The Gold Coast Cure's Fitter, Firmer, Faster Program: Get a Killer Body Without Killing Yourself

I found this product to be extremely helpful. It has lots of pertinent information on losing weight and eating smart. I really like the exercise program in there as well. The menu for the meals is a little hard for me to follow with my family lifestyle. It doesn't give me much to time cook extra special meals for myself and we spend too much on groceries right now as it is. But I can at least incorporate some items here and there and I guess that is better than nothing.

The "Gold Coast Cure's Fitter Firmer Faster Program" is a terrific book. It's not a quick fix fad, although most people will no doubt experience noticeable changes in just a few weeks. The Larson's first book, Gold Coast Cure, went into great detail about Ivy's turn from poor health while battling MS to great health and a reversal of symptoms. The new book is less clinical and more user-friendly. The Larsons prescribe a whole foods diet and explain in conversational style what that means and how we can all work it into our lives with little effort. They don't expect anyone---themselves included---to be perfect, so there are allowances for real life (including alcohol). However, they make sure you know how to eat for a better life no matter where you are. The book also explains easy ways to make children eat a healthier diet, and if you've read any recent studies on obesity rates for childen, you know a change is needed. Ivy includes recipes for meals and snacks, and none take longer than 30 minutes. There is also a "Fit Foods" shopping guide. The fitness component is 30 minutes, 3 times a week. It's circuit training that can be done at home or in a gym. They also add an outdoor workout for the park or vacation. The workouts include strength training (several methods), cardio bursts for metabolism and fitness gains, Pilates, Yoga, calisthenics, and traditional stretching. The workouts can be made harder or easier depending on your age and fitness level. Unlike many authors, whose pictures leave you wondering if they follow their own advice, Andrew (who is a surgeon) looks fit and muscular, but not in an overdone way. He demonstrates many of the exercises. Ivy, who is a fitness instructor, looks like she could still captain the Florida Gators cheerleading squad. The Larsons also include a rather involved supplement program, but none of the six pills is expensive. The reasons for these six are explained in much greater detail in their first book. What comes across throughout is that these two really care. To that end, I wrote the Larsons on their Web site to ask for a fitness circuit that would work better in a "manly" gym setting. Ivy responded the same day with a full program and great detail. The circuit kicked my butt too. She also wrote to say she'll add it to the blog, and then followed up with an e-mail to ask me how it worked. I already bought the book, so she genuinely cared about my results with her advice. Bottom line: eat whole foods, take smart supplements, work out hard but briefly three times a week. This book shows how to do it.