I received this delightfully written and exquisitely presented book in the mail today from Perth-based health, fitness and wellbeing practitioner David Beard.
I couldn't put it down. I couldn't wait to tell you about it, it's so good.
It's full of wisdom and wit about keeping yourself in good shape as you get older.
Speaker, Matt Church describes it as 'A great book in its elegant simplicity.'
He's right; it's an inspiring and motivating work of art.
It's got some great quotes.
Anyone can grow old. All you have to do is live long enough.
Groucho Marx
The good news is that life expectancy is increasing; the bad news is that the extra years are tacked on at the end.
Gordon Livingston
What I liked most about the book is the thoughtful and insightful way David has gone about presenting a simple message. In an era where the simple has become complicated, the cheap expensive, health turned into medicine and fitness ignored completely (even by the Commonwealth Government's new Preventive Health Task Force) he delivers a refreshing message - look after your Self.
Ever time I see those two words, 'preventive' and 'health' side by side in the same paragraph, I break out into a cold sweat. It's an abuse of the language that passes all understanding. You don't prevent health, you promote it and I can tell you with fear of contradiction, very few people ever got fitter or healthier in a surgery or a chemist's shop.
In fact if the armadas of people turning up to a doctor's surgery near you today were sent down to the chemists and given a free copy of David's book, (and they couldn't help but absorb some of the advice), in a couple of months they'd be much better off than pouring gobs of Lipitor down their throats.
I love the cartoons. Karin Hearn has done a great job at turning 1000's of words into pictures. Every facing page has a cartoon to punch the message home. Here are a couple of my favourites.
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The publisher's blurb goes like this.
Do you want to live a long and active life? Do you want to give yourself every chance to be healthy and fit enough to enjoy doing things with your grandchildren? This book is a collection of tips and advice from people who have lived well into their 80s, 90s and 100s. It's a must read for anyone who plans to live a long time and enjoy it. You'll discover:
• How many of your lifestyle choices today can make a huge
difference later in your life --
• What types of exercise are the most important as you get
older
• How sensible eating means you might actually lose weight
as you age
• How to design a life that inspires you to get out of bed with
energy every morning
• How you can be a person people enjoy being with.
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David Beard is a physical educator (masquerading as an exercise physiologist.)
He's a fitness expert, he's a speaker, author, coach and mentor.
He's one of the country's most experienced and respected practitioners in the field of fitness and aging and has worked with and helped change the lives of adults from 50 to 100.
He practices what he preaches. He's as fit as a trout. |
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He's not over the top - like me his favourite foods are ice cream and chocolate!
Click on this link, take a look at his website and sign up for his newsletter.
http://www.lifelongfitness.net/
Click on this link and go through to his blog. He's got some interesting insights about fitness on it. It's well worth a read.
http://www.lifelongfitness.net/blog/
So what more can I say?
Not much really, except to recommend David's book to you and commend him on the completion of a most worthwhile project.
You can purchase the book at the Health and Fitness Bookstore or directly off David's website.
The $29.95 is not a cost, its an investment - in your health and the health of the people around you who will read the book. It would make an ideal gift for a daughter who has a birthday coming up in the next few weeks.
In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember; think of yourself as young - you'll be more likely to do the things young people do.