The following is a review of How I Did It: A Fitness Nerd’s Guide to Losing Fat and Gaining Lean Muscle. It was written by Lou Hurrell for Reedsy Discovery, and you can read the original review here.
How I Did It is a really fun, engaging guide to healthy eating and exercise. The chapters are short and concise but are filled to the brim with useful information. Clark effectively breaks down a lot of information into easy, digestible chunks that those at the start of their health journey can understand. This also makes it easier to find a particular section you are interested in, for example, the importance of stretching and mobility work. Clark also debunks a lot of falsehoods or common misconceptions throughout, yet also provides the reader with healthier alternatives. This helps to guide the reader as we are being shown what not to do, as well as what we should be doing. The ‘take away’ sections at the end of each chapter also help to emphasise and reiterate the key points Clark wants to make, and provide an excellent checklist.
Yet the main highlight of How I Did It was Clark himself. He is a very witty, personable narrator and his narration helps to engage the reader. It is obvious that he is passionate about his subject, and his excitement is infectious. He is also very candid about his own experiences when shifting to a healthier lifestyle, and the highs and lows that accompanied it. Not only does this make him more endearing, but helps to reassure readers that it is ok to struggle and fail in this journey. He also weaves statistics into the book without it becoming bogged down and helpfully breaks down what the numbers mean. Ultimately, the reader comes away much more informed about food and exercise and can apply what they’ve learnt in their lives.
How I Did It isn’t a fad diet; there is no easy way out here. It doesn’t advocate any dangerous or extreme methods to lose weight. Instead, Clark breaks down different diet and exercise advice and gives tips on how to achieve your goals. It’s a warm, friendly, yet informative book that provides solid advice for long term change. A particularly great book for those new to exercise.
