33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great, But Expensive!, June 15, 2009
This review is from: 2-Week Total Body Turnaround: The 14-Day Plan That Jumpstarts Weight Loss, Maximizes Fat Burn, and Makes Over Your Fitness Mindset Forever (Hardcover)
This book is great. I LOVE Chris Freytag, though, so it really shouldn't be a surprise that I would love a book she worked on. The workouts are time-consuming, and a lot of dedication is required to keep up with 12 out of 14 days of working out and eating according to the meal plan at all times. I found the workouts to be challenging, which I loved, and the stretching techniques and yoga optional add-on for the end of the workouts were helpful, as well. (The 10-minute yoga segment can be found on the Prevention website, for anyone who really wants to know.) The new strategy for lifting each weight really kept me focused on form, too.
Though I consider my rating of this book to be high, and, as I say, the book is great, and though have lots of good things to say about it, there were two major issues for me: first, the layout left something to be desired. Each day has its own workout section, meal section, motivation section, and information section. Which means if you want to refer to or compare different days, you are searching all over the book. I think something more appealing to me would have been a workout section, a meal plan section, and entire chapters devoted to inspiring and informing me, all separated out for easy reference.
Additionally, as with any "prescription" program (a prescription for bettering your life, that is), be prepared to spend money. There is very little about any of these programs that can be considered cheap, from the equipment you might need to invest in to get started to the meal plan itself. There is just no way to economically tell someone what to eat, five times a day for 14 days, and make it cheap but varied. I have found this across the board though, so it's not a stand-out issue with just this book. Just keep it in mind when you're preparing to start.
All in all, though, if you like structure in your life, this book may be exactly what you need to get back into gear, and stay that way. I will definitely be referring to it in the future, and will incorporate a lot of the workouts and tips into my regular life. Best of all, perhaps, is that you really DO see visible changes in yourself, your energy level, your eating habits and your overall sense of well-being by the end of the program. And that means those changes start in only 14 days.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
69 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not realistic if you're overweight and out of shape, June 8, 2009
This review is from: 2-Week Total Body Turnaround: The 14-Day Plan That Jumpstarts Weight Loss, Maximizes Fat Burn, and Makes Over Your Fitness Mindset Forever (Hardcover)
I purchased this book with high hopes. Unfortunately, those hopes didn't materialize.
First of all, it is more about strength exercise than anything else. That's definitely important, but telling folks who are way overweight and totally out of shape to do push ups on day one is totally demoralizing! Lots of the exercises are just too demanding and complex for those of us who aren't accustomed to regular workouts. Plus the table for the interval cardio sessions is way too complicated, again, for those of us who want to genuinely change our lifestyle but have a long way to go.
The best thing in the book is the five-minute stretch routine.
When I got to the week 2 menus and recipes, she started repeating. I feel cheated! Half the reason I bought such a book was for the menus and recipes; but I really only got maybe 8-9 days worth, if that, due to the repetition. Not to mention that eating the same foods in week two that I ate in week one isn't very interesting to someone who is trying to turn over a new leaf.
Then there's her tone. She makes it clear that she's a trainer, has exercised her entire life, is stimulated by getting up early to exercise . . . you get the picture. How encouraging is that to those of us who haven't exercised much at all and have to fight our resistance to it every single day? She's just way too perky about something that's a constant struggle. I doubt she has a clue what it's like to be fat and out of shape, and she doesn't do a thing to motivate me to want to change my habits. In fact, she demoralized me.
This book would probably be fine for someone who already is into exercise and just wants to do some toning. For those of us who are seriously overweight and out of shape, this book is discouraging. There have got to be more realistic and encouraging books out there. I usually enjoy health and weight books published by Rodale for Prevention Magazine, but this one is a total bust for me.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
great way to get fit!, May 20, 2009
This review is from: 2-Week Total Body Turnaround: The 14-Day Plan That Jumpstarts Weight Loss, Maximizes Fat Burn, and Makes Over Your Fitness Mindset Forever (Hardcover)
I bought this book to learn how to get fit, and to do the exercises correctly and not to hurt my 50 year old body. If you follow the program you will reach your goal. I would recommend this book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No