Customer Reviews

Fitness Made Simple: The Power to Change Your Body, The Power to Change Your Life

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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I got to a point where I said, "Ok, I need to get serious and lose some weight." I'm 37 and buying pants with elastic waistbands.

I read the book in two days and got so inspired that I started implementing its principles the next day.

After 15 days, I have lost 9 lbs. Just imagine how I'll look if in 30 days I've lost 18 pounds! My goal is to lose 72 lbs (from 222 to 150) and if I stay on track, I hope to reach my goal after using this program for four months.

It really does work, and it's not that hard. I don't feel like I'm starving myself. It's just a matter of knowing which foods to consume.

Come on...admit it. You've read a ton of these books. We live in a society of extremes these days. We look at our hanging bellies and wondering how our clothes shrunk each time they go back to their unstretched size in the wash...and we just sit there frustrated, looking for magic pills to solve our lot in life.

You were all-in on the Atkins, letting your system choke on fat in delight...then by the end of it, you lost a good 30lbs or more, and were craving a loaf of bread like a dehydrated man staggering through the Gobi craves water.

So you fell off the wagon, because in the end, all those diets and fads are temporary fixes. Or you found yourself at WeightWatchers for the umpteenth time, paying them once again to give you some simplicity to this crazy world of unhealthiness. You saw Kristie Ally for the 1000th time touting Jenny Craig inbetween commercials for McDonalds and Coca-Cola. So you tried...and perhaps you succeeded. And thats great. But then again, you are here reading this, looking for a solution once again...so that success was only temporary.

And thats the crux. That underlying truth. That there is no magical solution. That there is no "Way Back" machine to turn mistakes into successes. Instead, you need to rebuild the way we have all been ruined in how we crave, sate and deal with food. We need simplicity. We need something to hold onto to doesn't beat you up, ask for ridiculous sacrifices, or ten quarts of Cabbage soup.

And this is why John Basedow's book is a terrific way to go about this. You've seen him in the ton of commercials that hits your TV at all hours. What you may not know is that he has a very strong following, and his DVDs had been well-reviewed for years. While Billy Blanks and other 15 minutes of fame fads came and went, John kept plugging along. Since then, due to his commercials and accessibility, he has turned into a pop culture icon by high schoolers and college students. He has a huge Myspace following. He has a John Basedow TV reality show following him around. Why, because most grew up watching his commercials and success stories. Even more so, because those who bought and followed his products had success and buoyed his reputation. He's the real deal. Surprising, isn't it, especially in this world of hucksterism and commercialism...that someone lives, breathes his products for his own success, and others have had success with it as well. Permanent success. Results.

And his book is a conglomeration of what has not only worked for him, but worked for all his fans and followers. No magic. No stupefying promises. Just food basics, and what works for John and the many people who have bought his DVDs and consulting over the years. The successes are all over the book. The recipes are simple. The re-education of whats important is excellent. Simple. Smart. Easy to read and follow. Basedow even includes exercise from stretches to some weight training to MAXIMIZE the results, and change the way you go about food, health and well-being. He solves the futility of getting into shape with smart, simple, and easy to follow directions, suggestions and tips.

I came to read his book with the same jaded disbelief as I came to read others. Even those ones that raised your hopes...then 3 weeks off that high, you were coach-potatoed and looking for the new one. John Basedow has something here. Something real, tangible and should be a required reading. Read it, follow it, and see why John Basedow is a hot commodity.

If a cover alone could make you buy a book, this would do it.
There is a perfect sample of fitness right there for the world to see - a
gorgeous body in a sexy blue shirt.
The book is laid out great: positive quotes, fitness tips, inspiring story, recipes,
and exercises. It even comes with a DVD. It's an all-in-one stop shopping
for fitness. He spells it all out...and he makes you feel if he did it, you can too.
All I can say is...why the hell did it take you so long to get this book out
there...there would be a lot more thin bodies in the world!Thanks and congrats.

I'm going to try and make this review as comprehensive as I can and there are some things that do irk me about the book that I feel should be noted.

Cover & Book Quality.
The book is made well. The binding is nice and sturdy and the cover looks respectable enough to leave lying around without fear of too much teasing from passers by. The book also comes with a DvD of one of John's old "Basics" workout plans that has been updated with very awkwardly placed intermissions/mini-Q&A sections that weren't in the original. Not to mention, they are incredibly corny. Some of the work outs and stretches are also better explained when seen in motion. Still, it's a nice bonus to have packed in with the book.


Writing.
John is not a writer. What he says and shares in the book is not the problem. It's how he says it. Many sections of the book are written in an odd first person that makes some sections seem awkward, if not completely copied and pasted from some of his prior videos. One choice sound bite I recall from the older DvDs of his is "If I'm eating out, which I love to do, I simply bring home any extra food to enjoy later.[pg.72]"

I probably am only noticing this as I am a journalist major, but I feel like I am reading a book about John more than about I. Again, it isn't what he says, it's how he says it. "A portion is roughly the size of my clenched fist or the palm of my hand.[pg.72]" Really, it just sounds better to have "A portion is roughly the size of your clenched fist or the palm of your hand" instead.

The book has quite a bit of extras sprinkled about. Expect a fair share of success stories every few pages and "John-isms" that are little snack-sized slogans such as: "Today's failures have no bearing on tomorrow's successes." Some are better than others but they break up the monotony. In a way, these goodies keeps it from seeming like a long read and more like a magazine.

It can also take a fair bit to get to the actual fitness part of the book. Specifically, it starts on Chapter 8 which begins on page 107. Thankfully the book is a quick read.


Content.
For the most part, John has some sound advice to people otherwise needing a good place to begin. Some tips are less pronounced than others. You may need to pick and choose the tips that best apply to you and your body type. There are some "big picture" ideas that are more or less missing. John makes the distinction that "Simple doesn't always mean easy" but that could be a whole section of the book as the fit and health-conscious lifestyle is not the convenient lifestyle but certainly is the more rewarding of the two.

As for the work outs themselves- this is where John really shines I think. The core work outs and stretches are powerful but will not fold you into a pretzel or crush you under the weights. Instead, they simply are repetitive and alternative exercises. You certainly have a lot of choice when you work out according to the book and videos which is a bonus as it keeps things new. Some of them are fairly creative too, such as the "Bicept 21s." (7 half dumbbell curls going from 6 o'clock to 9. Then 7 reps from 9 to 12. Then 7 more from 6 to 12.)

John also doesn't get too technical and keeps things simple. This book feels a lot more on a "Need to know" basis which is both a good and bad thing. I am a more curious type and I felt these sections of the book were leaner for my liking, but I suppose it keeps the book more accessible to people who may not know what a "Macro-nutrient" is.


Final Thoughts.
If you are looking for a good place to start, John offers it. He is corny and slathers the "Fitness Made Simple" moniker on anything that moves, and some sections do sound more like a casual autobiography than they need to be, you really cannot go wrong with his system. It educates to a fair degree and makes you want to get up and get moving. Given an honest chance, it should work for you. If you cheat, skip work out days, and otherwise don't take it seriously, I doubt the book will take offense- though the mirror might.

"John, what can I say. Thank you for valuing my words and opinions. This goes out to all those who have read John's book and to future readers. Fitness Made Simple: The Power to Change Your Body & Life is much more than a book. My wife and I see it as a Manual for Success.
Success is different for everyone. It could be riches for one or losing weight for another. Whatever success means to you, Fitness Made Simple: The Power to Change Your Body & Life is a blueprint for achieving success. Michelle and I have achieved enormous personal success and keep evolving for the better. We have a secret weapon and we keep it some place high. We know where success lives. At the top of our book shelf: Fitness Made Simple: The Power to Change Your Body & Life. Whether you call John your mentor, counselor, guru or secret weapon above all else he is genuine, and this is what sets him and his book apart from the rest."

Much success,
Mike Guardiola

This book is very well written and the training is very doable for any level of income of
even if beginning to want to lose weight and gain fitness.

This is a simple to understand book that is easy to read and follow. I found that the thing I did not realize was that it is simple to lose weight and gain muscle, but everyone knows that anyway. Everyone knows that in order to lose weight and become healthy again you have to incorporate two things into your life- Eat Right and Exercise!! There is no magic weight loss pill. If there was, everyone would be thin and skinny.

The Fitness Made Simple Program and now book by John Basedow is by far the best fitness program on the market today. John has done the research for you. He has tried every diet and exercise plan around and from his personal experiences has composited a nutrition and exercise plan that can be practiced by anyone willing and dedicated to a fitness lifestyle. This plan works, but don't take my word for it, do it yourself and see how you can transform your body into the one you've always wanted and your mind to new heights and successes. I use the program and love the book. The book delivers a sound message with easy to follow diet and exercise principles. There are also success stories from teenagers to grandparents throughout the book. John's no-nonsense approach to fitness and life along with his John-isms really drive points home to the reader. This book is inspiring, motivating, and the first step to building a better body and life. Buy it today.

John Basedow's book is fantastic. Basedow gives a positive perspective on fitness along with a no nonsense approach to becoming healthy. Basedow does not give false promises to people in this book. This book is very informative, easy to read and understand. Basedow has taken all the guess work out of fitness and nutrition. I am a type 2 diabetic that started reading the book because I wanted to get healthy. So far I have lost 15 pounds and have gained lean muscle by following the fitness routine and nutritional tips outlined in the book. Basedow doesn't say," you can look like this if you do that." What he does offer is a simple way to get healthier with a positive approach and reminding individual people that they do have the power to change their bodies if they put forth the effort. Love the book and the fact that Basedow is a down to earth funny guy that enjoys helping people get healthier.

Basically, it just contains things I already knew. I use some of the things that are in there - in my own combinations.