Book Review: "Fit AND Fat" by Sally Edwards and Lorraine Brown
by Ruby Bayan - 08/27/03
"Being fit, not just being thin, improves metabolism, fat-burning capacity, emotional well-being, and the immune system" -- that's the core message of the new book, Fit AND Fat, recently released by Sally Edwards, renowned fitness expert and spokeswoman for the Danskin Women's Triathlon events.
Edwards is the author of the best-selling book Heart Zone Fitness along with other heart monitor and heart rate publications that are available at her website, HeartZones.com.
It didn't take me long to read the book from cover to cover. "Fit AND Fat: The 8-Week Heart Zones Program -- Exploding the myth that only thin people can live long, healthy lives" not just provides valuable information, but also lays them out in easy-to-understand concepts.
For an expert, like Edwards, to explain to and convince regular people, like me, the presentation of numbers and scientific research needs to be comprehensive but not boring, detailed but not complicated. Edwards succeeded in translating both technical and medical information into layman's language.
I have a background in Pre-Med and a degree in Biology, so I have a basic understanding of health-related concerns such as metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and high-density-lipoproteins; but after I read Fit AND Fat, I gained a better understanding of how these and other factors work together to influence my fitness and well-being. The explanations, illustrations, charts, diagrams, and other learning aids scattered across all the chapters, kept me interested and inspired.
Edwards also inserted true stories from different people who shared how they faced and hurdled various fitness challenges. The true-to-life stories of Edwards' co-author Lorraine Brown are heartwarming and motivating.
To give you an idea of what Edwards wonderfully achieved in this book, let me quote a couple of paragraphs from her introduction:
"In this book, you learn about the research behind the fit-and-fat revolution. You will discover that dieting and fighting fat is a waste of time and that fitness is a much better deal. Unlike fat-loss programs, your fitness program will bring you amazing benefits in terms of your energy, self-confidence, chances of warding off chronic disease, and most important, your dreams of living a healthy, happy life."
"Fit AND Fat presents an eight-week program to help you discover the athlete inside yourself. Each week you will learn a vital aspect of fitness, accelerate your progress toward better fitness, and participate in activities that are both fun and rewarding. You will build on what you have learned and gradually start to move more and more. More important, you will tailor your program to your unique body, lifestyle, needs, goal, and schedule."
Packed with essential information to help the reader understand health-and-fitness principles, and overflowing with activities to motivate the reader to embark on a journey to a lifetime of fitness, Fit AND Fat is an essential read.
Being fat is no longer an excuse – you can be fat and still be in shape. This book tells you all about it.
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