Fitness Habits: Breaking the Barriers to Fitness by Amaresh Ojha, Subhra Moitra

There are millions of people who want to be fit and slim. And they all wanted to cultivate healthy habits. We all know that if you make a habit, it will last longer. But activities become a habit when one does it regularly. People who give advice may talk about habits and their benefits. But how to cultivate a habit that too also fitness-based is a bigger question.

The book is divided into 8 chapters. The book starts with the topic of why don't we find exercise as easy as other activities. The next two chapters cover how to convert fitness into a habit and how long efforts are needed to convert an activity into a habit. The last four chapters cover benefits and other important facts about fitness habits. 

The book is filled with many motivational quotes. The one that changed my view the most is "Fitness is a lifestyle to be lived, not a goal to be reached." The book is a short read but filled with proper exercises, theories, pointers, etc. The writing is simple and engaging. Most of the topics were explained with at least 1-2 real-life examples. The language is kept simple for readers to enjoy and cope with the content. You may need a marker while reading this book so that you can easily revisit points while implementing them.

The book deserves 4 out of 5 for sure.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Fix it with food by Kavita Devgan - Book Review

The author Kavita Devgan is a nutritionist and her books are not mere some textual content, but properly designed training material. I have read and reviewed both of her past books "Ultimate Grandmother's Hack" and "Don't Diet". She preaches healthy habits and nutritional food and strongly opposes dieting and other harsh measures. Her books are like a pedagogy where she covers every aspect of a said topic using only food. Starting from the selection of food to prepare and schedules etc. In our home, many of her suggested recipes are taken under regular food items. So when I saw the book, "Fix it with Food" I didn't wait for a moment and I selected it.

As usual, Kavita has divided the book into segments. There are three segments in this book

1. 40 superfoods to get super insights. List of superfoods, their nutrition level, benefits, and usage. Not just the myth of fasting, in this part author, has also explained myth around these foods. These chapters cover more than 75% of the book. The good part is "fun facts" and "at glance" pointers. If you feel lazy to read the whole book, you may point down these pointers and that's also enough. This segment also contains mini-chapters and covering 100 fixing tips for various conditions.

2. 10 Tools - I would say confusing titled but cleared with the subtitle "foods to become healthier" Again eye-opening section for me.

3. 40 quick and healthy recipes that you should add in your daily diet plan. This section will be found in most of Kavita's books and one for which I look forward the most.

Not just physical ailment that Kavita has covered, but problems related to mood swings, mental stress, hormonal imbalance, fighting pollution, and the hottest topic immunity boosting. Read the book to know more.

The ingredients covered in this book don't burn your pocket instead most of the ingredients are available to the majority of the population with minimal cost. The language is simple and straights. Advice is practical and easy to use. The structure of the book will make you engaged until the last page, rarely a self-help book deliver such content.

I will give 5 out of 5 to this book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon

Book Review - Think, Eat, Live Smart by Anjali Hooda Sangwan

An attractive cover, catchy title and interesting subtitle - "Secrets to Super Charge Health", these things got my attention when I saw "Think, Eat, Live Smart" by Anjali Hooda Sangwan. In the last one and a half year, since we expanded and started exploring books in other genres, health/diet related books became regular in our schedule. I think in the last 18 months we have read more than 8 books in said genre. These books have directly or indirectly left a healthy impact on my lifestyle. I think every book I have read from this genre at least one thing I started new from each of them. Also, I cannot say no to Anjali's book as it attests years of her experience in the field of obesity and diet.

Book Blurb

Concentrate on your overall well-being and weight loss is sure to follow. Think, Eat, Live Smart is a comprehensive yet concise handbook on holistic healthy lifestyle. In today’s world, where bookstores are filled with health books obsessed with weight loss, Dr Hooda’s stance is clear–she does not want to add another weight loss book to the world. Instead, what she wants to and does beautifully, is help readers choose prevention as a path to healthy living.

This book touches upon subjects ranging from balancing nutrients in food, food myths, challenges posed by the Indian diet, behaviour modification such as stress management and portion control, to the importance of sleep, gut health, hormones and much more. It also provides various case studies to relate to readers across all age groups. 

Unlike other books I have read, Anjali has taken the case study approach. By case study, I mean the author would provide lifestyle & habits of an individual/patient in details including exercise and dietic schedule. These case studies are segregated based on 5-6 topics. Each case study followed by what is wrong or could be still improved. In many cases, the patient thinks he/she is doing or following proper methodology, even you may feel that they are taking the right path. Anjali has properly given plus and minus of those schedule along with improvement/suggestions.

Last 2-3 chapter covers direct advice related to medicine, yoga or exercise, recipes - healthy and equally tasty. The last chapter is about a cheat meal. I liked the concept of a cheat meal. It is leniency in your regime to keep your happiness scale up.

Overall a fantastic read. The language used is simple and easy. Even basic English learner can read it. Easy to follow instructions. No theory or fundas. To the point, example-driven exercise to readers.

A sure shot recommendation to health lovers. I would give 4.5/5 to the book.

Book can be found at Amazon & Flipkart

Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

Review of Kavita Devgan's Latest Book - Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 kickass traditional habits for a fitter you

Consider yourself lucky that you get this kind of book to review. Self-help books usually are less preferred on top of that if it's on food and fitness. People avoid such books as long as they are forced to read due to deteriorating health. Kavita Devgan has given us the opportunity to read it when we are hale and healthy. And starting these habits can make our healthy sprint longer. Coming back to my earlier statement why this health book would be interesting? To know the reason reach our review further.

Book Blurb

Traditional eating habits are a delicious roadmap to a happier, healthier, kinder you. Our ancestors have a lot to teach us about hearty eating habits that not only focus on health but also the pleasure that food can bring to our lives.

This book is an amalgamation of many of those old-school ideas that modern nutrition is now trying to catch up with. It is an enticing guide to inculcate time-tested food habits so we can develop a healthy lifestyle and even more importantly, rediscover the enjoyment of food.

Most healthy food books focus more on what not to do and less what to do? (Which is usually against our daily habit.) And frankly speaking, our mind is a devil, when it encounters something with which it is not comfortable it will make it boring. Kavita has brought out what to do more which we might be doing consciously or unconsciously because of habit set by our parents/grandparents. Within those activities which can affect us diversly, Kavita has shown the way how to alter it to our benefits with minimum discomfort. For example, she has insisted to select a better option among, sweets (usually dietician blindly forbade it)

The book contains mini-stories, not actually stories, but some advice that won't take much of our time but can help us tremendously. If you don't have time to read the whole book you can read them along with section discussed next.

Easiest and quickest recipes were given at the end of the book. I have added many of them to my "To-Try" list of recipes, will surely try and add to my regular diet.

Having said that it is a self-help book, so it must insist us to unlearn some of our bad habits and if we want to have a healthy life. We should at least give them a try. A must read and must have book for households & health freaks.

Ratings

1. Cover - 4.5/5
2. Content - 4.5/5
3. Concept - 5/5
4. Overall - 5/5

The book can be found at Amazon and Flipkart

Reviews from other readers can be found at GoodReads