Mind Your Movement

Six Essential Physical and Mental Tools To Stay Active As You Age

Non-Fiction - Health - Fitness
165 Pages
Reviewed on 09/12/2024
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Author Biography

Laura Dow has worked with older adults for more than 20 years providing fitness training and yoga instruction in a variety of fitness settings including commercial health clubs, yoga studios and continuing care retirement communities.

She created her award-winning company, "Stiff To Fit", specifically to address how to stay active as we age.

"Mind Your Movement" is a continuation of her work, offering easily understood, actionable tips to help readers add more movement to their lives.

Originally from New England, Ms. Dow lives in the metro DC area.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Bernadette Longu for Readers' Favorite

Mind Your Movement: Six Essential Physical and Mental Tools To Stay Active As You Age by Laura V. Dow removes the anxiety and fear of exercising, gyms, and people’s opinions in the most uplifting way. The author has written a book that is easy to read and understand and makes a person realize that to breathe is to exercise and grow; then to add correct posture, balance, physical activity, mind, and self-worth. Most people at some stage in their lives have been ridiculed and made to feel stupid for trying to lose weight or get fit by exercising. When people see size, they immediately think that the person is lazy, eats too much, and is a couch potato.

Mind Your Movement by Laura V. Dow is a must for someone who is trying to get fit, lose weight, and stay healthy as the years advance. The author encourages the use of a gym or personal trainer but also shows how if the funds are not there, there are other ways in which a person can get fit and keep fit. The encouragement is gentle but persistent and gets the reader thinking and working out how to set goals and keep to them. You will reach the point of growing within yourself and finding that there is a beautiful new world out there that you have been hiding from, using your weight and lack of fitness as an excuse to stay at home and hide from society. Of all the exercise books I have read over the years, this has been the most interesting and encouraging. It is easy to follow and makes the reader immediately think about starting an exercise regimen that would help with mobility and mental health. This book has encouraged me to get back into a routine. Thank you, Laura, for this enlightening guide.

Pikasho Deka

As we grow older, our physical abilities start to decline, and it becomes increasingly difficult to recover from physical ailments and injuries. Laura V. Dow is a physical trainer and yoga teacher with over two decades of experience. In Mind Your Movement, the author delves into the machinations of human body movement and offers readers practical tools and insights to ensure they're able to navigate the physical challenges that come with aging and live a healthy and prosperous life. The book focuses on body movement and shows how breathing, posture, and balance play key roles in health and physique as we age. You will learn about exercises to improve breathing, digestion, and focus, setting achievable goals, devising an action plan, practicing self-awareness, accountability, kindness, and much more.

Mind Your Movement is your one-stop guide to optimum health, awareness, and mindfulness. If you're above the age of 40, this book is a must-read. Laura V. Dow provides readers with all the tools and practices you need to maintain agility and healthy body movement in your forties and above, with practical guidelines to set up healthy routines and develop habits that enable you to be fit and set you on course toward a healthy lifestyle. The book contains client stories, helpful tips, and examples to make sure readers grasp everything discussed. What impressed me most about this guide is that almost everything is applicable in day-to-day life. I found it very informative and educational. If you're looking for a motivational guide to maintain a healthy mind and an active body, this is the book for you.

Courtnee Turner Hoyle

Laura V. Dow wrote Mind Your Movement to help individuals incorporate more movement into their daily lifestyles. Her own story includes injuries and a cycle of weight gain and loss, but her focus on staying healthy is clear. The seven chapters are broken into two parts. The first four chapters allow readers to grasp certain physical terminology as they see how their bodies function, and in the last three chapters, they will learn to synchronize their mind and body for optimal performance. Readers will become confident about self-care, getting started with small, active accomplishments, breathing effectively, maintaining correct posture, and establishing a greater sense of balance. Dow also explores common mistakes to prevent injuries and provides tips and client stories.

Laura V. Dow provides the foundation for a healthier physical lifestyle and gives a call to action for health and peace of mind. With her twenty years of experience as a professional trainer and pictures illustrating the text, Dow shows ways to incorporate simple activities into your exercise goal. You can jump to a particular section that interests you and apply the advice immediately, but I suggest reading all the material to discover the hidden gems of information. Dow gives her readers complete control over their outcomes. She celebrates whether you add a gym class to your weekly routine or walk five more steps a day. She is there for you, writing with encouragement and extending grace when you may not meet your goals. If you're ready to embrace a healthier lifestyle with more intentional activity, you will benefit from reading Mind Your Movement.

Doreen Chombu

Mind Your Movement by Laura V. Dow is a comprehensive self-help guide designed to empower seniors to improve their health and quality of life through mindful exercise and movement. Drawing from personal experiences with body issues, fluctuating weight, and injuries, the author offers valuable insights, including six essential tools focused on physical and mental well-being. Key strategies include cultivating proper breathing and posture, improving balance to prevent falls, nurturing a positive mindset, setting realistic goals, and using technology to track progress. Importantly, Dow encourages readers to embrace change, be consistent, celebrate small milestones, and be self-aware in creating personalized exercise routines, ultimately promoting resilience and a proactive approach to aging. The book serves as a detailed fitness guide, offering compassionate and insightful tips that bridge the gap between age and fitness. It provides practical advice that transcends generational boundaries, focusing on small, mindful movements and relatable anecdotes.

Mind Your Movement empowers readers of all ages to effortlessly integrate movement into their daily lives, guiding everyday actions such as proper phone holding and self-awareness during workouts. This not only enhances physical health but also fosters a deeper connection to one's body and mind, promoting a holistic approach to well-being. It uses the metaphor of cultivating a garden to illustrate the journey of starting an exercise routine, emphasizing growth and patience. With inspiring quotes, poems, and illustrations, the book transcends mere motivation, touching readers on a deeper emotional level and ensuring the journey toward fitness feels approachable and enjoyable. The inclusion of personal health experiences and stories from clients adds a relatable and authentic dimension. Overall, this is a great resource and a must-read for anyone seeking to enhance their health and wellness, especially seniors navigating the complexities of aging with grace.

Donna Parrey

Mind Your Movement is a bonus for senior adults who are astute enough to realize they need help in maintaining their health by ensuring they stay active. Author Laura V. Dow is an experienced health and wellness professional whose broad coaching and fitness background is ideal for imparting new ideas for building health and confidence to her target audience. The book’s tagline is “Six Essential Physical and Mental Tools To Stay Active As You Age,” and Dow’s voice is at once encouraging and instructional. In this succinct book, readers will gain life-enhancing guidance. Each chapter begins with a relevant quote or two from notable sources to further inspire readers. The learnings are bolstered by the inclusion of vignettes of composite clients and photos that depict the correct technique to enhance the value of Mind Your Movement.

Aging affects individuals differently, but the need to remain active is a message that author Laura V. Dow knows is important enough to reiterate to seniors. She does so in Mind Your Movement. Her “Stiff to Fit” quip is more than a URL; it is a concise descriptor of what she aspires for readers to accomplish. After an inspiring Introduction where Dow tells her own back story, the book delves into its six primary chapters: breath, posture, balance, physical activity, mind, and self. Readers benefit from Dow’s inclusion of health information, client stories, and photos to help them maintain proper movements. She also included links to short videos that support her message and reinforce critical points for readers. Throughout it all, Dow’s encouraging words and repetition help readers get their bodies and brains to collaborate in building healthy movement practices.