This guide to Rejuvenation is a step-by-step process that focuses on the essentials of what we eat, how we take care of our bodies, and what we think. First, Dr. Counts gets us to look honestly at our body. What's been happening to it over the years, and how do we really feel about it? For example, do we want to lose weight - to be really healthy? Do we have the will to change - to make the right choices?

As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Counts encounters the whole human being. How we feel psychologically is intimately connected to how we feel physically. He has spent a lifetime researching sound nutrition and a balanced diet, and provides practical information, including menu suggestions and exercises illustrated with photographs. Combined with guides for proper aerobic exercise and cardiovascular training, he offers sound advice on how to manage stress and the daily pressures of life.

How we look at life - and the choices we make - is most important. The rejuvenation lifestyle is about enjoying life to the fullest. Looking and feeling young is a by-product of our main goal - to enjoy our youthful physical bodies for as much of our life as possible. We can do it, he says, if we start where we are, and start now!

"This is not another diet book filled with false promises. What you will read is the latest nutritional information from medical science translated by a professional who has spent years helping people cope with personal challenges. Dr. Counts offers some very helpful advice that may well turn frustration into success." Robert Lambert, M.D., FACC, Cardiologist

"Dr. Counts has put into one book all the savory ingredients necessary for a healthy and long life. The old adage, 'a healthy mind in a healthy body' is the key, and Rejuvenation describes all the sensible and right ways to eat, to think, and to feel fit for LIFE...." Albert O. Cerny

"My Birthday-Suit Doesn't Fit is a great book. I particularly enjoyed Ken Counts' 'Stress and Its Management' because this is the key to controlling our body and dealing with life relationships. And (at age 80), I'd love to own his biceps!' Richard Heinrich, author, Starch Madness and The Orthomolecular Diet

"Ken's sound advise on diet and exercise certainly has the capacity to be "rejuvenating". I think it is particularly important that he addresses the 'psychology of fitness' factors that lay the foundation for success in this endeavor." John Daughtery, M.D., Family Practice

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction

PART ONE: THE NEED TO REJUVENATE

1. "What's Happening to My Body?"

Lifestyle
Stress Hurts
The Good and Bad of Genetics
The Time Is Now
Choices

2. Danger, Danger, Danger!

Obesity
Syndrome "X"

3. The Building Blocks of Rejuvenation

Nutrition
Exercise
Stress Management

PART TWO: SOUND NUTRITION

4. The Human Body-What Should I Feed It?

A Brief History of Food

5. The Balanced Diet

The Dieter's Maze
The Macronutrients

6. The Important "Un"Nutrients

Dietary Fiber
Water

7. The Grocery List

Grocery List for "Jump Start"
Grocery List for the Duration
Supplements

8. Eating Behavior

Frequency of Eating
Breakfast
Snacks
Lunch
Dinner
Don't Forget the Un-Nutrients!
Other Tips for Weight Loss
Common Sense Rules

PART THREE: INTELLIGENT EXERCISE

9. Perspectives on Exercise

What's Our Body Supposed to Do?
Health and Fitness
Training Stimulus
Types of Exercise
Recruit a Partner
Scheduling
The Health Benefits
The Psychological Benefits
Where and How
Don't Be a "Weekend Warrior"-Start Slow!

10. Cardiovascular or Aerobic Training

What Is Cardiovascular or Aerobic Training?
Heart Rate
Increasing the Effort
Effects of Cardiovascular Training

11. Strength or Resistance Training

The Benefits of Strength Training
The Training Principles
Machine vs. Free Weights
Multi-Joint vs. Single-Joint Exercise
Applying the Principles to the Workout
Getting Started

12. Flexibility Training

Why Flexibility?
Proper Techniques for Stretching
The Routine

PART FOUR: A LITTLE COMMON SENSE PSYCHOLOGY

13. Stress and Its Management

Stress In-Stress Out
Structured Relaxation
Taking Action
Self-Efficacy
Self-Esteem
What Are You Thinking?
Behave!
Love Yourself and Pass It on
Basic "Duck" Psychology

14. Pursuit of Happiness

What's Money Got to Do with It?
How About Stuff?
Relationships
Work and Play
Practice Some Humor
Forgiveness
Getting Old?

15. Putting It All Together

Attitude and Health Behavior
Revisiting Inertia
Diets
Exercise
Stress
Put It All Together!

APPENDIX A: Abbreviated Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

APPENDIX B: Meal Plans and Recipes

Jumpstart Stage
Duration Stage
Rejuvenation Recipes

APPENDIX C: Optional Strength Training Exercises

Put it All Together!

Okay, this is the best case I can make. I think your life is incredibly important, and I want you to maximize it. As I mentioned earlier, I think it is terribly important to watch the food that you eat and to try to stay with natural foods that form the primary menu for the human animal. Let's face it: we have learned much about nutrition, and it is time to apply that information to your life.

While we still don't know everything about exercise, we do know enough to appreciate how valuable it is in the enhancement of our lives and health. I think that it is incredibly important that you practice the three primary types of exercise. Exercise can transform your body, increase your health and is extremely valuable in the management of stress.

Stress management is always a work in progress. It is always an effort to keep in balance. Like life itself, it's an ongoing process. However, we know that it is very important to manage your stress in order to enhance your overall health, fitness, and happiness. Poorly managed stress is correlated with obesity, medical problems, and emotional difficulties. It is important to constantly try to expand your menu of activities that you feel passionate about. We desperately need things to look forward to, and we desperately need a reason to get up every morning.

Also, be mindful of the important people in your life. Never forget that loving relationships make life worthwhile and are important in attaining your happiness. Isolation nearly always yields hopelessness, depression, and disease. Try to fill your life with activities that make you feel good and are self-enhancing: not self-defeating. Seek out the company of people who make you feel good, invite you to be healthy, and shower you with affection.

Remember the interconnectedness of the mind and the body. All the tips that I have tried to give you to help you feel better emotionally will increase the chance that you can improve your nutritional status and your exercise level thus helping you to feel better physically. All the tips that I have tried to give you on improving your nutritional status and physical fitness can improve the way you feel emotionally. It is very helpful to focus some attention on both domains in order to maximize success. Remember, it can work either way and usually does.

Considering all the aspects of rejuvenation that we covered, we can evolve a prescription for health and happiness:

1. Eat sensible, "real" food. Avoid high glycemic carbohydrates, sweets, and fried food. Eat plenty of protein, low glycemic carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
2. Do the right kind of exercise: cardiovascular training, strength training (remember, everybody should lift weights), and flexibility training.
3. "Buff up" that self-esteem. Love yourself. Accept yourself. Practice becoming that person you want to be. Don't give up. Keep working at it.
4. Watch your self-statements. Decrease those negative self-statements and increase those positive ones. Pay attention to what's going on in your head.
5. Put your energies into your work. If you don't work, find engaging activities that you feel a passion for and focus on them.
6. Practice some type of relaxation training or technique. It's a small investment for a huge payoff. Stress is a killer.
7. Develop a full menu or repertoire of play activities and keep at it. Always be on the lookout for new ways to play.
8. Develop and maintain highly meaningful relationships-relationships where you love and feel loved in return. This is emotional "food." There is no happiness without this.
9. Structure your time. Stay busy with a sense of purpose.
10. Look for the opportunity to be of service to others. Remember, serving others is its own personal reward.
11. Embrace humor. Find a reason to laugh. Do it every day.
12. Practice forgiveness as a lifestyle. Remember, you reap what you sow. Oh yes, forgive yourself, too.
13. Don't make the mistake of over-interpreting your aging. The number is not important. How you feel is important. Don't use age as an excuse to throw in the towel on anything that brings pleasure and joy to your life.

Copyright 2007

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