15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not a lot of useful information, June 9, 2009
This review is from: Robin McGraw's Complete Makeover Guide: A Companion to What's Age Got to Do with It? (Paperback)
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I was rather disappointed with this book. There isn't much content...I think I read through the entire guide in 2 hours, and that was while being distracted by my 2 year old son.
Most of the information is basic common sense, and has been around for a long time. There is no new information in this book. It is a companion guide to What's Age Got to Do with It, which I must admit I have not read (and will probably never read after going through this companion book).
Mostly the book tells you to read chapters from the other book, then fill out checklists. Most of these consist of really simple things, such as "I eat a lot of sweets, I am a smoker, I drink alchol, I am overweight, I eat a lot of green leafy vegetables, I am a happy person," etc.
She has a basic fitness log, where you can track your measurements and workout progress, a weekly sleep journal, a daily food groups consumption sheet, weekly meal planner, 7 pages of skin care logs, 3 pages to put in pictures of hairstyles you like and 4 blank lined pages for you to talk about your faith. The only really useful thing in here is a questionnaire regarding different hormone issues, and I'm not sure how accurate that is (apparently, I answered yes to enough issues that all my hormones are out of balance!)
There is nothing here you can't easily create on your own. There is also a lot of old or misinformation. She recommends 6-11 servings of breads and grains, which most doctors and nutritionists will now tell you is too high (especially the cereals, pastas and bagels that she recommends as part of this group)
She also recommends that you eat or drink low fat or non fat dairy products for the calcium. Again, most doctors and nutritionists will tell you that green leafy vegetables, broccoli and other healthier foods are a much better souce of calcium than dairy. Many of the experts tell people to avoid dairy altogether. Another issue with this is that recent studies have proven that women who eat or drink full-fat dairy products are healthier and have fewer fertility problems than those who choose skim or low fat options.
She also gives a warning about eating too many nuts, because they are calorie dense. She ignores all the current research that shows the fats in nuts are very healthy for you, and can reduce your risk of heart disease. They are also a great source of trace minerals, including selenium. Most nutritionists recommend a handful of tree nuts per day.
Bottom line: If you want to get healthy, don't bother reading this book. I highly recommend the 150 Heathiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden, The China Study, and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I Wanted To Like It But Just Could Not, June 18, 2009
This review is from: Robin McGraw's Complete Makeover Guide: A Companion to What's Age Got to Do with It? (Paperback)
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I was able to get a copy of Robin McGraw's book and thought it might be interesting. I know I am not a woman and therefore am not really part of the target audience. However, I am approaching middle age, on the fat side, and my wardrobe consists of T-shirts and jeans, so I thought maybe I could learn something from this book.
The "Complete Makeover Guide" is intended to be a companion to "What's Age Got To Do With It?". I must admit I did not read the author's other book, but I thought this guide was able to weakly stand on its own. The book basically consists of 8 topics covering nutrition, fitness, skin care, hormones, makeup, hair, fashion, and faith.
The fitness chapter was basically OK at best. It does not give much detail about anything. It gives a few tips on staying motivated and some charts that are very cramped and awkward to write in.
The nutrition chapter is the best chapter in the entire book. The chapter talks about nutrition basics like the food pyramid, calorie counting, menu planning, and a bit on planning for weight loss. Again, the chapter has charts and tables to fill out that are poorly designed.
When reading the skin care chapter, I thought I misplaced the book and was reading a pamphlet written by the cosmetic industry instead. While the chapter does briefly discuss different cleansers, creams, and other things, the bottom line of the chapter is basically go to the cosmetic counter at a department store and ask them for help.
The chapter on hormones is about the most pathetic thing I have ever read. As with many middle aged couples, my wife and I are going through emotional, physical, and health changes. When I saw some check lists that showed what could happen if this hormone is imbalanced or that hormone is deficient, my wife and I thought it would be interesting to go through the lists and check the appropriate symptoms for her. After reading through the lists, she is pretty much out of whack on every hormone. Pretty much the symptoms for every lists seem highly similar if not exactly the same. For the record, my wife's hormone levels were normal the last time they were tested. The chapter offered poor insight at best.
Want me to sum up the hair chapter? Find some hair-styles you like. Cut pictures out of magazines or take pictures of people whose hair you like and paste them in the book. Find a professional salon (the yellow pages is a good source if you do not have a regular salon...great tip there). Take the pictures and discuss potential hair cuts, coloring, and styling products.
What can I do with make-up after reading this book? Not that I wear any, but I learned to find a friend whose make up I like, ask them what it is, and write their name and product information on the lines provided. Whoa! When in doubt, go visit your professional make-up person at the salon.
The fashion chapter could be useful to most people. Basically, the chapter says to buy clothes and have them tailored. However, there is some good information giving people an idea what to wear based on body type.
Finally, the faith chapter. Yeah... The reader is asked 2 questions and given 3 blank pages to write your answers.
Ignoring the lack of content, I had mixed feelings when reading the book. The book is written quite ingeniously. When I read the book, I almost felt like I was talking to a friend. Despite the excellent narrative in the book, I really did not know if I was in grade school working on a workbook, back in my high school health class, being lecturef by my parents, or watching a Maybelline commercial. It seemed the book was really all over the place when it came to the format.
Personally, I feel that books are sacred vaults of knowledge or gateways to vast worlds unexplored by me. It is very rare that I find a book I do not like. I really did not like this book. The tables were poorly formatted and difficult to photocopy. While there is a bit of brilliance behind the writing, the whole thing felt like reading a terrible high school essay. The useful content there is is not worth the $10 for the book. If you really have to get this book, I would highly recommend trying to check it out from the library, buying it used, or finding it in a second hand store. I could use this book as a fire starter and feel it was put to good use. I do not recommend getting this book.
For the record, when I asked my wife what she thought of the book, her response was a very hesitant "It's just OK."
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