Whatever your situation, this guide helps you make the best choices for your
goals, lifestyle, and current fitness level. We give you step-by-step instruc-
tions and explain fitness terminology so you don’t feel overwhelmed when
talking to the salesperson trying to sell you a treadmill or a gym membership.
(Added bonus:These terms come in handy if you find yourself at a dinner
party with a bunch of personal trainers.) And we let you know when your sit-
uation may benefit from the advice of a personal trainer, physician, or spe-
cialized publication.How This Book Is Organized ..........................................................................
Fitness For Dummies,3rd Edition, is divided into eight parts, and the chapters
within each part cover specific topic areas in detail. You can read each chap-
ter or part without having to read what came before, although we may refer
you to other sections for more information about certain topics. Here’s a
brief look at the eight parts.Part I: Getting Your Butt off the Couch ...............................................
In this part, we give you the tools to start a fitness program. First, we give you
an overview of the entire book, so you have a fast and easy way to under-
stand the basics. Then, we discuss the important first steps in any fitness
program, such as getting your fitness tested and setting realistic goals. We
present strategies for making exercise a habit and explain the basics of healthy
eating so you steer clear of fad diets and useless supplements. We also show
you how to choose a personal trainer, should you decide to take that popular
option.Part II: Enjoying Total-Body Health:
Eating Well and Staying Injury-Free
This part covers everything everyone hopes to ignore about fitness: injuries,
stretching, and nutrition. Sure, getting off the couch is critical to getting fit,
but if you end up with an injury, you’ll be benched again before you know it.
Stretching may not be pretty or exciting, but it’s one of the surest ways to
ensure the long-term health of your muscles and joints. Finally, with so many
differing opinions today about how to eat — low-carb, low-fat, carbo-loading,
raw-foods-only — this part gives you the lowdown.Introduction 3