Let’s face it: when you’re not feeling well, there’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from hearing “Have you tried exercise?” for the one hundredth time. Not because exercise doesn't help — it often does — but because the suggestion, even though it's well-meaning, completely misses the point. When you're struggling with depression, anxiety, chronic pain, or fatigue, the problem isn't knowing that movement might help. The problem is that getting started feels insurmountable.

To be fully candid, we initially misunderstood what Work It Out by Sarah Kurchak as a book would be.

We initially fancied it as a quick-start, low-impact guide book that would be packed with workout routines and sprinkled with a bit of theory.

In reality, it's the inverse: mostly theory with some workout routines woven in.

To be fully honest, dear reader, had we known that from the start, this book might have been passed over entirely — which would have been our *significant* loss.

This book is fantastic. What Sarah delivers isn't just theory for theory's sake, but rather explanations and context that is infinitely useful and motivating in itself.

This isn't a book about lacking motivation, it's about lacking the capacity to exercise — and how to slowly, at your own grace and pace, build that capacity to whatever it looks like for you.

For broader context, Sarah Kurchak is autistic, a personal trainer, former professional Pillow Fight League competitor, Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt, and author who writes with a voice that's encouraging, empathetic, empowering, and validating. Her writing is funny, friendly, and warm — like that one friend you trust to give you the no-bones-about-it straight goods.

She's not making excuses, but she is giving insight and grace. This is someone who truly understands what it's like to *want* to move but to face the seemingly insurmountable struggle of just getting started — even if that means exercising from bed.

As such, Work It Out busts myths about fitness while providing clear, actionable advice on how to incorporate exercise into daily life, build an adjustable workout plan for both good and bad mental health days, and shake off the messages that say you're never doing enough. One standout feature is the F-It Workout — designed for days when motivation is low and you just want someone to tell you what to do. Sarah even includes a version that can be done entirely from bed, acknowledging that some days that's the reality.

This book is for anyone who can't even fathom getting started because it feels too daunting. It's for people who've heard all the suggestions, tried some of them, and still feel stuck. It's frank, funny, and deeply sympathetic — offering realistic tips, encouragement, and dozens of activity ideas for times when exercise might help, and simultaneously feels like the last thing you want to do. Sarah has created something rare — a fitness book that actually understands what it's like to struggle, and meets you there with compassion, context, and practical guidance — and we’re grateful for it.

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Work It Out: A Mood Boosting Exercise Guide for People Who Just Want to Lie Down

by Sarah Kurchak

Published April 2023

via Quirk Books