15 Must Read Health, Exercise, Nutrition and Coaching Books
“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.” – Henry David Thoreau
We all understand the value of reading good books especially when they come from the industry that we work in. For me that world is the health and fitness industry. Over the past thirty years I have read and have had the good fortune of reviewing hundreds of books.
Before we get to my book recommendations, I first wanted to share two articles that I read this week, the first is an article that talks about the reading habits of a few big name entrepreneurs. The second article also appeared this week on Business Insider regarding the one book college professors from some of our elite schools would recommend to others.
The following list includes some of the best health/fitness/nutrition/coaching books I have read. For a review and more information on any of the books, simply click the title of the book and to find out more about the author click on their respective name. Finally, if you’re interested, you can find my complete suggested reading list here.
Exercise
The One-Minute Exercise, Martin Gibala, PhD, Avery, 2017
Exercise for Mood and Anxiety, Michael Otto, PhD, Jasper Smits, PhD, Oxford Press, 2011
Nutrition
Deep Nutrition, Cate Shanahan, MD, Flatiron, 2017
Always Hungry?, David Ludwig, MD, Life & Style, 2016
The Diet Fix, Yoni Freedhoff, MD, Harmony, 2014
Mindless Eating, Brian Wansink, Ph.D, Bantom Books, 2006
Health
The Story of the Human Body, Daniel Lieberman, PhD, Pantheon, 2013
How Fat Works, Philip Wood, PhD, Harvard University Press, 2006
Coaching
Supple Leopard, Kelly Starrett, DPT, Victory Belt Publishing, 2013
Conscious Coaching, Brett Bartholomew, MS, CSCS, Create Space, 2017
Functional Training for Sport, Michael Boyle, MS, ATC, Human Kinetics, 2003
Athletic Development, Vern Gambetta, MA, Human Kinetics, 2006
Core Performance, Mark Verstegen, Rodale Books, 2005
Can You Go?, Dan John, MS, On Target, 2015
All-Encompassing
Challenging Beliefs, (and the Lore of Running), Tim Noakes, MD, Zebra Press, 2012