An In depth, Revealing and Brutally Honest interview with Will Brink

Q: How long have you been involved in the bodybuilding, health, and fitness industry? How did you start in the industry and get so well known?

WB: I have been involved in the “biz” for almost 20 years at this point. Back in the day, when I had a private training business, people kept telling me I should write articles for the magazines. I had a good reputation in the local area for getting bodybuilders into shape, pre-contest. At the time, I was also doing some local seminars and people kept telling me I should send in some articles to the bodybuilding magazines. That’s more or less where it started for me.

Q: So what was the first magazine you published an article in?

WB: I had published articles in a bunch of local and regional publications before that, but the first large, well known bodybuilding magazine I published in was MuscleMag International. How it happened is sort of a funny story, actually. I sent the article in and heard nothing back from them. Months went by and nothing—no rejection or acceptance letters, just nada. I figured they weren't’t interested and writing articles for the ‘big time’ magazines was not in my future.

One day I was in the book store with my girlfriend at the time, and we were looking through the various magazines. I recall the day vividly, in fact. I was looking at a Flex Magazine and she was looking through a copy of MuscleMag. She asked me, “Didn’t you submit an article to this magazine?” I said, “Yes, but they never responded, so I guess they weren’t interested in what I had to say.” She spun the magazine around and there was a big, two page spread with an article called “How to Make Constant Gains and Avoid Burnout by Will Brink.”

I have to say, my brain was still not really processing what I was seeing. I think it took a full minute or so for the info to actually hit the part of my brain that fully appreciated that I did, in fact, have my first article published in a magazine read all over the world.

I yelled, “Hey, that’s my article!” Everyone in the quiet book store looked over at us. I said, “Hey, this is my article in this magazine!” to the staring people. They looked back at me with a “Great, so shut up already,” look. I grabbed all the MuscleMags they had, about ten or twelve I recall, and purchased them. Still have them in a box in the basement! I contacted MuscleMag and they had lost my contact info and figured I would pop up after seeing the article in print…what if I had never seen it?!

Q: So who else did you write for after that?

WB: Oh geez, a bunch of publications, not all just bodybuilding-oriented. Back in the day, the magazine you had to be in was Muscle Media 2000, which was owned by Bill Phillips. So, I made a point to be in that magazine on a regular basis. Beyond that, I continued to write quite a bit for MuscleMag International, and had a monthly column with them for over 10 years. Others off the top of my head were Let’s Live, Muscle & Fitness, Life Extension magazine, Muscular Development, Townsend Letter for Doctors, IronMan, Inside Karate, Exercise for Men Only, Physical, Power, Body International, Oxygen, Penthouse, Fitness RX, Big, as well as others over the years that I can’t remember right now.

Q: That’s quite a list Will! You may be the most published bodybuilding and fitness writer out there. Errr, Penthouse? Writing dirty stories too?

(Laughing). No porn! At the time, Penthouse had a men’s health section. I don’t know if they still do or not, but the editor at the time contacted me about writing some short pieces on nutrition and such for that section, so no, I was not submitting dirty stories to Penthouse! I did attend one of their Christmas parties in NY, however, and that was… interesting to say the least! But that’s all I’m willing to say on the matter.

Q: I know you have also written chapters in various books and or written entire books, including e-books. Can you tell us about some of that?

WB: How much time and space do we have here? (laughing). My first actual print book was called “Priming the Anabolic Environment” which was geared, as the name implies, toward bodybuilders. It covered all the essential basics of gaining muscle mass. It can still be found on the shelves in some book stores as well as from Amazon and other online retailers.

I’ve written chapters here and there for various sports nutrition text books, as well as some peer-reviewed research found in the science and medical journals—although I am not a ‘scientist’ in the classic sense as I don’t work at a lab or university. Most people have probably heard of “Body for Life” by Bill Phillips, which was a national best seller. Before that book, he had a book called The Sports Supplement Review. I wrote chapter eleven of that book, for example.

Q: What got you into the fitness and bodybuilding industry? What was your background for all the writing and consulting work?

WB: My grandmother bought me a gym membership for my fourteenth birthday. As a kid growing up in Brooklyn NY, trouble had a habit of finding me. She thought a membership to a gym might be a good place for me to stay out of trouble, and she was right. That’s what got me into bodybuilding and fitness on a personal level.

What actually got me started in the biz is a topic I’ve never discussed in public before. When I was a college student, I worked out, read the muscle magazines, and was more or less your average guy in the gym who ate pretty well and took a multivitamin. I was majoring in Psychology and journalism at the time and ever thought anything about the health and fitness industry. At 20 years old, however, I experienced a life-threatening illness that changed the entire direction of my life. What I learned was that working out, a “healthy” diet, and a multivitamin was clearly not enough to prevent disease, and more research was needed on my part.

Q: What illness did you have if I may ask?

WB: I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which is a form of cancer of the lymph nodes. I was treated for that, and have been disease-free ever since, although I have suffered some side effects from the treatments over the years. That experience totally changed my view of the world, and sent me in a direction I had never anticipated, which was many years of research in nutrition and the medical sciences in general.

I became something of a perpetual student, took courses in so many topics I can’t even tell you. Nutrition, chemistry, physiology, psychology, all manner of writing courses, as well as other topics both science and non-science related. From 1983 to around 1997, I took courses at 5 different colleges I recall. I probably have enough credits for several masters’ degrees at this point! Finally I realized I had better get some sort of actual degree. I graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the Natural Sciences. It was mostly a pre-med course load I took, with some sidetracks into areas I was interested in.

So, my lifelong research into health, fitness, nutrition, bodybuilding, anti-aging, disease prevention, weight loss, and other topics began with an illness that totally threw a monkey wrench into my life. It all started there really, though I didn’t know that at the time…

Q: Long term side effects from the treatments? I met you at the Arnold Classic and you look like a very healthy man!

WB: The treatments are known to cause damage to the thyroid and the heart in particular. I have had some issues with both, but yes, in fact I am quite healthy compared to most people. I do have to take thyroid medication, and get regular check ups for the heart, but cardiovascular tests always show me to be above average in cardio function. All things considered, I am in good health, although I remain at greater risk for cardiovascular issues such as scar tissue, and other problems.

Q: With those roadblocks thrown in your way at such an early age, you seemed to have accomplished quite a bit.

WB: I have never let any of it stop me from achieving what I needed to achieve. Slow me down, yes. Force me to work around it, yes. Force me to alter my path in life, yes. Stop me, no!

Q: What have you learned from the experience that you can share with others?

WB: Mostly that people are far tougher than they think, that life will always find a way to let you know you are not the boss, and you better appreciate what you have. It’s allowed me to have empathy with people from all walks of life I think. At the same time, I don’t have much sympathy for those who are not willing to take account of themselves and their behavior, and take responsibility for where ever it is they find themselves in this life.

Q: You mentioned psychology. For some reason, I don’t see you as a psychology buff. You always strike me as one focused on the “hard” sciences like chemistry or biology.

WB: Yes, well, people know me as a “hard” science type as you said, but I have always been fascinated by the inner workings of the human psyche. I was a psych major before my big change in direction, and through the years have done course work in general psychology, child psychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and personality psychology. I still read about the topic to this day and believe the human mind plays a far greater role in our physical health than most appreciate, or science and modern medicine is willing to admit.

Q: Interesting. Do you think you would have gone on to get a Ph.D. in that area if you had not changed directions as you said?

WB: Very possibly yes, but I probably would have gone into research vs. being a therapist. Having been through plenty of hard times myself and knowing people who have been through some very tough experiences, I have a very limited capacity to listen to people complain about mundane things.

Q: Understandable, I suppose. Getting back to the fitness and bodybuilding industry, you are also known as the “insider’s insider” when it comes to the supplement industry, and the questionable practices some companies rely on to sell products. I bet you could tell us some amazing stories there. How bad is it out there? Can you share one that won’t get you sued or in too much trouble?

WB: Sure I can, without naming names… After all the writing I was doing, I started to get requests for doing consulting work for all manner of supplement companies. I have consulted on different levels for a wide variety of companies, on R&D, marketing, helping with research, and other stuff.

So how bad is it out there, you ask? In the late 90s, I had a monthly retainer contract consulting for one of the most successful supplement companies on the planet. At the time, it made close to 100 million dollars per year, and was very well known. I was doing my usual work for these guys, some R&D for formulas, and so on.

I get called into a meeting with the owner of the company and he shows me what they are working on. He asks what I think about it, so I tell him the truth, which is, the research does not support the claims they plan on making about this product and it’s generally worthless. The owner gets a “gee, this guy is really naive” look on his face and says to me:

“Will, what we do is throw sh&% against the wall and see what sticks. We can worry about the rest later.”

That is an absolutely true story and one of many experiences I have had in the industry. What the owner of this company was letting me know, in no uncertain terms, was he didn’t care there was no research to support what he planned on selling, nor did he care if the product actually worked. He knew the power of marketing would make it sell, and as long as it sold, he didn’t give a rat’s behind about the science.

I let him know that I don’t get involved in projects where the company had no interest in supporting their claims with real science, and we parted ways. That conversation cost me about 75k right there, and that sucked! However, I have this conscience about such things that just won’t quit, so that was that. As I have said many times in many places, if you can drop your conscience, you can make a lot of money in the supplement industry, be it bodybuilding or weight loss.

Q: So you told the owner of this mega-popular supplement company that the product had no real science to support it, and that’s what he said?

WB: Yup! Me and my big mouth; telling the truth! As a consultant, and an independent one at that, it’s always been my policy to tell them the truth. Owners of such companies are usually surrounded by your classic “yes men” types who tell the owner what he or she wants to hear. As far as I am concerned, I’m not paid to tell them what they want to hear, I’m paid to tell them what they need to hear. To be perfectly honest with you, most of them really don’t want to hear the truth, and prefer the yes men.

These days I limit my consulting work to those companies that have some integrity and an interest in good science; research to support their claims; and hopefully, an owner who does not prefer “yes men.” Will Brink is no yes man…

If there is one thing I am well known for, both publicly via the mags and the ‘net, as well as privately, it’s that I tell the facts and the truth when it comes to matters of supplements, or weight loss, or gaining muscle, etc. Some people really appreciate that, and some don’t. I have made my fair share of enemies by taking the honest approach.

Q: Enemies really? Do I sense another good story?

WB: Sure, telling the truth often costs other people money. After I wrote an article that exposed the fact that not all creatines were created equal, and that some creatines on the market contained unacceptably high levels of contaminants, I had the owner of one company almost take a swing at me at a conference. I cost him a fortune as he was making most of his money selling crappy creatine to people at outrageous profits. He went out of business shortly after that. No loss to the world as far as I was concerned, the guy was a real jerk to boot…I wrote about that experience in the follow up article on the impurities found in some creatines, which single-handedly altered the entire creatine market at the time.

Q: I get the impression that you are saying that most supplement companies and diet companies and such don’t employ scientists or others who may actually know—or care—if their products actually work. Is that right?

WB: Essentially correct, yes. The ads give people the impression there are scientists in white lab coats at these companies designing supplements or diets based on real science. In a few companies that’s true, but in the vast majority of companies, it’s just a couple of out-of-shape marketing guys, or guru wannabe types, throwing you-know-what against the wall to ‘see what sticks.’ For example, the owner of the aforementioned company who made that statement was a short fat guy who previously had two heart attacks! His company employed essentially no one with any science background, but they had one hell of a marketing budget and sales force!

Q: This is some real eye-opening information you are giving us today. Black helicopters going to show up at your house?!

WB: I hope not!

Q: But seriously, from what you are saying, it sounds like all the weight loss or bodybuilding supplements and products are a total scam. Is that right?

WB: Not at all. If I felt that way, I would not use so many supplements myself! However, it is the industry that is the poster child for the term “buyer beware.” People need to be educated consumers, whether they’re looking to lose weight or gain muscle, as there are countless scam diets and worthless supplements out there. If you are not willing to do some research on your own or pay someone else who has, then you will be throwing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars down the toilet.

It's about making smart choices as an educated consumer, not jumping on the bandwagon for every new supplement or miracle diet plan you believe will change your life overnight by helping you “lose 30 lbs in ten days” or “gain muscle like you were on megadoses of steroids.”

Q: I notice you don't put your name to any supplement brand as such, or have your own brand. There's big money in that, no?

WB: There can be, yes. Over the years, I’ve played with the idea of starting my own brand or teaming up with some existing company, but so far, it hasn’t happened, at least not on an official level. I prefer to sell information people can use to gain muscle, or lose fat, improve their health, or what ever effect they want vs. selling supplements. I prefer to be behind the scenes for the most part, helping companies improve a product or design a new one. I’m not really comfortable with the idea of putting my name on a label or being directly associated with a product. It presents something of a conflict of interest for me, as my goal has always been to supply objective science-based information people can apply to their lives in the “real world.”

It’s funny, however—I do get a lot of e-mails and comments from people telling me how I should sell my own line of supplements as I am the only person they trust out there! It’s hard to know what the right answer is, as there are upsides and downsides no matter what I do. Perhaps something will happen in the future with all that, I can’t say.

Q: You are also well-known for having worked with various pro bodybuilders, other athletes and fitness models, which—although impressive—is pretty standard fare for a high level trainer and “guru” type such as yourself. However, what jumped out at me was your work with law enforcement and the military. I read a letter from a sergeant from a SWAT team on the Brinkzone web site* about a seminar you did for his group. That seems like a pretty specialized area. Can you tell us more about that?

WB: Sure. I have many friends that are in either law enforcement or special operations military, and I give advice to individuals in those areas. I am also an avid shooter and compete regularly. I realized that these “high speed, low drag” types from special operations and tactical law enforcement take a lot of supplements, and are really nothing but triathletes who carry weapons and gear. They tend to eat and train like athletes. After doing some digging into the research, I found studies existed that confirmed my own impressions, which was these guys used as many, if not more, supplements than your average person in the gym.

I also knew they were getting most of their information from the musclemags and their buddies, more or less like everyone else out there. So, I thought doing some seminars for such groups could be helpful to them to perform better. In their line of work, second place means coming back in a bodybag, vs. winning a second place trophy.

I probably have a much better handle on their needs and requirements than most, due to my personal interest, research and close contacts in the law enforcement community.

Q: OK, so you have written for many publications, consulted for many of the better known supplement companies, been involved in research found in peer-reviewed journals, worked with high level athletes, as well as a long list of other accomplishments we can read about on your web site. You have written an impressive body of work that has attempted to help people navigate the minefields in the health, fitness, weight loss, and bodybuilding industries. So why are you writing e-books now vs. magazines or printed books?

WB: An excellent question. For one, e-books give me total editorial control. I can say whatever I want to say, and be as honest as I wish to be. That’s simply not possible with the print magazines, much more so today than it used to be. Another problem is that print books are often literally out of date by the time they hit the store shelves. It can take a year, or even two, to get from selling a book to a publisher to getting it printed.

New research and information on supplements, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, etc. comes out almost daily. E-books allow me to update their content in real time. For example, we are on version four on one e-book, which was done within the time it would take to get a single book into print.

Perhaps the most important feature, however, is the interactivity. E-books are not just electronic versions of “real” books, but a portal to a larger interactive community with interlinked resources such as nutrition and diet software, daily meal planners, massive food lists, exercise vids, and other tools.

Q: What do you mean by community?

WB: By community, I mean the e-books come with large private forums that are all interlinked to the above tools, and are moderated by myself and a group of hand-picked moderators, who have their own specific areas of expertise, such as rehabilitative medicine, nutrition, supplementation and training. Members talk to each other, get their questions answered, and find support and help for reaching their goals, be it gaining strength and muscle mass, losing fat, or just getting into better shape than they were last year.

You can’t compare such a total system to a print book or magazine article. It makes a print book look like a waste of time and money!

Q: So you have two e-books that are part of larger programs and communities: one that focuses on weight loss, and the other on gaining muscle mass and strength, is that right?

WB: Yes. Of course there is some overlap in information, but the nutrition, exercise sections, and supplements reviewed and or recommended are quite different between the two e-books and forums. Many of our members actually go back and forth, using the fat loss e-book when dieting and the more strength and bodybuilding-oriented e-book when trying to gain muscle mass.

Q: Are these e-books helpful for the average person just looking to lose some weight or get stronger, or are they geared toward bodybuilders and other athletes?

WB: If anyone looks on the sites that sell the e-books, they can see people from all walks of life use them. I think people get way too wrapped up in thinking there is a specific niche like “toning and firming” or “bodybuilding.” These are just terms used to make people feel there are some major differences between them. It’s mostly marketing hype really. A person might say “I just want to lose some fat and gain some muscle, but I don’t want to be a bodybuilder.” And yet, those are the exact same goals of the bodybuilders! What the person means is, they are not attempting to add as much muscle and lose as much fat as it would require to end up looking like a competitive bodybuilder, which FYI, only a small % of people have the genetics for anyway, but that’s another issue. Now where was I? Lost my train of thought!

Q: You were saying people often state they want to lose some fat or gain some muscle, or get stronger, but may not want to be bodybuilders, when those are, in fact, the same goals bodybuilders have.

WB: Exactly! It’s simply a matter of degree, but the goals are the same. One of the biggest problems I see with people achieving their goals is, they don’t have concrete goals. Without a concrete, well-defined, and measurable goal, you can’t reach it, as it does not exist. “I want to be in better shape,” or “I want to tone and firm,” or even, “I want to lose weight” are either not goals you can define or measure objectively, or they are goals you don’t actually want. For example, your body has no idea or specific mechanism for “toning and firming.” You can gain or lose fat and you can gain or lose muscle. That's it. Those are essentially your choices based on biological reality. Now, if you lose some fat and gain some muscle, you will be more “toned” in appearance and “firm” to the touch, but the body does not know from toning and firming, and that's a fact. Your goals should be to lose fat and gain—or maintain—muscle.

In other words, these goals are the same ones that bodybuilders have—it’s simply a matter of degree. Bodybuilders want to put on the maximum amount of muscle and lose the maximum amount of fat, but that’s the only real difference. What I do is cut through all the BS, and give advice based on the common denominators between seemingly complex topics. This helps people avoid the pitfalls of conflicting advice out there, most of which is either just plain wrong or based on marketing vs. reality and objective fact.

Q: What about the goal of losing weight? That seems like an objective measurable goal, no?

WB: It is, and that’s a good point to make. You will note that I said people often choose goals that are either not measurable goals you can define objectively, or they are goals you don’t actually want. Losing weight is in the latter category, and something I have been trying to teach people for a few decades. Losing weight is an objective and easy to track measure, it’s just the wrong measure! What people need to focus on is losing fat, not weight! When you lose weight, it can be muscle, water, bone, and fat.

Most people focus exclusively on weight loss, and go about dieting and exercising—assuming they exercise at all—to lose weight. In that process, they often end up simply a thinner version of their former flabby selves. Sometimes, they even end up with a higher bodyfat percentage after they lose weight, as most of what they lost was muscle! Using weight loss as the only measure of success is a huge mistake! Unfortunately, it’s one I see people make all the time.

Q: Wow, that makes almost too much sense Will! Real food for thought there. This has been a fascinating conversation. I hope readers will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Thank you for your time!

WB: Much appreciated, one of the best interviews I have been part of, so thank you!
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About Will Brink

Will Brink has over 15 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published.

His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Muscle Media, MuscleMag, Life Extension, Muscle & Fitness, Inside Karate, IronMan, Exercise for Men Only, Oxygen, Penthouse, and many others.

Will was a former high level trainer with a rep for getting Olympic athletes, bodybuilders and fitness stars into shape and has gained a reputation for being a no "BS" industry insider who's not afraid to reveal the lies and hype found in the fat loss / muscle building & supplement industry.

He is the author, amongst other things of the hard copy book Priming the Anabolic Environment and two best selling e-books Bodybuilding Revealed & Fat Loss Revealed.

He's a guest on national radio/television programs and a speaker at industry and scientific conferences and runs seminars for tactical law enforcement (SWAT)

Death to Fear

In order for us to change the things that we are unhappy with in our lives we have to change the way that we think. If we never change the way that we think we will continue to get the same results in our lives. In order for us to see changes in our lives we have to face our worst enemy and that is FEAR (really ourselves).

About 90% of people live their lives in fear and never become the person that they dream of becoming. This simply happens because they just fail to take action. They FEAR what they don't understand. We have to look at FEAR as nothing more then a word or as a learning process. Did you ever know what FEAR was when you were a young child? Probably not, at least until someone that you trusted or looked up to told you what it was. Mankind has simply connected a word to a feeling, giving it life and in turn making people fear it. Mark Twain said it best with this quote, "Do the things that you FEAR most and the DEATH to FEAR is certain." You owe it to yourself to understand this principle.

To conquer fear start by accomplishing the things that you fear the most. After doing so, you will look back and think how foolish it was to be afraid in the first place.

Learn to leave your comfort zone. When we leave our comfort zone we become a more rounded individual. When we do the things that we fear and look back at them afterwards, we see that what we feared has now turned into part of our comfort zone. This simply happens because we do not fear these things after accomplishing them in the past. The next time similar situations arise we will no longer stress over it, we will just do it.

We must set our minds on always conquering the unknown. Always "think outside the box". Look fear in the eyes and just do the task. Chances are that you will succeed and soon come to find out that FEAR is nothing more then a word. Every successful businessperson has undoubtedly faced fear many times, yet they have succeeded in their business. So can you!

Think back to when you were a child. Most of us have limitations put on our lives very early. We are taught how to think, what schools to attend, how to make a living, and finally, even how to plan our retirement. Most of us end up fearing anything that is different than what we are taught.

Once we understand and can change some of the beliefs that have been programmed into us by society, we can more fully take control of our lives and our destiny through the power of positive thought.

You to can become successful in any aspect of your life that you choose. You just have to get past one thing, YOURSELF!

When you do this you will start to become the person that you have always dreamed about. Today is the day you are going to take what is rightfully yours. It's called LIFE! We are here to enjoy every aspect of life, not just to be a part of it.

Believe in yourself and start by conquering FEAR!!

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Dumbbells for smart weight training

Lifting weights to develop muscle and strength is at an all time high in popularity.

The reason? It works!

However, there are some factors you should keep in mind. When using a barbell with weights, you should workout with a partner. When you are lying down on a weight bench pushing hard to get that last repetition and you hit a sticking point, you could be in serious trouble.

When the weights get stuck in this position, even lifting it above your neck, past your head and dropping it to the floor can become an impossible task.

In addition, when cheating to get some extra repetitions in doing a bicep curl using a barbell, for example, you need to swing your body to get momentum to lift the weights. This can cause a strain or result in a pulled muscle.

That doesn't mean you should abandon weights. If you have a training partner, great. If not, consider going to a gym. There are generally plenty of people around who can come to your rescue.

A better alternative for you just might be a set of dumbbells.

Using the example just given, do the bench press with dumbbells. You get a better stretch at the bottom of the repetition and, if you do get stuck and can't get that last repetition in, drop them to your side and allow them to hit the floor.

When doing that bicep curl, do one arm at a time. When you have done all the repetitions you can do correctly, use your free hand to apply enough pressure to help do another repetition, and then slowly lower the dumbbell. Do a couple more if you like.

This will definitely pump your arms like nothing you've done before, and is much safer than using a barbell. You also get a full range of motion, getting a full stretch and giving your muscles a more beneficial workout.

If you want more of a challenge, use dumbbells on an exercise ball. The ball creates instability which causes your body's core muscles to work hard to keep you on the ball. If you do lose balance, it is much easier to toss aside the dumbbells than it is to toss aside the barbell.

There are numerous exercises you can do using dumbbells and you can do them at home; with or without a training partner.

Dumbbells are not very expensive and may just be one of the best pieces of exercise equipment you own.

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You're In Charge

Short and sweet, getting directly to the point. There may be certain aspects of life that you do not have direct control over, but what ends up in your mouth is not one of them! You control what you eat. When faced with extra large portions exercise your right to chose wisely and your body and waistline will thank you for it. Couple this with a regular fitness routine and you will find that reaching and maintaining your goal weight is easier than ever.

How To Make 2007 Your Year to Get into Shape

Here we are, already two weeks into the New Year. You know I have to ask...how is that fitness resolution coming along?

If the pounds haven't budged yet, don't panic. I have some words of wisdom for you to live by this year - words that will aide in getting you to your fitness goal.

Shoot for dropping a pound a week.

Now, this may not seem like that much, but if you did this consistently for the rest of the year it would result in 50 lbs lost. This may be extreme for you, but the good news is that once you achieve your idea body maintenance is a breeze. How great would it be to begin 2008 with a brand new body?

This all sound well and good, but how do you go about the business of shedding that pound each week? I am here to tell you that it doesn't have to be allusive, mysterious or frustrating. In fact, with a little calculation, you can consistently drop one pound a week until you reach your goal.

All it takes are small changes in your daily lifestyle. Let's break the process down...

How to shed a pound a week: Burn 3500 cal. more than normal.

It's that simple! No fancy pills or powders necessary, just a progression of calories exerted without an increase in calories consumed. Try the following three steps:

1. Record your normal weekly exercise - look at everything from walking to participating in sports to exercising in the gym. This is your starting point. You need to burn an additional 3500 calories on top of your normal weekly exercise.

If you don't currently exercise, then this step is really easy for you, a simple blank page will do.

2. Record your normal weekly food intake - this may be hard to do honestly, but remember that you are only cheating yourself by not recording everything. Calculate the total number of calories that you eat in an average day.

In your quest for dropping inches you shouldn't exceed your normal daily caloric intake - you should, rather, work at slowly decreasing that number.

Remember, we are going for a 3500 calorie deficit each week - this can be done by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) as well as a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).

3. Chart the difference - now that you know your starting point for both calorie exertion and calorie intake it is time to turn the tables in your favor. Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity, and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier selections.

Record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it often. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see the positive changes that you are taking in your life written down on paper.

If you burn up 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week.

Here are some practical ways to lose calories:

If you normally... - Do this instead...
Drink a morning Mocha - Drink green tea or black coffee (200 calories lost)
Enjoy a candy bar between meals - Enjoy a granola bar (180 calories lost)
Sit during your entire lunch break - Walk briskly for 30 minutes (150 calories lost)
Watch T.V. for two hours - Do jumping jacks during commercials (120 calories lost)

Remember that I am available to help you reach your fitness goals for 2007. If you are looking for new and exciting ways to tone, firm and tighten your physique then don't hesitate to contact me or come see me today (obviously come see me if you live in the Cayman Islands). I look forward to helping you make 2007 your fittest year ever!

Four Holiday Tips to Beat The Bulge.......

Ok I know this isn't the article I said would be next. But, I thought this article would be drastically needed during this festive season.

The Holidays are in full swing. If you are like most people then the Holidays bring about a sense of wonder, an atmosphere of good will and....a huge plate of food followed by tons of Christmas cookies!

More than 50 percent of adults gain weight during this magical time of year but you don't have to be one of them! In this issue I am going to bring you four tips that will help keep the pounds from finding their way to your waist.

It's said that the average person gains between 2 and 6 pounds between now and January 1st. For some this can mean struggling for months just to get back to their pre-Holiday weight.

Our goal for you is to not put the pounds on in the first place. Sounds good, right?

Before we dive into the tips let's take a moment to set you up for success.

This may seem silly or trivial, but bear with me as this will likely be the catalyst for your success.

Close your eyes and picture yourself standing in front of your bathroom scale. The calendar on the wall says January 2nd 2007. The Holidays are over and you are now forced to reckon with reality. You step onto the scale and peer down at the reading. What does it say? Did the numbers go down? Did they stay the same? Are you up 5 pounds?

Scary thought, isn't it? The ominous first week of January beckons decorations to come down and the New Year's resolution of losing weight to be made out of desperation. But I have some powerful news for you.

You have a choice to make.

Right now you can decide what your scale will say on January 2nd 2007. Close your eyes again and picture yourself stepping onto that scale. Now decide what you want that number to be. Got a picture of it in your mind's eye? Good. This is your goal. Now read on for the tips that will see you through your goal.

Holiday Tip #1: Maximize the Burn

We all know that the month of December is a busy one. There are parties and dinners; shopping and decorating. You have cooking and cleaning to do before your guests arrive and gift wrapping to do after the kids are in bed. So where do your workouts fit in? You probably have a regular schedule for your workouts (if you don't then schedule your first appointment with me ASAP) and this schedule will likely be modified for the Holidays. And less exercise means more weight gain, especially when it is coupled with an increase in food consumption.

Does this mean you have to stick to your guns and never miss a workout? While that would be ideal, it just isn't practical. Instead of rearranging your Holiday schedule to revolve around your workouts focus on maximizing each workout that you do get in.

In other words, kick up your intensity when you do find the time to exercise.

A great way to do this is to do complex movements, such as a squat and press rather than a simple squat. Another way to burn more calories is to utilize your core throughout your workout. This can be done by challenging yourself with an unstable surface-use a stability ball for your crunches and try standing on one leg while performing bicep curls.

Holiday Tip #2: Don't Go Hungry

"I'm saving my appetite for the party tonight...." Have you ever uttered those words? The thought is tempting, right? You know that a Holiday party or dinner means an abundance of great food, and what better condition to arrive in than famished? The hungrier you are the more good food you will have room for.

This plan has two major problems.

First, when you go for hours without food your metabolism crashes. This means that when you do get around to eating-like when you arrive at the buffet-your body will be eager to store all the yummy calories as fat. Not good.

The second problem is the most obvious. The more food you eat at that Holiday party the more likely your scale will display a ridiculously high number on January 2nd. Again, not good.

Instead of saving your appetite for a big meal, maintain a healthy metabolism by eating small meals every few hours. Always eat a well balanced breakfast and never arrive at a party with a growling stomach.

Holiday Tip #3: Be Inefficient

I know, I know. You are constantly bombarded by information on how to be more efficient and here I go telling you to be inefficient. But hear me out.

Be inefficient in how you expend energy.

In other words, expend as much energy as you can on an activity even if this means doing things in a more challenging way. After all, the more energy you expend the more calories you burn.

Here are some ideas: Instead of rallying for the closest parking spot at the mall choose the farthest spot you can find. The extra walking burns calories. Always opt for the stairs instead of an elevator. If you have the option of sitting or standing, work your legs and stand. Have to sit at work? Try sitting on a stability ball-you will burn calories and work your core without having to think about it.

Be on the lookout for more fun ways to expend energy this Holiday season. Remember that the number on your scale will be the result of each individual calorie that you consume versus each individual calorie that you expend.

Holiday Tip #4: Watch Out for the Eggnog

Who doesn't love eggnog? It is sweet, spiced and oh so creamy-yum. However, did you know that 8oz of eggnog with rum contains 450 calories?

Numbers like that add up quickly-indulge in just 8 glasses and the number on your scale will creep up a digit.

Don't be fooled. Eggnog is not the only high-calorie beverage that threatens your waistline. Champagne, wine, hot cocoa, spiced cider and spirits are all filled with one deadly thing:

Empty calories.

Stay away from beverages that are high in empty calories. Oh yeah, unfortunately this includes alcohol also LOL!!! :( Instead drink as much water as you can and stick to limiting your high-calorie drinks.

Did you know that the solution to your fitness goal is right before your eyes? Contact me LOL, your fitness expert and get started on your own plan for fitness today. It's a great feeling seeing the pounds melt off week after week!

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Hi and welcome to Phil's Get-Fit-R blog. After working in the health & fitness industry for over 17 years it's not hard to recognize where most people going wrong as they pursue their health & fitness goals. My Get-Fit-R blog is dedicated to helping you understand what it takes to achieve your goals, how to implement a lifestyle including health & fitness into your world without it consuming your life. What's the key factor here is the unveiling of health & fitness to you in simplistic ways that anyone can comprehend and not just someone with a doctorate. What makes my blog different than most? Well, you will have to read a few posts to find an answer to that question. Ha ha, trying to make you curious!!! I am sure you will richly benefit from my posts and please feel free to leave a comment. Enjoy!!!!!