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The Secret to Solving Frustration

How many times have you been “Frustrated” with your Nutrition and Fitness? When were you last “Frustrated” when you hit a Fitness Plateau? What would you do to find the Answers that would Solve your “Frustration”? Most of us have experienced these feelings when we didn't get the Results we expected from a Nutrition/Fitness Program, a Book or a Supplement. The industry is full of hype and unfortunately, once the excitement passes, whatever's behind the hype is exposed and its lack of substance becomes obvious... Everyone, including myself, is looking for that magic, fast acting formula that will provide us with the Physique & Energy we desire.

What I would like to share with you is the Secret to Solving your Nutrition/Fitness Frustration. You see, I have lived with and fought against this frustration. I only ever found one thing that could solve it, Education. Now I am not talking about the Education you gain from going to school (which definitely helps). I am speaking about making the choice to become educated about your body. Through my years as an athlete and fitness model, I read every Book and Magazine, went through every diet. I researched everywhere about everything even remotely related while looking for that One thing, and always ended up missing some piece to the puzzle. All my experiments helped me better understand my body, but left me with continual bouts of Low energy, mind blowing sugar cravings, irritableness and a subpar quality of life overall. I lived in constant torment, always wanting the Next "Best Thing", when in reality it never existed. I believed everything I read, never taking a step back and asking if what I read made any sense. I never went beyond the information I was acquiring and referenced it back to base Physiology. I never questioned the so called “Experts”. My frustration was caused by my own reluctance to truly search for the answers.

Soon I realized the importance of understanding the systems of the human body. It was then that I chose to base everything on the physiology of the body and especially how it utilizes energy, builds muscle and metabolizes fat (the process of Blood Sugar Stabilization). The Body's Physiology became my Reference Point from which to work, knowing that everything must be physiologically correct before progress can be made. This breakthrough gave me the ability to immediately disregard 99% of the Programs in the Industry - "Hype" doesn't equal truth. I could then exam the other 1% at a deeper level and see what really made sense.

This foundation of dedication to truth behind the hype and the urge to learn the physiology of the body's systems was what fueled the creation of the Venice Nutrition System. Read the History of Venice Nutrition >>. My mission then became focused on providing others with the ability to find the answers that took me years to find and caused me so much frustration. We have always taken pride in providing the most cutting edge information to you… and now we've begun to provide an entire new pathway to learning. I am proud to announce the Launch of our New Education Tab inside the Venice Nutrition Software. This Tab Contains Endless Health, Nutrition & Fitness Topics, the VN Member Forum, My Inspirational Messages, Articles, and more...

I want to remind you that there are answers out there, you can achieve all of your Nutrition and Fitness Goals while living a busy lifestyle. Improving your quality of life takes time, hard work and most important: Education. There are no magic pills for your health. You have to do the work… and if you want to Solve your “Frustration” , I invite you to become Educated about your body and ask yourself two questions every time you take on a program, One, "Does this Program Make Sense?" and Two, "Can I do this the Rest of my Life?" What is the point of doing something you don't understand or that you can only maintain for a short period of time? I promise you this: becoming educated about your body and how it works will be one of the greatest freedoms you'll ever experience.

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Culinary Corner

by head chef Valerie Cogswell

Sweet Stuffed Baked Fruit: A Healthy Way to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

At this time of year, the temperature drops and the leaves turn colors… One of my favorite things to do right about now is curl up on the couch with some comfort food. Healthy comfort food that is! The newest recipe to make the collection is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth without causing you to loosen your belt. Our Sweet Stuffed Baked Fruit is easy to make and will be the perfect way to finish off your meal. Fresh, juicy fruit is stuffed with a mouth watering combination of crunchy walnuts, sugar, oats and cinnamon and then baked until it’s warm and golden. We’ve even included a bonus recipe with instructions on how to turn this delicious desert into a simple, balanced meal. Login to check out the Sweet Stuffed Baked Fruit recipe in your Recipe Tab today >>

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Having Your Cake and Eating It Too written by Mark Macdonald, Creator and CEO of Venice Nutrition

Thanksgiving to the New Year seems to be the Scariest time for most people who are Health Conscious. Most people view these 6 weeks as the inevitable time they Gain Weight and becomes the classic downfall to their program. I am here to tell you that you Can Have Your Cake and Eat it Too… it all comes back to Understanding the Body and Educating yourself on the proper adjustments before and after you have an “Off Plan” meal and realizing that a few additional days of extra enjoyment has a very minor effect on your waistline in the grand scheme of things.

Let me use my recent Thanksgiving Meal as an example. First, you should know that I love Thanksgiving and I love to eat! When dinner was served I ate everything on the table: Turkey, Stuffing, Bread, Butter, Broccoli Casserole, Pumpkin Bread, Vanilla Ice Cream and of course Whip Cream! Needless to say this was a meal that spiked my blood sugar levels and I enjoyed every moment...

In the past I would feel guilty before I ate the meal, while I ate it and after I was finished, thinking that I was sabotaging myself. I thought I needed to be 100% compliant 100% of the time. Even when I was knee deep in it, that mentality just never seemed realistic so I decided to focus on the body's physiology, and uncover some secrets that would minimize storing fat from big meals. Now these Secrets should be used for all “Off Meals”, not just during Holiday time.

Let’s start with the most important secret, Eating Consistently Before The Meal. Too many times people don't eat anything all day in preparation for their feast of an "Off Meal". This becomes a nightmare for your metabolism. What ends up happening is you burn lean tissue mass all day long while you are skipping meals. Your muscle mass is responsible for a fast metabolism, so if you burn muscle mass you slow down your metabolism causing you to store more body-fat. Additionally you will be eating with low blood sugar, this in turn maximizes your appetite. The end result is a very high blood sugar spike alongside an Increase in fat storage. This metabolic swing can be avoided simply: just eat balanced meals right up until the “Off Plan” Meal. Doing this will keep your body stable and burn energy more efficiently through the day. It will also prevent you from severely overeating at the “Off Plan” meal.

The second secret to surviving these kinds of meals is to Eat a Meal of Just Protein and Fat 4 hours after the “Off Plan” Meal. Eating food causes the digestive system to work, and an active digestive system typically means an active metabolism. Most people after an “Off Plan” meal, will not eat for the rest of the evening. This causes the body to flip right over into a storage state, something that carries over to the next day - and they'll have no appetite upon waking. There is an easy solution to this. Even 4 hours after an “Off Meal” the body's blood sugar may still be high, so by having a ½ Meal of just Protein and Fat (No Carbohydrates), you'll allow stimulation of the digestive tract and will increase your body's metabolic rate, helping digest your initial “Off Plan” meal. In this second meal, you want to avoid carbohydrates since your blood sugar is still high and carbohydrates are the biggest component in causing elevated blood sugar. You will notice that this second meal will cause your appetite to increase later in the evening and this way you'll wake up the next morning hungry. These are very good signs that your body has used the extra energy available to it.

The last Secret is to Accept That “Off Plan” Meals are Good for you! There are 365 days in a year, if you are consistent 85% of the time you are doing Fantastic. “Off Plan” meals are a great way to indulge in your favorite foods, enjoy Social Gatherings, and most important give yourself a Vacation from your regimen. There are even studies showing that an “Off Plan” meal can be helpful in breaking through Plateaus, due to the way they tend to shake up the body's metabolism.

There you have it, the Three Secrets to fully Enjoying your Holiday meals as well as any Future “Off Plan” meals. It's important to remember that the Key to Achieving your Permanent Nutrition and Fitness Goals is your day to day consistency. “Off Plan” meals, if used in moderation, are excellent for maintaining a realistic and balanced approach to your program. By embracing these ideas, you can now let go of the worry about Weight Gain during the Holidays. Implement these three secrets and you can Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

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You Asked | We Answered

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Q:How Can I Enjoy Holiday Desserts without feeling like I’ve over-eaten?

A:The Holidays are meant to be enjoyed! For many, this definitely means indulging in some delicious desserts. If you wish to have a high carb and high fat dessert like a baked pie, our recommendation is to go light on the main course. An example of this would be: turkey breast and some veggies. This meal is high in protein and very low in carbs and fat. Please remember you can indulge in both and then get back on track starting with your next meal, Mark’s article above addresses that issue. Another option is to have a lighter dessert like Sweet Stuffed Baked Fruit.

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