Healthy eating combined with a realistic exercise plan is key to maintaining optimal health and avoiding chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. The authors, a chef and an MD—and both former Olympians—join forces to provide a tailored mid-life plan for embarking on a solid path to good health and well-being—and for staying on track.

Start Fresh! provides the basic tools to assess health and fitness levels, to set practical and realistic goals, and to create a personal exercise model. With this plan in place, the authors add a careful selection of nutritious and easy-to-prepare recipes that complement the exercise program and lead to the sustainable fitness and good health that every mid-lifer wants and needs.

Special sections in the book include a HealthSpan fitness guide and a HealthSpan 10 km power walk program. There is also a section on the new staples -- for pantry, fridge and freezer.

Some of the tasty recipes are:
• Italian mozzarella and fennel salad
• Spanish almond tart with orange and date compote • Sangria blanca.

Getting fit and staying healthy is hard work and requires a solid program. Staying with that program really pays off with benefits that will last a lifetime. Softcover, 256 pages.