Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle -The Review

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto

It' s a 337 page e-book (requires the FREE Adobe reader) plus a bunch of other short reports.

I' m hanging around 16-17% body fat. No cardio for me. I try to eat clean.. and I do well.. falling off the wagon occasionally.

Here' s one of the sales pitches from the site...

" Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" (BFFM) is a 337 page fat burning success manual in e-book format jam-packed cover to cover with all the fat destroying methods previously known by only a small handful of the worlds best fitness models and bodybuilders. This program contains all the information you' ll ever need to help you shed body fat permanently without muscle loss and without using drugs or unnecessary supplements.

Whatever your goals, when you finally decide to stop making the same mistakes that have been holding you back and you diligently begin applying the techniques in Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle, you can literally choose any body you want:

The body of a competitive bodybuilder or fitness model

A lean and ripped body with " six pack abs," and nice muscle definition,

A fit and lean body with nice shape, and enough definition so you can see your abs and look good in a bathing suit.

Just look better than you do now.

REVIEW:

I' ll update this as appropriate. I just purchased my own copy (download) and the freebie reports. We' ll see if it' s worth the money. I' ll put my own review of what I find out here. If anybody has purchased this e-book before and comes across this post, let us know about your thoughts and experiences.

My plan is to read this book, adjust as necessary and see if I start noticing differences and then report that back here to see if " Burn the Fat" is worth the money or just another one of those e-books we all see pitches for in banner ads.

If you would like to join me in this review, get your own copy at

Burn the Fat

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Good.. I' ve seen that ad numerous times. I liked the ebook that was on the forum.. 12 Big Fat Lies about Weight Loss.. that was cool. I' d be interesed in what you read. I never get the scoop on this except the typical " Try it and find out" .. yeah yeah.. I kinda wanna know if it' s worth the money first.

I' ll watch this thread. Just keep it updated as you go along.

Thanks!

I'm really doing this guys. It's no joke. I'm printing out the 364 pages. Had to find some more paper. You thought the Max-OT guide was a book.. this one is twice that size. But the fonts are larger.. so.. you know how that goes.

I'm going to put it together and get to the reading.

Posting updates will be done in the same manner as this one. If I have a random though about it, I'll post.

The purpose of this review is to help you guys figure out if it's something you could benefit from.

I do not have a degree in nutrition.. so I'm pretty much just a guy with a lot of years of working out but hasn't really sat down and read a ton of these type of books. The last book I ever skimmed was Arnold's Bodybuilding Encyclopedia back in high school when I had my first barbell set from Sears.

Stay tuned.. updates will be posted here.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Preface & Dedication Review

Tom says:

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 information 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.

So far, that hooked me. I'm so tired of investment books that promise to show you the secret to wealth, only to show you jargon and a kinda blue-print but not really.

According to Tom, in the next 8 chapters, he's going to tell me exactly how to do this..

That is something I've been asking from most books I read for a long time. Tell me exactly how to do this.. A,B,C.. what do I eat, what don't I eat..

He promises no jargon. A few studies only for reference. He's not interested in people don't like the fact that he doesn't quote a million studies. If this works for you, great, it was written for you. If it helps you in reaching your goals, then it's a success with or without the critics approval.

He's dedicating the book to us, the reader, man or woman on the path of personal development in quest for a leaner body.

Let's see what Chapter 1 is like..

Stay tuned.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Introduction Review

It's a book written by a bodybuilder but not for the bodybuilder says Tom. Which makes sense. Because he goes on to say that you would want to learn this fat loss technique from a bodybuilder for the most obvious of reasons. Bodybuilders have mastered the art of shedding fat while maintaining muscle. Conventional diets achieve fat loss at the expense of muscle.

Tom goes on to his 12 Reasons why this program might just be the most powerful fat-burning system ever developed.

Some Reasons This Program (e-book) Might be for You:

1. Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle is truthful, unbiased and objective

He says magazines are generally considered to be one of the most credible sources for nutrition and fitness information. As a result, many magazines have turned into nothing more then thinly-disguised "supplement catalogs." Makes sense. He basically got into self-publishing his own books because he refuses to sell out and be paid to endorse any particular products.

2. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not a very low calorie or starvation diet

You just can't win at the very-low-calorie-diet game. Again, lifestyle changes.. over a "diet" which one must quit at some point.

3. Burn the FAt, Feed the Muscle is not just a nutrition program; it merges nutrition with exercise -- a combination essential for permanent fat loss

Calorie deficit talk. Either decrease the calories you eat daily or increase the amount of calories you burn thru exercise. Burning calories is more beneficial and healthier. The secret to fat loss..opps.. can I give this away? Is to allow yourself to eat more (of the right foods) and use exercise to burn off the fat. Nice. Agree so far.

4. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle does not confuse weight loss with fat loss.

Weight loss and fat lose are not the same thing. Gives examples. Just going over terminology here and making sure the reader understands the two meanings.

5. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not a temporary "quick fix." It teaches you new habits you can maintain as a lifestyle.

Not easy but very do-able. Gotta change the eating habits for life in order to see a change forever.

6. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not a generic "one-size-fits-all" program - it's individualized for your goals and your body type.

So we know that universal laws apply to everybody. So we learn the foundation, and then adjust according to our goals and body type. Seems reasonable so far.

7. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not just about cosmetic improvements - it's about your health.

Good health and losing fat, eating right.. solid nutritional plan. He's going to give a basic foundation for eating right.

8. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is simple

Tom really sells me here with "Lack of information is not a problem anymore. The problem these days is too much conflicting information." True true!

9. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is simple - but it's not easy

Just goes to talk about how the plan is simple but that you have to work hard at it.. dedication and perseverance. Easy infers no work.

10. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle teaches you the secrets of goal setting and mind power to achieve any goal you desire

Okay.. goal setting. Seems logical so far... you have to have a goal in order to reach it. And something to work for.

11. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is based on real food you can find right in your local supermarket - no supplements or shakes are required

I know visitors/members will love this. Yes, no magic pills, just a plan to lose the fat. Sure there are pills and stimulants but they aren't' nearly as effective as ads say they are. If there was, there wouldn't be 100 million overweight people in this country. Thumbs up to that Tom!

12. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is based on real world results

I like that over studies that prove nothing. Apparently he's trained enough people to know what he's about to tell us is going to work.

At the end he says that all these chapters will come together and we'll have a "nutritional enlightenment."

Well.. 8 chapters to go.. maybe at the end I will be enlightened....

(this review is the longest of them all.. just because I went over the major points)

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Who is this Tom Venuto guy?

I found some pre-contest diet info on the net that looked pretty valid, so I used it and it was from this Tom Venuto guy.

It seemed to work pretty good, what do you think?

[image]local://upfiles/107/If10776.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Tom Venuto is a bodybuilder, who wrote the book, Burn the Fat, that I'm reviewing.

Of interest to you, a bodybuilder, should be Reason #7 about this program..

If you are physique athlete (bodybuilder, fitness or figure competitor) or you aspire to become one, you will need a more restricted diet when you reach the level of competition. However, a pre-contest diet is a temporary tool used to help you reach a peak condition. When the competition is over, you will always return the same balance, healthy baseline nutrition program for maintenance.

Certainly sounds like this program might be just the one you need for future competitions and an overall successful career in bodybuilding.

Stick with my review, we'll learn a lot more about what this e-book is about. It could be exactly what you need.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Oh yes, great master, I will stick to your review for the invaluable knowledge and information you will provide for me

great master

I learned how to read in kindergarten.. If that makes me a guru.. then I got lots of stuff to sell you.

You should follow this thread. It may have interest to you as a competitive bodybuilder at some point.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

thx for taking the bullet for us mda, your a real team player

Very easy chapter. Not something that we all do.. according to the stats given, about 3% of people actually write down their goals. Knowing them in your mind is not enough.

In this chapter, it's an easy read. Before continuing on with the book, we are instructed to read about goal setting, positive thinking and various methods of psychological factors that affect how we see ourselves and move towards destinations that we cannot see.

This is unfortunate because the number one reason for failure in losing body fat and in lie - is the lack of clearly, defined, written goals.

This chapter is a must read.. not to be skipped.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

All about diets, restrictive calories diets, how eating more is actually better for you.

Lots and well documented and conclusive information.

If fat loss were as black and white as calories in vs. calories out, then how do you explain why some overweight people eat less then lean people, yet they still can't lose an ounce?

Gearing up for Chapter 3 and Body Composition

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Assuming you don't know about the muscle to fat ratio and the various methods to determine that ratio, Chapter 3 takes us on a journey of discovery into the body fat testing methods.

One of the goals of the Burn the Fat e-book is to let the reader know that obtaining muscle and maintaining muscle should be your goal. Not just because of how it looks, but for what it will do for your health.

Unfortunately, most people pay little attention to their amount of muscle because they're too busy worshiping the almighty scale. This is a huge mistake!

We journey thru the body fat testing methods in detail and then are taken to the most fun part (and it's easy math too) the formulas for determining your fat to muscle ratio.

Tom has some interesting concepts in Chapter 3 about "skinny fat people" and what that means.

Chapter 3 was especially fun because I ordered and received my accu-measure. A body fat skin test that uses a nice caliper. While it may not be the most accurate (practice makes perfect) it really doesn't matter. It's just there to track my progress. So this chapter was really cool because I was able to do this privately and work thru the two formulas easily and get my fat to muscle ratios worked out.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Basically covers how to use performance feedback to get from where you are, to where you want to be. Doesn't seem so exciting.. UNTIL you find out Tom really does give you the actual 7 steps to fat loss. It's not secret but it's like the person who did it in a mystery. Seems so obvious after the "secret" is revealed. But you'd never guess it from the beginning because it's so simple.

There is no such thing as failure - only feedback; only results.

And how true that is.. when you read this chapter you will understand that everything you do or don't do and the results you get or don't get, is a feedback method that can be used to change the course and your actions.

My favorite part.. and the coolest thing in this book so far.. is that Tom actually does tell us in this chapter the exact nutrition and exercise variables you can adjust to get the results you want.

No this isn't a sales pitch so I can get a commission on a book. But this is a review not me typing out the exact things in the book. But honestly, there's a list of the things you can do, step-by-step as he promised, to change your routine to get results. Just simple easy to read, no-brainer steps.

Finally, he goes in detail about how to measure your progress weekly and interpreting those results based on the formulas you did in Chapter 3. Easy, yet visual and would most certainly work.

Let your results dictate your approach

Let's see what Chapter 5, Doing Your Best with What You've Got is all about.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

No two people are exactly alike says Tom. Okay. We know this. Or we should. And there's 10 listed reasons why people are slightly different. Basal metabolic rate being one of them.

Moving on I was really impressed with the next few pages. It's called somatotyping. The process of identifying your body type before you started training and figuring out what qualities you've got of the ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.

What's so cool about these pages is that he really goes into some serious detail about the training methods and nutritional considerations of each type. The list of qualities is quite extensive. More then I've ever seen posted on the net. It was pretty easy to determine that I'm mostly ectomorph with some mesomorph qualities. And here I thought I was pure ecto... but that's not entirely true.

Finishing the chapter, Tom warns us to Beware of Absolutes. And here's where I give him credit. Without a doubt that is so true in bodybuilding.

Here is one of the greatest truths you will ever learn about nutrition and exercise: There is no single best way! When you read diet and training books, keep in mind that what you are reading is "A" way, but it is not "THE" way.

He gives the example of the low carb diets. While that is fine for the endomorph, it's taken by many (all body types) to believe that all carbs are bad. That would kill me, the ectomorph as carbs are my bud. Great example along with a few others.

Concludes the chapter with focusing on who's responsibility it is to accomplish these goals.

My favorite part so far is the somatotyping and the wonderful, detailed descriptions and methods of training and nutritional advice he gives. It's pretty step-by-step.. good info.

Chapter 6 is about the Mathematics of Losing Body Fat.. (math )

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

We find out about the definition of a calorie. How important it is to track what we eat and how we most accurately determine our maintenance needs and weight loss and weight gain calories per day.

Tom goes over a few laws of energy balance. Which turns out to be pretty short and sweet. Nothing most people probably didn't know but most certainly things people forget daily and do not follow.

Too much of ANYTHING will get stored as fat - even healthy food.

There's about 6 factors that influence your daily caloric needs. Nice to know because we already learned that no two people are exactly the same.

Finally, Tom gives us some exact formulas to figure out our reduction in percentages for those looking to lose or gain weight based on the previous chapters and current chapters formula for figuring out your specific needs.

Supplement advertising in bodybuilding and fitness magazines has brainwashed many people into believing that gaining muscle and losing fat at the same is an easy and common occurrence (with the right "miracle" product, of course). IT'S NOT! It's quite rare.

Chapter 7 is going to tell us how to turbo charge our metabolism and turn our body into a fat burning machine.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

The secrets to a fast metabolism are revealed. While they aren't really secrets, they are the fundamentals that it seems everybody knows but nobody follows. I suppose if they knew them, they might follow them a bit more.

I've always said a particular chapter was my favorite and I haven't finished the book. I'm just liking what I'm reading so far. Truthfully, I've done this fitness thing for a long time. And I wish I had this book when I was 16. I was always looking for the next pill, power and magic substance. And I failed to look at the food my mother had prepared. I could have easily asked for seconds and thirds but I didn't. I failed at nutrition early on. I failed in college and ate the typical crap. And so I got the typical results. This isn't new stuff but it's the fundamentals that we all seem to not really know. We fail the 80% and try and improve on the last 20%.

As I keep reading, I just like know that I'm learning something and that things I've learned along the way are being reinforced constantly.

Of all the nutrition strategies in BFFM, the proactive of eating small, frequent meals, approximately every three waking hours is by far the most effective method to speed up your metabolism.

We find out why we'll never reach our goals without eating 5-6 meals. We also discover what the optimal number of meals is and why more is not always better. If 5-6, then why not 7 or 8?

Something I see quite often is the practice of skipping meals.

Skipping meals (or leaving long gaps between meals) is the cardinal sin of fat-burning and muscle-building nutrition. Missing meals slows down your metabolism, causes muscle-loss and triggers your body's starvation responses.

What Tom is basically saying at this moment is that train all you want.. and if your nutrition isn't on track and if you don't get the fundamentals.. best of luck to you.

We then move on to read about the 7 reasons why frequent meals are crucial to your success in losing fat without losing muscle.

Finally we learn the role of meal replacement and supplement shakes.

There was a big theme in this chapter that I've talked about quite often as well. The thermogenic properties of food. Eating more, burns more. Burning more helps you to lose weight and get rid of the body's starvation response to hold onto everything. One big idea that Tom continually talks about is the need for real food and how that translates into fat loss.

There's travel tips, planning ideas and the beginnings of some reinforcements on just how important it is to stick with your plan and not fail on weekends.

Chapter 8 is all about the optimal combination of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Along with a basic ration as a baseline.

I cannot help but put this quote in as well.. "When all else fails, ALWAYS GET YOUR PROTEIN!"

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Anything more on this Marc? I found it odd that most of everything you quoted from his book I already "kind of" know. Even more strange is the fact that I am the furthest thing from a professional and still knew. But I do agree that it reinforces some of the forgotten rules.

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

I have 3 chapters I need to write about. I read them on the plane when I flew to Dallas on business.

You are correct. It's nothing new. It's the 80% of the foundation that most people know bits and pieces of but don't put together in the big picture.

I've been reading for a while now (yeah I'm slow). And it's not like "Oh my G*D! That is an amazing discovery that nobody knew!" It's just a ton of things that I did know put together in a very interesting manner that makes it fun to read.

I knew about scales. I knew about writing down my progress. I knew about body fat calipers. I knew about carbs. But when I started reading, I got motivated to actually take the things I say I know.. and do them. And now things are happening.

For those who still eat 3 meals or less a day.. this book will be an eye-opener. For you and me and guys like Twin Peak, it's not new. It's just a refresher course in the basics.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

It's all about the Macronutrient Ratios. And some explanation of why a calorie is not just a calorie. Tom says that one misconception of fat loss is the conservative scientific view that "a calorie is just a calorie." The only thing that matters is the calories in versus the calories out.

One of the first rules.. I'll give a teaser here, is always eat proteins and carbohydrates together. Sounds reasonable. Not something that everybody does on a regular basis.

There's 3 sample ultimate meal combinations listed here in this chapter. Luckily one of the meals is my favorite! And I eat it often. Good to know there are some pretty good combinations of foods that really help to burn the fat and feed the muscle.

There's 8 reasons why you need to eat proteins and carbs together. Very detailed.

Here's where it gets interesting. Tom explains there's no single ratio that will work for everybody. There's places to start for sure but here's where you get to figure out your own best nutrient ratio. Finally! That's been a big question on this forum. What ration of protein/carbs/fat should I eat? Well here's the chapter that will answer that one.

Most people will lose fat simply by adding a regular exercise routine to their schedule and by 'cleaning up' their diets. A 'clean' diet means you've mastered all the nutritional basics like eating small frequent meals, controlling portion sizes, cutting down on saturated fats, avoiding sugar, drinking plenty of water and eating lean protein at every meal.

And that does work.. FYI. There's a lot more in store for those who want to go beyond that statement but really.. you're thinking that's simple. What's the big secret to that? Nothing. That is why this book is cool. It's not trying to make up big secrets or uncover these hidden gems. It's just saying what you should know already. And the above is what a lot of people on this forum have done with great success.

Now the BFFM "Baseline Diet" is revealed. Exact ratios for a sample baseline.

Master the fundamentals first. That is the big secret.

Ratios aren't the secret--calories are. Eat too much, you get fat, period. Isn't that the truth.

There's a lot of good information in this chapter.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

I have also downloaded this ebook. I did so because it was recommended by Anthony Ellis who has an excellent program called Gaining Mass. This book is by far one of the best books I've ever read on fat loss. While much of what he has to say has been said before (eat every 3 hours, eat more protein, cycle carbs, etc.), the way he explains things and the way he puts it all together is what makes this book worth buying. He doesn't waste time talking about biochemistry the way other books do. I followed his advice and have been losing fat at the rate of 2 pounds per week. My muscle mass has stayed the same. I feel more awake and stronger than I normally do. There's quite a lot of material here and it makes for an excellent reference manual.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Goal Setting
Chapter 2: 8 Strategies To Lose Fat
Chapter 3: Body Composition
Chapter 4: Charting Your Progress
Chapter 5: Body Type
Chapter 6: Calorie Balance
Chapter 7: Meal Frequency and Timing
Chapter 8: Macronutrient Ratios
Chapter 9: Fats
Chapter 10: Protein
Chapter 11: Carbohydrates
Chapter 12: Carbohydrate Cycling
Chapter 13: Water
Chapter 14: Designing An Eating Plan
Chapter 15: Supplements
Chapter 16: Cardio
Chapter 17: Weight Training

I'm sure a lot of you are sick of buying books and reading but this is definitely one you should have in your collection. I will also be posting my comments on each chapter when I have more time.

Welcome to DB donuts!

Thanks for the post... it's exactly what I've been saying as well while I read (slowly) thru these chapters. If nothing else, it's the best reference manual to date. Full of information. I've been adjusting my workouts according to what I've been reading and I'm noticing a big difference as well. Maintaining the muscle and burning the fat. It is working.

Really appreciate the comments. Keep us updated and I'd love to see your comments on the chapters as I've been trying to do.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

hi,

How do think these girls keeps on a diet?
http://bride.ru/?brid=18154

Simple. They bought the Burn the Fat e-book by Tom Venuto and loved it.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

well the thing i dont understand is , when the hell are you gonna excercise if you keep eating every 3 hours?

(i ask this question after reading the ebook)

LOL

If you only workout say.. 45 mins.. then after your meal at 3pm.. you have 3 hours in which to workout.. go home.. and eat dinner at 6pm.

And by meals.. they don't mean full blown All-American meals.. but combinations that keep you well fed and your metabolism continually burning.

I've never found a problem finding the time to exercise, I mostly run into the issue of man.. I need to eat, how am I going to get out of this lame meeting.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

ya i know but its always better to excersice 3 hours after eating a meal , so you dont feel heavy when excersicing , well atleast for me

If you don't eat (to use MDA's term) "All-American Meals", you should be able to lift within 15-20 minutes of eating, and definitely within an hour. A chicken breast cooked on the Foreman and 2 servings of rice with some veggies is hardly enough to make me bloated, and I'm hardly huge at 5'7" and 175. You should be able to eat fairly close to this and still be able to lift providing of course that the other meals you are eating follow the same guidance.

D

Chapter 9

This one is all about good fats and bad fats. There's most certainly a difference. Not all fats are bad. In fact, by consuming certain types of fat, you can actually burn more fat? Take a fat pill to lose weight? Kinda.

In a nutshell, fats are made simple by Tom because he clearly says how he's going to inform you of the various types.

1) Why all fats are not the same
2) What kinds of fats you should eat
3) What kinds of fats you should never eat
4) How much fat to eat for optimal results

The rest of the chapter goes onto explain exactly those 4 items listed above. And there is a list of various foods and details.

The myth of "fat free" is also debunked. Just because it's fat free doesn't mean it's calorie free or sugar free.

My favorite part of this chapter is the long list of benefits for the essential fatty acids. The two main types are Omega 6 and Omega 3. Tom does not think that most people get enough EFA's and those that are intentionally on a low fat diet are really at risk.

Without giving away the whole list.. 2 things that EFA's do is increase the metabolic rate and help burn fat. There's quite a long list of other benefits as well.

The conclusion is that a certain amount of fat is essential to your diet. Various fads like no fat or high fat diets aren't healthy and the book explains why in greater detail.

Very interesting chapter if you think that all fat is bad for a bodybuilding lifestyle. And if you can't believe that eating a good amount of fat is optimal for muscle gain and overall body fat loss, then this chapter might be the most interesting yet.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com