“Starfleet is a promise.”
Body by Starfleet delivered on its promise to reorient how I approach working out. There’s nothing new to this book; at least, not in the exercises presented. As I worked my way through this book, I found familiar exercises from the tortuous days of high school and college Phys. Ed. classes. What this book does better: it makes these exercises entertaining.
The very first exercise, from the Stretches and Warm-Ups section, promises to teach me how to walk like a Gorn. Why would I want to walk like a Gorn? In a brief introduction to the exercise, the book informs me: “The Gorn are a dreaded, extraordinarily strong species with a taste for vengeance as cold as their reptilian blood.” Only then does it go on to tell me the practical applications of a human doing Gorn Walks (warm up your hip joints and get your blood pumping). Better yet, a talented artist created full-color illustrations of a Gorn doing the Gorn walks, so I had a visual to support me in my endeavors.
The rest of the book continues in this manner, leading new Starfleet recruits through Conditioning, Powering Up Your Warp Core, Upper Body, Lower Body, and Special Exercises for Nonhumanoid Species. The Special Exercises will require a slight stretch of the imagination, but they appear doable. (This recruit is still working her way there.)
Lastly, I love that this book doesn’t break character. From the Introduction to the Captain’s Workout Log in the last pages, this book invites new recruits on the adventure of a Starfleet workout. Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle, or find the motivation to start moving your body, Star Trek: Body by Starfleet will make working out fun.
The Vegan Bodybuilder's Cookbook by Samantha Shorkey, Amy LongardPublished by Rockridge Press on February 18, 2020
Genres: Nonfiction, Health & Fitness
Pages: 216
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I picked up this cookbook in search of creative ways to incorporate protein into my plant-based diet. It is now my new favorite vegan cookbook.
The author establishes that our nutritional needs, and therefore our use of the book, will differ depending on whether our goal is to cut fat, build muscle, or maintain our current physique. I appreciate that she addresses this topic because it was a question that I had going into this book. In fact, she provides a sample shopping list and meal plan (using recipes from the cookbook) for individuals aiming for each of these goals. These plans include breakfast, pre-workout, post-workout, lunch, snack, and dinner.
In addition to over 100 recipes, this book provides tips for setting goals for nutrition intake, prepping one’s kitchen, and stocking the pantry with wholesome foods. Interspersed through the pages, photos of some of the meals gave me a place to start looking for new recipes to love.
Following are some family favorites from the cookbook:
- Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Porridge
- Classic Tofu Scramble
- Quinoa Black Bean Chili
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Deconstructed Cabbage Roll Stew
- Protein-Stuffed Peppers
- Tempeh Sloppy Shorkeys (think vegan sloppy joes)
This list doesn’t include items from all of the sections because I haven’t had the opportunity to make them yet. I plan to remedy this soon as I continue my (amateur) culinary adventures with this cookbook in hand!
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