cover image The Nautilus Diet: Ten Weeks to a Brand-New Body

The Nautilus Diet: Ten Weeks to a Brand-New Body

Ellington Darden. Little Brown and Company, $19.95 (408pp) ISBN 978-0-316-17283-7

In this age of exercise, Nautilus machines have found their way into most health clubs. Here, straight from the source (Darden is director of research for Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries, creators of the machine), is an almost overwhelmingly detailed manual for those who want to simultaneously build muscle and reduce body fat, the proposed key to achieving gradual but permanent weight control. Darden is careful to note that Nautilus training is not for everyone. And he admits it's not necessarily pleasurable. Perhaps, for this reason, he's taken pains to weave before-and-after photographs into the first section. They are meant to motivate; instead, they disrupt the flow of information and contribute to a haphazard organization of data, which range from a dissertation on the dangers of being overweight to advice on what to wear and when to train. Section two, wherein can be found the heart of the program, is well laid out and easy to use. (January 21)