Bigger Leaner Stronger
The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
Third Edition
Michael Matthews
www.muscleforlife.com
Bigger Leaner Stronger
The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
THIRD EDITION
By Michael Matthews (www.muscleforlife.com)
Copyright © 2019 Michael Matthews
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.
Please purchase only authorized electronic editions of this book. Don’t participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
This book is a general educational health-related information product and is intended for healthy adults age 18 and over.
This book is solely for information and educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a medical or health professional before you begin any exercise, nutrition, or supplementation program or if you have questions about your health.
There may be risks associated with participating in activities or using products mentioned in this book for people in poor health or with preexisting physical or mental health conditions.
Because these risks exist, you should not use the products or participate in the activities described in this book if you are in poor health or if you have a preexisting mental or physical health condition. If you choose to participate in these activities, you do so knowingly and voluntarily of your own free will and accord, assuming all risks associated with these activities.
Specific results mentioned in this book should be considered extraordinary, and there are no “typical” results. Because individuals differ, results will differ.
Cover designed by Damonza (www.damonza.com)
Edited by Armistead Legge, Christina Roth (www.christinarotheditorial.com), and Matthew Gartland (www.winningedits.com)
Published by Oculus Publishers (www.oculuspublishers.com)
Praise for Bigger Leaner Stronger
“If you want to use strength training for aesthetics, Mike is your source. Read this book, and read mine too, and come away with what you need to know. The rest will be up to you.”
—Mark Rippetoe, author of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training and Practical Programming for Strength Training
“I highly, highly recommend Bigger Leaner Stronger. You don’t just read it. You do it. And you see immediate changes and results.”
—Hafthor “The Mountain” Björnsson, World’s Strongest Man champion
“Nobody cuts through the fitness and nutrition confusion and clutter like Mike Matthews. And in Bigger Leaner Stronger, he draws on a powerful combination of time in the trenches and hard-core research to give you the straight talk about what actually works.
“This book is easy to read and incredibly effective. I highly recommend.”
—Ben Greenfield, CEO of Kion & New York Times bestselling author of Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health & Life
“Bigger Leaner Stronger is a super well-researched and practical guide to strength training that quickly cuts through the massive amount of BS and misinformation put out by the strength training, bodybuilding, weight gain and weight loss industries.
“I highly recommend adding this book to your library and referring to it frequently.”
—Mark Divine, founder of SEALFIT and New York Times bestselling author of The Way of the SEAL, Unbeatable Mind, and 8 Weeks to SEALFIT
“Mike has written the encyclopedia of body recomposition for the twentieth century. A great book and a must-buy for beginners looking to get their feet wet.”
—Martin Berkhan, fitness coach, pioneer, and author of The Leangains Method
“Mike Matthews stands alone in the fitness space. His books are based on scientific research and real-world results. Bigger Leaner Stronger changed my life. It can change yours too.”
—Strauss Zelnick, “America’s fittest CEO” and author of Becoming Ageless: The Four Secrets to Looking and Feeling Younger Than Ever
“In Bigger Leaner Stronger, Mike takes us back to the fundamentals of losing fat and building muscle—time-tested and science-backed strategies that have been obscured by a rising tide of popular hype and pseudoscience.
“The good news: it doesn’t have to be that hard!”
—Alex Hutchinson, author of the New York Times bestseller Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance
“Matthews has masterfully distilled many years of research into the essence of what makes guys bigger, leaner, and stronger.
“His training methods have worked better than anything else I’ve tried for improving my strength and physique. Get this book right now.”
—Stephen Guise, international bestselling author of Mini Habits
“Mike Matthews has done it again. Great information backed by science, and complicated knowledge transformed into practical, applicable strategies.
“I loved Bigger Leaner Stronger. A must-read.”
—Adam Schafer, co-host of top-ranked fitness and health podcast Mind Pump
“I haven’t been this excited about a fitness book in years. It’s required reading for all guys who want to get—and stay—in the best shape of their lives. A true classic in the making.”
—Sal Di Stefano, co-host of top-ranked fitness and health podcast Mind Pump
“Would you rather spend a month of your life hoping the latest flavor of diet and exercise plan will work . . . or spend thirty days knowing your hard work will provide results you can not only see, but feel?
“Give me guaranteed results any day, and that’s what Bigger Leaner Stronger provides— all the knowledge and motivation you need to get results for years to come.”
—Jeff Haden, Inc. Magazine contributing editor and author of The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win
“Bigger Leaner Stronger is meticulously researched, clearly written, and utterly practical. Matthews has created something special here.”
—Jordan Harbinger, creator and host, The Jordan Harbinger Show
“This is a must read for every man who wants to build a better body and get lasting results in the shortest amount of time possible. In fact, it’ll probably be the last fitness book and program you’ll ever need.”
—Andrew Ferebee, founder of Knowledge For Men
“This book will help you navigate the minefield of pseudoscience and fitness and nutrition myths that simply won’t die, while also giving you valuable perspective on achieving your goals, and the tools to get there based on up-to-date research.”
—Eric Helms, PhD, Team 3DMJ Chief Science Officer
“It’s rare to find a well-written, insightful, and truly helpful fitness book. Mike Matthews is one of the few to deliver just that with Bigger Leaner Stronger.
“Instead of selling you on fads, he provides you with a straightforward guide to getting fit that’s based on both scientific evidence and years of practical experience.”
—Michael C. Zourdos, Ph.D., CSCS
“Bigger Leaner Stronger is a breath of fresh air. It doesn’t sell overly-complex or pseudoscientific methods, but instead contains effective, sensible, and practical advice based on the core pr
inciples that’ll get you into shape and feeling healthy.”
—Danny Lennon, MSc, founder of Sigma Nutrition
“Bigger Leaner Stronger is a great book that I’d wholeheartedly recommend. It’s full of solid, thoroughly researched information presented in a way that everyone will be able to understand and implement.
“If you want to improve your body and your health, or just learn more about getting in shape, you should absolutely read this book.”
—Greg Nuckols, former record-holding powerlifter and founder of Stronger by Science
“Instead of trying to sell you on some catchy hook, Mike simply found the most effective ways to eat and train and then teaches them in an easy-to-read and enjoyable way. If you want to get bigger, leaner, and stronger, Mike’s your guy, and this book is the plan to get you there.”
—Chad Howse, author of The Man Diet
“Bigger Leaner Stronger gives you everything you need to know to achieve the body you want. Full stop. No hype and no gimmicks, just solid information backed by solid science. An outstanding book.”
—James Krieger, MS, founder of Weightology
“Mike has a way of taking complex topics and creating easy to understand solutions.
“In Bigger Leaner Stronger, he has cut through all the nonsense and provided a sustainable, evidence-based, and real-world solution to reaching your fitness goals.”
—Paul Revelia, founder of Pro Physique
“Bigger Leaner Stronger debunks the biggest and most harmful myths about losing fat, building muscle, and getting and staying healthy— myths that keep millions of men overweight, frustrated, and confused.”
—Mike Vacanti, strength coach and founder of On the Regimen
“Bigger Leaner Stronger is the whole package. It’s informative, entertaining, practical, and its methods are backed by decades of scientific research and thousands of success stories. A truly outstanding work.”
—Marc Perry, CSCS, CPT, founder and CEO of BuiltLean
“If you want a complete science-based blueprint for getting in shape, all laid out in clear, simple terms that anyone can understand and apply, this is it.”
—Christian Finn, MSc, founder of Muscle Evo
“As a clinical practitioner who specializes in obesity medicine, I truly appreciate Bigger Leaner Stronger. It’s simple, science-based, and most importantly, it works, and that’s why I recommend it to many of my patients.
“Drop whatever you’re doing and read this book. It can change your life.”
—Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, board-certified family and obesity medicine physician and founder of RP Health
“A highly actionable book that translates the latest science into a simple plan for strength. In a world filled with noise, Mike Matthews provides the clarity and practical strategies you need to get results.”
—James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
“This isn’t your typical fitness book full of fluff and pseudoscience. It’s a unique and compelling combination of diet and exercise techniques that will transform your body faster than you ever thought possible.”
—Charlie Engle, ultrarunner, speaker, and author of Running Man
“Let’s face it: There’s no perfect diet and exercise plan. The best you can hope for is one that works for you as well as you work for it.
“Bigger Leaner Stronger is that plan, with enough information to keep you satisfied and just enough hand-holding to guide yet not coddle. You shouldn’t need another plan after this one.”
—Kurtis Frank, Co-Founder of Examine.com and Director of Research for Legion Athletics
Contents
Dedication
Free Bonus Material (Workouts, Meal Plans, and More!)
Foreword
Part 1: What’s in This for You?
It Works! Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Results. Will You Be Next?
1The Promise
2Who Is Mike Matthews and Why Should I Care?
3Why Bigger Leaner Stronger Is Different
Part 2: Key Things “They” Aren’t Telling You
4The Hidden Barrier
5What Most Men Will Never Know about Getting Fit – Part 1
6What Most Men Will Never Know about Getting Fit – Part 2
7The 10 Absolute Worst Fat Loss Myths and Mistakes
8The 10 Absolute Worst Muscle-Building Myths and Mistakes
9The 3 Little Big Things about Rapid Fat Loss
10The 3 Little Big Things about Building Lean Muscle
Part 3: How to Win the “Inner Game” of Getting Fit
11The Great “Inner Game” Secret
12The Anatomy of Willpower
1313 Easy Ways to Boost Your Willpower and Self-Control
14Use It or Lose It: How to Train Your Willpower
15Finding Your Biggest Fitness Whys
Part 4: The Last Diet Advice You’ll Ever Need
16Welcome to the Wonderful World of Flexible Dieting
17The Easiest Way to Calculate Your Calories and Macros
18The Truth about Preworkout and Postworkout Nutrition
19How to Make Meal Plans That Really Work
20How to “Cheat” on Your Diet Without Ruining It
Part 5: The Last Exercise Advice You’ll Ever Need
21The Ultimate Workout Plan for Men – Strength Training
22The Ultimate Workout Plan for Men – Cardio
23The Best Exercises for Building Your Best Body Ever
24The Definitive Guide to the “Big Three”
Part 6: Don’t Buy Another Supplement Until You Read This
25The Great Supplement Hoax
26The Smart Supplement Buyer’s Guide
Part 7: The Bigger Leaner Stronger Program
27You Paint by the Numbers, Your Body Does the Rest
28The Bigger Leaner Stronger Diet Plan
29The Bigger Leaner Stronger Training Plan
30The Bigger Leaner Stronger Supplementation Plan
31The Right and Wrong Ways to Track Your Progress
32How to Break Through Weight Loss Plateaus
33How to Break Through Weight Gain Plateaus
Part 8: The Beginning
34The Bigger Leaner Stronger Quickstart Guide
35From Here, Your Body Will Change
36Frequently Asked Questions
37Would You Do Me a Favor?
Appendix
Free Bonus Material (Workouts, Meal Plans, and More!)
Do You Want One-on-One Coaching?
Other Books byMichael Matthews
References
Dedication
To all the guys who have supported me and my work and made this third edition possible.
This is for you.
And to be honest, I hope that after reading it, you’ll say it’s the best fitness book for men ever written. If nothing else, it’s the absolute best fitness book for men I’m currently capable of writing.
Free Bonus Material (Workouts, Meal Plans, and More!)
Thank you for reading Bigger Leaner Stronger.
I hope you find it insightful, inspiring, and practical, and I hope it helps you build that lean, muscular, and strong body you really desire.
I want to make sure that you get as much value from this book as possible, so I’ve put together a number of additional free resources to help you, including:
A savable, shareable, printable reference guide with all of this book’s key takeaways, checklists, and action items.
Links to form demonstration videos for all Bigger Leaner Stronger exercises.
An entire year’s worth of Bigger Leaner Stronger workouts neatly laid out and pro
vided in several formats, including PDF, Excel, and Google Sheets.
If you’d prefer the workouts in a digital or hard-copy book, check out The Year One Challenge for Men (www.biggerleanerstronger.com/challenge).
10 Bigger Leaner Stronger meal plans that make losing fat and gaining muscle as simple as possible.
A list of my favorite tools for getting and staying motivated and on track inside and outside of the gym.
And more.
To get instant access to all of those free bonuses (plus a few additional surprise gifts), go here now:
⇒ www.biggerleanerstronger.com/bonus
Also, if you have any questions or run into any difficulties, just shoot me an email at [email protected] and I’ll do my best to help!
Foreword
Mike and I have been doing podcasts together for a while now, and we’ve gotten to be buddies despite the fact that he’s too skinny and has too many abs.
I keep telling him he’d make a great lifter at 275 pounds, but he plays golf, and you know how those people can be.
Nonetheless, I have a great deal of respect for anyone who insists on telling the truth in this ridiculous industry, the home of charlatans, frauds, liars, and fools all over the world. Mike and I agree about far more than we disagree, and we learn from each other.
More importantly, Mike is his own guy—he works for himself, thinks for himself, and writes for himself. And you are the beneficiary. He sells no useless quasi-pharmaceuticals, no silly devices, no “breakthrough” programming, and no bullshit. He gets no money from sponsors, and he is owned by no one.
Mike may be mistaken (as may I), but he doesn’t lie to you. He tells you the truth, and you should listen.
If you want to use strength training for aesthetics, Mike is your source. He understands the importance of getting strong. He knows that muscle determines the shape and appearance of the human body, and that muscles grow when they are stressed by heavy loads. He knows that hard work is the only effective use of your training time. He understands the science of nutrition, and he can explain it to you—and even to me.
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