Look Hot, Live Long by Christine Lydon

This is a health/fitness book with an emphasis on strength training. Written by a doctor who is a nutrition consultant and a personal fitness consultant to Hollywood celebrities, it dispenses valuable facts and tips on nutrition and exercise routines.

Part 1 tells us the basics of nutritional science. Dr Lydon gives us just the correct dosage of facts and figures to keep us informed. She also debunks some fad diets and nutritional myths. There’s nothing groundbreaking or sensational here, but just some honest and scientific facts. Only a few supplements are recommended - nothing exotic or amazing. Dr Lydon distinguishes herself from other authors of anti-aging books with a section on exercise by showing that she really knows her field.

Part 2 is a prescription for a strong and shapely self. Again, Dr Lydon dispels strength training myths about women turning into hulks after a few workouts. Encouraging muscle hypertrophy is not just about looks and vanity. It also helps keep metabolic rate up (hence help weight loss), reduce risk of osteoarthritis and even lower blood pressure.

After extolling the merits of strength training, Dr Lydon goes on to help design a routine. She begins with basics going into terminology like strip sets, drop sets, ascending, descending sets etc. Even for those not new to strength training, this has a few useful tips on how to get more mileage out of a workout. A few safe supplements are recommended. We’re also warned against overtraining and exericise addiction.

The book then zooms in on body parts, muscle groups and gives tiips that even experienced bodybuilders will find valuable. The appendices offer a good reference for calorific values and glycemic indices of various foods. There are also exercise tables offering a guide for workout routines.

This is an excellent book on fitness and healthy living which I would recommend to any friend, male or female, who is interested in better health and physique. In an age when sensational, “revolutionary”, misleading and unorthodox ideas consistently win the hearts of readers and get into the bestselling list, more factual, concise and honest books like this should be promoted.