Slow & steady

Full disclosure: If you're looking for a quick fix to help you lose weight, this book isn't it.

"I'm not guaranteeing you that you're going to lose 30 pounds in time for your beach week with your friends," said Sean Simonds.

The physical therapist at Professional Therapies in Moneta and author of the recently published "Healthy For Life" said such promises are unrealistic, especially if the author guarantees results in, say, two weeks.

"You can't maintain that," said Simonds.

He wrote his book in response to the hundreds on the market that make such claims after seeking, but not finding, a suitable book to help his physical therapy clients lead healthier lifestyles after treatment.

Simonds said all the books he came across either made erroneous claims about weight loss or were encumbered by exercise theory that offered no actual guidance. Neither of those would do his clients any good, he said.

"When we're done treating people, it's really hard to follow up with them," said Simonds. "A lot of them really need to go to the YMCA or the gym, but not many of them have the money or the motivation."

Simonds said his book offers readers simple-to-understand guidelines on how to get started on a healthier path for both exercise and nutrition. Each chapter provides readers background on a specific topic and gives them charts to fill out and goals to strive toward.

"Everything in the book is about gradual change," said Simonds. "The idea is this lasts a lifetime. â? It's not a fad diet."

Speaking of diets, a significant portion of Simonds' book deals with eating habits. He said it offers simple, easy-to-digest tips and information and tries to stymie oft-touted claims that, for example, say carbohydrates are bad.

"I just try to give them an idea of how you can adjust your diet rather than throwing everything out and trying to stick to a strict diet," said Simonds.

"Healthy for Life" is Simonds' second book. His first, "A Healthier Life at Your Pace," which Simonds said offers bare bones information for someone who is just getting started, was published last year.

Both books are available on amazon.com and are part of a series Simonds has planned titled "The Smart Life Series." The next topic he plans to tackle is how to deal with arthritis. An idea he's kicked around for a later book is how to make modifications to your home to suit your aging self.

"A lot of the people I see, especially around the lake area, never really planned ahead when they moved into their most recent home," said Simonds.

In addition to his books, Simonds maintains a blog where he posts photos and videos illustrating how to perform various exercises, articles on healthy lifestyle choices and reviews of popular products.

"I want people to contact me and suggest things for the blog and to get involved," said Simonds, adding that involvement can help them maintain lifestyle changes. "People get real excited real quick and then kind of chill and forget about it."

Simonds, 26, of Wirtz earned his undergraduate degree in exercise science from James Madison University in Harrisonburg and his doctorate in physical therapy from St. Francis University in Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit smartlife-learninghealth.blogspot.com or facebook.com/smartlifeseries.