Training Books

This book makes a great gift for your dog loving friends! It's a funny, light and informative read. Dr. Lee gives plenty of advice and offers a compassionate and caring opinion, interspersed with lots of wit and sarcasm.

Lots of people have mentioned how funny this book is -- rather than echo those comments, I'll mention how touching and heart warming the book is too. The author is clearly an expert and is very funny, but the thing that stood out the most for me is how deeply she cares about our 4-legged friends.

The author provides sage advice on how to best care for our dogs, maximize their quality of life, and even discusses the best options for when it is time to say goodbye. This book is a fantastic tribute to the slobering little buggers that bring joy to ours lives like nothing else in the world. Bravo Dr. Lee! Can't wait for more from you!

This book is funny and informative! It covers serious and not so serious questions with a sense of humor and some interesting facts. I couldn't put it down!

It's a Dog's LifeIt's a Dog's Life...but It's Your Carpet: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Your Four-Legged Friend

A fabulous book full of humor and great information! Dr. Lee covers a lot of material left out of most books. I found myself laughing out loud reading this informative and entertaining book. A must read! J.Pantaleo

"I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
A powerhouse. A tour de truth.
I laughed. I cried. I lost 15 pounds!
A must buy!"

Outstanding book by a true professional. MSG Howe is the real deal and an outstanding authority in his field. Would recommend this for any law enforcement or military professional.

Very good book, well structured, pleasant to read. The examples are clear, and the theories easy to apply, even if you aren't L.E. or military.

This is the best book on military leadership and training I have ever read and I have read a few on this subject. All of my team leaders are reading it now after hearing nothing but great reviews from myself. I think all NCO's in the Army, reguardless of MOS, should read this book.

Short and sweet, this is one of the three best treatments of the subject that I have ever seen.

Well thought out, well laid out and well written by someone who fully understands training for and leadership in critical situations. The core concepts are clean and easy to follow and well illustrated by the stories,examples and quotations. The book transcends combat. These principles can be applied any dynamic condition where a critical outcome must be achieved.

Well done, MSG Howe.

I really enjoyed this book. I currently serving in the US ARMY in Iraq. My only wish is that we as soldiers could implement what is talked about in this book. I am sad to say that the author is right about how our society is screwed due to pussies as is our military. Anyways, Great book deffinetely recomend it to any and all combat soldiers.

I am currently in nurse practitioner (NP) school and am studying within the acute/critical care track (ACNP). As a NP student, I believe this book to be a valuable 'quick and dirty' reference. I will be using this as a supplement throughout practice, residency and for my certification boards.

Just finished taking step 2 & 3...I highly recommend NAIL THE BOARDS, The Ultimate Internal Medicine Review for USMLE STEPS 2 & 3 ... , it is concise and, most importantly, the information in the text is relevant to the actual exam. This book is the most current resource reflecting the new changes to USMLE step 2 and 3. The book is up to date and contains all the major topics needed for step 2 & 3. This book contains a lot of excellent contains and summaries that I could not find in any other review book. It seems to be a great companion while doing review questions. I also found this book to be an outstanding source when I prepared for work rounds to teach the interns and students. I can highly recommend this book to all residents. I wish I had it when I started my residency. Great Book!

I initially heard of this book from the 2nd & 3rd year residents in our program. A lot of them used it for their Step 3 and were successful and loved it. I was skeptical at first because this exam was important to me for a number of reasons. In any case, my experience was much the same as theirs, and I did extremely well, as with my predecessors, but I wanted to provide greater detail that I know will help you. I was pleasantly surprised, but at the same time totally relieved, when I sat for the exam because everything I'd studied here was right there on the exam. Specifically, I found the book was incredibly helpful in all of the following areas, which are the key areas required on the exam:

** Associating current complaints with presented history and identifying pertinent factors.
** Interpreting elicited history.
** Interpreting mental status & identifying neuro exam findings
** Interpreting specific physical findings as relates to differential diagnosis
** Knowing appropriate directed physical examination & required technique.
** Recognizing commonly associated pertinent history
** Identifiying risk factors--especially oustanding
** Recognizing signs & symptoms and physical findings

I also found the book super useful for all the lab stuff, specifically:

** Knowing when NO diagnostic or lab studies are indicated
** Knowing which studies to select and when
** Interpreting all the key tests
** Basic lab/diagnostic study algorithms
** Identifying which study/procedure will most likely establish the dx or differentiate it from another
** Predicting the most likely lab or diagnostic test result

Bottom line: I passed easily and I'm thankful to those who recommended this gem. But I also wanted to take a few minutes to "pass" this on to others as well. I know there's a lot of other favorable reviews below, but they really didn't go into much detail. I'd also give a top recommend to the Frontrunners Q&A book which was another treasure trove and landed me a lot of extra points on the exam. As far as I'm concerned, it was the perfect combination.

Solid review for Step 3. My friend used it for his Step 2 too and loved it, but my only experience was for 3. I like the way the book's organized by medicine subspecialties (Cards, GI, Renal, Tox, etc) and the outline is a huge time-saver while leaving nothing to the imagination. GREAT book and a zealous recommend.

Relatively inexpensive as for as board reviews go, but POWERPACKED with all the key info, concisely presented, and beautifully organized. I passed my USMLE Step 3 with flying colors. Definitely have to recommend this one.

I really can't say enough good things about this book. I'll start by saying that having just followed the "below 70 miles per week" training plan pretty faithfully, I just lowered my personal best in the marathon by 19 minutes, breaking 2:50 for the first time. I also actually enjoyed running the marathon, right to the finish, did not hit "The Wall", and sustained my highest weekly mileage ever without sustaining injury. I attribute a lot of this success to this book.

You need to be fairly serious about training to benefit from this book - the training plans are best suited for those who are willing to do 60 miles per week or more. (The 70+ mile per week plan contains a section "When 93 miles per week just aren't enough"). But the book places a strong emphasis on recovery and nutrition, which I think were critical in allowing me to increase mileage without getting hurt, sick, or run-down. And you certainly don't need to be elite - just willing and able to find the time and energy for a fairly large amount of training.

There are a lot of things to get right in a marathon, and almost all of them seem to be addressed here: all the different types and intensities of training, how to make sure you recover on your "easy" days, how to replenish carbohydrate stores after long runs, how to taper, race day strategy, carbo-loading, hydration, and even how to recover intelligently in the month after the race. Impressively, the book manages to cover all these aspects while being readable and quite easy to comprehend and remember.

A lot of ideas in this book are quite similar to Daniel's Running Formula (another good book) but tuned specifically for the marathon and made a bit easier to digest because it only covers that one event.

Nothing new to read here, just the same old marathon training instructions we have all heard.

Advanced Marathoning presents a variety of training programs as well as information relevant to marathon training at large. The book is itself well written and comprehensive. It is not a *fun* read like Hal Higdon's Marathon training book, but is more pointed and helpful for a serious runner.
Why to buy this book:
-Valuable information--The research and details are second to no other book I have seen. This book explains why the training plans work, not just what to do.
-Training programs--The training programs have been the most helpful. They are more detailed than most plans which just give you a daily mileage or say "tempo".
Why not to buy this book:
-Redundant information--All of the data in the book can be found on the internet with relative ease. There is no new data presented (even if it was new at the time of initial publication). If you just want the data peruse the internet.

This program is tailored for the "serious but busy" athlete.
A big plus are the scaled programs from <50 mpw to >70.
The main emphasis is on LONG HARD RUNS. It is no secret that this is the key to aerobic development (Canova, Noakes, Costill etc).
Pfitz puts it into practice w/ a well thought out program.

My only issue would be that there is no "anaerobic threshold" training e.g. 6x2k @ 10k pace. While maybe a bit of overkill, training at this pace worked well for me in the past, and is advocated by others (Vigil, etc).

Definitely worth it - I will be following the 18 week cycle (with a few of my own modifications) for my next race.

This book totally transformed my marathon training. It took me from a middle of the pack runner to a Boston qualifier. It explains the demands placed on your body in training for a marathon and what it needs to recover and how to focus your runs so that each time you hit the pavement, you do it with a purpose (i.e., no more "junk" miles). I use the training guides in the back of the book religiously. If I'm ever away from home more than a few days, this book goes with me!! I've given it to at least 4 other people. In my opinion, no runner should be without this book.

Sure the program comes with a PDF manual but having a printed reference can make learning so much easier. This is not a book on technique, it's a book on features, functionality and workflow. I primarily use Final Cut Express, thankfully most of the tutorials contained in the book are applicable. There's nothing terribly exciting about the book itself, the information is presented in a no-nonsense fashion. If your looking for anecdotal storytelling, humor and opinion you'd do well to consider another title. I keep it handy at all times, it's saved me a lot of time and frustration...well worth the money.

I like Lynda's personal publications best but anything bearing her title "H.O.T." is worth having. Very practical and useful. Norman Borge

When looking for a book on FCP, I just read the various reviews. Even though some others looked quite interesting, I chose this one and am glad I did. I wanted a specific type of instruction because I have some expert-level chops and ignorance at the same time. I'm new to video but am a professional recording engineer by trade. I'm fully conversant on the Mac and non-linear audio programs so I needed a book that got both completely simple (for video concepts new to me) and also provided some depth at the same time.

The type of instruction in this book is having the user execute step-by-step, starting at the most basic level but progressing into more complex stuff fairly quick.

I forget the wording but there's some Chinese proverb........something like
You tell me, I hear
You show me, I see
I do, I learn

That's me and this book suits my learning style nicely. I'm sure there are other books as good but I doubt that any are better, hard to see how you could go wrong with this one.

I consider myself to be a "seasoned user" of Final Cut Pro. I have been editing with FCP since the original release of version 1.0 and have worked on numerous documentaries, features, commercials and episodic television.

I learned about this book from the Apple website. This is the official textbook used for Apple Pro Certification (FCP Level One). So I decided that I would "forget" everything I already knew and begin with Lesson 1. I'm very happy I adopted that attitude because there are so many neat little tips that I picked up in the first few lessons. Now I wonder how I ever survived without them. Those tips have already saved me a lot of time. I have only completed one-third of the lessons thus far and I can already see an improvement in my productivity.

Every chapter of the book is a "hands-on" lesson. The files and media for each lesson are provided on a DVD-ROM (included). You will first copy those files to your hard drive and then open each lesson file and then follow the step-by-step instructions in the book.

I'm looking forward to getting my Level One certification with the help of this book, and I can't wait to continue onto the Advanced Level certification with the second book.

Please note this is essentially the same book as the the "Final Cut Pro HD" book. The DVD is the same and so are the exercises. I had a chance to compare both and noticed only only one minor detailed (a detail is now circled on a screen shot) and, of course, there could be some that I missed. Even so, the back cover of the HD book acknowledges...

"This book was previously published under the title "Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 4. If you previously purchased this book, there is no need to purchase this revision: All the project files and exercises in the previous edition can be used with Final Cut Pro HD."

Bottom-Line: Newbie or Pro? It doesn't matter! This is a GREAT book to own if you use FCP.

Until I purchased this book, I had owned FCP4 for six months. I had learned my way around the software well enough. I felt comfortable, but not necessarily proficient. In order to improve my editing time, I went ahead and ordered this book, also with the intent of getting my Apple certification, as this is the same text used in their classes. Normally, I am the type that I will skip sections that discuss things that I'm certain I know, but I went ahead and followed every step in the book.
What a difference! Each chapter takes approximately 30-45 minutes to complete, using video clips on the included DVD. After 3 days and 10 chapters, I was hardling touching my trackball. Not only had I learned quite a few shortcuts, but the book helped me understand the editing process itself a little better. I feel that this text is very well laid out, easy to understand, and can be done relatively quickly with a sharp learning curve. I highly recommend this to anyone new to Final Cut Pro. With a little time and effort, you'll be flying around the video editing, the soundtrack design and the Live Type titling package. And, after you have completed this book, go ahead and buy Apple Pro Training Series: Advanced Editing and Finishing Techniques in Final Cut Pro 4, you will not be disappointed.

If you want a great book that completely covers all areas of inspecting your house or condominium, then this book is a must. I based my purchase decision on the 5 star ratings this book received many of the Amazon Top 50 Book Reviewers. I knew that those reviews are always valid and real and now I know why this book is so highly rated.

When my house was built I worked alongside the builder to learn as much as I could about construction. If I had this book during that time it would have been a great help since there are areas discussed in the book that my builder never mentioned but obviously a top home inspector would know about. I didn't realize that building codes are only the minimum standards my builder had to oblige by during the home construction. This book opened my eyes to what my builder could have done to go beyond the minimum standards.

This is a great reference for my ongoing maintenance and any repairs needed for my home since this book covers all the topics in detail. There are hundreds of helpful photographs with detailed descriptions of what problems or postive aspects are shown in the photos and how to inspect them in your own home. There is a complete index so I can reference any section I need to without having to search through the 400+ pages to find exactly what I want to know about.

If you need an outstanding reference book for house inspections then this is the one to get!

Guy Cozzi knocks it out the box with this very informative book on what to do look for when buying a House&things that must be on point when you want your House.I had the pleasure of reading this book&was moved by the details&things were said in a way that everyone could relate to.very classy on Mr.Cozzi's Part with all of His details&helpful tips.a must have.

The primary purpose of this book is to help you become an effective inspector of homes, but the audience is much broader than that. If you own a home or are thinking about buying one, then you should read it. It will help you develop that critical, discerning eye concerning what to look for in spotting flaws in a house.
I spent almost eight years as a construction worker, six where I was the foreman, and have performed many repairs to my own homes. And yet, there was much in the book that I was unaware of. It was a learning experience for me, and it will be for you. Unless you find the perfect house or are already an expert, buying this book and reading it will be time and money that will be returned many times over.

I own a very successful home inspection business in California. We use all of this authors products to train my staff since they are the by far the best products for real estate training on the market. We originally found out about these products through excellent book reviews in the local real estate publications. From that we learned the following details and decided to purchase the whole "Real Estate From A to Z" series by this author:

Nemmar Real Estate Training is ranked as the most exclusive real estate appraiser training, home inspector training, and real estate investor consulting service since 1988. Our real estate books, DVDs, CDs and Videos are rated number one in their real estate categories nationwide! Our products have taught thousands of home buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals worldwide. You too can learn everything you need to know about Real Estate - from Asbestos to Zoning. With this knowledge you will save thousands of dollars when you buy, sell, or renovate your home. You will also learn how to eliminate safety hazards and properly maintain a home. Statistics show an average savings of at least $4,700.00 per home for customers who have our books and DVD videos. Our real estate investment, home inspection, appraisal, and home improvement books have been called the "Bible" of the real estate industry. Written by Guy Cozzi, who has decades of experience as a licensed appraiser, home inspector, consultant, and real estate investor. This top selling author has been quoted as a real estate expert by the New York Times and many other publications. He has been a guest speaker on real estate investment TV shows and has taught thousands of people how to conduct home inspections, real estate appraisals, and how to invest in real estate. He also provides real estate advice to many banks and mortgage lenders.

If getting to know your home is important to you, then HOME INSPECTION BUSINESS FROM A TO Z is a good place to start. It addresses safety concerns; Purpose Of A Home Inspection; Description Of A Home Inspection; Setting Up A Business; Tools That Are Helpful; Operating Systems; The Interior; The Exterior & finally Reality Talk & Straight Talk.

Rebeccasreads recommends HOME INSPECTION BUSINESS FROM A TO Z for those who want to learn everything their Realtor doesn't want them to know, without the sugar coat. You'll learn how to catch problem conditions in any house, how to close the deal & get paid sales commission, in one of the hottest markets today.

I'm in the process of reading 2 of Barbara Jennings books.
Am finding her to be highly thorough and knowledgeable.
Every bit of info is useable. Let you know later if I
make lots of money putting her techniques to use.
Many thanks, Gerri

This is an important book for anyone starting a home staging business. I started a home staging business before I read this book. However, upon reading it I realized how much I did not know and decided to go through decorate-redecorate.com for home staging certification. The book is detailed, current and full of relevant pointers, tips and information on the art and business of home staging. Anytime Barbara Jennings publishes a book on this topic I will read it (after reading this book I bought two of her other books: Decor Secrets Revealed & Where there's a Wall there's a Way). Jennings is clearly a consummate authority on the subject.

I ordered the book based on another review about it. I was pleased with the information contained in it, however, I will say that it is written like she is speaking to you and feels at time to be unorganized as to topic. With the subtitle leading you to believe you can be up and running in 7 days, there really is not a Seven Day plan as such, but you need to extract what is needed from each chapter. I also found a few of the things she suggested in staging to be a bit odd, ie: cleaning out gutters. Although I realize this would be necessary in selling a home, I do not feel this should be the job of a Home Stager. There is a lot of marketing information and some good ideas as to how to market the business, which I did find helpful. Most books like this on this topic generally tout the products of the author and this is no exception to that. However, unlike another well-known home stager-author they are not mentioned on every page. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to start this business, but I also feel that if you have no design background, this book will not help in that. My suggestion is to read all you can on the subject, take what works for you, then build your business.

I recently bought 2 books on Staging, since I'm currently wondering wether to pursue it as a new career. Right off the bat, this book is very inspiring in it's voice and the writer's accomplishments. I'm barely into it, but it's already gotten me back to feeling excited about the possibilities. As opposed to the other staging book i'm about to review, and ended up returning.

The layout is like reading a term paper, but it's kind of nice reading on such a big format for a change. No color pictures to speak of, but if you're buying this, you're not looking for color ideas. Just tell me what the biz is all about, and what i could expect from giving it a go, is all i'm looking for.

I'm really enjoying the way that it's written as if the author is talking to you. It's much more entertaining, and it makes me feel like she's there for any questions, which she says she is!

So based on the 30+ pages or so i've read, this book is a definite for those looking for some insight into this growing business.

I loved this book- it is very thorough and contained everything I needed AND more that I haven't even gotten to read yet- I am still implementing ideas from what I have read! Barbara is not trying to impress people with her credentials, she is trying to help them with her experience! If you are considering staging for a living- get this book!

I thought this book was an excellent training manual for my 2 yorkies. Gives you insight into the dogs' perceptions of the world, and offers great advice on training your little dogs. When I trained my first yorkie, I tabbed certain "tricks" and wrote an index in the back to give me a quick reference point.... Came in very handy when training my second yorkie. I liked this book so much I purchased 1 for my mom, who has chihuahuas.

My toy poodle is my first dog (although I had dogs growing up, they were never *my* responsibility, heh.) This book has been an invaluable training tool. It even had a solution for his incessant barking. He was worse than a car alarm. Anytime there was a noise, he'd go off. But the book gave multiple suggestions on stopping this. It took less than 2 weeks to train the alarm-barking out of him. I'm shocked. And all of the techniques are so gentle. I am able to use my soft-speaking voice and he listens. No yelling. No yanking on his leash. No forceful grabbing that could injure his tiny body. One thing, I did put him through a puppy training class, mostly for me to learn training techniques. It made this book easier to follow.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's informative in a fun way. I especially like the quips and pull-out stories throughout the book that provide real-life examples and stories about training. Although it's still a few more weeks until my fur-baby comes home to live with me, reading this book has made me excited and confident about my ability to train her, which I'm sure we'll both appreciate in the long-run.

I was very surprised that there are training differences and ways to think about dogs and training not addressed in other books. I thought I knew it all. I was wrong. She makes you think about size and how a small dog learns etc. I thought I could guess them, I was wrong. These are things I have never thought of before. I have always had larger dogs. This is a must get book for dogs under 20 lbs or 12". It is the best dog book I have ever purchased. I do not say this lightly. A must have book.

I checked this book out from the library and found this book very helpfull so I decided to buy it!

The title may be a bit of an understatement - The Restaurant Manager's Handbook goes well beyond the basics of restaurant management, ultimately encompassing the entire scope of owning and running a full-service restaurant. In an industry where, as this book points out, a large percentage of ventures fail, a comprehensive resource like this can prove an invaluable tool for restaurant owners and managers, one that you'll return to again and again.
The Restaurant Manager's Handbook runs a full 1,057 pages, making it a reference tome that covers all the bases - from "pre-owing" business planning and research to active operation and management practices . The guide offers hard-line business advice, but presents it in a way that's easy to read and eminently accessible to the novice restaurateur .
Never written a business plan? It's in there. Don't know the first thing about effective public relations? It's in there. Need the lowdown on menu planning? Yep, that's in there too. Linen service. Music licensing. Kitchen layout. Food preparation safety. Employee relations. Planning to open a bar, not a restaurant? Don't let the title fool you - it's covered.
The guide also includes numerous valuable resources - from reproducible forms (for everything from food facility compliance checklists to acquisition and inventory to cook's lists, and more) to detailed lists of suppliers for everything from flatware to point of sale systems. And if you still need a little encouragement, check out the case studies of successful restaurant ventures with practical advice from those who've been there . . .

This book is very detailed and to the point. It covers all areas of the restaurant business. Then menu planning section is great. It gives so much foresight.

Now in a completely revised and thoroughly updated third edition, The Restaurant Manager's Handbook: How To Set Up, Operate And Manage A Financially Successful Food Service Operation by Douglas Robert Brown is a solid, no-nonsense, all-encompassing curriculum to teaching oneself the basics of the restaurant business. An exhaustive compendium of step-by-step instructions, advice, checklists, legal issues, as well as encompassing an extensive listing of state restaurant associations (and so much more!) fill the pages of this "must-have" reference for anyone with a serious and dedicated interest in the dynamics of food service oriented small business ownership. A companion CD-ROM with printable versions of all the handy and useful sample forms is included.

this is a solid, almost academic, handbook. it's points you toward the things you need to figure out but you'll still need to get additional information on your local regulations. personnaly, it discouraged me from opening a buisness at this time.

The Restaurant Manager's Handbook is a no-nonsense, coverall manual for the food establishment industry. It's the essence of a successful handbook-no jokes, parables, and preachy lectures, just the facts. If you delve into the heal-thy index for fault, you'll abruptly bump into a page number for an answer, and if you're currently running a restaurant and afraid to appear inadequate, you can load the handy CD-ROM and pretend you're checking your e-mail while figur-ing out the monthly audit procedures or why the beer is flat. I'm not kidding. The next time your favorite kitchen runs short of the daily special or closes down for a lack of permit, serve them a copy of this great reference book.

This book is incredible. I remember seeing myself on camera two years after my daughter was born and realized I was still forty or fifty pounds overweight. Disgustingly obese, I thought to myself at the time. (Ha! You can double that now, ten years later) I have to tell you, being a vegetarian I didn't use the diet section of the book; instead I watched my own calories and limited my fat intake. What I did do that made all the difference in the world was do this workout every day, faithfully. If nothing else, I figure it would give me cardiac health or some other airy-fairy benefit that didn't matter to me at the time.

What I wasn't expecting was for it to work. The first week, nothing. Sore muscles, but I was proud of myself. The second week, less sore, still proud, getting impatient. I am not a patient woman, but I was going to stick this out, I vowed! Week 3: Believe it or not, starting to see some definition in my arms. That alone made me keep going. After a few more weeks, I could see that my stomach was flatter, my waist was smaller, and my arms were toned. I kept up this routine for months, probably for the better part of a year, and by the time I finished I felt sexy, proud of my body, and confident. And I no longer hated the workout! It took a while, but after a couple of months but my friends were complimenting me on how svelte I looked, my arms had definition, and my booty drew attention. I had never felt better and this had taken less than a year. I ended up dropping sixty pounds altogether!

The key to this workout is repetion. There are different levels to the exercises, depending on how hard you're willing to work (I picked the easiest one cause I'm pretty lazy). Some of the exercises, like the leg lifts, are tedious, but they're not about lifting your legs in the air. They require resistance to work. And boy howdy, do they work.

The best moment after all this working out stuff was when my friend's mother came up to me. "How did you lose all that weight?" She asked. "Pills? Plastic surgery?" She was a pills and plastic surgery kind of woman. "No," said I, "diet and excercise." But I didn't give her the secret of this fantastic book.

Now that I'm a chubbo again I'm going straight for the Definition Workout. I am a fan.

Avoid buying it used. I've bought this book used twice now from different sellers, and in both cases the book was missing the tear-out wall chart on pages 189 through 202. Not all sellers check this, so if you buy it used, know that you risk paying for a book that has missing pages. (And people, if you're going to tear pages out of your books, don't turn around and take them to a used bookseller.)

Joyce's workout is great for busy people. I work two jobs, have two busy children, and do this work out 6 days a week. It takes more then 15 minutes most days but the results are well worth it. I actually weigh 20 pounds more than I did before my first child, but wear the same pant size. You really do lose a dress size in a month. Losing inches is a great goal. I have more energy, strength, and stamina. It is also quite adaptable for traveling and economical. I actually use my son's old daycare mat for the floor exercises!!! I would recommend this for all of us who just can't get to the gym.

I am 60 years old and had been pretty skinny all my life. I was always very active..horsebackriding, scuba, belly dancing, but after our retirement and move to Florida, I had too much time on my hands (and not enough weights IN them), cooked too much, (ate it all, too), traveled alot with my husband, and pigged out on easily obtainable and horribly fattening "road grub". I finally took a long, hard look in the mirror and was horrified at the fat person staring, equally horrified, back at me. WHO WAS THAT FAT PERSON?? Gasp! ME! We are not too Gymmy here in retirement heaven, so I scoped out a few books online and liked the approach of this one best. My (fabulous)Husband agreed to help me out and for the last 6 weeks, we have been following the diet that Joyce sugests, and I have been doing the Definition Workout, now up to 6, 8, 10 lbs and Dragon Lady Status. The workout is easy to understand and follow. The equipment is inexpensive and easily obtainable. The diet highlights sensible, nutritious food. The upshot is that so far I have lost 11 pounds, one jeans size, and my (faboulous)Husband has lost 10 pounds and gone from a 36 to a 34 inch waist. According to bio, Joyce is only 3 months older than I am, and (next to Cher) she is definitely my ideal "golden ager". I still have a looong way to go, but it is MARVELOUS to feel enabled and in control of my weight and my life again! THANKS JOYCE!

This was the first book I ever bought when I decided to try my hand at free weights at home. I used it for about three years solid, then began working with a personal trainer to really up my workouts. Recently I quit the trainer and have built up my own little home gym, and guess what - I'm back to this same book all these years later. I've found that even though I've got a lot more experience now, and have built up good muscle tone, I can still use this workout because of the advanced options she offers to add-on to each routine. It worked for me as a beginning book and helped me get started on my road to better fitness, and seven years later, it's still helping me stay in shape. I have some of her other books, too, and they are all in heavy rotation in my weekly workout routines. Some of the best books out there for all levels of weight trainers, in my opinion. But this particular one is still the best!