Review of Total Body Transformation: A 3-Month Personal Fitness Prescription For a Strong, Lean Body and a Calmer Mind (Paperback)

Mr. Ilg will get you in shape physically and mentally, guaranteed.
I approached his book from a reformed weightlifter/runner to now a yogi/runner's perspective.
First the yoga information:
Many modern and not-so modern yogis claim that yoga is all anyone needs as far as exercise, but I completely disagree.Despite their attention to bandhas, tai chi like connecting movements, and yoga breathing, I don't think yoga alone is a cardiovascular workout.Moreover, I don't feel that the combination of low plank, high plank, crow, and handstands is enough to develop upper body strength.If you look at most yogis (no offense, please) such as Steve Ross (Inhale on Oxygen 6 a.m. weekdays), Bikram Choudury, and others, they don't look very strong.The best in this area to me has been Baron Baptiste (he of the ubiquitous bandana) and his attention to "functional strength."
Fortunately, Mr. Ilg politely calls the yogi community out on this subject and carefully illustrates the need to "strength train" in addition to yoga.
His High Performance Yoga (trademarked I believe) still uses these poses, but as a complement to the work in the gym.Also, his yoga routine is functional not fancy, incorporating all the sun salutations and warrior poses, as well spinal twists, backbends, forward bends, and inversions.Maybe most importantly he introduced me to a pose not found in many yoga books and not on Yoga Journal's website pose section:the yoga squat (this should be called the Ilg squat).It's a fantastic pose.
As for Mr. Ilg's strength training advice:solid and proven.He limits between set rest to 30 seconds and does power movements such as squats, stiff-legged deadlifts, benches, military presses, etc.No high rep,"shaping movements" fluff here.
His cardio advice is also great.No "just gardening is cardio" or park your car in a farther spot blather, but rather a discussion on the necessity of hard training such as bicycling, running, and more.
Mr. Ilg gets very, very, very deep into the meditation and spiritual"stuff."He loses me here, but that is my weakness.Hopefully, you will be able to embrace this important area.
Another area Mr. Ilg recommends that I could not survive:media fasting.I'm sorry, but I have to read the Journal/Times daily or I feel lost.If you can do this, your journey will be more advanced than mine.He doesn't say you have to do it daily, of course.
Nutritionally, I can't personally see eliminating meat & dairy without some heavy protein supplementation.If I'm training two-three hours daily (Mr. Ilg's recommendation), I don't see how a diet high in fiber and natural foods other than meat and dairy can provide enough protein.He may be right; it's just not for me.
Please, if you are considering getting "fit" realize that cardio, strength training, or yoga alone will NOT be enough individually.You have to combine all three (throw in meditation if you can and of course nutrition).Based on those proven facts, please welcome Coach Ilg into your life.You will save a lot of money purchasing this one book, instead of several for strength training, cardio, and the often incomplete yoga books.You won't be disappointed.

Thanks for reading.

P.S.Attentive readers may note that I previously reviewed this tome.I used some unfortunate and inappropriate words at the time.I apologize to Mr. Ilg and the Amazon community for that.Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa.

Updated 11.25.05.For some reason when you Yahoo, Google, A9 yoga squat this review comes up, so I want to add a little bit more information.
I still don't understand why more yoga tomes don't discuss the yoga squat, so I want reemphasize how much I appreciate Mr.Ilg's contribution.I do the yoga squat at least 10 times a day (always at least a minute).When I get two minutes during work I do it followed by a one minute forward bend.The yoga squat seems to put my whole body back into line and it unleashes an "energy flow".Also, during my reqularly scheduled two daily workouts, I do yoga squats holding a 25 or 35 pound plate for 2-3 minutes.It deepens the pose and feels fantastic.Everyone should do the yoga squat (knee pain sufferers excluded, although it may help actually).

Update 12.6.06.I just wanted to add another item to the Ilg Squat/yoga squat.The great Steve Ross on his fantastic yoga show Inhale(Oxygen M-F 6 a.m. EST) showed a version of the yoga squat designed to deepen the pose.He just set his feet very wide apart and squatted down.Turning your toes out may help some people.It felt awesome.

Again, big thanks to Mr. Ilg to paying attention to this incredibly important asana.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Total Body Transformation: A 3-Month Personal Fitness Prescription For a Strong, Lean Body and a Calmer Mind (Paperback)

Review of Color Code, The: A Revolutionary Eating Plan For Optimum Health (Paperback)

Mom always said to eat your vegetables. But if she failed to convince you, "The Color Code" takes up where Mom left off. This book is a compelling and well-researched argument for the many ways in which vegetables-and fruits-contribute vitally to health.
We should all eat a rainbow of 9-10 brightly-colored fruits and veggies daily, explain co-authors Joseph, Nadeau and Underwood-not just strive for "5 a day" while repeating the same limited repertoire of pale foods. Color matters because many of the most amazing nutrients are in the pigments that color fruits and vegetables.
You may have heard of some of these pigments, without realizing they were actually pigments. Beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps the body manufacture Vitamin A, is the orange pigment in carrots and sweet potatoes. Lycopene, touted in the media with headlines like "tomato sauce prevents prostate cancer," is the red pigment in watermelon and pink grapefruit as well as in tomatoes. Lutein, which studies recently tagged as key to eyesight, is found in greens like spinach, kale and even parsley. Once the authors explain that each pigment color has different health-giving properties, it's easy to understand why "eating the rainbow" is important.
Most of these pigments are antioxidants. If you've heard this term before but have had trouble understanding what antioxidants are and why so many diseases are linked to oxidative stress in our bodies, read "The Color Code." It caps a very understandable section on antioxidants with the following paragraph:
"If you want to see antioxidants at work, one place to look is your own kitchen. If you've ever sliced an apple and watched it turn brown, you've seen the effects of oxidation. But what if you dip the apple slices in lemon juice first, as many recipes recommend? Then you can boldly let the apple slices sit out and dare them to turn brown. The vitamin C in the lemon juice is a potent antioxidant, and it will intercept the oxygen before it can strike the fruit. [p. 12]"
As this example hints, "The Color Code" is well-structured and engagingly written. The three authors-Jim Joseph, a nutrition researcher at Tufts; Dr. Dan Nadeau, a diabetes specialist; and Anne Underwood, a Newsweek health reporter-introduce themselves early on, giving the text an approachable personality. Tight writing and solid scientific references balance the folksy tone, ensuring that "The Color Code" doesn't read like a fad diet-guru book.
After the introductions and overview are chapters on each of the four pigment-color groups: red, orange-yellow, green, and blue-purple. Within each of these chapters are separate entries for 8-14 different fruits or vegetables. Each entry lists the food's pigments, its other phytonutrients, and its vitamins, then proceeds with a sales pitch including everything from scientific research to cooking tips-whatever the authors think will convince you to Eat This Now. Who knew that blueberries could reverse the effects of aging in rats, or that lemon-zest may prevent skin cancer?
While the book recommends a "semi-vegetarian" diet, its authors readily admit that you should eat more than just fruits and vegetables. A general chapter on nutrition advises that whole grains should cover half your plate at mealtime, with vegetables making up another 30-40% and the remaining 10-20% given to healthy proteins (legumes, fish or poultry). Sensible advice on essential fats, portion control and exercise rounds out this chapter, which ends with a sample 7-day meal plan.
Since it's easy for good intentions to slip away from us, "The Color Code" includes a scoring system to help reinforce new "rainbow eating" habits. The goal is to score 100 Color Points every day. You get 10 points for every serving (serving sizes are roughly 1/2 cup). But, since variety is important and some foods are healthier than others, you get 5 bonus points for a) eating something from the authors' Top Ten list b) covering all four color-groups in one day c) drinking two cups of tea or d) eating a fruit or veggie you haven't had in the previous year. It's a catchy system that may appeal to some folks, but others may prefer the simplicity of just remembering to eat lots of different brightly-colored fruits and vegetables.
The book concludes with about 75 recipes and a bibliography detailing the many research studies referred to in the color chapters. My few minor criticisms of The Color Code stem from these two sections. The recipes are simple and easy, reproduced from other sources in most cases (appropriate, since the authors aren't dieticians or cooks). But I'm surprised to see white rice-even high-glycemic sushi rice-included several times despite the authors' earlier exhortations to eat whole grains. The recipes are sometimes a bit hard-core satfat phobic, too, calling for egg substitutes and no-fat salad dressings, where I'd be inclined to use a real egg and a dash of olive oil. As for the bibliography, it's useful but actual footnotes or page references might be even more helpful, allowing those intrigued by the text to more readily research the original study.
I highly recommend "The Color Code." While its authors readily admit that some of the research cited is preliminary-scientists are just beginning to learn about plant pigments and phytonutrients-I'll happily eat more fruits and veggies now, rather than waiting for long-term double-blind studies to be completed.
The authors say it best: "...if greengrocers had the marketing muscle of drug companies, we would all be racing to try this miracle regimen. Patients would demand that their doctors prescribe it. Consumers would flock to the produce aisles to snap up these lifesaving foods....Again and again, the same bottom line emerges: whole foods-colorful foods-deliver protection against a broad range of ailments."



Click Here to see more reviews about: Color Code, The: A Revolutionary Eating Plan For Optimum Health (Paperback)

Review of Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell: Winning Weight Control Strategies for Women Over 35 to Stay Fit Through Menopause (Paperback)

I read a lot. A whole lot, and it's not just limited to health and fitness books, either. However, the book that I recommend the most is this one, Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell by Debra Waterhouse. I have it on my wish list, but I've already taken it out of the library and read it four times, front to back. Why? Well, Dr. Waterhouse has written a clear, concise, sometimes humorous self help book that is actually HELPFUL! She explains what the changes are that a woman from around 35-55 might go through, why it is so easy to gain weight and so difficult to get it off, why we start gaining in our tummies, why all of the things we did in our twenties to lose suddenly don't work anymore, and why we need to make peace with these changes and respect what our bodies are trying to do for us. Her writing style is practical, upbeat, and motivating. Her recommendations for how to halt spare tire encroachment make sense and genuinely work. Her advice also provides the added benefit of halting osteoporosis, and maybe even reversing it. No gimmicks here. No magic bullets. But you also won't have to live on bean sprouts and tofu(unless you want to). The author gives you permission to weigh a few pounds above the recommended insurance charts, and the means to see that it looks good on you. I've read and recommended some other health and fitness books that are quite good, but none surpass this one. It needs to be on every woman's shelf. Period.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell: Winning Weight Control Strategies for Women Over 35 to Stay Fit Through Menopause (Paperback)

Review of Pump Energy Food, The (Paperback)

Having an extremely busy schedule as a personal fitness instructor, it limits my time and choices I have for food, and since I'm in manhattan quite often, I usually stop at the pump to get a QUICK yet HEALTHY, and I must say, TASTY MEAL. Now when I crave those meals at home, I can make them myself!

You know what? 3 simple words to discribe this book, which are very important qualities for ANY BOOK to me, inexpensive, great information, and it's cheery!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Pump Energy Food, The (Paperback)

Review of The Low-Carb Cookbook (Mass Market Paperback)

I fell in love at page 13. Fran M. has written many other cookbooks and read even more; she is truly a gourmand.Now she's discovered low-carb! This book is a must for the low carb kitchen: A great foreword with themedical lowdown on low-carb; a section on "the low carb gurus"comparing and contrasting Atkins, Zone, Protein Power, etc; a great"Panty" section telling what to throw out of your cupboards (orgive away); how to entertain non-low-carb'ing friends; this book is filledwithuseful sections. Oh, and the recipes!I started this diet eatingcheese, meat, and meat with cheese on it.What variety I've found here!Some recipes are more exotic, and some suited for "weekday"cooking.Desserts!Strawberry gelati! Cheesecake!Chocolate mousse! (Imay have to get that ice-cream maker).
THANK YOU!(Could the nextedition have photos please? And a longer index?)Note: The"Sources" section with where to get low-carb pantry staples isworth it alone!



Click Here to see more reviews about: The Low-Carb Cookbook (Mass Market Paperback)