Creative Fitness: Applying Health Psychology and Exercise Science to Everyday Life

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Biller integrates research about exercise, nutrition, and health within an applied developmental psychological framework. Readers are presented with ways of making fitness an enjoyable and positive force in their daily lives. Although a major focus is on how to get in shape, Biller's primary mission is to encourage a healthy lifestyle that enriches self-awareness and personal growth. The goal is not just to facilitate physical fitness, but to enhance overall life satisfaction. The book's uniqueness, accordingly, lies in its ability ot help individuals develop a creative, playful approach to fitness in all spheres of their lives. While some readers are just beginning to think about fitness because of a desire to lose weight and improve their appearance, others are more interested in refining their athletic skills or achieving a greater balance in their daily activities. Dedicated exercisers often are striving for new routines and ways to prevent "burnout." Many parents, moreover, are searching for activities to help their children, as well as themselves, become more fit. Older individuals are especially likely to be concerned about staying healthy and avoiding physical dependence as they age. Biller speaks to all these concerns--and all these groups--by providing an approach to getting in shape that enriches self understanding and mental vitality.

Reviews

"At a time when obesity is increasing at epidemic proportions, Creative Fitness is essential reading for professionals and the public. As Biller guides us through one benefit after another, we come to appreciate that fitness is the bargain basement of behaviors. So if you like bargains, this is the book for you."-James O. Prochaska, Ph.D. Director of the Cancer Prevention Research Center Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology University of Rhode Island
"Biller illuminates the physical and psychological markers that light the road to self-fulfillment. His creative approach to fitness transforms "I need to exercise" into "I want to exercise."-Sheldon Cashdan, Ph.D. Emeritus Professor of Psychology University of Massachusetts
"Henry Biller has done it again: assembled in one volume, eye-opening and life changing ideas and advice, rooted in certain science, that positively alters the reader's attitude toward the fascinating partnership of mind and body. In a fresh synthesis of exactly relevant data from psychology and physiology, Biller tells us crucial things about the interplay between nutrition, play, exercise, body image, aging, stress, illness, and well-being. Don't bother with anything else if you want to feel and look better, at any age."-Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Yale Child Study Center and Medical School
"Very educational and highly motivational. Biller's innovative approach for achieving better health and fitness through enjoyable exercise and lifestyle activities is most refreshing. If you are looking for a different view of exercise that can easily fit your psyche and your schedule, read Creative Fitness."-Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. Senior Fitness/Research Director, South Shore YMCA Consultant, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

Author Bio

HENRY B. BILLER is Professor of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island. A fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Amerian Psychological Society, he also serves on the advisory board of the Men's Health Network. Among his nine earlier books is Fathers and Families (Auburn House, 1993).