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The Fitness Instinct: The Revolutionary Approach to Healthy Exercise that is Fun, Natural, and No-Sweat
A comprehensive guide to fitness for everyone intimidated by the complicated world of exercise describes how to get in shape by following simple and beneficial exercise and fitness routines. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.
235 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 28, 2022
Review originally published December 2003
The new year is just around the corner, and just about everyone will be thinking about starting some type of fitness plan. We have a great new book at Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library for people who have failed at this attempt time and time again. The Fitness Instinct by Peg Jordan is billed as a revolutionary new approach to healthy exercise that is fun, natural, and NO SWEAT. Sound tempting? I thought so!
Peg Jordan, editor and founder of Fitness Magazine, and a registered nurse, interviewed hundreds of people about fitness—what worked for them, and what did not. She was shocked to learn that about 80% of the people she spoke with had dropped out of fitness programs, or moved fitness equipment to the garage or basement almost immediately after they bought it, and just given up on their good intentions.
Why?
She found that many of them had low self esteem, perhaps generated by our media bombardment of perfect bodies on T.V., billboards, and magazines. She feels that “each and every human being has within them an instinctive knowledge for optimal movement” and has compiled an 11-step plan to holistic fitness.
If you use your stepper machine to hang houseplants on, or if your cat sits on the seat of your stationary bicycle more than you do, this may be the book for you. Peg Jordan starts you off with a personality quiz, to determine your fitness profile, since every type of person has unique fitness needs. Once you determine your fitness type, you can begin to match movement to your exact personality. Hey, even the 20% of hard-bodied buff workout fanatics can learn how to get more endorphin bang for their buck!
This book will get you un-brainwashed, and show you the gentler path for finding a plan of movements that you can LIVE with. It’s an approach to fitness for the masses and I promise there is something in this book to motivate everyone. Even fidgeting can help you to lose weight, and all of us can do that. So put the emphasis on what you CAN do, and stop putting yourself down for what you feel you can’t do. Happy, healthy 2004!
While this exact title is not available, find similar titles within our catalog.
The new year is just around the corner, and just about everyone will be thinking about starting some type of fitness plan. We have a great new book at Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library for people who have failed at this attempt time and time again. The Fitness Instinct by Peg Jordan is billed as a revolutionary new approach to healthy exercise that is fun, natural, and NO SWEAT. Sound tempting? I thought so!
Peg Jordan, editor and founder of Fitness Magazine, and a registered nurse, interviewed hundreds of people about fitness—what worked for them, and what did not. She was shocked to learn that about 80% of the people she spoke with had dropped out of fitness programs, or moved fitness equipment to the garage or basement almost immediately after they bought it, and just given up on their good intentions.
Why?
She found that many of them had low self esteem, perhaps generated by our media bombardment of perfect bodies on T.V., billboards, and magazines. She feels that “each and every human being has within them an instinctive knowledge for optimal movement” and has compiled an 11-step plan to holistic fitness.
If you use your stepper machine to hang houseplants on, or if your cat sits on the seat of your stationary bicycle more than you do, this may be the book for you. Peg Jordan starts you off with a personality quiz, to determine your fitness profile, since every type of person has unique fitness needs. Once you determine your fitness type, you can begin to match movement to your exact personality. Hey, even the 20% of hard-bodied buff workout fanatics can learn how to get more endorphin bang for their buck!
This book will get you un-brainwashed, and show you the gentler path for finding a plan of movements that you can LIVE with. It’s an approach to fitness for the masses and I promise there is something in this book to motivate everyone. Even fidgeting can help you to lose weight, and all of us can do that. So put the emphasis on what you CAN do, and stop putting yourself down for what you feel you can’t do. Happy, healthy 2004!
While this exact title is not available, find similar titles within our catalog.
April 16, 2025
It's a grab-bag of ideas self-help book that's both inspiring and outdated. I really like things like Myers-Briggs and Enneagram for fun, but they are really don't have any scientific evidence to back them up. Yet here they are presented as such. While I cannot vouch for all disciplines other than psychology, with so many Chinese medicine practitioners and energy healers touted as authorities, you are bound to make a poor decision or two based on the advice given.
Yet, the invitation to listen to one's own natural tendency and inclinations to move is so honest and inspiring and the thing medicine has some room to develop in (and it's clearly trying!). The person itself has a part to do in maintaining health and believing to have a Self or a Being not reducible to the mechanistic-material components can help with that.
Yet, the invitation to listen to one's own natural tendency and inclinations to move is so honest and inspiring and the thing medicine has some room to develop in (and it's clearly trying!). The person itself has a part to do in maintaining health and believing to have a Self or a Being not reducible to the mechanistic-material components can help with that.
June 5, 2011
I have no idea when I bought this book. I was brushing off the dust to throw it in the charity pile. But I flipped through it, and was caught.
I only read two chapters completely, skimming the rest. Given my current physical condition, I'm not going to get down on the ground to do yoga poses without ordering a Medical Alert "I've fallen and I can't get up" monitor, and I'm certainly not jogging or mountain climbing with my cane, but there was some insightful parts that really hit ANY fitness level.
The chapter that really caught me, chapter 2, was all about applying Myers Briggs to exercise. Who would have thought?
SP - Racer (arrow)
SJ - Stroller (spiral)
NF - Dancer (spark)
NT - Trekker (chevron)
There is an actual mini (20 question) Myers Briggs quiz + a new variation of the engrams where you just "pick the one that fits you". I tested about the same way I've tested in the past. I'm currently a NF, but I used to be an NT, and still hold some of those characteristics.
In terms of exercise an NF is a Dancer. In terms of moves they use the terms: go with the flow, tai chi, whirling dervish, meandering, and conceal tracks. NT or Trekker, by comparison, uses the terms: disciplined, dae kwon do, ballet, perpendicular, and build a trail.
Personally, the only real sport (if you can call it a sport) I've taken to in my life was swimming which seems to fit "go with the flow". But I did take ballet as a child (elementary school age).
The conclusion being I need to find spontaneous and more playful forms of exercise. Which makes sense to me.
The other chapter I read thoroughly was chapter 5 on breathing techniques, visualization techniques, and meditation. As an NF (Dancer) I should start with music and advance to dzogchen (or open eyed) meditation. A NF (Trekker) for comparison should start with visualization and advance to a appreciative meditation.
Some of the techniques in that chapter were a definite "no way" for me, but the four suggested for NF and NT all seemed to work for me. There must be something to this personality connection.
In fact, the music they suggested for the music technique is the new age-y type music that I was into in the early 90's. I guess I need to pull that stuff out, again.
Better book than I expected. I even want to further research the assertion that the Enneagram -- which I'm less familiar with than Myers-Briggs -- is connected to ancient Egyptian deities - Atum, Shu, Tefunut, Seb, Nut Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. The Ennead, the pantheon of nine gods and goddesses in ancient Egypt. I'll get back to you on that one. *g*
I only read two chapters completely, skimming the rest. Given my current physical condition, I'm not going to get down on the ground to do yoga poses without ordering a Medical Alert "I've fallen and I can't get up" monitor, and I'm certainly not jogging or mountain climbing with my cane, but there was some insightful parts that really hit ANY fitness level.
The chapter that really caught me, chapter 2, was all about applying Myers Briggs to exercise. Who would have thought?
SP - Racer (arrow)
SJ - Stroller (spiral)
NF - Dancer (spark)
NT - Trekker (chevron)
There is an actual mini (20 question) Myers Briggs quiz + a new variation of the engrams where you just "pick the one that fits you". I tested about the same way I've tested in the past. I'm currently a NF, but I used to be an NT, and still hold some of those characteristics.
In terms of exercise an NF is a Dancer. In terms of moves they use the terms: go with the flow, tai chi, whirling dervish, meandering, and conceal tracks. NT or Trekker, by comparison, uses the terms: disciplined, dae kwon do, ballet, perpendicular, and build a trail.
Personally, the only real sport (if you can call it a sport) I've taken to in my life was swimming which seems to fit "go with the flow". But I did take ballet as a child (elementary school age).
The conclusion being I need to find spontaneous and more playful forms of exercise. Which makes sense to me.
The other chapter I read thoroughly was chapter 5 on breathing techniques, visualization techniques, and meditation. As an NF (Dancer) I should start with music and advance to dzogchen (or open eyed) meditation. A NF (Trekker) for comparison should start with visualization and advance to a appreciative meditation.
Some of the techniques in that chapter were a definite "no way" for me, but the four suggested for NF and NT all seemed to work for me. There must be something to this personality connection.
In fact, the music they suggested for the music technique is the new age-y type music that I was into in the early 90's. I guess I need to pull that stuff out, again.
Better book than I expected. I even want to further research the assertion that the Enneagram -- which I'm less familiar with than Myers-Briggs -- is connected to ancient Egyptian deities - Atum, Shu, Tefunut, Seb, Nut Osiris, Isis, Seth, and Nephthys. The Ennead, the pantheon of nine gods and goddesses in ancient Egypt. I'll get back to you on that one. *g*
January 17, 2011
I liked the science and the wealth of experience Jordan brought to the subject. I enjoyed her writing as well.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews