Clean & Lean Flat Tummy Fast!: The healthy way to a totally toned tummy in 14 days [Illustrated] [Paperback]

I like this book. It looks good (I know, I'm so shallow but I do pay more attention if something looks good) and is realistic and achievable. The eating 'rules' are easy enough to follow and the exercise is realistic - nobody is going to sign up for 45 minutes of cardio and half an hour's weight training 5 days a week but this is something that most people can fit in to their lives without too much trouble. This has a 14 day plan to kick start your new regime and then a maintenance section. It also has a 6 day plan for fast results which he admits is boring and extremely hard work but a lot of models use it as a quick blast prior to a bikini shoot. The whole book is written as though the reader is an intelligent person, living a normal life. You are told why the rules exist and also allowed a cheat meal each week (once you've achieved the tummy you want) but the author also accepts that you are human and says that you should follow the rules as much as you can. I bought this book because having hit the grand old age of 43 I find that I can't eat what ever I want anymore. I'm still slim (size 10) but there are pockets of fat that I'm sure never used to be there so I started trying some of these 'fitness and nutrition' books. None of the others have suited me - silly rules like "no carbs after 6pm cos that's the way celebrities eat", fitness plans that build up to running for an hour 3 times a week and then coming home to do resistance training etc. I can follow this (been doing it for a week and seen a difference) and it appears healthy and reasonable. I fully recommend it.

Flat Tummy Fast gives a good overview of exactly what to do and what to eat to lose weight around your middle. The book reads very quickly and is more photographs than content, but if you're not into in-depth scientific explanations, then this is the guide for you. Personally, I would have liked more text. I like that he doesn't go crazy with the exercise - the focus is on your diet. As far as the advice goes, James emphasizes the harmfulness of sugar which was a wake-up call I really needed. But eating steamed mackerel for breakfast? No thanks. I was also disappointed that the menu in the book doesn't have any carbs, so it's essentially only meat and vegetables. My final complaint is that James recommends his bodyism powders and supplements, but they cost £60 a pop on his website :(

I have originally bought the clean and lean diet book by the same author and really loved it. It has changed the way I eat and look at food: no more carbs, refined sugar, alcohol and packaged food. I now eat in a very healthy way and I have never felt better! I then came across this new book and tried some of the new exercise (it is feasable and it is not a fad, forget rubbish like Tracy Anderson, that is sick!) and the new recipes. Looking forward to the recipes book james is currently writing. I suggest to buy the clan and lean diet first as it explains the fundamentals of nutrition and of the cut the CRAP system.