Mmmkay,

I'll get to the point. I was reading Tom Venuto's response to the Time article, which then got me more interested in Tom Venuto. I've heard the name before as the author of Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. It never went beyond that because I chalked it up as a weight lifter's thing, something I wouldn't benefit from..

But now I see he has a new book out that's getting great reviews online.

Then there's my husband....
We both started taking karate lessons together about two months ago..he's over the mooon because for the first time in his life he's been able to build muscle ( he does other workouts, too, in addition to the karate ). Me? I'm probably a little smaller but nothing noteworthy, mostly just boob reduction.. My husband has practically no body fat, and I have enough for both of us...

I have been a fairly dedicated weight watcher for over 10 years....and I've been messing w/ the same 10-15 lbs for almost that whole time.
I"m interested in Tom Venuto's approach but kind of scared, too. WW doesn't seem to be working for me as it once did, probably because I'm discouraged and hungry and sick of counting.... but at least I'm familiar with it.

So, here's my husband who struts around the the cock of the walk, and as much as I'm happy for him, I'm a bit jealous, too....

What is the concensus about Tom Venuto's books? has anyone switched from WW to Tom Venuto's approach? Can the two be put together?

I'll admit that the reviews on amazon have me pumped. But the reviewers on amazon...I don't know them...and I don't know many of you, either, but I still trust your feedback.

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle was a great book. I loosely follow his program. He outlines the proper foods to eat and how you need to lift heavy weights to build muscle and do cardio to burn fat.

I still have weight to lose and I don't do the hardcore weight training but do recommend his books. I haven't read his new one yet but I hear it is good and less hardcore on the weight training.

Tom's book is all about 'clean eating'. It's not to be a bodybuilder, but, the healthiest way to eat, like the way we were supposed to.

My daughter had become a fitness competitor over the summer and she started clean eating, well, when I saw what it did for her, I got on the band wagon.

Guess what, I have lost 11lbs in the past 3wks, eat 5-6 times a day, real food, and I am never hungry! Oh, ya, the best part, no calorie counting , just portion control. Trust me, there is more than enough to eat.

Sometimes I need to force myself!

Great nutritional way to eat!

Does he advocate mini-meals? Can I get the same benefits without them? My schedule doesn't allow for me to eat mini meals. There's no reasoning to when I'm able to get a bite to eat. I can't plan it out well.
I just got the new issue of ww magazine and am considering Tom's new book from amazon, to re-motivate myself.

I'm not ready to let go of weight watchers just yet... of all the things I've tried, I've had the most success with that.

I do not have Tom's book, but, I do follow the philosophy of clean eating, which is what his book is about.

I know it can be hectic to try to fit in your 'meals' 6 times a day, sometimes, situtations will not allow it.

My suggestion is to 'pack' some high quality snacks, that you can sneak in, during those times that you cannot sit down and eat a meal. Such as a cheese stick & an handful of walnuts or even a protein drink. This is easy enough to consume with in the amount of time it is to take a bathroom break.

I know, because, I am a Massage therapist, and my appts are usually booked back to back, so, between client appts (usually about 5mins) I grab my cheese stick and a few walnuts. Woola, I just fueled my metabolism.

I will admit, I don't always get to eat every 2 to 3 hrs, but, I eat whenever possible, and it is working for me.

I home this helps.

This sounds like something I am going to have to look into. I'm one of those people who enjoys eating every few hours, and it sounds like I could benefit a lot from it.

I'm glad I found this thread, I'm going to have to borrow a copy of this book from the library if I can find it.

The effects of clean eating (no packaged, processed, sugary, salty, excess fat laden foods) are evident after just one week. Try it, honestly and consistently for one week and I bet you will be hooked. I've been eating clean and following a paleolithic style of eating for almost a year and I've never felt and performed better. I get my saturday cheat meal, and it's usually nasty, and if I really want to be lean and ripped, I'd have to drop that, but for now, that's not my goal. I've seen huge performace gains in my crossfit (I went from not even being able to hang from the bar, to being able to do 4 pullups in a row in the span of 3 months) and I've never felt better with my joint pain and fatigue (I was diagnosed with Lupus last year and I was so miserable and tired, I chalk it up to a really ****ty diet).

I eat delicious foods like, Chilli/lime shrimp with roasted root veggies and tomato basil salad, or roast chicken with roasted carrots and beets, or Bbq'd T-bones with sauteed swiss chard and onions and a marinated salad! I mean, it's delicious! I love to cook and experiment, which helps. I also never put a cap on my grocery budget. If anyone is looking for one solid tip on clean eating, here it is: Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Nothing that you need is on the interior. Fresh herbs are cheaper and safer, fresh veg is cheaper than you think, and fresh meat is just waiting for your own custom tastes! Skip the diet books, pick up a "gourmet" cookbook and get crazy!

I haven't read the book but I do eat every three hours. As Madison27 said if you can't find time to sit down and have a mini meal at least have a high quality snack. I have been eating every 3 hours since Jan and have lost 60 pounds. I am never hungry and it's been the best life style change I have ever made. (It's not a diet) and I am never hungry! I have gone from a tight size 18 to my current size of 8. I still want to lose about 15 more pounds.

Clean eating is the best!!!!

I think I am closer to eating 'mini meals' through out hte day than I think. I work from 9:30 a.m to 8 p.m. most days, therefore eating food I bring with daily. I generally eat well, but I do realize I need to cut down on the amount of carbs or at least pair them w/ some protein.

Sat and Sun are the only real days my husband and I eat an actual supper. How do you handle something like that? Just another mini-meal? I express concern because it may be so much less food than my husband has...

I suppose that, like anything, it's practice...
I've done some readin online about Tom Venuto and other things and I am figuring out how to incorporate the clean eating idea with weight watchers.

This gives me the motivation I need, and a fresh direction, and your success w/ clean eating is inspirig.

Optical Goddess,

Check out Tosca Reno, she is a true success story of clean eating and has great suggestions for everyones' lifestyles. Try toscareno.com you'll see her success story, and all about clean eating.

She truly is a success story, but I gotta admit, I was distracted by those horrible breast implants.

Hi there!

Just don't forget that whatEVER path you choose has to be sustainable as a lifestyle in the long run. IF you pick a different path simply for the results, and it isn't a match for how you want to LIVE, you'll "finish" the diet and regain the weight.

And, just as an aside, my personal pet peeve is the term "eating clean". I absolutely REFUSE to use this term to define eating -- "clean" and it's converse "dirty" are highly judgemental and moralistic and it is EASY to feel virtuous for eating "clean" and to self-loathe if you eat "dirty" and self-loathing is the LEAST production and MOST negative of thought patterns. Foods are neither clean NOR dirty! They just ARE, and some may be better for you than others but I choose not to define them as "dirty" or "evil" or "being the devil". So if you choose to stay with WW, don't feel that you are less of a person because you may eat refined foods from time to time. And if you choose to remove refined products from your diet, you aren't a "clean" i.e. virtuous person...

And I too thought Toscas plastic boobs were scary -- surprising to me that someone who is concerned that the fuel she puts into her body has to be "clean" is ok with surgically inserting foreign objects (silicone!) into her body PURELY to achieve a look (i.e. not reconstructive after mastectomy)...never understood this...but her path is her path and who am I to say?


JMHO

Kira

Just to echo the others - Tom Venuto is awesome. BFFM was the turning point for me! He has everything you need to know in his book - right down to the goal setting, motivation, negative thought processes.. he really is spot on. I know there are lots of lifestyles out there, but his has been nothing short of amazing for me... both mentally and the way I feel physically.

kira: I have never thought of the term "clean" eating as a bad one. Merely a term used to describe not eating processed, etc. foods. I have never thought of anyone not eating a "clean" diet as eating a "dirty" one! There are many paths in weight loss and many different lifestyles. It's easy for people to think their way is the "best" way, because it is working for them. But, when I use the words "clean diet" in the forum, I am not trying to think I am.. or to be better than anyone else. I think of it as a descriptive word for one of the TYPES of diets. Is there another word for it that I am missing?