Book Reviews - Version 1

So I promised book reviews, and book reviews you will get!

I love the library and I love learning new things. Diet/fitness/excerise/food books always seem to draw my attention. The library is a great place to find some interesting books. I like having the option to preview something for free before committing financially.

When I started this program, I decided to just start grabbing books that pique my interest, read/scan them and report back on what seems informative to me and see if I can find some tips/information that fit into my developing “program”. I think there’s a lot of bunk out there, but hey, there’s some good information as well.

This round, I’ve found 2 very interesting books.

The first one is Fit and Fabulous in 15 Minutes by Teresa Tapp. Anything that promises results in 15 minutes draws my immediate skepticism, and so I smugly walked out thinking, “Oh yeah. This is going to be ridiculous”. However, as I read the book, I really liked what she had to say. I respect that that she had a lot of research behind her, took 20 years to develop her program and I was really impressed by how therapeutic her program is. It incorporates a lot of Pilates principles which I can relate to, and yet, has a cardio element as well.

So, I tried the exercises in the book. They’re very detailed and yet, I still couldn’t get the flow down. The book came with a short DVD that had a few exercises on it, so I tried them. I could feel how well my muscles were working and really appreciated that she focused so much on alignment.

The book goes into a LOT of detail describing not only the benefits of each portion of the move, and how it helps the body (not just muscles, but lymphatic and cardiovascular systems as well). I had a hard time getting the flow the movements from just the book. So, still a bit skeptical, but intrigued, I decided to order her 15 minute workout DVD. 15 minutes fits in my schedule. I’m not expecting miracles, but figured that it couldn’t hurt for me to give it a try. So, I’m on day 7 of the 14 day “boot camp”. I refer to the book when I want a bit more detail to fine tune my alignment. I’m sweating by the end of 15 minutes and can feel my muscles working. I’m already feeling stronger and will give it the 6 weeks, (after a 14 day boot camp) and see how I feel after that.

Like any good fitness guru these days, she also had diet recommendations. Her program recommends eating 2 Days of God Made foods, those as they are in nature, which does include meat, whole grains, fruits and veggies, etc, followed by a relaxed day allowing Man Made foods. This sounds very “moderation-ish” to me, in a way that has a bit more structure that just “winging it”. I don’t think “winging-it” is working for me right now. And though I haven’t had time to explore this as much as I want to, I may give it a try and see how things go.
So, all in all, a very informative book and time will tell whether or not the program actually works. Many people swear by it (and you can see many reviews here).

The second book I read is called Apples and Pears: The Body Shape Solution for Weight Loss and Wellness by Dr. Marie Savard. Again, I didn’t read much of the preface of this book; I just kind of grabbed it. And again, I was rewarded by a book packed with some really interesting women’s health information.

The premise of this book is that a woman’s body shape greatly determines her health risks. For example, women who are “apple” shaped, those who gain weight around the middle of the waist and have relatively thin limbs, are at a higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, breast and endometrial cancer, stress and irregular menstrual cycles (and are higher risk for PCOS). “Pear” shaped women, those who gain weight around the buttocks and thighs tend to have a higher risk for varicose veins, osteoporosis, low self-esteem, problems with body image, eating disorders and menopausal problems. Though our “saddle bags” seem to protect us (it’s a different kind of fat) from heart disease, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic issues. However, excess weight can turn women who are pear shaped, into “apples” and that opens the whole disease risk can of worms.

Not that it’s any surprise, but I’ve determined that I am a pear shape. Compare me to my grandmother, aunts, mother and you’ll see we’re all the same shape. My grandmother had osteoporosis and varicose veins. I definitely have body image issues, low self esteem (it’s hard to be a pear in a toothpick world, especially as a teen) which is better than it was but still present and I definitely struggled with eating disorders (though, not any more). I already know that I’m very sensitive to hormones and am concerned about menopause. But the good news is that my maternal, genetic family had/have great hearts and no diabetes and very little cancer. I’m as grateful for their health as I am for mine. My grandmother lived into her 90’s. My grandmother and aunt on my paternal side both had breast cancer, so that does actually put me in a slightly higher risk category.

So, what does all of this mean? Well, for me it means I have to accept being curvy. No amount of dieting is going to give me long skinny legs. I’m always going to have a butt and thighs and a curvy figure. I’ve pretty much accepted and to a degree embraced that. I’m grateful that more pants/jeans are being manufactured for short/curvy figures. It makes it easier to like my body when I can find clothes that fit me properly.

Secondly, Dr Savard recommends specific diets for maximum health benefits for each body shape. For me, being a pear, that means: eating calcium rich foods to combat osteoporosis, reducing my salt intake to reduce my risk for varicose veins, and a high carbohydrate/low fat diet to decrease thigh fat. She definitely recommends walking as a good cardiovascular AND weight bearing exercise to burn calories and fat, encourage strong bones and work the heart. Hey! At least I’m doing something right!

One thing I gleaned that seemed particularly pertinent, is that regardless of any shape-related risk factors, we need to protect our hearts. Heart disease and its’ related cronies is the #1 killer of women in North America. #1. Not cancer, not even breast cancer. So we all, including myself, need to take better care of my heart. Move more, eat less (esp salt), eat healthier foods and Dr. Savard recommends losing not just pounds, but 2 inches off our waists. Any of us doing that alone will greatly decrease our risk of serious disease, heart and diabetes.

So, all in all, I found this to be a very informative book, especially in terms of my long term health potential. Her information was well presented, relevant and her advice practical and easy to follow. You can learn more about Marie Savard here.

And you know, it all boils down to moderation, right? Eat less of the crap, more of the good, move more, and get strong.