Joyce Vedral received a PhD in English Literature from New York City University, then taught in grade schools in the New York City school system. She then became a professor of English Literature. She became interested in losing weight, and began researching fitness methods. She became a personal trainer and then began writing self-help books about exercise. Among her popular titles are Supercut: Nutrition for the Ultimate Physique (1985), The Twelve-Minute Total Body Workout (1989), Weight-Training Made Easy (1997), Bone-Building Body-Shaping Workout (1998), and The Bathing Suit Workout (1999). She has written articles for many of the major fitness magazines, including Muscle & Fitness, Shape, Your Health, Men's Fitness, and Parents magazines.