Diet Books

I purchased this book upon recommendation from a yoga group I post with online, and am finding it to be a good resource - and not necessarily limited to athritis sufferers. The book comprehensively covers almost every area of the musculoskeletal body with plenty of anatomical drawings. It's good to peek inside this body we walk around in before trying to stretch it out!

I recommend it for beginners or anyone dealing with the pain of arthritis most because of the pre-poses and propping options offered throughout the book. I've personally been using the hand/wrist exercises and having good results.

I have arthritis in my knees and hips. I find the layout and directions easy to follow.

Knowledgeable and complete. all the info you need to begin reaping the benefits of yoga (pain relief, strength, flexibility, increased range of motion). Good, clear pictures that guide your efforts. Detailed instructions for each pose and adaptation. Breaks down difficult poses into graduated options so you can build into traditional poses over time without hurting yourself or creating more problems. I would recommend this book to anyone, no matter how involved your symptoms. If other forms of exercise or strength training have proved unsuccessful because you get injured and worsen your symptoms, this book is for you. You can do the poses without pain and with progress you can feel and see as your range of motion increases and your control improves.

I was looking for a yoga class for arthritis and getting nowhere fast when I discovered Yoga for Arthritis: The Complete Guide. The physiology of arthritis is explained in layman's terms, with the most common forms of the disease addressed succinctly. A similar approach is given to yoga in its chapter. If you already know or don't care to know this background information, you can go to the chapter featuring the poses that address the joints you want to free up. (The authors are careful to list contraindications to performing each pose.) As my reactive arthritis is most troublesome in my fingers and wrists, I have bookmarked Chapter 12, "The Wrists and Hands". I do some or all of the 11 poses daily, and find them very beneficial. The written instructions are clearly worded and the illustrations are excellent. I highly recommend this book.

Arthritis and yoga fit well: arthritis restricts movement, yoga increases range of motion. Here science and theory combine into a usable program to offer arthritis sufferers an opportunity to use yoga poses linked to flexibility. From the physiology of arthritis and how yoga makes a difference to exercises for all levels accompanied by black and white photos for step-by-step following, YOGA FOR ARTHRITIS is an indispensable pick for any general-interest or new age health collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book has made a huge difference in my life. I was someone with good intentions about exercising and doing yoga in particular, but I could never organize the time or create the space in my life to act on my intentions. This book changed all that for me. Now I do 10-15 minutes of yoga each morning before I get out of bed, before I let anything else enter my thoughts. That's the key! There is no distraction and the yoga has become my priority. I never would have believed it. There are clear instructions and photos for the postures which make it easy to follow in the beginning. I also like the quotes and bits of poetry that help to inspire on a dreary day. Beautiful flower photos are a bonus.

This book makes taking a few minutes to start and/or end your day right so easy. Filled with clear photos for each pose, there are also pictures for easier variations on poses for those new to yoga.
The binding on the book is perfectly designed for opening flat at each page and staying that way so you can do the poses and see the photos, without having to work at keeping the book open to the page you want.

It is also a very beautiful and inspiring book, filled with photos you could just sit and look at as a meditation...ie a drop of dew hanging off a blade of grass...all taken by the author.
Just Wonderful!!

A magical book. Each chapter opens with a photograph of a flower that is incredibly beautiful. Naomi's encouragement to use the breathing techniques, postures, and meditations is gentle, light, and effective. Whether I'm reading a whole chapter or a few paragraphs, I always feel uplifted and soothed.

I've had a yoga practice, on and off, for many years. Recently I've been challenged with arthritis in some of my joints and have had to modify my practice. I find Naomi Call's approach---doing yoga in bed---a softer, helpful and pleasant way to start the day.

I love this book! The poses are easy to follow and descriptions are clear. One can use this book for many different reasons. As a great way to begin or end your day. I gave a copy of this book to my 81 year old mother, she can't stop telling me how wonderful she feels. She now loves waking up doing yoga in bed, it is something she can and WILL do. A friend recovering from surgery is recovering faster by doing these gentle yoga stretches along with breathing properly. My daughter is doing Yoga in Bed with her newborn baby. Thank you, Naomi for this precious gift.

Yoga is a perfect remedy for anxiety.The book Yoga RX gives you the tools you need to improve your bodys reaction to stress.Everything is explained in a professional but clear manner and gives you simple breathing methods that are extremely helpful.Thank you for this great resource! Lisa Marino TX

Yoga Rx is a user-friendly introduction to how Yoga Therapy adapts the practices of yoga to the needs of people with specific health problems. It is an important book for bridging the gap between yoga teachers, doctors and other health professionals. Both busy doctors and their patients will benefit tremendously from reading Yoga Rx. As a companion to this book, I recommend Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health, by B.K.S. Iyengar, which illustrates the use of props in therapeutic yoga programs.I highly recommend Yoga Rx to teachers of all traditions. 100 Sun Salutations to Larry Payne and Dr.Richard Usatine for writing this empowering book! Suza Francina, author, The New Yoga for People Over 50 and Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause.

As practicing Yoga therapist, perhaps my best recommendation is to note that I have spiral bound my own copy and some of the pages are becoming a bit dog-eared.

This is a well written, sound introductory guide to Yoga therapy, written by two of the Western leaders in this emerging discipline. The text has an elegant simplicity, reflecting years of experience. I especially appreciate the thoughtful allopathic medical advice and wise lifestyle counseling well integrated with the Yoga practices. I also appreciate the extensive resource guide and the many academic references. The book as a whole provides much insight for students, yoga teachers and other health care practitioners wanting to explore the many possibilities for Yoga for health and wellness as well as an alternative or complementary therapy.

As a teacher attempting to work with individuals as a whole, however, I remain somewhat uncomfortable with the connotations of the title of this book. Yoga therapy is not a set of mechanical prescriptions for common ailments. That sort of cookbook assumption does a disservice to the breadth of the discipline, the role of a teacher and the many dimensions to each student. The authors, of course, know this well. Larry Payne has done much pioneering work in Yoga therapy and in bridging this discipline to the allopathic medical community.

In my view, the practices in the book are more illustrative of general principles applied to specific individuals and situations at a point in time rather than prescriptions that can be easily generalized. In that sense, this book may be more appropriate for the experienced Yoga therapist who will be familiar with various caveats, alternative approaches and broader dimensions to Yoga practice.

For example, chronic lower back pain is probably the most common complaint brought to Yoga therapists. The practice suggested in the book should be helpful to many in "typical" situations and I have used it successfully with some of my own students. Few students are typical, however. For many students that particular sequence will be too strong, or too gentle or too long, or contains a contraindicated movement, such as the twist. In real life, many students will have other important health considerations besides unspecified lower back pain, e.g., a different limiting injury, excessive stiffness or flexibility, difficulty breathing, depression, perhaps even much experience in Yoga from another tradition, etc.

Many students will have, or will soon develop, other goals for practice besides pain relief. Increased physical & psychological strength and private spiritual support are two common, but much different aspects of Yoga practice that can be woven in or stimulated from therapeutic applications.

Finally, perhaps more than a technique, students may most need a relationship with a teacher who will see them as a whole, something they might not find in the conventional health care environment.

From those perspectives, there is no substitute for working with a well-trained and experienced therapist. Finding a qualified practitioner, however, may be difficult. This is common with many emerging CAM therapies, but perhaps especially acute in Yoga. There are no standards for Yoga therapists and few in-depth training programs.

An obvious companion to this book is Yoga for Wellness by Gary Kraftsow (from the same teaching lineage). Compare, for example, the much stronger sequence for working with the lower back in that book and the emphasis on case studies. Together, these two books provide a rich, complementary perspective on Yoga therapy.

For those interested in Yoga and complementary and alternative medicine, I recommend The Yoga of Healing by T. K. V. Desikachar and Dr. Arjun Rajabopalan. Also The Best Alternative Medicine by Dr. Kenneth Pelletier. For broader and deeper perspectives on Yoga from the same lineage, see The Heart of Yoga by Desikachar and Yoga for Body Breath and Mind by A. G. Mohan. Practicing or aspiring Yoga therapists should be subscribers, or course, to the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, co-founded by Larry many years ago.

This book is a comprehensive, intelligently written, and accessible resource for all those interested in their health, yoga, or both. I enthusiastically recommend this well written, easy to read, and easy to understand book.

Any Yoga practitioner and teacher should feel privileged that this book is made available. The authors bring out their experience in dealing with ailments of the body applying Yoga in such great detail. A host of common and not so common ailments are covered - explanation of the relevant anatomy, examples of people they treated with Yoga and the routines used.

As a Yoga teacher I find this book immensely (that is just an understatement) helpful. I routinely use and refer this beautiful presentation to address my student's concern. The authors understanding and respect for the (patient's) body and a diverse audience a book can reach is evident in the routines which are mild and curative, in the precautions and helpful wholesome practices that can also be followed.

The publishers have done a terrific job in the quality of the photographs, printing and the overall book itself. Another jem of a book about application of Yoga for what is needed most today. The authors and publishers have truly done a yoeman service by making such content available.

This book is wonderful...just browsing through it gives me a sense of calm. The sequences, or routines, are separated into groups focusing on specific benefits (clarity, renewal, comfort and freedom...to name a few) and this is how I choose my routine each time. I'm fairly new to yoga and I find each sequence clearly demonstrated. Both text and photographs define proper technique and also encourage me by stressing the benefits I can expect to experience as I follow this practice, referred to by the author as "the gentle power of yoga".

kristie's book is a wonderful book for all levels of yoga. the descriptions are clear and concise. the photographs, layout and entire book are a beautiful representation of yoga. everyone should take a look at this book. once you do, you will want to take it home with you! i can't wait to work through all the poses and try out all the other suggestions the accompany the poses. it is a very holistic approach to yoga, one that is not often done (if ever! i have yet to see another!).

I received this book as part of a gift package from the Body Shop, and I wasn't expecting much. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that this is an extremely well-thought out book appropriate for beginners to more advanced levels. The book begins by reviewing some of the basic tenats of yoga, including the importance of breathing as well as the purpose of the healing chakras located throughout the body. It then goes on to introduce the sun salutation series, a basic series of poses which forms the foundation of most practices.

Following this, the book is divided into approximately 20 chapters, with each chapter containing instructions for approximately 4-5 poses centered around a particular theme. For example, the "Renewal" practice is a series of poses which can be done at your desk to restore your energy while you are at work, the "Stability" practice focuses on back exercises to strengthen your midsection--other themes include waking up in the morning, warming up prior to a workout, attaining calm, increasing concentration and mental focus, strengthening your muscles, and many more.

Each series takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, so they can be done in isolation or mixed and matched to form a custom practice. All of the poses in the book are at a beginning level, but most have both modifications and more advanced versions. Furthermore, the bottom of each section includes tips on breathing, meditation, and/or general wellness. I have really enjoyed this book, expecially given that it has helped me to incorporate more yoga into my fitness routine.

The best thing about this book is the photographs that accompany the text. Each position is clearly mapped out for you in clear, colorful pictures so that even a beginner can do advanced positions after reading this book. Each chapter is set apart by different techniques and it is an easy size to carry with you if you are on the go. I highly recommend this book for yoga enthusiasts of all levels. For example, I work in a library and this book is always checked out, even though we have a wide variety of other books on yoga and stretching.

This is the best yoga book I have ever seen. Beautiful design, clear and honest writing. I've seen guests in my house -- with no yoga experience -- pick it up and before long they're on the floor doing the Downward Dog.

I though I had done that already. So, once again, the book arrived on time but the sender failed to tell that this was a LIBRARY BOOK. It was full of stickers with library numbers on the cover and inside the book itself. Had I known this, I would not have bought it. It's one thing to buy a "used" book. It's another, to buy a used book with stickers and notations. So, I am not very pleased and I emailed the sender upon receipt.

I have four daughters, and as I read this book I alternated between thinking "That's exactly right based on my experience!" and "Wow, I'm very glad to know that!"

The range and depth of information is impressive, and Dr. Metzl's writing style makes you just keep reading once you start.

This book should be required reading by all sporting parents. I can promise you'll be a better parent for having read it.

When my son slipped during a recent curling match, I was worried that he'd never feel comfortable comepting gain, but Dr. Metzl's excellent book gave my wife and me the information we needed to get our son back in the game. This book is a must-read for parents with kids in sports. It does for sports injuries what chicken soup and chopped liver do for the soul.

Dr. Metzl clearly articulates the do's and don'ts of sports medicine and there impact to young athlete's. He has a dry sense of humor that makes the book an enjoyable read. A must have for parents with active, athletic children.

This is one of the best health books, and one of the best parenting books, I have ever read. Dr. Metzl's style is both authoritative and engaging. I highly recommend this book.

This book delivers- well written + clear + suitable for those not in the mental health/medical fields yet does not oversimplify/dumb down. If you are wondering whether medicine may be needed for your child or client, or if you are concerned with the state of psychiatry + medicine today, this book is a must read.

As a child psychiatrist who works with children, adults and families in much the same way as Dr. Kalikow, and as one who is all too familiar with the "thorny" kinds of issues which can block parents and or their cihldren from benefitting from the therapeutic process and to then go on and experience real healing, I am very grateful to him for this book.

"Your Child in the Balance" is a highly readable and easily digested source of information for parents who are faced with the daunting task of obtaining the best help for their children who struggle with emotional and behavioral problems. In an age where so many practioners in child psychiatry seem to have become almost single mindedly focused on the use of pharmacologic agents to treat, if not "cure", our children, using medicines which often do offer both the potential for relief for so many problems as well as risks, and with a media which often fails to provide an appropriate perspective on the complex issues involved in such forms of treatment, it has become increasingly difficult for parents to know who to turn to and who to trust when a child is troubled and in need of "professional help". Knowing when medicine is appropriate and when not, as well as what other therapeutic modalities a parent can expect from child psychiatrists and other "mental health" providers, are examples of the information one can expect to find in this book. He handles these and a host of other related issues in a clear, thoughtful and sensitive, yet straightfoward, manner.

Dr. Kalikow does an admirable job of presenting timely and relevant issues, filling some of what I consider to be a psychoeducational void with much needed light.

Richard A. Flamberg, M.D.
South Salem, New York

Your Child in the Balance by Kevin Kalikow, a pediatric psychiatrist addresses the dilemma that parents face when deciding whether ir not to use medicine to treat their child's psychiatric disorder. Dr. Kalikow opens by searching for the answers to two questions. Where do we draw the line between function and dysfunction in defining pediatric mental illness? When and how do we decide to treat these illnesses with medications?

The book defines the most common disorders and describes the medications used to treat them. The text is well peppered with detailed case histories. Dr. Kalikow's voice, in this book as in his clinical practice, is clear, coherant and engaging. Most parents will find one or more vignettes which resonate with similarities to their child's behavior and struggles. We see children whose disorders are mild and others whose symptoms are extremely distressing to them and impact significantly and negatively on their families and classmates. In these latter cases, we are shown the impact of pharmacologic treatment.

Many of my pediatric patients have benefitted from Dr. Kalikow's psychiatric care which is remarkable for depth of understanding and respectful perserverance with even the most challenging patients. This book will serve as a guide to other families searching for the right paths for the treatment of their children.

Harriet J. Blumencranz, MD, Goldens Bridge, NY

Dealing with a child's illness in any form is always difficult and emotionally draining, but when it comes to less tangible psychological disorders, the acknowledgment of the condition and the subsequent choice of treatment for our children are among the most difficult of all medical issues a parent must deal with.

The shift from Freudian therapy to pharmacological treatment of children is new to many of us, and I was admittedly a skeptic and needed a lot of information and understanding. Dr. Kalikow's book was by far the best treatment of any such parenting issue I've ever read.

His style of writing - while suffused with an extraordinary amount of well-organized information - is engaging and gentle, and in my case, managed to address almost all of the questions I had on the subject.

By presenting scores of individual case vignettes, along with the arguments both for and against various types of treatments, their effects, potential side-effects, time scales, and long-term considerations, Dr. Kalikow's book provided me with a substantial tool with which to deal with problems "in my own back yard."

There's a lot of hand-holding in his narratives, and in some cases Dr. Kalikow's easy-going manner may seem like he's addressing an audience of adolescents. But when it comes to handling our children, perhaps we can all benefit from being treated in this way, with a touch on the shoulder and the reassurance that the understanding of these disorders in chldren is still new to everyone, and their treatments are even newer.

Bravo and thanks to Dr. Kalikow for providing a very useful and engaging body of information.

A thoughtful and helpful book for a complex subject. Dr. Kalikow addresses the decision making process of the parents, the child and the health care professional when choosing how to address the needs of their child. It is written clearly, with humor, compassion and tenderness. I believe parents will be able to make a more educated decision after reading this book.

This plus "God's Way to Ultimate Health",Lyman's "Mad Cowboy" started it all for me around January. A good friend recommended to read Malkmus after she beat breast cancer by changing her diet! I knew then I had to understand the link between diet and health. I wasn't satisfied to read just this book but many of the others listed in the bibliography and others on biological medicine and others relating to the acid/alkaline balance within our bodies. Morter's "Your Health, Your Choice" helps us to describe what's happening and clearly spells out what implications diet has on our lives. Armed with this info I've been able to help my mother gain control of her arthritis and hopefully get her off methotrexate for good. I've been able to help my mother in law lower her cholesterol since prior strokes have made this an issue. And my wife and I have lost the weight we couldn't seem to shake and have been able to improve all aspects of our health and physical well being. If you have any loved ones who's quality of life you want help improve this book is a great start.

I read this book in the early 90's. Ted Morter, D.C. was way ahead of his time when he released this book to the public. Unfortunately, good health is a person's choice and most people will take very little time to make inquiry into the matter. Also, although this book is reasonable and substantiated from a physiological standpoint, one has to break through the idolatry that exists where medical cures are concerned (i.e. antacids as a cure for stomach ills, argggh!).

I loved Dr. Morters explanation of the digestive process and the pH of each phase from salivation to stomach to duodenum. It is necessary to understand all this to understand what lengths our bodies will go to in order to "save the whole man". The body operates in its wisdom under dire circumstances, but we have a choice and an opportunity to get out of survival mode into health. And the answer is so simple and the logic impeccable.

Cancer and other disease thrive in an acidic environment within the body. Each food we eat leaves a residue of acid or alkalai in our system. Our body will do crazy things to counteract the acid-ash residue left from the SAD diet we are used to (Std. American Diet). Our body will pull calcium from the bones even to neutralize the acid in the system. Drinking more homogenized milk only aggravates the acidity.

Dr. Morter runs under the legs of the medical researchers and unlocks the mysteries...a simple answer to a plaguing problem. Now, ten years after I read the book, researchers are catching up to this book.

It's your health and your choice. If you won't invest the effort to read a little book and see if it compels you to make some basic adjustments, then you deserve the inevitable: poor health and misery---perhaps early exit. This book is great and it changed my life. Too bad it's out of print. It's a CLASSIC! I think that you could find it as a used book even. I still have my copy and don't lend it to anyone. Get it at the library if you must. Sincerely, "paris_match@hotmail.com"

This is a wonderful book for learning the basics of nutrition. Dr. Morter exposes the protein myth and explains quite thoroughly the effects of alkaline verses acid producing foods on the body. He provides a guided tour that goes through all the digestive organs of the body showing how they are affected by an acid diet. I felt this book was presented in a very scientific manner. I used to have regular acid reflux problems. By reading this book I came to understand the implications of that on my overall health, and since reading it over two years ago I have never had indigestion again.

The book gives me a new perspective towards "health" from the traditional "nutrition" way. This pH perspective takes a "total approach" towards health. You will know the real causes of some common illness like asthma, heart diseases, gall stones, mental illness, blood problems......which are actually caused by bad eating habits/choices. Then you will know how to find a way out from those diseases. The book is written in very simple language, an average people can understand it very easily. Having understood the reasons why we choose out food in a 8:2 ratio (8=vege, 2=protein/carbohydrate), it is so easy to apply the priciple in my daily life to stay healthy. It is recommended to read the other books from the author - Dynamic Health, An apple a day and Exercise or Diet.

If you have any type of health problem, please read this book. You may not know it, but your food may be killing you. Your body can heal, but it may be in survival mode and it just doesnt have the chance. This book is very understandable and funny, yet gets technical enough to be convincing. The most beautiful part is that it is your chioce and your health. You can go as fast or as slow as you want. The section on exercise makes you rethink your exercise program. If you want to be healthy, read this book. If not, pass it up. It's up to you, and only you..

I have only gotten to try a few of the recipes so far but they have all come out at least alright. So far i have gotten to try some of the bread ones and they came out good, the sandwich bread was fine (we couldnt get white rice flour and had to use sweet brown but it was fine, just had a little of the normal GF crumble to it), the corn bread how ever you cannot tell it is GF.

there are so many breads and other stuff listed i cannot wait to try many more of the recipes

the author has a flour mix that is used in most of the recipes that uses sorgum flour, a little hard to find but it seems to work well. there is also a modification list on how to add, subtract, substitute ingredients in the mix depending on what you are making to give it more "normal" characteristics.

if you or some one you know has to live GF this book should be one of the first books to buy

Great book, a celiac's dream. It has everything, the widest variety of recipes I've seen in a GF cookbook. The only thing that would improve this volume would be some pictures of at least some of the recipes.
1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes

Finally, a comprehensive, everything you could ever need gf cookbook. This really IS the "joy of cooking" of GF cooking. It's the go-to book with all of the standard recipes you could possibly want. Carol uses a broad range of ingredients, and gives recipes ranging from healthy to decadent. From the vegan options to carnivorous, there's something for everyone.

I made the vanilla cupcakes first, and my husband asked if they had gluten. That might not seem like a dumb question, but I haven't baked with gluten for many years!

So if you need one gluten free cookbook, this is it. And if you have additional allergies, look at my very favorite cookbook, Cooking free, which is also by Carol.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD
Registered Dietitian and nutritionist

Carol Fenster really is one of the greatest GF cooks out there, and her recipes are excellent. But I am disappointed that her new cookbook uses Expandex in some of the recipes without much discussion of what you should use if you do not have this product. She does have a chart at the front of the book, but it's a little confusing. I am certain that Expandex is a superior item to have in my cupboard; I am just wishing, since this is a new product and not as easy to buy as some GF baking things, that she had addressed this issue a little better.

Otherwise, if you're prepared for this one thing, the cookbook is quickly going to become my main one, because her recipes are so trustworthy and fine-tasting.

I have several of Carol Fenster's past cookbooks. This is such a complete book, it is like the Joy of Cooking for gluten-free. Some of the gluten-free cookbooks are just recycled old recipes with the gluten out. The recipes in this book are very innovative and creative. The only down side of that is you might have trouble finding some of the ingredients she uses like the modified tapioca starch and teff. But it is worth searching them out on the internet and it broadened my horizons in gluten-free cooking, and I am a dietitian who has been cooking gluten-free for 15 years.I think I was in a rut with my cooking and this inspired me to try new and healthy recipes. My family is going to be surprised at Christmas!
If my patients can only afford 1 book this is what I would recommend. It is a good value at the price Amazon sells it at.

This book is an excellent way to determine a beginning program in terms of effort and time and a logical method how to progress without burning out. It has some questionaires, but don't be put off by the arithmetic. The charts determining your VO2 are accurate (correleated with my 1 1/2 run time) and the method of determining your first weeks target number and the increase for each week, helps you from being too lazy or pushing not hard enough. However it would have been good if the chart on the VO2 had been supplemented with a percentage(%) maximum heart rate chart, but the % heart rate and the correlated VO2 can be found on the web. In short, the point system is far superior to the Aerobic Points from the Ken Coopers books.

The biggest benefit this book gave me was a reasonable, sensible goal. Without some kind of measurable goal (in this case, meeting the minimum number of exercise points per week), you have nothing to measure yourself against and I always felt I wasn't doing enough! Now, when I've done my exercise for the week and I don't feel like getting up on Saturday morning, I just crawl back into bed! And it's working! Without changing my diet I've lost 10 pounds over the last month, just by using my stationary bicycle, hiking, and exercise videos.

This is a great book. It illustrates the fundamental theories of health and excercise in a rational straight foward way. Also all the scientific proof is written in the book for the cynics. The point system may not be a favourite for everyone but once you get the gist of the program and start analysing food labels for yourself it is really easy to add in a few more exotic foods. It is very simple to keep track of what you have eaten and how much energy you have expended without having to anlalyse everything you do during the day. One point that may be relevant to note is the ratio that foods should be consumed in. Like all books, it is biased towards the authors background. Body builders like weider and bill phillips recommend far larger meat intakes than this book. This book also focusses on having a greater complex carbohydrate intake than some newer books.

This is the closest thing to an idiot-proof fitness plan out there; trust me, I should know. Before I started using this book, I was overweight and not very fit. In school I was the kid who hated gym class and faked doctor's notes to get out of it. Over the years I had tried and failed at lots of fitness regimens. Then a friend gave me this book, saying it had worked for her. A year later I have slimmed down and I feel a lot stronger and more energetic. This may sound like a cheesy testimonial, but it's true. What's great is that the author, Dr. Richard Brown, uses the same plan with the Olympic athletes he coaches -- it is entirely customized to your level of fitness and your goals.

Under this plan, any exercise counts -- from scrubbing floors to Tae-Bo to sailing -- because you rate the effort yourself according to an easy-to-use scale (no heart-rate monitoring). The main point is to choose something you enjoy, the reasoning being that you'll be more likely to stick with it that way. I get my points mostly from walking, stationary cycling, and a strength-training video workout, but I can just as easily figure out my effort for the occasional day of hiking or swimming in the ocean. Even if you don't keep track of your points, you can still use the general principles to pace yourself. The result for me was that I didn't burn out the way I had on other plans, because I was doing exactly the right amount of exercise, and I started noticing the benefits right away. I'd like to thank the author: L.E.A.P. is quite an achievement.

The hardest part of exercise is getting started. This program really helps because it makes every little bit count. You can start by doing lite exercise and move up to more strenuous workouts. If you are already in shape and exercising regularly, you can also benefit. I found the point system fun -- kind of like taking a quiz in a magazine.

I know I didn't pay alot for this book, but I felt that it was a total waste of money. Each page is one sentence and a picture and it certainly did not contain any profound suggestions for healthy living (drink water?).

This book makes complete and total sense. It inspired and motivated me to start taking better care of myself.

I really enjoyed reading this book. If we all applied the principles in this book we would all be eating healthy and feeling great! An excellent source of inspiration. Loved the photos too!

This is a great gift book written with simplicity, wisdom and good sense. Unless you are perfect and already implementing all the steps in this book, then it is sure to provide you with the motivation to try harder to look after yourself.

All of Angela Coldwell's books are great gifts. Her photographs match the literature beneath each photo helping to remind you of what is important in life.