Keeping Joe 6-Pack's Belly Flat During the Thanksgiving Holiday

Deerfield Beach, FL- Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy...men love the food that comes with the traditional Thanksgiving feast. But the one thing they can do without is the extra jiggle to their waistline that accompanies those extra calories.

While Americans gain on average 0.4 to 1.8 pounds a year, most of the weight is gained in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year. So are men destined to continuously fight the battle of the Thanksgiving bulge and have Holiday love handles forever?

According to celebrity trainer and nutritionist Mike Levinson, the answer is "no." He says there is a way that guys can lose weight over the holidays and have their turkey, too.

"Losing weight during the holidays doesn't have to be a challenge. The answer lies in eating testosterone-rich foods that crank up their metabolism and help their build muscle at the same time," said Levinson.

In Buff Dad: The 4-Week Fitness Game Plan for Real Guys (HCI Books - $16.95), Mike Levinson teamed up with former trainer Michelle Ponto to develop an innovative fitness program that helps men lose weight quickly and effectively - without having to give up the foods they love. Their secret is a combination of multitasking and taking advantage of men's natural weight-loss weapon: testosterone.

In addition to having an easy to follow diet and workout program that is guaranteed to bring results, the book also includes tips and tricks on how to lose weight quickly and keep it off.

But many of the tips in the book are surprising.

"Cheating on a diet is okay. In fact, on the Buff Dad program, we recommend that guys eat one "cheat meal" a week," said Levinson. "Studies have shown that men lose more weight if they know they can eventually have their special treats."

Other tips include eating every 180 minutes and not-overdoing their cardio - which comes as good news to many couch potatoes who just can't get into the gym rat routine.

"Too much cardio can sometimes be detrimental to weight loss, as guys could end up burning more muscle than fat. We want them to maintain their muscle as that's going to help them burn fat faster," said Levinson.

Struggling with the Thanksgiving bulge is something Levinson can talk about firsthand. After gaining over 50 pounds after the birth of his son, he knows what it's like to be tempted over the holidays, and how hard it is to stay trim when everyone else is eating.

"I've been there, so I know how hard the holidays can be. But I'm also living proof that you can overcome the temptation," said Levinson. "It all comes down to knowing the tricks of eating so that you are never hungry."

Mike lost his weight and has kept it off for over five years. Now in his late 30s, he is as lean and toned as he was his 20s.

For 10 simple and innovative ways on how men can lose weight over the holidays, contact Kim Weisse at kimw@hcibooks.com to arrange an interview with Mike Levinson.

ABOUT BUFF DAD: THE 4-WEEK FITNESS GAME PLAN FOR REAL GUYS

Buff Dad: The 4- week fitness game plan for real guys teaches men how to use their testosterone to boost their body's ability to lose weight and build muscle. By incorporating the Buff Dad's 10 "Testosterone-rich power foods" and doing the Buff Dad Workout Blitz - a targeted 30 minutes workout, men will not only burn fat twice as fast as simply doing weight training or cardio alone.

The program takes the idea of multitasking, and uses to combining eating the right foods to build muscle with several specially designed strength-training exercises to "overwork" the muscles. In other words, men will be working out more efficiently to get the results they want in the shortest amount of time. By following the diet and workout program, in just four weeks men will have more lean muscle mass, increased bone density and improved virility.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mike Levinson ( West Hills, CA) is a former amateur bodybuilding champion and registered dietician who holds dual degrees in sports nutrition and physical education. He has worked extensively as a nutritionist with the California Angels baseball team and with famous athletes such as Charles Oakley, JT Snow, Jim Abbott, Gary DiSarcina, and Sean Rooks of the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers. He also worked as a nutritionist with both the Chicago Bears football team and the Oakland Raiders.

Michelle Ponto ( Houston, TX) is a writer and journalist who has written for a number of magazines and media companies including Discovery Channel, The New York Times and CBS News. In addition to having Bachelor degrees in communications and fitness leadership, she is a trained fitness instructor, and has worked as a certified ACE and CAN-FIT personal trainer.