Customer Reviews

The Complete Book of Fitness: Mind, Body, Spirit

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Can't say enough good things about this book. I am a fitness-book-junkie, so books that just cover the basics don't do too much for me. Although this book is written in language suitable for beginners, it covers some of the more advanced concepts dealing with strength and endurance training. I have put some of the principles I learned in this book into practice, and noticed a difference after just a few weeks.

I think the people who will find this book most useful are those who regularly work out, but have never been able to afford a personal trainer. This book cost far less than one session with a trainer, and I learned plenty.

There's nothing more frustrating than diligently adhering to a fitness regimen and not getting the results you expected. If this has ever happened to you, you must read this book.

So many times we start with good intentions but bad advice. Or our bodies work differently than we expected them to. Knowledge is very powerful, and it helps you take control of your health and really understand your body. Instead of getting frustrated, blaming yourself, and giving up, get some facts.

Here are just a few of the fitness issues this book resolved for me:

Q: How long do I need to do aerobics to burn fat?
A: (p.160) 15-25 minutes for men, 25-40 for women.

Q: Why aren't my muscles getting big, like men's muscles?
A: (p.147) Women's muscles get denser, not larger.

Q: How often should I strength train?
A: (p.113) Two or three times per week, for 30-60 minutes.

Q: What is this pain I get down my arm during lateral raises?
A: (p.79) Sounds like impingement syndrome, a swelling of the rotator cuffs.

I have yet to approach this book with a question and come away without an answer.

To review the contents briefly, the book is divided into:

Strength Training, including
- Muscle charts
- Exercise guides
- Equipment
- Posture and breathing
Cardiovascular Training, including
- Energy and burning fat
- Stretching and flexibility
- Pregnancy
- Injuries, muscles and ligaments
Diet & Nutrition, including
- Alcohol, caffeine and food additives
- Phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins
- Dieting and digestion
- Fat, protein and carbohydrates
Wellness, including
- Yoga, tai chi and chi kung
- Aromatherapy and homeopathy
- Chinese medicine and ayurveda
- Depression and stress

And much more, of course. Fantastically useful. If you own one fitness book, let this be it. Odds are good that you'll never need another.

In the world of fitness, I can tell you I have seen a lot of crazy fads that people go for. With every fad I have seen people loose the weight yet pack it back on in a few months time. I'm not only writing a review on this awsome book, but also want to say if it seems too good to be true guess what... it is. Please do not risk your health to loose some pounds. It's just not worth it. Going on same crazy diet where you eat watermelon and drink gallons of water will not work. Trust me.

I read a lot of books on fitness and such and I can honestly say this book is by far the best I own. It's the ONLY book I own. It has everything and I often go back to it when developing a new program for a client. It includes sections on strength and cardio training, Explains what muscle an exercise works with detailed diagrams as well as how to perform the exercise. If your starting out or at an advance level, this book is honest and stright forward. No crap...just the honest facts.

I would also like to take this chance to say that I believe a healthy body makes for a healthy mind. Accept your body for what is it. It is a gift... take care of it, treat it with respect. Set realistc goals for yourself. This book will help you get there. Health and fitness does not have to be chore.

Best of Health to you!

This book is one of the best finds! It is simple to understand, easy to read, and breaks down all aspects of health and fitness into a language that even the novice can comprehend. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about their bodies and getting fit.

A 5 star book for someone new trying to stay/get in shape (not the bodybuilder) and maintain healthy outlook. Keep it out on the coffee table to keep youself on the ball, and don't give up.

This book is a well-rounded way to begin your quest for fitness. It represents the age-old methods of keeping your body fit while rightfully ignoring the fads. However, this book does not accurately represent the newest medical findings i.e. the last year and a half. I also found that some important ideas behind overall health were not addressed. As a side note, this book is also poorly organized and works better as a reference and not a cover-to-cover read.

In general, this book is a good supplement to reading current information (such as Health Magazine) and other fitness books. In life you must always cross reference information and question its valididty.

This book has EVERYTHING you need to know to be healthy, happy, and most importantly fit. It has great detail (which it not boring nor complicated) that is very thorough. This book is much better than the magazine. I workout off an on maybe 3 times a week and really need motivation to workout. After the first few pages of this book I wanted to work out everyday to my full potential. You don't need a personal trainer to look like a goddess. With the illustrations and chapters in this book. You will have all the tools and motivation to do it yourself. Whether in shape or someone just wanting to better their health it's a definite reference book you want to have in your home library.

This book has answered so many questions for me. Being overweight it was important for me to understand why I was doing what I was doing and how each change would effect my body. This book helped so much that I lost 80 lbs. I had gained some of this weight back and was getting very discouraged. I pulled this book off the shelf again and reread all the information I needed to motivate me.

Every women wants the answers and know how to speed up their metabolism and want to know what to eat before and after their workouts. Everything is here. Plus, do you know how hard and how long you need to workout to burn fat vs. build muscle or stay burning suger. This book will tell you. I could never say enough about this book!! It makes you understand what you should do and tells you how you can acheive it.

This book is so good i keep refering back to it over other books and tapes i own. It's so good i have to keep buying new ones because my friends "borrow" it. You need this book!

This book just about covers everything you would want to know about fitness. You can look up any questions you may have about diet, exercise or health. I find it really helpful.