Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting [Paperback]

Gary Heavin (Author), Carol Colman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 7, 2004

The power to amaze in 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week.

Two million women have discovered Gary Heavin's secret to permanent weight loss at more than six thousand Curves fitness and weight-loss centers around the country. In thirty minutes, three times a week-and without a restrictive diet-many have been able to take off the weight and keep it off for good.

The Curves Promise:

- A unique three-part nutrition plan that produces results quickly and shows how to maintain weight loss in order to eat normally for 28 days, and only monitor food intake two days a month
- A Metabolic Tune-Up helps deter yo-yo dieting and shows how to lose weight by eating more, not less
- Simple self-tests determine calorie or carbohydrate sensitivity, helping women individualize their food plan
- Shopping lists, meal plans, recipes, food and supplement guides, and charts to track progress and guide users through every phase of the nutrition and exercise plan - A complete Curves At-Home workout, combining strength training and aerobics and taking only thirty minutes a day-no more than three times a week

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gary Heavin opened his first fitness center in 1976. A nutritional counselor and fitness instructor, he started the Curves franchise in Texas in 1992. Since then it has grown to become the largest fitness franchise in the world.

Carol Colman is the author or co-author of numerous bestselling health books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 334 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1st Perigee paperback edition (December 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039952956X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399529566
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The right program for my lifestyle, September 18, 2005

By 

J. Jordan (Winnetka, Ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting (Paperback)

I have wasted countless $$$ on programs without doing complete research...I decided to buy the book because a co-worker let me look throught her Curves Magazine, I took the test and was shocked to find that I was calorie sensitive. There was an ad about the book. I promptly went on line to get it
.....The book, I love, it answered all of my questions about food, meal planner, exercise ,ect, and the curves program ..to the point I plan to join for my up coming birthday, to get that extra push needed to exercise.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I finally found the right diet for me, January 3, 2007

By 

DietCrazy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Curves: Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting (Paperback)

This diet (calorie limited choice) was just the right balance for me, having tried Atkins and Carbohydrate Addicts (unsuccessfully). The menus are easy to use, and I felt less hungry than on any other diet I've been on. Limited amounts of fruit and bread are allowed, making it easy to stay on the weight loss portion of the diet longer. A couple criticisms I had are that meat portions aren't specified as to pre-cooked or post-cooked weight. Also, the book doesn't give clear guidelines on how to eat when on the maintenance part of the diet. Only two vague statements: "you don't have to count carbohydrates" and "avoid sugar" are given.

A concept introduced by these authors is that it is possible to "raise your metabolism" by increasing your daily calories. This is accomplished by alternately increasing calories for a few days, followed by decreasing them for up to two days. This takes up to three months.

Well, when I reached the point of being about 20 lbs. above my goal weight of 145, I had hit a "plateau." So I tried this metabolism-raising technique. I kept up the chart in the book which showed evidence of my metabolism being raised, so I had high expectations I would be able to continue losing weight when finished with this technique. Sadly, when I returned to the weight-loss portion of the diet (after completing another induction phase) I was unable to lose any more weight, despite six weeks of rigidly following the diet, AND increasing my exercise.

I think that for women who have struggled with being overweight, who are in the pre-menopause stage of our lives (ages 35-45), we must be realistic that our weight won't likely reach the "ideal." But even with this disappointment, I still like the diet and have found that I can maintain my weight as long as I avoid sugar, and limit amounts of white flour.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good workout - not so good diet, February 23, 2006

By 

L. Maag - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Curves : Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting (Paperback)

Most of the book talks about the curves diet which is very similar to the south beach diet. I don't like high protein, low carb diets so I didn't follow the diet. I did like the workout though. You have to have a set of exercise bands and a stop watch to do the workout. You do 40 second exercises with the bands and walking/jogging in place between each exercise. You are suppose to be able to do two complete sets of the exercises in 30 minutes. It took me an hour to do the exercises because you have to keep changing the position of the bands. I also found it hard to keep track of when 40 seconds are up.