Fit and Female: The Perfect Fitness and Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type

by Geralyn Coopersmith

Overview

No one understands what it means to be fit and female better than Geralyn Coopersmith. Her work has brought results to women nationwide.
-Carol Espel, MS, National Director of Group Fitness for Equinox Fitness Clubs

""Every woman should read Geralyn's book.""
-Michael Boyle, author of Functional Training for Sports

""Coopersmith leads the reader to new levels of self-awareness and the ability to make educated choices. Underlying her hip, upbeat tone is a sound background in exercise physiology and a strong desire to help women improve their lifestyles.""
-Joan Pagano, author of Strength Training for Women

Ever wonder why some women look great with very little effort while others exercise and diet obsessively with disappointing results? The fact is, when it comes to getting in shape, all women are not created equal. We've all heard about apples and pears, but there's lots more to women's bodies than just that. If you've been frustrated by fad diets and the workout of the month that never seems to work, you need a program designed specifically for your unique body type.

In Fit + Female, Geralyn Coopersmith, a top fitness expert and certified personal trainer, ditches the one-size-fits-all approach to getting in shape and helps you determine which type you are. Then you get a nutrition and exercise plan that's tailored for your needs, not just generic, off-the-rack advice. If you want to get back into that clingy little number that now hugs all the wrong places, this is the realistic, scientific how-to for you!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471739036
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	08/01/2006
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	7.52(w) x 9.24(h) x 0.52(d)

About the Author

GERALYN B. COOPERSMITH, MA, CSCS, is an exercise physiologist with sixteen years of professional fitness experience. Coopersmith is the Senior Manager of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute. She has written articles for and been featured in Elle, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Family Circle, Cosmopolitan, and other popular magazines. She is currently the resident fitness expert on the Fine Living Channel's lifestyle makeover show, Simplify Your Life.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

1. What We Want to Look Like—and Why.

2. What We Do Look Like—and Why.

3. The Secrets of Female Fitness: How We Get Fat, How We Stay Fit.

4. The Six Female Body Types: What Shapes We Come In.

5. Which Woman Are You? Finding Your Body Type.

6. Which Exercises to Do—and Why.

7. How to Work Out for Your Body Type.

8. How to Put It All Together: From Warm-Up to Cool-Down.

9. How to Think about Diets and Dieting.

10. How to Eat for Your Body Type: Your Body Type Eating Plan.

11. How to Embrace Your Shape: Loving Your Body Type.

Appendix: Getting Geared Up: A Fitness Checklist.

A Glossary of Common Fitness Terms.

Resources.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

Coopersmith, resident fitness instructor on the Fine Living Channel's Simplify Your Life, has devised a fitness and nutrition plan to accommodate the needs of women of all shapes and sizes. Observing that "fitness is not one size fits all," Coopersmith divides her approach to address six basic body shapes: the endo-pear, endo-apple, meso-pear, meso-apple, ecto-pear and ecto-apple. Each shape, she claims, requires a customized workout and eating plan, though all incorporate components of a cardio workout, muscular fitness segment and flexibility training. For instance, the already slim ecto pear focuses on shaping muscles while maintaining weight and should not overdo aerobic exercise, while the bulkier meso-apple needs to zero in on cardio work to trim the waist and abs. Illustrated exercises are provided for each body type. Noting that "fitness must fit into a busy woman's life," Coopersmith modifies each sequence, offering a "bare minimum," "ideal" and "gung-ho" work out. While Coopersmith's methods are individualized, her message to all women is to give up their notion of a "Barbie body," work with what they have, steer clear of fad diets and eat healthfully. Perky and friendly, Coopersmith offers an accessible plan and outlook that many women will warm up to. (Aug.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Coopersmith, resident fitness instructor on the Fine Living Channel's Simplify Your Life, has devised a fitness and nutrition plan to accommodate the needs of women of all shapes and sizes. Observing that ""fitness is not one size fits all,"" Coopersmith divides her approach to address six basic body shapes: the endo-pear, endo-apple, meso-pear, meso-apple, ecto-pear and ecto-apple. Each shape, she claims, requires a customized workout and eating plan, though all incorporate components of a cardio workout, muscular fitness segment and flexibility training. For instance, the already slim ecto pear focuses on shaping muscles while maintaining weight and should not overdo aerobic exercise, while the bulkier meso-apple needs to zero in on cardio work to trim the waist and abs. Illustrated exercises are provided for each body type. Noting that ""fitness must fit into a busy woman's life,"" Coopersmith modifies each sequence, offering a ""bare minimum,"" ""ideal"" and ""gung-ho"" work out. While Coopersmith's methods are individualized, her message to all women is to give up their notion of a ""Barbie body,"" work with what they have, steer clear of fad diets and eat healthfully. Perky and friendly, Coopersmith offers an accessible plan and outlook that many women will warm up to. (Aug.) (Publishers Weekly, May 22, 2006)

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