I’m always reading, and expanding my knowledge about all aspects of health and wellness. Below is a list of book resources I whole-heartedly recommend. I have read all of them and think these are particularly fantastic resources. Read my mini-reviews below. (You can purchase any of the books immediately from Amazon.com by clicking on the book image.)
The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening, and Toning Your Body Without Machines
by Brooke Siler
Reading this book is like having your own Pilates teacher coaching you through a personal workout. It’s well organized, and Brooke gives amazing and imaginative cues to help you really feel the exercises correctly and get the maximum benefit from them. With Pilates, it’s all about how you do it rather than how many repetitions you do. This is the best book for really getting that point across. Almost every Pilates teacher I know has a copy, and I like to use it to think of creative ways to teach my own clients.
The Complete Book of Pilates for Men
by Daniel Lyon
I love that this book is for MEN. Most men think Pilates is just for girls, or dancers, or acrobats, and don’t realize that a) it was invented by a man (Joe Pilates) for deep, inner core strength that has more to do with function than how ripped your abs look. Every time I see a man doing Pilates, especially a beginner, I think, “Good for him!” Men need Pilates, and not just men who are athletic and already exercise a lot. It’s those guys who have injuries, work stressful jobs, have families, commute long hours and fly in planes often and most times think they don’t have time to exercise that need it and can benefit the most from it.. This book is a great introduction to the Pilates matwork and the workout can be done anywhere. It would also make a great gift!
The Balanced Plate
by Renee Loux
I really love this book and refer to it often for recipes, tips and inspiration. Renee offers a refreshing way of looking at food as nourishment AND l as something enjoyable, yet also mentions topics such as green living and how our food choices affect the earth. She discusses how a conscious lifestyle raw foods, whole foods and Ayurveda can be used together in “nutritional cross-training” to create a balanced way of eating.
Nourishing Wisdom
by Marc David
Most books out there are about what to eat, but I love that this one is about how we eat, why we eat it, and the relationship we all have with food. Things would be so much easier if we could just hear what our bodies are saying! There is so much behind the reasons why we eat what we eat, and how we nourish ourselves. This book explores our own body’s wisdom and gives great ideas about how to get more in tune with our emotions, cravings and reactions towards what we ingest. It’s an easy read, and a must have for anyone who ever feels confused about diets and food.
Super Baby Food
by Ruth Yaron
The cover says it all… “Absolutely everything you should know about feeding your baby and toddler, from starting solid foods to age three. Includes more than 350 quick, easy, delicious and nutritious recipes and thousands of money-saving ant time saving child care and kitchen tips.” As a first time mom I used this book so much it’s pages are folded and stained! I highly recommend it.
The Well Rounded Pregnancy
by Karen Gurwitz
This book is scheduled to be released this early August, and I’ve already pre-ordered my copy. As some of you may know I am 7 months pregnant and starving most of the time, so I’m really looking forward to it! Karen owns a company called Mothers and Menus, a food delivery service for expectant and brand new moms in the NYC area. All the food is balanced, organic when possible and fabulously delicious. Moms (especially new moms) need to remember to take good care of themselves as well as their baby(ies). I know this was difficult for me – I would sometimes forget to prepare food for myself because I was so busy feeding Claire! I love anything geared towards busy moms.
Here’s what Karen wrote, “The cookbook was inspired by clients (thank you!) and recipes from Mothers & Menus and evolved into a cookbook that would realistically address the needs of busy women who have every intention of eating well, but are also hit with challenges: including hard-to-resist cravings, wanting to lose weight or day-long morning sickness. In The Well Rounded Pregnancy Cookbook you can find a happy compromise in over 100 recipes that are adapted to meet your many moods: Feeling Green (nausea) Feeling Blue (cravings) or Feeling Full (weight loss, or increased nutrients). The book is geared for expectant and new mothers, but as a not-so-new mom, I find myself reaching for it often! Most of the recipes are quick (exception is Three-Bean Chili which is worth wait) and healthy (exception is the Devilicious Cupcake which is worth the calories) and ALL of them are delicious (no exceptions)! The customizations work well for feeding the various requests in the house-hold (like turning the Sauteed Zucchini w. Cherry Tomatoes & Dill into kid-friendly Vegetable Pancakes).”
Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
by Paul Pitchford
If you are looking to expand your knowledge of healthy eating as well as your reference library, this is THE book to have. It is so packed with quality information on every possible aspect of holistic health and healing. It’s my most frequently used nutrition text, if I ever have a question I go right to this book. I am in awe that one person could have completed such an amazing work!
