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Ultimate Fitness
Ultimate Fitness: The Quest for Truth about Health and Exercise | Gina Kolata
17 posts | 1 read
The bestselling science reporter for The New York Times tells us what works and what doesn't when we work out Ultimate Fitness: The Quest for Truth About Exercise and Health is Gina Kolata's compelling journey into the world of American physical fitness over the past thirty years. It is a funny, eye-opening, brow-sweating investigation into the fads, fictions, and science of fitness training. From the early days of jogging, championed by Jim Fixx who later died of a heart attackto weight lifting, cycling, aerobics, and Spinning, Kolata questions such popular notions as the "fat-burning zone" and "spot reducing," the effects of food on performance, how much exercise helps build fitness, and the difference between exercise to help the heart and exercise to change the body. She explains the science of physical fitness and the objective evidence behind commonly accepted prescriptions. Along the way she profiles researchers and mavericks who have challenged conventional wisdom, marketed their inventions, and sometimes bucked criticism only to back down from their original claims. Ultimate Fitness spotlights the machines and machinations of the fitness industry, and cuts through the marketing and hype not only to assess what is healthy, but also to understand what our obsession with staying healthy says about American culture today.
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MicrobeMom
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Today the Round 3 #BFC Champs decided to meet up via zoom and check-in. Although, there is no longer a #BFC, we have stayed in touch with one another and today was the first time we all chatted. Something positive about this pandemic! #quaranread #keeplitsypositive @Mitch @Crazeedi @Blaire @Chrissyreadit it was her chatting! Thanks for the socially responsible talk and helping me to stay sane!

Chrissyreadit ❤️❤️❤️I‘m so glad we did this! Next time I‘ll try computer so I can see everyone simultaneously. Thank you again for setting this up! 5y
Mitch I loved it! The most positive thing that‘s happened this week! 😻 5y
Blaire This was so nice!! A wonderful way to end the weekend. 5y
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Gaylagal2 Fantastic idea🤙 5y
Crazeedi It was so fun! Thanks to all of you @Blaire @Mitch @Chrissyreadit 5y
Crazeedi @MicrobeMom and of course especially you Stacey for getting it arranged💖! 5y
MicrobeMom @Gaylagal2 thanks!! It was just what we needed! 5y
33 likes7 comments
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carmens.library
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It's that time again, the weekly #bfc check in! I've been tracking workouts manually ever since my fitness tracker broke, but that may have been a blessing in disguise. Having to manually track each workout means I can't rely on those "filler" steps that get tracked every day. So I managed to meet my goal of 15 miles this wk, mostly on the elliptical. Also made a nice dent in my book goal by completing 4 books this wk!
#bookfitnesschallenge
#bfcr3

sudi Fantastic Week and you crushed your book goal 👏👏👏 5y
callielafleur Wow, nice job!! 👏👏👏 5y
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Chrissyreadit 🎉🙌👏🥰❤️ 5y
pythoness Congrats! Also, man, the Shades of Magic series is one of my favorites. 👌 5y
carmens.library @pythoness I really liked the 1st books. I'm kinda disappointed it took me this long to get to the series. 5y
MicrobeMom Awesome! Great job! 👏👏 5y
Mitch Yeah. Congratulations that‘s a brilliant week. I soooo have to read that book - it‘s been on my shelf too long. Great job with the exercise miles. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 5y
Crazeedi Great work, whoohoo!! 👏👏💖 5y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 5y
53 likes10 comments
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Blaire
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I had such a great time participating in #bfcr2. This last week was the hardest due to travel and work commitments, but I met my step goals 4/7 days, and got in 2 good runs. This challenge and being on a team made me make the effort to move on nights where I would have normally been sitting on the couch. Appreciated all of their awesome support and esp team leader @Mitch (pic from hotel in nj after 10 hours on road).

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌 A great week! 🎉 5y
Crazeedi Excellent work!!👏👏 5y
MicrobeMom Great job! You did awesome and I so enjoyed chatting via the group. Where are you in Jersey? I am a Jersey girl! I hope it is a nice place! 5y
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Chrissyreadit 👏🎉🙌awesome! 5y
sudi Great job 👏👏👏 5y
Mitch Thanks so much for sharing all your fab tips - I‘ve been sampling the meditation app this weekend ! 🥳🏆🥳🏆🥳 5y
Crazeedi Great job!👏👏 5y
Blaire @MicrobeMom we stopped near Morristown for the night...breaking up the long drive to cape cod. Staying in providence tonight and then to cape on Monday. My step siblings live in NJ so we get up here a couple times a year (they‘re in maplewood and summit). 5y
Blaire @Mitch thank you! Hope you enjoy it. A favorite is the poem she let go by sapphire I think. 5y
MicrobeMom I love Morristown! I am familiar with all those place in Jersey! Have a great trip to the cape! 5y
64 likes11 comments
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Blaire
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Finished off week 3 of #bfcr2 with a girls‘ trip to Lexington Kentucky. I made all my goals and got over 99,000 steps which may be my most ever in a week. Got in my yoga and finished a book. I also got in quality time with good friends. We tried something new tasting miracle berries. #bfc

Mitch Wow - success all round! Big congrats! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 5y
Crazeedi Congrats on a great week!👏👏 5y
MicrobeMom Awesome!!! 👏👏👏 5y
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Dawnrod1970 Awesome! Sounds like a great week 😃 5y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌 A fantastic week! 🎉 5y
Chrissyreadit 🙌👏🎉👏🙌 5y
sudi Sounds like an awesome week 👏💃👏💃👏💃👏 5y
AbhisekBasu Congrats! 5y
59 likes8 comments
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Marmie7
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#BFCR2 #Week2 #Bookfitnesschallenge
Books 8/12
Walk 2/3
Yoga 6/6
Meditation 6/6
Still falling short on the walks😒
Overall I met most of my goals though.
@wanderinglynn @jillannjohn @Buchbeeg @Cheshirecat913 @Chili @Dragonfairykats @bookandcat @bewareofwords

Dragonfairykats Great job!!! 5y
bewareofwords You‘re doing great! And cute dog! 🥰 5y
Cheshirecat913 Adorable dog! Fabulous job with the yoga and meditation!! 5y
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jillannjohn Awesome job! Love your pup! 5y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌 I am rewriting this sentence “Still falling short on the walks“ to “I walked 2 times this week! (complete with exclamation point). It's good to strive for more, but it's also important to celebrate what you did accomplish! 🎉 Be proud that you had such a great week! 6/6 on both yoga AND meditation - that's awesome! 5y
32 likes6 comments
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guinsgirlreads
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Just rocked my cardio session and am drenched! 💦 Feels great! Now to my book 🥳🙌🏻😆 #bfcr2 #bookfitnesschallenge

@wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌 5y
31 likes1 comment
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carmens.library
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Still up at the lake for the weekend. Surprisingly, I've gotten in a decent amount of working out in this weekend. Morning walks and some kayaking, but very little reading. Got my 12 miles in. Still at 2/12 for books. Listening to an audiobook though so I should get one more in soon. #teamlitnfit #bfc #bookfitnesschallenge #bfcr2

Lucy_Anywhere Great going 🙌 looks like you had a fab weekend! 5y
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wanderinglynn Great week 1! 🙌🏻 And a lovely setting! 5y
twohectobooks Bravo! 5y
BeckyandBooks Good job! Enjoy your time at the lake, it‘s beautiful! 5y
mcipher Kayaking is my favorite - so fun. Glad you are enjoying your vacation and still hitting those goals. 5y
17 likes7 comments
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carmens.library
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I almost forgot to get this up!!! My final check-in for #bookfitnesschallenge is a pretty good one! I finished 4 books this week to get me to 12 books in total for the challenge, 4 more than my goal of 8. I also had a great week for my fitness goal and made it almost 21 miles, so way more than my goal of 8 for the week. It's been a lot of fun and has definitely gotten me moving and reading more! Can't wait for #bfcr2 #bfc
@wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 Great job! 5y
Lucy_Anywhere Nice one! Well done 🙌 5y
TheSpineView Excellant! 5y
20 likes3 comments
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guinsgirlreads
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Not sure if it‘s too late for this post but it‘s fun anyway! Here are some of my favorite fitness items! My elliptical and my shoes! 🤗😆 I love the elliptical because it is full body and I still feel it after the workouts over! And shoes are well, shoes! #bfc #bookfitnesschallenge

@wanderinglynn

TheSpineView That's a lot of shoes!😋 5y
wanderinglynn Wow! That is a lot of shoes! Thanks for sharing! (And no, it isn‘t too late. 😉) 5y
CoverToCoverGirl That‘s a lot of shoes! 5y
jillannjohn I wish I had this setup for my shoes! ❤️ 5y
27 likes4 comments
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CocoReads
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#bfc photo challenge. This is currently my favorite equipment. Weights and Beachbody on Demand. I don‘t like working out in front of other people. I know my form is terrible, I know I can‘t touch my toes, I know I‘m rather fluffy. But I don‘t need anyone to point that out to me. I started Beachbody at the end of March on a 2 week freebie and although I still don‘t workout everyday, I‘m there more often than not. To be continued in the comments

CocoReads Like I was saying....it‘s been almost 2 months and I‘m not there with the nutrition (the list of foods I don‘t like/can‘t digest, etc is quite long) but I‘ve cut back on the sweets and extra snacking, I‘m down 6 pounds and just in general feel better about myself. Couldn‘t have done it without my beachbody “coach” or the support of my fellow #bfc Littens! @wanderinglynn 5y
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 That‘s excellent progress. And thanks for sharing your favorite gear. 😀 5y
CocoReads It was a fun challenge. I like hearing people‘s stories. Makes me think about my own. 5y
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Chrissyreadit That‘s great! Good for you!! 5y
tracey38 That's awesome. I used to do a lot of Beachbody workouts. Eventually I'd like to join their On Demand, too. 5y
BookwormAHN Great job 👏🏻 5y
41 likes6 comments
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Laughterhp
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1. Cardio workouts
2. Outdoors - I hate the gym!
3. Music please!
4. Field hockey 🏑
5. See above, I love playing field hockey. I usually play once a week. Though I‘m trying to start running and am trying to actually enjoy and listening to audiobooks over music seems to be helping!

#hellothursday

wanderinglynn Thanks for playing! 🙌🏻 6y
33 likes1 comment
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Headinherbooks_27
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#HelloThursday @wanderinglynn
1. Cardio
2. I like the treadmill and spinner but I'm motivated to work out outdoors because of my dog. If he doesn't get his daily run he chews on my wall, literally. Once I had a hole as big as his head lol.
3. Definitely with music but for safety reasons I'm unable to during my 3AM runs.
4. Running, spinning, pilates, and kickboxing
5. Rather than following a workout routine, I usually create my own.

wanderinglynn Thanks for playing! 🙌🏻 6y
23 likes1 comment
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Kaila-ann
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I went back and forth about joining since I‘ll be on vacation for the first week and a half(ish). I bit the bullet and joined in because who couldn‘t use a little healthy motivation, even on vacation 😉. Thanks @wanderinglynn for the #bookfitnesschallenge.

My goal is 10 books and 40,000 steps per week.

wanderinglynn Great goals! 🙌🏻 And happy to have you. 6y
BethM Dang girl! I had the same reservations but mine is week 3 I think. I set my goal lower bc of it. 6y
Kaila-ann @BethM I know, I‘m a little nervous that maybe I set the bar too high but I‘m going to try anyway. I don‘t think it will be a problem except for that one week where I might have to really push it lol. 6y
22 likes3 comments
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juli608k
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This book is an inspiration☺️📖
Not the right booktag😞

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Yossarian
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Can't tell whether this is a typo or a pun I don't get.

mjdowens Oh the horror of spelling mistakes! 8y
OrangeMooseReads I think it's a pun 8y
Yossarian @OrangeMooseReads What's the pun? Are we calibrating something? Is is a "calories" joke? 8y
OrangeMooseReads Weight machines or yes calories 8y
64 likes5 comments
review
RoBa
Mehso-so

This book was dull to read but had some interesting information.