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Maryann Jacobsen

Independent Author & Family Nutrition Expert

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Book Review: No Sweat

June 12, 2015

No Sweat review
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Before I started Raise Healthy Eaters (now MaryannJacobsen.com), I briefly had a website called Do it Yourself Nutrition. While searching for article ideas, I ran across a study examining what motivates women to maintain exercise. I interviewed the author of the study, Michelle Segar, PhD, and we’ve been in contact ever since. She feels the same way about physical activity that I do about nutrition. It should be an enjoyable, irreplaceable part of one’s life instead of a chore that is riddled with self-doubt and guilt.

No Sweat: How the Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness is filled with the fascinating research of motivation that explains why some people maintain healthy habits and others don’t. As a dietitian who tries to positively impact people to make healthy choices, this resonates with me. Most can muster up the motivation to start exercise, but few experience the type of motivation that keeps them going.

No Sweat helps readers realize that their motivation to exercise is directly related to why they do it. I fact, the most de-motivating why’s are the ones we all are all familiar with: I need to exercise for my health…I need to look good in a swimsuit this summer…I need to lose weight…I need to age well. In this two-minute video, Michelle explains why all of this results in what she calls the “vicious cycle of failure.”

The book helps people create lasting change by going through the MAPS process. First readers will think about the Meaning exercise has in their life and whether it’s helping or harming their current efforts. For example, someone who exercises to lose weight may find they always stop when their weight plateaus. But someone who exercises because it helps them sleep better and be more productive is more likely to do it even on the tough days. Awareness is the process that helps readers turn negative beliefs and wrong whys into new, more motivating ways to think about exercise.

Next, she helps readers give themselves Permission to put their well being and self-care at the top of the list. This is exactly what holds so many parents back — putting their kids’ and partner’s self-care before their own. The last part is the actual doing or Strategy to help people develop a realistic plan of action. This is all about small steps that work with a person’s life instead of against it.

When it comes to exercise, after having kids, I’ve found parents tend to fall into one of these three categories:

-Still loving it: Exercise is really important to me. It’s changed after having kids but I still do it and have found it really helps me not just be a better parent, but get more done!

-Used to love it: I used to love exercise but with all the demands on me, it just isn’t a priority. Every time I get back into it my crazy life always sucks me away.

-Never really loved it: I never loved to exercise so now that I have kids it never seems to happen. I have times where I’ll start it back up but any excuse and I’m out of there.

No Sweat is a must-read for anyone who desires lifelong fitness but is challenged by the craziness of life. It’s also perfect for health professionals working with clients on changing their habits. It will completely transform the way you look at healthy habits, making them less about willpower and more about how they make your life better. I will recommend this book again and again!

Don’t miss my podcast interview with Michelle Segar on Sustainable Behavior Change.

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Categories: Book & Product Reviews, Midlife Health & Nutrition 33 Comments

« 7 Nutrition Sacrifices I Make to Help Expand My Kids’ Palate
How to Get Your Picky Eater to Eat Sushi »

Comments

  1. Ann Dunaway Teh says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Love this! It completely resonates with me. And I agree that exercise must be enjoyable and have deeper meaning/motivation for it to continue. I fall in the Used to Love It category! I’d love to win a copy to turn my “used to love it” into “still loving it!”

    Reply
  2. Elizabeth says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:22 am

    I would love to win a copy of No Sweat, because it sounds like exactly what I need to keep myself motivated to build exercise into my every day routine. I eat really well, but, since kids, I’ve never been able to keep exercise in my day. I’m looking forward to reading it, going through the MAPS process, and taking my health to the next level.

    Reply
  3. Shannon says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:24 am

    Would love to read this.

    Reply
  4. Shannon says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:24 am

    also liked on facebook

    Reply
  5. Megan says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:24 am

    My desire to exercise comes and goes, I’d love to learn how to keep motivated.

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:24 am

    For a second entry, I liked the facebook post. Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Alison says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:36 am

    I would love to read this book! I am a psychotherapist who works with women with disordered eating. I’m always looking for ways to help my clients revamp their approach to exercise. Thanks.

    Reply
  8. Lynn says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:37 am

    As a Registered Dietitian, this book and the MAPS process would be most helpful education to learn and to share with my patients.

    Reply
  9. Rebecca Gilmore Phillips says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:55 am

    This is a perfect book for all busy people…to understand why we must exercise.
    Mental health is also a beneficiary of good nutrition and exercise.
    I’d love to read this and put it into practice asap

    Reply
  10. Anuja says

    June 12, 2015 at 11:19 am

    We are a physician couple with crazy work schedules. We have started an exercise regimen several times but something comes up and we go off it for period of time and then it gets really difficult to get back on track. Would love to read this book to keep ourselves motivated and to help us better guide our patients as well.

    Reply
  11. Regina says

    June 12, 2015 at 11:31 am

    Sounds like a great book. I could definitely benefit from reading it!

    Reply
  12. Emilie says

    June 12, 2015 at 11:51 am

    I miss exercise! Since my son was born, I just have not figured out how to weave it hack into my life. I work outside the home full time, so the little time I have I usually spend with my son. Mommy guilt! And after I put him to bed, get our lunches packed for the next day, and sa6 a few sentences to my husband I’m ready for bed.

    Reply
  13. Kristen Husk says

    June 12, 2015 at 11:55 am

    This book sounds like just what I need. I have struggled to stay active after having kids, going to college and looking for a job. I feel great after I excercise but it’s not always a priority for me. I want to set a good example for my kids. I hope I win this book, it sounds great!

    Reply
  14. Valerie Schucht says

    June 12, 2015 at 12:33 pm

    I have become very interested in reading about habits lately. This book is on my wish list and I would love to win a copy.

    Reply
  15. Valerie Schucht says

    June 12, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    I also tweeted this
    @vschucht

    Reply
  16. Meghan says

    June 12, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    I love this topic and I would love to win a copy of this book.

    Reply
  17. Meghan says

    June 12, 2015 at 1:02 pm

    I liked this post on Facebook.

    Reply
  18. Marci says

    June 12, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    This’s book sounds like gold! I would love to have it for a resource for patients that come to me needing help with weight loss.

    Reply
  19. Julie says

    June 12, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    I would love a copy of this for myself and eventual clients in my nutritional therapy practice that I will be starting. However, I need it most for myself because I have a special needs kiddo who I need to care for for the rest of my life, and I need to stay alive and able to keep up with her. I just started working out, so to get the motivation to keep going would be great!!!!!

    Reply
  20. Lindsay D says

    June 12, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    I am struggling to make exercise a priority and a habit and hope this book would help!

    Reply
  21. Caitlin Kiarie says

    June 12, 2015 at 7:25 pm

    Very interested in reading this book and would of course love to win a copy! As a dietitian specializing in parents and children, it would be very helpful to learn some additional tactics to help motivate clients and teach internal motivation. In addition to helping the community I serve, it would also be amazing to help my immediate family who are all struggling with the motivation to start or maintain exercise as a regular habit. Perhaps even encouraging them to all read it and then have book club style conversations to keep the motivation going! =)

    Reply
  22. Kathy B says

    June 12, 2015 at 10:39 pm

    I need this book! I have never liked exercise.

    Reply
  23. Mary-Walker says

    June 13, 2015 at 10:24 am

    I would love this book! I like to exercise, but have difficulty being motivated consistently.

    Reply
  24. Cecilia says

    June 13, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    I am always looking for motivating to exercise, and lately I’m having trouble finding it. I’d love to learn more about how to stay motivated!

    Reply
  25. Daniela G says

    June 13, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    I would love love a copy. I have three reasons why I would love it so much. One I can fall under the category of prioritizing my kids and spouses self care time over my own, I find that extremely difficult to break. Another is I am just finalizing treatments and surgery from breast cancer. This whole year has been a life lesson in that I NEED to take better care of myself and even have to prioritize myself over my kids right now, so strange. Lastly I use to teach Pilates and once I start teaching again I would love to pass along this valuable information to my clients.

    Reply
  26. Lisa says

    June 14, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    As a nutritionist and coach I am always intrigued by motivation and what it takes for people to change as it must come from within. Interested in this book as your blog write up seems intriguing to know more:)

    Thanks,
    Lisa

    Reply
  27. Jennifer says

    June 14, 2015 at 7:43 pm

    This book sounds like just what I need to make exercise a regular habit, instead of just seasonal goals to run with my children’s school running club.

    Reply
  28. Kristen says

    June 14, 2015 at 11:46 pm

    I’d like to win because these are issues I am working on myself and I would like to set a good example for all the children in my life.

    Reply
  29. Vera K says

    June 15, 2015 at 5:17 am

    I would love a copy of this book. I used to be in great shape and I need motivation to get back!

    Reply
  30. Erin says

    June 15, 2015 at 9:28 am

    It sounds like a more holistic approach to fitness, taking into account not only parents’ time constraints, work-life balance, and other “middle age” issues, but the mental/behavioural factors as well.

    As a “do it when I can” exerciser, I would be very interested in reading this book, thank you.

    Reply
  31. Donna Whitham says

    June 15, 2015 at 1:32 pm

    I’d love to win this book. I’m interesting into exploring this topic more and getting tools and insight to help clients and myself. I have personally evolved my “exercise philosophy” to be similar to how I counsel about Healthy Eating. It would be nice to have this book to offer to clients /friends to help them too!

    Reply
  32. Linda HO says

    June 17, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    I am 67; I exercise 5 days per week so that I will be able to get out of the car by myself and get up off the floor without help as I age. Still would like to win a copy of your book!

    Reply
  33. Abby says

    June 25, 2015 at 7:29 am

    This sounds like a great read and would help me reach that balance!

    Reply

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