Prevention's Complete Book of Walking : Everything You Need to Know to Walk Your Way to Better Health

Rating:
Summary: Don't let one bad review turn you away
Review: I am the author of this book. I don't recieve any royalties for its sales and I no longer work for Prevention Magazine or Rodale Inc. I've checked here from time to time to see if the reviews change. The single negative review on top has been up for YEARS. I think it's too bad. I know many people have thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very very helpful. It's true that much of it is a compilation of many years of articles written for Prevention and for my Newsletter. But they were well researched, facthecked and contain lots of helpful info for all levels of walkers. The section on Dynamic Walking is one of kind. You won't find that information anywhere else. I think it's a shame that one bad review by a person who seems mostly interested in marathons can be in place for years and put people off from getting a book that could really motivate them to walk for health for a lifetime. If you're new to walking and or a beginner looking for solid advice and inspiration, this book won't disappoint you. There, I've said my peace. Now MY two-bits will be up here for years. My friends will probably tease the heck out of me for defending my work. So be it! :-)

Rating:
Summary: Motivational
Review: I got the chance to start reading this book last week and I haven't been able to set it down.I used to walk everyday before I had my kids and then stopped, put on 50 pounds. Reading this helped me to get motivated enough to start up again and I feel great.A defininate pre-summer, get into shape book!!

Rating:
Summary: There are better choices
Review: I've looked over numerous walking books, and cannot really refer this one. It is useful, but only in a few places. Most of the book reads like one-page motivational articles out of a magazine like, well, Prevention. Particularly irksome is the article on Walking Marathons: no training schedule, just continuous promotion of a specific fund-raising group.
There are training schedules elsewhere in the book, but they are geared more to the walking athlete then you and I.
Okay, so what's the alternative? Try Dr. Mort Malkin's book,
Aerobic Walking, also available from Border's/Amazon. Despite the bland title, it's a realistic plan for health thru walking.
(And if you want a training schedule for Marathons, look up the Walking section at About.com. Lots of good stuff there.)

Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: This book is a good read. Two others that were better for me from a walking program perspective are: "The 90-Day Fitness Walking Program" by Mark Fenton (GREAT walking program for the couch potato beginner - starts w/ 10 minutes a day and gradually works up to 30 minutes a day - also not an information overload for a beginner) and "Walking Magazine The Complete Guide To Walking: for Health, Fitness, and Weight Loss" by Mark Fenton (this is the one i'm using now - great walking program schedule and tons of very good info on keeping variety in your fitness routine). If you can afford them, get all three. (I also like "The Sprited Walker" by who I forget, for motivation.) If not, start w/ the "The 90-Day Fitness Walking Program" by Mark Fenton and maybe this Prevention one to get you additionally fired up.