Beat the fat gene & lose fat anyway....

Today's post: Monday, 9-15-2008

When the research came out that many people of European ancestry have a “fat” gene that tends to make them overeat & get fat, I saw a key in the research report on how to overcome it and be trim anyway. I then the did my own post on using that information, “Exercise turns off excessive hunger….” -- on: Friday, 8-29-2008.

Today I got an email from Jon Benson who HAS the fat gene & is very trim and NOT fat anyway. He is a legitimate expert on fat loss that works. He had to become one to get rid of his own fat problem.

It has some of his take on this issue and lists some of the resources he has written himself or recommends. So, I though I’d post it today.

“F I T | 3 6 5 The New Daily Fitness + Health E-Zine
From Bestselling Author Jon Benson

Sent by Permission Only September 13, 2008

Today's Topics:

1. Bad News: You May Have The Fat-Gene
2. Good News: Researchers are Nuts
3. Another "Taste Better" Tip


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Bad News: You May Have The Fat-Gene

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Ah, the "Fat-Gene." Yep, I have it. You probably do too.

It's called the FTO Gene. Researchers estimate that up to 30% of those from
European decent have FTO.

FTO is just flat-out nasty. It is an obesity "allele", which just means that it
is a part of a gene structure that is associated with weight-gain.

FTO is also associated with an increased chance of Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and other disease states. However, these states are secondary to weight-gain. This means weight-gain is a major trigger for these disease states to begin.

No kidding. Who'd thunk it?

Oh, there's more: FTO was found to jack appetite through the roof after rats were
deprived of food for a while.

So... let me get this straight:

1. This gene makes someone eat more after they starve themselves.

2. This gene is associated with obesity and disease states caused by weight-
gain... which is...

3. Always the result of starving yourself.

I'm just trying to paint a picture here folks and to avert some needless panic.

Let me give you an alternative hypothesis:

1. Yes, genes have something to do with weight-gain and bodyfat, etc.

2. But most people who were tested for these genetic factors probably tried
some form of starvation dietplan long before Mr. Researcher called them into
the clinic.

3. As a result, this FTO sucker triggered the extremely well-researched
"fight or flight" response to starvation, which ...

4. ...bingo...caused our test subjects to gain bodyweight.

Ta-da.

This is no different than the genetic traits that make someone more likely to
smoke or drink or like pop music. He/she STILL has to start the process, and that
means he or she can stop it.

So, want to turn "off" your FTO?

* STOP STARVING YOURSELF *

You do not need to starve. You need to eat smart. I am only moderately hungry at night even when getting into super lean condition. I eat many times a day or (if eating higher-fat) 2-3 times and I'm always eating plenty of food.

Turn off FTO by turning ON your body's natural need for frequent, healthy food.

My friend Christopher Guerriero wrote a killer book on this subject. It is like The
Bible of Metabolic Power.

Read about it here – “

[Oops, Jon’s link failed; but Amazon.com has these 3 works by this author. :

1. Maximize Your Metabolism: Double Your Metabolism in Thirty Days or Less by Christopher Guerriero (Hardcover - Mar 1, 2004)
10 Used & new from $9.94

2. Christopher Guerriero Interviewed by Randy Gilbert on The Inside Success Show by Randy Gilbert and Christopher Guerriero (Digital - Sep 1, 2006) - Download: PDF Buy: $19.97 Available for download now

3. Fitness Book: Fatness to Fitness - Former Fat Kid Reveals His Most Powerful Personal Strategies and Techniques to Help You Quickly and Safely Achieve Permanent Fitness Success by Joey Atlas (Paperback - May 22, 2008)

“Christopher knows his stuff. He's an expert in the field of bio-nutrition and human
metabolism, and he's in killer shape at 44.

Stoke the furnace -- and turn off your fat-gene. It just takes a bit of smart eating and a willingness to ignore most of what the media tries to sell you.

Good News: Researchers are Nuts

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More on FTO -- and this one really deserves the "why on earth did some university grant
this guy a PhD?" award.

The headline read:

"Fat-Gene Can Be Conquered IF You Exercise
3-4 Hours Per Day!"

I won't even bore you with the details of this ridiculous study, but suffice to say they went so far as to look at the Amish lifestyle as an 'answer' of sorts to the FTO issue.

"Gardening, housecleaning, yard work...all of these count."

Okay, show of hands: How many of you do plenty of EACH and are still not where you
want to be body-wise?

All of you?

That's what I thought.

Look, all the super-moderate activity in the world is not going to help anyone turn
off any fat-gene.

Short, intense exercise will. A realistic nutrition plan (like mine, or the ones
detailed in Christopher's book) will.

Common sense will.

You do NOT need 3-4 hours of exercise a day to be healthy any more than you need
3-4 hours of investing each day to be rich.

You need SMART exercise (and smart investing for that matter.) It's not an
issue of time, it's an issue of intensity and focus.

The links at the bottom of this newsletter are to my books, all of which answer the
question: "How can I get the most done in the least amount of time?"

I'm all for an hour of walking a day, only because it's great for you and I love it.
But to suggest anyone needs 3-4 hours of measly activity a day is damn silly.

7-21 minutes of intense activity (that is safe for you) and 30-60 minutes of
moderately brisk walking (or an equal measure of exercise) is all you need to be
in SUPER shape, let alone healthy.

I made the case in "7 Minute Muscle" and thousands are listening:

7 Minute Muscle Freee Report: http://www.7minutemuscle.com/

Perhaps these researchers never met guys like me, Clarence Bass, Richard Winett, or
any of the thousands of real- world experts who stay lean and healthy without 3-4 hours
a day of activity.

And we have "the fat-gene"... at least I do. So there.

And that means you can do it too.

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Another "Taste Better" Tip

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I have no problems with egg yolks at all. But some people are allergic to the AA
(arachidonic acid) found in them.

Here's a solution: Almonds.

True, almonds contain ALA which can be converted to AA, but many people find that
this conversion process is long enough to delay immediate allergic reactions.”

“….But more than that, almonds provide one of
the key factors in my EODD 2.0 eating plan:

CRUNCH.

Crunch is vital to both the taste and pleasure of the food you consume. Adding
crunch can make the difference between feeling as if you're eating cat food or
caviar.

Here's what I do:

-- Use only egg whites
-- Use a small bit of raw honey
-- Use a half-teaspoon of olive oil
-- Use 10 almonds

The taste is incredible -- better than with
the yolks. I've increased my fiber with the
almonds, and I've increased the nutrient
profile of the meal.

And... it's yummy. Try it.

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Conclusion

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Thanks for the kind words about my
last newsletter! Stay fit, and stay tuned...

Yours in Fitness,

J O N B E N S O N

Author, Fit Over 40
--- > Fit Over 40 Success Stories http://www.fitover40.com/

Author, 7 Minute Muscle
--- > 7 Minute Muscle Freee Report http://www.7minutemuscle.com/

Author, Every Other Day Diet
--- > Every Other Day Diet Plan http://www.everyotherdaydiet.com/about.php


P.S. Don't forget to check out this website
for turning off the fat-gene.

Turn Off Fat-Gene” :” (See that info above on Amazon.)

X* X* X* X* X* X* X*

Starting with Jon’s last point first. If you aren’t allergic to the almonds in the recipe he suggests, try it with the dry roasted, unsalted bulk almonds from Whole Food Market. That would make it really crunchy.

You can also use chopped onion instead of honey for a more savory approach. He doesn’t specify cooking it; but by using the olive oil or a touch more of it, the chopped onion version would work well.

And, if you do not get a bad reaction to egg yolks, as a great tasting fat loss recipe high in protein and even higher in nutrients and its capacity to boost your HDL level, you can also use whole eggs.

Most of the fat loss methods Jon uses are the same as those we’ve posted on. (I do not believe in his ideas on “cleansing”; but virtually everything else he describes, I fully support.) His other methods certainly worked well for him. And, the evidence it that they work for virtually everyone who uses them.

But, there are many variations of eating right and exercising well enough to cause permanent fat loss. If you’d like to see over a dozen real life versions to find one that might be the best fit for you, or you just need some success stories of real people who actually got great results, his Fit Over 40 book has exactly that.

And, his idea, which he says works & has worked for many people, of eating right every other day is one some people might find more doable, particularly at first.