Monday, September 16, 2013

Review: "Paleo Fitness Primal Training And Nutrition To Get Lean, Strong And Healthy" by Darryl Edwards, Brett Stewart, and Jason Warner

The Paleo Diet and its numerous variations remains a hot topic these days with more and more cookbooks coming out on the topic. The exercise angle of the lifestyle is often ignored.  Paleo Fitness Primal Training And Nutrition To Get Lean, Strong And Healthy addresses the exercise angle in conjunction with the diet.

Broken into three information parts, it opens with an “Overview” that explains what the Paleo diet is and is not. Benefits of this diet and lifestyle are discussed in general terms as well as other diet and health issues.

The opening short section is followed by “Part II: Paleo Nutrition” starting on page 19. Examples of what to eat and what to avoid (almost everything in my diet is a no) along with detailed explanations of the why are included here. Also present is information about fat loss, weight loss, and how to deal with high blood pressure by way of a Paleo lifestyle. A two week meal plan that covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner is included in this chapter.

Then it is on the primary focus of the book, exercise, with “Part Three: Paleo Workouts.” This section begins on page 33 with a discussion of terms relating to movement, fitness, and how you can make your daily routine part of your new activity regimen well as more comprehensive interval training. Along with tips to get started there are charts on a Monday through Sunday schedule for sequential weeks that move you up through the training levels. The point is to be varied during the week in your exercise and have fun while doing it.

Stretching and warming up was addressed earlier in this section and is again in “The Exercises” part of this section starting on page 70. In addition to the numerous tips, technique pointers, and other information, there are numerous black and white pictures showing the correct posture and movements to make during warm-ups and exercise. Pictures are a very important part of this book and the black and white pictures throughout the book very helpfully illustrate the points made in the text. The text and pictures take you from stretching, through the basic moves that provide the foundation of the exercise program, such as “squats” and “lunges” as well as the “resisted arm press” and back extension,” into more advanced exercises as you gain strength and flexibility. The cool down is an important part of your workout and advice on that is here too as it concludes this section.

The appendix follows with a piece on “Measurements for Health” fill in the blank sheets where you can track your own progress, a number of recipes, and a list of FAQs.

That is followed by a six page resource section and a four page index as well as author biographies brings the comprehensive book to a close.

Paleo Fitness Primal Training And Nutrition To Get Lean, Strong And Healthy is a well done 180 page book that effectively brings exercise and diet together. Through the use of the straight forward text that explains clearly the material that is covered as well as the black and white illustrations and photography, the book explains well how to go about making changes necessary for better health. Another very nice feature is the “lay-flat binding” which really does allow readers to open the book to any page and have it lay flatly open for ease of use. Released earlier this year by Ulysses Press the book provides a wealth of information and plenty of inspirational motivation to get with the program.

Paleo Fitness Primal Training And Nutrition To Get Lean, Strong And Healthy
Darryl Edwards, Brett Stewart, and Jason Warner
Ulysses Press
June 2013
ISBN# 978-1-61243-165-9
Paperback (also available as an e-book)
176 Pages
$16.95

Review copy provided by Kourtney Joy of the publisher in exchange for my objective review.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

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