 For someone who has always struggled, This works! |
| Review Date: January 4, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Corrie Hearn, Pennsylvania |
Please, before you judge or listen to the negative reviews let me say something. I started working this plan when very little information was available about it May of 2009. I did it when there was no book and only limited information available via the internet. Basically I took the 15 sugar 6 carb idea from Jorge and ran with it. So far I have lost 60 lbs on the Belly Fat Cure and I plan to lose 30 more to reach my goal. Those people writing negative reviews just want to open a book and have the weight fall off their bodies. You have to take control and want this for yourself. Read the book for insight and understanding and not just to be led around like a puppet.
Second, I live in a rural area with no Whole Foods Market or anything around and have to travel far for a health food store or order online to get some of the items that are in book. But not all of them. Jorge just gives the healthiest options, but you can make substitutions. If something is not available in your area, use something else. Most of us don't know that these healthier products exist. We let the mainstream dictate what we are putting in our bodies and feeding to our children. What we should be doing instead of attacking Jorge is to demand that these healthier options be made more readily available to us in our local markets. A lot of what he proposes include no artificial sweetners because of their alleged negative affects. If this isn't a concern of yours then make a substitution that includes artificial sweetners. I'm sure Jorge wouldn't advocate this but I have to admit that I do use some of the products that are on his Belly Bad List. I make the food and the plan work for me. For instance, Jorge doesn't like sugar free puddings that you can buy on the shelf because of the artificial sweetners. I try to avoid the artificial sweetners as much as I can but if I want a chocolate pudding then I'll have one. No biggie. Personal choice, hello?
I do not have a ton of money and was actually unemployed when I started this way of eating last summer. Yes, I think of it as a way of eating - not a diet. This is how I live now. So to those who claim its expensive that's not true. It doesn't have to be. The recipes in the book are simple and great tasting. They include normal foods that you probably already eat now. Its just about making it in a healthier way and making better choices. Things you would never think you could eat while losing weight. You do not feel deprived at all. It really is a mindset change more than anything.
I'm shocked and amazed at the people who complain about it being full of recipes, menu plans, and product evaluations?? Really this has me baffled. Isn't that what we all need anyway - the meat and potatoes of the thing? While Jorge explains an overview of the science behind why the plan works, do you really want a book full of technical jargon and trials and studies? If you google Jorge Cruise or take a look at some of his Youtube videos....he has interviews on there with experts that explain more indepth about the dangers of sugar. This is serious business, folks. Check them out.
I really hope that people will try this way of eating and don't judge the book based on the negative reviews. Its a shame because I know that I rely heavily on amazon reviews for nearly everything but this is one instance where I can truly say the negative reviewers have it all wrong.
Thank you, Jorge, for your passion for health and bringing awareness to this nation. The book and your wisdom have been a blessing to me and my family. |
The Belly Fat Cure Has Helped Me Lose 74lbs So Far
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| Review Date: January 5, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Ryan Cameron, San Diego, California USA |
I was introduced to the Belly Fat Cure in March as a result of an article in Costco's Costco Connection magazine and applied to be his coaching class for Costco members. I had been selected to take part in the program and during the course of the 11 weeks of coaching, was able to shed 47 pounds and 10 inches off my belly. I religiously followed the program during the coaching and tracked every meal making sure that no meals exceeded the recommended 5 grams of sugar and 2 carb servings. I was also taking probiotics and psyllium husks three times a day. The pounds literally were just melting right off of me.
I also want to note that I had started a running program in December of 2008 and by the time I started the Belly Fat Cure program, I had gone from not being able to run much of one mile to running three miles the whole way and was running 5 to 6 days a week. The running didn't result in any weight loss at all for me, just increased endurance. Once I added the Belly Fat Cure program, I started seeing weight loss.
Like Corrie Hearn's review, the book as it exists now wasn't available, we just got the core information about not exceeding 15 grams of sugar and 6 carb servings per day. We were taught how to read nutrition labels (that information is in the book) and given some key suggestions. We definitely did not the recipes and for that matter initially the food list. We did get that a few weeks in as an Excel spreadsheet. So essentially we had to "figure it out." It took a little trial and error but I started losing weight right away and inches. Some weeks I lost more than others, some I plateaued but stuck with it and it started falling off again.
What struck me as most beneficial about the program is that I had no idea how much sugar I had been consuming prior to the program. Even though there I was having a lot of "low fat" items those foods were actually loaded in sugar. The first week was a little rough getting used to dramatically less sugar. I probably went through about 15-20 packets of Truvia that first week to replace some of the sugar. I swapped out Iced Tea for sodas until I tried the Caramel Vanilla tea in the line of Lipton teas Jorge has recommended. I thought that tea was so disgusting it got me right off iced teas too and I've been more of an avid water and Zevia drinker ever since.
Within the first two weeks my appetite dropped considerably and the size of meals I used to eat all of and would still be looking for more food to eat right afterwards were becoming ones I couldn't finish and I was feeling full for a few hours instead of maybe an hour. This really hit home for me when I went out for dinner with a friend, my friend had an appetizer, a full entree with side items, and a dessert. I just opted to have loaded baked potato and I couldn't even finish it. In all fairness my friend didn't eat all of his meal either, but he had considerably more than I had and I know I would have had similar amounts prior to the program.
Following the coaching, I pretty much had a routine for my first couple of meals for the day so I stopped tracking every meal and then periodically would allow myself have a meal or two per week that might have slightly more sugar than 5 grams or maybe a meal with 3 carb servings. I even cut back on the psyllium husks and probiotics to once per day then to only 3-4 times per week. I also got so burned out on the running program I had been doing and quit it entirely. I haven't been back to any of the running in nearly six months now. But I've still lost weight with the Belly Fat Cure program despite stopping the running. Albeit, the rate at which I was losing weight has slowed considerably too. Since mid July, I've only lost another twenty seven pounds. I'm fine with that. I'm sure if I step back up to the three times daily probiotics/psyllium husks, the vigilant meal tracking, and the running I'd be getting back to the faster rate of weight loss.
I want to add a couple of comments to address some of the concerns of others here that have given the book poor ratings. Those comments are:
** Food is too expensive, too hard to find items in the book **
It can be if you let it. I don't use very many of the products myself. I just read the nutrition labels in the stores, whether its my local supermarket or a natural foods store, or even a 7-Eleven. I can find something to eat just about everywhere, it just takes a little time to pay attention to the labels. Maybe this is because the recommended foods list didn't exist at the time I started the program, so I just naturally gravitate towards reading labels in the store.
What's featured in the book is to just give you ideas of what to look for. They don't have to be those specific brands as featured in the book. They're just there to illustrate that there's a variety of products out there that you can have. And sure, maybe Zevia is the only recommended soda in the book, but that's because it's the only one on the market made with all natural ingredients and doesn't have the toxic artificial sweeteners found in other sodas. I was personally amazed by how great tasting it was, their Root Beer flavor especially reminds me of how A&W Root Beer used to taste to me when I was a kid but doesn't any longer because it's now made with High Fructose Corn Syrup. And the good part is Zevia's Root Beer is not bad for you.
Another example is the Ezekiel breads that Jorge recommends. I've never tried it. I don't use enough breads at home to justify buying a loaf of any kind of because I usually have to throw out more bread than I use, so I just don't buy it. I also don't use the Whey powders because I think they're expensive. About the only expensive product I do regularly buy is 5-lb bags of Zylitol and I get those here on Amazon because the bigger bag costs less than buying 3 1-lb bags in local stores (which are the largest I can find locally) so it's like getting 2 lbs for free.
** Not a lifestyle, unrealistic to cut out fruits **
You don't have to completely eliminate fruits, you just choose ones like blackberries and blueberries which are low in sugar. The key is to drop sugar so that you can lose weight. Once you do lose the weight you want to lose, then you can add it back in if you like. Just go in moderation. You don't have to completely ban it from your life. If you're willing to have a smaller portion of a high sugar item you can have anything you want.
For example, if what you really want is a banana, assume the banana is 20 grams of sugar. Cut a banana into quarters and you can have a quarter of the banana with four separate meals, maybe add it to your sugar free cereal for breakfast or with a breast of chicken for lunch and then you do it again the next day with the other two quarters. You still get your banana and are compliant with the program. I did this with a tube of imported Smarties Chocolates from Europe (kind of like a plain M&M). In the past that tube wouldn't have lasted a day, but when I only had no more than five or six little pieces a day, that tube lasted me about 3 months. And really it satisfied me because I was happy with just a little taste of it.
** Recipes Too Difficult **
I've had a draft version of the book since July and that older draft version has about 95% of the recipes that's in the final version of the book. And I've still only ever made one recipe from the book. That recipe is the home made sugar free ice cream recipe. I'm not a cook nor will I pretend to be one.
While the recipe section of the book is the least useful to me, I still appreciate having it because it's got a wealth of ideas that I could try if I was feeling up to cooking. The bulk of my meals I've done on this program have come from restaurants and a significant number of them have been from fast food, which brings me to the next complaint...
** Not Fast Food Friendly **
On the contrary, I find this program is very complimentary to fast food as that's mostly what I've eaten. I am a single guy who doesn't cook, so drive-thrus tend to be where I get a lot of meals. I want quick, simple, and cheap and all of it is possible with this program. The trick is CUSTOMIZING. For example, if I'm getting a burger, I find out what sauces a restaurant puts on their burgers, and then ask them not to use them. The sugar free sauces you can have are mustard, and mayonnaise so I'll often ask to have that used instead of ketchup, barbeque, or "special" sauces. Then I'll ask to have my burger wrapped in lettuce. This lets me use my 6 carb servings per day on other foods. And KFC's Grilled Chicken is fantastic on this program and its delicious too.
** French Fries And Bacon Are Not Healthy **
I wouldn't necessary call these items the healthiest either, but they are low sugar options. What people seem to be forgetting here is that if you're overweight the chances are pretty good you're not eating the healthy, all natural foods that people are complaining this program is not advocating enough of.
If all you eat are highly processed packaged foods, fast foods, restaurant meals, and/or things that come in boxes with nutrition labels, then this program is going to show you that you can still do the same thing, but with some education, you'll learn to make better choices and use many of the same foods to actually lose weight instead of gain weight.
This makes the program very simple to follow and easy to incorporate into your life and make it a lifestyle. The easiest changes to make are small changes. Once you've made one small change, you can build on it by making another one. You don't go from a lifetime of McDonald's value meals to homemade Vegan meals overnight without it being a complete shock to the system. Sure the Vegan meal might be the better choice, but its a completely foreign concept to the Big Mac fan. This is just a first step to better eating, and seeing results is going to help motivate further changes where maybe the fries and bacon get left behind in favor of better food choices. The changes have to start somewhere and picking fries and bacon over a Jamba Juice smoothie is only a first step. The goal here is to kick the sugar habit and drop some pounds, once that's been achieved, then we can worry about making better food choices. |
Attention Sugar Addicts!
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| Review Date: January 3, 2010 |
| Reviewer: BostonBelle, Massachusetts |
| I found this book easy to read and the BFC 'lifestyle' even simpler to adapt to. The foods I eat can be found anywhere! Breakfast:Cheerios & Almond milk; Snack:string cheese; Lunch:Lean Cuisine Roast Turkey and Vegetables; Snack: Better Cheddars; Dinner: A salad made with turkey deli meat, avocado, lettuce, and Newmans Caesar dressing. If I want sugar in my cereal I add Truvia which is sold at 3 of my local grocers. If I want coffee, I order it with heavy cream and add a packet of Truvia. 'Legal' sugars are Stevia, Truvia or erythritol, and Xylitol. Weight Watchers worked for me for a while- but I craved sugar all the time!! The South Beach induction phase was too strict for me. The book offers 'Carb Swap' meals and Jorge's site offers alternatives if you're dining out. I occasionally hit McDonald's and I order an Angus burger no bun and a small fry. I no longer crave sugar and can easily satify my sweet tooth with Sugar free York peppermint patties or Sugar free Hershey squares. I love The Belly Fat Cure! |
Create a spreadsheet
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| Review Date: January 12, 2010 |
| Reviewer: DTSMA68, Tampa Bay area |
| I went through the entire book and created a spreadsheet of all the items not necessarily found in your local grocery store. Next, I went to all their websites and got the nutritional facts, i.e., carbs, sugars, protein, calories, and fiber. Also, the product website will give you stores where you can buy their product and I listed those stores in my spreadsheet. I printed it out and when to several local grocery and health stores and either bought alternatives or wrote them down for next time. Instead of using Rudi's muffin, I am using Thomas Better Start muffin. It has less sugar. Instead of using Seeds of Change pasta sauce, I am using Gia pasta sauce. It has 1 gram of sugar. I'm not mailing off for things because the shipping costs more. I might have to use preserves that have Splenda instead of Xylitol, but I'm not going to eat it everyday. The lifestlye can work. |
the Program makes you feel energized!
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| Review Date: January 5, 2010 |
| Reviewer: tbromfield, CA |
| The program of the Belly Fat Cure will make you feel better and kick up your energy a notch! I started with Jorge's program and loved it! There are some great simple ways to change you eating habits that are delicious and so good for you! When I started on the plan I was using coffee too keep my engery levels up after being on the program I had so much bounce in my step I couldn't wait to go for a walk, run, dance class or just run around chasing my kids. As with any program it is eating and exercise that makes it work, some plans I have tried just make me lethargic and I can't even think of exercising... Jorge's was the opposite with each meal I felt better and better and now exercise is part of my day and not a chore (even if it is playing chase with my kids it is exercise!) and I have the energy to do it. Also, Jorge takes the time to realize that real people need real solutions and takes the time to incorporate good store product knowledge that helps all of us be healthier! A great way to kick off the new year! |
Great blog about the BFC diet
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| Review Date: January 2, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Lovestargetmom, Lone Tree, CO United States |
| There is an excellent blog about the Jorge Cruise Belly Fat Cure Carb Swapping System. I don't think Amazon allows links to other sites, but Google "Me and Jorge". It has lots of information that is a good companion to this book. Just in case it works it is meandjorge blogspot com. You have to replace the with "." |
The sugar I was consuming before reading this book was out of this world
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| Review Date: January 11, 2010 |
| Reviewer: R. Guieb, Florida Keys |
| I bought this book right when it came out. I had already figured I was gaining pound after pound with all the sugar and carbs I was consuming prior to reading this book. Even though I need to lose weight, my main goal is to get healthier. In May 2009 I found out I was in remission from Stage IV Lymphoma and have felt that I needed to do more things to turn my life around to healthy. I enjoy this book from Jorge.. I wish there were more carb swaps in it. After almost two weeks I have no sugar craving, I bought Choco Perfection Chocolate Bars and Zevia soda even though I have not eaten or consumed much soda or chocolate, its a nice treat during the day. I am drinking lots of water, taking a probiotic, Omega 3, COQ10 and some other vitamins and minerals tailored to my situation as I do much research before I add anything into my diet. Again I am not on a diet, but after a few weeks I feel much better staying away from sugar and limiting my carbs to only whole grains. I dont consume fruit because I think the sugare are way too high for a sugar addict. My dad is a diabetic and my late grandmother was also, I am trying not to join that club. |
Great book AMAZING results!
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| Review Date: January 1, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Wendy City, Chicago |
| I think this book is outstanding! It's so easy to follow and works into my lifestyle just great! I know it seems hard to believe at first, but give it a shot, so far it's done wonders for me and I know it can do wonders for you too. I've already lost 5 pounds in just one week. can't wait to see what the future holds! Cutting sugar and lowering your carbs does wonders to change your body. Give it a shot! You won't regret it! |
Excellent plan, easy to use...lost 7 lbs in 3 weeks...
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| Review Date: January 2, 2010 |
| Reviewer: funmommy, Sunny SoCal |
I love the concept of this book and the ease of it. I did not have much to lose, but did have excess belly fat. Lost 7 pounds in the first 3 weeks and am almost at goal. I have also incorporated this way of eating for my whole family...kids too. I was SHOCKED to see how much sugar we were consuming even being a "healthy" family!
I was one of the online coaching members and really enjoyed the program. I just got the book and it is a GREAT compliment to the coaching I have already had and will keep me going. Great recipes, great easy explanation of the science of all the sugars and bad carbs we are eating and how it effects our belly fat.
As far as some of the other reviews go....here are my comments...
He does recommend eating certain foods, but really they are just examples. You can live this program anywhere in any store or restaurant. You just need to learn to read labels and track your carbs. It is not that hard. Plus it really did make me try to find alternatives to things I love, but have too much sugar. I found a GREAT chocolate that was not in his book, but still fit into the guidelines.
Also, regarding the 4-9 pounds in a week...if you look at the chart in the book it will tell you that common sense and JORGE states that if you only have 15 or so pounds to lose, you will probably not continually lose 4-9 pounds per week. Makes sense to me.
I think people want a quick and easy way to lose weight. What I say is that it is a choice to be healthy and we can choose to complain and blame people, products and diets along the way. The truth is that it is about deciding to take responsibility and do something about it. It is a proven fact that too much sugar and carbs not only promotes diseases but is the main contributing factor to being overweight. So, to find a book that easily shows you how to do some small corrections to live a life healthy and disease free sounds good to me.
Also, the recipes are all SOOOOO yummy!!!!!! Thank you Jorge for all of your passion and dedication to helping people. It really shows! And thanks for all the free video content on your website!! When I need a little pick me up I go there too! |
It WORKS, but can be challenging at times
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| Review Date: January 6, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Robby, USA |
I first saw Jorge Cruise on the Tyra Banks show about a year ago, he promoted the Belly Fat Cure website and said the book would be coming out the following year. I immediately went to his website and looked up the details of the diet. I was shocked to hear that I had to eat less than 15 grams of sugar in one day. I had to really cut down on milk, bananas, and other foods that have a surprising amount of sugar. BUT it worked...the first week my belly shrank a lot (I was following the diet and working out every other day). I mean I really noticed a difference, more than I have on any other eating plan.
Key points include eating low sugar complex carbs with lots of fiber, eating lots of lean meats/protein, good fats, non starchy vegetables, and low sugar fruits. He makes a good point that although fruit is good for you, non starchy vegetables give you the same nutrients without the added sugar (you can still eat fruit, but choose low sugar ones like berries). As for the natural sweeteners stevia and xylitol, they are a little costly and sometimes harder to find, but they give you more options to have sweet foods that you are accustomed to having. I love the fact that he mentions specific brands of products, I'm excited for all of them to become available in my area (like Clemmy's ice cream!).
Overall this is an effective plan. I will say that you should still exercise for the other benefits (cardio health, stress reduction, toned muscles) but the key to losing your belly is ALL about what you eat. If you find it impossible to stick to the 15/6 value everyday, at least you can learn to make better choices when you decide to stray from the plan a little. |
I Lost 13 pounds in 2 weeks!!!! It works!!!!
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| Review Date: January 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: S. Collins, |
| I couldn't wait to read this book and I am so glad I read it! I can't believe that after only 2 weeks of reading this book that I have lost 13 pounds! It was easy! Because of this book, I know that by next year this time I will have reached my weight goal and be able to maintain it. I can't wait to see myself 6 months from now!!! |
LOVE THE RECIPES!!
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| Review Date: January 8, 2010 |
| Reviewer: G. Armstrong, Chicago, IL USA |
As a mom of 3 active boys and not a lot of time to spend on myself and my health I find that this plan is very doable, realistic and delicious! The recipes are easy, tasty and my kids love them. My goal for the new year is to put myself and health first and this is going to be a sure fire way to make sure I stick to a healthy realistic plan. The idea of low sugar is good for me as I have always done better on a low sugar diet. The way Jorge explains the plan, insulin , sugar and how if you eat too much sugar and the wrong carbs that you will be chronically high in insulin really hit home. The book is a quick easy read that's full of fun facts, food lists, and again GREAT recipes. Definitely worth the money just for the recipes alone!
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His BEST book yet!
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| Review Date: January 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: K. Sandberg, Jacksonville, FL |
| PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE don't listen to any of the negative reviews given for this book! PLEASE READ all the positive as it states all the facts about how great and knowledgeable this book and author is. I own this book and just wish I had known this valuable priceless info earlier...say back in my twenties! Check it out for yourself and you won't be disappointed!!! |
One Month on Belly Fat Cure: 24 Pounds GONE!!!
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| Review Date: December 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Hippie Chick, Cambridge, MA United States |
I have been on the Belly Fat Cure for exactly 1 month. I am down 24 pounds!! My grocery bill has shrunk by $50 a week and I could not be happier with the program. I am an over 35 wife, mother, work outside the home woman and here are my observations:
1) The diet is cheap. I went out and bought Ezekiel bread in the beginning and it is still sitting in my fridge. It is delicious, but I have found that I like making sandwiches with the low-carb tortillas during the week. I have found store brand hot dog and hamburger buns that are the store brand, 2 for $4 and have 19 grams of carbs and 0 Sugar. I have found pasta found in Stop and Shop that is on sale has 0 sugar and carbs in the same range as the recommended pasta in BFC. This diet can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. No different than any other program like Weight Watchers or South Beach. You can buy their products or make your own. Make your own lemonade with Truvia and lemons. Make your own "spritzers" with carbonated water and a dash of unsweetened juice and Truvia. Buy used cookbooks on Amazon..I got one called, Desserts and Xylitol or something like that. Learn how to make you own and save money.
2) The diet is simple. My 15 year old son is on it and he does the diet about 80% of the time as he is a teenager and that is how teenagers are. The weekends he hangs out with friends and he does not go "crazy" but allows himself a few things within reason.
3)Exercise. Although Jorge does not recommend it. FOR ME, it just feels better to be moving. I do no less than 10 minutes and no more than 45 minutes 5 days a week. I went from being a "semi couch potato" on January 1st to a now energetic intermediate exerciser because (1) I finally have energy to work out! On other diets, I was starving, cranky and lethargic. ON BFC, I had so much energy and no aching bones, that I FINALLY could exercise with some regularity. Do you know how "freeing" that is?? I was doing a Jari Love video the other night and there is this section where a nutritionist talks about "nutrition" when working out and Low and Behold, she said something that went right back to what Jorge said. She said where Atkins diets failed, "CONTROLLED CARB" diets are addressing the needs of people who work out. I am sure that this nutritionist is no way affiliated with Jorge, but I was like YES! Exactly!! Again, you don't have to workout per the diet, but I feel so much better and with average of 30 minutes a day of exercise, that is nothing!
People stop me and ask what I am doing. When I explain it to them; they don't get it because we have been programmed to "diet" a certain way. I am done explaining. I give them the name of the book and let them look at my results. End of story.
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GET THIS BOOK!!!
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| Review Date: February 8, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Grammie Roons, Middletown, RI |
| As a confirmed sugar addict all my life (I'll be 59 this summer) I have tried everything to get the weight off. I spent over $300 last year going to a nutritionist, eating fruits and veggies and on her STRONG recommendation, switching to AGAVE. For 6 weeks I thought I was eating sugar free...no candy or baked goods but I still craved sweets every day. Between my yogurt with apple and raisins for breakfast and my big salad for lunch, I was consuming almost 100 grams of sugar a day in just those two meals! Every day was a struggle and I never felt any better. In 3 months I only lost 13 pounds and then gained back 20. I started the Belly Fat Cure 18 days ago and have lost 15 pounds, 3" from my waist, have more energy than I have had in years and have had NO SUGAR CRAVINGS!! I gave away 4 pair of size 18 jeans the first week and my size 16's are getting looser every day. I've given up Splenda, in everything except my sparkling waters as the soda Jorge recommends is too expensive. The recipes are FABULOUS with lots of variety. If you are struggling with belly fat and sugar addiction, GET THIS BOOK!!!! |
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