What if you could reclaim your strength, your stamina, your flexibility, and your sense of well-being? What if there were a prescription that could improve your fitness, lower your cholesterol, and reduce your body fat in just 3 weeks? Welcome to the world of the Spark, where what if? becomes an exciting reality. Based on the groundbreaking Spark Study 2000 conducted by Dr. Glenn A. Gaesser at the University of Virginia, The Spark shows you how short, 10-minute bursts of exercise can improve your level of fitness, increase vitality, and help prevent premature death from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer as effectively as 1 hour in the gym 3 times a week. No more struggling to squeeze exercise into an already hectic schedule, and with simple changes in diet, no more worrying about adding pounds if you want to enjoy a plate of pasta or a side of potatoes. In addition to providing step-by-step guides to specific 10-minute aerobic, strength-training, and flexibility exercises, The Spark also includes: detailed self-tests that help you discover your exercise personality and tailor a Spark plan to your individual needs; an easy-to-follow 3-week exercise and food plan to maximize weight control and fitness in a manageable amount of time; sample daily exercises and food menus, as well as a selection of kitchen-tested, heart-healthy recipes. A unique combination of expertise and inspiration, The Spark is a collaboration between Dr. Glenn A. Gaesser and Karla Dougherty, who found her own Spark and went from confirmed couch potato to marathon bicyclist at age fifty. In addition to this research-based, practical program, you'll find Karla's story, as well astestaments from participants in the Spark 2000 study -- whose fitness levels now equal those of people ten to twenty years younger! So ignite your own Spark, and create a powerful flame of good health and vitality that will last a lifetime.