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The Women's Health BIG Book of Exercises - Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You
by Adam Campbell
Rodale
ISBN 978-1-60529-549-7
Published December 2009 - Softcover - 472 pages - $24.99

Unless you've been living under a rock or are from another planet, it's common knowledge that in order to look good and be healthy, you have to eat correctly and exercise.  With this book you can combine both, and the exercises aren't meant to wear you out; "they are scientifically designed to be as effective as they are efficient".  Doesn't that sound good?  Even just 15-minute exercises—my type of workout!  Workouts and exercises are from a variety of experts so they differ from one to the next, and, you can pick and choose your own personalised plans.  The book starts off with weights (I need upper arm strength and I'm starting menopause, so weights are important for me) and goes into the benefits of lifting weights and how you'll lose fat and tone your arms and body.  Then it moves on to Lifting Q&A before starting off with "The World's Greatest 4-Week Diet and Exercise Plan".  You get to work on your core, glutes and hamstrings, upper back, quads, chest, lats, shoulders, and more as you go through the different chapters.  You also get to learn about the various muscles in the different areas of the body.  Once you've determined what parts need which exercises, you can learn them and pick and choose which combinations you want to do, thus tailor-making your own workouts.  There are also diet discussions and prenatal workouts, couples workouts, sports workouts, the hard-body workout, the wedding workout, the bikini-ready workout, and others.  The warm-up exercises are important so as to avoid injury.  Some of the exercises appear difficult, and I can't see many large people being agile enough to attempt them.  Not being rude, just judicious.  However, many exercises require some equipment, which for many isn't an option.  I can start by working on my upper arms to get me going.
Beautifully illustrated.
Conclusion - A great incentive for anyone wanting to lose weight safely and/or to firm up.