70 of 80 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Fitness Instinct, December 5, 1999
Jordan, editor and founder of American Fitness magazine, has several worthwhile messages but not much new or innovative information on exercise or fitness. Her messages include: 1) the fitness industry damages our self-esteem by convincing us that we are not good enough and that we need their services; 2) we mustn't look unquestioningly to so-called fitness experts to tell us how to exercise; 3) we are each our own best judge of what works for us; 4) our bodies want to move, we simply need to hear that need; 5) fitness can be achieved through many means; 6) thin people aren't necessarily fit and fat people aren't necessarily unhealthy; 7) self-esteem is an important component of good health.
Having told the reader that we must make our own decisions about fitness, she seems unable to avoid the very practices she so vilifies. She prescribes a complicated system of exercises based on personality "types" (a simplified Meyers-Briggs profile combined in an unworkable way with an Enneagram - a set of nine short descriptions). Besides being prescriptive - telling us what type of exercise to do at what time of day - no one in our household could make the two personality tests match up with the four profiles and associated exercise regimes or connect the exercise regimes in any meaningful way with our own energy cycles.
She then goes on to describe a number of "alternative" fitness strategies as if they were something spurned by the fitness industry. I don't know where Ms. Jordan works out, but most of the fitness clubs in my area offer many of these "alternatives" - tae chi, yoga, spinning (cycling), and various dancing options. Other of her "alternatives", such as orienteering and rock climbing, have been readily available through other sources for years. In any event, I find it difficult to believe that anyone would be surprised to know that walking, hiking, biking, dancing and yoga are good for you. Do you really need to buy a book to learn this?
Finally, she lists her views on a variety of "quick fixes" from estrogen replacement therapy to liposuction. She provides little basis for her opinions - often simply saying that she's done the research and finds this product good or bad. Without telling the reader the nature of the research on each product, we are left to trust her expertise rather than being able to decide for ourselves.
I'd recommend that you skip the book, use common sense exercising when and how works best for you(ask for a brochure or pamphlet from your health care provider if you feel confused by some of the conflicting hype generated by the media), and look into the many interesting and challenging exercise options offered by health clubs, the Y, your employer (increasingly), university extension programs, and city parks departments. As for "quick fixes", check them out at a reputable site on the internet or with your health care provider.
If you still feel you need something to guide and motivate you, I recommend Walking It Off - The Workbook. Using a workbook format and a gradual approach, the book helps you to find your motivation and to identify the barriers to success. Although walking has been my preferred method of exercise for years, I found this book to be a good refresher. A supportive and informative diet book which also focuses on incorporating physical activity into daily life is Dr. Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less (although the high carb, low meat, ultra low fat approach won't work for everyone.)
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
REAL fitness for REAL people...I loved it!, January 10, 2000
Thank you, Peg Jordan, for ending my years of self-punishment. At last, here is a voice that speaks not only to my yearning for greater health and vitality...but to my soul. As I read this book, I felt that there was more as stake here than target heart rates and killer abs‹‹there was coming home to the wisdom of my own body. No wonder I have dropped out of one fitness regime after another. I was following someone else¹s fitness answer instead of finding my own. The insight I gained from this book has provided me with incredible value. You will never again find me counting the seconds until a step class is over. You will never again find me buying a ridiculous exercise contraption. You will find me having a great time, moving my body, having fun, getting fit.With humor and razor-sharp insight, The Fitness Instinct examines what has gone wrong in our celebrity-as-expert culture. Ms. Jordan speaks with the knowledge and expertise that can only come from all her years as a fitness expert and researcher. Finally, here is a NEW way to get fit. It¹s not hype. It¹s not empty promises. It is a message that resonates deep in the heart and soul of everyone out there who wants to love living in their body.
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Needed Change of Pace, March 28, 2000
Many people struggle to sort through conflicting opinions and studies relating to physical activity. These conditioned perceptions of how we MUST treat exercise obviously haven't influenced behavior. Peg Jordan's, The Fitness Instinct, removes barriers that stand in the way of an effective and natural lifestyle change. I rarely read books cover-to-cover in the same day, yet I couldn't put Peg's book down. This is an approach that actually teaches readers to tune into their own unique personalities and preferences to create exercise solutions for the long haul. Peg debunks the myth that exercise has to be painful, boring, or embarrassing. This book is a philosophy of east meets west that has the potential of truly helping people. We all want to feel good and make positive changes in life. The Fitness Instinct helps us do just that. We can all learn from Peg. I encourage people to purchase this book and see the other side of physical activity.
Daryl Moore, Director, the Colorado Governor's Council for Physical Fitness
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