Review – Fit and Firm For Ever by Paula Goodyer
A Guide to Staying Toned and Healthy Through Menopause and Beyond
Mar 8, 2009
Health writer Paula Goodyer offers an overview of why it is important for older women to be conscious of their nutrition and fitness and how they can better manage both in her book Fit and Firm For Ever (Ebury Press, 2009). With practical tips that can be incorporated an existing routine, Goodyer encourages women to make lifestyle changes now to improve their health in years to come.
Fit and Firm For Ever
After reading an introduction that plainly states the many physical challenges facing women approaching 40 or older, most women will be keenly turning the pages to find out what solutions Goodyer offers for common mid-life physical issues such as flabby arms, droopy breasts, drooping posture, pudgy thighs, a thickening waist and reduced energy levels.
Offering practical and relevant examples of activities and lifestyle challenges, Goodyer explains how particular exercises and lifestyle changes will have a positive impact on health and energy levels. Frequent fact boxes and check lists make the text more approachable, offering motivation and information at a glance.
Goodyer’s practical enthusiasm makes a more active and healthy lifestyle seem not only achievable but also appealing. Her approach is challenging and invites readers to really consider the implications of lifestyle and dietary choices made by menopausal and pre-menopausal women on their health as their body ages. She reminds women that everyday nutrition and fitness choices they make today can have a significant positive, or negative, impact on their quality of life in the future.
Practical Health and Lifestyle Tips for Women
Fit and Firm For Ever is divided into two sections, covering the following topics:
Fitness
- Re-style your body – motivation to exercise
- Miracle of muscle – how muscle helps middle-aged bodies burn fat; strength training
- Energy prescription – walking workout, running, visiting the gym and tips for everyday fitness
- Stretching – maintaining flexibility; yoga, Pilates and simple stretches
Diet and Lifestyle
- Preventing mid-life weight gain – the best way to lose weight for women in their 40s and 50s
- A healthier waistline – secrets for a healthy fast food kitchen, smart shopping and cooking for better health
- Shape stealers – why women need less alcohol and more sleep
- Making it happen – staying motivated
Practical nutrition tips include a recommended pantry list for healthy eating and general food preparation guidelines. Instructions are provided for stretches and exercises that can be incorporated into an everyday routine and recommendations are given for sources of more targeted exercise routines and programs.
Remaining Fit and Vibrant Through Menopause and Beyond
Goodyer offers fitness, diet and lifestyle tips to reduce the impact of growing older. Fit and Firm For Ever is not a guide for stopping the aging process, but rather a practical assessment of what changes need to be made to ensure that the impact of changes in hormone levels and lifestyle are minimised.
The style is motivational and practical, offering achievable fitness goals and relevant general and menopause health information to explain why it is important to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Fit and Firm For Ever is sure to appeal to women in their late 30s and older who are seeking realistic advice relevant to their lifestyle and fitness needs.
Fit and Firm For Ever (ISBN: 978-1-74166-583-3, 177 pages)
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