The New Fit or Fat

by Covert Bailey

Newly updated for the 1990s, Covert Bailey's book revolutionizes America's thinking about diet, exercise, and weight loss. The latest scientific discoveries about fat metabolism and exercise are made accessible for daily use.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Fitness, Diets, Reference, How To

167 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 1991

About the author

Covert Bailey was born in 1931, and briefly attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, before dropping out to enlist in the U.S. Army in 1952. After graduating from the Army Language School in Monterey, California, he served in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Cold War. After his service, he re-entered college and earned a bachelor's and a master's degree from Boston University in geology. In 1967 he enrolled in the master's program in nutritional biochemistry. He began his career as a nutritionist working for the California Dairy Council, giving lectures on diet, and gradually built up his skills as a lecturer. From 1978 to 1999, he authored or co-authored 8 different books on health, diet, and nutrition.

Reviews

[Dan R. Celhay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bargain I got for about 5 bucks a few years ago. It is the “Ultimate” version with 500 ish pages and some recipes at the back. Unfortunately it is outdated in several parts. The book is from 1991. The first part however is about exercise, aerobic exercise, and it does have important take-aways. The book does not focus too much on diet which is fine since there is not one universal diet that works for everyone, but the author is big on low-fat, high complex carbs diet, the same ol’: “one potato has only 100 cals!” “it is the butter or fat that makes it high cal.!”... well, yeah. Mix fats and carbs and you’ll get a high calorie meal, plus your insulin spikes. Still, low-fat stuff has added sugars or thickeners so if you have no problem with the insulin crash later, go nuts. Oh and that horrible fad of “eat OFTEN six to five small meals a day” no, just no. There is also several parts that mention “studies” but there is ZERO references, no links or names at the end of the book about where or whom made those studies.

The part about exercise is where his strong suit is since I have never read or heard anything new lately besides “abs are made in the kitchen”. Long story short: aerobic exercise is important. When someone stops exercising the muscles atrophy, they stop using fat and start accumulating it i.e around the waist, abdomen, etc. Daily aerobic exercise is the only way the muscles can “recover” and use fat more smartly, the key word is FAT not calories, one should not exercise to burn calories, you can’t burn more than 100-200 cals in a session anyway. Once the muscles change, that is when someone can burn more calories, for example calories used up while in repose.

It is important to start slowly (12 to 30 min DAILY) but always reaching the “training zone” that feel when you are almost out of breath but you can still talk and keep going. A heart monitor is optional to track more accurately.

Intense workouts are damaging and do not contribute to the muscle change you want to make to lose fat, the “burn” is useless unless you are doing weight lifting which is not aerobic.

[Jennifer Closson · Rating 2 out of 5]

My mom gave me this book after telling me I was 5lbs overweight and my calves looked too meaty. Well, according to the book, I AM 5lbs over my supposed “ideal” body weight. I’m taking off a star just because it made her right, and I sadly now can’t go tell my mom to STFU.

Two stars are removed because all of the important stats, calculations, and figures are so hard to find in this book. You REALLY have to read full paragraphs and dig to get the important bits of information. It’s like those dumb 30minute infomercials that take the full 30minutes of blabbing to get to the “secret”.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original "Fit or Fat' expanded with more information.. it only got better!

[Grace Burtt-Dykstra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't rate this book until I apply the principles to my own regime...

[Wendy Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and re-read this book since the 90s I love Covert Bailey, his knowledge of the body and how it works-

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rereading of this book that I bought in the 90s. His premise is that we need to keep exercising long enough each day that we develop fat burning enzymes that will take care of the fat. We don’t actual exercise to burn fat we need to develop the enzymes that will do it for us. His ideas are good and have stimulated me to continue the exercise daily to try to get the muscles developed that will hold those little enzymes.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are lots and lots of diet and exercise books of one form or another out there for us to read. Covert Bailey was reccomended to me years ago by a cardiologist. Bailey's books are all very down to earth and make sense, helping people make some kind of sense out how to live a healthy life style that includes exercise as well as eating the right foods. I highly recomend any of his books. I have read the book many times since 1988

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this ages ago but never really applied what I'd learned. I'm not sure why 12 minutes of aerobic exercise a day seemed like such a daunting task or why I neglected to follow this simple advice. Re-reading has given me a good motivation boost so I'm back on an exercise program again. It seems to much more realistic (for me) than any of the other diet and exercise advice out there, and it seems to be backed up by good science, as near as I can tell.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for health class back in high school. Some years later, my mom bought me the updated copy in an effort to get me to exercise more. I still refer to it from time to time when I'm feeling gung-ho.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fit or fat? Neither and both.

[Reuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of a preoccupation after childbirth.