Get fit with Jorge Cruise: America's newest weight-loss guru tells you how to shed two pounds a week - related articles: Avoid the fat trap, Your sample 8-minute weight-loss week

Better Nutrition, August, 2002

Some fats are not good for you and are converted to body fat faster than others. To avoid fattening, unhealthful fats, you need to understand what types of foods they are concealed in.

saturated fats. Found exclusively in high amounts in animal products such as beef, milk, cheese, lunchmeat, butter and bacon. You can can avoid these fats--and continue to eat animal products--if you:

* Choose lower-fat options such as white meat chicken and turkey without the skin, and reduced-fat dairy products. Look for the lowest-fat options of red meat. You can also try great-tasting soy versions of traditional meat.

* Watch your portion size. Think of meat and dairy as condiments, not as your main course. Hold yourself to a 3- to 6-ounce serving of meat a day, roughly the size of one to two decks of cards.

trans fats. Also called hydrogenated fats, trans fats have no physical purpose in your body. They are a type of fat you could cut completely out of your diet and your body would never notice the difference. These fats are made when foods are processed, so they can be found in just about everything that has been boxed or changed from its natural state. Common trans fat culprits include biscuits, cakes, chips, crackers, doughnuts, muffins, cinnamon buns, pie crusts, many types of popcorn and shortening.

All fats are not created equal. Healthy fats--the omegas--can be found in flaxseed oil, flaxseeds and cold-water fish such as salmon or tuna.

RELATED ARTICLE: Your sample 8-minute weight-loss week.

Jorge Cruise

You do only two exercises each morning. They change every day, so by week's end you've worked on all your muscle groups. Make sure to pick a dumbbell that allows you to complete 12 repetitions but leaves you too fired for a 13th--by challenging your muscles you will get better results. The basics are the same: Do 12 reps of one, switch immediately to the other, and go back and forth that way until you've completed 4 sets of each. You're finished after only 8 minutes.

monday

strengthen your chest

Keep your knees hip-width apart, hands shoulder-width apart, pelvis down and head straight so your body makes a straight line. Inhale as you lower your chest to the floor, keeping your back straight and abs tight. Exhale as you push back up.

strengthen your back

Exhale and extend your right arm and left leg. Balance on your right knee and hold for three seconds. Exhale as you lower your arm and leg. Repeat on opposite side for one rep.

tuesday

strengthen your shoulders

Bend forward from the waist with a dumbbell in each hand and arms slightly bent at your side. Exhale and raise dumbbells out to the side. Hold for one second. Inhale as you lower your arms.

strengthen your abs

With heels above the floor, exhale as you slowly bring your heels and knees toward your torso until your thighs and knees make a 90-degree angle. Hold for one second; exhale as you extend your legs back out.

wednesday

strengthen the front of your arms

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing out and arms relaxed at your sides. Exhale and curl your arms up toward your shoulders, keeping wrists straight. Hold arms just above a 90-degree angle for one second, as shown. Exhale and lower your arms.