Among other things I enjoy doing in life, reading is at the top of the list.
Weird, I know, someone who writes likes to read.
Sometimes I have a hard time just being still to do it. However, if I get into a good book, well then, the house could fall down around me and I’d be oblivious.
Anyone else out there like that?
Ok so I’ve just finished a book I’m excited over. It’s a fun, easy read, and packed full of humor and super good information. I’ve been eager to finish and write a book review on it ’cause I really think everyone should read it… it’s like…that good.
It’s called “Younger Next Year For Women” . Of course, anyone can read it, but it’s really driven at the middle aged crowd. The “over 40 and pushing the Senior citizen discount crowd.”
Don’t let the title distract you.
It’s not coming from a point so prevalent in society today… trying to physically look younger with often extreme measures involved in a pursuit to look like we did in high school.
The title of the book does imply, being older but still being young at heart, strong, active, full of life and vitality. Being able to physically do things you did 10 years previously. Sometimes, doing them better.
Why wouldn’t you want to be able to do that? Sign me up.
My doctor recommended the book to me when I was in for my yearly checkup telling me I “embodied the women” they wrote about. She thought I’d be encouraged by the information since I was already doing many of the things the authors encouraged their readers to do.
Well, of course I was intriqued. I had found it on Amazon before I ever pulled out of the parking lot.
It cost me a whole $4.00.
I realized seeing the authors names that I had read excerpts of their writings in magazines and found them entertaining, highly informative, and spot on with the truths they were preaching. I guess because they were truths I had already been living out.
I was excited to get my hands on the entire work and not just pieces of it. Two men wrote the book, one a Doctor, the other interestingly enough came into his life as his patient. Together they make a great team.
Meaning you have lots coming at you from a medical perspective and you have the other perspective from someone who’s walked the walk and is 70ish living a strong, healthy and energetic lifestyle.
So I’m going to just give you my personal take on it, my thoughts and observations. If anything I hope you’ll spend a few dollars on the book and glean truths out of it that will help and motivate you to live a healthy, positive life, for the rest of your life.
Their first book, “Younger Next Year”, was written with an eye towards middle aged men. It was evidently such a huge success they had women asking them to write a woman’s version of it with a focus on issues women deal with. They did and it is appropriately titled, “Younger Next Year For Women”.
This is what my book review is on ’cause well… I’m a woman 😛
On a side note, I was reading on the patio at my favorite coffee hang out one afternoon. I was intent on finishing the book. I noticed a couple sitting there when I walked out. They were “older” but looked healthy and fit. After about 5 minutes the man asks of me… “are you enjoying the book?”
I think he’s just being polite and has no idea what I’m reading. The wife is smiling and she finally says… “we’ve read those books! we thought the men/women’s were so good we gave them as Christmas gifts to all our friends!”
I had to admit it was pretty weird timing to have them sitting there while I was polishing off the book, giving me their glowing review of it.
The overall idea of the book and the truths, thoughts and suggestions contained within are on living a strong, healthy, fit, (and gasp), even still being sexy, in what they refer to as the third stage of life.
Meaning, life after menopause.
You don’t have to “get old”, turn frumpy, get fat, tired, develop diseases and then die. ( seriously, they put this all in such a humorous way…don’t depend on me to spill it all here.)
Sadly, there is a pervasive thought that this is just “what happens”…like we’re helpless victims of aging… and so much of it doesn’t have to happen and is preventable.
I know, you might be looking at the title and seeing that sexy part and think “hey, I’m old. Sexy went away a long time ago.” Define that how you will, but I still want to feel good about myself and I certainly have no intention of giving up my edge ’cause I’m not 20 or 30ish anymore. I’m not quitting and turning in my woman card just ’cause I’m older.
Ok.. besides that…. what my doctor already knew about me when she recommended the book, and what I’ve figured out since reading it, is that I’ve been doing all the things they are encouraging women to do to live a strong, and healthy life.
But when I read the lines “A book of hope, that shows you how to become functionally younger for the next five to ten years, and continue to live thereafter with newfound vitality. How to avoid 70 percent of the normal problems of aging, and eliminate 50 percent of illness or injury. And how to live brilliantly for the three decades or more after menopause.”
Now I’m not sure what “how to live brilliantly” exactly means but I’m down for it.
Who doesn’t wanna live, brilliantly ??
From the first few pages, I was hooked on it. I already feel like I live an extremely active life compared to the majority of people my age. My doctor teasingly calls me her poster child for middle aged fitness. I’ve been practicing an active, healthy lifestyle for quite a few years now and I know how I feel and the difference it’s made in me physically, well it’s made a difference in all areas actually.
Eating well and vigorous exercise make big impacts on our bodies and our minds.
And of course I’m interested in learning how I can keep doing the things I’m doing now…. for the rest of my life.
Who wouldn’t want to ?!
When I look ahead, I see myself doing the things I do today. I have no desire to be less active or not be able to do the things I do now.
What happens for so many is that they stop moving. They stop using their bodies. They gain weight and become more and more sedentary. This causes weakness and frailty as we get older. This can also contribute to the development of diseases.
The aging process.
I loved this line in the book “you do have to age, but you don’t have to rot”
That line just landed hard on me. That word…. rot….. just the mental visions it stirred up.. yuck.
I don’t want to be a part of the rotting group.
From birth, we begin an aging process. The authors point is that we all go through the aging process. We rot when we stop using our bodies. It gives creed to the jokes of “getting older and falling apart”.
Their point… it doesn’t have to happen. You will age, but rotting, can largely be prevented. Illnesses and age related issues that people think “happen ’cause you’re old” can be avoided.
The book is laid out in an easy conversational tone with the “patient” Chris, and the Doctor, Henry. Each one takes a chapter and addresses different thoughts or ideas. Chris, from living a lifestyle as the patient who needed to make changes and the impact that’s had on him and Henry, the doctor who basically called him out on his lifestyle and how it was affecting him. He of course brings all the hard hitting physical and medical truths to us in the book.
Their writing is humorous and easy to read. It’s smart and intelligent.
It’s also hard hitting and blunt… just a heads up. They call things as they see them and pull no punches.
Straight truth. It might make you squirm. Or convict you. It might even make you mad if it hits close to home.
Why? Because they are passionate about what they do, what they believe, and the HUGE impact they see on people who do the things they recommend.
As I’ve contemplated what to write you about this book, I’ve realized I just want to share entire chapters with you and that won’t do ’cause then you won’t have to get the book and read it!
And you should read it… remember… it’s pretty cheap information on being strong, fit, and healthy for the rest of your life.
Below are their cardinal rules for living this life I’m talking about. This will have to do for now. They greatly expand on all these areas in the chapters of the book, which you’ll have to get it if you want to learn more about what they say on these points 😉
Not just that…if you like to laugh… you’ll want to read it. Delivering anything with a stroke of humor always works for me.
But more than anything, read it if you want to make an impact on your future life.
Have you read anything lately that’s made an impact on you ?
sassyfitnesschick 