Lean, Long ∧ Strong is one of the best new entries in the fitness category, allowing resolution-makers to get the bodies they dream about. The six-week program of 12-minute resistance workouts by personal trainer Wini Linguvic, co-author of the best-selling BodyChange, combines yoga and Pilates, two trendy exercise methods, with strength training to keep interest high and accelerate results. Basic, intermediate and express workouts using a mat, exercise ball and dumbbells are clearly illustrated. A tinted box along the bottom of each page has tips on breathing and form, making it easy to move correctly. Linguvic also provides a guide to a precision cardio workout to maximize results in 60 minutes a week, and helps readers build their own custom program for fat blasting, core body work, or a focus on lower or upper body. A nutrition program that involves keeping a food journal (one of the biggest predictors of successful weight loss), and training log pages are also included in this beautifully designed book that banishes boredom, and body trouble spots, from women’s vocabulary. Deanna Larson is a writer in Nashville.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.