And while they’re here Vince and I are going to be working on a few quality projects together, getting in some quality training sessions, eating plenty of quality meat, and brainstorming some quality, new ideas.

Mmmmmmmmm. Quality.

Anyway, as I touched based with Vinny on the phone just a few hours ago, we began to discuss the different types of training we’ve been doing along with our current goals, which got me a bit curious about what it is that YOU’RE currently doing.

Are you looking to gain muscle, lose fat, both?

What are your specific goals for the next 16 weeks? How many pounds do you want to lose (or gain) in that time?

I like 16-week goals because it’s the perfect time frame to really make DRASTIC changes to your body and the way you look—aim high, and let me know your 16 week goal in the comments section below.

Then, print off this post (along with your response), and I want you to use it as a source of accountability. Here at Body Transformation Insider, we’re not just about setting goals, we’re ALL about achieving them.

Many of you are going to achieve some awesome things in the next 16 weeks—start today by posting your goal below.

(and if you can’t even *post* your goal, you might as well forget about achieving it…now is the time to step up and make it happen—together, as a community)

Talk to you in the comments section!

Joel

P.S.  Get your 16-week goal in writing! Believe me, responding below is going to be HUGE for your accountability (and ultimately, your success).

If you want fast results, you’re going to have to work out HARD.  Oops…looks like I just lost 99% of the world as a potential customer.

Nevertheless, it’s a FACT.  Effective fat burning workouts are uncomfortable by nature.

Let me ask you this…

When is the last time you felt “uncomfortable” during a workout?  I’m talking about “hands-on-your-knees, sucking-wind, sweat-dripping-on-the-gym-floor” uncomfortable?  For most people it ain’t recent.

But it’s absolutely necessary.

Why?  Because it’s not about how many calories you burn during a workout – it’s about how many calories you burn after.

Classic example:  For the last two weeks I’ve been working out with a guy by the name of Dan “The Machine” Long.  He doesn’t call himself that, but I do.  Why?  Because he’s a machine.  Pretty self-explanatory.

Well, yesterday Dan put me through a workout that resulted in me burning 647 calories in 45 minutes.  Not too shabby.  But that’s not where the real magic happened – no, the real magic happened about 20 minutes later when I pulled in to my garage and that same calorie monitor read 1009 calories. 

That’s 362 additional calories burned while sitting on my butt driving home – that’s more than most people burn in a 30 minute workout, and I did it while sitting around.

Had I left the calorie monitor on for another hour, it probably would have read somewhere around 1500 calories (nearly TRIPLE the caloric burn of the actual workout).

And I attribute that kind of dramatic “afterburn” directly to the intensity of the workout, and more specifically to a concept that Dan refers to as “kill mode”.

What is kill mode?  Well, allow me to define it for you, straight from Results Dictionary:

Kill Mode (‘kil · mōd) noun – a mental shift that occurs approximately half way through a work set in which fatigue is ignored, adrenaline prevails, and all-out max effort fat loss domination begins

Boom!

A practical example:

Let’s say you’re doing a timed set of jump squats for one minute.  The first 30 seconds is auto-pilot.  The final 30 seconds is when you enter kill mode – you forget about how you’re feeling, you allow adrenaline to take over, and you give it your all.  You push.  You go harder.  You dominate.

That’s kill mode, and it works — bigtime.

Is it uncomfortable?  YES.  Is it HARD?  Absolutely.  Does it require mental toughness?  You better believe it.

But as I stated at the very beginning of this post, you’re NEVER going to get the results you’re after without truly, genuinely working HARD.

Think about it – are you truly pushing yourself during your workouts?  Does each set end with a “kill mode” moment?  If not, you’re barely scratching the surface of your fat loss potential!

So here’s what I want you to do:  If you’re willing to commit to giving “kill mode” a go in your next workout, respond by leaving a comment below.  At least 200 comments and I’ll be back tomorrow with 3 more workout tips for maximal fat loss.

Time to DOMINATE.

Joel

P.S.  This is your opportunity to show your commitment to pushing yourself and taking your workouts (and results) to the next level by commenting below.  Step out and make the commitment – I’m first in line, and I want you with me.  Talk to you in the comments section!

After 20 years of helping over one million people transform their bodies and lives I know one thing for certain: As odd as it may sound to you right now, you can’t enjoy lasting weight loss, along with long-term health and happiness, without FIRST transforming what’s going on ‘beneath the surface.’  (I call this an ‘inside out approach’ and it’s making a world of difference for those who experience it.) 

Sure supersized portions, addictive ‘nutrient dead’ foods, and inactivity are literally killing millions of Americans and robbing children of their healthy futures. But the truth is, unless you address excess body fat with a holistic approach—meaning you consider the mind, body, heart and soul—you’re not going to get lasting results.

Period… end of story.

That statement is so important I’d like to say it again in a more direct way…

Statistics Show That 95% of Dieters Are Never
Going To Lose Weight And Keep It Off If
They Only Focus On Food And Exercise Alone

Their old patterns, unresolved emotional blocks, addictive habits and limiting beliefs will, sooner or later, cause them to rebound and spiral out of control… again and again.

Has this ever happened to you: One day you’re following a diet, losing weight and feeling hopeful but the next thing you know you’re overweight and unhappy again?   

If you’re like most people, this hasn’t happened to you just once… it’s happened many times over the years. In fact, I’m sure you know people who have been trapped on the weight loss rollercoaster for decades and the darn thing just won’t stop.

This brings me to a very important point that I want to really emphasize: Until you get to the root of what causes weight problems, you’re going to be stuck living the rest of your life in a body you’re ashamed of… along with the mental, physical and emotional health consequences that come along with it. 

The reality is simple:  Dieting is like clipping a weed at the ground surface—as long as the root is intact, it will come back. But I’m sure you don’t need to hear this from me—when you think about it, your past experiences have proven this to you over and over again.

You see, as long as you’re still the same inside–at the level of your thoughts, beliefs, patterns, and emotions–you simply haven’t undergone a true transformation. And any temporary weight loss results you do get will soon rebound and ‘snap back’ just like when you release a stretched rubber band.

What’s more, as you’ve probably experienced yourself, each time you try and fail to stick to a diet, it lowers your calorie-burning metabolism as well as your emotional well-being. As a result, you tend to gain even more weight until you want to give up completely.

And to make matters worse, science has shown that all of this negative emotional ‘baggage’ we carry around such as anger, frustration, stress, grief, shame, anxiety, depression, negative thinking and loneliness contribute to an imbalance in the brain which triggers cravings to eat, even when you’re not hungry. What’s more, these same emotions can negatively impact our health by lowering our immune system and increasing our risk of developing cancer and heart disease.

That’s the BIG roadblock with traditional diets—they completely ignore the root of the problem that’s driving you to overeat and feel bad. Fortunately there’s a new breakthrough…

The Bio-Balance Solution: How
to Lose Weight By Feeling Good

A leading Neurologist named Ronald Ruden, M.D., Ph.D., has done groundbreaking work in how emotions and thoughts impact something he calls ‘bio-balance.’ The simple explanation of ‘bio-balance’ is when you’re free from toxic emotions, negative thoughts, and you feel connected to other people in the world, your brain becomes much healthier and happier. This in turn allows you to feel good, enjoy a healthy state of mind, control your weight and experience more energy!

Bio-balance is a natural state of being that Mother Nature intended you to be in.

On the other hand, when your brain is out of bio-balance, it’s constantly working against you by causing cravings and stress, which of course lead to over eating, weight gain, poor health, low energy, and depression. 

Here’s a question… Do you ever eat when you feel angry, stressed, anxious or lonely? If so, the cause may be coming from a lack of bio-balance.

The Serotonin Connection

To be more specific, a brain neurotransmitter called serotonin plays a big role in bio-balance. You see, when our bio-balance is off, serotonin levels become low, and not only are we not happy (actually, we’re depressed), but another one of our natural brain chemicals, called dopamine, can become overactive.

Do­pamine is the ‘gotta-have-it’ neurotransmitter. It’s what makes us crave and strive for everything from certain foods, to alcohol, to nicotine, to unhealthy, compulsive behaviors.

When we ‘score’ one of those things, our brains release serotonin and for a short period of time we’re satisfied, we’re fulfilled. But then serotonin levels dip again and dopamine drives us into another cycle of craving, seeking, getting… and this addictive pattern continues, over and over again, unless our bio-balance is corrected.

The good news is that there’s a scientific, safe and natural way to restore healthy bio-balance so we can lose weight, feel better, and enjoy life more than ever.

If you’re looking for THAT answer – the real secret to end yo-yo dieting and the “falling off the wagon” phenomenon once and for all – then please make sure to watch your email closely tomorrow.  I’ve got a really big surprise for you, and you’re not going to want to miss it.

All the best,

Bill Phillips
#1 NY Times Bestselling Author – Body-for-Life®

————————

Got a question or comment on today’s article?  Drop it below and we’ll be here to interact with you personally!

And with good old “Independence Day” around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about one word:

Freedom.

I know, I know, you thought it was going to be “burgers”, and in all fairness, that probably comes in at a very close second.

But back to freedom.

Yes, we live in a free nation.  Yes, we can stay out to 3 o’clock in the morning on a week night if we so choose.  And yes, we can park wherever we want in South Tampa and get our car towed at said time only to pay a total of $185 (cash only) to some guy with a foot-long beard who immediately placed the money in his pocket.

Yes, in America, you can do all of these things.  Just ask my buddy Ryan Magin.

But, here’s the real question:  are YOU living free?

Seems like a dumb question if you live in the U.S. or another quote-unquote “free” country.  But here’s the truth — I see a lot of people living in captivity everyday.

Let me explain. 

Freedom, as defined by Websters Dictionary, is the power to exercise choice or make decisions without constraint from an internal or external source.

And here’s where the captivity comes in.

Are you free to buy and wear the clothes you want to buy?  Or does your body limit your freedom?

Are you free to enjoy the warm summer weather?  Are you free to feel GREAT on the beach in a bathing suit?  Or are you less than totally comfortable with your shirt off or in a bikini?

And here’s another question for those who are trying to lose weight:

Are you free to eat a wide variety of foods, even your FAVORITE foods, or is your “diet” more based around restriction than anything else?

You know, when I sent my newsletter yesterday about interacting with me on Facebook, I never expected to get so many private messages from people literally all over the world who have been using Cheat Your Way Thin for the past couple months losing 15, 20, 25+ pounds.

That kind of stuff makes my day, and you know what?  These people are living FREE. 

They’re not limited by restrictive diets, and most importantly, each and every week they’re breaking away from the “bondage” their bodies have placed on them for so many years.

Here’s just a short excerpt from a Facebook message I got yesterday from my new “friend” Laura (used with permission):

“Just a quick note to say THANK YOU!!!  I bought your Cheat Your Way Thin program back when it released in April and I’m still going strong…already down 4 dress sizes!…and I just bought my first ‘bikini’ in 10 years!  I absolutely love the summer time and live only 15 minutes from the beach but for so many years now I’ve barely gone because I didn’t want to be seen in a bathing suit…Thanks to you, I’m going to be spending a lot of time doing what I love this summer :-)”

That’s awesome.

Freedom to be who you are…freedom to eat what you want…freedom to do the things you love…freedom to be comfortable and confident in your own skin.

And you know what?  NO ONE can take that away from you.

If you’re ready to experience freedom like Laura and the 34 others that took the time to message me about their success on Facebook yesterday, you can grab the same program their using at the Cheat Your Way Thin site.  I’ll even hook you up with 20% off — we’ll call it the 4th of July “freedom” sale :-)

Just use this link:

==> Cheat Your Way Thin “Freedom” Sale

Have an awesome 4th!

Joel

P.S.  Oh yeah, you can actually start the program with your 4th of July BBQ if you’d like, because believe it or not, the diet begins with a Cheat Day.  Enjoy the burgers—I know I will ;-)

P.P.S.  Are YOU living free?  How does it feel?  Drop a comment below!

We also mentioned yesterday that every so often (perhaps once every hour or two) throughout the work day we experience a lack in focus and concentration. This is our body’s natural way of telling us “hey, take a break and recharge”.

So what do you do to “recharge”? Grab a cup of coffee? Hopefully by now you see that going that route is essentially the exact opposite of what your body needs.

If you really want to increase productivity, especially during times where mental concentration seems to be lacking, try using some of the strategies I provide below instead of refiring your nervous system (you’ll see that these tactics actually strive to achieve the opposite).

1. Controlled breathing – I actually did a post on breathing exercises a little while back where I went over something called the 4-7-8 technique. Many of you probably missed that, however, so I’ll include it again here.

To start, exhale completely through your mouth, then:

• Breathe in through your nose over a period of 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds
• Exhale completely through your mouth over a period of 8 seconds

Repeat the above three steps three more times for a total of four breaths.

You’ll be amazed at how this extremely simple breathing technique will skyrocket your mental clarity when you put it into practice. In fact, try it now – I guarantee you’ll feel an immediate difference.

2. Aromatherapy – The sense of smell is one of our strongest senses with many different scents and aromas proving to promote a large range of “experiences” from relaxation, to sensuality, to increased energy and clarity.

When I’m working at home (which is rare), I generally do breathing exercises with a few candles going in the background. Just brings a whole new element to the experience.

To rejuvenate and revitalize, look for aromatherapy candles and/or essential oils containing rosemary, lemon, eucalyptus, spearmint and/or peppermint.

3. Meditation – Trust me, I’m definitely NOT all “new age” and when I say “meditation” I’m NOT talking about sitting cross-legged, palms up, chanting “ummmmmmm” over and over.

Meditation doesn’t have to be that stereotypical.

Meditation simply is “a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive, ‘thinking’ mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.” (straight from Wikipedia, baby)

Simply relaxing while using controlled breathing is a form of meditation. But there are ways to take meditation even deeper, for ultimate relaxation and subsequent productivity.

In fact, about six months ago a business friend of mine introduced me to something that I use daily while meditating (again, not the stereotypical meditation; these sessions only last 10 minutes) and at other times day—and I can tell you that this ONE single thing has easily been responsible for tripling my productivity each and every day since then.

Do you want to know what it is?

At least 75 comments and I’ll be back on Friday to reveal it in detail.

Seriously, tripled productivity.

While you’re at it, give the 4-7-8 technique a try right now and let me know how you feel after 4 breaths!

Talk to you in the comments section!

Joel

We all have them. They’re part of life.

The icing on the cake, though, came later in the day when I got a flat tire.

And of course it was rush hour.

And of course it was on a major highway.

So there I was on the side of the road, annoyed, attempting to change my tire in the midst of hundreds of cars whizzing by me at 70 mph.

And then I realized something.

I was letting the day’s circumstances−circumstances that were completely out of my control−get the best of me. It was affecting my energy, and that’s something that I really try to avoid.

So, I put down the tire iron, got back in the car, turned on the radio and started to breathe.

You see, a long time ago I learned the value of using controlled breathing from a martial arts instructor friend of mine. Now, you may be thinking “Yeah, okay…controlled breathing…Tai Qui…oogly moogly” and you know what, that’s exactly how I looked at it once, too.

But then I gave it a try. And it works.

The fact is, controlled breathing exercises are an extremely useful tool for managing stress and renewing focus. And in just a minute, I want to share with you one relaxation breathing exercise that has been clinically proven to reduce stress and sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity. In fact, almost immediately after you begin to breathe like this, the body begins to calm itself. Heart rate slows, anxiety decreases, and you can just “feel” the effects.

Here it is:

The 4-7-8 technique:

• Exhale completely through your mouth.
• Breathe in completely through your nose over a period of 4 seconds.
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
• Exhale completely through your mouth for a period of 8 seconds.

Repeat the exercise three more times for a total of 4 breaths.

Try it now for proof. See how it makes you feel. I can guarantee if you do, you’ll use it again…especially when you need it most.

And in a couple minutes I was back out working on the tire, only with a completely different attitude.

Don’t let circumstances out of your control dictate your energy. And if you sense they might be, take some time to breathe.

Stay focused,

Joel

P.S.  There are two things I want you to do in the comments section today:

1.  Stop what you are doing, and give the 4-7-8 technique a try right now.  Can you “feel” it working?

2.  I want to know what types of techniques do you use to “relax” when life’s stress gets in the way?  What’s your best/favorite “de-stressor”?

Give me at least 20 replies and I’ll be back on Monday with brand new content!

You see, I love movies :-)

And today, perhaps to rekindle my inner child, I spent 91 minutes watching a movie that I literally watched every day for an entire summer when I was 12 years old: Rocky IV.

Now, you may not agree with me that Rocky IV is one of the best movies of all time, but if you’re a Rocky fan at all, you’ve GOT to agree that it’s the absolute best out of all the Rockies (and there will be time to debate that later if you don’t :-)

I mean, what a great story, right? Rocky, avenging his best friend Apollo’s death by defeating the highly-favored, monstrous Russian on his own turf in Russia−even for someone who’s seen it 79 times like me, it’s pretty intense stuff.

But apart from that, even if you somehow didn’t care for the movie (and I can’t imagine how), Rocky IV can still teach you something extremely valuable and applicable to you and your own goals.

And that is, the raw power of motivation.

Let’s be honest, if Rocky had gone in to fight the Drago prior to Apollo or at any other time, under any other circumstances, he would have got his butt handed to him. The dude was a monster, and had Rocky outmatched in every possible way.

But because Rocky had something extremely powerful to motivate him (the fact that this guy killed his best friend), he was able to seemingly defeat some crazy odds and emerge victorious.

Let me ask you a question: What’s YOUR motivation? What is it that gets you up in the morning and over to the gym before work when everyone else is sleeping in?

What is it that allows you to regularly pass up the quick and easy (and frankly, delicious) foods that so many others regularly indulge in?

Do you have a REAL source of motivation? If you don’t, it’s highly likely you’re going to get “knocked out” by all the temptation and “easy ways out” that surround us on a daily basis.

Let’s face it, it’s a heck of a lot easier to eat whatever, whenever, and skip the whole workout thing then it is to live a fit, healthy lifestyle.

You absolutely have to have a very powerful source of motivation, because without one, your toast.

So do you have a source of motivation that keeps you going strong toward your goals each and every day? What is it?

Reaffirm it by posting it in the comments section below to start today off with renewed focus (and if you don’t value your “reason” enough to post it below, it’s probably safe to say that you don’t really have one).

Talk to you in the comments section!

Joel