Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Oh good god., 18 Oct 2006
I'm going to start with the bad and leave you with the good :)
1) If you don't already exercise regularly and to a fairly high intensity (capable of 20 press ups and a 45 min run, for example) then don't even think about it. I am capable of both those things and I still struggled to keep it up.
2) The diet is, as another reviewer pointed out, completely crazy and any nutritionist or doctor will tell you that if you're doing this much exercise you need carbohydrates for fuel. Whatever anyone tries to tell you, if you stop craving carbs its only because you're too bloody tired to care.
3) It's not cheap. You'll need a fit ball, a medicine ball, weights, clothing for sweating in (cotton stuff won't cut it at this intensity), lots of weird seasonings and meat, plus protein shakes, which are not cheap at all.
4) It's time consuming- 2hrs a day of exercise, plus all the meal preparation. You really need to find a time when you have no other responsibilties unless you want to completely stress yourself out and be v grumpy for a fortnight.
Ok, now for the good points:
1) You will see results and fast, even if you don't follow the crazy diet to the letter (still take the protein shakes, your muscles will need it)
2) Its so tough the sense of achievement is enormous and your workouts from then on will seem easy.
3) The book is very informative and the day to day layout of workouts and recipes really makes it easy to follow. The diary section is nice for charting the changes you see and feel.
4) The dvd ensures you work at the appropriate pace (plus its funny to watch david's helpers attempting to smile through the pain to convince you its not really painful)
All in all it really helped me step up my training, but it is better used by fit people to shave off those last few pounds, or for a special event, than by people starting from scratch/overweight. Try his more long term books if that's where you are, even David recommends this in the introduction.
Also, for a much more pleasureable experience try combining David's exercise regime with a calorie controlled, but carb and dairy friendly diet. There's far to much evidence of the danger of atkins style diets, not least when you're exercising this much, for it to be worthwhile.
If you're about to embark on your 2 week transformation, good luck!
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly recommend, 29 April 2006
I am a 46-year-old woman who has been working out at home for some years now, trying most types of routines from various books. I have to say that this is the best so far...I follow an Atkins style of eating, so didn't stick to David's suggested recipes, although I was quite taken with the idea of protein shakes as I can't often be bothered to prepare myself breakfast or lunch. I don't belong to a gym, so alternated a home stepper with exercise bike for the cardio work every day, and stuck religiously to the exercise programme.
If I'd been out of shape to begin with, and/or followed his eating plan, I'm sure I would have seen more dramatic results - even so, after two weeks I was definitely more defined on the thighs, the abs and the arms (my personal bete noire). Since then, I have started running again, and my plan is to do his 45-minute core programme two or three times a week and carry on doing the legs and the upper body routines in between.
He really seems to know what he's talking about, and I would recommend getting the DVD as it carries you along and you've finished before you know it. I even found myself feeling disappointed one day after the abs routine because it felt too short!
There is one particularly poor review on these pages - my advice to anyone reading these reviews is to ignore it. Whether you follow his suggested eating plan or not, the philosophy, the inspiration and the exercises are wonderful and should get you motivated.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ultimate New York Body Plan, 24 Mar 2005
By A Customer
When I started David's fitness and nutrition plan as detailed in The Ultimate New York Body Plan, I was a bit tired and had a general lack of enthusiasm. All the other plans that I had tried had made me bigger. Not in weight, but in inches. The fitness plans that I had done in the past bulked me and made me bigger. The first few days of the program were tough. Not the eating plan, that was easy because there was so much food, but the exercise was intense. I was walking like I had ridden a huge horse for 3 days. By day 4 things got easier and by day 5 I had no pains at all. I saw already that my clothes fitted better, especially around my problem area. My hips and thighs! I persevered and by the second week, I had no hunger pangs nor cravings.. well, a little maybe, but David's shakes are lovely, and I felt like they were like a 'healthy treat.' I had the vanilla ones whilst on the 2 week program.
I got up early every morning for the 14 days before my day started and did my workouts. I was so proud of myself and my boyfriend called me Arnold Swarz... for my soldier like commitment. I felt empowered and in control of myself for the first time in ages. When I started the program I thought, "this is tough, can I do it?" I did and I am proud of me. I lost 6 lbs and 5% body fat! I never thought that could happen to me! My clothes are loose, I am so firm and I have muscle definition and cute little abs. Most of all I have changed my attitude to food and exercise. It has been a few weeks now and I am on the maintenance plan. However, I do exercise every day now. Doing the 2 week plan made me crave a daily dose of exercise. I have incorporated some things again into my diet like the odd glass of wine and slim slice of cake (that's rare but it happens). I have just got my new package of David's chocolate protein shakes and vitamin/mineral drink. The chocolate ones are to die for. They taste like mars bars but with a lots of nutrition and low in calories! (I think they are approx 170 cals). I have a shake now one or two times a day, especially if I am on the run. They are easy to carry around, take no time to shake up and taste yummy. I am actually converting my band members too. We are about to record our first music video and this plan is going to make me look sexy for it. I can't wait to see my results on the music video. Thanks David.
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