The Athlete Within: A Personal Guide to Total Fitness

""We don't believe in diets,'' explain the authors, physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital, who advocate a safe and effective lifestyle-modification program that combines exercise and sound nutrition to achieve long-term physical fitness. Their detailed, illustrated exercise program stresses flexibility, aerobics, strength and speed. Charts offer instructions for self-assessment, ideal body weights, and caloric and nutritional requirements. The authors describe the necessary skills, equipment and precautions for a variety of ``lifesports''``sports that can be carried out through a long lifetime''including walking, running, swimming, aerobic dance, skiing, skating and competitive sports. The authoritative book provides a solid background on the benefits of physical exercise but is practical only for determined, disciplined readers with the time and ability to reorganize their lifestyles. (August 28)