I am wondering what health books you guys have in your fitness library to help you reach your workout/life goals. A thread composed of user recommended reading might help expedite people's progress or perhaps answer some general, long-held fitness questions, so here it is.
Here are my personal recommendations for fitness reading:
1. The Abs Diet, by David Zinczenko and Ted Spiker
I like this book because the "set-up" isn't an overly strict or complicated nutrition and workout plan that is crueler than slave labor. Co-written by the Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health magazine, the book is relatively easy to follow (provided you actually READ the book), and can help point you in the right direction towards what appropriate changes to make in your lifestyle to suit your goals and health needs. Think of it as an orientation course into the world of fitness and nutrition.
By reading this book, I learned some of the basic training techniques, and, more importantly, I changed my eating habits. The average diet for the typical American slob consists of skipping breakfast, having a rushed lunch, followed by binging at dinner with little to no exercise afterwards. If you really think about it, this eating cycle dooms any personal goals and ambitions of getting in shape from the outset, because the most important part of losing weight is eating right. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, since the food you eat in the morning sets you up with energy for the rest of the day. So what happens when you skip that meal? Be smart, and eat right.
2. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Before he was the "Governator", Arnold was a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, a record that makes him one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. After retiring, aside from acting and politics, Arnold has annually hosted the Arnold Classic, which, nearing its 20th anniversary, now rivals the Mr. Olympia competition in prestige and popularity.
The man helped write an influential book that is now known as "the bible of bodybuilding." While probably all of us aren't going to be competing professionally anytime soon, the book offers valuable information, and is literally a freakin' database of information, a library of health and fitness, rolled into one gigantic book. The encyclopedia weighs about 6-7 pounds, has a bunch of pictures and step-by-step guides to dieting, exercising, and also includes Arnold's personal insight into various facets of his life such as competing, acting, and etc.
While some of the exercise regimens may be a bit too extreme to follow, the pictorials and instructions on how to properly do an exercise will prove invaluable to anyone serious about working out.
3. Sherdog.com's Diet and Supplements Guide
Like they say, the best things in life are gratis. Quite useful online FAQ, helpfully written by the manager of a GNC.
Here are my personal recommendations for fitness reading:
1. The Abs Diet, by David Zinczenko and Ted Spiker
I like this book because the "set-up" isn't an overly strict or complicated nutrition and workout plan that is crueler than slave labor. Co-written by the Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health magazine, the book is relatively easy to follow (provided you actually READ the book), and can help point you in the right direction towards what appropriate changes to make in your lifestyle to suit your goals and health needs. Think of it as an orientation course into the world of fitness and nutrition.
By reading this book, I learned some of the basic training techniques, and, more importantly, I changed my eating habits. The average diet for the typical American slob consists of skipping breakfast, having a rushed lunch, followed by binging at dinner with little to no exercise afterwards. If you really think about it, this eating cycle dooms any personal goals and ambitions of getting in shape from the outset, because the most important part of losing weight is eating right. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, since the food you eat in the morning sets you up with energy for the rest of the day. So what happens when you skip that meal? Be smart, and eat right.
2. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Before he was the "Governator", Arnold was a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, a record that makes him one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. After retiring, aside from acting and politics, Arnold has annually hosted the Arnold Classic, which, nearing its 20th anniversary, now rivals the Mr. Olympia competition in prestige and popularity.
The man helped write an influential book that is now known as "the bible of bodybuilding." While probably all of us aren't going to be competing professionally anytime soon, the book offers valuable information, and is literally a freakin' database of information, a library of health and fitness, rolled into one gigantic book. The encyclopedia weighs about 6-7 pounds, has a bunch of pictures and step-by-step guides to dieting, exercising, and also includes Arnold's personal insight into various facets of his life such as competing, acting, and etc.
While some of the exercise regimens may be a bit too extreme to follow, the pictorials and instructions on how to properly do an exercise will prove invaluable to anyone serious about working out.
3. Sherdog.com's Diet and Supplements Guide
Like they say, the best things in life are gratis. Quite useful online FAQ, helpfully written by the manager of a GNC.