First, despite what the title says, this is not a diet! The purpose of this program is to change your eating habits and lifestyle. The majority of the book is dedicated explaining what healthy foods are (which isn’t always as simple as it seems), why foods are healthy or unhealthy, and how much of what foods you should be eating. The rest of the book goes into explaining their philosophy that without muscle growth and development weight loss will be only be temporary. Include are some exercises and sample workout routines to get you started.

The healthy eating portion of this book is superb in my opinion. They recommend focusing your eating around several “power foods”, which they arrange to spell “ABS DIET POWER”, the foods are:

1 ) Almonds and Other Nuts eaten with skins intact.
2 ) Beans and Other Legumes
3 ) Spinach and Other Green Vegetables
4 ) Dairy: Fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese
5 ) Instant Oatmeal: Unsweetened, unflavored
6 ) Eggs
7 ) Turkey and other lean meats. Lean steak, chicken, fish
8 ) Peanut Butter – All-natural, sugar-free.
9 ) Olive Oil
10 ) Whole-Grain Breads and Cereals
11 ) Extra-Protein (Whey) Powder
12 ) Raspberries and Other Berries

The book goes in depth explaining such things as what carbohydrates are, what complex carbohydrates are, and all those other crazy foods terms. They then explain exactly the effect these foods have on your body. While they have plenty of science and research to back up all of their information, they present it in a manner that is entertaining and easy to read.

The exercise portion of the book talks about the science of how muscle is built and how lifting weights can increase metabolism over long periods of time. Muscle groups and exercises to work those groups are discussed again in easy to understand terms.

However, when it comes to actual work out plans, there are only a few examples of 3X a week circuit training workouts. While this is excellent for a beginner, (these are the workouts I used to lose my weight) this portion of the book is going to get replaced by much better books focusing solely on workout programs, like LL Cool J’s Platinum workout.

The biggest complaint I have come across is the tone the book takes. The author is rather informal with the reader, making lots of pop culture references. The book is geared towards men, as the title would suggest, so some women do not always feel included. However, the eating and fitness principles put forward in the book are universal to men and women. If women really are looking for a book geared more to their gender, there is a companion book
.

Speaking of companion books… There are several other books under the Abs Diet name for sale. I recommend The Abs Diet Eat Right Every Time Guide. It includes numerous restaurants, showing exactly how good or bad the best and worst food s are. It’s a small book and can be kept in the car or purse so that a quick glance before walking inside can arm the reader with sensible eating options.

For readability, humor, good information, and plain common sense, I highly recommend these books.

Not to mention that all 3 of these books can be purchased off Amazon.com for less that $10! Figure in a few bucks for shipping and you just got 3 excellent resources for less than $20! You can’t beat that deal!

1. What is the biggest obstacle people face when trying to lose weight?

Many people get very frustrated when the weight doesn’t come off as quickly as they like. This frustration leads to them giving up and throwing all weight loss efforts out the door. They just need to remember that the weight didn’t come on in a few weeks, so it’s not going to come off that quickly. Patience and positive thinking will help them reach their goals.

2. What is a typical mistake you see people make when trying to lose weight?

A typical mistake is being too restrictive too soon. You have to ease your body into caloric restriction. If you do it too fast and too low, you won’t have energy or the desire to do anything by lie on the couch and feel sorry for yourself.

3. What can people do right now, for free to start living a healthier lifestyle?

For nutrition, something free they can do is just cut out the processed food and mindless snacking. It doesn’t even need to be replaced with anything else necessarily. Just cutting out those calories and eating all your foods in their most natural state will really help.

For exercise, any outdoor activity is free: walking, running, swimming in your local pond, etc. Those will all help increase your caloric expenditure and keep your heart fit.

4. What’s your opinion of at home workouts vs. going to the gym?

Both can be effective and just depend on the person. Some people may find that working out at home provides too many distractions, and then they can’t get in a good workout. Where others find working out at home a way to never miss their workouts unlike driving past the gym on the way home because you don’t want to fight to find a parking spot.

5. Who is the best Bond?

Best Bond? Definitely Sean Connery. He’s dreamy

Cassandra Forsythe is the author of two popular weight loss books for women: The New Rules of Lifting and Women’s Health Perfect Body Diet. Both books are available online and in most book stores. You can read more about Cassandra at her website: www.cassandraforsythe.com or catch her latest thoughts on her blog: www.cassandraforsythe.blogspot.com

I’d just like to thank Cassandra for taking the time to for this interview, and I hope you all go visit her sites, she really is a professional not only in nutrition, but in woman’s fitness as well.

Thanks, again Cassandra!