Few, if any, human endeavors have been met with as much failure as the attempt to healthfully and efficiently lose body fat long-term. It's little wonder that success rates are abysmal. We are constantly bombarded by popular literature fluff that, for the most part, is based on junk science and myth. Weight loss is an opportunistic industry that is flooded with products, both fitness and nutrition related, designed to create bottom-line profits rather than bottom-line results. The truth is that modern weight loss advice has failed us, until now. I'm going to describe the simple science and functional dynamics between energy balance and fat control that I've used to successfully guide hundreds of people through this process. The Healthy Dynamic Living Fat Loss Plan (HDL-FLP) does not refer to your goal as weight loss. Our only concern is losing body fat. Always keep this quote in mind: "You can lose weight fast, but you can't lose fat fast" (with the one exception being its surgical elimination). Attempts to lose weight fast always result in significant muscle loss, which is absolutely the best way to sabotage your fat-loss efforts. Muscle wasting is difficult to monitor because the scale doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat. You must be able to calculate body fat percentage to determine the composition of weight lost. Sacrificing significant muscle during a weight loss attempt will always put you in an unhealthier and more vulnerable position. Crash dieters nearly always gain the weight back, and the fat gained is typically more than they had originally. Efforts to lose fat don't fail because of the lack of physiologically sound and behaviorally focused strategies designed for success. It's difficult because of our inability to discern the valid information and effective products that will guide us to our body-composition goals. Another barrier to success is our inability to modify our behavior to the point of accurately and consistently using energy-balance and fat-loss skills. If you can get super-motivated, eat and move more like our Paleolithic ancestors, supplement your diet with missing nutrients, and sleep well, all of your body composition and nutritional health needs will be met. In essence, all that you really need are skills and motivation. After a 33-year career consulting in this field, I understand that this is easier said than done. Hence, the relevance of this quote: "Fat loss is simple, but it isn't easy." In my fat-loss system, calories do matter, but not in the way you've probably been told. This is not a starvation/deprivation plan. In fact, many people will be required to increase their quality food intake! The HDL-FLP is designed to work with your metabolism to ensure fat loss success today, tomorrow, and for years to come. *** Bonus additions to this book include: The Individualized Lifestyle Assessment and Summary Tool (ILAST) Tracking Your Success (record keeping) Journal (TYSJ) Sample Meal Plans