Customer Reviews

Kathy Smith's Fitness Makeover: A 10-Week Guide to Exercise and Nutrition That Will Change Your Life

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I am a registered nurse and certified aerobics instructor. Kathy Smith's Fitness Makeover is one of the best resources I have found for use in classes aimed at giving sedentary adults a jumpstart into the world of fitness. As always, her advice is medically sound - avoiding the extremes that seem so popular today. Small steps are truly the only way to make lasting behavioral changes.

While I wouldn't call this book an unqualified success for me, it's definitely one of my most valued resources for fitness for the strength training aspect alone.

I have several books on strength training for women, but this one is definitely my favorite. Each week of the ten calls for a slightly different set of 12 toning exercises. Every week Kathy emphasizes a particular body part/muscle group - for example, abs, back, or shoulders - and there may be several exercises that week for that particular body part. Each week also includes exercises that work just about every major part of your body. By doing the full ten-week cycle, you'll have worked each muscle group pretty well, and there is plenty of room for improvement by adding weights, sets and/or repetitions.

There are clear black-and-white photographs demonstrating how to perform the exercises. All you need are three sets of dumbbells to start with (e.g., 3 lb., 5 lb. and 8 lb.), a chair, and a firm pillow. The calf exercise calls for a step (like those used in aerobic step programs), but if you have stairs in your home that will work fine, too.

The other aspects of the book - nutrition and diet advice, stretching, etc. - round out the information and give you a complete basis for fitness, although I don't focus on cutting out total fat grams as much as Kathy suggests. I've come to believe that keeping track of total calories, combined with striving to meet the USDA's food pyramid diet guidelines, is best, with fat being given secondary consideration. But that's just me.

The logs are handy and would be great if you just want to treat it like a ten-week "course curriculum," but I have been logging my food and exercise independently of the book and just using the book as a reference. Still, even though I'm not using the logs or adhering strictly to the ten-week program, I find this book invaluable for my basic strength training routine.

I recently had my first baby and found myself struggling to lose my "baby fat". I wanted a program that was easy to follow, uplifting, and effective...I found the solution in this book! I am only in week four of the program, but already friends and family have started to notice a change, not only in my appearance but also in my attitude toward eating and fitness. I have learned a great deal from Kathy and would recommend this book to anyone!

After seeing so many great reviews of this book here, I borrowed it from the library. The book is a 10-week plan to improved fitness and is more geared to women. Each week, Kathy focuses on one nutrition concept and one body part--for example, Week 1 is "Fat and Abs." After a few pages describing the concepts for the week, there are a series of worksheets to help you keep track of your exercise and eating for that week. This format continues for all 10 weeks, which means that the bulk of the book is made up of the worksheets rather than actual information. At the end of the book, Kathy has included sections on stretches and toning exercises for the entire body. Both sections are nice illustrated with pictures of Kathy performing the moves, and each move is described in detail.

Being someone who has exercised regularly for years and who knows basic nutrition, I didn't feel like I learned anything from this book. However, I did like the idea of keep specific logs of my eating and exercise habits, so I might try to incorporate that from this book. Even though this book wasn't really for me, it would be great for someone wanting to get started on the path to healthy eating and exercise but who has no idea where to begin. Kathy is extremely non-threatening, and she takes you through everything you need to know step-by-step. However, you should be aware that if you follow Kathy's plan, you will need to obtain a separate book that lists fat and calorie contents for foods; Kathy makes several recommendations for these at the start of her book.

I struggled for a long time trying to lose weight. Once I got this book, I realized that although I was exercising and eating a decent amount of calories, I was eating WAY too much fat. I cut back to the requisite amount for my height and frame, and voila!, I started losing weight immediately. I've lost almost 20 pounds in the last 11 months, and I feel much more knowledgeable and in control now that I'm armed with the information I learned from this book. I always recommend it to people I know who are trying to lose weight.

This book is great for anyone interested in healthier living, or like me enjoys using their body as their own person chemistry experiment. Kathy reqires that you keep track of your food intake, and exercise, which gives a good look at eating habits. I especially like that she doesn't ask that you begin changing your diet right away. The first week you just eat like normal and then you have someting for comparison as the weeks progress. As you get deeper into the chapters, Kathy has you focus on different aspects of your diet. Each week you take a hard look at different factors in healthy eating and strength traing. From Saturated fat to carbohydrates, to the importance of calcium and fiber, each week is a different focus and to me a different experiment. By the end of the book the reader has some valuable insight on minerals and food as well as how each effects their individual body. I find that this approach of taking baby steps to a healthier lifestyle is a much more effective method than cramming the entire diet in, in one bite.

I love almost everything she does. I bought the book and her Box Aerobics video at the same time. I have many of her videos! I have been on her program for three days now and I really like it. I have about 39 pounds to loose. Even though I am not a newbie when it comes to fitness & nutrition, I still found this book to be a great thing! It puts everyhting together for you, eating, exercise, and a new healthy way of living. It is not in any way exteme. If you are a beginner it's great and if you are not, it's great. The food & exercise journals in the book are awsome! You will need to get a food/calorie counting book to go along with this book! Enjoy!!!

I've just ordered my third copy of this book, because I love it so much. I really helps to teach you about fitness and nutrition gradually, rather than throwing everything at you at once -- it's all about life style changes, not a quick fix. It's also been a great way to get me on track when I've slipped a little bit, or need to refocus on nutrition. It's a wonderful tool!

Kathy Smith is brilliant. She's come up with a wonderful guide to losing weight and getting in shape. By working in new habits every week rather than all at once, you develop wonderful health habits without feeling like your struggling or sacrificing. During the 10 weeks of keeping the log, I lost 18 pounds with very little effort - this time it wasn't a struggle to lose the weight I wanted (even those last five pounds that are so hard to lose). Kathy Smith has come up with a brilliant program that everyone should take advantage of. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, Kathy's program will get you in great shape with results you will notice from the first week. You must try it!

I am beginning the book today. So far I feel like i have eaten more than I ever eat. But, I have eaten healthier! I have more energy today than usual and I am not craving sweets either. I would like to check back in with you guys in 10 weeks after I have completed the book to let you know my progress. I only have about 5-10 to lose, but I want to firm up and have a healthier diet. (and stop these carb and sugar cravings) Wish me luck, see you in 10 weeks! Lee at parlegal@gte.net