Jorge Cruise Workout and Diet

Fitness Expert
Born: 1971

Jorge Cruise was born in Mexico City but grew up in San Diego. His mother was an actress and Cruise was raised by his strict grandmother. He has a BA from the University of California, San Diego and fitness credentials from the American College of Sports Medicine, the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research and the American Council on Exercise. Overweight for most of his youth, his father’s cancer diagnosis and his own burst appendix compelled Cruise to pay attention to his health and he lost 40 lbs. He started out working for Tony Robbins but his big break came when Oprah hired him as her personal trainer and he appeared on her show and in O magazine. He has also worked with other high-profile individuals including Bill Clinton, Tyra Banks and Kelly Clarkson. Cruise has written several best-sellingweight loss books which have sold over 8 million copies around the world. He is a contributing editor for several magazines including USA Weekend, First for Women and O magazine. He has also appeared on several tv shows including CNN, Good Morning America and The Today Show. In 2011, he founded the Jorge Cruise Foundation to promote health awareness. Cruise has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.

Known For:

Author Trainer

Jorge Cruise’s Diet

Diet Summary

Cruise yo-yo dieted for years before finding an effective plan to keep the pounds off. His theory of weight loss has evolved over time, moving from boosting metabolism to increasing lean muscle to small, frequent meals to low-carb to his latest, The Cruise Control Diet which he calls ‘better than keto.’ It combines elements of the ketogenic diet (high fat, low-carb) with intermittent fasting. His goal with this diet is to simplify decision-making about what to eat while still offering effective weight loss. The Cruise Control Diet emphasizes whole foods which help the body burn fat, and avoiding processed and pre-packaged foods which he says cause the body to store fat. You do not have to count calories or macros, or keep a diet journal, and you are allowed regular treats to avoid feeling deprived. Cruise strongly believes that insulin contributes to belly fat, which in turn contributes to cancer, type II diabetes and heart disease. He also considers hydration to be crucial, and recommends drinking enough water so you don’t feel ‘false hunger’ which is actually thirst.

Estimated Macros

Low Carb 15% 15%

Medium Protein 35% 35%

High Fat 65% 65%

Diet Details

Listen to Your Body

If you want to lose weight, whole wheat bread, couscous and quinoa are evil.’

Stay Natural

Cruise advocates eating only foods found in nature, and eliminating all processed foods. He says that by eating whole foods, we feel full naturally, rather than by having to read the side of a box or bag to determine portion size.

Intermittent Fasting

Cruise advocates a fasting period of 16 hours (or longer) per day. When the body is in fasting mode, it burns fat rather than glucose, and insulin remains switched off, offering many health benefits. If you feel hungry while you are meant to be fasting, he recommends having fat as a way to keep the body from releasing insulin.

Cruise Control Coffee

As a way to keep the fast going, Cruise recommends (and drinks himself) coffee with 1 teaspoon of MCT oil, coconut oil or grass-fed butter in the morning as it does not affect insulin levels. As an alternative to coffee, Cruise recommends Crio Bru which is made from cocoa and is caffeine-free.

Pass the Salad

Although whole grains and fruit are not considered off limits, meals on Cruise’s plan are primarily composed of a protein such as salmon, eggs or poultry, along with a salad or side of vegetables.

Treat Yourself

Cruise knows firsthand that being too strict with yourself usually leads to failure, therefore cheat meals are allowed twice a week.

What to Eat

Whole foods

Cabbage

Broccoli

Avocados

Tomatoes

Spinach

Carrots

Leafy greens

Potatoes

Poultry

Fish

Olive oil

Feta cheese

Nuts

Seeds

Oranges

Apples

Watermelon

Bananas

Blueberries

Pineapple

What to Avoid

Processed food

Refined sugar

Soft drinks

Junk foods

Chemical additives

Artificial sugars

Orange juice

Low fat or fat-free yogurt

Dried fruit

Glutenains

{

Cruise On The Secret To Food Combining

‘The only secret to food combination is a balance of protein, carbs and fat. They all play a key role in our health.’

{

Cruise On The Keto Diet

‘Keto after 90 days can cause fatty liver damage…You’ll be rail thin, but you’ll have fatty liver and liver disease. It makes no sense to do keto long-term.’

{

Cruise On Dealing With Hunger

‘When my clients are hungry, we’ll suppress the appetite with healthy fats. You will not gain any weight, you won’t break the fast and you’ll lose a pound of belly fat [a week].’

{

Cruise On Diet & Sugar

‘You cannot out-train a poor diet…I don’t care if you have 10 hours a day at the gym…You’ve got to avoid sugar.’

{

Cruise On Ancient Grains

If you want to lose weight, whole wheat bread, couscous and quinoa are evil.’

Jorge Cruise’s Workout Routine

Weekly Workout Routine



Rise & Shine

Cruise recommends exercising first thing, before we get too busy with the rest of our day. He has an 8-minute exercise plan he says even night owls can get up and do.



Commit & Feel Virtuous

Cruise says there are 2 good reasons to exercise early: 1) because morning is often the only time we have control over and 2) because it feels good to know you’ve done something good for yourself as your first order of business. Developing a morning routine means consistency, which delivers results.



Save Time

Cruise’s workouts incorporate weight resistance with cardio to get maximum benefits in minimum time.



Watch Your Stress

Cruise says stress causes the body to store fat. So if your goal is weight loss, don’t neglect your mental state.

Workout Style

A Jorge Cruise 8-Minute Routine

You will need a pair of dumbbells that are heavy enough to make the 12th rep difficult.

Warm-up: 1 min of marching in place, knees high, arms pumping.

Monday
Chest: Lie on back, knees bent, feet on floor, elbows bent and dumbbells in hand. Exhale as you lift dumbbells straight up, keeping elbows slightly bent. Hold for 1 sec., then return to starting position. Do 12 reps, alternating sets with back exercise that follows. Do 4 sets of each exercise. Do not rest between sets.

Back: Leaning forward in chair, hold dumbbells with arms extended, elbows slightly bent. Exhale as you slowly bend elbows, pulling arms up. When they reach the top of your thighs, hold for 1 sec., then lower. Do 12 reps, alternating sets with chest exercise above. Do 4 total sets. No rest between sets.

Tuesday
Shoulders: Standing feet shoulder-width, arms at sides, core engaged, exhale as you lift dumbbells out to sides until they are slightly higher than shoulder-level, palms facing down. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps, alternating sets with the abdominal exercise that follows. No rest between sets.

Abs: Lying on back, knees bent, feet on floor. Bend elbows and grasp hands below chin. Keeping lower body still, exhale and curl torso to lift shoulder blades off floor. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps & alternate with shoulder exercise above for 4 sets of each. Do not rest between sets.

Wednesday
Triceps: Lying on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor, hold dumbbells next to ears, elbows up. Exhale and slowly straighten arms, raising dumbbells toward ceiling. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps & alternate with the exercise below for 4 sets of each. No rest between sets.

Biceps: Stand feet shoulder-width, arms at sides. Hold dumbbells, palms facing forward. Keeping elbows close to sides, exhale and curl arms up to just past 90 degrees. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps & alternate with the exercise above for 4 sets of each. Do not rest between sets.

Thursday
Hamstrings: Lie on back, arms straight, palms on floor, heels on chair. Exhale & contract your thighs to lift pelvis off floor. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps & alternate with the exercise below for 4 sets of each. Do not rest between sets.

Quads: Stand, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, arms at sides. Keeping back straight and core engaged, squat as if sitting in a chair. Do not allow knees to extend further than toes. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps & alternate with the exercise above for 4 sets of each. No rest between sets.

Friday
Calves: Stand, feet shoulder-width, holding dumbbells at sides, elbows not locked. Keep chest erect, shoulders down, core engaged as you rise up on tiptoes. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps & alternate with exercise below for 4 sets of each. No rest between sets.

Glutes: On hands and knees, lift left leg to hip height, knee bent. Exhale & push heel toward ceiling. Hold for 1 sec., then inhale and return to starting position. Do 12 reps per leg & alternate with exercise above for 4 sets of each. Do not rest between sets.

{

Cruise On Night Owls

‘I truly believe that there’s no such thing as not being a morning person; that’s all in your head.’

{

Cruise On Fat-Burning

‘The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more efficiently your body burns fat.’

{

Cruise On Strength Training

‘Normally when you lose weight, you lose 75% of it as fat and 25% of it as muscle. When you do strength training, you lose nearly all fat and no muscle.’

{

Cruise On Muscles

‘Every pound of muscle burns approximately 50 calories every day, just doing nothing.’

Jorge Cruise’s Supplements

Omega-3s

Cruise recommends omega-3s because they counteract many unwanted signs of aging such as stiff joints. They also improve cholesterol levels, heart health and mental state. Flaxseed oil is a vegetarian option for those who don’t want or cannot take fish oil. Cruise recommends taking healthy oils in the morning because they act as an appetite suppressant.

Valerian

Cruise says quality sleep is key. If you’re not getting enough, you can try using a natural sleep aid such as valerian which reduces anxiety, lowers blood pressure and alleviates cramps.

Melatonin

Melatonin is another supplement that Cruise recommends if you’re having trouble sleeping.

Magnesium

Cruise also recommends magnesium. It can also help you get better quality sleep as it regulates blood pressure and also helps reduce anxiety.

Vitamin E

Cruise recommends antioxidant vitamin E because it promotes good brain function, is good for your skin, and is not as easily absorbed as well as we age.

Vitamin B12

Cruise recommends vitamin B12, especially for vegans and vegetarians because it is difficult to get from plant-only sources.

Calcium

Cruise recommends calcium for many reasons: to keep bones strong, to reduce muscle cramps and spasms, to help regulate blood pressure and to get better sleep.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D also helps keep bones strong, and while we can make it from sun exposure, most people do not get enough and so Cruise says a supplement is a good idea.

Probiotics

Cruise recommends probiotics to anyone who is not at their goal weight. They aid with digestion, which will help move trapped waste out of your body. Cruise says 3 bowel movements daily is ideal, and probiotics can help restore proper digestive function.

Jorge Cruise’s Lifestyle



Sleep = Super Important

Cruise says we all need at least 8 hours to keep hormones balanced. This gives us natural growth hormone which helps keep us young.



Say Goodbye to Inflammation With Magnets

Cruise recommends a technology called PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) which relieves stress as well as pain. It can also help you get better sleep.



Healing Heat

Cruise is a fan of infrared saunas and says they offer a range of health benefits: detoxification, pain relief, improved immunity, weight loss and they can even help you look younger.



Modern Family

Cruise came out in 2010 and married his partner Sam Ayers in 2016. They have 2 sons.

{

Cruise On Sleep

‘If you’re not getting quality sleep, your hormones will be in havoc.’

{

Cruise On Public Health Teachings

‘Everything we’ve been taught about health, weight loss and aging is wrong.’

{

Cruise On Difficulties

‘Remember that setbacks are only challenges in disguise. Look at them as lessons…don’t waste time beating yourself up. Just get back on track and focus on what you want.’

{

Cruise On Sugar And Depression

‘Not only does eating too much sugar lead to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay, it is also one of the biggest contributors to low energy and feelings of being overwhelmed—it has even been scientifically linked to depression.’

{

Cruise On Coming Out

‘I finally realized that being gay is not something to be hidden or fixed…I am blessed to finally be living life outside the closet.’