Former Fat Guy Blog

Real People Real Results - Understanding how food, fitness and mental attitude affect weight loss

The “Cost” of Eating Healthy

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. Jon is the author of the Seven Minute Muscle Workout]

One of the biggest myths out there is the myth that eating healthy costs too much.

Just the opposite… and I’ll prove it to you in three ways.

#1: Cash

Here’s some sample figures courtesy of my friend Scott Tousignant’s fitness blog…

2 medium size sweet potatoes $1 or… small fries from a fast food joint

2 red peppers $1 or… a can of pop

Bowl of oatmeal with fruit & protein powder $2 or… large bag of chips

6 Chicken Breasts $10 or… a sub combo from a fast food joint

18 eggs $3.50 or… a burger from a fast food joint

2 salmon fillets $15 or… large pizza

Loaded chicken salad (homemade) $3 or… bag of cookies

Large bag of oatmeal $3.50 or… 4 chocolate bars

Not much of a comparison, it is?

Yet the foods on the left would feed a family of two or more for 4-7 days… the foods on the right? 2-3 days if you live through it.

Tips to make the most expensive part of eating healthy — the cost of quality meats — go further include…

1. Use tofu fillers in chicken and beef recipes. Even if you hate tofu, you can barely taste the difference when combined properly.

2. Buy your meats in bulk online. You can find less expensive grass-fed beef and naturally-raised chicken and have it delivered to you if you live near a large city. If not, check the local farmers.

3. Eat meat only 3-4 times per week and use black beans with rice or inexpensive tuna for your other days. I eat tuna cooked in a skillet with lots of veggies and some olive oil almost every night and I LOVE the taste!

My book The Every Other Day Diet has over 40 pages of recipes in it to help you eat healthy and cheap… and you can still eat out and consume your favorite foods several times per week.

#2: Your Health

Do we ‘really’ need to talk about buy new (usually larger) clothes every year or two? Or about the health care costs associated with being even 20 pounds over your ideal weight, let alone more? How about the time you miss from work with excessive colds?

Eating healthy and taking care of your body adds years to your life… and for the record, the years eating poorly takes away from your life, on average, costs each American over 80,000 in medical expenses.

Want to add that to your food budget?

#3: The Big Picture

Anyone who has been fit knows the joy it brings… the freedom you feel from wearing whatever you want… the productivity you see from increased energy… the pace at which you move during the day.

Not only are these gifts priceless, but they are also massive cash-savers. Your productivity alone can add thousands to your bottom line each year, well off-setting any costs associated with eating quality food.

The Bottom Line…

Like any good accountant would suggest, you need to look at your ROI (return on investment) if nothing else.

What does investing in a better body, greater health, and vibrant energy do for your life? How can that actually translate into more income AND less expense?

You will be surprised.

Remember:
Don’t Quit. Get Fit!

P.S. If you want some tips on getting started with shedding that excess weight… go here for a short video… and prepare to take some notes! …

it’s freee….

Weight Loss Tips <--- click.here

THIS Makes You Gain Weight

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. Jon is the author of the Seven Minute Muscle Workout]

Caution:

This sounds like a silly question, but it’s really the most important question you can ask:

“What REALLY makes me increase my bodyfat?”

Is it too many calories? Sure. That’s one part. But I know people who can eat 4-5K calories a day and not add an ounce.

Is it dietary fat? Rarely if ever.

Fat is necessary to melt bodyfat. It is true that fat has more calories per gram than protein or carbs, but let’s look at this logically:

40% protein; 40% carbs; 20% fat = 40% fat; 40% protein; 20% carbs

So… no. Increasing your dietary fat does not mean you’ll get fatter…

UNLESS… ready?

Your insulin levels are too high.

Elevated insulin is not only the prime cause of diabetes and a sign of being hypoglycemic, but it’s also the prime numero uno reason people get fat.

And insulin is stimulated most by too many carbohydrates… even the so-called “healthy carbs!”

HOWEVER… ready again?

You can still eat carbs… you do not need a “low-carb” dietplan every day in order to keep your insulin and bodyfat low.

You just have to know what TIME to eat the carbs.

There’s a time and place for everything and carbs are no exception.

I have a presentation here that tells you more about how important timing is and how you can eat your carbs (even sweets) and shed bodyfat…

… here:

The EODD System <--carb-friendly dietplan

That being said:

If I had to cut one thing out of my diet for 1-4 days it would definitely be carbs.

I need fat… fat helps melt bodyfat… and I have trained my body to use its own fat-stores for fuel.

( See how on the linked-page above )

I DEFINITELY need protein… and so do you.

Protein speeds up thermogenesis, or your body’s own fat-burning heat factory.

Protein also blunts your appetite so you naturally eat less.

Some carbs are healthy… and I do not recommend you cut out low-sugar fruits and green veggies… you need that stuff.

But you don’t need grains, breads, etc.

At least for a few days.

THEN… you need them… but only after you do two things.

Find out more here:

The EODD System <--carb-friendly dietplan

Remember: Don’t Quit. Get Fit!

P.S. My favorite “Feed Meal” (that’s what I call meals where I eat a lot of calories and carbs) is this:

Small serving of protein (1/2 my normal serving size) like chicken, tuna, etc.

Brown rice or baked potato

Slice of pecan pie (or Key Lime pie… yum.)

Then later that day I’ll have a few slices of New York-style pizza.

The next day I’m LEANER. It never fails.

The only time this can fail is if you do not set your body UP to receive these carbs and some junk food.

I call this my “Real World Favorite Foods Dietplan.” That’s not the name of my System but it could be! That’s exactly what it is.

I love it… so will you…

The EODD System <--carb-friendly dietplan

5 Surprising Tips For Burning More Fat

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. Jon is the author of the Seven Minute Muscle Workout]

There’s not many people who do not want to burn more bodyfat.

If you are in the fat-burning club, then these 5 easy tips are for you:

5 Easy Fat-Burning Tips <— quick tips

Enjoy, and feel free to share this blog post with others.

P.S. If you would rather watch a short video on 3 keys to greater weight loss, then go here:

3 Keys To Weight Loss <— video tips

HDT: Better Abs In 3 Minutes?

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. Jon is the author of the Seven Minute Muscle Workout]

Abs.

Everyone wants a tighter tummy.

Guys want a six-pack… ladies want a slim, firm waistline… and yes, some want a six-pack too.

Why be sexist? ; )

So needless to say people are freaked out to find that I train my abs in about 3 minutes.

Total.

Here’s how:

7 and 14-Minute workouts <---discount

Let me give you the dirty facts about my abs.

They are the worst part of my body… and one of the best parts at the same time.

The “worst” bit has nothing to do with muscles or even bodyfat most of the time… but SKIN.

Remember, I was obese… 46-inch waist and 38 percent bodyfat.

So my skin got pretty messed up. It never quite recovered from that and I have a “bit” of loose skin around my abs.

Drives me nuts. I may have it removed! ; )

But other than THAT… my abs are pretty good.

Here’s a pretty recent shot (after a workout taken with an iPhone… so hardly a professional shot… but you get the idea… )

Jon's Abs

This is after THREE MINUTES of ab training done 2-3 times a week.

Let me spell out my thoughts on this:

If you are training your abs longer than 7 minutes a week you are doing something wrong… or you’re just wasting your time.

Sorry to break it to you, but abs develop fast.

It’s the BODYFAT you need to focus on.

Still, you need abs… and my HDT-Style Training in 7 Minute Body and 7 Minute Muscle will get you those abs uber-fast:

7 and 14-Minute workouts <—about HDT

Go watch and read how it works now.

Before you do, let me give you a substitute exercise for one of the three I recommend during my “3-Minute Abs” routine (found in both books on the page above.)

Hanging leg raises… they are the best when done the way I show you in my book.

BUT some people do not have the gym or the straps I recommend.

So do this instead: Leg raises on a Swiss Ball, bench or even off the floor.

Here’s the tip: Raise the legs, pause at the top for 2 seconds and blow ALL of your air out. Contract your abs HARD at the top.

Then and ONLY then lower the legs slowly.

If you do this right there’s no way to get more than 15 reps. I get about 8 before my abs give out!

That’s all it takes. You do NOT need “high reps” to develop your abs. In fact LOW reps work better…

You just need resistance… and my way of training gives you plenty.

This means a LOT less time doing the exercises and a LOT MORE time enjoying the nice set of tummy muscles you’ve built.

Sounds like a plan.

P.S. Here’s the latest for those interested in my ongoing legal issues with selling rights to a publisher.

This concerns YOU as the price for 7 Minute Muscle and 7 Minute Body will NOT be under my control as soon as the contracts are signed.

This was supposed to happen today… but as luck (for you!) would have it, I got caught in Austin traffic at 5:30pm and missed my 6:00 meeting with the publishers.

The president leaves town tonight-Sunday.

SO NOW… I can extend my half-price (more than half-off the Advanced Videos!) for a few more days…

… so go here:

7 and 14-Minute workouts <—discount

P.P.S. In case you’re wondering, this is not a clever marketing ploy… 7MM and 7MB are both being acquired by a publisher.

The recognize the amazing benefits this style of workouts offer anyone at any age… fatburning and muscle-shaping…

Otherwise they would not be writing such a nice check… : )

I bought a Jeep with it. So it’s not making me a millionaire or anything, but it’s nice to have my hard work rewarded!

Even nicer than that, I get the chance to almost give away my “baby” to you if you don’t have it already…

When the deal is done, here is what you can expect to happen:

1. The page below WILL change, and that includes the price… they think the price is not right. (I think that means too low… ha… ; )

2. The specials will end due to the fact they will send millions of people to the site rather than a few hundred thousand (my readers and my] affiliates send about that much.)

3. The book will end up in some bookstore eventually… and that’s FINE unless they want to alter the content… which I have a provision to prevent.

Sorry to ramble on about this, but I want you to know the integrity of the guy sending you emails every day…

Sure, I like to make a living. Who doesn’t?

But I won’t sell my soul to do it.

I won’t give up what I KNOW works to make a buck or two… so that means I maintain TOTAL creative control over these books even after the publishers take over.

In fact I’m negotiating a position WITH this firm so I can make SURE I maintain control… and folks, I HATE working for other people!

But it is worth it… IF I can keep the quality of the materials where they are.

And they are 100% solid.

And right now they are 200% cheaper than normal… so if you don’t know what all the fuss is about with all of this “7 minute workout” stuff (I prefer the 14-minute advanced workouts, which you can get too) …

then hop over here:

7 and 14-Minute workouts <—discount

HDT: Hyper-Density Training (More Results in Less Time!)

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. Jon is the author of the Seven Minute Muscle Workout]

All this past week I’ve been telling you about this:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <---new.page

This is all about how shorter workouts (7-14 minutes) are better for fatloss AND muscle gain than longer workouts.

Naturally this freaks a lot of people out.

When they see me they assume I train for hours a day.

Wrong. I work out about 3 hours a week total in the gym when I’m not preparing for a photoshoot. When I am I increase the cardio… that’s it.

However, I spend HALF the year training about 1.5 hours a week in the gym using my 7 Minute Muscle workouts.

I like training longer, so I mix it up… but the results I get from 7 Minute Muscle are equal OR better than longer workouts so this next year I plan to train using ‘nothing’ but 7MM.

More here:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <---new.page

I’ve been getting swamped with questions about one thing in particular:

WHY are shorter workouts better for fatloss?

The secret behind this is a trademarked term (by me… : )

HDT
“Hyper-Density Training”

HDT is the most unique form of density training there is.

Density training is basically more work in less time.

This creates the demand for more energy.

More energy spent = greater fatloss.

More energy demanded = more lean muscle.

All of this in 7-14 minutes per day.

3-5 days per week.

I made a new website about HDT to explain it.

Go here now…

this comes down in a few days:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <—about HDT

P.S. HDT works for everyone, even those who workout in their home without weights.

Just by going to the new page you’ll learn how to use the principles behind HDT (freee) to help you with your workouts…

… and you can also get the “last-call” for my System that covers HDT and brevity training in detail…

… for a massive discount…

… here:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <—about HDT

Inspiration


formerfatguy1

Determination


formerfatguy2

Satisfaction


formerfatguy3