Reviews

"This is a fun book! With all the 'compost' in the diet book industry, the compost the Dynamic Gardening Way recommends is finally something you can really benefit from."

-- C. Wayne Callaway, M.D. , Clinical associate professor of medicine, George Washington University (1992)

"Too often, we are caught up in the fads and quick-fix road to wellness. Jeff Restuccio has formulated a fascinating and sound program to achieve true fitness of body, mind and environment...Anyone embracing this vision and following this well-conceived program will lead a wholesome, vigorous and rewarding lifestyle."

-- Charles C. Norelli, M.D. , Good Shepherd Hospital (1992)

"Fitness the Dynamic Gardening Way is not just another book about gardening or fitness techniques. Instead, it offers a broad perspective that serves to remind us that growing food, physical exercise and care of the planet are, in actuality, one interconnected, human activity."

-- Saki Santorelli, M.A., Assoc. Dir., Stress Reduction Clinic, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Center (1992)

"Jeff has come up with a plan which combines gardening techniques that get you fit, and the fitness techniques that produce the kind of high-quality, nutritious foods that will keep you fit. Now, that's really cross-training."

-- Mike McGrath, (former) Editor-in-Chief, Organic Gardening Magazine (1992)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. A New Approach to Fitness . . . 13

PART ONE: Current Diet and Exercise Programs
2. Why Diets Fail . . . 23
3. Why Exercise Programs Fail . . . 35

PART TWO: Lifestyle
4. Lifestyle Not Changed . . . 39
5. The Dynamic Gardening Way . . . 45

PART THREE: Exercise
6. The Exercise Program . . . 55
7. Circuit Training . . . 81
8. Analysis by Muscle Groups. . . 105
9. Five-Year Exercise & Gardening Plan . . . 113

PART FOUR: Sustainable Gardening
10. Sustainable and Intensive Gardening Techniques. . . 121
11. Composting and Raised Bed Gardening. . . 125
12. Integrated Pest Management and Sustainable Gardening . . . 141
13. Plant Propagation. . . 157
14. Seasons. . . 167

PART FIVE: Sound Nutrition
15. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. . . 179
16. Proper Preparation. . . 195

PART SIX: The Role of the Mind
17. Beyond Diet and Exercise. . . 199
18 Sounds Interesting, But . . . . . . 205
19. Stress . . . 215
20. Horticultural Therapy. . . 219
21. Visualization . . . 231
22. Gardening by Objectives. . . 237

PART SEVEN: Children
23. Gardening with Children. . . 247

PART EIGHT: Summary
24. A Day in the Garden. . . 255
25. Summary. . . 261

PART NINE: Appendix
A. Sources for Supplies. . . 266
B. Selected Bibliography. . . 273
C. Index. . . 281

PART ONE: CURRENT DIET AND EXERCISE PROGRAMS Chapters 2 and 3 address why existing diet and exercise programs have not been successful in maintaining long-term weight loss. If you've tried any of these diet or exercise programs or are considering using one, please read these chapters first. If you're already familiar with current diet and exercise programs and want to get straight to the benefits of Dynamic Gardening, skip to Part 2.

PART TWO: LIFESTYLE Chapter 4, discusses how traditional exercise programs may advise you to change your lifestyle, but rarely do they present a health and wellness lifestyle. Chapter 5, contrasts the Dynamic Gardening lifestyle to the traditional diet and exercise programs described in Part One.

PART THREE: EXERCISE Part three incorporates concepts, techniques and stance from aerobics, weight training and the martial arts. Gardening will be used as a tool to increase endurance, flexibility and strength. Chapter 6, examines gardening movements in detail and presents a systematic, disciplined approach to gardening to yield maximum aerobic and muscle toning benefits. Chapter 7, is the Dynamic Gardening Way alternative to working out with weights to build strength and muscle mass: build exercise structures into the landscape of your backyard garden, among the daylilies, daisies and grape vines. Chapter 8, presents charts showing the muscle groups used during gardening and Circuit Training exercises. Use this information to design your own gardening exercise program. Chapter 9, illustrates the long-term nature of gardening. Other weight-loss programs advertise how quickly you will lose weight. I take the opposite approach. The longer it takes, the better. That's what defines a lifelong health and fitness program.

PART FOUR: DYNAMIC GARDENING Part four presents the concepts, techniques and vocabulary of Dynamic Gardening. This part is for anyone not familiar with gardening and the latest soil-enhancement and space- utilization techniques. Chapter 10, introduces sustainable and intensive gardening techniques. Chapter 11, explains the two most important Dynamic Gardening techniques: how to make compost and prepare intensive, deep-dug, raised garden beds. Chapter 12, describes in more detail the gardening approach of this book known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Chemical and natural fertilizers and pesticides are compared and contrasted. Chapter 13, presents various ways to start and obtain plants. A virtually fool-proof method of starting plants from seed is introduced. Chapter 14, presents exercises and gardening activities for each season.

PART FIVE: SOUND NUTRITION Chapter 15, explains why growing your own fresh fruits and vegetables is the best diet alternative to pills, powders and prepackaged meals. Chapter 16, emphasizes that eating fruits and vegetables is not enough. They must be nutritiously prepared.

PART SIX: THE ROLE OF THE MIND Chapter 17, examines the psychological components of health and fitness and current theories on eating disorders and weight-loss. Chapter 18, presents solutions to the many obstacles facing potential gardeners. Whether your concern is frequent travel, poor climate, or simply not enough time, offer suggestions on how to overcome obstacles and integrate gardening into your fitness lifestyle. Chapter 19, explains how careful attention to gardening may provide more stress-relief than trying to relax. Chapter 20, presents an overview of successful horticultural therapy programs for individuals with developmental, emotional or physical handicaps, and suggestions on how these techniques can be modified to the general population. Chapter 21, introduces the psychological technique of visualization, used frequently in professional sports, to help you maintain enthusiasm and achieve your health, physique and gardening goals. Visualization techniques help change your mental image of yourself by replacing negative self-talk with positive affirmations. Chapter 22, introduces business-management techniques to organize your gardening and fitness goals, objectives, strategies, plans and activities.

PART SEVEN: CHILDREN Chapter 23, presents games and activities to help teach your children and grandchildren how to play and exercise in the garden while growing fresh fruits and vegetables. Involving the entire family is important to the success of the Dynamic Gardening Way fitness program.

PART EIGHT: SUMMARY Chapter 24, summarizes Fitness the Dynamic Gardening Way with a day in the garden with my family. Chapter 25, ties all the chapters together into a comprehensive fitness lifestyle.

PART NINE: APPENDIX The Appendix includes Sources for supplies, a selected Bibliography, and an Index.

For more information, my books, Get Fit Through Gardening (2008) and Fitness the Dynamic Gardening Way, are available!

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