In Shape In 8 Minutes In The Morning

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Eight minutes of your morning. New York Times best-selling author and red-hot fitness guru Jorge Cruise says thats how much time you need to invest to achieve lasting weight loss.

OK, so healthy eating, exercise, and peer support also play a critical role in shedding those extra pounds, but well get to that later.

But first, Jorge is here to explain just why eight is enough and why you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to get in shape.

If you aren’t familiar with Cruise, you might as well have been living in a cave. The author of 8 Minutes in the Morning (HarperCollins) is the hottest thing since the BowFlex and the second most famous Cruise next to Hollywood hunk Tom. Hes been everywhere from Oprah to Good Morning America and from First For Women to People. His book has hit the top spot on Amazon.com and hes been endorsed by a gaggle of fitness goddesses like Denise Austin and Kathy Smith.

Cruise is no flash in the pan media personality. He reckons he's counseled more than three million people on the topic of weight loss. So, of course, teaming up a leading fitness expert with a leading weight loss program would only be a natural occurrence.

Jorge caters to busy people like you and me. He says that 99 percent of his clients never step foot into a gym and that’s just the way he likes it. In fact, most of his pupils start their day off on the right foot by setting aside eight short minutes to exercise.

“Research shows that people who exercise in the morning are more consistent,” he tells eDiets from his San Diego office. “If you shave off eight minutes in the morning and exercise, you follow through better and have more results. Plus, you enjoy it more. It’s about being practical and simple.”

While on his 28-day program, you perform just two exercises every morning, but you do each for 4 minutes without rest. The pair of exercises always works two major muscle groups. For example, Monday is devoted to chest and back, while Tuesday concentrates on the shoulders and abdominals. The regimen is strength training, which Jorge says is the number one exercise when it comes to weight loss.

Strength training builds lean muscle tissue, which revs up your metabolism so your body burns more calories. It also adds muscle so that you are burning fat all the time... even when youre asleep!

By following an effective exercise and eating program, you can easily shed two pounds a week -- that happens to be the same amount promoted by the expert dietitians here at eDiets. Cruise admits there are people who will fail. Their biggest stumbling block: a lack of support.

“Imagine you’re trying to build a house," he urges. "The exercise and the eating are the walls and the roof. Now, imagine you build the house with no cement foundation. That foundation is the support. It gives you the ability to connect with others. It gives you the motivation to stay strong and focused. It’s about getting with others who are in the same boat, people who can help you.

A lot of times people overeat and they simply throw in the towel. With support, you can go through the crisis with someone and get through it. You cant make food your best friend. You need people to be your best friends.

When it comes to eating healthy, Jorge and eDiets director of nutrition Susan Burke are of the same mindset. They both argue there are no bad foods. People should follow a balanced meal plan, watch portion sizes and eat when they’re hungry, not when they’re coping with emotional issues. Emotional eating is a problem for many people, Cruise says. Having the right support system will help trudge on through the troublesome times.

Below is an example of one eight-minute session. By the 12th rep of each exercise, you should be feeling fatigued. If you can handle more than 12, add weight to increase the intensity.

Dumbbell Press (works the chest)

Lie on a mat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. You may place one or more pillows under your back and head for support. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, bring your elbows in line with your shoulders, making a right angle between your upper arm and your side. Exhale as you slowly extend your arms and press the dumbbells toward the ceiling. Keep your elbows slightly bent. Hold for 1 second. Inhale as you return to the starting point.

Two-Arm Row (works the back)

Sit in a sturdy chair and grasp a dumbbell in each hand. You may put a pillow on your lap for support. Lean forward and extend your arms straight down, being sure to keep your elbows slightly bent. Exhale as you slowly bend your elbows and bring them toward the ceiling. Once the dumbbells reach the top of your thigh, hold for one second. Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting point.