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Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body
If you want to be toned, lean, and strong as quickly as possible without crash dieting, "good genetics," or wasting ridiculous amounts of time in the gym and money on supplements...regardless of your age... then you want to read this book.
In this book you're going to learn something most women will never know: The exact formula of exercise and eating that makes losing 10 - 15 pounds of fat and replacing it with lean, sexy muscle a breeze..."and it only takes 8 - 12 weeks." This book reveals things like...
-The 5 biggest fat loss myths & mistakes that keep women overweight, frustrated, and confused.
-The real science of healthy fat loss that makes losing 1 - 2 lbs of fat per week not only easy, but guaranteed.
-The HORRIBLE lies women are told about how to "tone" and "shape" their bodies, and what you REALLY need to do to have sexy, lean curves.
-How to develop a lightning-fast metabolism that burns up fat quickly and leaves you feeling full of energy all day long.
-The carefully-selected exercises that deliver MAXIMUM results for your efforts. This is how you quickly get a firm, round butt, toned legs, a flat stomach, and sculpted arms.
-A no-BS guide to supplements that will save you hundreds if not THOUSANDS of dollars each year that you would've wasted on products that are nothing more than bunk science and marketing hype.
-How to get lean while still indulging in the "cheat" foods that you love every week like pasta, pizza, and ice cream.
-And a whole lot more!
The bottom line is you CAN achieve that "Hollywood babe" body without having your life revolve around it-no long hours in the gym, no starving yourself, no grueling cardio that turns your stomach.
SPECIAL BONUS FOR READERS!
With this book you'll also get a free 75-page bonus report from the author called "The Year One Challenge." In this bonus report, you'll learn exactly how to exercise, eat, and supplement to make the most of your first year of training.
By applying what you learn in the book and in this report, you can make more progress in one year than most women make in three, four, or even five (seriously!).
Buy this book now and begin your journey to a thinner, leaner, and stronger you!
In this book you're going to learn something most women will never know: The exact formula of exercise and eating that makes losing 10 - 15 pounds of fat and replacing it with lean, sexy muscle a breeze..."and it only takes 8 - 12 weeks." This book reveals things like...
-The 5 biggest fat loss myths & mistakes that keep women overweight, frustrated, and confused.
-The real science of healthy fat loss that makes losing 1 - 2 lbs of fat per week not only easy, but guaranteed.
-The HORRIBLE lies women are told about how to "tone" and "shape" their bodies, and what you REALLY need to do to have sexy, lean curves.
-How to develop a lightning-fast metabolism that burns up fat quickly and leaves you feeling full of energy all day long.
-The carefully-selected exercises that deliver MAXIMUM results for your efforts. This is how you quickly get a firm, round butt, toned legs, a flat stomach, and sculpted arms.
-A no-BS guide to supplements that will save you hundreds if not THOUSANDS of dollars each year that you would've wasted on products that are nothing more than bunk science and marketing hype.
-How to get lean while still indulging in the "cheat" foods that you love every week like pasta, pizza, and ice cream.
-And a whole lot more!
The bottom line is you CAN achieve that "Hollywood babe" body without having your life revolve around it-no long hours in the gym, no starving yourself, no grueling cardio that turns your stomach.
SPECIAL BONUS FOR READERS!
With this book you'll also get a free 75-page bonus report from the author called "The Year One Challenge." In this bonus report, you'll learn exactly how to exercise, eat, and supplement to make the most of your first year of training.
By applying what you learn in the book and in this report, you can make more progress in one year than most women make in three, four, or even five (seriously!).
Buy this book now and begin your journey to a thinner, leaner, and stronger you!
344 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2012
6376 people are currently reading
4912 people want to read
About the author
Michael Matthews
43 books431 followersHi,
I’m Mike and I’ve been training for nearly a decade now.
I believe that every person can achieve the body of his or her dreams, and I work hard to give everyone that chance by providing workable, proven advice grounded in science, not a desire to sell phony magazines, workout products, or supplements.
I’ve helped quite a few people achieve their health and fitness goals, and at their urging, I am sharing what I’ve learned and know works here in this website, and in my books.
So if you’re looking to get in shape and look great, then I think I can help you. I hope you enjoy my website and books, and feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions and I’ll do my best to help.
Sincerely,
Mike
http://www.muscleforlife.com/
I’m Mike and I’ve been training for nearly a decade now.
I believe that every person can achieve the body of his or her dreams, and I work hard to give everyone that chance by providing workable, proven advice grounded in science, not a desire to sell phony magazines, workout products, or supplements.
I’ve helped quite a few people achieve their health and fitness goals, and at their urging, I am sharing what I’ve learned and know works here in this website, and in my books.
So if you’re looking to get in shape and look great, then I think I can help you. I hope you enjoy my website and books, and feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions and I’ll do my best to help.
Sincerely,
Mike
http://www.muscleforlife.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
January 27, 2019
1.5 stars
This book isn’t totally awful. I like the emphasis on heavy compound lifts and there are some very good descriptions of these (ie squat, deadlift, bench press etc). There is also a bit of interesting information about the absorption of different forms of protein and timings in relation to exercise.
However, I found this book to be hugely problematic in many other respects.
Firstly, this book - whilst ostensibly aimed at women - is very clearly a rehash of his popular book for men and he definitely forgets who his audience is a lot of the time. Sometimes, the copying and pasting is very obvious eg in a section showing the anatomy of different body parts, although the picture shows female anatomy the text still says “this is what it looks like on a man” or his section about different protein powders which has a couple of pages about how soya is bad for men’s sperm counts, testosterone levels and so one, with one solitary sentence about some research that applies specifically to women.
By way of motivation, Matthews suggests that you search the internet for “pictures of hot, fit women” so you have an exact visual image of how you want your body to look. This seems like a recipe for self-loathing if every there was one. How many women are going to choose realistic goals here? These pictures are less likely to motivate and more likely to be used as a stick to bash oneself with, in my opinion.
In terms of diet, Matthews implies that his way is not a restrictive diet because, you know, you can eat pizza and still get shredded. Oh, but you just have to count EVERY SINGLE CALORIE and gram of protein, carbohydrate and fat you eat. Disordered, obsessive eating here we come!
I think the thing I disliked most about this book was the disparaging body shaming that the author indulged in, which can be summed up with this charming excerpt regarding “huge CrossFit girls”:
...we see it a lot: everyday women doing weightlifting programs like CrossFit and just looking...big. Too big. Too muscular. . The author considers that the “problem” here is their body composition. They simply have too much fat on their bodies, and if they brought it down to the 17 to 20 percent range, they’d look awesome. Because, obviously, the only reason women would want to get strong and fit is so tossers like Mike Matthews think they look awesome.
As you might have guessed, I would not recommend this book to women who want to get stronger. I suggest instead Lift Like a Girl: Be More, Not Less. by Nia Shanks which will guide you into getting stronger and healthier without the additional self-loathing and obsessive disordered eating recommended by this book. Or look up Girls Gone Strong or Steph Gaudreau (whose podcast, Harder to Kill Radio, I highly recommend).
OK, rant over.
This book isn’t totally awful. I like the emphasis on heavy compound lifts and there are some very good descriptions of these (ie squat, deadlift, bench press etc). There is also a bit of interesting information about the absorption of different forms of protein and timings in relation to exercise.
However, I found this book to be hugely problematic in many other respects.
Firstly, this book - whilst ostensibly aimed at women - is very clearly a rehash of his popular book for men and he definitely forgets who his audience is a lot of the time. Sometimes, the copying and pasting is very obvious eg in a section showing the anatomy of different body parts, although the picture shows female anatomy the text still says “this is what it looks like on a man” or his section about different protein powders which has a couple of pages about how soya is bad for men’s sperm counts, testosterone levels and so one, with one solitary sentence about some research that applies specifically to women.
By way of motivation, Matthews suggests that you search the internet for “pictures of hot, fit women” so you have an exact visual image of how you want your body to look. This seems like a recipe for self-loathing if every there was one. How many women are going to choose realistic goals here? These pictures are less likely to motivate and more likely to be used as a stick to bash oneself with, in my opinion.
In terms of diet, Matthews implies that his way is not a restrictive diet because, you know, you can eat pizza and still get shredded. Oh, but you just have to count EVERY SINGLE CALORIE and gram of protein, carbohydrate and fat you eat. Disordered, obsessive eating here we come!
I think the thing I disliked most about this book was the disparaging body shaming that the author indulged in, which can be summed up with this charming excerpt regarding “huge CrossFit girls”:
...we see it a lot: everyday women doing weightlifting programs like CrossFit and just looking...big. Too big. Too muscular. . The author considers that the “problem” here is their body composition. They simply have too much fat on their bodies, and if they brought it down to the 17 to 20 percent range, they’d look awesome. Because, obviously, the only reason women would want to get strong and fit is so tossers like Mike Matthews think they look awesome.
As you might have guessed, I would not recommend this book to women who want to get stronger. I suggest instead Lift Like a Girl: Be More, Not Less. by Nia Shanks which will guide you into getting stronger and healthier without the additional self-loathing and obsessive disordered eating recommended by this book. Or look up Girls Gone Strong or Steph Gaudreau (whose podcast, Harder to Kill Radio, I highly recommend).
OK, rant over.
August 24, 2013
I've managed to look up a wide variety of sources as part of my commitment to a long term lifestyle change.
Unhappy with my form and results I've been seeing in my apathetic gym routines, I decided to spend some money on "Thinner Leaner Stronger" as the reviews had been so favourable and on reviewing the YouTube channel, decided that Matthews probably does know what he's going on about ;)
I read this before going to a healthy eating seminar at my local gym; they told me nothing that I didn't know here, and indeed didn't go in to the detail that Matthews does. The dietary recommendations, the recommended exercises, and the way to treat your routines, all make complete sense.
I've left it 2 weeks of following Matthews' recommendations before actually writing this review. In that time I've dropped 4% body fat so suffice to say that when you've got a lot to lose it comes off quickly, his recommendations can and do work if you follow his guidance.
Couple this with a bit of elbow grease at the gym and you've got a realistic and sensible building block for a healthier future. It's not a lot of money to invest in your personal health, so go ahead and buy it, ladies!
Unhappy with my form and results I've been seeing in my apathetic gym routines, I decided to spend some money on "Thinner Leaner Stronger" as the reviews had been so favourable and on reviewing the YouTube channel, decided that Matthews probably does know what he's going on about ;)
I read this before going to a healthy eating seminar at my local gym; they told me nothing that I didn't know here, and indeed didn't go in to the detail that Matthews does. The dietary recommendations, the recommended exercises, and the way to treat your routines, all make complete sense.
I've left it 2 weeks of following Matthews' recommendations before actually writing this review. In that time I've dropped 4% body fat so suffice to say that when you've got a lot to lose it comes off quickly, his recommendations can and do work if you follow his guidance.
Couple this with a bit of elbow grease at the gym and you've got a realistic and sensible building block for a healthier future. It's not a lot of money to invest in your personal health, so go ahead and buy it, ladies!
October 31, 2013
I don't normally go for fitness books. It has some interesting ideas. And then he tells you not to drink tap water, which is the most fucking ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my entire life. First world privilege, motherfucker, do you have it? No? I guess you're not going to get anything out of this, then.
September 20, 2020
I am not the intended audience for this book. Nonetheless, I felt motivated when I started reading it. Of course, I’d love to be thinner, leaner, and stronger! Once he started going into detail about the diet, and how one must count every single calorie and gram of fat, protein, and whatever, my eyes started to glaze over. Nope, not happening. I also am not suited for workout books. I prefer DVDs and YouTube videos. Don’t get me wrong. The book had some interesting and helpful info which I’m sharing below. It’s not the book. It’s me.
“If a woman is overweight and starts weightlifting without addressing her diet and reducing her body fat percentage, what’s going to happen when she adds muscle? Yup—she’ll just look a little bigger.”
“The claims that certain forms of strength training will make ‘long, lean’ muscles like a dancer’s while others will result in ‘bulky, ugly’ muscles like a bodybuilder are bogus. Whether you do Pilates, yoga, or weight training to strengthen and build your muscles, their shape will come out the same, with the difference being that weight training will grow your muscles faster than Pilates or yoga.”
“Eat as frequently or infrequently as you like, because when you eat has little bearing on your ability to lose fat. Use meal timing as a tool to make your dieting as enjoyable and convenient as possible. This way, you can stick to your diet, which is what matters in the end. Now, if you’re wondering where to start—with more or fewer meals per day—I recommend that you eat several smaller meals per day (four to six meals per day works well).”
“Increasing or decreasing meal frequency doesn’t help or hinder weight loss or muscle growth. Eat on a schedule that works best for you.”
“… the next time you face a willpower challenge, deliberately slow your breathing down to about 10 to 15 seconds per breath, or four to six breaths per minute. An easy way to do this is to exhale through your mouth slowly and fully with your lips pursed as if you were blowing lightly through a straw.”
“A simple rule of thumb for putting this into use is to wait 10 minutes before acting on a craving or other impulsive urge to do something you know you shouldn’t. This not only gives you time to pause and reflect on the matter, but it also takes away the power of immediate gratification and future discounting. By pushing the reward just 10 minutes into the future, you can take away its most effective weapon against your willpower.”
“If a woman is overweight and starts weightlifting without addressing her diet and reducing her body fat percentage, what’s going to happen when she adds muscle? Yup—she’ll just look a little bigger.”
“The claims that certain forms of strength training will make ‘long, lean’ muscles like a dancer’s while others will result in ‘bulky, ugly’ muscles like a bodybuilder are bogus. Whether you do Pilates, yoga, or weight training to strengthen and build your muscles, their shape will come out the same, with the difference being that weight training will grow your muscles faster than Pilates or yoga.”
“Eat as frequently or infrequently as you like, because when you eat has little bearing on your ability to lose fat. Use meal timing as a tool to make your dieting as enjoyable and convenient as possible. This way, you can stick to your diet, which is what matters in the end. Now, if you’re wondering where to start—with more or fewer meals per day—I recommend that you eat several smaller meals per day (four to six meals per day works well).”
“Increasing or decreasing meal frequency doesn’t help or hinder weight loss or muscle growth. Eat on a schedule that works best for you.”
“… the next time you face a willpower challenge, deliberately slow your breathing down to about 10 to 15 seconds per breath, or four to six breaths per minute. An easy way to do this is to exhale through your mouth slowly and fully with your lips pursed as if you were blowing lightly through a straw.”
“A simple rule of thumb for putting this into use is to wait 10 minutes before acting on a craving or other impulsive urge to do something you know you shouldn’t. This not only gives you time to pause and reflect on the matter, but it also takes away the power of immediate gratification and future discounting. By pushing the reward just 10 minutes into the future, you can take away its most effective weapon against your willpower.”
December 2, 2014
This is the first Fitness book I never got bored of and finished.
It's THAT interesting.
Mike Matthews knows his deal. He's an experienced and science-based trainer who busts myths after myths after myths.
Before reading this book I felt like I was lost and had no idea what I was doing.
This book goes through the do's and don'ts for EVERY beginner, doesn't matter if you're underweight, overweight or in the right spot but not quite "there" yet.
He begins by demystifying some of the health industry biggest lies. He debunks the fad diets and supplements people spend fortunes on that are completely useless.
He then gets on to explain how to eat healthy, but not in such a way that makes you want to binge on crappy food everyday. He makes it sound delicious (he has a book of healthy recipes for lifters, by the way) and healthy at the same time.
He makes counting macros sound like the easiest thing in the world and explains on detail what carbs, fats and proteins are about and how to count them according to your exercise level and body type.
One sentence to finish this review: This book is COMPLETELY AWESOME.
This book gave me the motivation to leave poor excuses behind and grab the barbells in beast mode.
Today I know much more than I did as week ago, thanks to this book. I love it and it will always be used as a reference to me.
Just buy it if you're feeling lost and don't know where to begin. Or if you're an experienced trainee. This man is a legend.
It's THAT interesting.
Mike Matthews knows his deal. He's an experienced and science-based trainer who busts myths after myths after myths.
Before reading this book I felt like I was lost and had no idea what I was doing.
This book goes through the do's and don'ts for EVERY beginner, doesn't matter if you're underweight, overweight or in the right spot but not quite "there" yet.
He begins by demystifying some of the health industry biggest lies. He debunks the fad diets and supplements people spend fortunes on that are completely useless.
He then gets on to explain how to eat healthy, but not in such a way that makes you want to binge on crappy food everyday. He makes it sound delicious (he has a book of healthy recipes for lifters, by the way) and healthy at the same time.
He makes counting macros sound like the easiest thing in the world and explains on detail what carbs, fats and proteins are about and how to count them according to your exercise level and body type.
One sentence to finish this review: This book is COMPLETELY AWESOME.
This book gave me the motivation to leave poor excuses behind and grab the barbells in beast mode.
Today I know much more than I did as week ago, thanks to this book. I love it and it will always be used as a reference to me.
Just buy it if you're feeling lost and don't know where to begin. Or if you're an experienced trainee. This man is a legend.
February 16, 2013
This book weeded through a lot of misleading info for a beginner. Really good information on diet and exercise and how to get results. Thanks so much for writing this book and all the easy to understand information
August 26, 2016
Update 12/3/13
Success! After 9 weeks, I've lost 15 lbs and dropped from 36% fat to 31%, even though I'm reasonably certain that the first measurement is wrong.
This is my 5th attempt at losing weight in the last 4 years. Previous attempts have seen me ready to quit by the 9th week: hours of cardio, all-you-can-eat of leafy veggies, small portions of bland chicken, and the occasional even smaller portion of bland beef. No thanks! Small amounts of cardio are recommended, but the main focus is on weightlifting. And it turns out that many of the exercises can be adapted to do at home as long as you have a barbell and a good selection of dumbbells (heavy hand weights have been adequate for me so far).
I'm now into my tenth week, still motivated, and still looking forward to what I'll look like a year from now. Yes, the weight loss is slower than it has been on other diets, but only because I knew that I'd burn out quickly, so I'd go at it fiercely to ensure I lost the most amount of weight possible before I gave up. But make no mistake: the Thinner Leaner Stronger approach does involve hard work. Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows it's a huge lifestyle change and requires major commitment and dedication. The key is to find a weight loss plan you enjoy. I've found mine.
Thank you, Mr. Matthews!
Original review:
I've struggled with my weight my whole life. I did manage to shed most of the excess about 20 years ago. I was a lean 115 lbs, a size 4, and exactly what Mr. Matthews described as skinny fat. Despite appearing slender while fully clothed, I was far from having the toned, bikini ready figure I'd always dreamed of. And this far from perfect physique was accomplished through rigorous dieting and intensive cardio. But let me tell you, I HATE cardio!!
So some 20 years have gone by, I've had three children and am now middle aged, and I find myself once again overweight. Well, at least I call it overweight, as do my friends and family. My doctor calls it borderline obese (you only need to have 30% body fat to be considered medically obese). So back on the diet, and back to the cardio. And you know what? I really, really HATE cardio! I just couldn't do it this time around. So after three years, and several failed attempts to lose the excess, I stumbled across this book on GoodReads.
Any weight loss plan that claims cardio is the wrong thing to do to lose weight has my attention!
Now, I've done this routine enough to know that losing weight is hard work, so I wasn't looking for some mythical "easy" trick, but if there is a way to do it that doesn't involve cardio, I'm more than willing to give it a shot. Mr. Matthews really seems to know his stuff. He goes into the science behind good nutrition, building muscle and effective fat burning. It's a good primer for those who have never studied basic nutrition. Not all of it was new to me, but there was enough new information that I had to re-read portions of the book, and even make some notes to myself.
What I was really hoping for was a system for weight loss that I could do easily at home without having to buy expensive supplements. Sadly, this did not turn out to be the case. The exercises do require specialized machines, and although they can be purchased, I am in no position to afford them, and even if I could, my little apartment is ill fitted to house a miniature gym. And as for supplements, while he does state that they really are not needed, he also stresses that not using supplements will make the process slower.
So now, I'm reading the book over again, making detailed notes and lists of what foods I can eat and what supplements I need to buy. Once I have everything I need and, I'll be ready to start. If I can get going before the end of September, I'll try to remember to check back in before Thanksgiving to give an update of how my first 8 weeks went. I'm actually looking forward to it. The little bit of weight training I've done has been enjoyable.
Success! After 9 weeks, I've lost 15 lbs and dropped from 36% fat to 31%, even though I'm reasonably certain that the first measurement is wrong.
This is my 5th attempt at losing weight in the last 4 years. Previous attempts have seen me ready to quit by the 9th week: hours of cardio, all-you-can-eat of leafy veggies, small portions of bland chicken, and the occasional even smaller portion of bland beef. No thanks! Small amounts of cardio are recommended, but the main focus is on weightlifting. And it turns out that many of the exercises can be adapted to do at home as long as you have a barbell and a good selection of dumbbells (heavy hand weights have been adequate for me so far).
I'm now into my tenth week, still motivated, and still looking forward to what I'll look like a year from now. Yes, the weight loss is slower than it has been on other diets, but only because I knew that I'd burn out quickly, so I'd go at it fiercely to ensure I lost the most amount of weight possible before I gave up. But make no mistake: the Thinner Leaner Stronger approach does involve hard work. Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows it's a huge lifestyle change and requires major commitment and dedication. The key is to find a weight loss plan you enjoy. I've found mine.
Thank you, Mr. Matthews!
Original review:
I've struggled with my weight my whole life. I did manage to shed most of the excess about 20 years ago. I was a lean 115 lbs, a size 4, and exactly what Mr. Matthews described as skinny fat. Despite appearing slender while fully clothed, I was far from having the toned, bikini ready figure I'd always dreamed of. And this far from perfect physique was accomplished through rigorous dieting and intensive cardio. But let me tell you, I HATE cardio!!
So some 20 years have gone by, I've had three children and am now middle aged, and I find myself once again overweight. Well, at least I call it overweight, as do my friends and family. My doctor calls it borderline obese (you only need to have 30% body fat to be considered medically obese). So back on the diet, and back to the cardio. And you know what? I really, really HATE cardio! I just couldn't do it this time around. So after three years, and several failed attempts to lose the excess, I stumbled across this book on GoodReads.
Any weight loss plan that claims cardio is the wrong thing to do to lose weight has my attention!
Now, I've done this routine enough to know that losing weight is hard work, so I wasn't looking for some mythical "easy" trick, but if there is a way to do it that doesn't involve cardio, I'm more than willing to give it a shot. Mr. Matthews really seems to know his stuff. He goes into the science behind good nutrition, building muscle and effective fat burning. It's a good primer for those who have never studied basic nutrition. Not all of it was new to me, but there was enough new information that I had to re-read portions of the book, and even make some notes to myself.
What I was really hoping for was a system for weight loss that I could do easily at home without having to buy expensive supplements. Sadly, this did not turn out to be the case. The exercises do require specialized machines, and although they can be purchased, I am in no position to afford them, and even if I could, my little apartment is ill fitted to house a miniature gym. And as for supplements, while he does state that they really are not needed, he also stresses that not using supplements will make the process slower.
So now, I'm reading the book over again, making detailed notes and lists of what foods I can eat and what supplements I need to buy. Once I have everything I need and, I'll be ready to start. If I can get going before the end of September, I'll try to remember to check back in before Thanksgiving to give an update of how my first 8 weeks went. I'm actually looking forward to it. The little bit of weight training I've done has been enjoyable.
August 15, 2023
Предобра и многу корисна книга. Многу работи научив и воодушевена сум. 💜
December 17, 2019
A listener of my podcast mentioned this book to me saying, "he says the same things you do!" so I checked it out because WOOT spread that truth!
Summary: His position is all calories count, you can eat "dirty" ones or "clean" ones all that matters is that you have a calorie deficit each day to lose weight. He also says most women he works with won't be happy with their body, even at a very low body fat percentage, if they are not also fairly muscular. Specifically, he says his ladies are happy when they gain 10-15 pounds of muscle and reduce body fat to 20%. To achieve this, he suggests squats and other traditional weight lifting exercises (he includes the exercises--very heavy, lower rep lifting aka what we learned from "strong lifts" blogger in 2008). I'd say his diet is high-protein, high-carbohydrate, moderately low fat. (Basically he says if you eat fat, you can't eat many carbs--I agree, it's one or the other with the way fat storage works with oxidative priority)
What I like about this book: Matthews debunks so many myths (e.g., starvation mode). His 'tone' is casual and captivating but he speaks with authority.
The one non-sensical thing that irked me: he tells women they need 0.6-0.8g protein per pound of body weight. I think he must mean per kilo (~about 0.36g protein per pound). 70-100g of protein (this is for a 120lb woman) is A LOT. Considering hemp protein is 14g for 120 calories (1/4 cup), by the time a 120-lb woman ate her protein minimum, she would have hit HALF of her calories for the day...
Summary: His position is all calories count, you can eat "dirty" ones or "clean" ones all that matters is that you have a calorie deficit each day to lose weight. He also says most women he works with won't be happy with their body, even at a very low body fat percentage, if they are not also fairly muscular. Specifically, he says his ladies are happy when they gain 10-15 pounds of muscle and reduce body fat to 20%. To achieve this, he suggests squats and other traditional weight lifting exercises (he includes the exercises--very heavy, lower rep lifting aka what we learned from "strong lifts" blogger in 2008). I'd say his diet is high-protein, high-carbohydrate, moderately low fat. (Basically he says if you eat fat, you can't eat many carbs--I agree, it's one or the other with the way fat storage works with oxidative priority)
What I like about this book: Matthews debunks so many myths (e.g., starvation mode). His 'tone' is casual and captivating but he speaks with authority.
The one non-sensical thing that irked me: he tells women they need 0.6-0.8g protein per pound of body weight. I think he must mean per kilo (~about 0.36g protein per pound). 70-100g of protein (this is for a 120lb woman) is A LOT. Considering hemp protein is 14g for 120 calories (1/4 cup), by the time a 120-lb woman ate her protein minimum, she would have hit HALF of her calories for the day...
July 13, 2017
Again, half stars would be great. It's not 4 but not 3. I think 3.5-3.75 is fair.
I'll start by saying that I read this book as I have interest in nutrition and athletic performance. I wanted a new strength training program and his programs have been very successful.
I personally hated the very colloquial, bro-ish writing style. It's very easy to read but it feels a tiny bit condescending and very infomercial like. But that's just a personal preference. Some folks may really like it.
Having a very heavy science and medical background some of his science and interpretations were a bit too watered-down and in a few cases incorrectly interpreted which was not very satisfying. For example, the twinkie study itself is well known to be very flawed and have conflicts of interest. I also have issues with recommending electrolyte replacements as this can be extremely dangerous as well as unregulated supplements as they often interact with medications. I also think weight management, calories, macros, hormones, strength training is still developing so it's hard to have a full picture since we are still learning the complexity of the body in these regards. However, by and large the foundation of his book is strong and can be beneficial to people wanting to understand more about strength training, the science behind it, nutrition, etc even if there are a few holes. There is most certainly a lot of good information that is easy to digest and understand.
I think most importantly, he does a great job of explaining *why* his program is effective and *how* to do it. He does a great job of cutting through the bullshit and teasing out the important factors and where you can customize based on what works for you.
I can't currently say I've been successful with his program but we'll see :) but the book has a lot of good info in it despite its issues.
I'll start by saying that I read this book as I have interest in nutrition and athletic performance. I wanted a new strength training program and his programs have been very successful.
I personally hated the very colloquial, bro-ish writing style. It's very easy to read but it feels a tiny bit condescending and very infomercial like. But that's just a personal preference. Some folks may really like it.
Having a very heavy science and medical background some of his science and interpretations were a bit too watered-down and in a few cases incorrectly interpreted which was not very satisfying. For example, the twinkie study itself is well known to be very flawed and have conflicts of interest. I also have issues with recommending electrolyte replacements as this can be extremely dangerous as well as unregulated supplements as they often interact with medications. I also think weight management, calories, macros, hormones, strength training is still developing so it's hard to have a full picture since we are still learning the complexity of the body in these regards. However, by and large the foundation of his book is strong and can be beneficial to people wanting to understand more about strength training, the science behind it, nutrition, etc even if there are a few holes. There is most certainly a lot of good information that is easy to digest and understand.
I think most importantly, he does a great job of explaining *why* his program is effective and *how* to do it. He does a great job of cutting through the bullshit and teasing out the important factors and where you can customize based on what works for you.
I can't currently say I've been successful with his program but we'll see :) but the book has a lot of good info in it despite its issues.
December 21, 2012
***Received this book for free from Goodreads first reads giveaway.
This book is simple and to the point. I think a novice or beginner to exercise would benefit from this book. The reading is easy and nothing discussed is too complicated that it cannot be understood. I did not come away with too much new informations but I did get motivated to keep a workout journal. I had never thought of that before and do see the benefit in keeping one. I found that this book reinforced what I already knew or had been told before. I also liked the tips on how to do certain exercises the proper way. The book also discussed how some people can work out hard but never see any results. Gave tips on how to avoid this and how to get results from your workout.
This book is simple and to the point. I think a novice or beginner to exercise would benefit from this book. The reading is easy and nothing discussed is too complicated that it cannot be understood. I did not come away with too much new informations but I did get motivated to keep a workout journal. I had never thought of that before and do see the benefit in keeping one. I found that this book reinforced what I already knew or had been told before. I also liked the tips on how to do certain exercises the proper way. The book also discussed how some people can work out hard but never see any results. Gave tips on how to avoid this and how to get results from your workout.
March 14, 2017
His comments on dealing with negative self talk was helpful. His interpretation of nutritional studies are suspect. His knowledge of weight lifting and body building appears extensive. The section on supplements has the main purpose of promoting his own products.
This is more of a body building book than a book on learning to be healthier.
This is more of a body building book than a book on learning to be healthier.
April 6, 2014
I've been picking up the author's free Kindle downloads for the last two or three months and I decided it would be worth the investment to buy a real book of his. And it was! There may have been a few paragraphs I had already read from his free downloads, but the majority of it was informative, and today I started implementing some changes to my diet and training program based on some of his recommendations. But weight lifting 5 days a week and cardio 3 days a week but separately? Geez. Twelve sets per exercise? And I thought I already worked out a lot...still, I want to give it a go if the results really are as great as promised.
Also, his website has a lot of good articles and I enjoy his supplement recommendations. Lord knows I'm always looking for new, better, more natural supplements.
Also, his website has a lot of good articles and I enjoy his supplement recommendations. Lord knows I'm always looking for new, better, more natural supplements.
January 8, 2017
I've been lifting for almost 3 years now. The first few chapters were things I already knew. By chapter 9, I picked up things I never knew. I know that the power of lifting heavy and challenging yourself works for weight loss. Pre-pregnancy, I was in a fairly good shape in a small amount of time. The routine that was recommended is somewhat close to my original workout. I'll try this new approach to sets and reps.
If you are a woman who is unsure about lifting or want to get into it, this read is for you. The chapter summaries are great highlights if you want the cliff notes or even great references/reminders. It goes over workouts, eating, supplements, and recovery.
#workingonmyselfie
If you are a woman who is unsure about lifting or want to get into it, this read is for you. The chapter summaries are great highlights if you want the cliff notes or even great references/reminders. It goes over workouts, eating, supplements, and recovery.
#workingonmyselfie
June 28, 2013
I've lost 25 pounds of fat on this plan. Only one that's ever truly worked for me. If you are motivated and really do want to change your body this is a great book to start you on a plan. Michael Matthews will even answer all your questions via email and has options for custom meal plans.
November 21, 2016
three stars, rising four.
this book is a diamond in the rough.
THE VERACITY OF HIS CLAIMS
michael matthews does everything he can to present all of his hard-won knowledge of strength training in as straight-forward and transparent a manner as possible. he doesn't expect the reader to just trust him -- or his eighteen pack -- but takes great pains to illuminate the logical, experience-based, and/or data-driven routes to his conclusions, assertions, and opinions. his work is incredibly liberally sourced with cited studies. in this, matthews expects the reader to fully intellectually engage in the process of sorting through the junk science, the profiteers' claims, and the legitimate data themselves and stop blindly trusting the health claims out there.
THE RESULTS
while i have read the book and am more than intrigued, i have not yet implemented his strength-training program and so cannot speak to its efficacy personally. however, several family members have followed his program over the past year or so and have to a one been very pleased with the results. a female family member has been impressed with her strength gains particularly, and a male family member has had success adding lean mass while reducing fat. also, on a number of occasions family members have served me food prepared from matthews's Shredded Chef cookbook, and i've found the meals as tasty as any other recipes created for fitness enthusiasts looking to complement their exercise work with macro-specific eating plans (as a side note, this cookbook has been a fantastic resource for my brother, who has only very recently learned how to cook; he's found the recipes doable and tasty and nutritionally superb).
THE PLAN
i confess that, though i have logged a LOT of hours in a number of gyms over the past few years, the idea of structuring a strength-training plan from a book and figuring out form and practice in the gym by myself sounds really, really daunting. but i also know that it's the first few workout sessions that would offer the biggest challenge -- "wait. where is the weight clamp?" "which was the Romanian dead lift again?" "so . . . arms out or arms in?" "eff. i have NOIDEA what i'm doing." -- before the tharn-striking novelty would recede into comfortable familiarity (well, as "comfortable" as aggressive weight lifting would ever be!). so, i'm nervous thinking about implementing his program, but i definitely think it's doable. it'll just require some rereading (and drawn out and re–drawn out workout plans WITH DIAGRAMS!) before i'd feel comfortable venturing into the weight room with it.
strict adherence to matthews's plan calls for at least an hour spent three to five or even six (i believe) days a week in the gym. this variance offers a flexible enough level of commitment to be plausible for even some of the most insaneoid schedules.
matthews painstakingly explains the thinking behind his plan and walks the reader through all of the lifts, giving much attention to form and injury prevention. he then offers several base plans from which readers can formulate their own routines, depending on what area of the body they most wish to work on and what amount of time they wish to give the program. he additionally is quite specific about set/rep progression, speed of lifts, routine planning and reconfiguration, and supporting nutrition. i think he's offered MORE than enough material to empower the reader to start on or augment their strength-training program.
CAVEAT LECTOR: SPECIFIC FITNESS AIMS
matthews's program is explicitly formulated to help the user drop fatty mass and gain lean mass. while he is definitely a proponent of good cardiovascular health, his program is pretty explicitly at odds with endurance cardio training. in other words, if your fitness aims are presently fixed on endurance sports, my bet is that using matthews's strength-training program will definitely help you with body composition and strength gains, but you won't be seeing the same bulking as you would were you to do the lower levels of cardio he suggests to complement his program. so know what your fitness aims are going in and revise your expectations accordingly.
BONUS
matthews examines a number of nutritional supplements -- the claims, the nutritonal science, and the ingredient makeup-- offering his (data- and experience-driven) opinions on which are helpful, which are fraudulent, and which, if you only have a bit of money, are most worth the expenditure. he additionally suggests the equipment most necessary to creating a home gym -- from the most bare-bones budget gym to a more varsity setup for bigger budgets. additionally, he suggests alternate total-body workout plans for travel -- both hacking your hotel gym's paltry setup and using body weight to keep your strength gains up 'til you get get back home and to your own gym.
BOOK MECHANICS
it's pretty clear this is a self-published book. while the physical book binding is good, falling and staying open easily (important for in-gym, mid-routine reference), the text blocks are difficult to read -- the margins are too narrow and the kerning too cramped. also, a number of typos and convoluted passages force the reader to really fight for comprehension. and while the end of every chapter includes a bulleted reiteration of the material's most important conclusions, too often they're an almost-verbatim repetition of the chapter text, which becomes overwhelming instead of a helpful quick reference. also, this version of the book is specifically targeting women, edited from matthews's earlier-published Bigger, Leaner, Stronger, which generically assumed the reader was male (as does most of strength-training literature #boo). in a number of passages matthews's translation from male to female audience was clumsy or he forgot to edit entirely. this was jarring (from a comprehensive standpoint AND a feminist angle). again, a good editor could provide a strong assist, taking this valuable resource from "really good self-published book" to indespensible professional literature.
CONCLUSION
my rating remains middling because the getting there ain't always pretty (forcing the reader to fight against the occasionally muddled writing, typos, amateur typesetting). but i consider this a "rising four stars" review because matthews's methodology, conclusions, and how-to offer an exciting new resource to the fitness enthusiast intent on building lean mass. i will certainly be retaining this book for my own permanent library and figuring out how to incorporate matthews's findings into my own fitness regimen.
this book is a diamond in the rough.
THE VERACITY OF HIS CLAIMS
michael matthews does everything he can to present all of his hard-won knowledge of strength training in as straight-forward and transparent a manner as possible. he doesn't expect the reader to just trust him -- or his eighteen pack -- but takes great pains to illuminate the logical, experience-based, and/or data-driven routes to his conclusions, assertions, and opinions. his work is incredibly liberally sourced with cited studies. in this, matthews expects the reader to fully intellectually engage in the process of sorting through the junk science, the profiteers' claims, and the legitimate data themselves and stop blindly trusting the health claims out there.
THE RESULTS
while i have read the book and am more than intrigued, i have not yet implemented his strength-training program and so cannot speak to its efficacy personally. however, several family members have followed his program over the past year or so and have to a one been very pleased with the results. a female family member has been impressed with her strength gains particularly, and a male family member has had success adding lean mass while reducing fat. also, on a number of occasions family members have served me food prepared from matthews's Shredded Chef cookbook, and i've found the meals as tasty as any other recipes created for fitness enthusiasts looking to complement their exercise work with macro-specific eating plans (as a side note, this cookbook has been a fantastic resource for my brother, who has only very recently learned how to cook; he's found the recipes doable and tasty and nutritionally superb).
THE PLAN
i confess that, though i have logged a LOT of hours in a number of gyms over the past few years, the idea of structuring a strength-training plan from a book and figuring out form and practice in the gym by myself sounds really, really daunting. but i also know that it's the first few workout sessions that would offer the biggest challenge -- "wait. where is the weight clamp?" "which was the Romanian dead lift again?" "so . . . arms out or arms in?" "eff. i have NOIDEA what i'm doing." -- before the tharn-striking novelty would recede into comfortable familiarity (well, as "comfortable" as aggressive weight lifting would ever be!). so, i'm nervous thinking about implementing his program, but i definitely think it's doable. it'll just require some rereading (and drawn out and re–drawn out workout plans WITH DIAGRAMS!) before i'd feel comfortable venturing into the weight room with it.
strict adherence to matthews's plan calls for at least an hour spent three to five or even six (i believe) days a week in the gym. this variance offers a flexible enough level of commitment to be plausible for even some of the most insaneoid schedules.
matthews painstakingly explains the thinking behind his plan and walks the reader through all of the lifts, giving much attention to form and injury prevention. he then offers several base plans from which readers can formulate their own routines, depending on what area of the body they most wish to work on and what amount of time they wish to give the program. he additionally is quite specific about set/rep progression, speed of lifts, routine planning and reconfiguration, and supporting nutrition. i think he's offered MORE than enough material to empower the reader to start on or augment their strength-training program.
CAVEAT LECTOR: SPECIFIC FITNESS AIMS
matthews's program is explicitly formulated to help the user drop fatty mass and gain lean mass. while he is definitely a proponent of good cardiovascular health, his program is pretty explicitly at odds with endurance cardio training. in other words, if your fitness aims are presently fixed on endurance sports, my bet is that using matthews's strength-training program will definitely help you with body composition and strength gains, but you won't be seeing the same bulking as you would were you to do the lower levels of cardio he suggests to complement his program. so know what your fitness aims are going in and revise your expectations accordingly.
BONUS
matthews examines a number of nutritional supplements -- the claims, the nutritonal science, and the ingredient makeup-- offering his (data- and experience-driven) opinions on which are helpful, which are fraudulent, and which, if you only have a bit of money, are most worth the expenditure. he additionally suggests the equipment most necessary to creating a home gym -- from the most bare-bones budget gym to a more varsity setup for bigger budgets. additionally, he suggests alternate total-body workout plans for travel -- both hacking your hotel gym's paltry setup and using body weight to keep your strength gains up 'til you get get back home and to your own gym.
BOOK MECHANICS
it's pretty clear this is a self-published book. while the physical book binding is good, falling and staying open easily (important for in-gym, mid-routine reference), the text blocks are difficult to read -- the margins are too narrow and the kerning too cramped. also, a number of typos and convoluted passages force the reader to really fight for comprehension. and while the end of every chapter includes a bulleted reiteration of the material's most important conclusions, too often they're an almost-verbatim repetition of the chapter text, which becomes overwhelming instead of a helpful quick reference. also, this version of the book is specifically targeting women, edited from matthews's earlier-published Bigger, Leaner, Stronger, which generically assumed the reader was male (as does most of strength-training literature #boo). in a number of passages matthews's translation from male to female audience was clumsy or he forgot to edit entirely. this was jarring (from a comprehensive standpoint AND a feminist angle). again, a good editor could provide a strong assist, taking this valuable resource from "really good self-published book" to indespensible professional literature.
CONCLUSION
my rating remains middling because the getting there ain't always pretty (forcing the reader to fight against the occasionally muddled writing, typos, amateur typesetting). but i consider this a "rising four stars" review because matthews's methodology, conclusions, and how-to offer an exciting new resource to the fitness enthusiast intent on building lean mass. i will certainly be retaining this book for my own permanent library and figuring out how to incorporate matthews's findings into my own fitness regimen.
July 16, 2025
Covers many aspects of health and fitness (nutrition, supplements, workouts), however, lacks real connection to women.
March 29, 2018
"Thinner, Leaner, Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body" by Michael Matthews was an excellent read. Matthews does a great job explaining complete scientific information in every day terms.
One of my biggest pet peeves is how much conflicting information is out on the web in regards to health and fitness. Matthews covers everything in his book (logically and with scientific backing).
I found his sections on nutrition to be extremely helpful and enlightening. His sample meal ideas and how to break down food have sparked many ideas within myself. I also learned correct balancing of MACRO nutrients.
Another section I really enjoyed is his break down of 5-day, 4-day, and 3-day workouts. He does all of the background heavy lifting so we can be out in the gym doing our own heavy lifting. I have always lacked structure in the gym of what I should be working on, and this removed the shroud of mystery.
I think my favorite part of his book was toward the end, a chapter on supplements. He goes through and talks about all of the potential supplements, which ones are worth getting and which ones are a waste of time. I was able to extend my knowledge on the quality of products and what I should be looking for.
I feel this is a great jumping off point for any woman who is looking to hit the gym but doesn't really know where to start. Well, my friends look no further!
Happy Reading!
One of my biggest pet peeves is how much conflicting information is out on the web in regards to health and fitness. Matthews covers everything in his book (logically and with scientific backing).
I found his sections on nutrition to be extremely helpful and enlightening. His sample meal ideas and how to break down food have sparked many ideas within myself. I also learned correct balancing of MACRO nutrients.
Another section I really enjoyed is his break down of 5-day, 4-day, and 3-day workouts. He does all of the background heavy lifting so we can be out in the gym doing our own heavy lifting. I have always lacked structure in the gym of what I should be working on, and this removed the shroud of mystery.
I think my favorite part of his book was toward the end, a chapter on supplements. He goes through and talks about all of the potential supplements, which ones are worth getting and which ones are a waste of time. I was able to extend my knowledge on the quality of products and what I should be looking for.
I feel this is a great jumping off point for any woman who is looking to hit the gym but doesn't really know where to start. Well, my friends look no further!
Happy Reading!
May 3, 2015
I gave the book 4 stars because the issues I had with it were based on personal preference rather than the book itself. I never had to exercise or train until my metabolism abandoned me, so I'm not sure how to do so. Thus, I bought this book.
I noticed that a lot of other reviews say that this is an easy guide to losing weight. The author does explain everything very clearly and at length, answering all the questions you can imagine, but I still felt like it was for a more serious fitness buff than I will ever be. I guess that's why I'll never have a lean and mean physique, but I can live with that.
If you're really serious about gaining muscle and getting "ripped" then this is definitely the book for you! If you're like me and you just want to exercise casually, maybe lose some weight, then this is still a fairly good book, but I'm not going to go around evangelizing.
I noticed that a lot of other reviews say that this is an easy guide to losing weight. The author does explain everything very clearly and at length, answering all the questions you can imagine, but I still felt like it was for a more serious fitness buff than I will ever be. I guess that's why I'll never have a lean and mean physique, but I can live with that.
If you're really serious about gaining muscle and getting "ripped" then this is definitely the book for you! If you're like me and you just want to exercise casually, maybe lose some weight, then this is still a fairly good book, but I'm not going to go around evangelizing.
April 1, 2021
This book gives a good start to the basics of counting macros and lifting weights to reach your weight loss and fitness goals. It's a lot of good information.
The good:
Starts with glossaries so you know the science behind how our bodies digest and use food, what macro- and micronutrients are, etc. I think a lot of people believe misinformation about food, fitness, weight loss, and health because they don't know basic biology and chemistry.
He shares the science behind his program and recommendations.
The instructions and diagrams for how to lift weights are really helpful.
He breaks down all the muscle groups with diagrams and helpful lists of exercises that work those muscles.
He doesn't demonize carbs. The truth is that our bodies need healthy proportions of carbs, fats, and protein, and you don't have to eliminate any of them to lose weight.
He gives some really solid advice for dealing with self sabotage.
The less-than-optimal:
I think the book needs serious editing. The author wrote a similar book for men, and it feels like he just changed a few words to make it for women. Sometimes he talks about things like showing off for the bros at the gym that are clearly meant to appeal to a male audience. There's a lot of talk about increasing testosterone levels that seems more geared towards men. He spends an entire page talking about how a certain food has some kind of effect on semen--why the heck do women care about that?
More about the editing... the section about weightlifting could have been organized better. I was really hoping that it would help me get clearer about how to build my own workouts, but I still didn't feel like I could do that after reading it. I did reread that part again and got more out of it the second time to the point that I could sit down and figure out how I want to do my weightlifting, but I think it would have been a lot better if he had organized it better.
I don't love how he emphasizes body appearance goals. I know that's kind of the point of the book, but I think there is some great content out there showing how you can love yourself and appreciate your body as it is now while also wanting to change it. He also doesn't touch very much on the health benefits of weightlifting and good nutrition, which are some of the top reasons I count macros and lift weights. I want to be strong and independent, and weight lifting will help me with that. And sometimes he even tries to motivate you by talking about how you're going to look so much better than other people, which I don't think is healthy. I feel like for some people his method and attitude could lead to disordered eating and exercise.
He doesn't talk much about one of the best benefits of macro counting, which is that it takes the morality out of food. He does encourage a small treat occasionally, but I'm sorry, a small square of chocolate once a week just isn't going to cut it for me. Because I can fit dessert into my macros and see that it's just carbs, fats, and protein just like other food (though admittedly not as nutrient dense), I've learned how to incorporate treats in my diet with moderation and eat them with absolutely no guilt, and to me that's huge.
I don't agree with him that GMOs are bad for you. There's a lot of good science out there showing that they're just as nutritious as conventional food and they're safe, plus in many cases they have positive benefits for soil health and decreased pesticide use. He claimed that food isn't as nutritious as it used to be because the soil is changing, which is nonsense. And he thinks nobody should drink tap water, which is a pretty privileged notion.
By the way, he also drinks two gallons of water a day, which makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it.
I think his protein recommendations are pretty high. He would tell me I should eat 170 g of protein every day 🤢. Right now I'm eating 114 g, and I realize I would probably get better results if I bumped that up to 135, but I start hating the world when I try eating that much protein. I think this idea that you should eat 1 g of protein per pound of body weight has some issues, because if you're really overweight that means you're going to be eating over 200 g of protein, and then what if you lose weight... do you decrease your protein as you go? But I do agree that it's beneficial to eat plenty of protein, definitely at least 110 grams for almost everyone. I can tell that I feel better now that I'm eating enough protein (I used to eat less than 60 grams most days 😬).
He also doesn't mention that there are some great apps out there for counting calories and macros. I use My Fitness Pal. For somebody just getting started (or anyone, really), working all that math out with pen and paper would be a huge pain.
Overall I think the book is worth reading, but I think you have to take it with a grain of salt and use a more moderate approach than what he recommends if you want to keep your sanity. It's probably not practical for most people without some modifications. And supplement it with some good sources that remind you that you are worthy as you are, that food is not a moral choice, that you don't have to do this perfectly, and that there are health benefits in addition to physique when it comes to weight lifting.
The good:
Starts with glossaries so you know the science behind how our bodies digest and use food, what macro- and micronutrients are, etc. I think a lot of people believe misinformation about food, fitness, weight loss, and health because they don't know basic biology and chemistry.
He shares the science behind his program and recommendations.
The instructions and diagrams for how to lift weights are really helpful.
He breaks down all the muscle groups with diagrams and helpful lists of exercises that work those muscles.
He doesn't demonize carbs. The truth is that our bodies need healthy proportions of carbs, fats, and protein, and you don't have to eliminate any of them to lose weight.
He gives some really solid advice for dealing with self sabotage.
The less-than-optimal:
I think the book needs serious editing. The author wrote a similar book for men, and it feels like he just changed a few words to make it for women. Sometimes he talks about things like showing off for the bros at the gym that are clearly meant to appeal to a male audience. There's a lot of talk about increasing testosterone levels that seems more geared towards men. He spends an entire page talking about how a certain food has some kind of effect on semen--why the heck do women care about that?
More about the editing... the section about weightlifting could have been organized better. I was really hoping that it would help me get clearer about how to build my own workouts, but I still didn't feel like I could do that after reading it. I did reread that part again and got more out of it the second time to the point that I could sit down and figure out how I want to do my weightlifting, but I think it would have been a lot better if he had organized it better.
I don't love how he emphasizes body appearance goals. I know that's kind of the point of the book, but I think there is some great content out there showing how you can love yourself and appreciate your body as it is now while also wanting to change it. He also doesn't touch very much on the health benefits of weightlifting and good nutrition, which are some of the top reasons I count macros and lift weights. I want to be strong and independent, and weight lifting will help me with that. And sometimes he even tries to motivate you by talking about how you're going to look so much better than other people, which I don't think is healthy. I feel like for some people his method and attitude could lead to disordered eating and exercise.
He doesn't talk much about one of the best benefits of macro counting, which is that it takes the morality out of food. He does encourage a small treat occasionally, but I'm sorry, a small square of chocolate once a week just isn't going to cut it for me. Because I can fit dessert into my macros and see that it's just carbs, fats, and protein just like other food (though admittedly not as nutrient dense), I've learned how to incorporate treats in my diet with moderation and eat them with absolutely no guilt, and to me that's huge.
I don't agree with him that GMOs are bad for you. There's a lot of good science out there showing that they're just as nutritious as conventional food and they're safe, plus in many cases they have positive benefits for soil health and decreased pesticide use. He claimed that food isn't as nutritious as it used to be because the soil is changing, which is nonsense. And he thinks nobody should drink tap water, which is a pretty privileged notion.
By the way, he also drinks two gallons of water a day, which makes my stomach hurt just thinking about it.
I think his protein recommendations are pretty high. He would tell me I should eat 170 g of protein every day 🤢. Right now I'm eating 114 g, and I realize I would probably get better results if I bumped that up to 135, but I start hating the world when I try eating that much protein. I think this idea that you should eat 1 g of protein per pound of body weight has some issues, because if you're really overweight that means you're going to be eating over 200 g of protein, and then what if you lose weight... do you decrease your protein as you go? But I do agree that it's beneficial to eat plenty of protein, definitely at least 110 grams for almost everyone. I can tell that I feel better now that I'm eating enough protein (I used to eat less than 60 grams most days 😬).
He also doesn't mention that there are some great apps out there for counting calories and macros. I use My Fitness Pal. For somebody just getting started (or anyone, really), working all that math out with pen and paper would be a huge pain.
Overall I think the book is worth reading, but I think you have to take it with a grain of salt and use a more moderate approach than what he recommends if you want to keep your sanity. It's probably not practical for most people without some modifications. And supplement it with some good sources that remind you that you are worthy as you are, that food is not a moral choice, that you don't have to do this perfectly, and that there are health benefits in addition to physique when it comes to weight lifting.
Read
December 17, 2024Going to get so big and strong I have to turn sideways to walk through doors 😎
January 22, 2014
I really loved this book, I had ummed and arrrd over buying it for several months, thinking it was just like all the others, (to think if I'd bought it sooner I'd now be further ahead!)....
This book broke it down to such simple science, I can see now where I had been going wrong with my eating and exercise habits and how it had been holding me back.
Nutrition and exercise has been explained in a way that is easy to follow when reading (I actually downloaded the audio version, the narrators voice was a pleasure to listen to), and easy to follow in practice.
If you ever contemplated hiring a fitness coach or nutritionist, save your bucks and give this book a go first, you really can do this yourself with guidance from Mike.
I also recommend Mike's book The Shredded Chef book to help follow a nutritional plan.
These books are amazing!!
This book broke it down to such simple science, I can see now where I had been going wrong with my eating and exercise habits and how it had been holding me back.
Nutrition and exercise has been explained in a way that is easy to follow when reading (I actually downloaded the audio version, the narrators voice was a pleasure to listen to), and easy to follow in practice.
If you ever contemplated hiring a fitness coach or nutritionist, save your bucks and give this book a go first, you really can do this yourself with guidance from Mike.
I also recommend Mike's book The Shredded Chef book to help follow a nutritional plan.
These books are amazing!!
May 12, 2017
Ok I skimmed through a looot of this book, as he spends a lot of time talking about what is wrong with the fitness industry (like duh) and nutrition (I'm vegan, so his nutrition advise doesn't suit me, nor do I agree with a lot of it) and I just wanted to get done to the training part.
But once we finally got to the workouts, I was on board. Lift heavy, do simple, compound exercises; don't waste time doing supersets and isolation exercises ...this kind of thing I could get behind.
Downloaded the 1 year of free workouts which I am doing now.
But once we finally got to the workouts, I was on board. Lift heavy, do simple, compound exercises; don't waste time doing supersets and isolation exercises ...this kind of thing I could get behind.
Downloaded the 1 year of free workouts which I am doing now.
August 5, 2017
I learned so so much with this book. And EVERYTHING is backed with research as well as details on Mike's interpretation of that research, not just "here's some stuff, trust me." He bust myths based on poorly performed research too, which I loveee. There are a small handful of things I disagree with, and the supplementation he uses makes the "simple" science part a bit of a stretch, but overall this is a great kickstarter for anyone who not only wants to lose weight, but wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle and become stronger.
July 25, 2020
The author lays out a complete guide to developing a lean and healthy physique. Busting myths about weight loss, like eating less at night leads to weight loss or completely eliminating sugar from diet, the author explains the science behind weight loss and developing muscles via various studies. At the end of this book, I found myself in a position to make a diet plan which was healthy for my body, helped me to achieve my dream body shape and at the same time I did not have to completely eliminate the foods I loved.
Great book! A recommended read for all fitness enthusiasts.
Great book! A recommended read for all fitness enthusiasts.
August 16, 2016
Informative, but definitely felt like he tacked on the woman theme to his other book... This wasn't particularly fitted to women and their typical goals compared to men's.
December 18, 2019
Based on obsolete science, poorly written.
January 31, 2014
Everything you need to know in a nutshell, no BS, proven formula.
January 9, 2022
Overall, this book was an amazing resource for learning about strength training. I have been following the four day routine for two weeks now and doing the cut macros and both have been surprisingly doable. In 7 days I put on 0.7 lbs of muscle and lost 0.5 lbs of fat. Obviously the success of the actual program can only be observed after several weeks and months of practice, so the rest of this review will focus on the actual content of the book.
It starts off with a few assumptions that I doubt apply to most female readers who would pick up this book, talking about gym culture, magazine BS, etc. As someone brand new to this it was a little off putting at first to be bombarded with criticism of something that I've never been exposed to. It also assumes that your goal as a woman is to be a hot, sexual, Hollywood babe. If you go to his Pinterest to find inspiration photos of women's physiques, they're almost all hot and sexual, not including strong women who couldn't be models or older women. If we're being honest, a lot of women probably do want what he's selling at least at some level, but perhaps compared to his book for men, the female audience has a higher relative number of people who have significant struggles with body image and eating disorders. For me, this was something I was able to ignore and look past, but if anyone is picking this up for the first time, know that it's there and you can have other goals and still get great content from the book. Similarly, there is a lot of content that is obviously from his book for men that he forgot to update for women. A bit annoying when it's specifically titled for women, but easy enough to skim past. Personally, I wish he'd just made one book and has sections that called out differences for men and women where appropriate.
Once you get past that, the sections on food and muscle growth are invaluable. Mike has done a lot of research, citing actual peer reviewed papers and studies, and understanding the context of the studies to highlight when context changes the interpretation of the results. Additionally, his own experience and the experience of those he trained confirm the studies. The book answered a lot of questions about what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat to achieve your goals. He goes through the areas you have a lot of freedom and the areas where restraint helps you reach your goals. The biggest ah ha moment for me was realizing how much protein I need. I've been able to significantly cut my daily calories, but by increasing my protein to grams at or above my body weight in lbs, I rarely feel hungry when I can't eat.
The chapters on actually lifting were similarly backed up with data, and made really simple. I now have a set of exercises that I do each day I go to the gym and I have 100% confidence that I will make the progress I want to see. Additionally, he suggests you rest 2-4 minutes between each set, which feels really long at the gym, especially when you're watching someone next to you go through 3 sets while you're waiting, but understanding the science helps me to do the right thing regardless of what I see demonstrated around me. And even though this means I spend an hour at the gym, I feel great after - not tired or overworked (though sore the next day for sure)!
Tl;Dr: While some of the content could be improved for the female audience, the core of the content is helpful, concise, straightforward, and attainable.
It starts off with a few assumptions that I doubt apply to most female readers who would pick up this book, talking about gym culture, magazine BS, etc. As someone brand new to this it was a little off putting at first to be bombarded with criticism of something that I've never been exposed to. It also assumes that your goal as a woman is to be a hot, sexual, Hollywood babe. If you go to his Pinterest to find inspiration photos of women's physiques, they're almost all hot and sexual, not including strong women who couldn't be models or older women. If we're being honest, a lot of women probably do want what he's selling at least at some level, but perhaps compared to his book for men, the female audience has a higher relative number of people who have significant struggles with body image and eating disorders. For me, this was something I was able to ignore and look past, but if anyone is picking this up for the first time, know that it's there and you can have other goals and still get great content from the book. Similarly, there is a lot of content that is obviously from his book for men that he forgot to update for women. A bit annoying when it's specifically titled for women, but easy enough to skim past. Personally, I wish he'd just made one book and has sections that called out differences for men and women where appropriate.
Once you get past that, the sections on food and muscle growth are invaluable. Mike has done a lot of research, citing actual peer reviewed papers and studies, and understanding the context of the studies to highlight when context changes the interpretation of the results. Additionally, his own experience and the experience of those he trained confirm the studies. The book answered a lot of questions about what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat to achieve your goals. He goes through the areas you have a lot of freedom and the areas where restraint helps you reach your goals. The biggest ah ha moment for me was realizing how much protein I need. I've been able to significantly cut my daily calories, but by increasing my protein to grams at or above my body weight in lbs, I rarely feel hungry when I can't eat.
The chapters on actually lifting were similarly backed up with data, and made really simple. I now have a set of exercises that I do each day I go to the gym and I have 100% confidence that I will make the progress I want to see. Additionally, he suggests you rest 2-4 minutes between each set, which feels really long at the gym, especially when you're watching someone next to you go through 3 sets while you're waiting, but understanding the science helps me to do the right thing regardless of what I see demonstrated around me. And even though this means I spend an hour at the gym, I feel great after - not tired or overworked (though sore the next day for sure)!
Tl;Dr: While some of the content could be improved for the female audience, the core of the content is helpful, concise, straightforward, and attainable.
January 18, 2018
I've been following Bret Contreras' workout programs for a lifting plan that fits women's bodies, however, his writing is awful and at times demeaning.
Michael Matthews on the other hand, provides a really comprehensive overview of nutrition, strength training, supplements, scientific terminology, anatomy, lifting form, and much more within these pages. It's an easy and digestable read to learn more about strength training overall with multiple scientific studies cited for each claim he makes (and to refute false claims).
As for his actual strength training program at the end of the book, that I cannot comment on yet since I haven't tried it out. A big issue with this book was how obviously he has simply replaced certain words to make it sound like it's for women when it's essentially an exact replica of his book for men called 'Bigger, Leaner, Stronger'. It's especially noticeable in places where he puts male anatomical images and emphasizes "yes, this is an image of a man's back muscles, however women..."
Overall, I'd recommend it as a starting point, don't take his words as gospel but as a good place to start your own research into fitness and nutrition.
Michael Matthews on the other hand, provides a really comprehensive overview of nutrition, strength training, supplements, scientific terminology, anatomy, lifting form, and much more within these pages. It's an easy and digestable read to learn more about strength training overall with multiple scientific studies cited for each claim he makes (and to refute false claims).
As for his actual strength training program at the end of the book, that I cannot comment on yet since I haven't tried it out. A big issue with this book was how obviously he has simply replaced certain words to make it sound like it's for women when it's essentially an exact replica of his book for men called 'Bigger, Leaner, Stronger'. It's especially noticeable in places where he puts male anatomical images and emphasizes "yes, this is an image of a man's back muscles, however women..."
Overall, I'd recommend it as a starting point, don't take his words as gospel but as a good place to start your own research into fitness and nutrition.
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