by Cassandra Forsythe-Pribanic, PhD, RD, CSCS

Have you ever wondered why krill oil was brightly colored red instead of yellow like other marine omega-3 lipids? Well, this red shade is not only pretty to look at, but it can help you burn more fat and increase your athletic endurance;  added benefits we’re all looking for.

This pigment responsible for giving krill oil it’s unique color is a special red carotenoid called astaxanthin. If that isn’t just a mouthful enough to say, it’s also has been demonstrated to have a laundry list of pharmacological effects including as an anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic,  and anti-inflammatory agent.  But, what we’re going to focus on here is fat loss and endurance.
 

Sources of Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a colorful antioxidant that occurs naturally in a few different foods – mainly of marine sources.

Read all about Astaxanthin here.

Guest post by Jon Benson

We should all take a big, huge, massive sigh of relief.

Finally… the FDA did something right when it comes to bogus "magic" diet-fatburn pills.

A panel of experts reviewed Vivus Inc.'s new wonder-pill "Qnexa" today.

They gave it the thumbs-down.

Why?

Oh… pesky little reported side-effects like… (are you ready for this?)…

• Heart Attacks
• Stroke  
• Increased Risk of Suicide (yikes!)
• Memory/Concentration Loss

You know… "minor" stuff like that.

GEEZ. What the hell are these drug companies thinking?

Oh, right…

Quick-Fix = Big-Bucks

Got it.

So, I am going to believe that YOU are much smarter than the morons who tried to get this drug past the FDA.

I'm going to assume you want a solution to this obesity pandemic and your own fatloss issues (if you have them) that do NOT involve risking your life for a thinner you.

"Oh, Marge… she looks so thin in her casket…"

THIS IS NOT A GOOD EULOGY! : )

One day… perhaps even in my lifetime… someone will invent a chemical that actually works to shed bodyfat without harming the body. That will be a great day for all of us.

Even so, I can all but promise you that this chemical will have its nasty side-effects and/or be limited in duration or power.

Nothing, repeat NOTHING you can pop in your mouth will give you the JOY that managing your dietplan and bodyweight can give you.

NOTHING! 

It's one of the greatest feelings in the world.

And here's a fantastic clue for you: 

The reason we want to be thin is because of the FEELING it gives us.

Most everything we do is based on feelings.

Quick-fixes negate the most powerful thing about feelings:

Earning the right to have them.

Think of it this way: Would you feel more alive and powerful if you climbed a mountain or if you took a helicopter ride to the summit?

Sure, the helicopter is easy… but which is more personally rewarding?

Think of your own body transformation goals as your personal mountain to climb.

No helicopters… just really good guides (I'm sharing a "guide" with you today that I personally think is one of the best guys in the fitness industry) and solid climbing tools (like a great real-world dietplan, solid workouts that work WITH your schedule, and realistic but exciting goals.) 

Your goals will become your base camps along your summit of your personal journey to the best you possible.

Color me silly, but I think that sounds FAR more empowering and rewarding that popping pills.

As you may know I wrote one of the top books in the world on "real-world" weighttloss (spelled that way so the spambox won't eat your email… : ) called "The Every Other Day Dietplan."

I made this dietary System as easy as possible… but NO plan is "easy" and there is NO quick-fixes out there without serious pricetags.

That said, I have some "rebel tricks" to share with you today based off just a few pages in my best-seller… and they won't put you six feet under before your time.

Here's my article, "Rebel Fatloss Tricks"… go see it:

You can't sell this stuff in a bottle… but it works to get the bodyfat off and keep it off.

Jon Benson is the author of The Every Other Day Dietplan.

If you pick up Jon's dietplan (on the article page above) you'll find in the Member's Area three supplements that actually DO work to help you burn-off-fat… but they do not work like magic. They work like they're supposed to: Realistically, and without harming your body.
 

How Lost Sleep Kills Your Fat Loss Plans

Whether you are a college student, night shift worker or you are a parent with small children you may struggle to get regular sleep yet you want quick weight loss.  The sleep recommendation provided by the National Sleep Foundation recommends 8 hours per night.  According to the CDC and a National Health Interview Survey shows that 30% of Americans who are 30-64 years of age sleep less than 6 hours per night.

There is a prevalence of chronic sleep loss in America and it is troubling because for those looking to lose weight or who are following a healthy weight loss diet plan their attempts may be wasted.  Research is showing that long term sleep loss is related to an increase in obesity and diabetes.

This research is even showing that partial sleep deprivation can manipulate key hormones that impact weight loss and weight gain.  Lack of sleep can also affect insulin sensitivity, your appetite control and the amount of energy you expend when at rest.  When these key hormones are affected it can predispose you to weight gain and obesity by causing insulin resistance.  

How Lost Sleep Kills Your Fat Loss Plans

Q:  I’ve heard that eating more frequently will increase my metabolism and help me lose weight? Is this true and how does this happen? I thought you had to eat less to lose weight.

A:  You’ve probably heard this advice from many different places: personal trainers at your gym, online weight-loss websites, and popular diet books. Even though it has some merit, it may not be entirely correct, especially if your physical activity levels are low or non-existent.

The suggestion to increase your eating frequency, meaning going from eating three square meals a day to six smaller meals and snacks, stems from both research and anecdotal findings. Some of the benefits attributed to eating more often include reducing hunger and caloric intake, boosting your metabolic rate, and controlling hormones that increase your desire for food. For some people this is true, for others, not so much.

More here at Prograde.

I just ran across a neat new music album that may help you get and stay motivated in your fat-loss journey. It's called Skinny Songs and you can buy it on Amazon as a direct mp3 download (instant delivery).

The creator, owner, and "Chief Lyrical Officer" of SkinnySongs, Heidi Roizen, wrote the songs herself when she "discovered" one day that she was at her heaviest weight of her lifetime, having surpassed her husband in weight (and whom she says is "not small").

Knowing that she derived great inspiration and motivation from music, she set upon finding music that would help her lose weight.

She couldn't find any. So she wrote the songs, found emerging artists to sing them, and put together a production team to make it all happen.

The vocals and music on this album are 100 percent top-notch. You should check it out. Play samples of the songs right on Amazon and you'll get a really good taste of what the entire album has to offer. The songs are quite good, written by a very creative and motivated author.