Customer Reviews

How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Well illustrated, detailed without being overly technical. Explanations are generally nice & clear. Goes into lots of detail on the basics of eating, digestion, and exercise. Contains little tests to check out various elements of your state of being such as metabolic type, flexibility, conditioning level, etcetera, then prescribes various program elements to fit your needs. Large colorful layout makes it seem less intimidating, less textbook-like.

I'm sure some will dislike it because it doesn't dig deeply enough into some topics. I like that he doesn't use ten pages to hammer a point when one will do. The result is that the text moves along, and you'll spend your time learning useful principles. Though it does have the most detailed and interesting chapter on, well, pooping (his word!), that I've ever seen. If you are squeamish about this subject, you won't be after you finish the chapter, complete with illustrative poop cartoons.

Chek is seen shirtless, looking quite buff in a number of photos. There are two issues I have with this: One is that, as other reviewers have noted, he did not get to looking like that via just the exercises in this book, putting in a couple of hours a week at the gym. The other is that he is at 8% body fat in the pics, and I seriously question the wisdom of advocating that as a healthy goal. 8% looks really cool, but some people feel that actually ends up being hard on the body (and the brain inside). I'd like to hear him speak to this.

The other very minor thing I dislike about it is the conspicuous presence of the CHEK Institute throughout the book. The testimonials scattered throughout are interesting, but they are either by professional pretty people like actors, or CHEK practitioners, people who have certification on the Paul Chek philosophy. I guess that is testimony itself, that these people apparently thought so highly of Chek's work that they decided to become certified themselves, but it does give a sort of promotional, cultish ambiance to the book. I'm not saying the testimonials aren't real examples of what can be accomplished; it just would have been nice to see more average Joe testimonials.

If some skeptical short-attention-spanned friend invites me to give them ONE book to introduce them to the possibility of improving their health, this would probably be the book.

This is a great book about diet, exercise and general health. If you want to make changes to your life but aren't sure where to start out, this is definitely the book for you. If you want a solid explanation why you should change, followed up with research, this book is for you. Mr. Chek has taken information about diet, exercise, and mental and physical health from many different sources, including his own personal experiences, and compiled it into this book. The book is easy to read and is also an excellent starting point for anyone interested in improving his or her quality of life.

The book covers such a wide variety of topics and everyone will be able to learn something from this book. But in covering so many topics, there is a lack of depth in some areas. Fortunately Mr. Chek sites many references throughout the book, allowing you to dig deeper if they choose.

Paul is a big advocate of getting back to the basics. He uses examples of primal man and activities primal man engaged in through out his book. If primal man survived moving and eating a certain way, we should adopt those patterns to our own life. I personally agree with this way of thinking, I'm sure some others will not.

The sections on training programs are excellent; my only gripe is the advanced program. Mr. Chek definitely practices what he preaches, but I doubt he got to where he is doing the advanced program presented in this book. I remember seeing pictures of Paul doing a one-arm push up on a Bosu and another of him doing a sit up on a Swiss ball with a 100+ pound dumbbell across his chest. Those sorts of very high level exercises are absent.

I'm nit picking with this, so Ill digress.

I personally enjoyed the book and have recommended it to many of my friends. This book as something for everyone, especially the person looking for a starting point. If you are serious about making life style changes and want a solid explanation as to why you should or shouldn't change something in your life; get this book. The book is easy to read but application of the topics will take time. Don't expect a magic band-aid. After all, this book it about life style changes and that takes time.

Let me first say that much of the information is definitely contained elsewhere, and much of it I felt I already "knew". The author though presents the information in a logically consistent holistic view of one's health; and thereby chances the paradigm by which we view our bodies.

It has inspired me to change my food intake and my lifestyle - and that highlights the true value of the book. It doesn't just contain information, but presents it in a manner in which I could process and internalize it.

I heartily recommend this book.

This book is an absolute must to have for everyone serious about making a complete lifestyle change towards better health. The information and references provided about nutrition, metabolic typing diets, circadian rhythms and hormonal responses, parasitic stress on digestion, and parasympathetic-sympathetic balancing of the autonoimic nervous system is outstanding. The only thing that held me back from giving this book five stars is the exercise selection. I understand for the beginner less is better, but I feel advanced level people will not use the recommended performance training routines exclusively due to the over emphasis of light resistance, single leg support based movements, and minimal exercise variety.

This is the best book on all subjects listed that I have ever found. Not only does it address what is going on in our food chain that needs to be looked at, but it also addresses how to eat in a way that totally works. I lost 55 pounds that were a real problem for me by finding out my metabolic type. Not only did the weight come off but health problems are now non-existant.

The exercise programs and stretches in the book are easy to follow and as a massage therapist a great book for clients and chiropractors, in fact any one interested in helping themselves or their health conscious clients.

Congradulations Paul for the excellent book.

All the best to you.

This book is a breath of fresh air in a stale subject area. We all know that we need to eat well and exercise to be healthy. However most books still recommend a one-size-fits-all approach. This book is different.

We as human beings are all biochemically unique. We are as different on the outside as we are on the inside. Our nutrition plans, exercise programs, stress management and lifestyle all have to be different so we can achieve optimal health. On the same page though, we all have commonalities. We all need water, air, food and shelter to survive. This book informs us on the how and the why to do it.

The book covers a vast amount of information without too much technical information. There are also mind maps which cater for the more visual learner. It covers:
1. Food quality
2. Exercise - including flexibility, core function, performance training and energetic exercise
3. Digestion
4. Sleep
5. Customized individual nutrition plans
6. Stress and its affect on the body

Paul has done a brilliant job in teaching us the fundamentals of how to get healthy, not just how to avoid disease. True health is not a magic pill, potion or supplement; it can only be achieved by sticking to fundamental principles and listening to the person who knows your body best - you!

Overall this book is very interesting and educational. It is very detailed and explains how to achieve great overall health such as eating the right foods, exercise, lower your stress, etc.

However, it is overwhelming to me as there are many exercises for different purposes. I have to concentrate to sort out which ones to perform to individualize it. I am more of a class or DVD type of exerciser so that may explain why I feel overwhelmed by it. His DVD "Better Abs, Buns, and Back" is very good and uses a Swiss Ball. You can find it on the CHEK Institute website.

This book, as well as many others I have read, lack in practical recipes for busy families. I wish there would have been some easy, healthy recipes, or at least some resources referenced as far are websites or cookbooks. ( I find the healthy foods as necessary but eating boiled chicken breasts and salads get old fast. Also where we live we do not have access to all the items listed especially fresh organic produce.)
I believe the book kind of leaves you hanging as far as how to take the recommended foods for your metabolic type and turn them into meals for the family.

I don't typically purchase many books but this one is worth buying if you can't find it at your local library. It may just take a little time to sort out what fits for you and what your goals are. You can even take it a step further and see a CHEK practitioner in your area to help meet your health and fitness goals.

I also recommend books by Dr. Joseph Mercola, but check out your local library first.

I love reading books on health and this is one of the two best books I've read on a healthy lifestyle. The other book is Sally Fallon and Mary Enig's, "Eat Fat, Lose Fat." Just like the book promises eating the right fats will also help underweight people gain weight. To many diet books are written solely for overweight people. But what about people with other health challenges? Both of these book address the whole range of health problems and present workable solutions to them. Also many books stress either a high caborhydrate or protein diet or are in some other respect off in their health recommendations.

This well written, easy to understand book covers every essential health subject from A to Z. As well as explaining the various metabolic types and testing for your type, the book gives the specifics about the proper diet for various metabolic types, the importance of drinking enough water, getting proper sleep, healthy bowel movements, and exercise. Even for the avid healthy lifestyle reader, every chapter holds your attention and provides much new and usable information. For those who are looking for a truely balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle, this book provides it.

Paul Chek has managed to answer the numerous questions regarding how to obtain optimal health. We live in a society that overemphasizes the "one size fits all" and "quick fix" attitudes when it comes to health. I am a physical therapist and am tired of seeing fellow healthcare providers apply this philosophy resulting in a population of patients not getting better. What I mean by not getting better is that the symptoms may have improved, but what have we done for their health and vitality. Modern medicine addresses achieving adequate health, but what we all really need is optimal health. It is optimal health that allows us to live to be over 100 years old and experience all that life has to offer. Paul's book is able to explain the fundamental steps of obtaining optimal health for the lay person and health professional alike, using his holistic approach and emphasis on biochemical individuality, which basically explains why other "How to" health, fitness, and diet books do not work for everyone. I HIGHLY recommend anyone who wants to make significant improvements in their health to buy this book.

This book will be almost impossible for the majority of society to swallow but if you are open to changing your lifestyle and want to be a healthy person, these methods will work. I do not feel that an all organic diet is possible for a lot of people or even necessary. But the quality of food we eat is very important and I think he sets the stage to prove to everyone how important our diet is in our well-being. If you can follow this book and take half of it to heart, it will add quality years to your life.