What are your credentials? How do I know you know what you’re talking about?
I’m glad you asked because there are so many self-proclaimed “gurus” in the bodybuilding, fitness and nutrition business today that it’s difficult to tell who’s legit and who’s not.
Here are my credentials and how I’m different from the others
I’ve been bodybuilding since 1983 and competing since 1989. I’ve been involved in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, health club owner/manager, nutrition consultant and freelance writer since 1988. I also manage and co-own Empire Fitness Clubs, a health club chain with locations in New Jersey and New York, and we have over eleven thousand members at four locations (with more clubs on the way). Bodybuilding and fitness is my life – it’s all I’ve ever done.
My educational background includes a B.Sc. degree in exercise science and I’ve previously received two certifications; “Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist” (CSCS) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) and “Health and Fitness Instructor” from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), (although I do not currently maintain these certifications because I no longer work as a one on one personal trainer – I now own and operate health clubs and serve as a health-fitness writer and “coach/consultant”).
In addition to being the author and creator of the 330 page BURN THE FAT, FEED THE MUSCLE program, I’ve written over 160 articles for bodybuilding and fitness publications. Here are some of the publications I’ve written for and/or been featured in.
IRONMAN magazine
Muscular Development Magazine
Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Magazine
Men’s Exercise Magazine
Exercise For Men Only Magazine
Steele Jungle: The Foremost Drug-Free Bodybuilding tabloid in the world
Scoop Magazine
Olympian’s News (Italian)
MuscleBuildingNutrition.com (“Guru” section of members area)
Female Muscle.com (Nutrition editor)
Global Health & Fitness.com (Fat Loss Expert)
Nutribomb.com (Host of Tom Venuto Fitness Forum)
Lee Labrada’s Lean Body Coaching Club (contributing writer)
A to Z Fitness.com
True Bodies.com
Ironmag.com
IronMagazine.com
Critical Bench.com
Cyberpump.com
Bodybuilding.com
Athletic Nutrition.com
Self Growth.com
I have a well-rounded background coaching and training a wide range of clients of all ages and interests, but my top specialties are bodybuilding and fat loss. I have personally coached 605 people and thousands of people in 83 countries have already used the BFFM fat burning system.
I’m a natural for life competitive bodybuilder and I’ve won numerous titles including the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York State championships. My most recent competition was the 2001 NPC Natural Eastern Classic, a drug tested contest where I took first place in the middleweight division. I’m still an active competitor and am preparing to compete at the national level this year.I’ve also been a judge and guest poser for North American Bodybuilding Federation (NABF) competitions.
In addition to my bodybuilding and fitness background, I’ve spent the last 15 years of my life studying motivation, achievement, success psychology and personal development. I’ve extensively studied the work of Anthony Robbins, Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, Brian Tracy and many other success, achievement and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) experts. I’ve worked personally (and still am working) with master success coach Bob Proctor to improve my own skills as a success coach. I’ve read over 1900 books, attended over five dozen seminars and remain totally committed to staying on the cutting edge in nutrition, exercise science, personal training and success coaching.
This sets me miles apart from other personal trainers, fitness writers and nutrition consultants because it has allowed me to weave an exciting and empowering motivational aspect into Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle that’s simply unrivaled by any other program in the world. Many of my clients say that the information in the chapter on goal setting and motivation alone is worth the price of the entire program many times over.
I practice what I preach. I use my own system and I am walking, talking, living, breathing proof that this system works. More importantly, this program has worked for thousands of others (check out the fat loss success stories on my site). Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle can work for you too.
What are the actual contents of this book? What is it telling you? Is it recipes, or lists of foods to eat and not to eat? Does it have a work out schedule or routine? Is it
mostly just pictures of exercises?
Those are really good questions – I’m glad you asked. I probably should have
talked about this on the main page, but I’ll just answer in detail right here.
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
Is an information dense book. If you don’t like to read, this manual is not for you. On the other hand, if you are sincere and hungry for honest, logical and easy-to-read information that explains in simple layman’s terms the exact steps you must take to burn fat, then you’re going to LOVE this program and especially what it does for you.
The entire 337 page e-book is text, with the exception of the appendix, which contains charts for calorie and nutritional content of recommended foods, protein, fat and carbohydrate tables, sample menus and a progress chart. There are lists of the exact foods you should eat and which foods to avoid. The bonus reports: Foods That Burn Fat, Foods That Turn to Fat, and “The A Food, B Food Lecture” go into even greater detail about food choices.
There are no “weird” or unusual foods to eat in this program. The eating plan consists of regular foods you can get at your local grocery store and the variety is virtually endless. No drinks or shake mixes are required (although you may use meal replacement shakes for convenience). You don’t have to eat anything you don’t like, but you DO have to eat healthy, natural foods – don’t ever fool yourself into thinking you can indulge in sugary, refined junk every day and still lose body fat. Other diets may promise that to you, but if you believe those claims, then you are living in a dream world!
In this program, you will learn EXACTLY what to eat to lose fat and build muscle. However, Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle is not a recipe book or cookbook. The typical “diet” book you get at the bookstores these days is about 1/3 information and 2/3 recipes (also known as ”filler”)
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
is 100% information – no filler – just valuable content that will help you lose fat and get in shape fast! (If you’re interested, I’ll be happy to recommend some recipe books that would complement my program well).
Now let’s talk about the exercise program. Cardio and weight training are both important parts of this program. “Diets” without exercise can never keep the fat off you in the long run because they downgrade (and sometimes damage) your metabolism. If you’re not willing to pay your dues with (1) aerobic exercise, (2) weight training, and (3) nutrition based on natural foods, then don’t buy this program. This is NOT a “diet” or quick fix. This is a new way of life… you’re not going to “go on” this program and then “go off” it… you go on it and stay on it!
There’s an entire chapter on cardiovascular training for fat loss, including the recommended type of exercise, plus the optimal frequency, intensity and duration for your workouts. There are four complete weight training routines from beginner to advanced, including “aggressive routines” plus “conservative routines” that require as little as two to three days per week for time-crunched people.
You do NOT have to join a gym to follow this program, although some very basic weight training equipment like a set of dumbbells is required to get maximum benefit. (The more advanced you become, the more highly I recommend joining a gym, but you can easily get started on this program right in your own home).
This course assumes you know the bare basics such as how to curl a dumbbell or perform a crunch exercise. I’m not against books that are filled with pictures, but a lot of e-books use exercise pictures (along with recipes) as filler material – the same exercises you’ve probably already seen a thousand times in other books and fitness magazines. Some books were designed to be photographic guides to exercise routines, and for many people, that type of picture book can be invaluable. However, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is an information manual, not a picture book.
Last, but not least…no other book – e-book or hard copy book – goes into such detail about motivational techniques to help you stay on the program. These goal setting and mental training techniques are so powerful, they practically put your behavior on autopilot. Let’s face it; even if you know what to do, you still need to get yourself to do it! Do you ever “sabotage yourself” or “fall off the wagon?” Did you ever start a program but you couldn’t stick to it? If you can’t discipline yourself to stay on your routine, it doesn’t matter how much you know, you aren’t going to get any results. Knowledge isn’t power; applied knowledge is power. In this program, you will learn dozens of easy, practical techniques that will not only enlighten you, but will empower you to apply what you learn and adopt habits you will stick with for life.
I will take you by the hand and teach you the proven fat loss techniques of the leanest athletes on earth
Guest Writer, Tony Venuto
