{"id":109920,"date":"2023-08-07T09:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T13:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=109920"},"modified":"2026-05-04T10:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T14:18:17","slug":"bigger-leaner-stronger-by-michael-matthews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/bigger-leaner-stronger-by-michael-matthews\/","title":{"rendered":"Bigger Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews: Book Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you wish you could be bigger, leaner, and stronger? Are you motivated to get fit<\/a> and just need a plan that works?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em>, personal trainer Michael Matthews argues that you can get the physique you want. He presents science-based diet and exercise plans designed for men, and he provides a step-by-step guide to implementing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading for an overview of Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em> by Michael Matthews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Overview of Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em> by Michael Matthews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In <\/em>Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em><\/a>, Michael Matthews argues that the secret to achieving your dream physique isn\u2019t 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\u2019ll learn, not only how to apply these techniques to your personal fitness goals and get healthy and fit fast, but also the science behind why they work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews is a certified personal trainer and the founder of Legion Athletics<\/a>, a sports nutrition brand that provides supplements, meal plans, and coaching services. He\u2019s written several other best-selling books, including Thinner Leaner Stronger<\/em><\/a>, a fitness book for women, and The Shredded Chef<\/em><\/a>, a cookbook for muscle-building and nutrition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll first discuss how you can set yourself up for success<\/a> on your health and fitness journey by boosting your motivation<\/a> and willpower. Then we\u2019ll examine the science of weight loss<\/a> and how you can create a flexible dieting meal plan. Finally, we\u2019ll explore a workout plan based on progressive overload for maximum strength and muscle gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part 1: Get Motivated For Your Fitness Journey<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Transforming your health and physique takes commitment, and you must get in a good mindset first. Before we discuss Matthews\u2019s methods for diet and exercise, let\u2019s look at his ways to get motivated and strengthen your willpower<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify the Reasons for Your Fitness Journey<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

To stay motivated<\/a> throughout your fitness journey, you must clarify the reasons you want to get stronger and healthier.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, imagine what your ideal physique looks and feels like. Find and save images of the body type you want. These images can serve as inspiration and remind you that your goals are real and achievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boost Your Willpower<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Now, you likely have some motivating reasons for getting stronger and healthier. However, immediate temptations, like craving your favorite junk food or skipping exercise to play video games, can still derail your fitness efforts if you\u2019re not careful. To make long-lasting progress, you must strengthen your willpower<\/a> and avoid temptations that can undermine your fitness efforts.<\/strong> Matthews gives some tips on how to deal with temptations when they arise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the 10 minute rule. <\/strong>Wait 10 minutes to act on your cravings rather than try to suppress them. Suppressing cravings only makes them stronger. For example, if you\u2019re itching to order fast food, accept that you have a craving, but force yourself to wait 10 minutes before making the order. Matthews argues that you\u2019ll find that the temptation often becomes more manageable after 10 minutes simply because the urgency is gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, if you\u2019re dreading a task (like exercising), force yourself to do it for at least 10 minutes. You\u2019ll likely find it easier to continue once you\u2019ve started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take precautionary measures. <\/strong>Matthews suggests you remove sources of temptation that might derail your fitness journey so it\u2019s harder to give in. For example, leave your cell phone in a locker while at the gym so you don\u2019t get distracted from your workout. This allows you to avoid testing your willpower altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid justifying bad decisions. <\/strong>Matthews writes that people often succumb to moral licensing<\/a><\/em>, which is thinking you\u2019ve earned the right to do something bad because you\u2019ve done something good. For example, if you finish a strenuous workout, you might reason that it\u2019s okay to \u201creward\u201d your good behaviors with some junk food. To avoid moral licensing, Matthews recommends that you stop labeling<\/a> your actions as good or bad and remind yourself of the reasons you want to get fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part 2: Use Flexible Dieting to Build Muscle and Burn Fat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know how to prepare your mindset, let\u2019s explore the role of nutrition in your health and fitness journey. Matthews argues that flexible dieting <\/em>is the best nutrition approach to losing fat and building muscle.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Macros are nutrients that your body needs a large amount of to function properly\u2014namely, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. In the following sections, we\u2019ll explain why flexible dieting works and discuss steps for creating your own meal plan based on this approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Science Behind Weight Loss: Calories In, Calories Out<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Matthews argues that, no matter what diet you follow, your weight depends on how many calories you eat <\/em>and how many calories you burn. <\/strong>In other words, the amount<\/em> of food you eat matters more than the kinds<\/em> of foods you eat. This is because all foods give you energy (which is measured in calories), and, according to the law of thermodynamics, energy can\u2019t be created or destroyed. Excess energy gets stored in your body as fat, so, to lose weight, you must simply eat fewer calories<\/a> than you burn each day. When you expend more energy than you consume, your body burns fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, there are certain guidelines you should follow to maintain your health on this diet. According to Matthews, a flexible dieting meal plan should have three key elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Element #1: A large amount of protein.<\/strong> Protein helps your body build muscle and other tissues. According to Matthews, a high-protein diet can speed up fat loss, increase muscle gain, improve metabolism, decrease hunger, strengthen your bones, and boost your mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Element #2: Minimally processed foods<\/a>.<\/strong> These are foods that are in a form very close to how they grow in nature (like vegetables, fruits, meats, and nuts), which contain many important nutrients your body needs. Matthews writes that the more foods get processed, the more likely they are to contain calories that don\u2019t provide nutritional value. Minimally processed foods also help you burn more calories because they require more energy to digest. He says that ideally, 80% of your diet should consist of these types of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Element #3: Your preferred balance of carbs and fat. <\/strong>You can decide whether to eat more carbs versus more fat based on your taste. Matthews contends that the ratio of carbs to fat has little impact on your physique. If you\u2019re relatively active, however, he says you should eat a moderate or high-carb diet<\/a> to boost your muscle gain. Your body uses carbs to create glycogen, which fuels your workouts and helps you repair and build muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Create Your Flexible Dieting Meal Plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Now that you understand the science behind weight loss, let\u2019s explore the steps of creating a meal plan for flexible dieting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Decide How You Want to Change Your Physique<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Before you can create your meal plan, you must decide how you want to start changing your physique. You can prioritize losing fat, maintaining your current physique, or building muscle.<\/strong> Matthews explains that unless you\u2019re new to strength training, you can\u2019t effectively lose fat and build muscle at the same time: trimming fat requires reducing calories, and having fewer calories available hinders your body\u2019s ability to build muscle. Getting stronger and <\/em>leaner typically requires alternating between phases of losing fat and building muscle. Matthews suggests you decide what to focus on first based on your body fat percentage.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s now look at the three ways<\/a> to start changing your physique: cutting <\/em>to lose fat, maintaining <\/em>to stay at your current weight, or lean bulking<\/em> to build muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #1: Cutting<\/strong>\u2014The purpose of cutting is to trim fat. This approach requires you to eat fewer<\/em> calories than you burn. Matthews suggests you start with a cutting phase if your body fat percentage is over 15%. Higher body fat takes longer to cut, requiring you to resist cravings longer, so working to reduce your body fat first makes it easier to succeed in subsequent cuts. End your cutting phases at around 10% to 12% body fat, as it\u2019s harder to get leaner without intense diet control and exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #2: Maintaining<\/strong>\u2014The purpose of maintaining is to stay at your current weight and slowly build muscle. To do this, you must eat the same<\/em> amount of calories you burn. According to Matthews, you should maintain if you’re happy with your physique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option #3: Lean Bulking<\/strong>\u2014The purpose of lean bulking is to build muscle and strength. This phase requires you to eat more<\/em> calories than you burn. While this optimizes muscle-building, you\u2019ll also gain some fat in the process. Matthews suggests you end your lean bulk when you have around 15% to 17% body fat so you don\u2019t gain too much fat you\u2019ll need to cut later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Calculate Your Daily Calorie Target<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Once you know if you want to cut, maintain, or lean bulk and whether to add or subtract calories from your diet, you must figure out the <\/strong>right<\/em><\/strong> amount of calories to eat daily.<\/strong> Consider three factors when calculating your target calories: <\/strong>your body recomposition goal, how active you are, and your weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthews suggests different ranges of calories to target when cutting, maintaining, and gaining. You should aim for the higher or lower end of this range depending on how active you are. If you\u2019re less active, aim for the lower end. If you\u2019re very active, aim for the higher end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n