Review: Drop Dead Healthy

We recently read Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs, and it’s the perfect compliment to our new Cardio High Healthy Habits program.

Jacobs spent two years trying to become the world’s healthiest person. He visited with diet gurus, exercise professionals and dozens of other experts for almost every part of the body. The book is far more than the typical eat better, exercise more tome. Jacobs devotes chapters to methods for improving the brain, hands, posture, waste elimination, breathing, the skin and the nervous system. The book chronicles his trials with a treadmill desk, sleep studies and his quest to rid himself of noise pollution (he ends up wearing noise-canceling headphones for hours every day.) Jacobs approaches his quest with a self-deprecating humor that makes the book a fun and witty read.

In the end Jacobs’ life becomes a morning-to-night, non-stop set of activities to be as healthy as possible. He laments skipping cupcakes at children’s birthday parties – or even spending more quality time with his family (because he’s too busy working through his 53-page to-do list of healthy things to try).

When he finally stops the experiment Jacobs provides the reader with a list of things that he plans to continue to do.

We have copies of Drop Dead Healthy available to borrow from the Cardio High gym. If you borrow a copy and read through it, let us know if you find a healthy habit we should add to our Healthy Habits program.