My Top 10 Favorite Books For Fitness, Nutrition, Health, and Life

July 13, 2010 – 9:50 am

Notice I didn’t say these were the “best”, I said they were my favorite.  Different strokes for different folks as they say. . . and that being said, let me also say that these are in no particular order.

  1. Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. You haven’t read this book and you’ve picked up a barbell in the last month?  Stop.  Do not pass Go, do not collect two-hundred dollars.  Go directly to your local book retailer and get Rippetoe’s Starting Strength now!
  2. The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain. We can debate diet all damned day.  The Paleo method just makes sense to me and even better, has never failed to give myself or my clients desired results when followed.  Don’t knock it ’til you try it.
  3. The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. Yes, Mark leans pretty strongly toward the Paleo nutrition-wise.  But his exercise philosophy is also worth examining.  And yes, I know he owns a supplement company.  I don’t care, I still love his book.
  4. The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Look at me – I am in no way a bodybuilder.  But this is one of the first (if not the first) fitness books I ever read and it will forever be dear to me.  There are lessons to be learned in these pages.
  5. The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. This is probably the book I return to more than any other when my life feels out of whack.  I think the only book I’ve read more times than this one is Fight Club.
  6. Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuik. I’ll admit, I saw the movie before I read the book.  But I’ve returned to the book and movie time and time again for motivation and the slap in the face that reminds you what life is about.  Read it or watch it – but KNOW it.
  7. The Way Of The Superior Man by David Deida. Reading this book made me comfortable with my ambition.  And ladies, I definitely recommend this as a source of insight as to what the hell us guys are thinking most of the time.
  8. It’s Not About The Bike: My Journey Back To Life by Lance Armstrong. Is this guy superhuman or what?  I dare you to try to read this and not get inspired.
  9. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. When you go to basic training in the United States Army, the only book you are aloud to take with you is one religious text.  The Tao Te Ching is the book I took to basic training.  I also carried a pocket sized version in the lower left shirt-pocket of my BDU’s the whole time I was in the service.  Full of timeless philosophy, the Tao Te Ching is worth a read regardless of your religious inclinations.
  10. Living The Martial Way by Forrest Morgan. If you have a martial arts background, this book will speak to your soul.  But even if you’ve never considered the martial arts, you’ll appreciate the discussions on timeless values like honor and discipline.

So there you have it – my top 10 favorite books for fitness, nutrition, health, and life.

What are your favorites?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

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