FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Don't feel bad, guys -- not even the super-buff are immune to love handles. A case in point is Bob Paris, a former Mr. Universe turned writer/motivational speaker. Paris was rock-solid throughout his 20s, but when he retired from competitive bodybuilding at age 31, things began to change: "I was fortunate enough to have a great metabolism, so I didn't get visibly overweight, but my muscle mass dwindled under my shirt -- where I once had champion abdominals -- pockets of fat were slowly sneaking up on me."

Imagine the horror! And that was only the beginning. As he approached age 40, Paris's metabolism slowed down, his cholesterol started to rise, his joints ached, and his self-image took a nose dive. What's a former hard-body to do?

Transform himself in 12 weeks, of course. Prime tells you how he did it and how you can, too. Granted, you may be starting from a slightly different place than a former Mr. Universe, but Paris takes this into account in laying out his plan for men over 40 to get fit, look good, and feel great.

The book is broken down into five parts: Stop the Clock, Motivated Mind, Fit Body, Sound Nutrition, and Great Looks. You'll likely find some parts far more useful than others. Paris is at his best writing about and illustrating specific types of exercises (as in the Fit Body section), especially when he reveals why a calm presence and perfect technique are essential for achieving the desired results: He has no time for men with big egos who throw weights around in the gym or bounce the bench-press bar off their chests. The material on Great Looks is wisely presented last, since his talk of skin care products, plastic surgery, and hair loss seems uninspired and out of place by comparison.

Still, whether or not facials and fake tanning lotions are for you, Paris clearly knows what keeps him mentally and physically sharp post-40, and in Prime he shares his formula for success in a way that any man on the verge of a midlife crisis can follow. (P. L. Jennings)

FROM THE PUBLISHER