Customer Reviews

The Fitness Instinct: The Revolutionary New Approach to Healthy Exercise That Is Fun, Natural, and No-Sweat

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.)

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.

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

Peg Jordan's, The Fitness Instinct, represents a quantum leap in bringing real and lasting physical fitness and general health and well-being to just about anyone. Drawing upon her nearly three decades of health experience, both as an RN and as one of America's most respected journalists, Ms. Jordan has also incorporated years of anthropological studies in countries all over the world to put together a system of exercise which has its roots not only in ancient civilizations, but within our very DNA itself.

Where are all the fad diets and make-or-break exercise crazes from the past 15 years? Powter, who? Calenetics, what? EXACTLY!

Not based on FEAR but on irrefutable FACTS, Peg Jordan has delivered a book that needs to be in every grade and high school coach's office, and in every health club's fitness counselor's cubicle. It IS that good. Maybe that's why Book-of-the-Month has made it their pick for February 2000.

When you read her amazing studies on ancient Enneagrams and their application to human health and well-being, you will be as anxious as I am to get ahold of her next book which delves into these fascinating facts even further.

Do your body a big favor and order The Fitness Instinct from amazon.com TODAY via Express Delivery, and be on your way to a fit and fabulous you for 2000 and Beyond!

Finally somebody with credibility tells us what many of us have suspected! Jordan washes away all the exercise and fitness hype and takes a risk to talk about what many of us have instictively known. The time has come to listen to ourselves. Jordan hones in on the real me and what I need to keep a healthy attitude about how I move, how I feel and how I look. Perhaps others in the world of fitness-for-sale will follow her lead, but you know many celebs Jordan exposes in this book will keep on selling us the "newest" get fit quick scheme. Maybe the fitness industry will eventually catch up with the insight Peg Jordan has, but maybe not. In the meantime I'll continue on with my Fitness Instinct. Already I feel liberated! Now when I say I'm gaining a much healthier body, a clearer head and an enriched spirit I am using my own voice. I can hear the truth in my words and I feel great.

Peg Jordan does a phenomenal job in The Fitness Instinct: The Revolutionary New Approach to Healthy Exercise that is Fun, Natural and No-Sweat. The book is fabulous for all levels of exercisers from pre-contemplators to avid fitness enthusiasts. The information and tips in the book can help anyone become "fitness friendly" due to Peg's new approaches that delete the intimidation, fear, and boredom factors that many people face in exercise programs. Statistics show that 60@ of Americans do not engage in physical activity on a regular basis. This revolutionary book has the capacity to make positive changes in people's lives and show them that physical activity truly is for every body, not just the elite athletes. As a health professional myself, I know the challenges of helping people start and maintain fitness programs, and I am very familiar with exercise recidivism rates. I believe all health and fitness professionals, as well as the lay public, should incorporate Ms. Jordan's new approach and new way of thinking into any and all fitness programs. I give the book a 5 star rating. Melissa Johnson,M.S. Executive Director, California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

Peg Jordan's book "The Fitness Instinct" is one of the first fitness books that begins to tie the concept of health & fitness to practical every day viable options for busy people. It is not filled with crazy fitness plans, Hollywood fads or medical jargon. It shows that health and fitness are obtainable by everyone. It relieves the reader of the collective guilt for not having the perfect body or all the time in the world to workout. It does this by exploring and then exploding the fitness myths and then by offering alternatives that fit the individual and their needs. This is no one plan fits all but a chance to find what works for you and have fun in the process. It a book that offers self discovery, fun and fitness all rolled into one.

I believe Peg Jordan is on the right track! Her reasoning is sound and her writing is excellent. She has the unusual ability of being both scientific and intuitive in her research. While her work is not meant to be a "How to Exercise" book, she clearly addresses fundamental issues that enables one to determine just the right exercse for oneself.

Peg Jordan goes one level deeper in her analysis of why we do or don't exercise. She gives many examples that support her points, and I personally found her writing simple enough for any adult regardless of education level. She takes the complexities around health and exercise and breaks them down into simple to remember concepts for the reader.

Kudos to Peg Jordan for taking time to write a book around fitness that is simple, informative and applicable.

What a fantastic change from your usual fitness books that try to sell you on the latest fad or one size fits all program. This book is personal not your usual cookie cutter program that everyone is supposed to fit into. Peg Jordan explores fitness from a psychophysical point of view while recognizing the possible spiritual implications of certain movement practices. Her approach is to help the reader find out who they are in terms of their own psychophysical profile. From there, the reader can discover the types of fitness programs that are best suited to themselves. The fitness choices are not limited to the latest fitness fad but span not only the latest in exercise research but cultures and time. She does an excellent job introducing the reader not only to themselves but the many choices they have in pursuing a healthy active and fun filled life. She also does a great job of exploding the many fitness myths that permeate our culture. She educates the reader thus empowering them to find their own truths and transcend the limitations purposefully indoctrinated into people by Hollywood, Madison Avenue and television. Hurrah for the Fitness Instinct..........

This book is packed with ideas that empower the reader to easily tune out harmful messages of the media and start turning to the wisdom of the self. The tips Jordan gives are friendly and empowering; try taking the fitness personality quiz to determine which forms of exercise suit you.

Look into the chapter on fitness myths.I didn't know how little I knew about media editing; I was mesmerized by Jordan's examples of how even beautiful women like Michelle Pfeiffer have extensive airbrushing done on their photos for magazine covers. Check out the part on page 47 about celebrity fitness videos and get the scoop on how much support staff are utilized to get that flawless look for videos and infomercials.

I especially liked the chapter on "Why the Fitness Bandwagon Has Passed By So Many". As a physical therapist I treat many people who are afraid to exercise because they think they won't do it right, or someone will criticize them. Jordan accurately describes that 80% of people are "turned-off" by fitness routines. She then offers ways to fitness which are fresh and are in tune with your personality type.

Get this book and thumb through whatever section attracts your attention.Chances are you'll find something you really like.