To celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas from now through Epiphany and to advocate for the idea of reading books to support New Year projects, resolutions, and goals, I’m writing a series of posts with themed book lists for various popular resolutions. 

Do you want to be healthier and more fit in 2014? Lots of books are marketed this time of year to aid people with that goal. Going by the New York Times Bestseller list of Advice, How-To, and Miscellaneous books, it looks like the winners right now are The Daniel Plan by  Rick Warren D.Min., Daniel Amen M.D., and Mark Hyman M.D; Grain Brain by David Perlmutter with Kristin Loberg, and Giada’s Feel Good Food by Giada De Laurentiis. I can’t recommend any of these from personal experience, can you?

My top picks for health and fitness are:

• The Beck Diet Solution by Judith S. Beck (or her other book, The Complete Beck Diet for Life)
• Thin for Life by Anne M. Fletcher
• In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

I’m always surprised that there aren’t more books out there that cover exercise in the same depth and variety as diet. I suppose because “Just Do It” works pretty well and is too short for a book. I have read one quirky book that I recommend if you can get your hands on it: Play as if Your Life Depends on It by Frank Forencich.

What books do you recommend for health and fitness goals?

If you’re reading books about health and fitness for the new year (or for other goals, projects, and resolutions), join us at The New Year’s Resolution Reading Challenge!