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The Forever Strong™ PLAYBOOK: A Six-Week, Science-Based Plan to Sharpen Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Get Healthy at Any Age
From the trusted voice behind the instant New York Times bestseller Forever Strong™, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s companion PLAYBOOK delivers actionable protocols to transform body and mind.
Get fit, prevent disease, and future-proof your body with step-by-step strategies to build strength, reduce fatigue, and sharpen your focus at any age.
Packed with ground-breaking science, muscle-building exercises, informative graphics, and easy-to-follow, protein-forward recipes, The Forever Strong™ PLAYBOOK is the ultimate guide for anyone who wants to feel stronger, move better, and stay energized.
Discover exactly how to think, eat, move, and recover for optimal health.
With all new, innovative tactical strategies to further enhance muscle health, this guide provides a comprehensive six-week program to help you build muscle, optimize your nutrition, sleep better, and build lifelong habits with protocols customizable for everyone from beginners to advanced athletes.
Inside, you’ll
- 60+ protein-packed, nutritious, and flavorful recipes covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks.
- 100+ illustrated, at-home and gym-friendly exercises to help you build muscle, maintain mobility, and improve your balance, including an interactive guide to keep you on track.
- Mindset strategies to build discipline, manage stress, and stay consistent, including actionable tips to align your daily habits with your long-term goals.
- Science-based advice on how to improve your sleep, enhance your recovery, and support circulation with hot and cold therapies, and much more.
Get fit, prevent disease, and future-proof your body with step-by-step strategies to build strength, reduce fatigue, and sharpen your focus at any age.
Packed with ground-breaking science, muscle-building exercises, informative graphics, and easy-to-follow, protein-forward recipes, The Forever Strong™ PLAYBOOK is the ultimate guide for anyone who wants to feel stronger, move better, and stay energized.
Discover exactly how to think, eat, move, and recover for optimal health.
With all new, innovative tactical strategies to further enhance muscle health, this guide provides a comprehensive six-week program to help you build muscle, optimize your nutrition, sleep better, and build lifelong habits with protocols customizable for everyone from beginners to advanced athletes.
Inside, you’ll
- 60+ protein-packed, nutritious, and flavorful recipes covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks.
- 100+ illustrated, at-home and gym-friendly exercises to help you build muscle, maintain mobility, and improve your balance, including an interactive guide to keep you on track.
- Mindset strategies to build discipline, manage stress, and stay consistent, including actionable tips to align your daily habits with your long-term goals.
- Science-based advice on how to improve your sleep, enhance your recovery, and support circulation with hot and cold therapies, and much more.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2026
258 people are currently reading
3594 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 31, 2026
This book really compliments Dr Lyons book, "Forever Strong." This book gives you the how to add strength, protein, and level up your body. My story is that prior to picking up the book "Forever Strong," I was diagnosed with Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, as well as Breast Cancer. After reading "Forever Strong," I begin the journey of losing seventy pounds, adding protein and strength training to my workout routine of riding my indoor bike and cardio. My blood pressure has gotten back into normal levels. My A1C has also dropped below pre-diabetes levels. I am in my healthiest now, it's been about fifteen years, since I have felt so good.
The Forever Strong™ PLAYBOOK really answers questions about what to do now. How to add weights when leveling, as well as many wonderful recipes with high protein, how to think mentally, plus how to add recovery to your game plan. Being a senior citizen and in my golden years, I believe this playbook will give me many more years to enjoy my grandchildren and allows me be active and be able to enjoy life fully.
I have already recommend to my friends to buy "Forever Strong," as well as "The Forever Strong™ PLAYBOOK" Thank you, Dr Lyons for your books.
February 2, 2026
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s first book, Forever Strong, really delved into the “why” and what.” It was helpful and gave a solid foundation but it did leave me wondering if there was going to be a follow-up.
The Forever Strong Playbook is the "how” and a phenomenal follow-up. It’s gotta be done in order though, I think, for it to really feel complete.
I found her initial research on Muscle-Centric Medicine relatively life-changing and naturally, I was pretty heckin’ eager to see if this could bridge the gap between theory and the actual kitchen counter.
It did.
Some background:
I’ve been following Dr. Lyon for years; I was a part of her Forever Strong group (RIP to that super helpful app!) and when I was exiting the bodybuilding world and more into lifting for longevity, i followed some of her protocols with success. I get her weekly 30g recipe emails and read every newsletter that comes in.
It’s easy to get lost in “i gotta get this content out because my manager said we have a schedule I’m gonna regurgitate the same message but through ChatGPT 83793 weeks in a row and hope my audience doesn’t notice” or fall into the bro-science that so many of those podcasters have landed themselves in.
Gabrielle Lyon has yet to fall into those camps for me. Grateful for that. I’ve always found her messaging to be digestible, even for a novice.
Anyway.
While the first book established that muscle is the "organ of longevity," the Playbook breaks down HOW to implement it into your life. I was a bit worried that I’d end up skipping through half of the book due to repetition but nope, there was none of that. Just a highly actionable 12-week plan.
LOVED THAT.
The "Protocol Recipes" are surprisingly flavorful. They prioritize the 30-50g protein threshold per meal without feeling like you're just eating plain chicken breasts. Been there, done that, I don’t miss my hard core bodybuilding days. These have flavor and the time to complete the recipes are pretty spot on (pls tell me why the recipe bloggers always say 30 minutes and I’m still cooking 90 minutes later???).
The exercise programming is tiered. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned lifter, the focus remains on high-quality movements that stimulate mTOR and protect metabolic health.
The inclusion of worksheets and progress trackers turns the book from a passive read into an active journal and that’s helpful. It forces you to confront your data. It’s you v. you! (I did prefer my spreadsheets but I’m an excel girl 4 life.)
The only reason I’m holding back that fifth star is that the Playbook assumes a fairly high level of commitment. If you haven't read the first book, some of the scientific shorthand might feel a bit dense. And you might spend a decent amount of time googling various things to keep up. But the trickier part was the dietary requirements on top of the lengthy workouts—while backed by incredible science—can be a logistical challenge for those who travel frequently or have very limited meal-prep and workout time. And that’s my life now. Everything’s gotta be quick, quick, quick or I just can’t implement it. And don’t come at me and say, “oh we all have the same 24 hours” because no we don’t, that’s privilege, babe.
As Dr. Lyon says, "We are not over-fat; we are under-muscled." This playbook is the most comprehensive guide I’ve found to fixing that ratio. It’s an important read for anyone serious about aging with strength rather than fading into frailty. I’m terrified of that, to be honest. We all should be.
Huge thank you to Dr. Lyon, NetGalley, and Atria books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review :)
The Forever Strong Playbook is the "how” and a phenomenal follow-up. It’s gotta be done in order though, I think, for it to really feel complete.
I found her initial research on Muscle-Centric Medicine relatively life-changing and naturally, I was pretty heckin’ eager to see if this could bridge the gap between theory and the actual kitchen counter.
It did.
Some background:
I’ve been following Dr. Lyon for years; I was a part of her Forever Strong group (RIP to that super helpful app!) and when I was exiting the bodybuilding world and more into lifting for longevity, i followed some of her protocols with success. I get her weekly 30g recipe emails and read every newsletter that comes in.
It’s easy to get lost in “i gotta get this content out because my manager said we have a schedule I’m gonna regurgitate the same message but through ChatGPT 83793 weeks in a row and hope my audience doesn’t notice” or fall into the bro-science that so many of those podcasters have landed themselves in.
Gabrielle Lyon has yet to fall into those camps for me. Grateful for that. I’ve always found her messaging to be digestible, even for a novice.
Anyway.
While the first book established that muscle is the "organ of longevity," the Playbook breaks down HOW to implement it into your life. I was a bit worried that I’d end up skipping through half of the book due to repetition but nope, there was none of that. Just a highly actionable 12-week plan.
LOVED THAT.
The "Protocol Recipes" are surprisingly flavorful. They prioritize the 30-50g protein threshold per meal without feeling like you're just eating plain chicken breasts. Been there, done that, I don’t miss my hard core bodybuilding days. These have flavor and the time to complete the recipes are pretty spot on (pls tell me why the recipe bloggers always say 30 minutes and I’m still cooking 90 minutes later???).
The exercise programming is tiered. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned lifter, the focus remains on high-quality movements that stimulate mTOR and protect metabolic health.
The inclusion of worksheets and progress trackers turns the book from a passive read into an active journal and that’s helpful. It forces you to confront your data. It’s you v. you! (I did prefer my spreadsheets but I’m an excel girl 4 life.)
The only reason I’m holding back that fifth star is that the Playbook assumes a fairly high level of commitment. If you haven't read the first book, some of the scientific shorthand might feel a bit dense. And you might spend a decent amount of time googling various things to keep up. But the trickier part was the dietary requirements on top of the lengthy workouts—while backed by incredible science—can be a logistical challenge for those who travel frequently or have very limited meal-prep and workout time. And that’s my life now. Everything’s gotta be quick, quick, quick or I just can’t implement it. And don’t come at me and say, “oh we all have the same 24 hours” because no we don’t, that’s privilege, babe.
As Dr. Lyon says, "We are not over-fat; we are under-muscled." This playbook is the most comprehensive guide I’ve found to fixing that ratio. It’s an important read for anyone serious about aging with strength rather than fading into frailty. I’m terrified of that, to be honest. We all should be.
Huge thank you to Dr. Lyon, NetGalley, and Atria books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review :)
February 9, 2026
I requested a digital ARC of "The Forever Strong™ Playbook" because the program sounded promising and Gabrielle Lyon appeared to have real, relevant credentials. Overall, this is a solid, well-researched resource that I plan to purchase in print and refer back to.
The Playbook lays out a six-week, science-based approach to strength, movement, and overall health. Much of the exercise guidance felt familiar to me as someone who has worked with weights for decades, which I actually see as a positive. The recommendations align with current thinking about strength, muscle, and long-term health rather than trends or gimmicks. I also appreciated the section on recovery, which felt thoughtful and practical rather than an afterthought.
Although the subtitle promises benefits for “any age,” some of the exercises would be difficult, painful, or simply unhelpful for people with joint issues or other limitations. I now need to stick with low-impact movement and have to modify HIIT-style workouts to avoid jumping, so not everything here is plug-and-play. That said, the framework is adaptable if you already know how to modify exercises safely.
One small but telling detail was the illustrated exercises featuring women with tattoos, which gives a subtle sense of the audience the book seems to imagine. On the practical side, I liked the ideas for people with desk jobs. Keeping a resistance band at work is simple but not something I had considered. I was also reminded how important midday sunlight is, which is easy to overlook when focusing only on workouts and nutrition.
One of the strengths of this Playbook is that it goes beyond exercise alone. The sections organized around How to Think, How to Eat, How to Move, and How to Recover work together to form a genuinely comprehensive plan. I especially appreciated the inclusion of How to Think. Too many fitness programs skip over mindset or treat it as fluff, but here it is clearly positioned as foundational. The emphasis on consistency, self-awareness, and long-term behavior change reinforces the idea that physical strength is closely tied to how we approach decisions, habits, and daily structure. The How to Eat section is similarly grounded, focusing on protein intake, metabolic health, and fueling the body in a way that supports strength and recovery rather than dieting trends. Taken together, these sections reflect a whole-person approach that aligns with current science around movement, nutrition, and longevity, and they make the program feel intentional rather than piecemeal.
This is not a beginner-friendly book in the sense of hand-holding. Someone completely new to exercise might find it overwhelming. For readers who are familiar with working out, or who are returning after time away and want a credible, up-to-date plan grounded in modern science, this is a very useful resource. The content feels substantial enough that a print copy would be easier to use than the digital format I read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital ARC.
The Playbook lays out a six-week, science-based approach to strength, movement, and overall health. Much of the exercise guidance felt familiar to me as someone who has worked with weights for decades, which I actually see as a positive. The recommendations align with current thinking about strength, muscle, and long-term health rather than trends or gimmicks. I also appreciated the section on recovery, which felt thoughtful and practical rather than an afterthought.
Although the subtitle promises benefits for “any age,” some of the exercises would be difficult, painful, or simply unhelpful for people with joint issues or other limitations. I now need to stick with low-impact movement and have to modify HIIT-style workouts to avoid jumping, so not everything here is plug-and-play. That said, the framework is adaptable if you already know how to modify exercises safely.
One small but telling detail was the illustrated exercises featuring women with tattoos, which gives a subtle sense of the audience the book seems to imagine. On the practical side, I liked the ideas for people with desk jobs. Keeping a resistance band at work is simple but not something I had considered. I was also reminded how important midday sunlight is, which is easy to overlook when focusing only on workouts and nutrition.
One of the strengths of this Playbook is that it goes beyond exercise alone. The sections organized around How to Think, How to Eat, How to Move, and How to Recover work together to form a genuinely comprehensive plan. I especially appreciated the inclusion of How to Think. Too many fitness programs skip over mindset or treat it as fluff, but here it is clearly positioned as foundational. The emphasis on consistency, self-awareness, and long-term behavior change reinforces the idea that physical strength is closely tied to how we approach decisions, habits, and daily structure. The How to Eat section is similarly grounded, focusing on protein intake, metabolic health, and fueling the body in a way that supports strength and recovery rather than dieting trends. Taken together, these sections reflect a whole-person approach that aligns with current science around movement, nutrition, and longevity, and they make the program feel intentional rather than piecemeal.
This is not a beginner-friendly book in the sense of hand-holding. Someone completely new to exercise might find it overwhelming. For readers who are familiar with working out, or who are returning after time away and want a credible, up-to-date plan grounded in modern science, this is a very useful resource. The content feels substantial enough that a print copy would be easier to use than the digital format I read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital ARC.
February 1, 2026
This book was crammed full of information - - sometimes to the point that I found it a bit overwhelming. However, going into it, I didn't realize that there was a book prior to this one simply known as Forever Strong and this was a companion to that book. For that reason, I believe some of the items contained in this book didn't always click with me. In some ways, I felt like I was looking at a layout for Marine bootcamp. When the author discussed cold water immersion and training immediately after waking at 4:30am or setting 30 days of walking a minimum of 30,000 steps each day.
There were some good suggestions and recipes. And I liked that this was like a workbook where the reader could fill in the answers for certain exercises. Because of this workbook aspect, I believe a physical copy of this book would be most helpful as opposed to a kindle version. That way the reader can be more involved with the questions the book asks.
Overall, even though this book didn't personally click with me, I can still see value in it and feel like it would be well-suited to many individuals.
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy.
There were some good suggestions and recipes. And I liked that this was like a workbook where the reader could fill in the answers for certain exercises. Because of this workbook aspect, I believe a physical copy of this book would be most helpful as opposed to a kindle version. That way the reader can be more involved with the questions the book asks.
Overall, even though this book didn't personally click with me, I can still see value in it and feel like it would be well-suited to many individuals.
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I like when health advice examines the experience through both the physical and psychological impacts. This book spends a lot of time having the reader understand their goals and the mind piece of healthy living before it goes into the food, the physical, and the six-week plan. Reading it via Kindle hindered my ability to utilize all the tools within. I would recommend a physical copy as there are several recipes, illustrations of workout moves, and boxes to write in your own information. Perfect for doubling down on those New Year's Resolutions!
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and author Dr. Gabrielle Lyon for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. "The Forever Strong Playbook" is expected to be published January 27, 2026!
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and author Dr. Gabrielle Lyon for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. "The Forever Strong Playbook" is expected to be published January 27, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK is a companion to the original bestseller, Forever Strong. After reading this book without reading the first one, I can honestly say, don’t do it in that order. While I could see the plan structure, I really didn’t understand the reasoning behind it. The book seemed to jump around a lot, skipping parts that I assumed were described in detail in the first book. Overall, I would only recommend this book to readers and fans of the original Forever Strong. 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced review copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Forever Strong Playbook is written by a practicing physician who specializes in helping high performers proactively optimize their health by improving skeletal muscle. This book gives the average person access to her knowledge in a useable way. The first section in this book, "How to Think". may be the most important. As a nutritionist I found that the majority of my clients did not follow through consistently on my diet, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations. Unless a person develops and sustains new and healthy habits, then having head-knowledge is useless. This section gives a number of great ideas for habit change. The other three sections are details on nutrition, exercise and lifestyle.
The nutrition section is spot-on in my opinion as a nutritionist because it highlights the importance of high protein for building and maintaining muscles, especially as we age. A number of easy recipes are included.
The exercise section includes a detailed six week plan. There are detailed videos on Dr. Lyon's website to explain each exercise. This will be a great help to those who don't have a lot of expertise. The recovery section details recovery methods of heat, cold, light and sleep that are actively chosen. I very much recommend this book for anyone who is interested in living a long and healthy life. It would also be great for any nutritionist or trainer to use with their clients.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
The nutrition section is spot-on in my opinion as a nutritionist because it highlights the importance of high protein for building and maintaining muscles, especially as we age. A number of easy recipes are included.
The exercise section includes a detailed six week plan. There are detailed videos on Dr. Lyon's website to explain each exercise. This will be a great help to those who don't have a lot of expertise. The recovery section details recovery methods of heat, cold, light and sleep that are actively chosen. I very much recommend this book for anyone who is interested in living a long and healthy life. It would also be great for any nutritionist or trainer to use with their clients.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a great amount of information Dr. Lyon presents in The Forever Strong Playbook. The content presented ranges from workout recommendations to dietary suggestions. Interweaved throughout is the science that supports the content. If you are interested in making changes, dive into this plan.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
November 28, 2025
I loved the questionnaires through out and the detailed explanations. I'm entering my 40's and needed something that could help me become a healthier version of myself for my kids. Thank you for choosing me as an ARC reader.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Very nice book. Lots of great recipes. The exercises had nice diagrams to help understand them. Lots of very good info about how to eat and most importantly how to get in more protein.
October 8, 2025
The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK: A Six-Week, Science-Based Plan to Sharpen Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Get Healthy at Any Age by Gabrielle Lyon is an excellent guide for anyone—regardless of age or fitness level—looking to build a healthier, stronger lifestyle.
The book takes a holistic approach to wellness, addressing not just the physical aspects of health, but also mindset and emotional well-being. I especially appreciated the guided questions at the beginning, which help readers assess where they are and visualize what their best, healthiest self looks like. Dr. Lyon breaks down how to use essential nutrients to maximize results, and clearly explains the benefits of movement and exercise.
I also loved the sections that explore additional wellness tools such as cold plunges, infrared saunas, and red light therapy—offering practical advice on how to incorporate them into daily life. This six-week program serves as the perfect jumpstart toward a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle.
As someone entering my 50s, I found this book to be exactly what I needed to stay healthy, strong, and proactive in preventing future ailments.
Thank you to Gabrielle Lyon, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.
The book takes a holistic approach to wellness, addressing not just the physical aspects of health, but also mindset and emotional well-being. I especially appreciated the guided questions at the beginning, which help readers assess where they are and visualize what their best, healthiest self looks like. Dr. Lyon breaks down how to use essential nutrients to maximize results, and clearly explains the benefits of movement and exercise.
I also loved the sections that explore additional wellness tools such as cold plunges, infrared saunas, and red light therapy—offering practical advice on how to incorporate them into daily life. This six-week program serves as the perfect jumpstart toward a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle.
As someone entering my 50s, I found this book to be exactly what I needed to stay healthy, strong, and proactive in preventing future ailments.
Thank you to Gabrielle Lyon, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews