Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I love this book. I lost 15 pounds and I am so much more toned. I felt like Frank was talking directly to me, too many books talk over your head. There are too many know it all experts out there. Frank tells you how it is in an easy to understand way. This is the best book ever. I have been following Frank for years and I applaud him for passing all of the fitness/bodybuilder experts by and giving a no nonsense approach to getting in shape. Much more than a pretty face and you can't emualte his charisma,- he has it all.....
Rating: 
Summary: Superior fitness and weight training book
Review: Frank Sepe's The Truth - The Only Fitness Book You'll Ever Need is definately one of the better fitness books out there due to its simple, no nonsense content and achievable levels of fitness and general well being. Frank gives the reader 5 training levels from beginner to advanced. Being a bodybuilding myself, Level 5 is not for the faint hearted and the detail in this section is commendable and honest. Level 1, 2 and 3 is also well thought out for beginners and any aspiring atheletes alike.
Frank's book discusses the myths and realities of fitness and health eating in general and also has a particularly effective cardio plan. Many people who train with weights seem to forget the importance of cardio for a health heart and Frank capitalises on this.
The section on weight training has been criticised for not going into alot of detail which is somewhat true. What is a plus though is that every exercise is shown (visually through pics of Frank doing the actual exercises)and described with attention to maintaing the perform form during each exercise.
The nutrition section could have had more coverage. Also I was slightly troubled by the ommitting of any dairy foods, including skim milk which should body builders and fitness enthusiasts use in their daily diet (milk protein has been debated but many thrive on it).
Frank Sepe also happens to be a highly personable and very entertaining author. I look forward to his ABS book as The Truth is a superior, well written and beautifully put together fitness book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Content / Poor Quality
Review: I'm a guy who reads a lot of books and works out a lot. I've seen plenty of diet and exercise books that have had me laughing out loud because of their inaccuracies. Usually when a book has the kind of glossy hardcover jacket and hammy pictures this one does, it fits right into that category of "written for suckers and desperate people."This book was a surprise though. The workouts are sound! The diet info, while very basic, is accurate. And the misconceptions Sepe dispells are just that: misconceptions. If the glossy pictures lure women into reading this book, so what. I particularly love the way Sepe dispells the myths that:
1. Weight training makes women into musclely amazons (false!!)
2. Long term weight loss can be achieved without exercise (false!!) This book also has a healthy emphasis on limiting caloric intake, which while simple has been desperately lacking in the "Atkins" and "Southbeach" diet era. It is true that Sepe could have devoted a little bit more time explaining the proper form of some of these weight exercises. He also could have included more up to date diet info. These are the only reasons I gave the book a 4 instead of a 5. This is a wonderful book that should not only be read. It should be studied. Just try to focus more on the content than on the glossy photos. ;P
Rating:
Summary: FINALLY THE BOOK I've been waiting for!
Review: Mr. Sepe does not fool around in this book at all when it comes to giving you realistic weight-lifting, cardio and diet plans. It's extremely easy to follow! I just finished my first week and there is no turning back! I took a "before" picture of myself so that I can start seeing progress within the next several months and BEYOND! Thanks again Frank for your "REALISTIC" fitness book!
Rating:
Summary: Good Content / Poor Quality
Review: The contents of this book are great. It's easy to get started and it's a great plan. My complaint, however, and this is a big deal, is that the actual physical quality is poor. I thought it was just a lemon that I received and when i bought a second one the same thing happened again. Both copies fell apart after only a few days and had pages coming out. I would have given this book 5 stars if the physical quality was better. The publisher should reprint the identical book using better material. This guy knows what he's doing, however, and he has good advice. It may be worth buying anyhow just to learn from someone good. Besides, one personal training session would cost you more than double what this book costs and who only goes for one session?
Rating:
Summary: THE TRUTH
Review: THE TRUTH is that this is a really beautiful book and a very well written, easy read. Frank makes his no-nonsense technique clear and simple and he is thoroughly inspiring. His humorous writing style makes you realize that there is a real person behind that beautiful smile and that he constantly has to work hard at maintaining his amazing physique. Through his writing, Frank becomes not only your coach, but also your friend. The photos are terrific and I was so happy to see, not professional models, but real people that have followed his technique and succeeded in raising their fitness level to it's full potential. This book is a great gift for anyone on your list that wants to finally get into shape. I give this book a thumbs up and am now off to join a gym! Thanks, Frank!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Content & Well Illustrated - Poor Quality Binding
Review: This is an excellent book that's "to the point" and easy to read. It gives you basics with incremental paths to higher levels of fitness over a period of time. It's well thought out & easy to understand without lots of boring bla bla bla. He shows you all the excercises in detail with clear pictures & narrative so you understand "perfect form" and why it's important. Frank also gives you other tips & techniques so you can experiment with what's right for you. Wish there was a bit more on the nutrition / diet part -total calories one should eat instead of just counting protein, carbs & fat. The only problem with the book is a poor quality binding - I've only opened it twice (really) & the pages are starting to fall out. Makes me wonder if it wasn't a "second" from the publisher.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is one of the better fitness books out there. I also recommend Tom Venuto's Burn Fat, Build Muscle ebook. I like The Truth better than Body For Life. I like how Frank breaks down exercizes into what works major and minor muscle groups. This book also worked better for me over BFL as I require more than three 20 minute sessions of cardio a week being a woman over 30. A few things people need to understand:
1) Eating Healthy is not cheap. A healthy diet is 70% of a total program. If you cannot follow the regiment, don't bother with the program. Unfortunately, there are no short cuts when it comes to dieting. You must also log anything that goes into your mouth!
2)Meal preparation and planning can be a pain. I combat this by preparing my meals every Sunday for the entire week. This saves time for those of us with full work & life schedules.
3)This is a complete lifestyle change. Body builders don't eat pizza and drink beer everyday to maintain their physique. It helps if you put your entire family on the meal plan with you. Be wary of friends and family that undermine you whether it's intentional or not. You know how it goes...."it's only one piece, it's only one day....". If it isn't my official cheat meal, I take meals/snacks with me. You'll be surprised at how many people admire your discipline.
4)The book can be a little tedious in some areas to a layperson. That being said, changing your physique is truly scientific and some of the material could be confusing to a beginner. Work through it. I would be leery of anyone touting a "simple diet & work out".
5) This program is not for the half-hearted or anyone with minimal fitness goals.
Overall, this is a great, HEALTHY program. I recommend the hardback over the paperback version as it holds up better.
Rating:
Summary: Unleash a New You to the World
Review: What I'm going to give you in this book is a lifetime plan that's realistic for anyone at any fitness level. ~Frank Sepe Frank Sepe taught himself to train with weights when he was 13 and in four years he had bulked up to 215 pounds of pure muscle. If you are interested in Frank Sepe's life, the introduction gives you an idea of how he became interested in bodybuilding. This book also explores the driving internal forces that lifted Frank to a place of personal power. It does seem that he was able to keep a sense of humor and then set realistic goals. After he started to see his thoughts and goals turning to muscle, he became unstoppable. There are three main sections: Part 1: Getting Ready For The Truth
Part 2: The Strength-Training Levels
Part 3: Nutrition and The Truth Fans will definitely appreciate the pictures throughout this book, especially the one on page 386. I personally think Frank Sepe's best quality is definitely his eyes, but I was quite willing to also find out all his nutrition tips and detailed exercise instructions. I've read a few fitness books in my life, but this one is a very personal experience. It is truly like having your own trainer. In order to motivate you and get you even more interested, Frank explores the frightening facts. What will happen if you don't get into shape? I'll say that about 6 months ago, I had my own "fear factor" experience. I realized that walking alone was not going to get me the body I wanted and weights had to be included in my routines on some level. Even adding smaller weights during walking will change the shape of your arms in just a few weeks. The section on fitness myths was amusing and the tips in "unleashing your mental power" were practical. A fitness journal seems in order. I liked the section on stretching and didn't realize I should be monitoring my heart at all times when doing cardiovascular exercise. There are five levels and Frank describes each one so you can easily figure out if you are at level 1 or 5. The workouts for the various levels give you an idea of where you are at. If you are already walking for 40 minutes about three times a week, then you might be at level 2. After you figure out the level, you can then look up information for cardio and weight work. They are in separate areas of the book, so you can work your way into the weight lifting. Frank gives tips about how many exercises you should be doing and how long you should rest between sets. I found the various levels rather fascinating. My husband already goes to the gym about 4x a week, so he also found this book interesting. Each section has a Program Description, which includes Program Duration, Workout Frequency, Workout Type, Exercises Per Day, Sets of Each Exercise, Repetition Scheme, Rest Between Sets, Daily Warm-Up and Stretching. This is all highly organized and "The Actual Exercises" are all shown at the back of the book with complete explanations and additional details. The chapter on Nutrition explores various ways to "turbo-charge" your metabolism. There are tips about eating within an hour of waking up in order to kick start your metabolism for the day and more tips for when to eat after exercise. There are lists of healthy snacks and supplements. Frank Sepe maintains private personal-training clients, writes for leading magazines and is a spokesperson for MET-Rx. This book is a true accomplishment and is a brilliant example of how our minds create our future, one day at a time or shall I say, one fitness level at a time. ~TheRebeccaReview.com
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: What makes this book great is that there are no scams, hidden promises or false hopes about what you can do for your appearance and health. The book is about both fitness (strength training and weight loss), as well as nutrition. Frank tells you what you need to do to look and feel your personal best. The book is NOT Hollywood hype or a trendy fad diet that will be replaced by another in a few months; it is "The Truth." This is an extremely helpful book for anyone who is looking for honest answers with regard to weight loss, diet, fitness or nutrition.
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