Instant Recess: Building a Fit Nation 10 Minutes at a Time

by Toni Yancey

This lively, inspiring, and informative book zeroes in on the state of American fitness—persistently sedentary, plagued by obesity—and issues a clarion call to action that reaches across economic, racial, and educational lines. Toni Yancey finds that despite our best intentions and repeated resolutions to exercise, as well as a 40-year investment in fitness education and counseling, physical activity in all levels of society continues to plummet. In a warm, reader-friendly narrative that draws on solid scientific research, personal experience, and her own poetry, Yancey calls for a radically different approach: one that respects diversity and is grounded in the cultures of those most at risk. Instant Recess proposes regular ten-minute exercise breaks that utilize music and dance and are easily incorporated into school, work, and community life. Rather than encouraging unhealthful habits like cigarette breaks or high fat snacks, these “instant recesses” make the active choice the natural one. Here is a new paradigm for fitness and public health that promises vitality, well being, and a greater sense of community—demonstrating, as Yancey argues, that what’s good for the waistline is good for the bottom line.

Genres: Health

278 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2010

Reviews

[Joy Weese Moll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instant Recess outlines a program and policy shift toward making people more active by breaking down social and cultural barriers to movement while building up structures and expectations that encourage exercise.

The answer, and what I’m advocating in this book is systems change to structure short bouts of group physical activity into our social interactions and cultural expectations, as well as our built environment…It’s time to put the policies, regulations, and practices in place…that will make it a lot easier for [people] to make the active choice and increasingly difficult for them to make the sedentary one. p. 12

More on Joy's Book Blog: Book Review: Instant Recess by Toni Yancey

[Wendy Budetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read about 2/3 of this book. It was an interesting concept, but it didn't really ring realistic in my opinion. She does offer a lot of good research on the benefits of exercise, but it wasn't anything I hadn't read before.