The Get With The Program! [Hardcover]

I read the other reviews and agreed with many, especially the one reader, Reese. I too read the book, "The Quest for Peace, Love & a 24-Inch Waist" and it's fresh perspective of feeding the spiritual aspect of who we are was far more inspiring and effective. In fact, I've lost 18 pounds being inspired! Do the exercises in Deborah Low's book first and you won't need to buy both books like I did. As the other review mentioned, her website was a help too.

Overall, this book is clear and basic, and really good for exercise advice but still lacked what I needed to lose all of my excess weight over the past 5 months!!

GET WITH THE PROGRAM has 4 stages that emphasize gradual change in eating and exercise habit. Phase 1 is easy but very little people will even try because of laziness and procrastination. Phase 1 includes exercises that get us going: some stretches, some aerobic exercises, some situps, and curls for couple times a week. By doing these exercises couple twice a week, we formulate a routine which builds a mindset not to give up. I call these daily little victories. We certainly can't just go to the gym and start lifting 300 pounds hoping to change our body metabolism. But aerobic and cardiovascular excersies can help retune our strength. Start with maybe 10 situps and curls then increase to 15, 20, then 25 a set and do 2 reps of sets. These are daily victories.

Phase 2 picks up the exercise and let you perform more sets. As the program progresses toward Phase 3 and 4, you will start changing the diet and watch what you're eating. Many people misunderstood about working out as burining fat. When you work out, you burn calories. Until you create a deficit of calories in diet, you will never get rid of body fat. When all calories from food have been consumed, then the body will go about the fat stored. So incorporating a diet to workout/exercise is the key. Greene's program will help you achieve this balance. I'm excited about how GET WITH THE PROGRAM has put into a written account of what my fitness friend had told me to do. From 195 lbs (5 feet 8 inches tall), I alternated between aerobics and cardiovascular execises with increasing repetition (the daily victories), changed the diet around to create deficit in calories (about a deficit of 600 calories a day, but 1 pound of fat equal 3500 calories), I started jogging after 2 months of aerboic and cardiovascular, I lost a total of 52 pounds and got down to 143 lbs in 8 months. Focus on the little victories, start the exercises and gradually increase the repetition to create endurance and strength. Change the diet completely, cut all high-fat food like junk food, McDonalds, desserts, high-carbohydrates like pasta and rice. Cut processed sugar products like sodas and ice cream. Drink lots of water and natural freshly sueezed juices. Many programs are out there in the markets like GET WITH THE PROGRAM, success depends on personal determination and perseverance.

This book is probably best suited for beginners. Greene's message addresses losing weight, improving cardiovascular health, understanding why you eat (emotional eating, ala Dr. Phil), and improving self-esteem. Greene also advises people not to eat after 7pm, which I believe may be based on the false premise that a person's metabolism shuts off during sleep. According to Greene's plan, you should change your lifestyle in fours phases: 1) find out where you are at, what got you there, and what you want to achieve; 2) implement an aerobic exercise routine; 3) get to know what emotions are working to cause you to eat in excess of your body's needs; and, 4) build muscle with anerobic exercise.

If you already exercise regularly and are knowledgeable of sound nutrition concepts, you may not need this book. However, if you're like me, you may find Greene's book motivational and thus worth the money and time.