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Book Review of Escape Your Shape : How to Work Out Smarter, Not Harder (2 Fitness Favorites from Exercise Guru)

Escape Your Shape : How to Work Out Smarter, Not Harder (2 Fitness Favorites from Exercise Guru)
reviewed on + 81 more book reviews


This, as all diet and exercise programs, is dependent upon you. Personally, I think it will make more of a difference for women than men but it does provide a guideline for both.

Having played sports since I was 11 years old and throughout school, I fell into the exercise craze of the 80s, 90s and today with furvor to maintain my fitness. I was athletic and fit but never quite svelte or shapely. This showed me what I was doing wrong and I do agree with it. It balanced my body by working harder on things that I ignored and less on things that I overused as a kid. This routine gave me a waist for the first time EVER! I had always been more of a "blocky," athletic build and I am curvy. Funny. People used to describe me as "sturdy" or "athletic," now I am my hourglass shape and CURVY! I only lost 10 pounds but that wasn't my goal as much as CHANGING my shape.

You can modify the workout to increase cardio (I ran instead of walked the intervals) and I used 8 pound weights instead of 5 pound b/c 5 was too light for me. The interval training is one that is becoming more and more popular b/c it really does torch calories. While the routine does b/c boring, once I hit that plateau, I just kept CORE in once a week and my off day routine in once a week, while adding other activities on the other days.

I don't think it is the definitive answer; that is only found in the program that works for you. I did find this book extremely helpful for what I wanted to do.