Thrive Fitness

I have just finished reading Brendan Brazier's book Thrive Fitness and I have found it to be extremely helpful in fine-tuning my diet and exercise program.
Brendan is a professional triathlete and fellow vegan who has written a very informative and inspiring book.

If you feel apprehensive about your fitness level and question whether the training program in this book might be too advanced for you, don't. Brendan has included an adaptation phase for people who are just starting out. I considered myself to be in good physical shape before reading the book but my cardiovascular health was below average.

I have been trying to incorporate running into my life for the past couple of summers to improve my cardiovascular health but have been unsuccessful due to injuries. I have had problems with my shins, knees and ankles which would ultimately become so bad that I would have to quit running. I discovered through Brendan's book that I was training beyond what my body was physiological capable of. Like most new runners, I ran too often and increased my mileage too soon. A typical result of too much enthusiasm and not enough knowledge. After reading the book, I cut back on my running and felt much better. Brendan also included exercises to ward off shin and knee pain which have also helped me to become a better and more consistent runner. I have noticed a drastic improvement in my cardiovascular health and feel more energized than I have in a long time.

What I really enjoyed about Brendan's approach to exercise was his efficiency. He recommends only exercises that have significant results in minimal time. This is great news for a culture that believes that there is never enough time in the day to do the things we most want to do. This approach is also true of his diet. He recommends high net-gain foods that put minimal strain on your digestion but offer superior nutrition. These nutritionally dense foods fuel your body efficiently. Highly processed foods offer little nutrition for a lot of digestive effort and could be considered low net-gain foods.

Whether you are just starting out on your fitness journey or have been on the path for years, I believe Brendan's book will be of great help to you. His years of knowledge are conveyed concisely and his enthusiasm for health and well-being is contagious.