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Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha: A Real World Guide to an Unreal Life: Build More Muscle. Burn More Fat. Have More Sex Hardcover – April 16, 2013
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Every man has the potential for a great body, insane sex, and an unreal life. (Seriously)
- Want to lose body fat? That's easy—you can drop 20 pounds in 6 weeks.
- Want bigger muscles? Done. A 50-pound increase to your bench press, coming right up.
- Want to be smarter? Not a problem—the strategies in this book have been proven to increase brain function.
- Want an awesome sex life? Yeah, there's a fix for that, too—increased libido and improved performance are just weeks away.
You were born to achieve greatness, to be a man. But somewhere along the way you started to live an ordinary life. Fitness experts John Romaniello and Adam Bornstein developed a system that targets hormone optimization; their approach is specifically designed to transform you into the Alpha you were always meant to be. Strong. Confident. Powerful.
Based on cutting-edge, scientifically validated methods known only to the fitness elite, Man 2.0 provides a step-by-step road map to regaining your health, looking your best, supercharging your sex life—even reversing the aging process. The systems in this book have changed the lives of countless men who've worked with Romaniello and Bornstein.
In this book, you will discover:
- Answers to all the questions you have about training and nutrition—and even ones you haven't thought of yet.
- An easy-to-understand plan designed to work with your body, not against it, to burn fat, and build dense, rock-hard muscle.
- A comprehensive nutrition program, fully customized for Alphas, complete with meal plans.
- Print length288 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarperOne
- Publication dateApril 16, 2013
- Dimensions7.38 x 0.97 x 9.12 inches
- ISBN-10006222087X
- ISBN-13978-0062220875
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Most fitness books suck. This one does not.” — Tucker Max, #1 NY Times bestselling author
“Engineering the Alpha is THE book for busy people who want to make a change. John Romaniello is my own personal trainer, and I can tell you from experience, he can get you in the best damn shape of your life. PERIOD.” — Gary Vaynerchuk, NY Times bestselling author of The Thank You Economy
“When it comes to modern fitness authority...all roads lead to Adam Bornstein” — Joe Manganiello, actor, HBO's True Blood
From the Back Cover
Are you a guy who's interested in building rock hard muscle, erasing your belly fat, boosting your testosterone, and having more mind-blowing sex than you thought possible?
If so, then Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha was written specifically for you...
In his new book, celebrity trainer and Men's Health expert John 'Roman' Romaniello teams up with expert Adam Bornstein, former editor for both Men's Health and LIVESTRONG. Together, they reveal the secrets they've discovered that will give any man—no matter how old you are—a chiseled body that will turn heads everywhere you go.
You know the kind of body I'm talking about. The kind of body that women seem to drool and stare at when they're at the beach with their girlfriends...
As a former 'fat guy,' Roman struggled for years to find a workout and diet that would give him the body he always wanted. By using the very secrets you'll find in this book—techniques he's spent 10 years perfecting—he overcame his 'fat genes' and boasts a lean and ripped body—the kind that could be (and has been) seen on the cover of magazines.
And the best part is—you don't have to kill yourself to get this body. Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha will show you exactly how to get the body you've always wanted without starving yourself and without spending 2 hours in the gym every day.
And for all of the guys out there wondering... YES! Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha will even work for guys in their 30s, 40s, and 50s... Getting lean, ripped, and strong is not just for young guys!
In Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha, Romaniello and Adam Bornstein present proven, powerful ways for men to improve physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological health. From research in Olympic labs to real-life results with their clients, they are reinventing masculinity and showing every man how to become exactly who he wants to be...
If you're ready to build strong, defined muscles, burn away your belly fat, boost your testosterone, and start experiencing more mind blowing sex than you ever thought was possible—then grab your copy of Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha now...
About the Author
John Romaniello, one of the most highly regarded experts in the fitness industry, has written for publications from Men's Health to Fast Company and been featured on programs such as Good Morning America.
Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author an award-winning writer and editor. For the past 20 years, Bornstein has been “the trusted voice in health” as the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health and Women’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s authored or coauthored six books, including Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha, The Women’s Health Big Book of Abs, The Men’s Health Big Book: Getting Abs. He’s also a ghost writer of many popular wellness and advice books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Tools of Titans.
Bornstein is a nutrition advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He’s also the founder of Born Fitness and Pen Name Consulting, the former Chief Nutrition Officer at Ladder, and the Vice President of Nutrition for FitOn, the largest fitness app in the world. His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, E! News, and The Cheddar. He lives in Denver with his wife and two sons.
Product details
- Publisher : HarperOne; Illustrated edition (April 16, 2013)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 006222087X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062220875
- Item Weight : 1.41 pounds
- Dimensions : 7.38 x 0.97 x 9.12 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #457,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #390 in Men's Gender Studies
- #572 in Weight Training (Books)
- #2,402 in Weight Loss Diets (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Adam Bornstein is a New York Times best-selling author, and an award-winning fitness and nutrition journalist and editor. Named "one of the most influential people in health", Bornstein is the CEO and founder of Born Fitness. Previously, he was the editorial director for LIVESTRONG.COM and the fitness editor for Men's Health magazine. His first book, The Impact! Body Plan was a fitness bestseller, and that was followed by The Men's Health Diet (with Stephen Perrine), The Women's Health Big Book of Abs, and The Men's Health Big Book: Getting Abs.
Bornstein has articles featured in publications such as The New York TImes, ESPN the Magazine, Forbes, and Fast Company. He also has a monthly column in Men's Fitness magazine called "Learn It." Bornstein has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, and E! News. He blogs at bornfitness.com to discuss all topics related to health, fitness, and nutrition. He can also be found on Twitter @BornFitness.
John Romaniello (born April 8, 1982) is an author, angel investor, media personality, and consultant who helps entrepreneurs improve communication skills and increase revenue through writing.
Well-known across multiple industries, Romaniello has written hundreds of articles covering topics from business and marketing to fitness and self-development.
Having gotten his start as a fitness writer and entrepreneur, Romaniello is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha (HarperOne 2013) and the founder of Roman Fitness Systems, one of the most respected sources of health-related content and coaching in the world.
In 2015, Romaniello founded Wellspring Media, a consulting company focused on helping increase income and influence through effective branding and storytelling.
Romaniello currently serves as an advisor to nearly a dozen fitness & tech companies, works as a writing mentor and consultant helping content creators become better writers.
He freelances as a ghostwriter and dialogue-doctor and is currently working on three new books.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2015
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I have been eagerly awaiting the day I would submit my review, so happy I am with the results of his four-part, sixteen-week program. Clearly and cogently trailblazing the path to a hormone metamorphoses, he gives the reasoning and means to each phase of transformation. The diet and exercise are drawn into four programs (or phases): 1.) Prime, when insulin is utilized more efficiently. 2.) Adapt, when testosterone is boosted. 3.) Surge, when growth hormone is increased, and cortisol, the stress-induced hormone is diminished. The approach is methodical with a framework for diet and exercise that shuffles the deck for both in a systematic way.
In the motivational chapters and the supplementary elements of the program chapters, he makes it clear that his program has proven results, scientific backing, and great chances to improve a man's ability to reduce fat, increase muscle, power, and strength, and decrease estrogen (found in every man). He also elaborates that the antecedent effects will pay dividends at work, in relationships, in self-esteem, and in the bedroom.
Personally, I could see and feel the effects after each phase, and often feel a (distinctive) surge after every workout. During the Prime phase, I had to tighten my belt, saw a ripped physique, and lost about ten pounds. During the Adapt phase, I gained strength and noticed during my circuits, I did eight pull-ups for the first time in my life. (My previous best was three before this program!) During the Surge phase, I noticed a difference in my libido and my ability to add weight and my endurance to his physical routines. In the last portion, I faltered mostly. I still feel like a well-oiled machine, but, just like Roman's blog, I, too have difficulty avoiding a cold (In my case prolonged!) in October, so I stopped his 8 and 16 meal plan and ate a lot of what I wanted. Still, one of my photos shows progress (especially for someone who recently turned 51).
Now, 'Man 2.0...' is the third tier in my bodybuilding and diet education. Tom Venuto's ' Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle: Transform Your Body Forever Using the Secrets of the Leanest People in the World ' literally turned me around from spinning my wheels in the gym after nearly three decades. He showed me how quality calories and mixing up high carb and low carb days are essential for bodybuilding. Next, Jonathan Bailor's ' The Smarter Science of Slim: What the Actual Experts Have Proven About Weight Loss, Dieting, & Exercise ' taught me (He did much more of course.) to have vegetables at every sitting, and I discovered the breakthrough of stevia as a sweetner. Now all three authors have delved into the essential concept that reducing fat and becoming built or lean is highly dependent on manipulating and resetting key hormones through diet and exercise.
In all fairness to the two mentioned authors, I followed Roman's 'Alpha...' to the T. I kept a food diary with caloric, fat, carb, and protein content of everything I ate every day and all day. I brought my Kindle to the gym to ensure I'd follow his program faithfully every time. I bought a cheap $5.00 food scale to weigh all my food. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ALL BODYBUILDERS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING METHODICALLY SMART! BODYBUILDING IS A SCIENCE, AND FOR $16.00 (NOW $12.00) FAR LESS THAN ONE SESSION WITH A TRAINER, YOUR ENTIRE LIFE CAN CHANGE! THESE THREE BOOKS LITERALLY STOPPED ME SPINNING MY WHEELS AND GOT ME USING MY TIME AND RESOURCES FAR MORE EFFICIENTLY!
Not every issue is resolved now. Venuto had me eating 5-6 meals a day, and Roman has me eating three meals (or more, if you choose) on a sixteen-hour fast, eight-hour food cycle. Now, both worked effectively, and, although they both produce ample scientific evidence in their favor, I found both meal programs work well. I do prefer Roman's meal plan as more systematic (especially in how it lowers, then gradually adds, carbohydrates as you grow and get lean). (I don't have Venuto's 'Holy Grail...' so I don't know how much progress he has made with his plan.) Also, one of the most difficult aspects I found were his "Cheat Days" during Phase II. I loved to gorge, but the following fast day was demanding. Still, there was always method to his madness. I didn't consult a doctor for any of these programs, but you may want to, especially if you have special medical issues.
Thanks John Romaniello and Adam Bornstein for giving me the power tools to change my life and my appearance. I've never made a more valuable investment in my time and money for the pastime of weight training.
(P.S. I can understand many reviewers yen to post and publish their reviews right after publication of this work, but I do challenge one thing: How can you state that this diet and exercise program are inferior to others you have tried based on a hypothetical premise? I mean how do you really know if 'Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha' is really more or less effective until you've actually tried it? I have a few examples, and while I haven't tried many of the programs mentioned by other reviewers, I do know how well this one works from experience.) Just sayin'.
* Word taken from Brocabulary: The New Man-i-festo of Dude Talk .
About me: early 40s, work in academia, been weight training as a hobby for about 12 years. I hit a plateau a couple years ago, which may have been due to any number of factors (moving across the country, irregular diet, aging, stress, whatever). During the past couple years I've tried a number of different workout regimes, without much success. "Man 2.0" is the first training program in a long time to deliver dramatic results for me.
I'm currently 6 weeks into the program, and have experienced the following:
-measurable weight loss
-noticeable fat loss
-improved energy and focus
-improved libido
WEIGHT LOSS: I was already in pretty good shape for my age, but I've lost about 8-10 lbs. so far on this program (I'm 6'1" and started at around 200 lbs.- now I'm at 191 and looking to get to 185).
FAT LOSS: I have to tighten my belt by an extra notch, because my waist is definitely slimming down. I'm also starting to see my abs. I still have some stubborn belly fat (I'm probably in the 15-18% range for body fat), but my "man boobs" have practically vanished.
DIET: I have *not* been following this diet to the letter, but I've been staying pretty much within the suggested calorie range. This program gets into some serious science about breaking down your meals into macronutrients (measuring how many grams of protein, fat, carbs etc. you're getting from each meal) but quite honestly, I can't see the average person with a life wanting to devote that much thought and effort into every single meal. Having said that, I have been following the diet by about 80%, getting most of my calories from dinner and generally sticking to the approved list of foods that the authors provide. I haven't been strict with the intermittent fasting that the book suggests, although I have been eating much less during the day. This was especially difficult during the first few weeks- I felt that I had less energy for workouts if I skipped breakfast altogether- but, as the book promised, my body adjusted to the new diet and I can now get by with less than 500 calories during the day (coffee, a couple hard boiled eggs, a smoothie, etc.). I still need something to fuel my workout, but I keep it light (200-300 calories max).
OTHER BENEFITS: This may just be the placebo effect, but I do feel that I've experienced improved libido and focus on this program. For example, I can easily sit and work on a paper for 4-5 hours straight, and although my sex life was already fine, it seems even better lately.
WORKOUTS: The program calls for 4 workouts per week, which generally take about 60-70 minutes (including warmup, cooldown and stretching). I supplement that with 2 days of cardio. The workouts force you out of your comfort zone; whereas I had been doing the same "old school" routine for the past several years- bench press, deadlift, pullups, etc.- this routine has you doing moves that might require some getting use to. Having said that, the standard exercises are still included here. The main difference is that this program utilizes supersets (alternating different lifts with no rest in between) to really rev your metabolism and torch fat. The workouts are tough, but so worth it.
PHILOSOPHY: Some reviewers have taken issue with the tone of this book, suggesting that it's too much in the "Tucker Max" school of writing. I haven't read any of Tucker Max's stuff, but I disagree with the assessment that these authors are just a couple meatheads. Sure, they drop the occasional f-bomb, and there is a bit of blustery machismo that may not be to everyone's taste. But the authors also go to great lengths to re-define the concept of "alpha". They take pains to distinguish themselves from the old stereotype of the "alpha male" who kicks sand in the faces of nerdy guys, etc. These authors propose a new set of "alpha traits" such as: "Helpful- But Not Condescending", "Confident- But Not Cocky". Personally, this material was not of great interest to me, but I don't think it's fair to write it off as mere pablum.
BOTTOM LINE: I bought the Kindle version on sale for $1.99, but I would absolutely recommend this at full price to anyone who is looking for a way to dramatically shake up their workouts.
Top reviews from other countries


If you're looking for your Alpha !!! This is the book !!! This is the real deal...

* My blood pressure has been labile (i.e. ranging from above normal to alarming) all of my adult life. But for 5 weeks now, it has been at or near 120/80 and rock-steady.
* My mood, confidence, and mental abilities have all improved since bringing my hormones into proper balance. And I'm only entering Surge! <--Read the book to understand
* My strength and cardio capacity are increasing dramatically. I'm seeing muscle growth as well as the obvious fat loss. This is highly motivating.
* I've learned a bunch about food. Beyond protein, fat, and carbohydrates, I've learned the roles of eating schedules, feasting, and fasting. I'm developing a more intuitive sense of what to eat and when.
These benefits accrued to me even though I had to take liberties with certain exercises. For example, I used rubber band assists or alternative exercises to reduce the intensity of some moves such as chin-ups and pull-ups. But I stayed as true to the program as I could physically manage.
A man in my mid-fifties, this book has finally taught me how to look after my body. It's like the user manual you weren't born with. And yet, herein lies a problem with the book. You see, it is clearly aimed at a younger male audience. Unfortunately, this means there's a fair amount of coarse language and rather immature quips. Some stuff that Trump would call "locker room talk". All of which means that I hesitate to recommend this book to anyone I know, because how would that reflect on me?
@John Romaniello, if you're reading this, I sincerely think you could have another hit book if you adapted this program (and the language) for a mature audience. There is excellent science-based information here that every man should know, young or old. Take a look at the recent runaway success of Arthur Brooks' "From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life". Clearly, there is a mature audience that wants to learn how to optimize their later lives. With some tweaks, I think this program could find huge success in this market.

I thought the book fell a bit flat in laying out the calorie calculations over and over again. Yes, it's an 8 step formula, you don't need to repeat it 5 times. Lay it out once and provide a link to an online tool on your website or whatnot. Same goes for the exercises, if you are plotting out multi-step circuits, a chart would help, rather than a narrative description. The pictures and exercise explanations were good, but could go in an appendix. Also, the diet information started off really structured, but doesn't lay out how to continue the principals of earlier phases into later phases, e.g. do you keep doing cheat day + long fast in phase III and beyond? Also, the meal examples seemed to only address certain phases and ignore others. Finally the book provided almost nothing in terms of how to transition out of the 16 week life transformation process into an awesome-life maintenance plan.
All that said, I enjoyed the book. I plan to do the program and I've already started to incorporate things I learned reading this book into my diet plan.

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