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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 613.7045
EAN num: 9781585747696
ISBN number: 1585747696
Label: The Lyons Press
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 336
Printing Date: February 01, 2004
Publishing house: The Lyons Press
Sale Popularity Level: 840716
Studio: The Lyons Press
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'Callahan's book offers guidance and notes that the plan doesn't have to include the expense of a health club or a new diet regimen. Rather, you are the key component of your workout and your well-being.' -The Associated Press
Imagine picking up the morning paper and seeing a banner headline that reads: Miraculous New Anti-Aging Pill Discovered. In The Fitness Factor, now in paperback, Lisa Callahan, M.D., shows us that such a magic pill already exists in the form of regular daily exercise. Cofounder and medical director for the country's premier sports medicine center for women, Dr. Callahan speaks honestly and intelligently to women, helping them understand that the benefits of regular exercise go well beyond the cosmetic. Fitness, in fact, is the single most important factor when it comes to preventing heart disease, beating osteoporosis, lowering cholesterol, decreasing cancer risk, losing weight, increasing energy, reducing stress, having better sex, and much more.
For women of all ages and abilities, the book helps women:
- Evaluate individual health and fitness goals
- Develop a lasting positive attitude about exercise
- Design an individualized exercise program (based on interest and ability) that has guaranteed staying power
- Understand the major factors of fitness including cardiovascular, flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance
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Rated by buyers 
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This is an excellent book for educating women about the benefits of fitness. Author Callahan makes a compelling case for why exercise should be a priority in every woman's life, regardless of the many obstacles which might get in the way. She does a particularly skillful job in explaining exactly how cardiovascular exercise provides health benefits for the heart, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other functions. She then lays out specific steps for developing your own cardio plan, from determining the type/frequency of exercise to choosing the right fitness shoes; subsequent chapters provide the same breakdowns in terms of flexibility and weight training options.
This book is not designed for beginning exercisers alone, however. In Part 3, Callahan begins to concentrate on the issue of taking fitness to the subsequent level, including battling boredom, progressing with weight training, and conquering various fitness challenges. She also includes a section on nutrition, emphasizing the importance of eating in weight loss and shifting to a focus on eating as a means to fuel the body. She also touches on the issue of eating disorders/disordered eating, sadly a real concern amongst health-conscious women. The final part of the book addresses sports injuries, providing very helpful information for recognizing, preventing, and treating common injuries.
Although I think that women from all levels of fitness are likely to derive some benefit from this book, it is probably most relevant to those who are fairly new to fitness and/or who have not yet educated themselves in this area. As a regular exerciser for years, I was already familiar with much of the information presented, although I did find the section on injuries to be particularly helpful. Overall, this is a very useful reference manual which I would not hesitate to recommend to other women.
Rated by buyers -
I knew it was time to think about adding to my exercise routine when my daughter started playing with my developing triceps wattle. I've hiked and biked regularly for many years, but it clearly wasn't giving me whole-body fitness, and wasn't enough to counteract the effects of moving through middle age. So when I saw this book reviewed and strongly recommended in the New York Times, I thought I'd give it a try.
It definitely was a good choice. The most important things I have gotten from this book are:
(1) Motivation. Callahan stresses that, as with housework (my little addition here), doing *something*, however little, is always better than doing *nothing*. This mindset helps overcome the 'all-or-nothing' perfectionist attitude that if you're going to exercise, you must go all out and learn everything there is to know about it before even starting, which inevitably leads to procrastination and excuses. Callahan gets an A+ in motivating her readers and patients to just get on with it, and to stick to a regular program.
(2) Method. I wanted to know where to start, and what to concentrate on. Callahan focuses on the needs of women in various situations (e.g. more or less athletic to start out with), particularly as we grow older. She recommends specific exercises for flexibility, strength, and endurance training, all of which are important in an effective fitness program. Clear and attractive line drawings are a big aid in picking up the how-to quickly. There is also lots of useful information on equipment, clothing, and shoes.
(3) Benefits of exercise. The author explains clearly why fitness is important not just for weight loss, firmness or improved appearance, though these are welcome benefits as well, but for a healthy heart, dense bones (exercise can help prevent osteoporosis), and to maintain strength for things like being able to get out of a chair when you're older.
(4) Dealing with injury. Several chapters are devoted to how to avoid atheletic injury, and how to deal with it if you do get injured. This includes important warnings like not to keep exercising when you feel pain, and not to leave an ice compress on too long.
(5) Diet. Callahan talks a lot about diet, though there was less that was new here for me, since I already try hard to follow a healthy diet, and am a vegetarian cookbook junkie. But I appreciated her comment on how overdoing vegetarianism can be unhealthy if it limits one's food choices too much.
Callahan cites anecdotally several case histories of her patients, which add interest to the point she's making, and help make the connection with real-life needs and situations of real people.
In her closing chapter, Callahan reminds the reader of how a woman's attitude towards health and exercise can set the tone for better fitness for the whole family, just by example. Kids definitely are more likely to do what you do rather than what you say.
This book was very carefully produced; I found no typos, and only a bit of repetition at the end. It is nicely bound, with a pleasant dust jacket design - the photo of the author reveals her to be in excellent shape and very attractive herself. Best of all, the font style and size is large and comfortable to read, the paper snow-white and glare-free, and the margins generous.
In short, I highly recommend this to any woman who wants quick, to-the-point, quality information that won't overwhelm you on how to become more fit. And make sure you pass this one onto your daughters when you're done.
Rated by buyers -
The Fitness Factor's appeal is in its use as a tool for the development of a personal health and wellness plan. Having the book is like having your own personal trainer, one who is knowledgeble as well as motivating. It is based on sound eating and exercise principals and provides insight and ideas for its readers.
Rated by buyers -
"The Fitness Factor" should be a bible for women of all ages. "It is never too late to start" is Dr. Callahan's message. She details concrete and gradual steps, free from fads and quick fixes, to follow in order to achieve realistic goals. Dr. Callahan gives hope and encouragement, especially to older women and those who have never made fitness an important part of their life.
Rated by buyers -
For years I have combed the fitness section looking for a book to meet my needs. Finally that book is here! Callahan does a great job of giving information from the novice to the athlete training for an event. This is your chance to find out what the minimum amount of excercise is and what needs to be done in order to lose weight. Get a copy for yourself and a friend.
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