Cardio Sucks: The Simple Science of Losing Fat Fast...Not Muscle (Muscle for Life)

Although this book is only 56 pages long, and I already knew most of what the author was describing, I still think it is a worthwhile book to read especially for those who find themselves strapped for time and need to remember some very important points.One of the most important suggestions the author makes is to find an activity you really enjoy that helps burn fat and retains (or builds) muscle so that you stick to it. So many health clubs, fitness centers and gyms aggressively promote their memberships and really overbook COUNTING on the fact that a good many people will sign up, earnestly attend a few training sessions and/or classes and then slowly, quietly (if not abruptly) drop out never to be seen again with the health club "member" still liable for membership fees they have legally signed a contract agreeing to pay. That is why I was so SIMPLY DELIGHTED when the author included Chapter 11 DANCE THE FAT AWAY WITH ZUMBA. Now THIS was an activity I personally found and was able to stick with! Whatever you do the point is to keep active. Cardio DOESN'T HAVE TO suck! From Chapter 6 BOX YOUR WAY INTO SHAPE to Chapter 14 HEAT THINGS UP WITH HOT YOGA, 15 JUMP ROPING CAN DO WONDERS FOR YOUR BODY. 17 TRAIN LIKE THE BRITISH ARMY and 18 THE CARDIO CORE BLAST there is something for most everybody. There is even a BONUS REPORT 12 HEALTH & FITNESS MISTAKES YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE MAKING.Significantly the author does not neglect the importance of nutrition in helping an individual lose weight and/or improve their health and fitness. He emphasizes that "No matter what anyone tells you getting ripped boils down to nothing more than manipulating a simple mathematical formula:energy consumed versus energy expended." (otherwise known as calories in, calories out). "Healthy fat loss isn't as simple as drastically cutting calories, however." the author tells us "If you eat too little, your body will go into 'starvation mode' and sure, it will lose fat, but you will also lose muscle. Plus, worst of all, your metabolic rate will slow down and once you start eating more, you'll quickly gain the fat back (and sometimes even more than you lost). This is what leads to yo-yo dieting." Finally in thie second chapter the author emphasizes "...doing cardio doesn't equal burning fat. It can accelerate fat loss by burning calories and by speeding up your metabolic rate, but whether you actually lose fat or not will be determined by your daily caloric intake and expenditure."I would like to have seen this book a little longer and more developed. There is a little bit of cookie cutter mentality to it (one solution fits all). For instance, I disagree with him about genetics. I think it really IS harder for some people to lose weight because they come from families where historically people tend to be larger and more prone to being overweight eating habits notwithstanding. A number of these people will make valiant attempts to lose weight, eat properly, exercise vigorously on a regular basis and "do all the right things" and STILL not lose a great deal. Also, the whole issue of women, especially post menopausal women having difficulty losing weight was never really addressed. That being said the book is still a nifty little GENERAL guide on helping people lose their disdain for cardio and embrace it as something they can really enjoy and benefit from. For this I would recommend it.

This book popped up in my Kindle recommended reads and I was intrigued by the title. I recently lost weight and yes, I lost a lot of muscle in the process. So much so that I gave up altogether. Nobody wants floppy skin and boney calves. I had a vague idea that next time around I'll try workouts that build muscle.Anyway, enough about me, this book had waaay more info than just how to lose weight without losing muscle. It had chapters on eating a balanced diet that encourages the body to lose fat instead of muscle, types of cardio exercise, tons of ideas for things to try, and even some tips on staying motivated with mini habits.I was seriously impressed. What it did not contain was info on muscle building but considering this book is part of a series I assume that's featured in other books. My only complaint about this book was the calculations to find calories needed from different sources were really confusing. I ended up having to do an internet search to figure it out.Other than that, I'm glad I took the time to read this and plan to read more of the authors books. Don't let the cover intimidate you or make you feel that the book is just for big bodybuilding types.

Michael does a phenomenal job at breaking down the barriers and myths surrounding what it really takes to get the body of your dreams. Straight forward and easy to read, just like his other books, lays the foundation down to develop the habits and tools you will need to succeed.

4 stars based off of how amazon describes how you feel about the product which 4 stars states... "I like it". I do like this book, I don't love it though(5 stars).But most definitely worth a buy overall. What's not to like about it?The way I see it, is that I am learning valuable information for just $7 dollars! I am paying Mike $7 for information that I can go back to at any time and re-read the only information you need to know about how fat loss works and what to do about it.The book isn't just cardio alternatives, you also get that, what I call... "feel good" information. The information that teaches you what to do to obtain your goals. So in this book it's clearly about how to lose fat, and before the cardio alternatives come up, Mike teaches you how fat loss works, what to do, what to avoid, what isn't necessary so that you don't waste your time and end up spinning your wheels.I'm one of those "skinny fat" type of people, due to my poor dieting to achieve either good gains or shredded results, but I feel like with this book in combination with the others such as the cook book or the one that I ordered along with this, "Beyond, bigger, leaner, stronger", it will help anyone a great deal if they can educate themselves by reading and then applying/taking action! That's the hard part, sticking to it!

I have been both fat and athletic. When I was fat I was exactly the same person, morally and intellectually as I am now. (Maybe not emotionally - I was very depressed after my husband died.) Anyway, my point is that I was not lazy, self-indulgent, deluded or in denial, or any of the other things that this guy hints are the problems fatties have.He is SO rude about overweight people! That's what ruins this book for me. Yes, it has other flaws (repetitive, stating the obvious, simplistic) but the smug 'look at me I'm sporty' attitude that he radiates is incredibly off-putting. If I had stumbled upon this book six stone ago I would have felt devastated. It still upsets me. 'Look at those silly fat people at the gym spinning around on hamster wheels, they'll never change.' I paraphrase, but only slightly.If you want to read a book that sniggers at fatties then this is the one for you. It does actually have some useful information, but nothing groundbreaking, and it certainly doesn't make up for the bullying and sneering attitude.

Its a sensible reminder of eat less exercise more (cleverly) and you will get slimmer and fitterOrEat more and exercise correctly and you can get bigger strongerBut it doesn't really offer exercises rather it suggests the next book(s)To be fair it recommends other peoples books as well and they are goodThis gives you the opportunity to planEat the elephant one small bite at a timeGood not brilliant

Great book, cuts to the chase and gives direct information. I am just getting back into training after sixteen years of operations following a rugby injury. I can only do seated exercise but the instructions of Michaels book and his other accompanying books have placed me in the right direction to see small results (for my way of exercise, being limited) but RESULTS. I have lost 1/2 stone in 3 weeks! And gained some shape again. Just a foundation for better things to come....... thanks Michael!

Again one more fantastic volume by Mike. Ironically, I noticed after reading chapter 11. Cross Training, that I have been doing a CrossFit (alike) workout for quite some time, just didn't know it was called that way. As always, the big 6 basic lifts ( deadlift, squat, bench press, pull up, row, military OHP ) are the backbone of all workouts. Thanks Mike, motivation just got increased a bit more ...

Having read 'Bigger, leaner, stronger' by the same author, this book popped up as a recommended read. Although some of the content mirrors that of BLS, there are some handy ideas for different cardio workouts. I found the section on HIIT particularly useful.I'm a returnee to the whole gym/ workout scene after years out raising kids and generally being inactive. Whilst there is no groundbreaking advice here, Matthews has clearly done lots of research on the subject and uses empirical evidence to back up his advice. Combined with BLS I'm hoping it will give me a good start back in the saddle.