Customer Reviews

The No Sweat Exercise Plan: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, and Live Longer (Harvard Medical School Guides)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Why am I writing this review? Because I felt it would be a disservice to anyone out there who was looking for a great exercise plan if I didn't rave out Dr. Simon's book. I felt compelled to let everyone know about this wonderful book that has changed my life. I was ecstatic when a close friend told me about Dr. Simon's book. I had no idea that such a book existed and I was anxious to get my hands on it. Somehow, with two children, I found the time to read the book. With two very young children, I had absolutely no time to go to the gym. I was feeling sluggish and even guilty for not exercising. After reading his book, I realized there were so many other options I was not aware of. Dr. Simon's book opened my eyes to a whole world of fitness programs that would be most beneficial to my health and well being. I learned about MY body and MY personal health needs and was able to create an exercise plan that fit into my schedule. I have even involved my four year old in some of my activities. I want to suggest to everyone to check out the section on stretching. I can't go a day without doing each and every one one of Dr. Simon's ten basic stretching exercises. They leave me feeling rejuvenated and flexible! They are simple and quick, yet highly effective.

I also have a better understanding of proper nutrition and what diet works best for me. I have made some serious changes to my eating habits, thanks to Dr. Simon. I follow the TLC diet and can say that it has made a huge difference in how I feel. I am a healthier person now and will continue to be for years and years. My life has taken a turn for the better since reading this book!!

I thought I knew a lot about exercise, so I bought this book
mainly for the great drawings and instructions on stretching and weight training. But it turns out that what I didn't know about exercise could fill a book--this book, in fact. The most startling fact is that I can exercise for as little as 10 minutes at a time and still slim down, and that I don't have to
join a health club to be healthy. I've already started a "stair strider" group at work--we have a chart over the printer and we'll give a little "top flight" prize out each week. It's all good fun, but I'm convinced it will also be good for us. I'm also looking forward to spending more time reading over the
healthy diet chapter. I think it will also be very useful, but it will take a little more time to get into that side of things.
In my opinion , the book is important and enlightening. If you
don't agree, no sweat.

Why do I consider this work to contain the best exercise- advice at all? The answer is because the advice it gives does not require 'exercising' as a special block of time taken in a gym, or with some special instrument. It thinks of exercise as a possible extension of everyday life- activity. We can do much exercise simply by increasing the pace at which we walk, or by lifting a few cans in the proper way each day for a few minutes. Whether we are gardening, housecleaning, shopping, mowing the lawn, climbing stairs, washing the car, playing with children , we can benefit physically by increasing the level of our activity.
We can no matter, it seems , where we are, and almost in whatever we are doing, find a way to excercise a bit more, to get ourselves moving physically in a better way. And these little bits of motion are not insignificant but can add up to better health.
As Judy Siegel writes in the 'Jerusalem Post' "The latest scientific studies shows conclusively that people can get the full health benefits of exercise with only slight modifications to their daily routines."
Simon also in this work provides a more thorough analysis of different kinds of exercise, and specific steps for improving functioning of different areas of the body.
This work would seem to have something for everyone who cares about improving their health.
Most highly recommended.

What a relief to know I don't have to be a serious athlete in order to stay healthy! Having recently been laid up from back surgery, (which my wife is sure was brought on by shoveling last winter's heavy snows), I wanted to resume an active life and keep my heart healthy, without re-injuring myself. This book prescribes a very congenial life style which can do that for me. In addition to cardio and strengthening exercises, it has useful chapters on stretching and balance. While these may be less important for young people, they seem particularly relevant for people who, like myself, are getting on in years. "No Sweat" is written in a very engaging style and is a pleasure to read. D.L., Meredith, New Hampshire

This book presents an easy point system to help people plan how much moderate activity they should be doing for optimum results. I found the book a wake-up call for people who are complacent that their two or three hours of weekly workouts are enough and comforting for people who lead physically active lives. The inclusion of exercises for balance and flexibility along with clear sketches of what they look like is very useful. The section on diet is excellent.

The book is very readable. I read it in one sitting and will keep it for reference. As a reader of Dr. Simon's Harvard Men's Health Letter, I already know how well he presents his up-to-date material. I recommend this book very highly to anybody who wants to learn more about how much to exercise and how.

Recent news headlines said that a low fat diet does not prevent heart attacks, breast cancer, or colon cancer. I looked them up in The No Sweat Exercise Plan and found that exercise can help prevent all 3, along with many other problems. It's one example of all the important information in the book, and it's presented in a very lively and interesting way. Best of all, the book is very practical and specific. It tells you what, when , and how to exercise. It also helps you figure out which exercises you can skip because you don't really need them. I enjoyed reading the book and I'll keep it handy for reference. I recommend it very highly.

I used to go to the gym pretty regularly but since I started my new job, I've pretty much dropped out. This terrific book will help me get back in shape without ever climbing back on the elliptical. It's clear, comprehensive and practical. First rate! I would highly suggest purchasing this book!

I fell in love with the book in the preface when Dr Simon did something doctors rarely do: he admitted he was wrong. In this case, his mistake was saying that you had to work up a sweat to benefit from exercise. Now he's learned that moderate exercise is also great for you, and that's music to my ears.

No Sweat is very well organized and easy to use. The first section, Getting Ready, explains what exercise does for the body.There are a ton of medical facts here, but they are easy to understand and are surprisingly interesting. I think this information will keep me motivated even when I don't feel too energetic.The second section is called Getting Going and it's the key to the program . I like it because it tells me just what to do, and the illustrations show me how to do it.The point system is great because it shows how my chores and daily activities can count towards my exercise goals. I haven't finished the third part, Going Beyond, but I did read the chapter on diet and I think it's better than any diet book I know of.

The No Sweat Exercise Plan is fun to read and I'm sure it will really help me . I recommend it very highly!

This book leads you to a simple plan that anyone can do in the least obvious places. Sitting behind your desk, walking down the street, and, as my wife will do, while shopping in the malls.

Good health is just an easy read away.

Despite the 230+ page format, author and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Harvey B. Simon's premise in "The No Sweat Exercise Plan: Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Live Longer" takes a page out of lifetime exercise guru Jack LaLanne's recipe for a healthy and long life. The idea, so simple that it really isn't necessary to spend $21.95 on the book, can be summed up albeit it gratuitously with the catch phrase, "Keep on Truckin'" So sorry, Harvey.

Okay. Now you might have the inclination to want to `read all about it' and Dr. Simon does provide a semi-interesting format immersed in enough medical no-how to satisfy all those out there who have a need for those special credentials that validate information as `expert testimony.' Keep in mind that Simon as a medical doctor demands the requisite tests that the medical community deems `preventative medicine' and he elaborately explains the dangers of certain body signals like BMI, hypertension, high cholesterol, HDL levels etc. to help the reader to understand just how exercise as a panacean solution in general helps to slow the aging process. Mainly, Simon debunks the need for heavy-duty sweat-inducing aerobics and prescribes a European lifestyle without the saturated high fat cheeses, (although he uses strictly American examples) of moving about rather than relying on the couch potato contrivances and conveniences of modern life.

Simply said, Simon advocates four types of exercise where what he calls CME---cardo-metabolic exercise---wins as hands down most important. Using an elaborate point system he rates any exercise that elevates your heart rate and stokes up your metabolism, suggesting that around 1000 points a week should maintain good health for those without special needs. He sites 2000 points a week for those who may seriously want to lose weight. Typically, one would receive 200 points for jogging at the rate of 12 minutes per mile for 30 minutes as opposed to 165 points for 30 minutes of golfing while carrying your own clubs. Whether or not you sweat or not, Simon says is not the issue. Moving around (walking) for sustained periods of time on a daily basis remains paramount to insure good health. In his No Sweat Basic Pyramid, Dr, S suggests that good eating with an eye on nutrition provides the fuel the body needs to sustain itself---here the standard approach of watching calories in a 15% protein - 25% to 35% fat - 50% to 60% carbohydrate breakdown, avoiding sugars, trans-fats and processed foods maintains optimal vitamin and mineral intake. Following a substantial CME block on the pyramid, the three other types of exercise gain the spotlight, beginning with strength training as a separate component then a shared block of flexibility and balance training. Simon details all four types of exercise with actual diagrammed routines, establishing what he preaches as an undeniable "no brainer." Anyone who has been keeping active for years already knows what it takes the bulk of the book to say. I repeat, `just keep moving----use weight bearing exercise to keep up your muscle mass, stretching to keep your body limber and balance to prevent falling.

At the pinnacle of the No Sweat pyramid, Simon places preventative medicine and hoists a flag atop to alert one to the perils of too much stress in modern life. No real new news here, however Simon does take out the time to help you construct a `my-pyramid' of your own to help you realize your personal health goal and spends a few extra chapters explaining some of the common complaints people may initially have about adding a daily exercise regime to their life. For those who have perspired routinely in gyms and in the outdoors for over the last 25 years, he lists the types of sweaty exercise machines one can utilize to maximize the burn.

Bottom line: if your thing is to read about what you already know and have heard about for years, check this tome out of the library and get down and dirty with expert medical information about the whys and wherewithal-s pertaining to what you are already doing to maintain your health. If you haven't started yet - shame on you---this book can provide some grist for your exercise mill and set you on the right path for the future. With that in mind, I can only recommend this book to those who have been living under a rock for the last 30+ years----everyone else need not spend the going rate to vindicate their own common sense.