Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

by Tom Venuto

This manual will reveal to you all the secrets of permanent fat loss. It is written by a man who has discovered these secrets the hard way - through long years of trial and error. Using the information in this manual will allow you master the art and science of losing body fat by a shorter and less costly route; by “modeling” those who have gone before you and learning from an expert.

This book was written for you as a simple, yet detailed instruction manual. You get step-by-step instructions: Do this, don’t do that, eat this, don’t eat that, and so on. This is not just an informational book – it is a complete system that will take you from where you are now to where you want to be – in the shortest possible period of time.

Genres: Fitness, Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Audiobook, Self Help, Personal Development

337 pages, Digital

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the entire history of the world, the best weight control and fitness advice ever given is Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto. It's a $40 ebook available from www.burnthefat.com. Tom's program is also out in regular bookstores under the title--The Body Fat Solution: Five Principles for Burning Fat, Building Lean Muscles, Ending Emotional Eating, and Maintaining Your Perfect Weight.

I read this books four years ago while training for my 55th birthday (yes, I TRAIN for borthdays!) I had three goals: be under my racing weight of 145 lbs., below 10% body fat, and a sub 30" waist. I surpasses all three goals training on Tom's program.

Buy his "The Body Fat Solution" at a regular book or the order "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle" ebook from Tom's website (there are several bonuses that come with it). Read the books. Follow the program. Ignore contrary advice. It works. Do it. Now.

[Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel I owe this book a review. It is that good.

I have tried numerous programs. All the new fad DVD fitness programs, classical fitness books and everything in between. Some have been good, some have been disasters. But one thing that they all lacked was this: Simple to understand principles that I, a fat and unfit beginner, could use.

My problem was that I was unfit. I wanted to lose fat and maybe become a little stronger. My issue with these new DVD programs was they weren't for me: They were one size fits all. They will work only if you are somewhat fit to begin with. They are NOT for beginners. Specially if you are a fat and unfit. I used to start with these programs, but they would become so hard I used to quit.

And then I found this book. The book gives you a thorough understanding of fat loss and muscle building. And it gives you a customizable program for it: Do what you are ABLE to do. The entire book is written in very simple to understand language that has a motivating tone. It does not distract you from the bare essentials: The key things you need to understand to lose fat and build muscle. Once you have read this book you KNOW what you need to do: the action plan. After this, it is entirely upto you how much you apply those principles: The more you do, the fitter you became.

The benefit of this book?
- I now know why I am fat
- I know how to lose fat
- I know how to maintain my weight

And here's the thing: I lost 18 pounds with this book! I got the results. Period.

I will recommend this book to anyone who:
- Is a beginner
- Is fat
- Is unfit
- Is confused about weightloss

Follow this, and you WILL get results.

[Manal Saad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the very interesting books I read about losing body fat. It's a manual that maps out the road to those who want to lose "body fat" and not body weight, cause there's a huge difference between these two.

It stresses the importance of weight training to build up body lean mass in order to burn fat. It provides essential concepts to those who want to have a healthy body and mind. It talks about the importance of setting goals, exercising, nutrition, and how to overcome plateaus. I love this book, it has profound information that one read does not do it justice to grasp and apply what it has to offer.

I highly recommending reading this book for those who want to lose body fat.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far one of the best books I've read in a long while about losing weight, getting fit, and becoming healthy in a way that many, if not most, readers should find doable. I gave it four stars instead of five since I'm not the target audience, and I don't get particularly inspired by body builders and fitness models, whether "natural," i.e. no steroids, or not. But the author makes a good point: what community knows the most about how to sculpt your body into the best it can be? You guessed it: body builders and fitness models. These men and women know what it takes to lose fat, put on muscle, and get rid of those last 10 pounds. And Venuto emphasizes that we all have different metabolisms, and different issues to deal with, but we can all play with the basic concepts and formulas, and by trying things and noting our progress, we'll figure out what works for us and can fine tune the specifics as we go along.

The four main concepts he emphasizes are mental training, nutritious food, aerobic exercise and weight training, which he explains in depth before getting into the nitty gritty of his program. It all makes a lot of sense, and it's all very doable. The one aspect he doesn't address, except briefly in mental training, is how to handle the emotional pull food has for some of us...pump 'em up phrases and setting goals sometimes isn't enough to handle the baggage from the past we bring with us in the now. But for those ready to seriously tackle their weight and physical health, this book gives you what you need to get started. Highly recommended.

[Farhana Faruq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the BEST fitness books I've read. It's motivational, covers more than just weight-loss, exercise, and nutrition.

For people who are interested in long-term success. Everything is flexible and not a one-plan fits all kind of thing.

Some of my favorite info was how to keep track of your progress - and more importantly what to do when it's not going where you want it to go, as well as the recommend reading.

It's straight - no bull shit.. what more can you ask for.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm using the methods and seeing results. I highly recomend it.

[Shanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I sure did learn a lot about nutrition, understanding body types, mental training and breaking plateaus and so much more. This book is full of useful information that a person could start using right away. Such as the goal setting and eating the 12 recommended foods and avoiding the 12 worst foods. There's a lot of info about measuring body fat and other physical stuff, counting calories and weighing food. The chapter about the weight training program has good info about how to determine how much and how often to weight train and even how heavy of dumbbells to start with for a basic beginner. There's so much here that I would have difficulty following the program to the t since I am a very unorganized person and very shitty at calculating, but I will start slow and apply some of these principles and follow it at my own pace and see where it gets me. I originally came across this book on Overdrive and began listening to the audio version and then also borrowed the hard copy from the library and I like it so much I am considering buying the book so I can really try to follow the program. It would take me a long time to figure out everything and be able to get it right, at least longer than the library would allow me to borrow this book. Tom Venuto's tone was encouraging and motivational, not at all condescending like some other fitness books I've read in the past. Update: December 23, 2015 It's been 90 days since I started reading "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" and applying what I learned into action as Tom Venuto puts it. So today is also my birthday and for the 3 month or 90 day goal I set to lose 26 pounds instead I have cut 33 pounds as of today! I am amazed but at the same time I'm not because it wasn't easy but it also wasn't too difficult. Once I understood about calorie deficit and eating the right kinds of foods, setting goals etc., everything began to fall into place. I had already been doing daily cardio for over a year and weight training a couple months before I read this book and had lost about 40 pounds but it was so difficult. After applying the principles I learned from this book, I started burning off the fat a lot easier and yes I have gained muscle too! Even during a minor setback in November where I had injured my knee and my Dr. told me no cardio (except swimming), I still lost 2 pounds that week without cardio. I simply adjusted my calorie intake and did seated upper body weight lifting. I can hardly believe I have arm and shoulder muscles. I also read Tom's other book The Body Fat Solution which I also enjoyed and learned from. There is still a lot for me to learn about nutrition and fitness and I still feel like I'm just beginning in this lifestyle change. I know that I have to keep this up so that I don't fall back into old habits and regain the fat I am working off. The other good news is that my husband (whom I may have inspired) is taking a fitness trainer course. He is already fit (he can eat anything and not get fat) but he wants to learn more.

[Safaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I thought if I stop eating , that will make me lose weight, which is true, but I never thought what was exactly the weight I lost! I never knew that doing this was making me lose my muscles, or my lean body mass, not the fat!

It took me a long time to finish this book, but it changed my way of thinking about diets and eating habits. I'm trying to apply it in my daily life as much as I could.
It's absolutely recommended.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there isn't anything revolutionary or even all that ground-breaking here, the layout and the delivery of the content in one place makes it a go-to manual for all things fitness. It's a diet/lifestyle/weight-loss book on its face, but if you dig deeper, it's more than that. It is a book about the science and psychology of getting lean - lots of muscle with little fat - which is really what most people reading this kind of book want.

The four parts are rarely included in one volume, but without all four in place, long-term success is very unlikely. Mental (goal-setting), nutrition, cardio, and weight training. Can you lose weight with just nutrition or just cardio? Yes. Can you put on muscle with just weight training? Of course. Can you change your body size or composition with just nutrition and working out? Sure. But to do all of those things, and to have the results stick, you need all four.

People call this the "bible" of fat loss. I can see why. The rules haven't changed in years. There are tweaks and there are fads, but the basics are the same and they still work. You can learn them all in these 400 pages.

[Miriam Downey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...

I read the new hardbound version of the book.

Well, first of all, I am 70 years old, and I am more into Tai Chi than I am into body building, but I have a few comments about Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. I am a lifelong dieter, and I know diet gibberish when I see it. This book is not gibberish. It is solid advice for anyone, but particularly for people who are looking at their bodies realistically, and thinking, "What do I have to do to get fit."

Two of the points the author makes are that "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not only about looking better but also about becoming healthier." and "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is a lifestyle, not a quick fix." Realistically, the author says that the program is simple, but it's not easy.

Over a career of many years, Venuto has created a comprehensive plan for four elements necessary to creating a healthy, fit body. They are: nutrition, cardio training, weight training, and mental training. Venuto uses his body-builder secrets to help readers reach their fitness goals. He says, "Almost everyone is missing at least one piece of the puzzle, and that's what holds them back." He suggests trying this program out for 28 days and seeing what it does for your long-term lifestyle.

As an example of the usability of this advice, here is his list of foods that he believes burn the most fat. This is a practical list--something most people can plan on using.
whole fresh fruit
vegetables
sweet potatoes
potatoes
unsweetened oatmeal
brown rice
beans and legumes
100% whole wheat or whole grains
low- or nonfat dairy products
chicken and turkey breast
eggs and egg whites
lean cuts of red meat.
Seen a list like that before? Of course, we all have. Venuto mentions that some readers who lost over 100 pounds started their body transformation by eating foods from this list.

Frankly, I spent little time in the sections on training primarily because I have little expertise in any training other than cardio walking, Zumba, and Tai Chi. The advice seems sound. This is an extremely practical book utilizing a program that Venuto calls L.E.A. N. It means Learn, Eat, Activate and New body. It is one of the more useful and sensible books I have read on this subject. Besides that, I have never had a picture of a body builder on my blog before!

A disclaimer: The publicist sent me this book to review. I probably would not have looked at it on my own.

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle website: http://www.burnthefatfeedthemuscle.com/

[Justin Tapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle: Transform Your Body Forever Using the Secrets of the Leanest People in the World is the condensed bible of fitness. Concise information on nutrition, muscle formation, a mental motivation chapter, and a weight-lifting program anyone can start. In short, this is the only book you really need if you want to get in shape.

Venuto is a world champion bodybuilder. He has learned from the best by their experiences and earned a degree in exercise science. While he calls it a "plan," it's really not, it's information. The advanced chapters at the end discuss plateaus, bodybuilders' manipulation of carbs to lose the last few fat pounds and look really lean, along with the caveats of very-low-carb diets.

Note that the emphasis is on losing fat, not weight. My observation over the last year is that what many people forget, or may not know, is that just losing weight doesn't make you healthier-- you might be losing muscle. Who is healthier, all else equal, a 175 lb man with 10% body fat, or a 140 pound man with 20% body fat? Venuto explains how to build your lean muscle mass and shred your fat.

The only way to insure that you will lose weight is to consumer fewer calories than your body burns. There are plenty of accepted equations (available online) to figure out what that ballpark is for you. You want your calorie deficit to be in the right amount, and your macronutrient (protein, carbs, fat) to be in the right quantities such that your body is not breaking down your muscle, it's burning your fat.

So, you need to add in a fitness regime that incorporates weight training, both to boost your metabolism but also to counteract the natural process of sarcopenia. Venuto breaks down the importance of these activities as well as explaining nutrition science-- what carbs, proteins, and fat do for your body. He gives you some ratios that he finds work for his own body, and the only way to figure that out for you is to experiment. Measure everything, with apps and free resources online this is easier than ever.

I find that most people just don't want to measure. Despite the ease of this today, they don't want to keep track of what they're eating, lifting, burning. As I say in a similar post, this is the same as why so many families have financial problems-- discipline in measurement is required.The most successful people I know, people who post selfies of their six-pack abs and a list of the Cross-Fit workout they did today, do what Venuto does. They measure relentlessly and do real weight training.

I learned a few details from this book that have helped me in the last week. I am already measuring everything, every calorie in and every calorie out through exercise. I had lost quite a bit of weight, was at an all-time low. I found I was consuming too few calories, however, to build muscle mass so I upped my calories and my weights and put on a few pounds of muscle while maintaining my body fat percentage this week. I also learned the ins and outs of carb cycling, which I think I'll try soon. (Briefly: You cycle through 3 days of low-carb and calorie deficits followed by a day of "re-feeding" with carbs at maintenance level, body builders find this helps them burn the last little bit of fat while maintaining muscle).

Venuto puts his weight routine on his website with pictures. I went out to YouTube and found video demonstrations and am now working them into my daily exercise routine along with P90X3's Mass circuit. I like it, but need to keep making time for cardio.

I enjoyed this book, highly recommend it no matter what your fitness level. 4.5 stars out of 5.

[Leftbanker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, another diet/exercise book that could have been reduced to a 3X5 index card. Here is that 3X5 card:

1) Write down your goals and visualize them. “We think up to 60,000 thoughts a day and that 98 percent of these thoughts are the same ones we had yesterday—most of them negative.”

I think this is probably a good thing to do. My problem with fitness (if I have one) is that I don’t have any specific goals. I like to ride a bike and I ride the living shit out of the three that I have but beyond that I don’t really have a “goal.” I don’t want to enter a race or in any way quantify this aspect of my life, for better or for worse. I am fit as hell and love my bike rides. The same thing goes for my upper body routine which is mostly about doing pull-ups these days with some yoga planks thrown in (although I hate these). I have a chinning bar at home but I prefer to go to the park near the beach in the summer as I think the energy there fuels my workouts.

2) Your diet should be specific for your needs. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Protein is also good. Don’t eat crap. Don’t drink Coke or Pepsi. “A 2 percent increase in calorie intake from trans fats is associated with a 23 percent increase in cardiovascular disease risk.” Got it, knew it already.

Nothing really earth-shattering here.

3) The Terrific 12 (best fat burning foods)
✓ Whole fresh fruit
✓ Vegetables (any fibrous carb or non-starchy vegetable)
✓ Yams (or sweet potatoes)
✓ Potatoes
✓ Oatmeal, rolled or steel-cut (unsweetened)
✓ Brown rice
✓ Beans and legumes
✓ 100% whole wheat or whole grains*
✓ Low- or nonfat dairy products*
✓ Chicken and turkey breast
✓ Eggs and egg whites
✓ Lean cuts of red meat, game meats

4) “For lunch or dinner, you begin by choosing a lean protein such as chicken breast, lean beef, or fish. Second, you choose a starchy carb such as brown rice, yam, or potato. Third, choose a fibrous carb such as broccoli or salad.”

I found that his advice on exercise to be the least helpful for me. I already train a lot, like two hours a day five days a week and more. I'm concerned about how I look but I don't lift weights and I'm certainly not interested in "body building" of the Arnold type. Pick ten sports and I would kick Arnold's ass in nine of them. I saw that lump play tennis on TV one time in some celebrity tournament and I could beat him playing with the racket shoved up my own ass. So no, I'm not a body builder. Weight training for me is a total bore while doing pull-ups and that sort of thing is more my style and conforms to how I want to train.

I found most of the book’s 695 pages (my eBook version) to be “fly-over pages” with little or nothing much to say, just filler. There is a lot of good information in this book but it’s a tedious read. I will use it as a reference and if you really need help with your diet plan I suggest you do the same.

Good luck with your fitness goals!

[Heather in FL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Around the first of the year, Audible had a 2-for-1 sale on "resolution" books. This is one I picked up in that sale. I wasn't sure what I would think of it -- I'm not after a bodybuilder body -- but it was made clear in the beginning that bodybuilding isn't what this book is about. The concepts are used by bodybuilders, but they can be used for anyone trying to trim down. I liked that it focused on more than just nutrition and exercise... there's a mental component that makes sense to address. If you think you can't, it can be a self-fulling prophecy. But if you tell yourself positive things over and over, maybe it can change the path of your thoughts. Even half-negatives can make a difference. There were examples that weren't exactly negative but not 100% positive that are part of my inner dialogue that I need to change into more positive messages. I also think I need to pay more attention to goal setting. I have a general goal (lose weight so I can be PHAT, lol), but maybe it needs to be more specific and measurable. And simply losing weight isn't really the goal -- I want to lose weight but be healthy, and you can lose weight, but if it's all lean muscle, that's not such a great thing. The nutrition section wasn't exactly groundbreaking since I've been reading a lot about it, but I kinda liked that it was more free form than specific... guidelines as opposed to hard and fast rules. I also liked the explanation of carb cycling and methods for overcoming plateaus. There were a lot of formulas and other specific information in this book that I didn't quite catch in the audio version, so I ended up getting the hard copy. Now I just need to get it all together and put a real plan in motion!

[Cindy Heaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on how to train, eat, lose fat and get fit that I've ever read. This book has been so motivational for me. Tom has gotten me to track my results and even my calories (something I used to hate doing, but it does keep you on track). His chapters on the mental aspect of training have been helpful to achieving my goals. I have not done his workout plan (I was already using another plan for strength training and kept with it).

I have lost 34lbs in 7 months. Not super quick, but my eating was already pretty clean when I started. I also liked that he gives the tools to track how much of the weight you are losing is muscle or fat (very important if you don't want to be skinny fat). His chapters on what to do when you plateau make sense and seem pretty simple (haven't had to implement that yet).

I had originally gotten this book from the library, but quickly realized I needed a copy in my library because it is a fitness manual that you will refer to as you progress.

[Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The key is moderation" This book is designed for every person on this planet either male or female, beginner or professional, lazy or active, close-minded or open-minded. I felt that this book is written specifically for me. Thanks to my mentor who recommended me this precious book.

I love this book not only because it is a fitness book or because it is just inspirational , but also because it is physiological, psychological, scientific, literary, philosophical, chemical....etc. It has all the previously mentioned fields.
The book does not only tell what is right and wrong but also tells why what is right is right and why what is wrong is wrong scientifically. It proves everything either by being right or by being wrong scientifically.

Now I understood all the info in the book and all the techniques but The biggest challenge is put this knowledge into motion and to apply it. "They say knowledge is power, but it’s not, really. Knowledge applied is power!" Tom Venuto

[Leah Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reminded, once again, not to judge a book by its cover.

When my bestie recommended this to me I was pretty skeptical. This ab-tastic dude on the cover didn't seem relevant to me. "I don't want to be ripped", I thought. "I just want to lose 25 pounds, not lose all of my softness. This looks painful."

After encouragement from the bestie, however, I gave it a chance, and I'm glad I did. It really is for everyone 18+ and not requiring medical supervision (and even if you do worth seeing what your doctor says). It's about being your best and healthiest self, and Tom doesn't judge your goals. He seems like a pretty cool dude.

Want to be ripped? Then you can totally do that with his help. If not, he can support just about any other healthy goal. That's pretty great.

Lesson learned!

[Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

More good info than I ever expected

I have been looking for a book that included nutrition as well as exercise suggestions. I had no idea this book would entail as much as it did as far as the breakdown between carbs, proteins, and fats. This book breaks down nutrition guidelines and meal ideas better than anything I've ever read before. It also includes a nice section on lifting with examples included as well as pictures. It's exactly what I was looking for, and I look forward to seeing what progress can be attained by finally having a better understanding about some of the reasons behind fad diet failures and sustainability risks and finding something that's more sustainable for everyday life.

[Calla Reviews (كالا) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading this book in almost 10years now, like then the wisdom is right and exact. The exercises are easy to implement and the nutrition advice still stands. I recommend this book to all who are looking to transform their body or have hit a plateau. This book gives you just what you need through all the stages of your transformation and fitness journey. Definitely a must have resource for those into fitness.

[Srdjan]

Great book for getting the basic understanding of proper dieting, and how it fits together with exercising. It gives you a step by step guide on getting and staying leaner, but more importantly the knowledge and tools to make yours. Now it's time to put theory into practice

[Jeff Giuliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a solid book on the topic of getting a lean, fit body. I don't think it's entirely revolutionary, but it puts together very sound principles for getting lean.

One of the areas that I found helpful were his macronutrient ratios. I generally try to follow a Zone diet approach. His advice in that area is slightly different but I was able to use his ratios to tweak what I've been using. It motivated me to really track macros and I realized how much fat I consume each day. I cut back and saw some positive results.

I would recommend this book for someone who considers themselves a beginner to intermediate in the fitness arena. Someone more advanced probably knows most of what's in this book. Still a solid book though.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the books that I will read again, Tom is amazing! I am happy that I finally found a book which explains everything step by step. Thank you

[jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best health and fitness book I’ve read. Excellent and useful and effective information.

[Tom De Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE Bible

[Vlad Ardelean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but its intended audience are professional body builders.

I was looking for some advice/info on health for regular Joes. It does the job in this regard, but goes into more details than I wanted.

In any case, these are my notes from the book intended mostly for myself:

tempo: go slower on "the way down" (when the muscle extends)

resting:
when training for strength, wait 2-3 minutes
when training for muscle growth/endurance, rest less; the advantage is just in terms of time


strength training repetitions:
4-7 give you strength 
8-12 give you muscle growth
13-20 give you endurance


Food: 1 protein, 1 starchy carb, 1 fibrous carb and you're good to go (maybe add just a little healthy fat)

Reaching a bodybuilding or weight loss plateau: more than common, it's guaranteed to happen- that's when you:
* have managed chat days (where you eat at maintenance levels, not at calorie deficit
*switch exercises around: the type, order or intensity

[Jigar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The front cover of this book, is a little off putting, in the sense that you’d think it distorts what the content is going to be like.


I highly recommend this book to anyone who is already on a journey to be fitter, or is thinking of getting started.

While some of the language and content is too “marketing-y”, I am convinced that the overall message and the details covered are well worth the time.

I loved the idea that fitness goals rest on four pillars, no less no more :

1) Mental Training
2) Nutrition
3) Cardio
4) Weight training


The author covers each pillar in great detail and keeps reminding the readers that there is no one magic formula or quick fix.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insight into how to train the body effectively with no fads

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a good guide on how to improve my fitness level, and make positive changes in my life. It was a quick read, and had lots of practical advice.

One of the things that I really liked about this book was the section on mental training. It is very important to set goals, and get motivated to work out. Most books on fitness do not have a lot of information on how to mentally prepare yourself to make the change and stick with it. The section on nutrition was also very informative, and I liked the suggestions on things to change to optimize results.

Some areas of the book were very similar to other fitness books that I have read in the past. I found this especially true in the cardio section, but I did appreciate the descriptions of the different types of cardio exercises. I have known of several people who were overweight or injured, and tried to do too much too fast and hurt themselves. The descriptions were helpful in picking the best exercise for where I am at.

I was very interested in the weight section as I feel weights make a huge difference in fat loss and body shape. I found the section a bit slim, and knew most of the exercises, but still had to look a few up online to get familiar with the proper form. I am very interested in trying the TNB-28 plan, and seeing what results I get.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It has solid advice, and is easy to follow. The extra tools section at the back of the book is helpful, and there are many examples and tips throughout to help the reader. I am looking forward to starting this in the New Year, and am in the process of setting my goals now.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written in 2003 and surely was a light in the darkness at that time. Never eat fat with sugar, eat real whole unprocessed foods, his six food groups is very good, etc... Now however, it's less strong. There are both small errors and a risk of misreading when he generalises for the universal case, which he later clarifies might not apply for all cases.

He:
- is pro flaxseed oil
- is anti saturated fats
- supports a low fat diet
- is anti fructose, but for the wrong reason.
- pushes grazing and frequent eating too strongly, which won't do for most people
- overemphasises calories and calorie-deficits and moderate aerobic exercise to burn fat
- is practically against HIIT
- doesn't emphasise compound movements when weight training

Having said those things, he does make clarifications of the important "errors," so if you are doing a close reading of the text, it's all mostly in there, with the exception of contemporary updates in knowledge. There is nothing on fasting, for example, and his exploration of ketosis could be refreshed. His dated version of carb cycling is within-week, whereas nowadays we might advise going through two or three keto/ slow carb alternations within each year.

In addition to being out of date, the text goes on overly long and the detail can be overwhelming, making it harder to get a sense of the whole picture perspective. There are better, more easily digestible overviews and places to start available on the market now.

[Nyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is long (over 300 PDF pages), but I think worth every minute you have to spend to get through it. There are major points to take from it that could have just been summarized for a much shorter read; however, Tom Venuto's explanations for his advice are definitely worth reading and understanding so you'll know why he suggests what he does. I love that he does not necessarily prescribe a one-size-fits-all program, although there are parts of the program that do apply to most. This book covers all of these subjects in depth: goal setting and how to get your mind right, exactly what to eat, when to eat, how many calories you need for weight loss (including addressing the starvation response), body/metabolism types and how which one you fit into affects your results, how much/when to do cardio, how much/when to do weights, and very importantly, what to adjust if you are not getting the results you want. Of course, there are many people who can do less work than others and get good results. But if you have to work to lose weight, then he plainly tells you it will be hard, but you have to decide what you want more. The body you want, or to eat what you want.

[Henry Barry]

Though recommended to me as a diet book, this also covers psychology and weight lifting. The book is very holistic, and a very good guide for a beginner to begin to understand dieting and lifting, providing a lot of evidence as to why it should be done. It also had a very solid solution to the problem that most dieters have—pleateaus. Most of his information, other than a few of the juicy diet tidbits, was “standard,” meaning it was the same bodybuilding stuff you always hear about. But that doesn’t mean it was bad. His weightlifting section was clearly an afterthought, but it was sufficient and had recommended reading along with it. A warning about the book: a lot of the dieting stuff is very strict and intimidating—he basically says to never eat fried foods and donuts. Keep in mind that he is really talking about getting to 3-4% bodyfat. I personally think he’s a bit too extreme. Either way, this is definitely worth reading, and will give you a very good understanding of successful dieting and classic bodybuilding nutrition.