Are you in good shape but struggling with those last ten to twenty pounds that stand between looking perfectly okay and looking knock-their-eyes-out great? Do you have an event on the calendar where you'd love to make jaws drop? Or do you just want to see for yourself what it would be like to have the best body you've ever had in your life? Then you need this book.
Making the Cut is a unique, intense thirty-day program from TV's toughest fitness guru, Jillian Michaels. It has one purpose: to maximize your diet and fitness potential so you'll get dramatic results at an accelerated pace. The program trains you in three essential ways--mentally, nutritionally, and physically. Making the Cut enables you to:
• identify your unique body type and metabolic makeup (are you a fast, slow, or balanced oxidizer?) and customize a diet plan that is perfect for you • learn mental techniques that greatly enhance your self-confidence and sharpen your focus on success • develop your strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance to levels that exceed anything you ever previously attained--or would have thought possible
Making the Cut takes you further faster than any other fitness program. Ever wonder what secret techniques models and celebrities learn from their high-priced personal trainers when they need to look their absolute best for a shoot or a scene? Jillian shares invaluable info about "peaking"--temporary short cuts you can employ when you have just a few days to get ready for your close-up. And she gets you hip to safe but effective supplements (break out the white willow bark and green tea extract) and tells you how to shed the last drops of excess water weight to put the ultimate finishing touch on the new you.
Other plans get you in shape; this one delivers ripped-up perfection. You supply the commitment and determination . . . Jillian Michaels supplies the astonishing results. Visit www.JillianMichaels.com for more.
As with any fitness regimen, before you even begin this one you must visit your doctor or health care professional to make sure you're in fighting shape to start Making the Cut. Once you get the all-clear, the first step toward success is setting goals-you can't get anywhere if you don't know where you're going and what you want. But it's no good setting goals if you're not straight with yourself about where you're starting from, which is why Making the Cut begins with a thorough assessment of your current situation. Identify in cold hard terms where you are right now, and you'll have a crystal-clear idea of where you want to be. And once you get there, you'll never want to go back! Having a record of where you started is also a critical and often-overlooked source of motivation. Sure, you may know that when you complete my program you will lose inches from all over your body and get stronger. But if the going gets tough and you need an inspirational boost to keep going, you won't believe how motivating it is to take a step back and be able to chart the progress you've already made.
Last but hardly least, it is important to make sure you are mentally prepared for the hard work and the changes that lie ahead. Most fitness books deal only with the diet and exercise parts of losing weight and getting fit. In my experience, mental readiness is just as key to your lasting success.
The following chapters walk you through all of the important first steps, so that we're sure you're starting with your best foot forward.
GOODBYE PHOTOS
Where would any kick-ass makeover be without "before" and "after" pictures? Well, that's where we're going to start, except this is more than a before picture; this is a goodbye picture. Say goodbye to the old you, and get ready to embark upon a fitness journey that will change you for life. Take several photos from different angles, one from the front, one from the side, and one from the rear. And wear as little as possible-the more you show, the more you'll know.
BODY FAT ANALYSIS
Let's be clear: Making the Cut isn't about losing 100 pounds;
it's about tightening up, getting strong, and changing your body composition. You'll be shedding fat and building lean, strong muscle in its place. You'll be developing a drop-dead, smokin'-hot body. So while you'll see the difference in the mirror and feel it in the way your clothes fit, you may not see a huge drop on the scale.
If you know your body fat percentage going in, you'll have an accurate way of measuring your success as you work the program. Below are some guidelines so you know where you are in comparison with the general population. Personally, I like to see my guys ripped at 8 to 10 percent and my girls ripped at 15 to 18 percent, but it's your body. I am here to empower you with the tools and knowledge so that you take the reins.
l BODY FAT RECOMMENDATIONS
FIT ATHLETE ELITE ATHLETE
Men 14-17% 10-13% 4-9%
Women 21-24% 16-20% 12-15%
There are several different ways of measuring your body fat, but at the end of the day the only thing that really matters is that you are consistent in your methods from one measurement to another. The most accurate, but also the most expensive, is to ask your health care provider to run a DEXA scan on you. The next most accurate is hydrostatic weighing, which is offered at most university health care facilities, but it involves being dunked under water (so it's not the most convenient).
The easiest and least invasive methods of measuring body fat percentage are (1) have an expert measure you with calipers (which you can have done at most health care facilities or...
Reviews
Complete Woman...
"Making the Cut by fitness trainer Jillian Michaels is the perfect book to get you in the best shape of your life."
About the Creator
Jillian Michaels is best known as the former strength trainer and life coach for the Red Team from the NBC hit series The Biggest Loser. She shared her team’s losing secrets in her debut fitness book, Winning by Losing: Drop the Weight, Change Your Life. Jillian holds two personal training certificates from the leading certification programs in the country and is a regular contributor to Cosmo Girl, a columnist for Redbook, and a media favorite. She lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Baxter. Visit www.jillianmichaels.com for more of her best fitness and nutrition tips.
