Bob Greene's 12-Week Total Body Makeover!

Millions of people each day find themselves giving up on diet and exercise plans, not because they are finally content with their weight, but because they can’t seem to find a plan that suits them for the long-term. So if you’re like these millions, and you’ve tried numerous weight loss programs without success, don’t feel bad, you’re not alone. It’s hard to stick to something when there are no definite solutions or immediate visible results. But after searching the web for a practical weight loss solution, I finally found one that seems like it could really work! It’s from Bob Greene’s Best Life Program, and it’s called his “12 week total body make-over”. What’s unique about it is that it lets you set your own rules during those 12 weeks, which also set the basis for your health and fitness lifestyles for the rest of your life! Check it out…

Throughout the 12 weeks, you are to follow Bob Greene’s 5 simple eating guidelines (with no calorie counting!):

1. EAT A NOURISHING BREAKFAST: Metabolism is at its lowest when you’re sleeping, meaning that’s when you burn the least amount of calories. Eating a nutritious breakfast in the morning will speed up your metabolism during those hours of sleep because your body will “look forward” to those calories first thing in the morning.

2. DRINK AT LEAST SIX 8-OUNCE GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY: Many times simply drinking a glass of water can drown out any “artificial hunger” you may be feeling during the day. In addition, water is the most pure drinking substance there is.

3. ELIMINIATE ALCHOHOL: For one thing, alcohol is a depressant, so it slows down your metabolism, while feeding your body many unnecessary calories. Abstaining from alcohol for these 12 weeks will also make it easier to drink in moderation when the 12 weeks are over.

4. HAVE AN EATING CUT-OFF TIME: That is, set a time during the evening in which you completely refrain from eating until the next day’s breakfast. 7:30pm or 8pm are commonly used times.

5. MAKE EATING A CONSCIOUS ACT: Don’t eat standing up, watching TV, or doing work. Eat consciously (when your mind is not focused elsewhere), and it will be much easier not to overeat.

Next is Bob’s 12-week exercise plan. Here is a brief overview of the “intermediate” workout for week one:

--STRETCHES: Hamstring, Quadriceps, upper calf, lower calf, middle and lower back (3 stretches, 6 times a week)

--CRUNCHES: basic, twisting, upper abdomen (3 sets, 6 times a week)

--LEG WIEGHTS: squats, lunges, leg press, leg extension, leg curl (3 sets, 3 times a week)

--ARM WEIGHTS: chest press, shoulder press, butterfly, dumbbell fly, biceps curl, triceps extension, one-arm row, lateral raise (3 sets, 3 times a week)

--CARDIO: 30 minutes (5 days a week), 60 minutes (1 day a week)

Bob adds a little to each workout week by week, which allows you to ease into the intensity of the program. In addition, Bob’s book provides a “contract with yourself”, which is a really smart idea. The contract makes this plan more official, and makes it harder for you to give in to temptation because who wants proof that they ever cheated themselves? It is also recommended that you post a list of what you will give up and what you will gain through this 12 week program. Bob tells people to then put up pictures of their goal, for instance, a picture of themselves at a former weight, or a picture from a fitness magazine. I think this workout plan seems like a huge transition to many, but overall is truly the best way to get in shape because it the most natural. The eating guidelines, in particular, are a great way to learn to incorporate good eating habits for the rest of your life! Did I mention that this is the very program that’s allowed Oprah to lose and keep of weight for years?