Bottoms Up!

"I am approaching 60 myself and have lifted weights for a few years. It is impressive that a book this "old" has such current information and advice for women.

Women have a great deal of difficulty overcoming their fears that they will get "big & bulky" if they lift weights. It is IMPOSSIBLE for women to do so unless they take steroids. Women do not produce enough testosterone to get big and bulky. Steroids increase the testosterone level which allows more bulky muscle to be built when working out. That is why so many male athletes take them.

Women -- you will NOT get the trim figure of your youth unless you lift weights. I don't mean machines, I mean free weights. No matter how much you diet, do cardio, aerobics, etc. you will not get the figure of your youth without muscle on your body. What happens as we get older is that we get more sedentary and we lose our muscle tone. The reduction in muscle is what also causes our metabolism to go down.l SO even if we eat no more than before -- we will gain weight. And that usually starts a spiral of overeating because everything seems so useless -- not working.

For example: When I first started lifting weights at the age of 56, within a year I lost only 5 lbs but went from busting out of a size 12 to slipping into a size ate. Plus I ate an outrageous huge ice cream Sundae every weekend. The reason lifting weights works is:

1. building muscle burns fat -- it is a little more sophisticated than that -- but for this review purpose - that explanation will do. Muscle takes up less room than fat. So if you build muscle and it replaces the fat on your body -- you can stay the exact same weight and become trimmer and go down dress sizes.

2. Muscle burns more calories that fat. -- If you build muscle which will replace the fat, you will be able to eat more and still lose weight. In fact you need to eat more if you have been on starvation diets (anything under 1200 calories a day) because your body needs fuel to feed the muscle you are building.

The reason starvation diets do not work in the long run is that, since you are consuming too little calories to sustain your body -- your body starts consuming itself for energy -- in particular fat but most critically muscle. SO you lose the weight, you are thinner but you don't look that great but OK and then you go back to a normal diet. Now, because you have lost so much muscle, your metabolism has dropped and you gain back the weight very fast and usually more because you don't burn as much as before when you had more muscle. Furthermore as you gain this weight back -- if you are not lifting weights to restore your muscle the weight comes on as fat and that makes you look even fatter than you did before you started all this starvation diet cycle, even though you are the same weight as before you started your starvation diet.

The author of this book has these principles down but she does a good job of disguising that what she is really having you do is build muscle. That way she doesn't scare off the ladies, That's why her program works.

She takes one approach to nutrition; there are others. They all support th conversion of fat to muscle and all its benefits. You should chose the nutritional approach that appeals to you -- that is because if it appeals to you -- it is right for your body. There are too basic approaches -- one is high protein "high" fat -- the most extreme version is identified with Atkins but there are healthier ways to do it. The other is to have a 40-40-20 split in each meal of 40% of your calories coming from protein, 40% of your calories from carbohydrates and 20% coming from fat. Whether you are a "protein" person or a "carbohydrates" person, you have to find out for yourself. This book advocates the 40-40-20 split. The only caveat to all of this nutrition info is that protein counts only if it comes form animals or fish: beef, chicken, pork, fish milk cottage cheese, etc or you can buy whey or casein protein powder -- which are proteins that come from milk (sometimes egg whites are in there as well. No Soy protein or any of the other non-animal proteins the US Government with the support of the medical profession so wrongly advocated for over 30 years. They now admit that they were wrong. Their analysis that consuming products with cholesterol will build cholesterol in your blood and body was also proved wrong. So embrace that steak, those ham and egg breakfasts -- you will look better, loose weight faster and be healthier. (It is possible to build muscle with a vegetarian approach but it is extremely difficult, needs careful monitoring and nutritional supplements. -- The nutritional supplements are necessary for a pure vegetarian approach any -- that is if you eat no fish or eggs or dairy -- which are variations on so-called vegetarian diets -- but if you are on one of those you are OK -- just get your macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat, in line.)

And don't forget to lift those weights!!!

BTW -- all of the above apply to men too -- so heads up men -- if your wife follows these approaches and you don't -- you will find she will be gone for a younger man -- which she will get, because older women who are in shape are very, very sexy !! :-)"
~ Written on 2007-11-21

"I recommend this book (or any of Joyce Vedral's books)to everyone! I used to be a size 11-13 back in high school, I had lumps of fat on my back, huge cellulite covered thighs, flabby arms, and a doughboy belly. I still follow her weight lifting programs today and now I'm a size 4. People I've met after high school never even believe i used to be fat. Her routines are hard but effective, so if you're not willing to put in some effort, this is probably not for you. However, it gets easier and easier as you get used to it. I love the fact that you can do it at home (even in my very tiny apartment) and you can get it done fast. The eating plan is easy, healthy, and effective as well...you never go hungry. Trust me, I have tried every fad diet along the way (south beach diet, raw food diet, fit for life, the zone, starving, slim fast, etc.)I just ended up fatter in the long run. There are no shortcuts...so get this book and change your life.

also recommended: the fat-burning workout, definition, weight training made easy"
~ Written on 2007-10-08

"i need to get through this before I can officially write a review but this is the best book and program I've gotten through. It requires some dedication as she actually explains what to do not just throws it all at you. It's great, efficient and ...well in a month's time you'll hear my results! "
~ Written on 2007-05-06

"I have always wanted a lean muscular physique, so when I seen Joyce's sculpted body on the cover of the book, I knew I had to buy it. I started this workout a weak, flabby, 170 lbs. at 5'9". I've been at it for 2 months now, and I have lost 10 lbs., and 14 inches off my waist, hips, thighs, arms, bust, and calves! Joyce really put a lot of time and research into this book. She has worked with some of the best female bodybuilders in putting the workouts together. I like how she explains why you are doing everything, like supersets, giant sets, etc... I really believe in the methods she uses, and she is living proof that it works! The book is a good read too, and I find myself going back and re-reading sections. The bottom line is results, and this workout delivers. "
~ Written on 2006-03-11

"I bought this on sale about 12 years ago. I've had people borrow it and I've had to go get it back. I will not let this one go. It is an excellent workout book. Whenever I need to get back on track - this is one of the four books I use. The others are great too. This book will be in my house for a long time to come. "
~ Written on 2005-11-24