If positive thinking alone could strip weight off people, anyone reading this latest tome from the perpetually perky Denise Austin would be thin. Good vibes leap from the page, whether she's describing her own attitude toward life ("Happiness is a choice that is available to anyone") or simply introducing exercise information ("Burn the Fat!" "Build the Muscle!" "Get Flexible!").

Austin says that she gets more requests for advice on losing the final 10 pounds than on any other subject, and in response she's created a very solid combination of "eat less" and "exercise more," the twin pillars of any scientifically sound weight-loss prescription. Austin jazzes it up with some yoga- and Pilates-based exercises, an exhortation to move more throughout the day (she calls it "Fidget-cize"), and a "Mind-Body-Spirit" routine that serves as a cooldown for her three-times-a-week cardiovascular workouts.

Her meal plan is 1,500 calories a day, and includes weekly shopping lists, followed by easy-to-prepare meals that range from a peanut-butter sandwich to more gourmet fare like lemon herb-roasted chicken thighs. Sprinkled in with the meal plans are daily exercise tips ("Do tummy tucks while you sit in your car"), and a bit of philosophy from the school of thought she calls Denisiology ("A smile, a compliment, one kind sentence--those little things can make a person's day.").

The biggest strength of Austin's plan is that it combines good science with good variety; those who try it won't get bored with the food or the exercises. As for that always-upbeat tone, well, it seems to work well enough for Austin. --Lou Schuler


From Library Journal
Popular health and fitness expert Austin has been motivating people for more than ten years. She now has available more than 30 exercise videos, several books and audiocassettes, and a popular television fitness program. Her newest book focuses on losing "those last 10 pounds," the hardest to lose for most dieters. It includes a four-week plan, with 28 days of meal plans and recipes, plus additional recipes, daily workouts, advice for keeping the weight off, and even her "secret ways to sneak exercises into your day." She also includes a very helpful "shopping list" at the beginning of each week's menus. Given her continuing high profile and popularity, any book written by Austin should be a welcome addition to public libraries.-Kristine Benishek, Good Samaritan Hosp. Lib., Dayton, OH Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Austin uses a thorough understanding of muscle workouts to create a four-week program for losing those last 10 pounds. After somewhat long introduction, she presents a detailed list of meals and snacks for each of the program's 28 days. Her insights into typical feelings and reactions at each stage of the process are refreshing --- you'll know you're not alone. Not everyone will warm up to the specificity of the menus, and it may be that this sort of detail doesn't work in audio format. Some will find Austin's relentless enthusiasm a bit over the top. But the plan makes good sense and may provide just the structure many people need to achieve their ideal weight. T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Review
Praise for Denise Austin:

"Denise Austin could probably motivate a statue. Her nonstop encouragement and exercise expertise form the perfect combination."
--Chicago Tribune

"Austin makes the Energizer Bunny look lethargic."
--People magazine

"This 41-year-old mother of two is redefining what it means to be fit."
--Healthy Living


From the Hardcover edition.


Book Description
Fight those last 10 pounds and WIN! America’s most popular fitness guru presents a sure-fire weight-loss program guaranteed to get results–in just twenty-eight days.

As everyone knows, the last 10 pounds are always the hardest ones to lose. Now award-winning fitness expert Denise Austin offers a fat-blasting, foolproof 28-day program that shows you how to jump-start your metabolism, develop healthy eating and fitness habits, and shed your body’s most stubborn pounds–forever.

Whether you are stuck in a dieting rut, or simply need to shape up for a special occasion, you can reach your ideal weight in just four weeks and feel healthier and stronger than ever before. Denise’s innovative approach combines cutting-edge fitness techniques such as kickboxing and yoga with 28 days of slimming recipes, such as Morning Glory Smoothies, Tuna Teriyaki, Lemon Herb-Roasted Chicken, Black Bean Quesadillas, and even Filet Mignon. Her weekly formula for success includes:
∑Only three thirty-minute fat-blasting aerobic workouts
∑Two thirty-minute yogaPilates-based workouts to keep your body and spirit balanced
∑One-minute “Fidget-cize” exercises to help you burn calories anytime, anywhere
∑Three healthy, tasty meals and snacks for every day of the week with easy-to-follow recipes
∑Week-at-a-Glance exercise plans and grocery lists

So get ready to rev up your metabolism and start building a body you’ll love! With her infectious enthusiasm and trademark energy and flare, Denise will champion you every step of the way toward a slimmer, healthier, happier you.




From the Inside Flap
Fight those last 10 pounds and WIN! America’s most popular fitness guru presents a sure-fire weight-loss program guaranteed to get results–in just twenty-eight days.

As everyone knows, the last 10 pounds are always the hardest ones to lose. Now award-winning fitness expert Denise Austin offers a fat-blasting, foolproof 28-day program that shows you how to jump-start your metabolism, develop healthy eating and fitness habits, and shed your body’s most stubborn pounds–forever.

Whether you are stuck in a dieting rut, or simply need to shape up for a special occasion, you can reach your ideal weight in just four weeks and feel healthier and stronger than ever before. Denise’s innovative approach combines cutting-edge fitness techniques such as kickboxing and yoga with 28 days of slimming recipes, such as Morning Glory Smoothies, Tuna Teriyaki, Lemon Herb-Roasted Chicken, Black Bean Quesadillas, and even Filet Mignon. Her weekly formula for success includes:
• Only threethirty-minute fat-blasting aerobic workouts
• Two thirty-minute yoga/Pilates-based workouts to keep your body and spirit balanced
• One-minute “Fidget-cize”exercises to help you burn calories anytime, anywhere
• Three healthy, tasty meals and snacks for every day of the week with easy-to-follow recipes
• Week-at-a-Glance exercise plans and grocery lists

So get ready to rev up your metabolism and start building a body you’ll love! With her infectious enthusiasm and trademark energy and flare, Denise will champion you every step of the way toward a slimmer, healthier, happier you.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

No matter how much weight you lose in the course of your dieting and exercise, those last 10 pounds are always the hardest. Whether you are dreading your high school reunion, have just had a baby, are going through a physical rehabilitation, are under a lot of stress, or want to lower your risk of health problems associated with being overweight, Denise Austin's book will provide you with the failsafe way to lose those last 10 pounds and some unwanted inches.

FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile