Book SummaryBigger Leaner Stronger, by Michael Matthews

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Bigger Leaner Stronger

In Bigger Leaner Stronger, Michael Matthews argues that the secret to achieving your dream physique isn’t a strict diet or a brutal workout. Instead, his simple, science-based approach to nutrition and exercise hinges upon two techniques: flexible dieting (a method of eating that helps you trim fat and build muscle without sacrificing the foods you love) and progressive tension overload (a workout approach that maximizes muscle growth). Follow his step-by-step guide, Matthews says, and you’ll learn not only how to apply these techniques to your personal fitness goals and get healthy and fit fast, but the science behind why...

Bigger Leaner Stronger Summary Part 1: Get Motivated for Your Fitness Journey

Transforming your health and physique takes commitment, and you must get in a good mindset first. Before we discuss Matthews’s methods for diet and exercise, let’s look at his ways to get motivated and strengthen your willpower.

Identify the Reasons for Your Fitness Journey

To stay motivated throughout your fitness journey, you must clarify the reasons you want to get stronger and healthier. Do you want to feel more confident or more energized? Do you want to enjoy more sports or get active with your family? Whatever your reasons are, Matthews suggests you write them down so you can always be reminded of them.

(Shortform note: In The 10X Rule, Grant Cardone agrees that defining your reasons for achieving particular goals is important. Cardone suggests you write them down twice a day—once in the morning and once at night. Regularly writing down ambitious goals and the motivations behind them will help you make better decisions and act in ways that move you toward your health and fitness goals.)

Next, imagine what your ideal physique looks...

Bigger Leaner Stronger Summary Part 2: Use Flexible Dieting to Build Muscle and Burn Fat

Now that you know how to prepare your mindset, let’s explore the role of nutrition in your health and fitness journey. Matthews argues that flexible dieting is the best nutrition approach to losing fat and building muscle. Flexible dieting simply means managing your calorie intake and eating a healthy balance of macronutrients (macros). This approach allows you to get the nutrients you need and the physique you want without sacrificing any particular foods.

(Shortform note: Many think that the main advantage of flexible dieting is that it’s easy to follow for a long time, which is important because long-term health and fitness gains depend on your ability to be consistent with your diet. It’s also adaptable enough for people with special dietary restrictions to follow. Beyond simply being easier to follow, some studies show that flexible dieting may help you consume more micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—compared to other diets that may limit you to a narrower selection of foods.)

Macros are nutrients that your body needs a large amount of to function...

Bigger Leaner Stronger Summary Part 3: Use Progressive Overload to Maximize Strength Gains

Now that you know how to diet to lose fat, build muscle, and improve your nutrition, let’s look at ways to exercise effectively to get strong fast.

The Science Behind Effective Exercise: Progressive Tension Overload

To maximize strength and muscle gain, you must use a technique called progressive tension overload, which means you apply an increasing amount of stress to your body by incrementally using heavier weights. This method forces your body to adapt and bear heavier loads, which boosts your muscle gains, writes Matthews.

Progressive overload creates more mechanical tension, which is the most important driver of muscle growth. Mechanical tension is the force created when you increase the stress on your muscles (such as with weights) while they stretch or contract. The heavier the weight, the more stress you put on your muscles, which results in greater mechanical tension. Because of this, you build more muscle by lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions than lifting lighter weights for more repetitions. We’ll look at how to apply progressive overload to your workouts in more detail in the following sections.

(Shortform note:...

Shortform Exercise: Prepare for a Successful Progressive Overload Workout Program

Prepare for your progressive overload workout program to get maximum strength gains efficiently and effectively.

Reflect on your current lifestyle and schedule. Matthews recommends you train at least three times a week. What are some ways you can make time for these workout sessions?