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Strong is the New Beautiful: Embrace Your Natural Beauty, Eat Clean, and Harness Your Power
Lessons in strength, fitness, food, and attitude from the popular world champion skier and beauty icon—Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn.
Olympic Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn wants women to stop thinking about "losing weight fast," and instead focus on loving their bodies for what they are and what they can do. Lindsey is a small-town Minnesota girl at heart turned world-champion skier, but that didn't come without hard work. In Strong Is the New Beautiful, Lindsey lays out the never-before-seen training routines and her overall philosophy that have helped her become the best female skier in the world—tailored for women of all shapes and sizes. Lindsey backs up her fitness program with advice on what to eat and how to work out, and kicks readers into high-gear, helping bolster their self-confidence and build a better body image, with the tips and tricks she's learned as a pro.
This is Lindsey's regimen, and she encourages people to take from it what will work for them. She bounced back from injury not by doing every single thing a trainer said, but instead, by thinking about the fitness plan that would work for her, and eating the right foods that would make her feel and get healthy. In Strong Is the New Beautiful, she interweaves her training and diet regimen with compelling stories of her life growing up in the heartland, her love of skiing, the challenges she's faced—including injuries, illness, and depression—and her secrets to wellness, fitness, and recovery.
Supported by cutting-edge science and the latest studies on health and exercise, filled with routines even those hitting the bunny hill of working out can master, and illustrated with dozens of workout shots and photos from Lindsey's own collection, Strong Is the New Beautiful will inspire and motivate you–whether you're an aspiring athlete, want to get back into shape, or are eager to up your game—to make your body stronger than ever before, inside and out.
Olympic Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn wants women to stop thinking about "losing weight fast," and instead focus on loving their bodies for what they are and what they can do. Lindsey is a small-town Minnesota girl at heart turned world-champion skier, but that didn't come without hard work. In Strong Is the New Beautiful, Lindsey lays out the never-before-seen training routines and her overall philosophy that have helped her become the best female skier in the world—tailored for women of all shapes and sizes. Lindsey backs up her fitness program with advice on what to eat and how to work out, and kicks readers into high-gear, helping bolster their self-confidence and build a better body image, with the tips and tricks she's learned as a pro.
This is Lindsey's regimen, and she encourages people to take from it what will work for them. She bounced back from injury not by doing every single thing a trainer said, but instead, by thinking about the fitness plan that would work for her, and eating the right foods that would make her feel and get healthy. In Strong Is the New Beautiful, she interweaves her training and diet regimen with compelling stories of her life growing up in the heartland, her love of skiing, the challenges she's faced—including injuries, illness, and depression—and her secrets to wellness, fitness, and recovery.
Supported by cutting-edge science and the latest studies on health and exercise, filled with routines even those hitting the bunny hill of working out can master, and illustrated with dozens of workout shots and photos from Lindsey's own collection, Strong Is the New Beautiful will inspire and motivate you–whether you're an aspiring athlete, want to get back into shape, or are eager to up your game—to make your body stronger than ever before, inside and out.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2016
91 people are currently reading
848 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 17, 2016
Granted, I'm not the target audience for this book and wasn't sure how well I would like it prior to reviewing it. I was very pleasantly surprised though. Yes, this is written for women and I don't imagine a whole lot of men will pick it up, but there are things here for everyone.
The book is divided up into three sections: memoir, diet and exercise. The memoir is interesting and informative, but the diet portion is where I really learned the most. She emphasizes the fact that diets don't really work and that one should focus on clean eating instead. Vonn comes across as very approachable and lets you know that she's struggled with food for her entire life, just like the rest of us. This is an enjoyable read that can help you live better and not punish yourself in the process.
The book is divided up into three sections: memoir, diet and exercise. The memoir is interesting and informative, but the diet portion is where I really learned the most. She emphasizes the fact that diets don't really work and that one should focus on clean eating instead. Vonn comes across as very approachable and lets you know that she's struggled with food for her entire life, just like the rest of us. This is an enjoyable read that can help you live better and not punish yourself in the process.
August 17, 2017
Good, but nothing I hadn't heard before.
February 26, 2017
C'est un livre que je recommanderais avant tout aux femmes qui veulent reprendre leur santé en main, parce que Lindsey a un regard très sain et positif sur la santé, la remise en forme et la perte de poids. Elle ne cherche pas à nous faire maigrir à tout prix mais à nous rendre FORTES. Et j'aime beaucoup ça ! Ses conseils alimentaires sont intelligents, même si elle parle un peu trop de produits laitiers à mon goût ^^ et on y trouve aussi de super circuits de renforcement musculaire.
De mon côté je ne dirais pas que ce livre m'a vraiment appris bcp de choses - je pense être plutôt pas mal côté alimentation - mais c'est une vraie source d'inspiration, c'est fascinant de lire l'histoire d'une grande championne et c'est toujours bon de se rappeler les bases, de se souvenir qu'il faut avant tout écouter son corps et que bouger tous les jours est une bénédiction !
De mon côté je ne dirais pas que ce livre m'a vraiment appris bcp de choses - je pense être plutôt pas mal côté alimentation - mais c'est une vraie source d'inspiration, c'est fascinant de lire l'histoire d'une grande championne et c'est toujours bon de se rappeler les bases, de se souvenir qu'il faut avant tout écouter son corps et que bouger tous les jours est une bénédiction !
December 27, 2016
I read Ronda Rousey's book My Fight / Your Fight earlier this year, and ultimately I recommend that book over this one. They are different books with different purposes, but I read them for the same reason: lady athlete role models. As a lady with relatively new, ongoing athletic goals, I'll admit to needing some role models, even famous ones.
Rousey's book, a straightforward memoir, is the more inspiring and empowering book. It made me want to go out and kick some ass. I think that's what Lindsey Vonn wanted to accomplish with her book, but Strong Is the New Beautiful is rather bland. It sends an excellent message: strength should be admired and strived for just as much as, if not more than, traditional beauty—a sentiment I agree with—but she fails to provide compelling examples from her personal or professional life.
The memoir portions of the book are slight and shallow. They're a footnotes version of how Vonn became an Olympic gold medalist. The nutrition section is very practical, favoring clean eating over dieting; however, it may be too advanced for some readers, especially if diet and nutrition are a struggle. Lastly, the fitness section, while simple, does offer some helpful strength-training exercises for working out at home.
Rousey's book, a straightforward memoir, is the more inspiring and empowering book. It made me want to go out and kick some ass. I think that's what Lindsey Vonn wanted to accomplish with her book, but Strong Is the New Beautiful is rather bland. It sends an excellent message: strength should be admired and strived for just as much as, if not more than, traditional beauty—a sentiment I agree with—but she fails to provide compelling examples from her personal or professional life.
The memoir portions of the book are slight and shallow. They're a footnotes version of how Vonn became an Olympic gold medalist. The nutrition section is very practical, favoring clean eating over dieting; however, it may be too advanced for some readers, especially if diet and nutrition are a struggle. Lastly, the fitness section, while simple, does offer some helpful strength-training exercises for working out at home.
May 17, 2019
DNF’d at halfway through because I realized that I just wasn’t enjoying this read or gaining anything from it. I picked this up hoping for some inspiration from recently plateau-ing/becoming complacent in my diet and fitness routines.. there was nothing new that I hadn’t already heard in the way of tips and I just didn’t really relate to any of Lindsay’s stories.
Two specific things that annoyed me- the number of times she says “according to research” or “studies show” AND then she doesn’t cite her sources or let us know where the information is coming from. The other thing is that her recommended dishes/‘recipes’ don’t have any measurements.
Two specific things that annoyed me- the number of times she says “according to research” or “studies show” AND then she doesn’t cite her sources or let us know where the information is coming from. The other thing is that her recommended dishes/‘recipes’ don’t have any measurements.
November 10, 2016
I like how she shares her own struggles with body issues and how even being an athlete a woman still can feel insecure. She gets that many women would question her feelings of doubt. She has interesting information about clean eating and exercise. Great inspiration and positive quotes to encourage young women. This is not a "diet book".
October 19, 2016
The autobiographical section of this book was only a few pages unfortunately. That's where the truly interesting information is. The rest of the book with her ghostwritten workout routine is fluff.
March 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the first part with Lindsey’s bio. Great tips in the rest of the book.
February 13, 2025
I liked this book. It was pretty cool.
May 11, 2024
I thought this book would empower and encourage readers, and provide fact-checked nutrition advice. I found it to be the exact opposite.
One example: The number of calories your body uses to digest an apple is *much less* than the number of calories in the apple itself (thermic effect of food is closer to 10% of calories, not 100%).
One example: The number of calories your body uses to digest an apple is *much less* than the number of calories in the apple itself (thermic effect of food is closer to 10% of calories, not 100%).
July 23, 2017
I generally dislike diet and health books because diets are temporary and don't work in the long run. In the last year, I have begun to just focus on clean, healthy eating and that's exactly what Lindsey does in her book. She calls out all of the BS in the health industry and encourages her readers to focus on whole foods that come from the earth. She also empowers her readers by sharing her own insecurities, which I believe will help many who are battling their own insecurities. She shows her readers how to embrace their unique beauty, eat clean, and to tap into the power that is already within them to be strong women. I would recommend this book to any women who are needing some inspiration or advice when it comes to being the best, healthy person that they can be.
August 25, 2020
While it was neat reading about the life of an Olympic athlete, that was the only enjoyable part of this book for me, though I suppose I'd have to say the colours throughout were aesthetically pleasing. The rest of the book needed a bit more editing, and I'll be honest, while Lindsey is beautiful and has every right to add whatever photo she likes to her book, filling so many pages with either weird pictures of her almost naked, or just of her standing around nowhere in particular being sexy, was a bit too much. Also, while she is to be respected as an athlete, I found no joy reading over her scientific-esque explanations for healthy eating, even as someone who enjoys such basic information simply for its motivating quality. All in all, I could have spent this time reading another book.
Read
August 27, 2020Every so often, I end up reading a book I 100% would never have read on my own, simply because it fits a task for the Seasonal Reading Challenge, and this was one of those. With that said, I'm not sure who this book is for, but I don't think that's me.
I had never heard of Lindsey Vonn before, and she seems cool. The autobiographical part of this book was the most interesting by far; I'm down to read more of that. Beyond that though? Ehhhhhh...
For starters, there's some conflicted messaging in this book. I like that it's generally anti-diet and the focus is on feeling good, healthy, confident, and strong. But the notion of "clean" eating is just an extension of diet culture. Food isn't dirty, food is just food. Sure, share the benefits of eating whole foods, but you don't need to label it "clean."
I also liked a lot of the messaging around body image and encouraging women to do strength training, that's cool. But none of it was new to me so, again, I'm probably not the target audience for this book. I probably got the most out of the part focusing on how you can move your body more throughout the day and finding new ways to exercise -- while that wasn't necessarily new to me either, it was a nice reminder at just the right time.
Lastly, the bits that were written from the perspective of the dog? I... don't understand? Was that necessary? It was also not consistent, which made it all the more bizarre???
I had never heard of Lindsey Vonn before, and she seems cool. The autobiographical part of this book was the most interesting by far; I'm down to read more of that. Beyond that though? Ehhhhhh...
For starters, there's some conflicted messaging in this book. I like that it's generally anti-diet and the focus is on feeling good, healthy, confident, and strong. But the notion of "clean" eating is just an extension of diet culture. Food isn't dirty, food is just food. Sure, share the benefits of eating whole foods, but you don't need to label it "clean."
I also liked a lot of the messaging around body image and encouraging women to do strength training, that's cool. But none of it was new to me so, again, I'm probably not the target audience for this book. I probably got the most out of the part focusing on how you can move your body more throughout the day and finding new ways to exercise -- while that wasn't necessarily new to me either, it was a nice reminder at just the right time.
Lastly, the bits that were written from the perspective of the dog? I... don't understand? Was that necessary? It was also not consistent, which made it all the more bizarre???
December 5, 2018
Wasn't a fan of this book. Very bland, common information. Her memoir section was like the cliffnotes of her career, which wasn't inspirational or motivating, because it felt like a bland list of her races with some emotions thrown in. I can see it being important for some girl who has never heard these beliefs about whole food eating and strength training, but as someone who knows about them this book wasn't great. Some of the words in the "glam" chapter just felt like random general inspirational phrases thrown together, without that personal touch that most successful inspiration/motivation books by athletes succeed with.
Her message on whole food eating was fine, but I hate when wealthy figures forget to mention the fact that a. it's expensive to eat non-processed foods, and b. there are ways to do it on a budget, but this book just never talked about it. She also mentions the benefits of massage, stating she gets them 5 days a week - "but some people can get benefits from just once a month", and yet again forgot to mention the at-home ways you can self-massage if you aren't a wealthy athlete or even just on a tighter budget. I could go on, but overall just very displeased with this book.
Her message on whole food eating was fine, but I hate when wealthy figures forget to mention the fact that a. it's expensive to eat non-processed foods, and b. there are ways to do it on a budget, but this book just never talked about it. She also mentions the benefits of massage, stating she gets them 5 days a week - "but some people can get benefits from just once a month", and yet again forgot to mention the at-home ways you can self-massage if you aren't a wealthy athlete or even just on a tighter budget. I could go on, but overall just very displeased with this book.
October 10, 2018
It's okay. The overall message of body positivity is great, however, the autobiographical information contained in the book was very short, and I would have been more interested to learn about what shaped her into becoming the athlete she is. She gives very little information on her family, and what they instilled in her. That part all felt very rushed- she briefly mentions her first marriage, but doesn't describe much about how they met or how that relationship contributed (or didn't) to her attitude, or how it impacted her career. Just a few sentences later, she was getting a divorce. Yes, I know this is a primarily a diet and exercise book. But why even touch on your relationship if you're not going to go into any further detail?
The diet and exercise information is also nothing that you couldn't figure out for yourself, and nothing that isn't available in 6,000 other places. That part of the book felt like I was reading a textbook on the subject.
The diet and exercise information is also nothing that you couldn't figure out for yourself, and nothing that isn't available in 6,000 other places. That part of the book felt like I was reading a textbook on the subject.
October 7, 2020
The memoir portion of this book was really interesting and I wish it had been longer and more developed. The food part was great and I am motivated to cut processed foods from my diet. The workout part was ok. I think she is right about finding something you love, but she is an athlete and a little bit unrelatable on that front. Especially when she says we should splurge on weekly messages. The beauty part o could have done without. But overall, I felt like this was a good motivational and inspirational book.
Note- I listen on audio and did not like the narrator. She made Vonn sound like a valley girl. I wish Vonn had read it herself.
Note- I listen on audio and did not like the narrator. She made Vonn sound like a valley girl. I wish Vonn had read it herself.
April 11, 2019
Lindsey Vonn shares her lessons learned from a lifetime of being an elite athlete. Her recollections about various ski events and her different philosophies towards training through these events were the most interesting aspect of this book for me. I like that she talks about the seductive aspects of celebrity. Otherwise her health advice is similar to what many have recommended. It's straightforward, with an emphasis on cross-training, avoiding processed foods, and eating thoughtfully. If you're fan of Lindsey Vonn, it's worth picking up.
July 13, 2021
I truly enjoyed this book. I wasn't even sure who this woman was until I picked up the book and started reading. It just sounded interesting at the time I was in the library and I figured why not.
I love her view on beauty and strength. The tips in this book really speak to me and I loved the way it was written. I have to say that I had a hard time putting this one down and I took a lot of notes. Definitely recommend. Whether you are a Ski fan or not, this is definitely worth the read if you are a woman looking to find your strength!
I love her view on beauty and strength. The tips in this book really speak to me and I loved the way it was written. I have to say that I had a hard time putting this one down and I took a lot of notes. Definitely recommend. Whether you are a Ski fan or not, this is definitely worth the read if you are a woman looking to find your strength!
January 21, 2026
Strong Is the New Beautiful is an uplifting, practical guide that encourages women to embrace strength—physically, mentally, and emotionally. I genuinely enjoyed this book. Lindsey Vonn’s advice is solid and encouraging, even if some of it feels familiar to anyone who has read other wellness or fitness‑focused titles.
The structure works well: the chapters are short and easy to move through, making the book feel accessible rather than overwhelming. Vonn’s message remains consistent throughout—strength comes in many forms, and building it is both empowering and deeply personal.
The structure works well: the chapters are short and easy to move through, making the book feel accessible rather than overwhelming. Vonn’s message remains consistent throughout—strength comes in many forms, and building it is both empowering and deeply personal.
December 14, 2016
I appreciate the advice Lindsey gives regarding getting and staying motivated to exercise, recipe ideas and exercise plans. A good, high-level book on fitness and learning to appreciate your own strength and beauty. While Lindsey addresses many fitness levels in the routines she provides, this book is seems to be written primarily for people who are seeking an exercise plan to get into shape or those who are new to exercising and looking for tips on food and fitness.
August 23, 2017
Was looking to get a little re-inspired so I can get back on track with my workout and eating plan. Lindsey's book was just what a needed. Practical, common sense to move you toward a heathier lifestyle. The workout looks good, though I haven't tried it yet. I plan on trying to incorporate it into my more cardio days to give it a try. Her eating plan makes a lot of sense; clean eating, limit the sugar and simple carbs.
January 20, 2019
Overall, this is a great introduction for someone trying to overcome yo-yo dieting and figure out where to start in terms of nutrition and Fitness. The author does an injustice to women, however, by failing to acknowledge the very conflicted relationship that many women have with food and the difficulty in overcoming the cycle of guilt and shame, much of which arises around societal messages about food and body.
August 18, 2020
To be fair, I picked this book up thinking it was her new memoir - so my expectations were probably a little out of whack. This book was such a missed opportunity! Instead of having chapter one be her life story, weaving in her lessons about food and working out as she was learning them in life could have been amazing! As it is, the thoughts on food an exercise aren’t new. Hopefully her new memoir will aim higher.
May 4, 2022
Lindsey does a great job arguing against short-term fad diets and workout regimines and arguing FOR balance in your life, recognizing all bodies are beautiful no matter the size and shape and that taking care of your physical and mental health is more important than being a certain size or shape. She speaks using her own experience.
The first section was great but I got bored the second half. However, she's very informative and makes her case well.
The first section was great but I got bored the second half. However, she's very informative and makes her case well.
February 20, 2017
I enjoyed this book! All good advice, although some of it was not very unique. My favorite takeaways were the easy charts that help distinguish clean, whole foods, the exercises Lindsey shares, and her personal stories. I wish there were more stories and more details of how she overcame her injuries and setbacks, it seems to just scratch the surface there.
March 4, 2018
I really loved Lindsey’s descriptions of what has worked (and not) for her. The body positivity message was great! The workouts and tips were very helpful and I’m looking forward to implementing a lot from this book into my own life. I would really give 3.5. I liked the overall content but I think the book spent a lot of unnecessary time telling me what I “would learn in this book.”
July 29, 2020
Better than the gym, any day! I want a yoga ball for my birthday! Makes me dream of the slopes! and getting down them ;)! hiking up the mountain, perhaps? good stuff!!!! Stay at home workouts that get right to the tolerance level of a little bit leads to a little more, of your entire being! Procrastinated using it, but now it's just what I needed.
August 11, 2021
Seemed like mostly information I have already read….eat healthy real food, stop eating sugar and junk….
One new thing was when she mentioned eating a huge bowl of ice cream, then later instead of skipping a meal she ate something healthy to get her blood sugar back to normal. I’m going to give that a try next time I overdo eating something and see if that helps prevent the gross sugar coma.
One new thing was when she mentioned eating a huge bowl of ice cream, then later instead of skipping a meal she ate something healthy to get her blood sugar back to normal. I’m going to give that a try next time I overdo eating something and see if that helps prevent the gross sugar coma.
January 29, 2024
I'm not a big reader of "self help books" and this is why, I just find them pretty boring. The memoir portion at the beginning was interesting, but it was also very short. The workout and nutrition portions were things I already was pretty familiar with. Plus, I listened to the (non-enhanced) audio book, so most of the diet and nutrition portions were cut out.
March 26, 2024
A short audiobook listen, but packed full of practical advice on how to incorporate more movement and Whole Foods into your life with the goal of being strong. I appreciated the inspiring, yet gracious encouragement to pursue strength as a perspective on health and how it plays into our everyday lives.
Good read for those looking for inclusive, inspirational health reads!
Good read for those looking for inclusive, inspirational health reads!
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