How can I gain muscle and lose fat at the same time? That’s right up there with How do I get six pack abs? as one of the most frequently asked fitness questions of all time.

The problem is, when you ask it, you get all kinds of conflicting answers – even from experts who are supposed to know these things.

So what’s the deal? Is it really possible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time? Finally, there’s now a definitive answer, which is backed by science and real world case studies:

And yes, you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time! And none other that Tom Venuto (I’m a big fan!) has just published a new book on this exact subject that explains this answer in detail. It’s called “The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program: How to Gain Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ve definitely heard me speak about Tom Venuto before. I respect his work, (Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle) and wanted to share his latest home run here with you.

Here’s what’s up… The Holy Grail is a 74 page ebook that is destined to set the record straight in a way that you could say it’s the Last Word on gaining muscle and burning fat at the same time.

We all know there’s NO magical workout program or supplement that assures you of gaining muscle while stripping off fat. It takes lots hard work. And it’s not an easy goal to achieve. Honestly I think it takes strategy and a great mindset.

If you are serious about getting leaner and more musclar, I hope you take a look at The Holy Grail Transformation System. It even includes Tom’s new workout system – “TNB” Training – as seen in Men’s Fitness Magazine … this is the perfect way to train while following the Holy Grail nutrition plan.

And here’s some great news I also wanted to share… From now until Midnight (PST), March 5th, 2010, you can get a copy of the Holy Grail Body Transformation program system completely free – visit here to find out how.

I’m totally excited about this new program. In fact I’m going to start reading through it after I post this! Yep, I grabbed my copy today… To your fat loss success!

The decision as to where you will exercise is an important step in reaching your fitness goals. There are many different factors and pros and cons to each one. However once you decide where you are going to exercise, you’ll then be able to come up with your work out plan.

As I’m sure you know, exercising at home has many advantages, especially in the money department! Gym memberships can be quite expensive at times and also may include things that you don’t need or won’t use depending on your work out plan, i.e. daycare or use of the swimming pool. You also don’t need to be too concerned with the latest exercise gadgets and trends that surface at the gym because you will have your own exercise routine at home.

It’s certainly obvious that by exercising at home you can save money on gas and wear and tear on your vehicle because you won’t need to go anywhere to exercise! As well as saving money, exercising at home can be helpful to those who don’t like to work out in public. You won’t have to worry about what to wear, about what you look like, etc… because you are the only person at home with you. You also don’t need to worry about the time…how much time you get to spend on a certain piece of equipment or who is waiting behind you – I’m sure we’ve all been there.

There are of course some expenses you will still have to incur even if you decide to work out at home. Let’s say you plan to add some kind of power walking or even running into your exercise routine, you would definitely have to have good high quality shoes or sneakers. You would also be spending money on any type of equipment you plan on incorporating into your routine.

On the other hand now, many people are motivated by working out with others or being around people you know and the gym would definitely be the better idea in this case. And of course, you’ll also have a much larger selection of equipment at the gym than what you would have at home.

By exercising at the gym, you’ll also have access to much bigger equipment that you won’t have at home. For example, if you plan on swimming as a form of exercise, you’d definitely want to work out at the gym. Swimming by the way is great exercise for your muscles and cardio!

Gyms also have many different types of classes that you can take and have personalized training programs that you work on with a fitness trainer motivating you all the way.

Deciding whether to exercise at home or at the gym is a completely personal decision and is one that you should make based on your own goals and personal preferences. What it comes down to is the amount of money you want to spend and/or which environment you want to be in and which one will help you best to achieve your life fitness goals. And of course, if your first choice isn’t working out for some reason, you can always make the switch. Most important – have fun!

There’s a huge buzz about this and I definitely wanted to post a few words about it here… Are you in?

A few days ago, fat loss author/expert Tom Venuto issued a bold challenge to hundreds of thousands of people…

Basically, he “called them out,” (but in a motivating sort of way, that is).

Tom was making an announcement about a new type of fitness transformation challenge contest that will run – get this – through ALL the holidays: Thankgiving (US), Christmas and New Years.

He actually suggested that now is the BEST time to transform your body and that procrastinating until New Year’s is a pointless waste of time. If you wanted a better body, why wait, right?

He also said that he thinks its downright “neurotic” to believe that you can’t get leaner AND enjoy holiday food at the same time. According to Tom, that is a catastrophic form of  “EITHER / OR THINKING” which leads many people to procrastination or self-sabotage.

You can read more of Tom’s “call to action” right here: Call to Action

To say there was a “response” would be an understatement…

Tom’s blog had something like 500 comments on it when he first issued this challenge and he hasn’t even opened the contest registration yet.

He also hasn’t released the prize package list yet, but rumor has it, he is sending the overall winners somewhere tropical… a warm place to show off a hot new body in the dead of winter! Nice.

But if it wasn’t the prizes, what created all the buzz, then?

Well, Tom simply asked two questions in his challenge announcement:

(1) “Are you concerned about dealing with holiday food and drink temptations that might lead you to become one of the “holiday fat gain” statistics?”

(2) “If so…. DO YOU ACCEPT MY CHALLENGE TO GET IN BETTER SHAPE OVER THE HOLIDAYS?”

Hundreds upon hundreds of people raised their hands and said, “YES, I accept the challenge!”

It became clear that what people need more than “another diet program” is MOTIVATION….  INSPIRATION…and a REASON WHY to get up, move, and change the things that need improving.

By providing a goal (a contest), a source of motivation (prizes and recognition), accountability (A forum with THOUSANDS of like-minded fitness enthusiasts to help you along) and expert advice (a place with coaching and education resources), THAT combination was the trigger that had so many people say YES to this challenge.

Maybe, if you too say “YES, I accept your challenge,” a fitness competition during the holidays could be an event that not only keeps you from gaining fat from the season’s indulgences, but could inspire and motivate you to achieve your best shape of the year, or even the best shape of your life.

I can tell you this: I’ve heard it myself from a lot of people; it’s reward enough to get through the “holidaze” in better shape than you began them; winning would just be the icing on the cake.

I agree. And I believe you CAN do it NOW – DURING the holidays – while enjoying the food and festivities (with balance and moderation), and you will NOT be one of the  procrastinators who say, “I’ll start after New Year’s day.” This is going to be fun!

Tom’s Burn The Fat Inner Circle Will be “CONTEST CENTRAL”

===>  Inner Circle

He just opened up a new challenge forum where ALL contestants and members will converge to post their before/after results, post their journals and all support each other towards an incredible “50-DAY-BURN!”

If you want to be a part of online fitness history and become a contestant in the first-ever 50 Day Burn The Fat Holiday Challenge, you will be instantly eligible for the contest and get access to the challenge forum when you join the inner circle: Right here!

Another way to get started: Read (or Re-Read) Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. If you don’t have this ebook yet, this is the classic manual that many people call the “bible of fat loss” – it’s a virtual roadmap for how to eat, train and get motivated to win a transformation contest or, simply get yourself in the best shape of your life.

Get Burn The Fat ==> Right here.

Anyone who already owns Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is automatically eligible to enter the contest, with no other purchase required.

Registration for the contest opened at the Burn The Fat Inner Circle on yesterday, Thursday, November 19th. There may be some restrictions and the contest is void where prohibited by state or country law.

Again, you can read Tom’s Holiday Fitness Challenge call to arms, and get on the notification list about the contest prizes,rules and instructions by visiting this page: Here!

Here’s to your best body transformation, while enjoying the food and festivities of the holidays at the same time! Enjoy! 

Back Pain? Just Exercise It Away!

Do you suffer from back pain? I do at a times and I’m young and fit! And did you know that according to research and studies, nearly 80% of all Americans will experience some type of back pain in their lives.

Usually, the treatment for lower back pain is increasing your core strength to increase flexibility on muscles that are tight, which in turn provides better stabilization of the spine and also doing exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine.

Every muscle between the hips and shoulders are included – these muscles are referred to as the core muscles.  Back pain can be a result of muscle imbalances caused by any of these core muscles.  For example, if the back of your thighs are weaker than the front of your thighs, there will be an uneven pull on the front of your spinal column.

There are some great ways that you can integrate core strength training exercises into all of the exercises you perform, instead of doing just the traditional crunches and sit-ups.  One such way is by doing some deep breathing.

The tummy tuck and bridge lift can also help you to reduce back pain and strengthen the core muscles as well.  The tummy tuck exercise is a simple pelvic tilt that draws the abdominal muscles away from the floor.  To do a tummy tuck, simply lie face down on the floor and squeeze your glutes to strengthen your spine.

Instead of pressing into your thighs, you should reach your tailbone down towards your heels.  Perform 15 reps of each exercise and alternate them until you have completed a couple of sets.

For the bridge, place your feet on a bench or on the floor and scoop your pelvis upward. Your rib cage should stay low to reduce any irritationto your back muscles.  The bridge will help to relieve stress on your back and focus the muscle contractions into the glutes and the hamstrings.

Other exercises for lower back pain are the lumbar side stretch, hip flexor stretch, and calf stretches, as all three can help to alleviate pull on your spinal column.

I just received our local township/community biannual newsletter and found over two dozen activities that involve some type of healthy exercise. It’s like an entire community of activity. There is literally something for the entire family. Every community will be different but many neighborhoods offer programs that help family members stay active while being social. Social activities that promote exercise can be a fun way to get in shape and stay healthy. Participation in group activities often show longer commitment periods and can lead to other healthy things to do.

Nothing that interests you in your area? Start your own program and get others to join in. If you like sports, join a team. Enjoy bowling? A trip to your nearest bowling alley may reveal the perfect solution for you. The list is endless… Skating, dancing, skiing, golfing etc.. I recently stopped by a local driving range and just hitting a bucket (100) of balls caused me to break a sweat. It’s just a matter of getting involved.

The list below is from our township newsletter. I was very surprised at the wide range of choices involving exercise and physical activity. They are:

• Tae Kwon Do
• Kid Kwon Do
• FUN-DAMENTAL Basketball Camp
• Youth Floor Hockey
• Volleyball Skills Camp
• Youth Cheerleading
• Gymnastics
• Ballroom Dance
• Urban Ballroom
• Jazzercise
• Summer/Fall Softball
• Spring Adult Softball
• Tai Chi Chuan & Meditation
• ZUMBA Fitness
• Community Dance Social
• Get Up & Get Active
• Mother Son Bowl
• 15th Annual Daddy Daughter Dance
• Jitterbugs, Inc. – Youth Dance
• Health Workshops
• Fitness Center
• Yoga
• Dance Exercise
• Step Aerobics
• Jin Shin Jyutsu

Now that’s a lot of choices! So what are you waiting for? Grab your family and get involved, your health may depend on it.

Here’s How to Make Exercising More Fun!

Nothing beats waking up in the morning with the thought of going to the gym to lift weights or jog on the treadmill. Right? We start the day off with that wonderful plan. However, after a hard days work, the gym is one place you don’t even want to think about anymore.  Sometimes, even the thought of exercising at home with your own equipment can be less than desirable.

Don’t you think that sometimes just trying to get and stay motivated to exercise on a regular basis can be a challenge?  And to top that, no matter how you look at it, exercise can be downright boring and even tedious at times.

So, how you do you get motivated? How do you realize your plan and exercise on a regular basis? If you’ve been wondering what you can do to make exercise more fun, you’ll find some ideas below that just may help to make exercise more fun and a little bit easier.

First things first, try this… exercise with a friend. Seriously, I have found this to be quite the motivator. You can challenge each other, help each other out, keep each other motivated and on track, make each other laugh, chat or just make a game out of your exercise
programs.

You can also try something different.  If you go to the gym each and every day and use the same piece of equipment or use the same piece of equipment at home, you should try mixing things up. Reverse your routine or just change the order of your exercises. Put different music on, whatever it takes, just mix it all up.

Here’s a good one… go to a your local park that has playground equipment and use the slide, climb on the monkey bars, do pull-ups, hang from your knees, just let your imagination guide you.  I do this about once every two weeks. You don’t always need to follow a strict routine, just get out there and have fun working your muscles. That’s what it’s all about.

An outdoor circuit in the park is also something you can try.  There are quite a few parks that have circuit courses set up with a planned exercise course where all you have to do is walk or jog to each station and then follow the instructions. This reminds me of going to a Curves, but it’s outside and free. If there isn’t a planned course, then you should do a combination of jogging and walking. Jog 100 feet then drop and do a couple of pushups, walk the next 100 feet and then drop to do sit ups. See how easy that is? And it breaks up the monotony.

You can also ride a bike around your neighborhood or hike on a hiking trail or blaze a trail in your local wooded area.  A walk in the park or around your neighborhood is also a great way to get some exercise. I walk everyday, yes even in the winter, although it may be a quick and brisk walk at that. Doing yoga in a park or on a beach is also a nice and relaxing way to exercise both your body and your mind.

Do you play sports? Playing a competitive sport is also something you can try. Many towns or cities have team activities such as softball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, and so on.  These types of activities will not only provide you with good exercise but they will also help you to meet new people as well.

Here’s a good one – when you exercise, try to picture your muscles getting toner. Research has shown that if you focus all of your thoughts on the muscles that you are working, they will respond better.  Try to watch them work with each repetition as your muscles contract and relax. Focus.

See, there are plenty of ways you can make exercise more fun and  interesting.  You don’t need to follow the same routine day after day, as you can do many other things to get in some exercise.

The important thing is that you should always try to incorporate exercise in any various form into your everyday life and make these habits that will last a lifetime. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy yourself while exercising!

exercise, weight loss, fitness

10 Tips for Staying Fit and Healthy!

Here are ten tips for for staying fit and healthy…

1. Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet. Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.

2. Drink plenty of water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities.

3. Take Vitamins and Supplements. Do not forget your Calcium supplement.  Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial, especially for women. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and PMS symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system and is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.

4. Quit smoking. If you are smoking, stop. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers (although men should quit smoking too) and women who smoke have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.

5. Incorporate exercises in your daily routine. Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

6. Avoid stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to spas or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.

7. Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Wear hats when out in the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles.

8. Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile. Regular appointments to have your teeth cleaned prevents cavities and the need for those dreaded root canals.

9. Make sure you have physical exam annually.

10. Practice safe sex. Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Know your partner.

For more information and reports on fitness, visit here.

7 Great Reasons To Exercise

Many us need to follow an exercise program, in order to remain healthy.  Below, you’ll find several good reasons why you should start exercising now

1.  Exercise Contributes to Fat Loss

It is well proven from scientific research all over the world that physical exercise contributes to weight loss.  If you burn more calories than you consume through nutrition, you’ll lose weight.  When you exercise, you burn more calories than when you don’t.  It’s really simple – the more you exercise, the more weight or fat you’ll lose.

2.  Exercise Helps Prevent Disease

The chances of developing several various diseases has been proven to decrease when exercising.  These diseases include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the stroke.

Around 4 out of 5 deaths caused by heart disease and cancer, are linked to factors that include stress and lack of exercise.  We all know that diabetes increases the chance for heart attacks and strokes. What this shows, is that many of the risk factors and diseases caused by not exercising are working in conjunction to damage your health.  To prevent this from happening, start exercising.

3.  Exercise Helps Improve Disease

Many severe and minor diseases can be improved or even healed through regular exercise.  These even include the diseases listed above.  By following a regular plan, you can also decrease HDL cholesterol levels, decrease triglyceride levels, and decrease your blood pressure as well.

Exercising on a regular basis will also reduce the risk of prostate cancer for men, breast and uterine cancer for women, and much more.  All of this is scientifically proven, which is why you should start exercising today.

4.  Exercise Enhances Your State of Mind

Everyone knows from the many scientific studies that regular exercising will lead to an increased release of endorphins in the body.  These chemicals will fight depression and make you feel happy.  The body releases these endorphins only 12 minutes into the workout.

There is another chemical known as serotonin that is increased during and after a workout.  The increased levels of serotonin in the central nervous system is associated with feelings of well being and decreased mental depression. The chemical can also help you sleep better at night.

5.  Exercise Enhances Your Wellness

When you are in great shape and well fit, you’ll have more energy and you’ll notice that your overall mood is improved.  You will have experienced that you can stretch beyond your own limits and you know that you can do more than you thought possible.

6.  Exercise Helps with Focus and Persistence

Exercising regularly will give you more energy, which can help you be more productive at home and at work.  Exercising can help give your new goals a sense of purpose and give you something to focus on and aim for.  This can help you increase your persistence and prevent you from going off track while you aim for your goal.

7.  Exercise Boosts Your Self Esteem

After a workout on a regular basis you can boost your self esteem.  This can help you look better and you’ll be more comfortable as well.  Exercise will also help you to become more active and meet new people, which will prevent you from feeling isolated and unsupported.  Exercise will also increase your interests in many areas, even helping you to improve your marriage and/or relationships.

After knowing these reasons to exercise, you shouldn’t hesitate to get out there and get going! You can exercise at home or join a gym.  There are several different ways that you can exercise, all you have to do is select a few that you like and start with that. Walking is a great exercise to start with. Take a little bit of time out of your day and start exercising – you’ll feel better than ever before and your body will thank you.

Wikipedia defines an elliptical trainer (also cross trainer or simply elliptical) as a stationary exercise machine used to simulate walking or running without causing excessive pressure to the joints, hence decreasing the risk of impact injuries.

Elliptical exercise equipment can be found in a wide variety of sizes, styles and prices. Elliptical exercise is quickly catching up as the preferred cardiovascular exercise equipment of choice right behind the exercise treadmill.

Elliptical exercise equipment -vs- the exercise treadmill

Elliptical exercise equipment has some benefits that appeal to many people over the exercise treadmill. While both provide a quality cardiovascular workout, an elliptical trainer is a low-impact cardio workout. A treadmill can be hard on the knees, ankles and other joints.

Elliptical exercise equipment such a cross trainer work both the upper and lower body with it’s dual action workout. The exercise treadmill is geared mainly for lower body. Both exercise machines give a great cardio workout.

Another point to consider when looking at elliptical exercise equipment compared to an exercise machine like the treadmill is variety. Your aerobic workout can get pretty boring with a treadmill yet most people find it easy to use. The dual action of an elliptical trainer allows for a variety of workout functions so it’s less boring to most. On the other hand many find the dual action movements of elliptical exercise equipment unnatural and troublesome.

How to decide

Both exercise machines are great cardio machines and both can be a significant investment. Most older people, over forty, will benefit greatly from the impact free workout that the elliptical trainer offers. If you are a runner then the treadmill will provide a better training experience.

Avoiding a costly mistake

Once you decide on your exercise equipment of choice, it’s time to go shopping. If you are like the vast majority of people you will spend a lot of money and stop using the machine way before it’s paid off. A solid workout regiment takes ambition and dedication. You can avoid a costly mistake by either trying out your exercise routine in a gym first or buying a used exercise machine. Craigslist or a local eBay search can sometimes produce amazing deals.

Don’t kill yourself

The most important thing is your health. Over doing it can have the reverse effect then was intended. A weak heart or breathing disorder can have dire consequences when combined with too much exercise. You should always be checked by a doctor before tackling any new workout program. Once you have the ok, all bets are off. Hit it, stay on it and don’t look back because you are on the path to looking and feeling great.

I asked my doctor what he recommends for weight loss. I got the same generic response that you would expect, “dieting and exercise“. Common sense weight loss solutions like diet and exercise are what everyone says and few of us do. After all, how did we get in this unhealthy state to begin with? It wasn’t what we didn’t know, it’s what we didn’t do. Knowing and doing are what separates us from those healthy great looking people we see running everyday. I never liked those people – until now.

Beautiful Walks – I decided that my wife and I are in our mid to late forties and it isn’t going to get any easier from here. It’s time to take matters into our own hands and start getting active. Eating healthy was no problem. An active and healthy lifestyle is what we need and it was going to be harder than quitting smoking all those years ago.

So we started out slow. Daily walks every afternoon. This is nice, strolling along, talking and enjoying the neighborhood. Two problems.

1. First, I’m six foot tall and my wife is five foot two. Walking as slow as her wasn’t helping me at all.
2. The second problem was time. To get any distance we needed to take almost an hour out of our busy schedules.

The Separation – I decided walking together was fun so we should still do it but it wasn’t the weight loss solution I was looking for. I decided to go it alone and step things up a little. I began to go out on daily jogs. I would stretch, start off with a very quick walk and do my best to turn that into a jog or slow run. It’s amazing how little air there seems to be outside sometimes. It didn’t take long to realize this wasn’t the fitness and exercise plan for me.

1. I was embarrassed for my neighbors to see how out of shape I was.
2. I was still losing too much time.
3. In the back of my mind I could see myself falling over from a heart attack or something with no help in sight even though I got medically checked first.
4. Don’t even get me started on the bugs and mosquitoes.
5. All that and the fact our neighborhood doesn’t have sidewalks.

I knew I needed a better plan.

Tough Decision – An Exercise Machine – I had been thinking of it in the back of my mind the entire time but my cheap way of thinking wouldn’t let me say it out loud. I needed an exercise machine. I wasn’t sure exactly what exercise machine would be best but I knew they could be very expensive. I remember watching a program years back how the vast majority who buy exercise equipment end up paying on something they never use. I didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a fancy exercise machine just to set it in our garage to hold up Christmas boxes in a couple of months.

Weapon Of Choice - An Exercise Treadmill – It didn’t take long to decide what exercise machine I wanted. An exercise treadmill! How much are treadmills? It didn’t matter because I was armed knowing there were thousands of exercise treadmills all over the place not being used. I went straight to Craigslist and search locally for ‘exercise treadmill‘. Just as I expected, dozens of people trying to unload their treadmill cheap. Think about it, they have given up. They don’t want that monstrosity sitting there reminding them daily of yet another failure. I don’t mean to be rude but we all know it’s true.

Finding The Deal – I found a nice exercise treadmill for a hundred bucks. Nothing fancy, a Weslo Cadence Folding Treadmill. I had to drive over a hundred miles round trip to get it but it was worth the trip. I was on it ten minutes after we unloaded it from my pickup truck. I hit it hard. Thirty minutes as fast as I could manage. Big mistake. I could hardly move the next day.

The Agony Of Defeat – No pain no gain right? Wrong! With a little research I found a fast steady walk on my exercise treadmill was all I needed to weight loss and to get a little healthier. Two weeks later I’m twelve pounds lighter and I feel great. I’m not done by a long shot.

The True Exercise And Weight Loss Solution – The thing I discovered about running/walking on an exercise treadmill is it can be done anytime. I can even watch TV or an online video while working out. My neighbors don’t have to watch me sweat. And best of all, it’s something I have manages to stick to without any trouble. I’m glad I decided to toss aside my exercise machine fear, or at least the cost of one, and get started with my own exercise treadmill right in my living room.

My advice? – Get your heart checked by a doctor, make certain it’s safe to exercise. Then when your doc gives you the thumbs up find a nice used, I mean previously owned lol, exercise treadmill and build up to a level that you can maintain indefinitely. Let me know how it’s going in the comment section below. I’d love to hear your story.

Here’s to happy healthy living, Brian D. Hawkins

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/86803208@N00/ / CC BY-SA 2.0