[.ca] Real-World Fitness: Fun and Innovative Ways to Help You ... (ISBN 1582380260)

From Amazon.com:
"Grabbing exercise when and where you can really does count," says Kathy Kaehler, fitness trainer of celebrities like Meg Ryan, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Aniston, and Claudia Schiffer. You've seen her dispensing fitness tips on the Today show and in several exercise videos. In Real-World Fitness, Kaehler presents sneaky ways to get your exercise while you're involved in your daily life. There's a lot of name-dropping in this book (with testimonials from Kaehler's celebrity clients) and tantalizing glimpses into the fitness habits and challenges of the stars. Schiffer, for example, was planning a workout video yet couldn't do three pushups when Kaehler met her. Pfeiffer used to be a two-pack-a-day smoker. Kaehler describes exercises that can be done with whatever you've got around the house: jumping over a garden hose, picking up toys, throwing snowballs, raking leaves. She presents a basic workout for the major muscle groups of the upper body using free weights and of the lower body requiring no equipment except a chair. Her "8 Weeks to a Show-off Body" is a progressive program suitable for motivated beginners, incorporating daily aerobics and strength training. She includes valuable information about goal setting, motivation, body image, weight loss, and the cumulative value of short bouts of exercise. --Joan Price

Wonderful for Beginners:
If your New Year's resolution was to start exercising but you have no idea where to start, Real-World Fitness is worth checking out. This book is a great starting place for someone new to the world of fitness like me. If you are an experienced exerciser, you're bound to find some great ideas in here, but some might be a bit basic. The theme of the book is that a little exercise is better than none at all and once you get started, you'll find it easy to continue. PROS: +The only equipment needed are walking shoes, and maybe some small hand weights. +Kaehler writes in a very unintimidating tone. +Sections are included on healthy eating, target exercises (legs, abs, glutes, etc.), and benefits of exercise. +The final section, "8 Weeks to a Show-Off Body," is a great plan for the motivated beginner that can easily be followed after the 8 weeks is over. CONS: -As mentioned in other reviews, the constant celebrity name dropping is unfathomably annoying. So much so that you might want to look elsewhere if that sort of stuff bothers you. But if you can look past it, this book is a goldmine for the beginnner.

Well laid out book:
I found Kaehler's book to be a great overall fitness book and fairly motivating. She gives good logical advice and doesn't accept reasons for not exersizing. The thing that drives me the "craziest" about the book is the name-dropping. I believe she overuses the names of her clients and generally pumps her status up a bit. Other than that it's a good buy. Visually interesting, good clean examples and great techniques. Worth the $. Good luck! T. Heerwig

Tips for the REAL WORLD:
This book is packed full of exercises you can sneak in here and there. The card trick is amazing! Also, a section dedicated to helping a certain body part is super helpful. The wire binding is a necessity for a workout book--you can place it flat on the floor or counter when going through exercises. VERY happy with this purchase--have had it for quite a while.

Great for beginners...:
I have been a fan of Kathy Kaehler for a while, so I was very excited to see this book. I was a bit disappointed because it was very basic. I did find a couple of new exercises that I have incorporated into my regular workouts. I was annoyed by the way that she throws around the names of all the celebrities that she trains. The pictures and directions make the exercises very easy to follow. Overall, I would recommed this book for beginners but not for advanced exercisers.

Easy to follow and fun-keeps it real!:
I really enjoyed this book. I have read many and tried different programs, but this book keeps things on a real level with easy to follow and practical solutions to changing and adding to your lifestyle to fit your needs. I liked the extra stories of her work in Holleywood; added flair! I try to carry this book with me when I travel and am away from the gym. When I get pregnant (way in the future!) I'm looking forward to reading the pregnancy fitness book too! Thanks!