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UNDER COVERS
“Escape Your Weight”
by Edward Jackowski, Ph.D.
review by Amy Bauer
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 They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but I’ve never heard anything about judging a book by its back cover. In fact, the quiz on the back jacket of “Escape Your Weight” by Edward Jackowski, Ph.D., was the first thing that prompted me to pick it up. Three simple questions about exercise and eating habits quickly lead me to the weight-loss strategies covered inside: the Limited, Balanced and Dynamic approaches. Jackowski, founder and C.E.O. of Exude, a one-on-one motivational fitness company, believes these are the best ways to achieve and maintain healthy weight-loss. And his methods are rooted in the principles of understanding one’s body, psyche and everyday habits.
“A number of factors affect that choice and influence your decision, such as how active you were, the sports you may or may not have participated in, dieting as a teen, eating and drinking habits, and whether you have been exercising and, if so, how long you’ve been working out. The method you choose should reflect the behavior, attitude, and approach toward weight loss that you feel most comfortable and familiar with currently,” Jackowski says.
Common sense tells us many of our dieting and exercise tendencies take root early in life, long before the famous “Freshman 15” or the appearance of those not so lovely “love handles.” And Jackowski argues that by simply reflecting on your health and fitness history, it’s easier to match the proper approach with your personality and make better and longer-lasting changes.
Additionally, Jackowski dedicates a chapter to common misconceptions about health and fitness in his Myth vs. Fact section. Widely held beliefs such as muscle weighing more than fat or the argument that squats and lunges are the best way to tone the lower body are quickly proven false. By chipping away at the readers’ often misinformed notions of health and fitness, Jackowski provides a different perspective while gaining credibility as these new ideas sink in.
After presenting his approaches, the book then focuses on weight-loss and exercise planning. These chapters include detailed meals, caloric counts, helpful hints about keeping a food journal, exercise routines and equipment recommendations.
A final highlight is the “Testimonial and Picture” chapter which details true accounts of people who have reached their fitness goals by following Jackowski’s advice. Jackowski believes that only through disciplined application of his approaches can an individual be successful in truly “escaping their weight.”
“I have written this book and these diet/exercise plans for you to take the guesswork out of it. In 20 years of designing weight-loss programs, I have never witnessed or experienced an individual who had not successfully reached his or her weight-loss goals when he/she has done what I have asked him/her to do. The only time “it doesn’t work” is when they’re not working,” he says.
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