Welcome to Zodiaction! Fitness From the Stars

Zodiaction: Fat-Burning Fitness Tailored to Your Personal Star Quality
by Barrie Dolnick, Ellen Barrett

Millions of us turn to horoscopes for guidance in our personal lives - but what about our physical lives? Now, for the first time, a fitness maverick and an acclaimed astrologer combine their expertise to show you how the wisdom of the stars can help you achieve a strong, healthy, heavenly body.

Ever wonder why you dread spinning class while your best friend loves it, or why that yoga DVD is languishing on your shelf? Or why you have trouble getting yourself to the gym? It's not you - it's your fitness plan. But your search for the perfect exercise practice ends here. This amazingly insightful book examines what makes your zodiac sign tick - and provides twelve customized diet and fitness regimens based on the strengths and quirks of each one. Discover:

• The top-three foods Aries should stock up on
• Why a Taurus will get good mileage out of a treadmill
• Why Gemini should steer clear of candy
• Why Cancer should stick to noncompetitive workout buddies
• What makes Leo queen of the gym
• What type of massage will send Virgo straight to heaven
• How Libra can achieve inner peace
• The peak hours for Scorpio to exercise
• Why Sagittarius's legs are her most important feature
• Why Capricorn is a cardio all-star
• What kind of personal trainer makes Aquarius jump for joy
• Why Pisces prefers swimming and self-defense

Plus tips to keep your mind and spirit soaring along with your body. Drawing from a variety of disciplines, Zodiaction will have you breaking a sweat in no time - and loving every minute of it.

Chapter 1

Have you ever wondered why you:

a. bought a membership to a yoga studio you never use?

b. hopped on the trend wagon and tried a spinning class you detested?

c. bought a ThighMaster, Abdominizer, or Slide 'n' Glide that now collects dust in your basement?

d. tried running every morning and ended up buying a donut instead?

Chances are you've answered "yes" to one or more of the above. That's because you were trying to fit into fitness.

Keeping fit and being healthy is not a function of keeping up with fitness trends or making yourself do exercises that you loathe. Being fit now is much more than a one-size-fits-all calorie-burning workout and a daily multivitamin because it's not just about the body. In this new age, we recognize that you have to add your mind and spirit into the wellness puzzle . . . and their interdependence is of crucial importance.

Once you know more about your natural talents, gifts, and foibles, you'll never waste your time on someone else's goals again.

Zodiaction offers an entirely new approach to fitness in which you start by knowing yourself and defining who you are - not just in body type or weight. We want you to know your strengths and use them to feel great. We want you to know your weaknesses and understand what triggers negative behavior.

Astrology offers you a unique basis for diagnosing your likes and dislikes, and your ability to stick to a routine, a diet, and a fitness plan. If you ever wondered why you prefer swimming to running, or why you need a game or competition to get you up and out, you're going to find out now. You will see that it's not only about what's best for workouts, but also your diet tendencies, your ability to work out with a buddy or a trainer, and your capacity to use your specialized astro-energy in the world at large.

Zodiaction offers customized fitness solutions based on the astrological signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces). We assert that every person's perfect get-fit plan is already written in the stars. Each sign has its own particular quirks, strengths, and pitfalls, especially when it comes to being fit, healthy, and truly alive.

The sign of Taurus (April 20-May 20) for example, represents an earthy, fixed, luxury-loving, home-oriented person. The purchase of home workout equipment actually is a smart move for a Taurus. The more activities The Bull can do at home, the happier she is - that treadmill will definitely see some mileage. In contrast, if a Gemini (May 21-June 20) bought that equipment it would only be used as a clothing rack. Gemini thrives on getting out there, exploring, and seeking variety. If she had a home treadmill, she'd need a dozen books, a TV, and an iPod to keep her on it. For the most part a Gemini requires workout excitement.

Appreciating the differences among zodiac signs underscores why one exercise "routine" isn't good for everyone. Take Leo (July 23-August 22) vs. Pisces (February 19-March 20). Leo, The Lion, is king of the jungle, but in our instance, Leo is queen of the gym! Getting Lions to the gym requires no coercion, since they are known for their physical prowess. The Leo strength is their strength. They can handle tough workouts; they enjoy tough workouts; they want tough workouts - power yoga? high speed intervals around the track? - bring it on. Pisces, The Fish, doesn't have such sure footing in the gym. A major no-no when trying to motivate Pisces is use of the word "tough" to describe an upcoming workout. Pisces will go hide under a rock, never to be seen again. Pisces might prefer swimming, fluid yoga moves, or self-defense classes. Pisces people might burn calories worrying - so it's great to divert that expenditure of energy into more positive places.

Combining astrological characteristics with a fitness and diet strategy is natural synergy. Body parts have specific planetary rulers. Knowing how astrology and fitness work together opens a new door to overall self-awareness and wellness. Zodiaction is an irresistible combination of tools that has implications to every aspect of life - health, clarity, love, passion, creativity - it's all there. Zodiaction brings a novel integration of disciplines and evolves a deeper understanding of mind-body-spirit connection.

A Little Background

We work from two areas of expertise to bring you one smart fitness strategy. We combine over twenty years of experience interpreting the stars with fifteen years of cutting-edge fitness training and education.

Astrology

From an astrological standpoint, your sun sign stands for your karmic path - and influences everything in your life. If you're an Aries, you are in this world with Aries motives (be challenged, conquer, celebrate, repeat) and if you're here as a Cancer, you're entirely different (nurture, create safe havens, connect, love). Reading your daily horoscope is fine but that will not give you much insight about your true self. You probably know basic characteristics like "Leo loves to be in the limelight," but you might not know that "Leos hate to be cold so forget swimming in an unheated pool." You might be interested in learning why you just don't catch on to fitness fads "like everyone else does" or why your best friend is so attached to her couch. You will probably laugh at how accurately the signs describe your own behavior right off the bat. And once you trust that we know what we're doing, you'll find that our fitness suggestions are easy to take.

You may well wonder if twelve zodiac signs can be that different. The answer is a resounding yes! While writing this book we were impressed once again by how distinct each sign is when it comes to motivations, preferences, and attitudes.

To get you started with a little astrological background, here is a summary of the signs and what makes them tick. First, take a look at the chart below and then look up the corresponding element and modality for each sign.

Sign	Element	Modality
Aries	Fire	Cardinal
Taurus	Earth	Fixed
Gemini	Air	Mutable
Cancer	Water	Cardinal
Leo	Fire	Fixed
Virgo	Earth	Mutable
Libra	Air	Cardinal
Scorpio	Water	Fixed
Sagittarius	Fire	Mutable
Capricorn	Earth	Cardinal
Aquarius	Air	Fixed
Pisces	Water	Mutable

Copyright © 2007 by Ellen Barrett.

About the Author

Barrie Dolnick is the author of the very successful Simple Spells books. She is also a high-profile consultant whose company, Executive Mystic, uses alternative information techniques - tarot cards, astrology, meditation, and spell casting - to guide clients to fulfill their potential. She lives in New York City.

Ellen Barrett, the star of four exercise DVDs, is an instructor on FIT TV and owns the mind/body/fitness center "The Studio by Ellen Barrett." She created one of weight watchers first exercise programs, a new in-home walking fitness routine that she is also helping to launch appearances on weightwatchers.com and at events all over the country. Ellen serves on the Family Circle advisory board as a fitness expert and has served as a consultant to Self magazine, AOL, and Martha Stewart Omni Media, among others. She has also appeared on the FIT TV and Discovery channels.