Fat does not turn into muscle. I repeat. Fat does not turn into muscle. I don't know how many times I've heard people say that muscle turns into fat. That's like saying that my dog just turned into a cat one day; it's physiologically impossible. Fat cells grow, shrink, and multiply. Muscle cells grow (hypertrophy) and shrink (atrophy). They never turn into one another. As you embark on a clean-eating regimen and intense exercise program, your fat cells shrink and your muscularity increases. At then end of the day when you see someone who has "lost a lot of fat" and put on a lot muscle; the fat cells are still there; they've just gotten smaller.

The troubling thing about fat is that you end up with a set number of fat cells by the time you finish puberty, which is your bodies biological way of saying; these are all the fat cells that you need for the rest of your life, but as you age; you can actually increase the number of fat cells in your body. That's the dangerous thing about liposuction because with lipo (I'm no doctor; I just study and read a lot) you are actually having fat cells removed from your body, and what happens if too many get removed and you end up with less than your body biologically intended for you to have...needless to say; you could die. Not that I'm an advocate for liposuction but if you are going to have it done please have it done by a reputable and experienced doctor because it is such a dangerous procedure.

Back before the heavy regulation of ephedra, Xenadrine was one of the hottest weight-loss supplements on the market. Personally, I preferred Hydroxycut back in the day...now I just rely on my nutrition and exercise to get the results I want. Well, Xenadrine and some other "fat-burners" are in the spotlight again. Now the FTC has decided to crack down on the false advertising and marketing claims made by the manufacturers of these products. Some of the interesting points of this article outlining the investigation is the fact that the FTC did a study where it discovered that people on a placebo had a greater weight-loss than those on Xenadrine. Furthermore, it discovered that the customer testimonials, the before and after pictures, were really the results of strict dieting and strenuous exercise regimens...go figure. The products will continue to be sold, but who's going to buy something that has been proven to be ineffective at its primary claims?

I think that this article is amazing...I don't know how this person found the time to do this, but notheless; it's really cool. I always explain to people that calories are like currency. You want to get the most bang for your buck, and this is a great illustration of this. For 200 calories I can get a plate full of broccoli, or I can get an small pat of peanut butter. Your calories go a lot further with certain foods. The pictures are organized by caloric density, which basically draws an indirect correlation between grams and calories. It makes you think twice about using butter, canola oil, or bacon. Those foods at the top of the list have a great impact on satisfying hunger, but have a minimal impact on your waistline.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Fat

Here's a great article about Fat . The article identifies 7 very interesting facts about fat. This article explains why fat gets stored on your stomach...primarily men. It also goes into the fact that fat is necessary for a normal functioning body. People need to understand that fat is not the enemy...excess fat is.

1. Fat cells can swell to as much as six times their minimum size
2. Fat cells secrete extra estrogen
3. If you lose a lot of weight, your fat cells shrink, but they do not disappear
4. Fat tissue attracts cells that promote inflammation
5. Fat cells behave differently in different parts of the body
6. If you consume no fat at all, you will short-circuit your body
7. Fat calories should only be 30% of your total daily calories