cover image FAT DADDY/FIT DADDY: A Man's Guide to Balancing Fitness and Family

FAT DADDY/FIT DADDY: A Man's Guide to Balancing Fitness and Family

Lawrence Schwartz, . . Taylor, $16.95 (220pp) ISBN 978-1-58979-039-1

Schwartz (The Professional's Guide to Fitness ) compiles all the best information from his syndicated column "Ask Fat Daddy" with the goal of countering the belief that "the male progression is an unchangeable one: boys become men, who become husbands, who become Fat Daddies." The strength of the book is that it frankly addresses the notion that work and parental responsibilities produce dads who "eat crap" at the same time that it recognizes the reality of those responsibilities by outlining a realistic eating plan, a simple exercise regime and a few tips on how to balance family and work. Schwartz's Fat Daddy "Reality Diet" is based on practicing portion control and exercising regularly. He offers a few simple rules to follow, such as eating four to six small meals a day to keep your metabolism going and never eating more on your plate than can fit in your outstretched hand. Using easy-to-read tables and engaging football metaphors, he outlines the range of foods that can give dad a "first down" or a "loss of down," such as grilled chicken vs. burgers. He gives an excellent summary of the pros and cons of almost every current diet plan and shows how his diet fits into each one. And his fitness program is as clear to follow as his diet plan, organizing basic aerobic and weight training moves into a "Fat Daddy Four Quarters Work Out" that will give even the most sedentary dad an easy-to-implement plan for a daily workout. (Jan.)