Customer Reviews

In Fitness And In Health

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4 star:		(3)
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As someone trying to reclaim his former health fitness when I was a multisport jock, I ran into a series of roadblocks-- illness, injury, being just on the other side of 50--and I grew increasingly frustrated by my lack of progress. The other fitness books weren't helping me either; they were all too formulaic or filled with training tables. Where Maffetone's book differs--and why I find his information and advice a genuine gold mine-- is his approach to the human body as a holistic enterprise, beginning with one's diet. With a mixture of common-sense observations, insightful recommendations, and guidance about exercise and nutrition, this book will remain my "go-to" book for years to come. I learned stuff about how running shoes cause foot and knee injuries, why wheat is bad for you, burning fat properly through slower aerobic workouts, and so on. I have three words for this book: "Thank you, Phil."

As a triathlete, I constantly struggle to eat and exercise in a way that optimizes my racing time. In a world of conflicting advice about fats and carbs, aerobic and anerobic, I welcomed In Fitness and in Health as a sane guidebook. Dr. Maffetone offers real methods to attain and maintain health, and stories about real people whom he has helped to take charge of their health and gain better lives.

In Fitness and in Health takes a novel approach to wellness, suggesting that it is up to each of us to take charge of the long-term care of our bodies. Dr. Maffetone advocates that medicine can help cure disease, but that we can prevent it. In a health book unlike all others I have read, he uses a simple formula of diet, exercise and lifestyle management to create and maintain optimal health and fitness.

Some of what Dr. Maffetone advocates surprised and enlightened me. He cuts through the confusion of Atkins and South Beach to explain what foods are truly bad for us, and that some foods we've been taught to avoid are actually highly beneficial for health. Dr. Maffetone looks at food as something to be enjoyed, and diet as a means to optimize our bodies' functionality. Followers of his diet system won't find themselves limited, but liberated.

Dr. Maffetone's wise words about disease and injury prevention have given me the tools to continue a life of racing, problem-free, for decades to come. His chapters about stress remind me that a too-hectic life is as bad for the body as a poor diet, and his stress-management techniques help me take control. His ideas about increasing energy levels are applicable to training, work, and life in general. I highly recommend this book.

As a family doctor committed to true disease prevention in myself and for my patients, In Fitness and In Health has been my main source of useful information about nutrition, lifestyle, and exercise. I first learned of Dr. Maffetone's work in 1997. From that time on, his health message changed my life and the lives of hundreds of my patients. This 5th edition of In Fitness and In Health contains even more important and practical information and spans all the major issues of "self health". With the tremendous health care crisis humans face, Dr. Maffetone astutely points out that the real solution to broken health care systems begins with each individual--taking responsibility for their own well being. Fortunately, he provides the inspiration and the information to make it real for anyone ready to take on living everyday toward superb health and fitness. Bravo.

A solid book all the way around. He gets into changing your metabolism to a fat baised system. He has great ideas on exercise and how to make your system much more effieient. I have used his basic ideas on exercise for fifteen years and love them. I was a good college swimmer and have found with his ideas I am faster now in my late fifties than I was in college with much less effort.

I'm not given to exaggeration and dramatic statements, but it is true for this book. Dr. Phil is one of those guys who's been saying things for ages that the 'mainstream' (medicine, science etc.) have only now begun to realize and accept as true.

This book is a text book, a manual on living naturally and holistically. Learn the truth about fats, protein, whole food supplements, fitness, footwear, and much, much more. Dr. Phil is one of those lone, dissenting, 'voices in the wilderness' that is hard to hear amongst all the crap that is blasted at us through our media.

I feel blessed to have found this book - again, not exaggerating, that's really how I feel! This is one of two books that I will be giving as Christmas presents this year. The other one is Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

Excellent book, we could probably eliminate cancer and illness if everyone chose to take care of their bodies with what they eat!

The book could use some copy editing. And the author does not seem to be aware of the dangers posed by polyunsaturated oils.

(Polyunsaturated oils are processed at extremely high temperatures. This causes the oil to go bad, and also creates a lot of free radicals. The free radicals sweep through the body doing damage, which the body must then repair. The rancidity makes it necessary for the manufacturer to use strong chemical scrubbers to remove the odor. Residues of the scrubbers remain in the oil.)

But, the author's information about healthy fats and unhealthy levels of carbohydrates will restore your health, if you use it.

I switched to pastured butter a year ago. I dramatically reduced the amount of whole grains I ate (to just one serving a day) and eliminated refined grains entirely. I started taking low-temperature processed cod liver oil with the natural vitamins retained (not removed and replaced with artificial vitamins). And I eat coconut oil.

The result has been dramatic.

I have energy again, for the first time in decades. And last winter I got ONE cold, instead of my normal 6 to 8. The chronic pain in my upper back has vanished. And the food I eat tastes better!

Two companion books that I would recommend are:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig.

I never knew I could feel this good!

Dr Maffetone changed my life. This book is a must read! Explains the human body from A-Z and the influence of chemicals and sugars on our system. Definitely an effective life changing and life prolonging (with energy and happiness) book.

Read it, understand it and live according to it. Dr Maffetone thank you very much!

Justus van der Lubbe
Curaçao, netherlands Antilles
justus@inter-assure.com

the book has a lot of useful info,as a runner I want to know all I can,good read