5-Factor Fitness: The Diet and Fitness Secret of Hollywood's A-List

by Ethan Boldt and Harley Pasternak

Book Overview

Harley Pasternak, M.Sc., holds an MS in exercise physiology and nutritional sciences from the University of Toronto, and an honors degree in kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario. He is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399532099
• Release Date: December 2005
• Publisher: TarcherPerigee
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

It really works!!!

I have tried billions of diet plans. 12 months ago I weighed nearly 200 pounds. I picked up this book at a local library one day, sat down and read it, as I have read plenty of diet books, and once I put it down after finishing it I started my diet. The first thing I did was go to the pantry and ate a donut! I started on the cheat day. Then the next day I started with the 25 minute workouts and the eating plan. In ten months I lost 66 pounds and I'm still losing. Without the cheat day I don't think this would have worked for me. I love to eat, and I love my junk food, and my cheat days allow me to eat just that, while fitting into a size 6 for the first time in my life!!

This program REALLY works

I've been on the program for 2 weeks and have already lost 5 pounds and seen a huge change in my body shape. Five pounds may not seem like much, but I'm not overweight and was merely looking to lose a few pounds (who doesn't) and tone up and flatten the stomach a bit. I used to spend lots of time in the gym which helped me keep my weight down, but with Harley's program I've FINALLY toned-up with MUCH less effort! And I have much more energy now too. It really can be done in less than 30 minutes a day (which I was very skeptical about at first). AND you don't have to spend lots of money at a fitness center. But I must admit, three days a week I usually put in a good 15 minutes of high intensity cardio at the end (instead of 5 minutes), which according to his plan is okay. So my workout can go to 40 minutes. This plan is so EASY to follow. No more spending hours at the gym and buying fancy products to eat. This book is practical and simply THE BEST....and IT WORKS! I can't urge you enough to try it and see the results yourself.

Give Me 5!

I have long been a 5-er. In my early 20's as a weightlifter, I would eat 5 smaller meals a day, and spent half the time in the gym than the gym rats did, and it worked wonders. So when I saw Harley Pasternak's book, 5-Factor Fitness, I knew he had put together a helpful book, and not just another piece of firewood for the health, weight loss and fitness industry. In 5-Factor Fitness encourages you to work out less and eat more. Yes, you heard me correctly. Work out less and eat more. Eating 5 meals a day raises you metabolism and provides a steady stream of vital nutrients, including protein, that help you body maximize a tone, fit, physique. And working out less? Well, most people who are gym rats over train. It is a myth that you need to live in the gym. "Overtraining" is very common and can tax your body. The rest in between training, and proper nutrition, are actually just as important in keeping your body rested, healthy, fit and running the way you want it to. From Harley Pasternak's website: "5-FACTOR FITNESS is based on the simple premise that less is more, especially when it comes to exercise and planning meals. There is no magic, no hidden secret. Instead, this plan taps solid scientific research as well as the author's vast experience as a personal trainer and as a consultant to military organizations on two continents. With a master's degree in exercise physiology and nutritional science as well as an honors degree in kinesiology, Pasternak is an expert on how the body works. Here he pulls together his best advice for training and fueling it efficiently. 5-FACTOR FITNESS calls for five workouts per week and each workout lasting just 25 minutes. Combining strength training and aerobics in five five-minute intervals, these short, intense workouts are designed so that people stick with the program over the long haul. No need to join a gym or buy expensive equipment; the program calls for only a workout bench and a few dumbbells." Try this program and drop you overtraining routine and dietary obsessions. Great book.

I am in love!!!

As an ex-dancer, ex-anorexic, and a student of nutrition, I have done everything and known everything. While living on 1,000 calories a day and working out for 2 hours every day- I thought this plan would make me gain weight.....boy, was I wrong! I could write a novel on how much I love this plan- but I'll spare you. Overall, I am converted for life to this wonderful plan- you can sustain it forever, actually eat, it doesnt provoke those pesky "eating disorder" obsessions or habits, and I get a cheat day to eat my beloved ice cream! I've done this plan for a month now- and already the muscle tone in my arms, shoulders, and stomach speaks wonders. I actually LOVED being soar, because I knew this plan was working. Best of all, it keeps challening my body- so I continue to be soar in new ways. I can't wait to give this another month to see where my results take me- and I love reading other people's success and progress with this plan. Please feel free to contact me at va_monroe@yahoo.com. Thanks!

The best about fitness I have ever read!

I love the book. I agree that there is not enough talk about streching, but all the rest - I LOVE IT. I work as fitness instructor for years, and the biggest problem (even for myself), was to keep myself motivated. With this program, you're done in one hour. I always do half hour cardio after weight training. If you REALLY do the exercises as perfectly as you can and do your best with every lift, 5 minutes for one muscle is enough. As a woman, I can say it works, I don't know about men, though, I work more with women and we see results and it works for my clients and for me. I do some other excercises to, but the concept of the book is great. I love the book - it's simple, you don't need any special equipment, you can do it on traveling, you don't need special food and the best of it - it's not too hard to stay on for months! Oh, and I prefer working out 6 days a week, not only 5. But one day is off...LOVE IT! P.S. sorry for my not perfect english, I come from Europe... ; ) Thank you HARLEY!!!!!