Move It With Ease

Improvisation the Michael Chekhov Way: Active Exploration of Acting Techniques provides readers with dozens of improvisational exercises based on the acting techniques of Michael Chekhov. The book features key exercises that will help the actor explore improvisation and expand their imagination through the technique. Exercises that have been successfully taught for decades via the intensive trainings from the National Michael Chekhov Association are now clearly laid out in this book, along with information on how these performance-based techniques can be applied to a script and even provide life benefits. Guidance on how to use the exercises both in a group setting and as an individual is provided, as well as tools for lesson plans for up to a year of actor training. These step-by-step exercises will allow readers to expand their range of expression, discover the joy of creating unique characters, improve stage presence and presentation skills, and find new, creative ways to look at life. Improvisation the Michael Chekhov Way is written to be used by individual actors and practitioners and in group settings such as acting or improvisation courses, and to benefit anyone wishing to enhance their creativity and imagination.

Obesity specialist Dr. Levine says America suffers from "sitting disease"--the age of electronics has left us less active, by up to 2000 daily calories, than we were thirty years ago. What we need, he says, is to get moving, or nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). NEAT is as simple as standing, turning, and bending. Research shows that daily NEAT activity burns more calories than an hour on a treadmill, and can boost metabolism, lower blood pressure, and increase mental clarity. Dr. Levine provides literal step-by-step instructions for small changes that equal radical results. With an eight-week movement and eating plan and a fifty-food NEAT calorie counter, this book is a lasting prescription for a more vibrant and healthy life.--From publisher description.

The world-renowned fitness coach on the hit TV show The Biggest Loser presents his winning approach to lasting weight loss by showing how to get at the root of your overeating problem, followed by a nutritionally savvy diet and unique exercise plan. On The Biggest Loser, Bob Harper gives contestants the practical tools and psychological insights they need to get into the best shape of their lives. The key to his success is the emotional connection he makes with each participant, and he brings that same spirit to Are You Ready! Harper starts with a four-step strategy for getting at the root of negative thought patterns and destructive behaviors, replacing both with a clear way to build self-worth and confidence. With these tools in place, people are empowered to make real, lasting changes in their lives. In an easy-to-follow eating plan, he provides lists of foods that are nutrient-dense and naturally low in calories, more than twenty sample menus, and tips on eating on the run, in restaurants, and on vacation. His fitness plan is geared to making exercise an integral part of daily life with workouts (ranging from 20 to 60 minutes) based on training techniques that tone and strengthen, burn calories, and reshape the body. Woven throughout Are You Ready! are true-life success stories that will keep readers engaged and motivated; bulleted tips, tools, and coping strategies; and sidebars debunking common myths about food and fitness. Whether your goal is losing ten pounds or a hundred, you will find Harper’s message inspiring and his methods a proven path to finally achieving your dream of weight loss and fitness.