Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). He's been bodybuilding since 1983 and competing since 1989. He's been involved in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, health club owner/manager, nutrition consultant, and freelance writer since 1988. He began publishing health and fitness information on the internet in 1999.

For many years, he was also co-owner and operator of Empire Fitness Club, a health club chain with locations in New Jersey and New York, which had over eleven thousand members at four locations. Tom currently works as a consultant for the health club industry and is a full-time author and publisher. As you can see, he's worked in almost every aspect of the fitness industry and bodybuilding and fitness has been his entire life's work - it's all he's ever done.

"For as long as the diet industry has existed, we've had diet book authors, (even medical doctors), who were overweight and unfit. Now, with the advent of the Internet, we also have "anonymous" weight loss ebook authors and website publishers who are no more than Internet Marketing opportunists, hiding their identities (and probably fat bodies) behind their computers. Why won't they stand behind their products by showing their names, faces and bodies? Please consider this when deciding what product you want to buy" - Tom Venuto.

The photo on the right shows why Tom Venuto is qualified to give advice on body fat reduction. This is Tom showing a mind-boggling 3.7% body fat.

Yes, your fat cells can accumulate numerous types of toxins. For example, almost everyone has traces of pesticides in their bodies. Many people freak out when they hear this, so they become more likely to fall for all kinds of bizarre and usually unproven "detoxification" rituals. It is a shame that our environment has become polluted, but the real questions are... Read More

"What should I do to get abs?" is still one of the most frequently asked questions I receive out of the 7,000+ emails that come into my office every week. Although the question is often phrased differently, my answer is always the same: Seeing your abs, or any other muscle group, for that matter - is almost entirely the result of... Read More

Don't worry, it won't take another 4 years! In fact, you can reach your target weight within the next month if you start getting feedback, charting results and making some strategic changes to your program. First, it's important that you understand how a year could go by with almost no progress. Have you been... Read More

Earlier this week someone in our discussion forum wrote, "I haven't LOST any fat... I know EXACTLY where it went! I got a chuckle out of that because I "got" the joke, but truth is, most people really don't know where the fat goes when it's burned or how the fat burning process takes place, so this is a really good question. When you "lose" body fat, the fat cell (also called an adipocyte)... Read More

There's a logical explanation for why bodybuilders and other physique athletes (fitness and figure competitors), don’t remain completely ripped all year round, and it’s the very reason they are able to get so ripped on the day of a contest…

You can’t hold a peak forever or it’s not a "peak", right? What is the definition of a peak? It’s a high point surrounded by two lower points isn’t it? Therefore, any shape you can stay in all year round is NOT your “peak” condition. The intelligent approach to nutrition and training which almost all bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors use, is to... Read More

Body wraps do not shrink fat cells or burn body fat - no matter what type of wrap: bandages soaked in herbs, minerals, enzymes, plastic, foil, vinyl, seaweed, clay, mud - it doesn't matter, body wraps don't burn fat. And those "sauna wraps" or rubber "wraps" that go around your waist? They can't "burn" an ounce of fat either. Fat can only be lost with... Read More

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the fish most likely to be contaminated with unsafe levels of mercury are those highest up on the food chain, like shark, king mackerel, tilefish and swordfish. These larger, longer-lived predatory fish feed on the smaller fish and retain in their bodies the contaminants that were in the small fish. The FDA released a mercury advisory warning in 1994, which advised the public that these fish were... Read More

The "paleolithic," "stone age," "cave man," or "neanderthal" eating plans have been around for a while and there are quite a few books that have been written on the subject. In general, with a only few minor constructive criticisms, I think they are right on point, and will benefit your health and definitely your fat loss efforts. A "Paleo Diet" is actually... Read More

It does seem counter intuitive, but believe it or not, that is standard, and science-based advice for post workout nutrition. Post workout nutrition has been well researched and there is evidence that taking in simple carbs - usually glucose or dextrose with maltodextrin (plus whey protein) in the form of a post workout drink - is an... Read More

Hi John. A couple drinks on the weekend and or on special occasions probably won't have any major impact on your fat loss results (although I would encourage you to consider the mindset that EVERYTHING you do either helps or hurts).

A drink or two on occasion is a part of enjoying life for many people, and it's important to find lifestyle balance for the sake of your long term happiness and success. However... Read More

Dear Tom: I’ve seen quite a few diet books lately that are based on the color of the foods you eat, including the rainbow diet, the color diet and the “color code” (sounds like the Da Vinci code, LOL!) Anyway, I’ve been reading your newsletters for a long time and I know how you feel about diet pills, books and gimmicks and I was wondering what you thought about these programs. Is it just another gimmick? Read More

It's not productive in the long term to totally deprive yourself of foods you enjoy. What you have to do is find a sensible way to work even your most "sinful" favorite foods into your diet, but do it in an amount and frequency that doesn't set you back or sabotage your progress. This can be done by allowing yourself some "cheat meals" (some people call them "free meals" or "reward meals.") One really good way to look at the "cheat meals" concept is... Read More