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The Movement: How I got this body by never going to the gym in my life.
The incredible story of Jack Garbarino, founder of The Movement workout.In 2009, Jack was at rock bottom. He weighed nearly three-hundred pounds, he couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath, and worst of all, he had given up hope of ever getting fit. Today, he's a hundred pounds lighter, with a growing fitness empire and a killer bod. The secret of his success? The Movement, a workout that consists entirely of moving boxes and furniture. Now that The Movement is taking America by storm, Jack is finally ready to tell his story. From the childhood friendship with Steve Jobs that inspired him, to his touching mentorship of a jungle child named Dende, this self-help novel will make you laugh, cry, and think. And it might even help you lose a few pounds, too.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2015
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480 people want to read
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December 30, 2017Yes, I actually read this.
It will be my ice breaker on the off chance I ever meet Nathan Fielder.
It will be my ice breaker on the off chance I ever meet Nathan Fielder.
March 18, 2016
This book is, without a doubt, the most glorious piece of train wreck literature even imagined. Its magnificent tale tells the story of poor "Porker" Jack as a young child, undergoing the ridicule of completely outlandish ill-behaved bullies and the obvious lack of intervention on the part of their public educators and school counselors. His one friend, Steve Jobs, moves away as most friends we meet before the age of 12 typically do. Jack meets a beautiful young woman with a terrible case of co-dependency, stares at her hot sweaty body, falls in love with her, has awkward sex with her, marries her, gets in fights with her over not passing the salt at the dinner table, and then eventually divorces her, a tragedy which leads him to attempt to drown himself in his bathtub, perhaps the single most ineffective and impossible way to commit suicide. We can't skip over the amazing journey in the remote jungles of South Africa where Jack met and changed the life of a fat boy named Dende. I found this part to be particularly interesting. What are the chances of meeting a fat boy in the jungle who is now receiving humanity aid from an organization which strives to help stop hunger for Africa's jungle children? I think that Dende might be the culprit behind the hunger issues in Africa. He is the only fat boy there and obviously was eating other children's rations. Jack changes the lives of the jungle children by teaching them important information like US History, knowledge which will undoubtedly change the lives of those poor starving children forever. Dende, a now beautifully sculpted hot guy at the age of 19 (A body image change brought on by the inspiring life lessons Jack taught him), later dies from what can only be accurately described as gun-wielding feral baboons, or perhaps it was a militia group referred to as the baboons? The author is unclear on this point and I prefer to interpret this detail as trigger happy mammals. Jack tattoos himself with glorious images holding deep, personal, hidden meaning, like the lion which was his middle school mascot, a super cool tattoo to get in my opinion, and a gladiator warrior throwing a spear, of which a beautifully constructed Microsoft Paint sketch is included in the book. Jack returns to Africa after several sessions with a therapist and has a conversation with the ghost of Dende who tells him he has forgotten his dream. His dream then evolves into an exercise program which miraculously helped him loose 150 pounds, and within four pages, the book ends, and we are left with only the beautiful memory of Jack Garbarino's life story, sprinkled with breathtaking grammatical errors and jaw-dropping obvious typos. The book leaves the reader with only one simple question: How the hell is this book going to provide "Guaranteed fitness results in weeks?" That, my friends, is the question you as the reader must discover yourself. I also wish the book provided a tally at the end of the number of times the author used the word "breast" in the novel, because that would have really been interesting to address upon finishing the book. I will never forget Jack's incredible journey. I cried with him, laughed with him, but it might have just been laughing tears because this book had my rolling on the floor. Thank you Nathan For You for producing this phenomenal piece of comedic history.
October 31, 2015
An Inspiring Tale of One Man's Struggle to Lose Weight and Help the Jungle Children
A lot of diet/exercise/fitness books will try and sell you a bill of goods. They're heavy on "statistics" and "evidence" but low on true inspiration. This book is different.
Joe's tragic tale of his dead mother, his ill-conceived marriage, and his decade-long effort to help the Jungle Children seeks to inspire each of us to look inside of ourselves to find the will to push forward.
Likewise, anyone who has ever lost a friend can relate to his heartbreaking tales about his childhood friendship with Steve Jobs.
The Movement is for everyone! I know that I have half a desk in my living room that I can carry back and forth for hours and hours. I'll be doing that starting tonight!
A lot of diet/exercise/fitness books will try and sell you a bill of goods. They're heavy on "statistics" and "evidence" but low on true inspiration. This book is different.
Joe's tragic tale of his dead mother, his ill-conceived marriage, and his decade-long effort to help the Jungle Children seeks to inspire each of us to look inside of ourselves to find the will to push forward.
Likewise, anyone who has ever lost a friend can relate to his heartbreaking tales about his childhood friendship with Steve Jobs.
The Movement is for everyone! I know that I have half a desk in my living room that I can carry back and forth for hours and hours. I'll be doing that starting tonight!
November 3, 2015
What Troll 2 did for cinema . . .
this will do for literature. Ice skating with Steve Jobs, the ingredients of frozen meals, stick figure drawings of gym equipment (despite what the title says, quite a bit takes place inside a gym). It's all here, I only wish Stevey and Dende were alive to read it.
this will do for literature. Ice skating with Steve Jobs, the ingredients of frozen meals, stick figure drawings of gym equipment (despite what the title says, quite a bit takes place inside a gym). It's all here, I only wish Stevey and Dende were alive to read it.
February 8, 2016
This is the best workout book involving Steve Jobs and jungle children that I've ever read. The before and after pics on the back cover are worth 4 stars alone. Hilarious!
November 7, 2017
I finished the book last night and canceled my gym membership this morning. Incredible!
G.Y.M.
Giving Your Money away
G.Y.M.
Giving Your Money away
April 29, 2016
What a fascinating look into Steve Jobs pivotal childhood years.
February 27, 2021
I love how the typos get worse and worse as the book progresses.
May 19, 2019
One of the worst books I've ever had the pleasure to read. A complete time-waster, poorly written and simply horrible. That said, I enjoyed it entirely, although I will never ever pick it up again. Surely, a must read for all Nathan For You fans, but if you haven't heard about the show, stay away from this beautiful and idiotic trainwreck/masterpiece!
October 6, 2021
The Great American Novel
Listen to the audio-book here: https://anchor.fm/themovement7
Listen to the audio-book here: https://anchor.fm/themovement7
January 2, 2016
An emotional rollercoaster depicting the life and times of Jack Garbarino. Provided useful workout tips also.
July 23, 2016
A true literary masterpiece.
September 13, 2017
How does one rate such a book? I can't believe it even exists.
Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkNxv...
Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkNxv...
February 17, 2020
I borrowed this from a friend, because in theory, a real book written for a fake workout program for a show on Comedy Central (Nathan For You) could be cool. This was so bad it was laughable, but mostly just plain painful to read. I got through three chapters. I did immensely enjoy his this guy's (100% fictional) childhood friendship with Steve Jobs.
September 20, 2023
Absolutely wonderful, I am a new man after reading this.
July 6, 2021
Read this review and many more at The Quill To Live.
If you know, you know. That’s the best way I can prepare any prospective reader for Jack Garbarino’s The Movement: How I Got This Body By Never Going To The Gym In My Life. If you don’t know, and you encounter this book in the wild, I can imagine your 150-page journey (if you make it that far) will be troubling and confusing. If you do know, however, and you take it upon yourself to read this masterpiece, you will be rewarded. When reviewing a book like The Movement, context is crucial. The circumstances surrounding any reading of this book will undoubtedly influence the reader’s perception of it.
At this point, you’re either on board with The Movement or completely rattled. And if you’re rattled, you now have a choice. You can live in ignorant bliss and remove The Movement from your mind forever, or you can become a part of something much larger than yourself.
Nathan For You
Still here? I’m glad. Your life is about to be changed forever, and you won’t even need to go to a gym. Plus, I’m going to give you the context you need to enjoy this book.
The Movement finds its origins in season 3, episode 3 of Nathan For You, a Comedy Central show that ran for four seasons in the mid-2010s. If you can grit your teeth and make it through the moments where the awkward/cringe meter is dialed all the way up, you’ll be treated to a comedy masterpiece. Nathan Fielder brings his wacky marketing ideas to struggling businesses under the guise of a show that helps said businesses turn things around.
Every single episode of Nathan For You is special. Fielder lampoons Hollywood, traditional marketing, magicians, gender norms, and myriad other things throughout the four-season run of his show. Nathan For You is perhaps best known for “Dumb Starbucks,” which wove its way through the mediasphere in 2014. If any of this sounds even remotely intriguing to you, the show is a must-watch, all the way through, up to and including the feature-length “Finding Frances.” Seriously, it’s comedy gold and, frankly, a really good movie.
But it’s in that season 3 episode that The Movement is born. To get you up to speed and to give you a taste of what the show is like, enjoy this clip (watch the full episode for the full effect, though):
The Movement In Context
And that brings us to The Movement, by “Jack Garbarino,” or ghostwriter Austin Bowers (who did a great interview with Nerdist, should you wish to explore further).
Within the context of Nathan For You, this book is a treat. Garbarino/Bowers’ voice from the show plants itself on each and every page, and there are 150 of them. I’d argue that The Movement lambasts marketing in general, though it hyperfixates on fitness marketing. The book, existing within the orbit of the show and the specific episode from which it was born, provides a sharp commentary on how quick people are to capitalize on even a middling idea when given access to a full-on marketing machine. That machine can (and will) pump out a story that consumers are all too eager to gobble up without realizing that the story exists just to prey on their precious dollars.
Think for a moment about other books that have enjoyed a rocket-boost marketing push. The Secret via Oprah’s book club might spring to mind, and it’s a perfect case study. Oprah Winfrey promoted the ever-living crap out of The Secret, and the visualization/self-help book wound up on the dusty shelves of many a midwestern mom (speaking from personal experience here). The real secret, which isn’t so secret after all, is that author Rhonda Byrne and promoter Oprah stood to gain all sorts of money by sharing this book with the masses. The Secret threaded itself into the tapestry of people’s lives simply thanks to a strong marketing effort. The messages of the book (or, more accurately, the messages Oprah said the book contained) struck a chord with people, who then bought the book. And yet another secret? A bunch of them probably never even read it.
The Movement, then, is some sort of distantly related kin to The Secret, in that both books exist to push an idea that takes shape beyond the text. And, on some level, the hope is that people will purchase the book, whether or not they actually read it or take its messages to heart.
Why The Movement Matters
Reading The Movement after seeing the episode of Nathan For You can cement this idea in your brain. Garbarino’s text may be subtitled “How I Got This Body By Never Going To The Gym In My Life,” but the fictional version of him in the book goes to the gym several times. The Movement may purport to contain a fitness plan that allows people to get in shape sans gym membership, but the text itself is just a wonky life story told through disconnected anecdotes and myriad typos.
During my readthrough, I enjoyed a fair few hearty chuckles at the glaringly obvious inconsistencies between the Jack Garbarino of the show and the Jack of the book. Plus, some sentences seem to start off with no clear direction, and the lack of it only becomes clearer as the sentence winds to a close. Consider the interview with Bowers I linked above. In it, he says he wrote the book in seven days. He gets a pass for any errors from me due to that timeline, of course, but also because of what the show and the book collectively say: none of this actually matters.
Context is what matters. In this case, the book and the episode exist within the world of a large, long joke. The joke lampoons and critiques the power of strong marketing–a full book, a workout program, morning show appearances, and much more–and paints both the recipients and participants of this marketing as sad saps who are lost in the labyrinthine gears of a well-oiled machine. And The Movement only exists as an offshoot of the show. No reader unfamiliar with Nathan For You would reasonably enjoy the book. Much like The Secret, The Movement gets lost in the publicity. The ideas don’t mean a thing as long as the book actually sells copies.
It’s a twisted form of irony at play, but it all serves the bigger message and feeds the question: what the hell am I reading and why? Thankfully my answer is “I love Nathan For You and this is an extension of the content I love so much.” I may still be feeding a marketing machine, but at least I’m in on the joke…right?!
The silver lining here? At least The Movement gives us flawless critique of mass marketing. And, according to Bowers, the proceeds all went to charity. The joke is good for more than just a laugh, and at least Nathan Fielder understands the impact of his actions, no matter their comedic intent.
I won’t proffer a review score here, because The Movement doesn’t need a review. Instead, consider this a plea to watch Nathan For You, then read it. Bask in the zany oddity that is The Movement, understand its message, and enjoy a few laughs along the way.
If you know, you know. That’s the best way I can prepare any prospective reader for Jack Garbarino’s The Movement: How I Got This Body By Never Going To The Gym In My Life. If you don’t know, and you encounter this book in the wild, I can imagine your 150-page journey (if you make it that far) will be troubling and confusing. If you do know, however, and you take it upon yourself to read this masterpiece, you will be rewarded. When reviewing a book like The Movement, context is crucial. The circumstances surrounding any reading of this book will undoubtedly influence the reader’s perception of it.
At this point, you’re either on board with The Movement or completely rattled. And if you’re rattled, you now have a choice. You can live in ignorant bliss and remove The Movement from your mind forever, or you can become a part of something much larger than yourself.
Nathan For You
Still here? I’m glad. Your life is about to be changed forever, and you won’t even need to go to a gym. Plus, I’m going to give you the context you need to enjoy this book.
The Movement finds its origins in season 3, episode 3 of Nathan For You, a Comedy Central show that ran for four seasons in the mid-2010s. If you can grit your teeth and make it through the moments where the awkward/cringe meter is dialed all the way up, you’ll be treated to a comedy masterpiece. Nathan Fielder brings his wacky marketing ideas to struggling businesses under the guise of a show that helps said businesses turn things around.
Every single episode of Nathan For You is special. Fielder lampoons Hollywood, traditional marketing, magicians, gender norms, and myriad other things throughout the four-season run of his show. Nathan For You is perhaps best known for “Dumb Starbucks,” which wove its way through the mediasphere in 2014. If any of this sounds even remotely intriguing to you, the show is a must-watch, all the way through, up to and including the feature-length “Finding Frances.” Seriously, it’s comedy gold and, frankly, a really good movie.
But it’s in that season 3 episode that The Movement is born. To get you up to speed and to give you a taste of what the show is like, enjoy this clip (watch the full episode for the full effect, though):
The Movement In Context
And that brings us to The Movement, by “Jack Garbarino,” or ghostwriter Austin Bowers (who did a great interview with Nerdist, should you wish to explore further).
Within the context of Nathan For You, this book is a treat. Garbarino/Bowers’ voice from the show plants itself on each and every page, and there are 150 of them. I’d argue that The Movement lambasts marketing in general, though it hyperfixates on fitness marketing. The book, existing within the orbit of the show and the specific episode from which it was born, provides a sharp commentary on how quick people are to capitalize on even a middling idea when given access to a full-on marketing machine. That machine can (and will) pump out a story that consumers are all too eager to gobble up without realizing that the story exists just to prey on their precious dollars.
Think for a moment about other books that have enjoyed a rocket-boost marketing push. The Secret via Oprah’s book club might spring to mind, and it’s a perfect case study. Oprah Winfrey promoted the ever-living crap out of The Secret, and the visualization/self-help book wound up on the dusty shelves of many a midwestern mom (speaking from personal experience here). The real secret, which isn’t so secret after all, is that author Rhonda Byrne and promoter Oprah stood to gain all sorts of money by sharing this book with the masses. The Secret threaded itself into the tapestry of people’s lives simply thanks to a strong marketing effort. The messages of the book (or, more accurately, the messages Oprah said the book contained) struck a chord with people, who then bought the book. And yet another secret? A bunch of them probably never even read it.
The Movement, then, is some sort of distantly related kin to The Secret, in that both books exist to push an idea that takes shape beyond the text. And, on some level, the hope is that people will purchase the book, whether or not they actually read it or take its messages to heart.
Why The Movement Matters
Reading The Movement after seeing the episode of Nathan For You can cement this idea in your brain. Garbarino’s text may be subtitled “How I Got This Body By Never Going To The Gym In My Life,” but the fictional version of him in the book goes to the gym several times. The Movement may purport to contain a fitness plan that allows people to get in shape sans gym membership, but the text itself is just a wonky life story told through disconnected anecdotes and myriad typos.
During my readthrough, I enjoyed a fair few hearty chuckles at the glaringly obvious inconsistencies between the Jack Garbarino of the show and the Jack of the book. Plus, some sentences seem to start off with no clear direction, and the lack of it only becomes clearer as the sentence winds to a close. Consider the interview with Bowers I linked above. In it, he says he wrote the book in seven days. He gets a pass for any errors from me due to that timeline, of course, but also because of what the show and the book collectively say: none of this actually matters.
Context is what matters. In this case, the book and the episode exist within the world of a large, long joke. The joke lampoons and critiques the power of strong marketing–a full book, a workout program, morning show appearances, and much more–and paints both the recipients and participants of this marketing as sad saps who are lost in the labyrinthine gears of a well-oiled machine. And The Movement only exists as an offshoot of the show. No reader unfamiliar with Nathan For You would reasonably enjoy the book. Much like The Secret, The Movement gets lost in the publicity. The ideas don’t mean a thing as long as the book actually sells copies.
It’s a twisted form of irony at play, but it all serves the bigger message and feeds the question: what the hell am I reading and why? Thankfully my answer is “I love Nathan For You and this is an extension of the content I love so much.” I may still be feeding a marketing machine, but at least I’m in on the joke…right?!
The silver lining here? At least The Movement gives us flawless critique of mass marketing. And, according to Bowers, the proceeds all went to charity. The joke is good for more than just a laugh, and at least Nathan Fielder understands the impact of his actions, no matter their comedic intent.
I won’t proffer a review score here, because The Movement doesn’t need a review. Instead, consider this a plea to watch Nathan For You, then read it. Bask in the zany oddity that is The Movement, understand its message, and enjoy a few laughs along the way.
January 4, 2016
While the entire premise of the book is a lie -- Jack spent more than a year of his life at Neptune Fitness -- this book is an essential read if you want to learn about what Steve Jobs was like as a child, how to properly teach jungle children, and how to drop almost 150 lbs in about a year. Jack Garbarino is an inspiration to all of us. I follow The Movement. Do you?
January 3, 2024
He indeed did go to the gym. Unfortunately, this was a painful read. Probably the worst thing I have ever read. I love the absurd premise more than the actual book itself. The tv episode is a 10/10 though. Nathan, not for me :/
February 28, 2017
I SCREAMED THE ENTIRE TIME
May 16, 2019
This is such an incredible disaster of a book that I couldn't help but joyfully laugh my way through it. Complete with typos, grammatical errors, MS paint sketches, Steve Jobs, "Jungle Children", and a list of the ingredients of "Jack"s favourite food, it is a baffling tumble through a patchwork world of strange writing. Of course, this book would be utter nonsense without the context of its origin as part of Nathan Fielder's remarkable comedy series "Nathan For You," but being a fan, this book is a delectable accompaniment to the show's chaotic splendour.
Reading The Movement was at once an awful slog and a true joy. I hate it, but I love it, and I can't help but give it 5 stars.
Reading The Movement was at once an awful slog and a true joy. I hate it, but I love it, and I can't help but give it 5 stars.
January 3, 2025
This was everything I expected and more. Jungle children, baboons, and LOTS of typos. Shoutout to Nathan Fielder for making this book possible and to the ghost writer who had like 5 days to write this
September 25, 2021
Easily the stupidest thing I’ve ever read, and most definitely the greatest shitpost of all time
![Profile Image for Justyna [regałzikei].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1536838974i%2F52160537._UY200_CR2%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 17, 2021
(Oglądajcie Nathan for you)
January 21, 2025
I only read this because I have a parasocial relationship with Nathan Fielder.
May 8, 2025
I bet he got help from a guy who graduated from one of canadas top business schools with really good grades
August 12, 2021
Seriously inspirational stuff 💪😤
January 4, 2025
Life changing.
August 19, 2025
Lots of good sentences in this book
September 29, 2016
A tragic tale of bullying, jungle children, love seat couches, TV dinners, tech entrepreneurs, splinter cells, out of body experiences, flashbacks, funerals, carrots, conversations with dead people and much more. Jack Garbarino's book is a journey of enormous discovery which documents one man's struggle with his weight, emotional well-being, psychological trauma, talking out loud without realizing it, schizophrenia, dyslexia, and accepting that he may just be the grim reaper.
While the premise is a lie - in the book Jack spends a whole year going to the G.Y.M. (Give Your Money-away), Jack learns a valuable lesson from the experience (but not straight away). Jack grapples with his demons, as well as some mystical hedonistic Gods that threaten to take him away from this earth (even though he jumped on the atheist bandwagon when he was a child).
While I'm happy for Jack's new-found confidence and direction, I worry that his present mental state may be deteriorating. From chapter 8 onward all grammar, spelling, and basic sentence structure seems to rapidly plummet into a concoction of rambling epiphanies where it seems Jack (as by extension, the reader) has trouble comprehending whether the protagonist is hallucinating, dreaming, or awake. It seems further troubling that Jack's concept of time is distorted, and his thoughts jump from past to present, jumbled together as if in some hastened attempt to ramble as much as possible in a given time frame.
This all serves the purpose of proving the point that Jack's mind is truly fascinating. For example, he seems to remember every minute detail from his life more than twenty years ago, and which he so eloquently and persistently describes to us.
In summary, this book is definitely unique (to say the least (and I am saying that (the least))). It makes you want to laugh, cry, and sometimes even throw it against the wall a few times.
While the premise is a lie - in the book Jack spends a whole year going to the G.Y.M. (Give Your Money-away), Jack learns a valuable lesson from the experience (but not straight away). Jack grapples with his demons, as well as some mystical hedonistic Gods that threaten to take him away from this earth (even though he jumped on the atheist bandwagon when he was a child).
While I'm happy for Jack's new-found confidence and direction, I worry that his present mental state may be deteriorating. From chapter 8 onward all grammar, spelling, and basic sentence structure seems to rapidly plummet into a concoction of rambling epiphanies where it seems Jack (as by extension, the reader) has trouble comprehending whether the protagonist is hallucinating, dreaming, or awake. It seems further troubling that Jack's concept of time is distorted, and his thoughts jump from past to present, jumbled together as if in some hastened attempt to ramble as much as possible in a given time frame.
This all serves the purpose of proving the point that Jack's mind is truly fascinating. For example, he seems to remember every minute detail from his life more than twenty years ago, and which he so eloquently and persistently describes to us.
In summary, this book is definitely unique (to say the least (and I am saying that (the least))). It makes you want to laugh, cry, and sometimes even throw it against the wall a few times.
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