What do you think?
Rate this book
Sorted: The Active Woman's Guide to Health
WINNER OF THE POPULAR MEDICINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018, BMA BOOK AWARDSRUNNING AWARDS 2019 – TOP BOOK'Juliet talks with you, not at you, and her enthusiasm for the joys of an active lifestyle is bound to inspire millions of women of all ages to lead healthier, fitter and much happier lives.' - Lisa Jackson, author of Your Pace or Mine? What Running Taught Me About Life, Laughter and Coming LastA friendly, accessible handbook that gives you a top-to-toe MOT to help you stay fit and well. From wearing the right bra or exercising during your period, to recovering from illness or keeping active during pregnancy, Juliet's advice will soon have you sorted and on the road to health.
- GenresNonfictionHealth
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 6, 2017
4 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 19, 2017
This book was recommended to me by someone in my running group and this is an edited version of a review I wrote on my blog.
My unenthusiasm for this book lies more more in my expectations than in the book. I’m not sure why I had assumed one format over another, but I had imagined a ‘chatty’ book, that you read front to back, with references to peer-reviewed studies and facts throughout. However, it’s lighter on the scientific details than I expected and each section is self-contained and is the kind of thing you’d look up if you wanted some specific information or you were new to exercising or returning after a while away. It’s a little like the ‘first aid in the home’ book for exercise: you might skim though the whole book while in the toilet, then when something happens you’d reach for it to read that section in depth.
The chapters headings are:
- Why Bother?
- Periods
- Breasts
- Pregnancy
- New Mums
- The Pelvic Floor
- The Menopause and Beyond
- Mental Health
- The Digestive System
- The Skin
- Feeling Tired all the Time
- Muscles and Joints
- Common Illnesses
- Common Injuries
- Common Medical Problems
- Long-Term Medical Conditions
- Finding the Time and Motivation.
It then lists useful websites, reading and references.
Things I liked about it: it referenced studies properly, it gave information about studies and further reading, and the voice was understanding rather than dogmatic and I felt the writer understood that doing exercise was not always simple perhaps due to physical health, mental health or time-commitments. Many magazines and articles about sport and injury seem to ignore things like the affect of periods and the menopause, so it was good to read about the related studies. There were a few things I found interesting, and it was generally good to have a science-backed reminder that moving throughout the day is good for me, some ‘scare’ reminders about the problems associated with lack of exercise and a reminder to add strength workouts back into my life.
However, I didn’t learn much that I didn’t know already or - more accurately – there were lots of things that I didn’t need to know (just yet in some cases, hopefully never in others). It was a little light on details in some places, but I understand it would be impossible to give detailed information about everything covered and I think this criticism may have been partially down to my different expectations of the book.
Would I recommend the book? It was excellent (4/5?) at what it was and if you need a book to help give some pointers and information to help you get started or re-started with exercise I think it’d be a very good place to start. However, if you’re already pretty active, used to managing your own body’s quirks, and there have been no significant changes, like pregnancy, the book might not be so useful. Just for how I found it: 2/5, but as mentioned that was because it wasn't what I thought it would be when I ordered it from the library. Find it in a library or bookshop and give it a flick through first if you're unsure.
My unenthusiasm for this book lies more more in my expectations than in the book. I’m not sure why I had assumed one format over another, but I had imagined a ‘chatty’ book, that you read front to back, with references to peer-reviewed studies and facts throughout. However, it’s lighter on the scientific details than I expected and each section is self-contained and is the kind of thing you’d look up if you wanted some specific information or you were new to exercising or returning after a while away. It’s a little like the ‘first aid in the home’ book for exercise: you might skim though the whole book while in the toilet, then when something happens you’d reach for it to read that section in depth.
The chapters headings are:
- Why Bother?
- Periods
- Breasts
- Pregnancy
- New Mums
- The Pelvic Floor
- The Menopause and Beyond
- Mental Health
- The Digestive System
- The Skin
- Feeling Tired all the Time
- Muscles and Joints
- Common Illnesses
- Common Injuries
- Common Medical Problems
- Long-Term Medical Conditions
- Finding the Time and Motivation.
It then lists useful websites, reading and references.
Things I liked about it: it referenced studies properly, it gave information about studies and further reading, and the voice was understanding rather than dogmatic and I felt the writer understood that doing exercise was not always simple perhaps due to physical health, mental health or time-commitments. Many magazines and articles about sport and injury seem to ignore things like the affect of periods and the menopause, so it was good to read about the related studies. There were a few things I found interesting, and it was generally good to have a science-backed reminder that moving throughout the day is good for me, some ‘scare’ reminders about the problems associated with lack of exercise and a reminder to add strength workouts back into my life.
However, I didn’t learn much that I didn’t know already or - more accurately – there were lots of things that I didn’t need to know (just yet in some cases, hopefully never in others). It was a little light on details in some places, but I understand it would be impossible to give detailed information about everything covered and I think this criticism may have been partially down to my different expectations of the book.
Would I recommend the book? It was excellent (4/5?) at what it was and if you need a book to help give some pointers and information to help you get started or re-started with exercise I think it’d be a very good place to start. However, if you’re already pretty active, used to managing your own body’s quirks, and there have been no significant changes, like pregnancy, the book might not be so useful. Just for how I found it: 2/5, but as mentioned that was because it wasn't what I thought it would be when I ordered it from the library. Find it in a library or bookshop and give it a flick through first if you're unsure.
Read
February 23, 2024Some useful, if generic advice on exercising.
I found some parts quite patronising and in some cases straight up insulting - like in the last chapter where we’re told that we all have 24 hours in a day but ‘some of us are better at time management than others’. as if poor time management is the only reason some women don’t have the time to exercise.
I also was irritated by the lacklustre effort to provide references. The small introductory paragraph to the references section essentially boiled down to ‘trust me bro’. There were lots of statements made about health that I would have liked the sources the information came from so that I could look into them more myself. If you’re going to write a book of what amounts to medical advice (even if it is generic), you should really have sources to back up what you’re saying.
I found some parts quite patronising and in some cases straight up insulting - like in the last chapter where we’re told that we all have 24 hours in a day but ‘some of us are better at time management than others’. as if poor time management is the only reason some women don’t have the time to exercise.
I also was irritated by the lacklustre effort to provide references. The small introductory paragraph to the references section essentially boiled down to ‘trust me bro’. There were lots of statements made about health that I would have liked the sources the information came from so that I could look into them more myself. If you’re going to write a book of what amounts to medical advice (even if it is generic), you should really have sources to back up what you’re saying.
September 18, 2022
Slightly vague, focused on cheering women up towards exercising, to which I have, of course, no objections. There was not much I didn't know about specific topics such menopause or ostheoarthritis, except for some data on ostheoporosis risks in menopausal women under 45 with no HRT.
Useful instruction on pelvic floor exercises, and clear links to anatomy for a number of issues, with illustrations.
Chapters treat one health topic at a time, from pregnancy to menopause, from common injuries to common illnesses. It makes the book easy to navigate and facilitates finding the information needed without having to read irrelevant stuff.
In conclusion, a book that I am glad I borrowed from the library, but I wouldn't go as far as buyjnv and keeping home.
Useful instruction on pelvic floor exercises, and clear links to anatomy for a number of issues, with illustrations.
Chapters treat one health topic at a time, from pregnancy to menopause, from common injuries to common illnesses. It makes the book easy to navigate and facilitates finding the information needed without having to read irrelevant stuff.
In conclusion, a book that I am glad I borrowed from the library, but I wouldn't go as far as buyjnv and keeping home.
December 6, 2018
I've just finished reading Sorted for the second time and I know it won't be the last! As a keen 45 year old runner with Raynaud's disease, Sarcoidosis and suspected osteopenia this book has been so useful for me in 'normalising' these and other conditions with Juliet's sensible, fact-based and friendly approach and showing how incredibly important exercise is for not only our overall health but for improving specific conditions. Every woman needs to have this book!! I cannot recommend it highly enough.
December 31, 2017
The bits that are relevant to me were helpful.
July 9, 2018
Very good book. Well written with great advice on different topics for women.
September 11, 2025
This was a quick read for me but lots of useful/helpful information.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews