Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

October 7, 2013
Originally published as an e-book and billed as the “Bible of Fat Loss,” this revised and updated print edition is geared towards helping readers achieve healthy weight loss by linking nutrition and exercise. It’s not a new concept and neither are the majority of Venuto’s suggestions. Eschewing fad diets, Venuto, a health and fitness writer and bodybuilder, encourages readers to get to know their body and adjust their approach to fitness accordingly. Helpful tips like calculating muscle loss or gain, establishing caloric needs, and spreadsheets for meal plans will assist readers in structuring their approach. But all too often the author’s advice does little more than state the obvious, noting the necessity of setting specific goals, creating a calorie deficit, drinking plenty of water, and combining cardio with strength training. Readers certainly won’t harm themselves, but those already committed to a healthy lifestyle will likely find this book to be more reminder than new Bible. That said, couch potatoes in need of structure and inspiration will find Venuto to be an informed and informative trainer. Agents: Yfat Reiss Gendell and Stephan Barbara, Foundry Literary + Media.