“Why do we neglect to read the books that can change our lives? Why do we complain but remain the same? Why do so many of us curse the effect but nourish the cause? How do we explain the fact that only three percent of our entire national population possess a library card-a card that would give us access to all of the answers to success and happiness we could ever want?
Those who wish for the better life cannot permit themselves to miss the books that could have a major impact on how their lives turn out. The book they miss will not help! And the issue is not that books are too expensive! If a person concludes that the price of buying the book is too great, wait until he must pay the price for not buying it. Wait until he receives the bill for continued and prolonged ignorance.
There is very little difference between someone who cannot read and someone who will not read. The result of either is ignorance. Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. We must not permit anything to stand between us and the book that could change our lives. A little reading each day will result in a wealth of valuable information in a very short period of time. But if we fail to set aside the time, if we fail to pick up the book, if we fail to exercise the discipline, then ignorance will quickly move in to fill the void.
Those who seek a better life must first become a better person. They must continually seek after self- mastery for the purpose of developing a balanced philosophy of life, and then live in accordance with the dictates of that philosophy. The habit of reading is a major stepping stone in the development of a sound philosophical foundation. And in myopinion it is one of the fundamentals required for the attainment of success and happiness.” — Jim Rohn
I enjoy reading a good book no matter what type it is. As a child I was raised without a television set. Instead my mother took my brothers and I to the library to pick out books. It was a real treat for us, and I remember gettng lost in the aisles trying to figure which books I would pick out, and the order in which I was going to read them. On holidays my father would rent a tv for a week , and we would be allowed to visit our local video store, and pick out some Walt Disney movies for our viewing pleasure.
Boy, how time has changed a lot of things. However, I thank my Mom and Dad for installing in me the passion, and value of being able to lose yourself in a great novel or book of any sort. Below I have reviewed two books, both are fitness related. One will help your body, the other may stimulate your mind.
Chemical Pink – By Kati Arnold
Kati Arnoldi makes her literary debut with this novel. Chemical Pink explores the dark world of competitive female bodybuilding in the 1980’s. It takes you deep within the seamy world of women’s bodybuilding and introduces the reader to the twisted fetishes associated with the sport. It is about greed, obsession, self-degradation and the consequences of going too far.
Katie Arnoldi’s portrayal leaves a deep and freshly engrained vision of the characters showing how their lives are altered by the thirst for perfection and dramatizing the effects it has on relationships.
Youthful, attractive and with a passion for bodybuilding Aurora Johnson has all the right stuff to make it in the world of bodybuilding, but her personal life is not so promising. Unwed, single and with an overbearing mother, Aurora decides to get away from it all and leaves Savannah to start a new life in California.
With zeal to build the best body possible Aurora soon finds out that her dream may not become a reality. That is, until she meets someone who is willing to offer her everything she dreamed of and more.
Charles Worthington is a well-to-do gentlemen in search of his next up-and-coming protégé. He has a vision, a dream to create the perfect female bodybuilding specimen and the money to play out this fantasy. He sees Aurora as the perfect specimen and wants to take her under his wing and shape her into a champion.
To achieve this, Aurora agrees to hand over control to Charles. Intense training starts with a strict high protein diet and drugs (muscle-enhancing) are soon introduced. However, Aurora finds herself slowly surrendering her life to Charles as he begins to dictate who she sees, where she goes, what she eats and when and how much she’ll take of the body- enhancing drugs he has prescribed for her. Aurora also begins to cater to Charles ever-growing sexual requests, each one becoming more bizarre and twisted. In return, Charles showers Aurora with gifts in the form of a house, a sports car and money. As time passes Aurora slowly loses her independence and becomes more submissive to Charles. But at the same time, her body is transforming into something she could never imagine was possible.
For Aurora the sweet smell of victory is closing in. But will her dream of attaining the perfect body cloud her judgement and push her past the boundaries of health and sanity?
Once you pick up this book there is no putting it down whether or not you enjoy the sport of bodybuilding. Kati Arnoldi does a great job of captivating her readers and keeping them spellbound throughout the entire novel. This book will fascinate you and leave you repulsed at the same time.
If you’d like to purchase this book you can do so here: http://www.amazon.ca/Chemical-Pink-Katie-Arnoldi/dp/0312878915
Gourmet Nutrition – Authors: Dr. John M Berardi, PhD & Dr. John K. Williams, PhD
Gourmet Nutrition isn’t just a cook book, it’s a full-bodied, optimal eating manual. From it, you can feed both your mind and your body with recipes, cooking tips and nutrition strategies that will help you get into the best shape of your life.
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Nutritional infidelity is on the rise. That’s because, when it comes to preparing food in the kitchen, people are willing to abandon the old-familiar in their search for taste and variety.
Are you stuck in breakfast, Have your lunches grown stale? Dreading dinner? Or maybe you’re just tired of eating boiled chicken breast and tuna out of a can? Eating healthy doesn’t have to sacrifice taste. It certainly doesn’t have to be this way because, with a pinch of creativity and a dash of education, Gourmet Nutrition can bring you into a new world of taste experience.
Now there’s a recipe book that covers all the bases. If you’re interested in following a healthy lifestyle without having to worry about eating the same boring foods all the time, this book is for you! Dr Berardi and Dr Williams have taken all the guesswork out of cooking, and served up a book that is both informative and easy to understand.
Gourmet Nutrition isn’t any regular recipe book! Whether it’s snacks, salads, shakes, or meals this book dishes it all out in a special way.
Some of the areas covered:
How to design your kitchen so you can be better prepared when it comes to nutritional roadblocks.
• Food facts and preparation tips.
• Macronutrient profiles for each meal served up in a pie graph.
• Dr Berardi’s 7 Highly Effective habits to nutrition.
• 100 recipes covering everything a strength enthusiast/meathead would need to succeed in the kitchen.
If you’ve ever tried finding a food book that caters to strength trainers you’d be hard-pressed to find anything that comes close to what Gourmet Nutrition offers. Most books of this type are full of filler material or use lots of glossy pictures to cover up content shortcomings. This book can be used by a newbie starting out or an advanced trainer who understands how to manipulate macro-nutrient ratios. When it comes to presenting information, Dr Berardi and Dr Williams have chosen the proper method in communicating their points. Clear, concise and easy to understand, the lessons you take away from this book will help you plan your nutritional program so that the work outside of the gym gets done in an effective and efficient manner.
Why deny your taste buds any longer? Treat them to Gourmet Nutrition!
If you’re interested in buyng this book you can find it here: http://www.gourmetnutrition.com/