"There are no rules. All you need is dedication." These words from Madonna's introduction to Ray Kybartas's "Fitness Is Religion" effectively sum up the philosophy behind this renowned trainer's approach to exercise and health. In this refreshingly different book, we learn that fitness is a life's journey, a deep and soul satisfying process. No amount of discipline, self-denial or good technique can make us healthy. True fitness is the result of a joyful devotion to living a healthy lifestyle, one in which there are no rules, only guidelines-- guidelines we fashion for ourselves. What we need most, as Madonna says, is dedication. Many people feel a deep-seated discomfort with their bodies. More and more of us work in offices where physical exertion is minimal; as a result, muscles atrophy from disuse and, as Ray Kybartas points out, this disuse is reflected in our physiques, imprinted in our posture, gait, and carriage. Simply put, we live in our minds so much of the time that we often forget the maintenance of our bodies, and this neglect is unquestionably life threatening.
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