Note: The video in this post contains some disturbing images that includes animal suffering, harsh physical abuse of animals and animal executions. Please only watch if you have the stomach for this.

Farm To Fridge

The creators of this video would have us adopt a vegetarian diet to solve the animal cruelty problems in the meat industry. While I think this is generally good advice for health and fat loss reasons, I don’t think it will solve the problems depicted in this video. Mass production of anything involves cutting corners, and what may be considered cruel by you or I may just be “good business” for a meat processor.

I do think that those who practice these unlawful food processing methods should be held accountable for their actions. Not only are animals being mistreated, but the quality of the products is in question. Clearly, meats that contain disease are harmful to our health, and diseased animals should not be used for food. I think this is HUGE ignorance on the giant food companies part.

While I am not one to completely give up meat in my diet, I do recommend adopting a more “raw foods” or vegetarian approach to your nutrition repertoire. The more raw, natural, organic, and unprocessed foods you consume, the better for your health and fat burning goals. If you eat meats regularly, it’s always a good experiment to try consuming less than your usual intake for a few weeks, and replacing those foods with other healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc.

I recommend purchasing your meats from a local farmer, someone that you can trust to perform humane practices and provide you with nutrient-dense, healthy foods (that even taste better!).

What do you think about this? We’d love to hear your comments!

To your health and success,

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

Question:

I was just wondering…How can you tell when adaptaion sets in…..Does adaptation mean that your muscles won’t get sore after a particular routine or that your muscles will get sore but they just won’t get any bigger…….Basically, my question is,….Does soreness equal muscle growth in spite of how long a person has been doing a particular routine?

Kyle’s Answer:

Hey there,

Thanks for the question. Let’s see how I can help you out…

The quick answer to your question is ‘No.’

Soreness is not a good indicator of whether or not you have adapted to a given exercise program and is certainly not a good indicator of progress.

It has been typically stated by various strength coaches and trainers that a given person will adapt to an exercise program in 4-6 weeks.

Beginners can typically stick with a weight training program for even longer than 6 weeks and still see progress from that same program due to the fact this is a new stimulus for the body…

However, people that have been training for longer periods of time need to change their training program even more frequently so as to keep their body’s adaptation response going…

Now, regarding the soreness point you bring up,

I understand that that soreness feels kinda good when you first start training or when you switch your training program up and that it can seem like a good thing - like your body is changing and adapting.

When you first start working out you get sore. You also get sore when you switch routines or add new exercises to your workout plan.

This soreness however is not a good indicator of progress.

What Should I Look At To Measure My Progress?

Depending on your goals, you should be tracking certain key measurements such as body fat percentage, girth measurements, bodyweight, strength, etc.

Fat loss expert Tom Venuto calls this keeping yourself in a “Feedback Loop.”

The results you see from your Feedback Loop should be what you go by to see if you are making progress towards your fat loss goals…

So, I would recommend that you instead focus on whether the sum of your current strength training, cardio, and nutrition plan are bringing you closer to your goals (this is a key reason why you SHOULD have a definitive goal that you are working towards).

Train with purpose,


Kyle Battis, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.SecretsOfBurningFat.com
www.FatBurningInnerCircle.com

Sometimes, we just need something simple and quick to train for our fat loss goals. This circuit is guaranteed to give you both strength and cardio benefits, while scorching your metabolism into fat burning mode. You’ll be huffing and puffing, but this one is over in just 15 minutes. Are any of you daring enough to try out this fat burning workout? Bare Essentials Fat Burning Circuit Repeat 3x, no rest between exercises, 1 minute rest at the end of each circuit:

• Bodyweight squats - 1 minute
• Pushup variation according to skill level - 30 seconds
• Front plank - 30 seconds
• Walking lunges w/ or w/o DB’s, KB’s or sandbags, (etc.) - 30 sec./leg
• Mixed grip pullups (either vertical or horizontal) - 30 seconds on the bar, no letting go
• Choice of Mountain Climbers or Bear Walk 30 seconds
• Rest 1 minute

Notes: For the timed sets, you don’t need to be repping out during the entire time. If you fatigue before the time period ends, rest and catch your breath, then try to squeeze some final reps in before the end. All of the exercises can and should be modified to fit your current conditioning level. If you like this fat burning workout, and would like some more mini-workout ideas, check out http://www.quatrofit.com To your health and success, John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

This past weekend, my wife and I, and a couple of my younger brothers went hiking in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. The summer months are always filled with plenty of physical activity, and we love making an effort to enjoy the outdoors as often as we can. This past weekend, we hiked up Mount Pierce and Mount Eisenhower just for fun.

It was cool and humid, and best of all, there were no black flies or mosquitoes in sight. The way our trail was setup required us to hike the most difficult portion first, the initial hike up Mount Pierce. The trail got gradually steeper and steeper, offering no rest for the weary. The setting was absolutely fantastic, and the birds were chirping all morning. We happened to snap a few short clips with our video camera to show you:

Hiking Mount Pierce and Mt. Eisenhower

I always leave one of these trips with a new life lesson, or several. The major lesson of this trip was one I have learned countless times before, but I always benefit from experiencing it one more time. If you have fat loss goals, then pay attention because this hint will help you burn fat in your training sessions.

The lesson I took home was that the body is capable of anything that the mind has determined to be possible. Taken a step further, if you decide, for example, that you are going to train with high intensity before even attempting a fat burning session - that’s exactly what will happen. You must accept that you are capable of more than you previously thought possible. You must accept that your body can handle a lot more work than it would like you to think.

Walking up a mountain is no easy task, and we had a wide array of fitness levels attending our hike. I took a sort of “back seat” approach during the hike to observe how everyone was handling the training stress (because I’m weird, I know!). I watched as each person went through a transformation in their energy levels, and everyone hit this point at a different time.

The initial stage of this physical transformation experienced by all were those of feeling fatigued, breathing heavily, taking frequent breaks, trailing behind the rest of the group, along with some negative self-talk. Very early on in the hike, it seemed like no one would make it to the top of the first summit. Some were even entertaining the idea of only hiking one mountain that day, when we had all set out to do both.

The next stage of the transformation is what was really cool to witness. With each hiker, all of a sudden, the feelings of fatigue, and the negative self-talk stopped immediately. Very quickly, everybody was more than ready to reach the summit, and then to get to the next peak. A little competition even started to see who could stay in the front of the group. My wife, even started jogging ahead of the rest of us, leading us on at a much faster pace than before.

First, seeing everyone feeling like they should just sit down, take a break, or go back to the parking lot. Then seeing everyone testing their abilities, trying to push further and harder, trying to enjoy competition with themselves and others. It was amazing how each person had completely flipped their perspective in a matter of minutes.

I think everyone left this hike with a new view of themselves, realizing that we are capable of so much more than we like to credit ourselves with. The body is an incredible adapting machine!

I highly recommend sometime setting up an activity in which you can test yourself. And I mean, REALLY test yourself. Push your body to it’s limit, and see what you can achieve. You may find that your fat loss goals are much more in reach than you previously thought.

To your health and success,

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

P.S. Anyone else enjoying the outdoors this summer?

P.P.S. Just as a side note, this was my second major hike this summer, and I credit my successful completion of this hike to the fact that I knew I could push my training limits today, because I had done it before already. Doing something hard will make the next time you do it seem like a walk in the park.

A news media feeding frenzy erupted recently when a new diet study broke in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Almost all the reporters got it wrong, wrong WRONG! So did most of the gloating low carb forumites and bloggers. Come to think of it, almost everyone interpreted this study wrong. Some valuable insights came out of this study, but almost everyone missed them because they were too busy believing what the news said or defending their own cherished belief systems …

Read the rest of this entry »

Hey there,

I did a ‘mental weight-lifting’ exercise yesterday that was meant to improve my mental outlook on training, and I would like to share it with you. The mind is arguably the most important resource we have for overcoming physical challenges and achieving goals like fat loss.

What we do not consider possible, in our head, will never be possible for our body. Our physical fitness and natural grace and poise is only limited by those negative boundaries we place on ourselves daily.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hey there,

I was recently interviewed by Fitness Professional Jason White.

In this interview we covered a variety of topics that will help you improve your health and fitness levels such as:

-> The myth of the ‘Fat Burning Zone’ and where the myth came from
-> The “Feedback Loop” and why its so important…
-> What should you do first - gain muscle or lose fat?
-> Fat loss motivation tips…
-> Fat loss and sports performance for athletes…
-> Mindset tips for success…
-> And other helpful tips!

To listen to this interview just click on the Play button below.

Train with purpose,


Kyle Battis, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.SecretsOfBurningFat.com
www.FatBurningInnerCircle.com

PS - Just hit the PLAY BUTTON below and check out this interview and then be sure to post your thoughts and insights about this interview by leaving a Comment (yes, John and I want to hear from you!!).

Play Now:

 Kyle Battis Grilled By Jason White: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

My coach, Scott Sonnon, posted a very cool video on youtube that I would like to share with you today. It’s just a quick demonstration of him performing his daily personal practice. Most of the movements are considered joint mobility exercises.

(*Note: If you haven’t caught all of the posts in the joint mobility series here at FatBurningBlog, click on the title of this post and scroll down to see a list of the other posts we have put up - but make sure to watch the video in this post first!)

One philosophy that Sonnon and I share is that a beautiful physique comes as a by-product of abundant health. Sonnon seeks health first, and you can tell in this video that this route naturally produces a lean, powerful body that reminds me of a Greek sculpture.

Let me tell you up front that the bottom line when it comes to joint mobility and fat loss is that having a full range of motion at each joint is paramount to fat loss success. I can’t say enough about the benefits I have experienced using this type of training, and I sincerely hope that you are inspired to try it out and realize first-hand how powerful joint mobility truly is.

Along with the joint mobility exercises, you’ll also see Sonnon performing some vibration techniques, some of which I use in my own training. I do get a lot of funny looks when doing these in my yard or at the local YMCA, but the benefits are unquestionable - and I’ll take better health if it only costs some smirks and chuckles from my wife and strangers. I just mention it so that you don’t confuse them with some third-world Shaman ritual - these vibration techniques are not religious by nature, only scientifically-based strategies for relieving tension and stress. Sure, they look a little funny, but they are super effective!

Sonnon FREE TO MOVE Joint Mobility

I wanted to post this because I’d like you to see how truly amazing a daily personal practice can become with consistency. Scott is the creator of this program, and has been using it daily for over a decade himself - so it makes sense that he is a master of his own movement. He is one of my greatest inspirations, and I hope that his movement mastery grabs your attention as it does mine.

I want to encourage you that you can achieve any manner of mastery if you put your mind and effort into it daily. The last thing I want is for you to assume that these movements are unreachable for you. You can move with grace and fluidity, flow! But it must start with a daily personal practice. The exercises in the video are considered advanced versions of the beginner levels. There is nothing outlandish about these movements when you understand that they are just the next level of sophistication - just the next logical step that anyone will reach with practice. Almost all of the exercises in this video are taught extensively in Scott’s joint mobility DVD program Intu-Flow.

You can read my review of Intu-Flow by clicking here.

Or visit Scott’s site directly at http://www.rmaxi.com/products/ifcomplete.htm

To your health and success,

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

P.S. If you have ANY questions about joint mobility, Intu-Flow, or Sonnon, please let me know using the comment feature below. I would be happy to help!

While we have been on the subject of organic foods and buying from local farmers, I thought it might be fun to film a short clip showing you our home garden. This is the first season that my wife and I have tried to grow any food ourselves. We still buy from farmers markets, but it’s been fun growing some of our own fruits and vegetables. The veggies get bigger every day!

Some of the plants were grown right from seeds, and others were bought having already been started. Here’s the process we followed to prepare:

1) We pulled out all of the plants from the previous garden.
2) Tilled the ground
3) Mixed in some manure that we got from the gardening center at our local hardware store
4) Gave the vegetable bed a good edge, and put up a short wire fence to keep the neighbors dog from running through
5) Planted all seeds at the appropriate time of season
6) Planted all plants at the appropriate time
7) It was watered frequently depending on how much rainfall we’ve had.

* We picked our first vegetables for lunch today (only the green beans are ready so far - but we’ve got quite a bit growing!)

Tour Our First Home Garden

We planted this garden for so many reasons, but mostly because we thought it would be fun. We have learned a lot, and are prepared to plant a larger garden when we are ready. Plus we’ll be enjoying organic food for awhile later this summer. (the fruits of our labor!)

If you have a place to grow a garden, even just a small one, I highly recommend starting one up (my mother grows tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini in a 5×5 box garden). It can be simple - maybe you could just start with herbs, and see how you like it.

Treat it as an honor to take more personal responsibility for your health, and thank yourself for caring enough about your health and those around you to take a step towards healthier eating.

To your health and success,

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

P.S. If you have a home garden and have some beginners gardening tips, you are more than welcome to post your comments below. I’m sure I could use some pointers!

P.P.S. And if you don’t have a home garden and have some questions, let us know and we’ll see what we can do. I can’t promise any expert advice, but maybe someone else can

I was just doing some Youtube surfing, and I stumbled on this video by one of the Burn the Fat: Inner Circle members. “KaliLilla” uploaded an awesome video demonstration of how to cook one of Tom Venuto’s famous fat loss friendly recipes - the apple cinnamon oatmeal pancakes. She did such a great job, I just HAD to share it with you!

Kyle and I both believe very strongly in Tom’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle system - and I’m very happy that people like KaliLilla are spreading the good word about this awesome program.

If you’d like to learn more about the best selling fat loss program since 2003, click here.

To your health and success,

John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT

P.S. To join the fat loss support community where Tom Venuto is constantly adding new recipes and members like KaliLilla share their experience with exercise, nutrition, and fat loss, check out www.burnthefatinnercircle.com