Fitness Confidential: Adventures In the Weight Loss Game by Vinnie Tortorich and Dean Lorey

America’s Angriest Trainer, Vinnie Tortorich, exposes the nasty underbelly of the fitness industry while getting you into the best shape of your life. For over 20 years, Vinnie has been Hollywood’s go-to guy for celebrities and athletes looking to get fit fast. Now, in this hilarious and R-rated memoir, he holds nothing back. What’s the best piece of fitness equipment money can buy? What’s the fastest way to lose weight: diet or exercise? Why are health clubs worse than used car lots? In "Fitness Confidential" Vinnie tells all. Get ready to get fit, get inspired and get the dirt with Hollywood’s most outrageous personal trainer!

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Listen to the "Fitness Confidential Podcast"

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Fitness Confidential Notes:

0:00 - Intro to Fitness Confidential

Underlying theme: "Your good intentions have been stolen, I'm here to help you get them back"Intended audience: Anyone who is ready to improve their healthPurpose of the book: Help you lose weight, get fit, change your diet, kick your ass - all while being entertaining as hell

5:45 - How easy is the book to read?

Easy reading, great stories, super entertainingPrint: 250 pages (5-6 hours)Audio: 7 hours

6:45 - Reviews and Significance

Well known (1,550 4½-star reviews on Amazon)#84 in Audible Health and Fitness

WASM Article: The Best Diet You've Never Heard Of

11:00 - Bio of Vinnie Tortorich

Born September 27, 1962 - 57 Years Old Grew up in New Orleans. Attended Tulane University on a football scholarship. Became strength & conditioning coach (aka PE Teacher) for Newman High School and then branched out into personal training.Hosted “Talking Fitness” the top-rated radio show in New OrleansMoved to Beverly Hills and became an elite fitness trainer for HollywoodHis appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show is #7 most-watched OWS of all timeUltra athlete. Has competed in multiple ultra distance races, including the world championships of 24-hour mountain bike racing and the legendary Furnace Creek 508Wrote a kid’s novel called “Monty: A Friendship Can Lead To a Miracle” (nobody has heard of this book)

12:30 - Major Themes of the Book

Growing up as a skinny, scared kid and how lifting weights changed everything for himTransitioning from personal training and radio show in New Orleans to Hollywood personal trainer Becoming ultra athlete - repeated failures - Furnace Creek 508Leukemia battleSuccess! Becoming a best-selling author and famous podcaster

Jay's perspectives

Super entertaining / Lots of personal stories about TortorichI learned: It's great to love your clientsCritique: Book is too short!Q for Tortorich: What do you eat on an 18-hour bike ride?Recommended reading: "Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It" by Gary Taubes

Matt's perspectives

The first nutrition book I got into / Tortorich is a true trainer that has changed thousands of livesThis book changed my paradigm about foodCritique: Too short - I want moreQ for Tortorich: If you have questions, listen to his podcast!Recommended Reading: "Eat Happy: Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb Recipes Made from Real Foods For A Joyful Life" by Anna Vocino

Jay's favorite quote from "Fitness Confidential"

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle: when the sun comes up, you’d better be running (African proverb)....This is true for lions and gazelle everywhere, except in one place - captivity. They don’t run because they don’t have to. Their food is provided for them. All they have to do is eat it. So they sit there lounging and grazing contentedly, not realizin