Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between being really hungry and just eating for the sake of eating because you are bored or depressed.

Are you guilty of eating a tub of ice-cream when you are feeling blue? How do you determine whether you are really hungry?

These are the questions you need to ask yourself:

Is my stomach growling? Do I feel weak or tired? Has it been longer than three or four hours since I last ate?

By concentrating on the answers to these questions you will very easily determine whether you are physically hungry or whether you are eating for a different reason.  Once you have determined that you are really hungry, then you know it is time to eat.

If not, then you might want to ask yourself another question…

Are you feeling Depressed or Anxious?

Feeling emotional, depressed or angry can trigger the feelings of hunger… this is called emotional eating. Before you go to the fridge and raid it for the first and best thing to eat, determine if this is what you are experiencing. If you detect that this is the case, then sit down with your journal and start writing.

It is critical to get in touch with your emotions and to nail down what it is you are feeling and why you are feeling it.  You need to dig deep because if you can’t get to the core of what is bothering you, then you are going to have a really difficult time reaching your weight loss goals.

You might not get to the bottom of it on the first day you tackle this problem, but if you keep being aware of the fact that you are about to eat because of something different that pure physiological hunger, then you can take the time to do some soul searching and inevitably you will get to the bottom of it at some point.

The most important thing is that you are aware of it!

This is only one of the reasons it is good to keep a journal… it is good to put your thoughts and feelings down on paper, and the other thing is that by the time you are done writing, it was a good distraction from eating when you were actually not really hungry and maybe time for the next real meal!

Stay in touch with your inner self and be aware of your eating patterns and you are on the right track! Combine that with the Hot Burning Body Workout and you are on the winning path!

Kind Regards

Vanessa Bader

P.S.  Keep a journal handy and document your eating patterns and habits, this will give you a better awareness of how often you eat and why.

P.P.S. Remember that physical exercise is a very important part of your Healthy Life Style, and I don’t know any workout that is more fun and gives you everything you need in a workout like the Hot Burning Body System!

Good to see you. I just arrived in South Africa last night and I am looking forward to the next month here visiting my family and friends.

You might know, if you travel often like I do that it is rather difficult to stick to healthy diet and exercise. So I always look for a way to burn fat fast so I can get out of the gym and enjoy more time with my friends and family who I don’t get to see often.

So today I want to talk to you about interval training.

Interval training simply means that you are doing short spurts of very intense training where you push your heart-rate up to between 80% and 90% of its maximum capacity.  You want to definitely use your heart rate monitor for this. And please, if you are going to try this – work your way up to it – start out slowly.  This can be very challenging and you want to monitor your heart rate closely as to not overdo it…

There are various ways to do this – you can do this with any of the cardio machines in the gym, with body weight exercises and of course with Kettlebells.

This is essentially what the Hot Burning Body Workout system does for you in the safest and most beneficial way.  The system was created to give you the most amazing fat- and calorie-burning benefits and it does so in interval training fashion.

In the Body weight series each exercise routine is designed to give you a full body workout and at the same time get your heart rate elevated to a healthy pace for short spurts of time where you get the most fat-burning benefits.

The Kettlebell workouts work in the same way – specially my Kettlbell workout “Extreme” where I combined all the Kettlebell exercises in routines that work in a circuit-fashion. That way you get your heart rate up quickly while getting a full body workout with short rests in between.

When you work this way, not only do you burn more fat, but you are also training your metabolism and strengthening your heart muscles!

You can do this to a certain degree with running or on the elliptical machine or stair climber – but you do not get the added lean muscle building and toning benefits that the Hot Burning Body workouts offer you.

And let’s face it… how tedious is a workout that simply consists of running and stair-climbing? Body Weight exercises and Kettlebells are much more exciting and beneficial, and the way in which the Hot Burning Body Workouts are created you will never get bored! You will keep your body and mind thoroughly stimulated – take my word for it!

The other really cool thing is that if you work this way, your body will still be burning an accelerated amount of calories for about one to two hours after your workout has ended because your metabolism has been cranked into full gear and burning red-hot!

You Have the Power!

Vanessa Bader

P.S. So make the most of your workout time and get all you can get out of it – get the Hot Burning Body Workout System! You need to look no further!

P.S.S.  An announcement for you! The Kettlebell Extreme has been selling like hotcakes and it is time for my introductory offer to expire. So run over there and get your copy now. The ridiculously low price is available for one more week only!

Good to see you again. I know you have not heard from me for a while… but I am back with more awesome advice and a brand new workout that will have you melting off those pounds in no time!

Have you hit a plateau? Do you feel like you are spinning your wheels to no avail?  You are in the gym every day, you are eating right but your body seems to just stay the same.

Let us take a moment and assess what it is you are doing – if it is not working, maybe you are doing something wrong.

Get the Hot Body you want!

Working out every day is all good and well, but are you doing exactly the same workout every day?  This could be the problem.  Your body has gotten so accustomed to your workout that it has stagnated and does not respond to it any more.

It is very important that you change up your program at least every two weeks in order to keep your body responding optimally.

There are different ways to keep your workout interesting and challenging for your body.  You can change the order of the exercises you have been doing, you can add repetitions and sets, or you can add weight.  It is the most effective to do all of the above.

When it comes to your cardio vascular workouts it is more effective to increase the intensity, and rather do shorter intervals.  Your body will continue to burn calories long after your workout if you increase the intensity.

In the Hot Burning Body Workout systems I give you 5 different workouts so you have a different workout for every day of the week.  You can keep challenging your body this way so it doesn’t stagnate.  This way you will get all the great benefits and burn more calories.

Additionally I have available for you my Hot Burning Body Kettlebell Workout for Beginners and my soon to be released “Kettlebell Extreme” workout. This is a great addition to whatever workout you are already doing, and is the fastest way to singe the fat off your body!

Get that Hot Burning Body you have always wanted – these workouts have been created to give you maximum results in the shortest amount of time. The Kettlebell extreme workout is only 24 minutes and I’ll tell you what – I did it yesterday and it kicked my booty!

To Your Strength and Health

Vanessa Bader

P.S.  Hot Burning Body Workout system includes all levels of intensity so you can pick the level that is suitable for you at this time and you can work your way up – so you can keep challenging your body all the way.

There are many reasons for over eating…. some people find comfort in food, I find that when I am bored that the first thing I do is open the fridge door. For some it is just a habit…. Do you find yourself craving something to eat while you are watching television? Sometimes it is just a need to keep our hands and our jaws busy.

But stress can also be a major trigger for eating when you are not really hungry. The problem with this is that even though you think you might be calming your nerves with this “stress-eating” you might actually be making it worse.

The comfort foods that we tend to choose like chips, white potatoes and sugary sweets are the foods that cause swings in your blood sugar levels that cause even more intense cravings and then lead to weight gain. Not only that, a drop in blood sugar can make you feel even more stressed and uptight.

Sugary food is not good for Stress

So here are some ideas on how to cope better with your stress without making binge-eating part of that solution:

- Be very aware of the guidelines of a healthy diet and gain knowledge on what foods are really not beneficial     for your health. Find a few healthy snacks that you really enjoy, or keep your portions small when it comes to your snack foods.

- Remove all the temptations from your pantry and your fridge. Stock up with healthy snacks like low fat yoghurt, nuts, raisins, dried apricots, whole wheat crackers, beef jerky, fruit, low fat cheese and cottage cheese. Crunchy veggies like celery and carrot sticks make great healthy, high fiber and fat free snacks. Hummus or eggplant dip is ideal to make those a little more tasty and interesting.

- Keep your hands busy. Find something else to do with your hands besides eat. Find if there are any hobbies you enjoy like drawing, painting, knitting, crosswords, or do some chores around the house and if all else fails distract yourself by calling some friends or family. (Don’t use the phone in the kitchen – hehe)

- Work Out! Exercise is not only a great way to stay fit and manage your weight, but it is also a wonderful stress reliever. If you do not enjoy going to the gym, then clear your mind with a brisk walk around the neighborhood or in the park. I have created the Hot Burning Body Workouts so you can have fun with your workouts right in your own home if you don’t like to go to the gym.

I hope these things help you find better ways to deal with your stress…. and of course you can use all the same guidelines when you are just feeling bored or feel like going on a binge eating spree. We are all human and we all experience this but there are ways to take control. You can do it!

To your health and strength

Vanessa Bader

http://www.hotburningbody.com

My aim is to keep you inspired to reach your weight loss and fitness goals.  I try to give you inspiration and information on a weekly basis that helps you stay on track.

Sometimes I will share delicious and healthy recipes with you that helps take the thinking and the effort out of having to guess what to eat next, other times I will give you exercise or nutritional tips, and other times I will simply share with you some inspirational stories to lend you some emotional support.

Whatever it may be – in the end the most important thing is that you need to be open-minded and be willing to accept support and information.  The more informed you are, the better you are able to make intelligent decisions about your own health, fitness and weight loss goals.

Don’t just blindly follow anyone’s advice or opinion… make sure you trust your source and that you use your own knowledge and intuition. You probably already know much more than you give yourself credit for.  The thing is that weight loss is not an exact science, so it is very important that you become self aware and you get to know your own body.

Additionally, the topic of weight loss and staying in shape is very dependent on your frame of mind. In order to be successful you want to make sure you get yourself in the right state of mind – a positive one.

It is very important that you take full responsibility for your own actions. Take back your power – Look at your own life, the choices you’ve made and how they have brought you where you are today – for better or for worse.

Responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for your situation.  That type of mindset, the mindset of being “the victim”, that is what saps your will and drains your power.

You need to take responsibility and as soon as you do that, you will start to see how the choices you make creates your reality.  This does not necessarily mean controlling all the difficult things that life throw your way, but you can control the way you react to situations, people and events in order to create the best possible outcome.

It is up to you to decide whether you are going to either fear life’s challenges or embrace them with positive faith in yourself.  You can let someone’s criticism affect you or you can brush it off and move on.

The key is being aware and totally conscious and accountable for the decisions you make.  Your actions and reactions can dictate the outcome of almost any situation in your favor.

So take back your power of choice and take responsibility…

This is a big step in reaching your weight loss and fitness goals.  Go for it!

To your health and success!

Kind Regards

Vanessa Bader

P.S.  Taking responsibility for your actions can be very helpful in reaching your weight loss goals but also in every other area of your life!

Three ways to burn more calories faster

Spending hours on the treadmill or in the weight room is just not an option for most of us anymore. If you are like me, then every minute in the day is precious so you better use it well.

Burning optimum calories in the shortest amount of time is definitely a requirement. There are various ways to do this – to be exact, three ways that are by far superior.

1) High intensity interval training

High intensity exercise would be the first and most common. By doing whatever you are doing at a high intensity for shorter bursts of time, you can definitely get the calories burning – not only during your workout but also for hours afterwards.

Lose weight faster!

But here comes my secret… Now combine this high intensity concept with movements or combinations of movements that create muscle-confusion and you will get INSANE results!

2) Muscle Confusion

What is that?

It is when you challenge your body with movements that it is not used to doing or that is out of your regular comfort zone. The result of this is that the muscles have to engage more intensely to coordinate and create the motion so it burns double the amount of calories it would if it was doing a movement that is in its comfort zone.

So challenging your body out of its comfort zone can be a great key to optimizing your workout so you can burn more calories in less time.

This is one of the strategies I use in my Hot Burning Body workouts. By challenging your body in different ways your metabolism keeps being stimulated and the fat burns off faster.

3) Mind-Body Connection

More unusual motions also promote the connection between mind and body as your mind has to be fully engaged in order for your body to perform the movements correctly. Therefore it is another way of optimizing the results of your workout, because if your mind is engaged in what your body is doing, and you are completely focused on which muscles you are targeting, then the fat burning and muscle toning results will definitely be exaggerated.

In the Hot burning body workouts I make use of all these techniques to give you the best results in the shortest amount of time.

Why waste your precious time on lengthy workouts that don’t give you the most benefits? These three principals are the answer to you getting the best results in the shortest amount of time. I am committed to making your exercise time worth your while!

To your health and strength

Vanessa Bader

P.S. Hot Burning Body is the answer. Whether you decide to pick the body weight exercises or my Kettlebell workout, you can be sure that you won’t regret it. The results speak for themselves!

Getting the body you want is not only about working out hard and eating right, but it has a lot to do with your mindset. The way in which you approach your fitness and weight loss goals is what is going to determine if you will ever get there.

Firstly, make sure that you have a very clear and concrete goal. Ask yourself some questions like… how much weight do I want to lose? Is weight really the most important thing? Is it about my health and growing older so I can be there for my children one day? Do I want to run a marathon or compete in a specific sport? What are your specific needs and goals?

Once you have figured out exactly what you want, use a journal and write it down so you have a reference – a reminder to keep you on track.

Now remember, you are not going on a diet, you are working on increasing your quality of life through establishing healthy habits. Aim high, but set small and attainable goals to start with. For instance – lose 5 pounds to start or come down one pant size. Once you have reached your goal you can expand on that and build on it. Each goal you reach improves your self-confidence and inspires you to improve even more on that.

Remember that setbacks are part of life and a setback is only just that – one setback. It does not mean you cannot recover from it. Don’t give up – just get back on the bandwagon and keep on going.

Lastly – remember there are no mistakes. These are learning experience and you will get better at it as you go. You will encounter small setbacks and failures, but who doesn’t? Remember that every pound you gain can be lost again!

With the Hot Burning Body workouts I guide you so you can reach your goals fast. I give you the most effective exercises that will tone and shape your body as well as help you lose fat fast, and in the Quick start guide I give you sample menu’s and recipes to help you get and stay on track with your eating habits.

Don’t delay any longer. Start now – you can do it!

To your health and strength

Vanessa Bader

P.S. I welcome your comments… feel free to share your opinion on the above topic with me.

You might not be aware of this, but certain foods can rev up your metabolism to help you lose weight faster. Scientists have recently discovered that there are certain types of food that help you burn fat better and faster than others.

The first and I think most important is lean protein. By incorporating some kind of lean protein into every meal it does not only help you build muscle but it also takes many more calories to digest protein than it does to digest any kind of Carbohydrates and that is how it actually increases the rate at which your metabolism works.

Lean chicken for weight loss

Choose lean protein sources like chicken, turkey, fish, lean red meat and eggs. Protein powder is also a very good option. So when you crave something sweet you can reach for a protein shake in stead.

Lean protein for weight loss

The next one is really good unless you are lactose intolerant. – Milk.

Milk is also a form of protein, it is a natural source of weigh protein that has also been shown in fat-burning studies to limit the turnover of calories into fat by the liver. In addition to that the high calcium content of milk helps turn off a key obesity gene and helps your fat-burning metabolism run smoothly. So don’t be too quick to throw the milk out of your fridge, but I do suggest you stick to low-fat milk.

Milk, Whey Protein

The last one I want to share with you today is Chili Peppers. There is a compound found in chili peppers called Capsaicin that have been shown to have a thermogenic effect. This compound seems to lower the blood insulin levels and that can help you to ultimately lose weight faster.

Chili Peppers

By incorporating the above three foods in your daily meal plan you can reap huge benefits. Ultimately, weight loss is about burning optimal amount of calories, and when coupled with regular exercise, the correct food choices can really help you reach your goals faster and more effectively.

The Hot Burning Body Workouts have all been created to help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals quickly.

Kind regards

Vanessa Bader

P.S. With the Hot Burning Body Workout you get a Quick Start guide that will provide you with all the nutritional and fitness advice to get you kick started towards your new, hot body and healthy lifestyle!

I was so happy to see that many of you took me up on my offer and asked me some very valid and interesting questions about fitness and weight loss.

Today I want to share with you the answer to Jan’s question as there were quite a few of you with similar questions and the answer to this one will help all of you… no matter whether you are a man or a woman – this is a great question and the answer will most certainly shed a lot of light for all of you.

Here is Jan’s question:

Jan: Hi Vanessa,

I’m a 38 year old guy and I’ve had a lifelong problem of having extra weight around my midsection.  The only way I can seem to get rid of it is by going on a very low calorie diet, like 1,200 calories per day.  However, I can’t sustain such a low calorie diet because it leaves me too weak to exercise and I also need energy to make it through my normal work day.

I normally eat around 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day, which gives me enough energy to make it through the day and to also exercise.  But at this caloric level, I can’t get rid of the weight around my midsection.  And my exercise routine consists of running and lifting weights four days per week.

I just seem to store the fat around my stomach area and can’t seem to get rid of it.  Do you have any suggestions or tips on how I can “trick” my body into getting rid of the extra weight?  My legs, arms, and shoulder areas are lean and muscular, but the flabby gut never seems to go away.  Any advice you could give me would be much appreciated. Jan

Vanessa: Jan, 1200 calories is definitely not enough for you and eating that little will definitely leave you with no energy and has potential to slow down your metabolism to a snail’s pace.

I suggest that instead of working on a daily calorie amount, let us calculate a weekly calorie amount and that way you can customize the amount of calories consumed on a daily basis based on the workload for that day.

For Example: You say you work out 4 days per week, so on those four days, make sure you eat between 2100 and 2400 calories and on the days when you are not working out, eat between 1500 and 1800 calories. That way you will always have enough energy to work out but you will still keep your calorie count for the week low enough to actually lose some of the fat around your waist.

If you do the math… at an average of 2100 calories 4 x per week and 1500 the other three days you are consuming 12 900 calories per week, whereas when you eat let’s say an average of 2200 calories a day that comes to 15 400 calories per week.

In other words you are still eating 2500 less calories per week and at the same time you are not letting your body settle into a routine so it keeps burning the calories.

I do not have details on your workouts but I would suggest that in stead of just running at a steady pace, add some interval training to your workouts twice a week by doing Hill sprints. Another way to incorporate very effective interval training to your workouts is by training with Kettlebells.

I have a great Kettlebell workout available on a two DVD set. It gives you everything you need to make huge gains. Strength wise, cardiovascularly as well as help you singe that fat off your body! Be prepared to get into shape really fast with kettlebells, even the UFC fighters train with Kettlebells these days. It is a tough workout, but Man… you’ll see the results fast!

I hope that helps you Jan.  You can play around with the amounts of calories you want to consume daily and come to a weekly amount. As long as you keep the weekly amount the same, you can tailor make every day’s eating schedule so it suits you best.

Ladies – the same goes for you… this will help you get rid of that excess fat around your hips and thighs while still allowing you to eat enough on the days you want to work out so you can still get the most out of your workouts. And try my Kettlebell workout.

Only ten minutes a day is already an amazing workout. You’ll see what I mean once you try it!

Kind regards

Vanessa Bader

P.S. Make sure to check out my Hot Burning Body Workouts. The best way to achieve fast and effective weight loss is to watch your calorie intake and plan it carefully as well as continue to work out! Sorry, there are no short cuts… but this is definitely the shortest and most effective way.

Please feel free to ask me any questions you might have with regards to fitness, exercise and weight loss and I will answer you to the best of my ability!  Let me help you reach your goals!  My biggest wish is for you to be happy and healthy!

You know how just a week ago I wrote to you and told you how important knowledge about weight loss can be. Because if you don’t know any better – how will you do any better, right?

So I have a classic story to tell you and it happened today at lunch. I don’t know, maybe you had to be there, but it was a true classic!

As usual we went up to the buffet on the ship, only today our comedian and ventriloquist friend Mike Robinson joined us for lunch… yes, he gave me permission to use his full name☺

Garin and I sat down with our trays of healthy lunch foods… we had our protein and veggies all nicely and colorfully spread out on our plates and our sugar-free raspberry jello for desert.

Mike sat down with two scrumptious looking cookies in his hand and I said: “Mike, are you not eating?  Did you eat  already?”

In all seriousness as he took a nice big bite of his first chocolate chip cookie, he looked down, patted his belly and said:  “No, I’m not eating, I want to lose this little belly” – hahahaha!

Now what is wrong with this picture. “Mike” I said, “You are not going to do it like that” pointing to the cookie he had left in his hand… and that is when the light bulb flashed on for Mike and he realized what he had just done and said and burst out laughing.

Choc Chip Cookies – No way to lose that fat!

Just like that, a lot of us know exactly what it is we should be doing, but we just don’t think… or on the other hand… maybe you don’t know.

Firstly and most importantly – not eating is NO way to lose your little (or big) belly… or hips, or thighs, or whatever your problem area is. And Secondly, substituting a whole nutritious meal with two cookies ain’t gonna cut it either.

In order to lose weight, you need to fuel your metabolism, and in order to do that you have to eat regularly… but what and how much you eat is also very important… right now I want to talk about the what rather than the how much.

Here it is – it is very easy!

Lean Protein like fish, skinless chicken, lean beef, eggs, soybeans.

Lots of Vegetables – all colors. The more color there is on your plate the better. Green, yellow, red

Fruit and fibre – eat at least 3 servings of fruit a day and feel free to add a couple of servings of whole grain to your daily diet.

Cut out or limit your starch and sugar intake. Starches are things like bread, Pasta, white rice and potatoes.

It is as simple as that!

Put down the cookies and eat something nutritious in stead… and for goodness sake – NEVER skip a meal!

Don’t do a Mike Robinson, that is no way to stay healthy and fit! Thank you Mike for the good laugh today! But my friend, fill up with the good stuff and get your metabolism working for you!

And oh… don’t forget to do your Hot Burning Body Workouts… to get even better results!