All It Takes is Eight Minutes
Health author Jorge Cruise speaks out about his success.
By Gigi Anders

Better pop some mega-vitamins and get lots of sleep before checking in with Jorge Cruise. The San Diego-based Mexican American fitness guru and New York Times bestselling author of “8 Minutes in the Morning” has more energy and less patience than a toddler on a dulce de leche high.

And why shouldn’t the newlywed Cruise be high? As of May 11, his book is one of only two authored by a Latino on The Times’ entire advice paperback list and the No. 24 “Health, Mind & Body” book on amazon.com.

The 32-year-old Cruise is also a multimedia favorite: Oprah Winfrey, Cristina Saralegui and all the gals on The View count on him to advise them and their audiences about the freedom, energy and how-to of being in shape.

Born George Maurer, Cruise and sister Marta grew up overweight and asthmatic with their German American father and Mexican mother in Mexico City. Cruise recalls overdosing on such heavy-duty Mexican goodies as abuelita’s quesadi-llas and nachos—a Hispanic way of showing affection for the one you love. The family moved to San Diego when Cruise was a baby.

A graduate of the University of California at San Diego, Cruise had a health epiphany when his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer and his mother developed osteoarthritis. With a lifestyle change in food and exercise, Cruise’s father survived, but his mother did not. The loss left Cruise with the desire to study exercise science and nutrition, and to create what he calls “a health revolution.” Soon, Cruise became a personal trainer and started a bilingual website (www.jorgecruise.com).

HISPANIC: Portion control and exercise is painful enough. But not seeing food as love in the Hispanic culture? Them’s fightin’ words.
Jorge Cruise: We as Latinos have to have a wake-up call. Food is not love. And we will destroy our health if we don’t change.

H: The majority of Americans are overweight. How are Hispanics any different?
JC: Research shows that Latinos, and minorities in general, are more obese than the general population. Hispanic women, in particular, become obese faster than [non-Hispanic] white women.

H: Because of black beans and cheese empanadas and the fact that we have more babies than anybody else?
JC: No, because we are wrong as a culture. We’ve been taught that cariño equals food. And because we tend to be emotional eaters, eating not because we’re physically hungry but because we’re stressed, depressed and lonely. It’s easy to turn to food for comfort, support and friendship. We have to snap out of it.

H: Are there any “bad” foods on your program?
JC: There are no bad foods, only bad portions. I still love quesadillas, pizza, hamburgers, brownies and ice cream but not 500 at one sitting! My book also has healthy recipes and suggestions for tasty but less greasy cooking.

H: Why eight minutes and why in the morning?
JC: I want to keep it simple, practical and realistic for overwhelmed, time-strapped people, which is most of us. I don’t want to add more things to people’s plates, so to speak. We all can find eight minutes to do strength-training with dumbbells at home. Each day you work two different muscle groups, which keeps you from getting bored, with Sundays off for good behavior. It’s better than aerobics, which can be too uncomfortable people who are overweight. And morning is the best time to work out, because that’s when your metabolism is at its slowest; so you want to kick-start it first thing. Exercising for eight minutes in the morning should become as automatic as brushing your teeth.

H: Is there anyone who can’t or shouldn’t do your program?
JC: You should always consult with your doctor first. So far I haven’t run across anyone who can’t do it. Even children can do it, using lighter weights. The only one in my family not doing it is our pug, Ricky. And Ricky might be next!