK Practitioner in your area or a personal chef or life coach.


These are some of the more important points to follow if you want to be successful in health and fitness. The real issue is IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. If you don't truly want success from your heart, it won't happen. So take these tips to heart and create a new life. Please let us know if you have any questions or success stories you want to share! All the best to a new year and a new you!!!!

Antonio & Francesca

"You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." – Zig Ziglar