“After after reviewing scores of health books, the most credible share some things in common.
1) They present
the real answer: Getting fit and dropping pounds isn’t easy; it’s work, takes discipline and dedication but doesn’t
have to be a drudge. 2) They’re written in conversational language. 3) They’re interactive, presenting
programs that are flexible, logical and time-tested. 4) They make the reader accountable to herself, often in writing.
This manual has those elements. It reads like I'm talking to a nutritionist and a personal trainer without paying $50
an hour for each.“
— Harry Jackson Jr. •
Editor, Health & Fitness St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“This
book is a winner. Not just scads of information I didn’t know to ask for but the daily journal to keep me in tune with
the program.”
— Jan Scott
Editor, Women's Yellow Pages St. Louis Women On The Move
“With
this journal Cindy has made it easy to get fit and stay fit both physically and mentally 365 days a year. This is a
book I plan to continue to use year after year.”
— Lori
A. Johnson, CCP • Chief Human Resources Officer Bryan Cave LLP
“I have reviewed
the journal and am extremely impressed with its format and contents. As Director of the Employee Benefits Department of a
large company, I would be most interested in incorporating this journal into the Wellness Program we will be launching in
the near future.”
— Sandy Brown • Director,
Employee Benefits Laclede Gas
Wow, the more I read your book, the more I love
it.
You should market it as a "companion," something that you enjoy having near you.
I love the little
gems in "nobody said it was going to be easy."
You can exercise and read these little stories just before you
go to sleep.
Everything is bite-sized in the book so that you can digest it easily. Your pictures are great, too.
—Michelle Bryant
I absolutely
LOVE the journal!!!! I just got it Tuesday, and I’ve already read through it and I write in it every day.
Writing my goals and thoughts really helps me as I travel this journey of my lifestyle change. I can’t wait to
try some of the salad recipes. This book has become my new best friend!
— Ellen DeWitt
I so love how one day Cindy woke up with the idea of putting
a book/journal together such as this one to not only help herself but help inspire all of the lives that would come across
it!! I thank you, Cindy, for taking the time to put your heart and soul into the very book that has changed my heart
and mind about exercise, food, and just the overall accountability that it gives me! Thank you Mom (Helen Mangan), for
thinking enough of me to let me be a part of it as well!! I wouldn't be able to do it if I had nothing to push me
towards my goal...this is just the punch I needed!! Thank you!!
—Meaghan Portell
I was drawn to your book/journal today. I'm feeling
sluggish and ate THREE sugar cookies that someone brought in today. I am thinking about my desire statement and I'm
already struggling. Tonight I plan to walk the dogs after work and clear my head. Then, I'll track my measurements
and get started journaling. I turn 30 in November. I know that's not old, but I don't want to spend my
30's like I spent my 20's...tired and not feeling/looking my best. I can't wait to get started! From
what I've read so far this is going to be a great tool!
—Mary
K
I used my sick day off yesterday and read your book. I was really impressed with
the literacy and the suggestions, pictures (easiest part for me to understand) and everything. You should be proud and now
I demand an autograph copy.
—Michael S. G
SNEWS book review for 2010 Health & Fitness Journal
http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/Ultimate_Health_Fitness_Journal_121409.html#
Honestly, we have wondered why somebody needs a pre-designed workout log when all you need is a notebook.
But the Ultimate Health & Fitness Journal (also known as the Ironworks Health & Fitness Journal) reminded us why this
type of product can be helpful, particularly to a beginning or someone getting back into exercising.
Ultimate
Health & Fitness Journal
The Ultimate Health & Fitness Journal is a pretty simple, spiral-bound, small-format
notebook with a plastic cover. The independent designer and trainer behind it, Cynthia Brenneke, who owns Ironworks Fitness
in Saint Louis, Mo., has put solid thought into what somebody needs in a journal for general fitness workouts and training.
Studies show of course that charting progress is a huge motivator for exercise.
The journal is packed – perhaps
a bit too packed. The first 30 pages are chock-full of basic information on getting started, goal-setting, charts to input
and track your measurements, guides about different muscle groups and exercises for them, nutrition and calorie-use information,
recipes, and FDA recommendations for a list of foods. Wow! That’s a lot for 30 pages. We really like the information
on getting started, setting goals and exercise, but the nutrition and food information is cut down to such a small chunk that
it loses some of its meaningfulness. We would prefer to see more of Brenneke’s own words of wisdom and nutrition tips.
This book was obviously a labor of love for her, and we really enjoyed the personal touches and motivational tips that she
does include in the journal.
After the first pages, she gets into the guts: First, a month-by-month planner and
goal-setting section, then a day-by-day log section. About two-thirds of each page in the daily section is blank to allow
users to make notes about their workouts. Also, each page offers a rotating selection of motivational messages, words of wisdom,
and eating tips. Each page has a place to write in daily goals and an explanation of one exercise with a small photo. Weekly,
there is a slot for your measurements and a place to note the week’s successes – all good motivators to help users
remind themselves what they are doing and what they have achieved.
We like all the information and the variety,
but the exercises are hard to track. We’d love to see a table of contents for exercises for reference, and we’d
like to see them grouped in some way. For example, each month could focus on strengthening and stretching moves for a particular
muscle.
As a bonus, she includes a CD she calls, “The Couch Workout.” It includes a 30-minute workout
designed so that a person uses his or her body weight while actually sitting on the couch. The production is what we’d
call “home movie” quality, so it’s not slick and not terribly professional, but it’s still approachable
and a fun idea for true beginners.
Although it would add to the cost of a self-published book like this, we’d
also like to see tabs to help somebody make their way through it, or some thicker colored pages at the start of each month
or section.
All in all, not a bad item for a personal trainer who wants to motivate the world.
