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wphraner's review
4.0
I enjoyed this fresh perspective on fitness. It’s thought-provoking and well written.
ivanssister's review against another edition
3.0
As a long time blog reader a lot of these topics were familiar, but I am happy to support the cause. This is a thoughtful look at a lot of aspects of women and fitness and how the two intersect.
ingridboring's review against another edition
4.0
This is fat positive, but does mention weightloss (not dieting) and reflect on negative body image if that is a trigger for you, and fitness (I guess that was obvious) but I found it inspiring and enjoyable on the whole and also love the mention of bivisibility. I must say both of these people were a lot fitter than me at the start of their 'journey' so it could be a bit disconcerting if you are hoping to read something from the perspective of a person who starts from zero physical fitness.
queerandweird's review against another edition
4.0
Greatreads, recommended to all. A friend posted to the authors to discuss roller derby and queer feminist inclusion in future editions, with hope this will be a chain of books or topic that continues among feminist authors.
kickpleat's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! Inspiring and a must read for all people.
meghan_is_reading's review against another edition
Listen, I agree with the motivation. I agree with many of the arguments. I'm a fan of people every where getting their fitness on. I'm even a blog follower. I feel like this could have been better - more inter-sectional, more critically systemic. Less internet jargon-y, more accessible to the newbie, MORE. Damnit. Also, kettlebells are fluffy (wat)
acreech's review against another edition
5.0
I have the paperback, but I ended up listening to the recently published audiobook instead. It's not listed on Goodreads yet, but it exists and I found it to be a good audio experience.
The content of the book is a mixture of personal experience and a synthesis of fitness science through the lens of feminism. If you are looking for a hardcore "here is how to get fit and it's not pleasant or fun" book, this is not the book for you. If you are a woman* in or approaching or even sailing past mid-life, and you want to be a fitter or more active you, this book will give you inspiration, encouragement, and some tools to get that started.
I've been a reader of the blog for a number of years now, including through the time-frame covered by the personal story sections of this book. However, I felt like there was more reflection on those experiences and lessons learned that can only come with time and distance from the events originally chronicled in the blog. So, even if you remember every detail of the blog (I don't) or went back to re-read the entries (I didn't), I think this book provides more insight than what you would find there. That being said, if the book floats your boat, then you should definitely start reading the blog regularly, too. I particularly appreciate the regular guest authors that bring a diversity of perspectives and experiences.
*This could apply to men and non-binary people as well, but the authors are both female-identifying and primarily address things that are specific to women in Western culture.
The content of the book is a mixture of personal experience and a synthesis of fitness science through the lens of feminism. If you are looking for a hardcore "here is how to get fit and it's not pleasant or fun" book, this is not the book for you. If you are a woman* in or approaching or even sailing past mid-life, and you want to be a fitter or more active you, this book will give you inspiration, encouragement, and some tools to get that started.
I've been a reader of the blog for a number of years now, including through the time-frame covered by the personal story sections of this book. However, I felt like there was more reflection on those experiences and lessons learned that can only come with time and distance from the events originally chronicled in the blog. So, even if you remember every detail of the blog (I don't) or went back to re-read the entries (I didn't), I think this book provides more insight than what you would find there. That being said, if the book floats your boat, then you should definitely start reading the blog regularly, too. I particularly appreciate the regular guest authors that bring a diversity of perspectives and experiences.
*This could apply to men and non-binary people as well, but the authors are both female-identifying and primarily address things that are specific to women in Western culture.
emilyrm's review against another edition
This is a review of the audiobook, which I won in a giveaway hosted by one of the authors.
As a regular reader of the blog, I was already familiar with many of the stories and ideas presented in the book. I like Sam and Tracy's approach to fitness, which is more about finding physical activities you enjoy than about exercising or dieting to lose weight, and I appreciate their insights into the societal barriers to health and fitness that women in particular face. Although I'm not anywhere near "mid-life" yet (as of the time of this review, I'm 28!), I still found the content to be relevant to my own life.
The biggest issue I had with the book was...mostly an issue with me. I am not typically an audiobook reader, and I think that listening to the book rather than reading a paper copy made it hard for me to follow the narrative, especially since I did not listen to it all in one go. (This is not a knock on the book's narrator, to be clear - she did fine. This is a problem with the way my brain works - sometimes I find it difficult to pay attention to/retain information from auditory inputs.)
As a regular reader of the blog, I was already familiar with many of the stories and ideas presented in the book. I like Sam and Tracy's approach to fitness, which is more about finding physical activities you enjoy than about exercising or dieting to lose weight, and I appreciate their insights into the societal barriers to health and fitness that women in particular face. Although I'm not anywhere near "mid-life" yet (as of the time of this review, I'm 28!), I still found the content to be relevant to my own life.
The biggest issue I had with the book was...mostly an issue with me. I am not typically an audiobook reader, and I think that listening to the book rather than reading a paper copy made it hard for me to follow the narrative, especially since I did not listen to it all in one go. (This is not a knock on the book's narrator, to be clear - she did fine. This is a problem with the way my brain works - sometimes I find it difficult to pay attention to/retain information from auditory inputs.)
booksandyarniness's review
4.0
Less of a how-to book than an exploration of an idea. The book explores the history of the two authors, both philosophy professors with a feminist bent, with regards to their personal histories with fitness and the way that exercise programs whose focus is primarily slimming down/toning have failed the majority of women. It does have some questions at the end of various chapters for the reader to chew over in their minds, but not so much that it's a guidebook. Instead, it looks honestly and openly at the processes the two went through over their 2 year plan to be the fittest they had ever been by age 50, including personal struggles and competing in their first ever triathalons. After finishing this book, I was left with a desire to pick up Aikido lessons and take up bicycling again!
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