Review of Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder (Paperback)

The book is an autobiography of Arnold, up through the mid-70s. It is interesting to be inside the mind of a super-athlete such as Schwarzenegger. He conveys how and why he rose to become what many believeto be the greatest bodybuilder of all-time. He writes about many of thedistractions of the early days -- girls, school, parental disaproval, ayear of army duty -- and how he dealt with these and managed to stayfocused on his dream to be the best at the sport.
Within five years hebecame Mr. Universe.He perservered to become more than just a greatbodybuilder.He became a superstar. After he had beat every otherbodybuilder of his time, he decided to do away with competing andaccomplish his next set of goals. He went into acting, and as we all know,became an international moviestar. In addition he went into the promotionside of bodybuilding, running competions such as Mr. Olympia, Mr. Universe,and of course, the Arnold Classic. He also set up many gyms in severalcountries.
The second half of the book is a rough guide on how to begina progressive resistance program, additional motivational advice, nutritionand the like.
Throughout the book he demonstrates the many benifits heobtained from bodybuilding -- optimal health, discipline, mind control,etc. Basically, I found it very inspirational to read. However, I wouldsuggest not to solely rely on the information in the second half forworkout planning. Though it is good information, it is somewhat brief, andit is WHAT WORKED FOR HIM. Everyone varies in their response to weighttraining (i.e. how quickly their muscles grow) due to geneticpredispositions, such as natural metabolism level, andand I would suggestgetting additional, more comprehensive information, such as Gold's Gym MassBuilding Training and Nutrition System, or check your local bookstore anddo some browsing through the selection to see what appeals to yourinterest.

Product Description

Five-time Mr. Universe, seven-time Mr. Olympia, and Mr. World, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the name in bodybuilding.
Here is his classic bestselling autobiography, which explains how the "Austrian Oak" came to the sport of bodybuilding and aspired to be the star he has become.
"I still remember that first visit to the bodybuilding gym. I had never seen anyone lifting weights before. Those guys were huge and brutal....The weight lifters shone with sweat; they were powerful looking, Herculean. And there it was before me -- my life, the answer I'd been seeking. It clicked. It was something I suddenly just seemed to reach out and find, as if I'd been crossing a suspended bridge and finally stepped off onto solid ground."
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold shares his fitness and training secrets -- demonstrating with a comprehensive step-by-step program and dietary hints how to use bodybuilding for better health. His program includes a special four-day regimen of specific exercises to develop individual muscle groups -- each exercise illustrated with photos of Arnold in action.
For fans and would-be bodybuilders, this is Arnold in his own words.

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Review of The Spark: The Revolutionary New Plan to Get Fit and Lose Weight-10 Minutes at a Time (Paperback)

This book is 237 pages too long.It is an infomercial.A reader has to wade through empty paragraph after empty paragraph trying to get the essence of the book.I'll save you the money: eat a high fiber, low fat, carbohydrate diet and exercise for 10 minutes three times a day, 5 days a week.One workout should be aerobic, one should be strength-training and one should be stretching.You get your metabolism going stretching the exercise you do over the course of the day.The End!



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Review of The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes (Hardcover)

So educational and very inspiring!I am buying this for my good family friend who is dealing with Type 2 Diabetes.It's an amazingly comprehensive guide, yet so easy to understand and follow.The Best Life meal plans look delicious.

Product Description
Bob Greene has helped millions of Americans become fit and healthy with his life-changing Best Life plan. Now, for the first time, Oprah's trusted expert on diet and fitness teams up with a leading endocrinologist and an expert dietitian to offer a Best Life program tailored to the needs of people with diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Coping with the unique challenges of living with these conditions can feel like a full-time job. That's why The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes takes a gradual, three-phase approach to improving diet and increasing physical activity and provides strategies for staying motivated. While offering clear guidance, the program is flexible enough that you can tailor it to your needs and abilities. The result: A way of living that improves blood sugar and helps you stave off heart disease, neuropathy, and other diabetes- and pre-diabetes-related conditions while reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. This comprehensive yet readable volume offers the information you need to protect your health whether you are controlling your disease simply with diet and exercise, are taking drugs orally, or need injected insulin.
Detailed but flexible meal plans take the guesswork out of eating without making you a slave to the food scale or measuring cups. With complete nutritional analyses, the recipes for budget- and family-friendly dishes such as Vanilla Peanut Butter Smoothie, Cheesy Cornbread, and Slow-Cooked Pork ensure that you never have to sacrifice tasty food. Extensive reference sections, including a complete guide to diabetes drugs and a chart of the carbohydrate value of foods, give you quick answers you can trust, while a log for tracking your blood sugar readings, exercise, and medication helps you stay organized without hassle or added expense.
With The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes, you won't have to let your life be defined by your diagnosis.

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Review of The Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating: Great Food for Good Health (Hardcover)

Although I enjoy hearing and reading Bob Greene's books, there was nothing new in this one. Most of the pertinent information has already been heard on "Oprah" or in his previous material.
Though the recipes sounded delightful, they were not practical or convenient. Several ingredients would require many stops at specialty stores.



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Review of The Pritikin Edge: 10 Essential Ingredients for a Long and Delicious Life (Hardcover)

I found a lot of helpful information in this book.Heart disease is explained in a clear manner, and this book is an easy read because the author is so darn funny. I have so many favorite lines from this book. I was seriously cracking up while I read the book (and read it in a day off work, btw--very fast read).I do not follow everything to a T--I still salt my food, but I use less salt and I use almost no prepackaged food at all.I do look at sodium content now.I also buy reduced fat cheese, too.Pritikin suggests nonfat cheese, though.I would feel deprived if I followed all of the diet ideas perfectly. Instead, I look at my healthy vegetarian diet through new eyes and see where I can make it healthier, but still satisfying and delicious.My husband appreciated that Pritikin is scientifically based and has so many studies done on it.One caveat--I am not a fan of the recipes.I'd rather not eat than eat awful food!I am very picky, though.And I'm not a fan of fat and sugar substitutes--I say just use less of the real thing!



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Review of The Best Life Diet Revised and Updated (Paperback)

If I could have ranked this book 4 1/2 stars, I would have.It contains solid information that would certainly benefit anyone and lead to slow and steady weight loss, but I would take off 1/2 a star since none of this information is groundbreaking or innovative.What I do like about this book, compared to Bob Greene's previously released Total Body Makeover book, is that this program is more doable by someone who has a life outside the gym, which is extremely important, since many Americans go on diets, but very few stay on them.

The program is divided into 3 phases.The first phase is basically designed to ease you into a program of healthier eating habits (focused more on the habits, like snacking, not eating within a few hours before bedtime, etc., rather than on limiting foods) and increased movement.Nothing extreme here - I like this aspect of this phase, as for most people, starting right up with a perfectly clean diet and an hour or more of exercise each day is too much (hence my problem with Greene's Total Body Makeover).The second phase is the real weight-loss phase with increased emphasis on "clean eating" by eliminating 6 empty or problem foods from your diet.Again, I like this approach because it makes it much more doable than cutting out all of your bad habits (I'm assuming that most of us have more than 6 - I certainly do) cold turkey.Increased activity is also an important aspect of phase 2.Finally, phase 3 is the "lifestyle" phase of the diet, which is more a lifetime fitness and eating plan than a diet.Recommended daily eating plans (including a 7-day diet diary of Oprah), and some tasty recipes (with lovely photos) are also included.

Finally, as with all of Bob Greene's books, there is direction for focusing in on your reasons for overeating, being overweight, and eating the wrong foods, i.e., the "emotional eating" aspect of weight problems.I particularly agree with Greene's assertion early in the book that in order to address your weight, you must first address your life.I know from my own experience, that when I find myself eating poorly, or eating in excess, or not exercising consistently, it is because of what is going on in my head, and not what is going on in my body.

Ultimately, I think this book is a great addition to one's health and fitness library.In my opinion, it takes the best of Bob Greene's earlier books and puts them into one, concise and doable program, which will provide weight loss and weight management that lasts and not merely a quick and temporary fix.

Product Description
From the bestselling author of Get With the Program! and Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover comes The Best Life Diet, a lifetime plan for losing weight and keeping it off. Bob Greene helped Oprah achieve her dramatic weight loss, and he can help you too. You'll eat the same delicious food that Oprah enjoys, and, just like Oprah, you'll have Bob to encourage you at every step. Unlike a celebrity, however, you don't need to hire a staff of experts to aid and advise you, because Bob's plan, easily tailored to an array of tastes, lifestyles, and activity levels, acts as your personal trainer and private nutritionist. Just open the book and let Bob help you get started down the path toward your best possible life.
What sets Bob apart from all the other experts who claim to have plans that work is that he admits that weight loss is difficult: seventeen years of watching people struggle to lose weight on a seemingly endless string of trendy crash diets, only to backslide and regain the pounds they've shed, have taught him that dropping pounds is not simply a numbers game. By acknowledging that it is not simple laziness but a complicated web of social rituals, cultural expectations, and habits that drives people to gain weight, Greene is able to attack the problem of weight loss realistically and offer not a short-lived, quick-fix formula, but a long-term program that accounts for the challenges and constraints of the real world.
Divided into three phases, The Best Life Diet gives you the tools you need to change your life. In each phase, you'll be asked to reexamine the decisions you make on a daily basis and gradually alter your habits to achieve lasting results. The book also includes easy-to-follow meal plans that make it simple to meet your daily energy and nutrient requirements, whether you are on the run and breakfast means a quick smoothie or you have time to shop for fresh produce and make something special.
You'll watch the weight disappear as you learn to prepare festive and flavorful dishes like Fire-Roasted Tomato-Shrimp Veracruz, Chicken Sausage Jambalaya, or Flank Steak with Chimichurri Topping and indulge in desserts like Roasted Peaches with Ricotta and Almonds or Apple Rhubarb Walnut Crisp. And for each delicious recipe, there is a detailed nutritional analysis, so you know exactly what you are eating and how it fits into your personal eating plan.
Most important, Bob's plan doesn't end once you've lost the weight. Instead, it gives you the tools you need to make living your best life second nature, because for Greene, a diet is not something you go "on" or "off" but a set of guidelines that will help you claim the life you deserve.

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Review of Garden Cuisine: Heal Yourself Through Low Fat Meatless Eating (Paperback)

This book is a great introduction into vegetarian eating.I have been enjoying GardenBurgers for a few years now but only when I made a conscious decision to change my eating habits did I purchase this book.(I havealways had a hard time digesting beef and the sodium content in pork mademy blood pressure high.)The "SuperSixteen" meals along with theVeggiePack and EssentialSalad are great for a person who doesn't have muchtime to spend in the kitchen.I also liked Paul's advice on walking,mediation, and fasting.



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Review of New American Diet (Paperback)

We bought the hard cover version of this wonderful book in 1989.We have worn it to a frazzle, with pages of our favorite recipes now falling out of the book.First, it scientifically lures you into a mind set of bettereating habits, and then it gives you excellent recipes by which to getthere.We highly recommend it!!!



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Review of The Rice Diet Solution: The World-Famous Low-Sodium, Good-Carb, Detox Diet for Quick and Lasting Weight Loss (Hardcover)

Years ago, I weighed over 310 pounds and had tried every diet program out there.I bought the original Rice Diet/Duke University diet book, since I could ill-afford to enter the actual program in Durham, N.C.I found that for me, being a vegan, this program was quite easy to follow...though I do believe that if one is not a vegan, it will take some struggle to deal with a meatless menu. I cannot say that I never cheated on the program, because I did grab an occasional piece of chocolate, a cookie, and even some pretzels...but I always erased those infrequent sins from my memory and did not let them defeat me. If you are extremely overweight as I was, of course you will lose a large amount of weight within the first month...since the larger you are, the bigger the initial weight loss will be...and yes, it is mostly fluid. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic ego boost to keep you on the right track. Did I exercise? Hell yes! One can never expect to lose weight or tone by diet alone...no matter which diet you follow. Walking is sufficient. No need to commit yourself initially to a workout plan that befits only the likes of Jennifer Aniston! Be realistic. For me, no, I did not regain any of my weight. I chose to think of the rice diet as a life plan, not a diet, tweaking a bit here and there to keep it real, once I reached my goal weight. I have weighed between 135-140 pounds since 1990. Not only did I lose weight, but my skin is radiant and youthful, and I am healthier than ever. I am 56 years old and on no medications, without any medical problems. Buy it!

Product Description
Can you really lose twenty pounds in a month? Will you really keep it off this time? With The Rice Diet Solution, you will! The Rice Diet Program has been helping dieters successfully lose weight since 1939. Now in book form, this world-renowned weight-loss method can help you change the way you eat forever.
The Rice Diet Program in Durham, North Carolina, was one of the first medical facilities in America to use diet as the primary way to treat disease. On this high-complex-carb, low-fat, and low-sodium whole-foods diet, "Ricers" lose weight faster, more safely, and more effectively than people on any other diet. Men lose on average twenty-eight to thirty pounds and women on average nineteen to twenty pounds per month! The Rice Diet also detoxes your body, ridding it of excess water weight and toxins from processed foods and the environment. The program's results have been documented by extensive studies and confirmed by thousands of people who report amazing weight loss, as well as immediate improve-ment in such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. After all the other diets out there have failed them, people find that the Rice Diet is the one that finally works -- for good.
Here's how it works: The Rice Diet strictly limits salt and sodium-rich ingredients. Salt, like refined sugar, is an appetite stimulant, so when you reduce salt intake, you lose water weight and are less inclined to overeat. The Rice Diet also limits saturated fats and instead relies on carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans) as the main source of nutrition. The fiber cleanses your system and satisfies you so you feel full quickly. The Rice Diet makes it easy to limit calories; when you're eating foods that truly satisfy your hunger, it's a challenge to eat 1,500 calories per day!
To make it easy to follow the program, The Rice Diet Solution includes hundreds of tasty, filling, easy-to-prepare recipes -- some from the Rice House kitchen, others inspired by major chefs and adapted to Rice Diet standards.
The Rice Diet is not just an eating plan. It's a physical, emotional, and spiritual program that will change the way you live, giving you new vitality, energy, and longevity. Ricers report that the Rice Diet not only helps them solve weight problems they've struggled with their whole lives but also teaches them a whole new way of healthier, more mindful living.
Whether you want to lose twenty pounds or two hundred, the Rice Diet can help you do it -- finally and forever.
WHAT MAKES THE RICE DIET SOLUTION
THE LAST DIET BOOK YOU'LL EVER NEED?
SOLID TRACK RECORD: Turning out success stories since 1939, the Rice Diet Program is the original, most effective diet to use nutrition to achieve not only safe and rapid weight loss but also the prevention and reversal of chronic disease. On this low-sodium, low-fat, detox diet, you'll enjoy a delicious variety of satisfying foods, including whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy, seafood, and lean meats. You will never feel hungry!
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: The average "Ricer" loses up to thirty pounds in the first month!
LONG-TERM SUCCESS: 63 percent of people who have lost weight on the Rice Diet report weighing the same or less one year later.
MEDICALLY SOUND: The Rice Diet Program is run by Duke University-trained M.D.s (a cardiologist and an endocrinologist) with more than thirty years of medical experience using diet as the primary treatment for long-term weight loss and disease reversal.
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN: Numerous scientific publications, including the American Journal of Medicine, have documented the diet's dramatic effects on such life-threatening illnesses as congestive heart failure and heart disease and its risk factors: diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity.
HOLISTIC APPROACH: The Rice Diet ...--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Review of Eating Stella Style: Low-Carb Recipes for Healthy Living (Paperback)

I'm a real Stella fan as you can read by my review of his first book.Either one will give you the basics to shed the pounds and keep them off with sensible low-carb life, not counting, but shopping wise and cooking really good food that'll work.

Again, my fascination and usage of George's books are especially for breakfast and lunch and snacks, for these and maybe you are the toughest for this reviewer to keep it creative and healthy.This collection is like his first, just outstanding.You'll enjoy such as: Riviera Omelet (with prochiutto or Parma; Southwestern Breakfast Bites; Cinanamon Toast Pancakes!!!!; Chirstian's Banana Bread Muffins; Uncle Al's Sausage and Peppers Casserole; Kim's Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Lemony White Wine Sauce; Thai Scallop and Prawn Stir-Fry;Roasted Pecan and Herb-Crusted Salmon; Forzen Custard Ice Cream.

Did I mention great Entrees and Desserts as well!Each recipe is not only given the needful nutrition breakouts and good instructions, but each further has "Make It Memorable" and "Healthful Hint" sections.These are really neat, as it has other menu recipe ideas and differences with those on rapid diet descent.

With some nice color photos and all the aids you'll need to keep on low-carb track, this is nice resource for our culinary time.



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Review of George Stella's Livin' Low Carb: Family Recipes Stella Style (Paperback)

This is one of the best of the plethora of low carb cookbooks in the train that this glycemic index relevaltion has created.

Why one of the best?How about a family of four losing a combined total of 560 pounds on it?How about a gourmet chef who gives us what worked with them to achieve this?How about unique approach and recipes which apply this?

I was attracted to this after watching George on his FoodNetwork program.He is very humble, yet reliable credentialed chef who has experiemnted with many twists and combos of good cooking yet with low carb.

It avoids lots of the scientific stuff but emphasizes what must happen in pantry and cooking to achieve a healthier diet habit.Sugar and carbs are of course the focus.His approach is doable and the taste is exceptional.I especially like his approach with heavy cream, butter and low-carb foods.

What I find especially attractive is his breakfast section, one of the toughest meals of the day for most of us to habitually maintain healthy and yet one of the most important.So there is such variety and ease of prep here, with great muffin and omelet and blinis and quiche.Great advice to make them up in advance, freeze and then micro each morning with coffee.Try: "Ham and Cheddar Morning Muffins" or "George's Gorgeous Macadamia Banana Muffins" or "On-Hand Omelet."

The other menu sections are equally creative, filling and easy to prep: Grilled Country-Style Pork Ribs with Bourbon Barbecue Sauce; Ham and Mock Potato Soup; Chocolate Pecan Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting; Jicama Matchstick Fries; Minute Steak Salad; Tequilla Chicken;

There are some 125 recipes in this collection, with easy to follow instructions and advice as well as some color photos.I appreciate the choice of paperback and resultant price for this.Great addition to one's collection or as only low carb source.Highly recommended.



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