Countdown to Fitness

Do you want to lose weight or understand the causes of obesity?  Are you interested in knowing which calories are good and which are bad?  Do you want to know why the mainstream thinking on nutrition may be causing more obesity and other illnesses?  Are dietary fat and cholesterol really causing obesity, heart disease, and other problems?  What is the contradictory evidence, and why is it omitted?  You might be surprised by the history, politics, personalities, and science (or lack-thereof) behind the current nutritional recommendations and by the possibility that the current “wisdom” on nutrition is wrong.  This book is one of the most important books I’ve read in my life, and I couldn’t put it down. (more…)

Do you want to start an exercise program?  Are you already walking but want to know how to avoid blisters and other injuries?  Do you want to walk more efficiently and healthfully?  Are you landing incorrectly on your feet?  You might be surprised by what you learn.  I was!  In fact, this book has changed my life for the better.

If you want to learn how to walk correctly, I highly recommend Chi Walking: Fitness Walking for Lifelong Health and Energy and its companion DVD ChiWalking DVD: The Five Mindful Steps for Lifelong Health and Energy (sold separately).  Authors Danny Dreyer, an esteemed walking and running coach, and his wife Katherine, who has more than twenty years of experience in the health, personal growth, and fitness fields, describe a five step process to chi walking: getting aligned, engaging your core, creating balance, making a choice (e.g., cardio walking, aerobic walking, and meditation walking), and moving forward. (more…)

Are your hormones victims of processed foods and other chemicals?  Do you want to become healthier and/or lose weight?  Are you on estrogen overload from the processed foods you eat?  Men and women, you may be surprised.  I was!  (Processed foods could account for much of why Viagra and other similar meds are needed.)

If you want answers to these questions and many more, I highly recommend reading Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body! by Jillian Michaels, trainer on The Biggest Loser, because she gets to the bottom of many of the health problems in this country, including obesity.  Your hormones are under assault by processed foods, plastics, and other chemicals in the environment. (more…)

It was on Atkins that I lost the most weight I have ever lost on a diet and managed to keep it off the longest. This is because I find the low carb eating style the easiest to follow and the most satisfying. So, you might be thinking, if Atkins works, why did she abandon it back in 2007?

When I started on Atkins in early late 2004, I was at the end of my rope. I had reached an all-time high for my weight despite having tried NutriSystems, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and myriad other popular or self-designed diets. I saw two nutritionists at different times, and also hired a personal trainer. (more…)

If you want to become healthier or lose weight, or perhaps you are just interested in knowing more about what you are eating, I highly recommend The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan. This bestselling book has truly changed my family members’ lives for the better, giving us a rather shocking understanding, at times, of what we were actually eating.

“What should we have for dinner?” is the opening question, which is part of the omnivore’s dilemma.  Your answer may, indeed, change once you read this book.  Mine did.  I’ll never look at processed foods the same way again. (more…)