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342 of 352 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Jorge's enthusiasm jumps through the pages!, January 15, 2002
This review is from: 8 Minutes in the Morning: A Simple Way to Start Your Day That Burns Fat and Sheds the Pounds (Hardcover)
Jorge Cruise has developed a quick way to "jump-start" your morning. By performing only 8 minutes of strength training and following a simple diet Jorge says you can shape up! In fact on the cover of his book he guarantees weight loss in just 4 weeks. I think the strength training aspect of his program is very good. The photographs are clear and the descriptions for the exercises are concise. Jorge leads you through 4 sets of 12 repetitions for 2 exercises, alternating them for greater effect.
There are a number of exercises including standing heel raises, kickups, knee pushups, and one arm curls.
Despite the short time period, I could feel a nice difference in my body in under a week. Though its easy to not exercise, its hard to make excuses when it's only 8 minutes! Great Concept!
It would be nice if Jorge had included modifications for those who had difficulty performing the exercises. Jorge also includes a motivational thought for the day. Each day has a different idea to hopefully "kick" you into high gear. Ideas such as visualization, using light, rewards etc. Nothing new, but a nice addition to the book. The diet is your standard low calorie type fare, with one addition. Jorge has you add one tsp. of flax oil (which you can also purchase from him) or olive oil to your meals to give you that feeling of satiation. I purchased Jorge's flax oil and indeed it does make you feel full..but I found the taste was very hard to get used to. Overall, I was disappointed in the diet. Jorge does not use the new information about how glycemic levels can be effected by certain foods and he suggests foods that easily turn to sugar in your body like bananas. He also suggests eating treats alone and that could trigger cravings in some folks if not paired with a protein. Jorge says he has trained over 3 million people online in his book. So I was surprised when I visited his website that it seemed like it was still in it's infancy ie chat board just starting etc. I have been on a variety of fitness websites for over 5 years and have never heard of Jorge. I was also disappointed when he suggested on the board the if we needed motivation we buy a small outfit and try to diet to get in it.
Personally, I think we all need to feel good NOW about our bodies and try to make them better by buying clothes that fit and adjusting down when the time is right. My thoughts are that he knows his exercise but put together a diet program by gathering information from others. I don't think his diet program is anything special or the answer folks have been looking for. But the book is worth the price for the exercises alone. And Jorge is young and enthusiastic and his knowledge of nutrition will grow! Hopefully his next book will include the wonderful exercises and a better nutrition plan.
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96 of 98 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Exercise Plan, November 16, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: 8 Minutes in the Morning: A Simple Way to Start Your Day That Burns Fat and Sheds the Pounds (Hardcover)
"8 Minutes in the Morning" is a weight-loss and weight-maintenance plan with a couple of interesting features. The first is the diet plan. Cruise calls it the "Eat Fat to Get Fit" program. Everything is outlined for you, including little reproducible food journal cards so you can keep track of what you are eating each day. Since I am not overweight, and can't even envision eating the amount of fat each day that he recommends, I am not using this portion of the book, but I can appreciate that it is well laid out and seems very user-friendly. The second part of the book is the exercise routine. This is actually why I bought the book in the first place. Exercise is in two parts: strength training with light hand weights (dumbbells) and power walking. The strength training segment works two major muscle groups each morning, taking only about eight minutes, six days a week. There is a four week plan given, so you have lots of variety and no chance of boredom. The photos and text instruction are excellent. I like the fact that he rotates through the muscle groups, which gets everything worked out while not stressing to the point of injury, and the daily routine, which, while very short, gives me something to do each day. I am a creature of habit and I find I do better if I have a little to do every day, rather than a couple of big workouts each week. I also like the fact that this workout does not require any expensive or bulky equipment. Just light weights, a chair, maybe something like a mat to put down on the floor. He also gives instruction in "power walking" which is good for the aerobic component. The instructions are very clear in terms of frequency, duration, intensity, and proper form. As I said, I am not doing the diet part of this program, since I have been with the McDougall Program for quite a while, but the book was worth the money for me just for the strength training routine it contains. I recommend this book if you want to form a solid exercise habit.
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69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Starvation mode..., January 14, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: 8 Minutes in the Morning: A Simple Way to Start Your Day That Burns Fat and Sheds the Pounds (Hardcover)
Of course you'll lose weight if you eat 1200 calories or fewer a day. During the first week of the plan, you are allowed even fewer than 1200 calories, although the author doesn't give an exact number. As someone who already exercises five days a week, I couldn't live with an eating plan like this. The great part of the book (earning it three stars) is the weight training. I've incorporated morning weight lifting into my exercise plan and it really jump starts my day. Don't buy this book for the eating plan unless you are willing to strictly limit your calorie intake. Do buy this book if you are interested in starting a weight training program. It's great for beginners.
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