The Fat Burn Revolution

Way back in the day, I won Betsy @ The Everyday Warrior for Julia Buckley’s The Fat Burn Revolution (affiliate link!), and I figured I’m sharing my review on it today! I’m not going to discuss every chapter, but you’ll get a good gist on what this book is all about!

The Fat Burn Revolution

Genre: Fitness/Healthy Living
Pages: 192

This book revolves around a 12-week plan with exercise 5-6 days/week in order to kick yo’ butt into gear. If you want to do it more gradually or want to work on the program over a longer duration, you’re definitely more than welcome to do so. We all gotta start somewhere!

I like that she starts right off the bat by saying that in order to get results and make changes, you’re going to have to work hard. There is no magical pill that will transform you into what you want to be. Success takes hard work and dedication. You could be the most talented and genetically blessed person in the world, but if you do nothing to maintain it, chances are that it won’t take you very far.

I can only give you the map, it’s you who has to make the journey.”

I also really liked that the focus was not on weight–rather, it was on how you feel and how healthy you are.

Example of a pre-workout stretch.

You Wear What You Eat

So very true. If you have a horrendously crappy diet, no amount of exercise is really going to save you. This section has lots of tips on how to make healthy dietary changes, ditch the “diet” mentality, and embrace the lifestyle. It also includes a brief discussion on shakes/supplements.

Gearing Up

I love powerlifting, but this year has been horrible in terms of actually being able to lift anything. Moving every 2-4 weeks and not having access to a gym makes that a little difficult. (And of course, breaking your hand the day before you finally get gym access again kinda sucks…)

This 12-week program really just calls for a set of dumbbells and a gym ball (which I fondly refer to as my desk chair). You might also find an exercise mat and step/bench useful, but those are pretty easy to improvise.

Example of a post-workout stretch.

The Nitty Gritty

This chapter describes the types of workouts that are to follow: Metabolic Resistance Workouts, Furnace Workouts, Total Body Blast, Metabolic Blaster, Piyo Blaze, and Belly Shred.

Example of a Phase I exercise.

I’ll be talking about the remaining chapters in bullet points:

• Pre- & Post-Workout Stretches: It makes me happy that she made the pre-workout stretches dynamic movements. :] Each of the stretches includes written explanations, pictorial demonstration, the target area, and tips on how to troubleshoot and/or make each stretch more effective.
• Phase I Workouts: This includes Metabolic Workouts (2x/week), a Furnace Workout (2x/week), and a Total Body Blast (1-2x/week) + 1-2 days of rest.
• Phase II Workouts: The intensity for the workouts increases in Phase II, but the sessions are still short, fast-paced, and varied!
• Phase III Workouts: Last 4 weeks to go (if you’re following the standard schedule)! 3 Metabolic Workouts (arms + shoulders, legs + glutes, chest/back + core), a Piyo Blaze workouts, and 1-2 Furnace Workouts per week!

Example of a Phase II Exercise.

I haven’t actually had the chance to try out this 12-week program yet since I was only fairly recently reunited with this book, but I may do a partial trade-off of my 5×5 powerlifting workout for this (as much as I can with residency and all) when I start to plateau. If it gets to happen, I’ll let you guys know how that goes!

Example of a Phase III exercise.

Although I already knew how to do a number of the exercises, I really liked how informative and comprehensive this book was. The pictures are definitely helpful, and I like that it includes a wide variety of exercises, and a ready-made plan (perfect for if you don’t want to come up with one of your own. :]

• Do you follow a workout plan/schedule?
• What’s your favorite form of exercise?