D’Ann Martin – the first reader to get a copy of Fit Quickies:  5 Minute Targeted Body-Shaping Workouts 

I know, officially the Fit Quickies book hasn’t released yet – that’s not until February 5.

But my publisher pushed for an early release to meet the demand of the book tour and blog tour.  And last week’s winner of a book giveaway contest, D’Ann – who you already met in Finding traction to take you forward in the face of challenges: D’Ann’s plant-based journey -  was able to ride the wave of early copies – and got her copy even before I got mine – which hasn’t arrived yet!  And she wrote me to tell me about it, and invited me to share it with you.

Good evening Lani!

Guess who got their copy of Fit Quickies in the mail on Friday??? Woohoo! That’s why I wasn’t on the computer yesterday at all.

As soon as I got home from work yesterday, I told my family I was pooped and needed some rest. So, I locked myself in my bedroom and read for a few hours! Well, technically it wasn’t a lie as I felt totally “rested” after reading it-haha:)

I love every bit of your book, cover to cover!

In a recent interview you did with Vegan Mainstream you said,

“This book provides a solution for anyone who has ever struggled with their weight and longs for the day when they can be full without being fat and knows there must be a way to be trim without exercising like a maniac, but who just hasn’t found it, or been able to stick to a plan, yet.”

This really hit home with me.

I had an ahaaaa moment when I found you and your site. The Plant-Based Blueprint drove it home. And now, reading Fit Quickies drives it home even more that this doesn’t have to be complicated. I love the way you call them starchies!  Too cute:)  I was really impacted by the part on page 203 where you quoted Matthew Lederman about the simplicity of it all. You said,

“And if you ever get too caught up worrying about the food on your plate, return to this quote and take comfort. With these words as your foundation, the doors to eating freedom and enjoying a trim body are wide open.”

Amazing! You said the quote was worth framing for your kitchen, and I plan to do just that! I also really connected with your writings about meditation. You state that,

“It diffuses stress and brings calm, explores the mind-body relationship, expands your sense of who you are beyond your fears and self-judgment and awakens your capacity for insight and wisdom.”

I love how you’ve given us a guideline to get started.

The way you explained food weight, stomach stretch, sufficient calorie intake and hunger satisfaction was a completely new concept for me, despite being on a diet or program most of my teen and adult life. Your analogy in the book of “shifts in thinking” being like small shifts in the flight of an airplane made it come alive to me that as you put it,

“All it takes is a few nudges of what you eat, how you move and how you think-onto a new course-and you open the opportunity to landing in an entirely different place. Small shifts can result in big change.”“All it takes is a few nudges of what you eat, how you move and how you think-onto a new course-and you open the opportunity to landing in an entirely different place. Small shifts can result in big change.”  

This girl is on a new flight plan! Fit Quickies also shone a light on some completely false ideas that I had about food, such as thinking that a richer meal that’s higher in fat would be more satisfying, and that “Intuitive Eating” was good for me. But rather than beat myself up for past mistakes, you reminded me that,

“Mastery is characterized by practice. Simple steps, that might seem quite small, become skills that become a scaffold upon which you can build.”

Brilliant! You said, “Your choices become your habits. Your habits become your lifestyle. Your lifestyle becomes your destiny.” Choices, habits, lifestyle, destiny is my new mantra indeed!

The 14 Fit Quickies are amazing! Each exercise is laid out in such a manner that anyone, of any fitness level can do them. I have resolved to work on a new Fit Quickie every day, adding on to the one I learned the day before, letting repetition strengthen my skills.

To me, tackling a new Fit Quickie per day, gave me the freedom to browse through the Fit Quickies , but then read ahead. This allows me to read each Fit Quickie more in-depth on the day I actually do them. Each Fit Quickie holds such a nugget of wisdom, that at least for me, my brain needs to soak up the material, accomplish the skill, and then reflect on it for a while before moving on to the next. Also, just a little FYI, or possibly TMI:), my “pooch” is my body part that loathe! To think that you tackled it in Fit Quickie #1 made it seem extra special to me:) Oh, how I digress…

I also wanted to let you know how thankful I am that you’ve taken the time to correspond with me. I can appreciate that a Fitness Expert as yourself, especially one launching a book, must have your time pulled in many directions, and I am so grateful you took the time out of your busy schedule to chat with me. You have strengthened my resolve to continue on this path, and to know that not only will I succeed, but that I will succeed well!

Hugs back to you, D’Ann:)
D’Ann Martin
Binghampton, NY

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D’Ann, I’m so excited to get your early review of the book and it doesn’t even bug me that you got your copy before I did, I’m so thrilled with your comments!

And I knew those words from Matt Lederman would strike more than one heart as real gems.  In my interview of him for the book, these words just rolled that off his tongue.  I knew they were solid gold, and later asked him,  ”May I quote you on that and put it in the book?”  So it’s an original, expressly for the Fit Quickies Chapter 19 – the nutrition chapter – and I didn’t even know what page it was going to be on until you told me just now.

Thank you for the gorgeous picture of you!  First in the reader review gallery!

P.S.  For those who don’t recognize the name Matt Lederman, MD, he’s the fine plant-based nutrition doctor  featured in Forks Over Knives.

P.P.S.  And now an invitation to everyone – send me a snapshot of you with YOUR copy of the Fit Quickies book so that I can put your picture up, too!