Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body was the winner in the Sports/Fitness/ Recreation category of the 2020 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Michael Matthews.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body.
Published April 12, 2019
What’s the book’s first line?
The women you just saw are just like you.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
If you’re tired of restrictive, unsustainable crash diets, endless cardio, and repeatedly losing weight only to gain it all back a few months later … and you want to be lean, strong, and fit … without requiring superstar genetics or wasting hours and hours in the gym … then you want to read Thinner Leaner Stronger. The bottom line is you can get that “Hollywood babe” body without following boring, bland, “bodybuilder” diets, living in the gym, or running marathons, and this book will show you how.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
My own experience getting in shape was the primary motivation to write this book. Before I wrote Thinner Leaner Stronger, I wrote a similar book for men called Bigger Leaner Stronger, which was basically the book I wish I had when I first became interested in getting in shape. Most women struggle with many of the same issues as men when it comes to getting in shape (proper calorie and macronutrient intake, learning to embrace heavy weightlifting, etc.), but they also face unique challenges men don’t have to deal with. Thus, I wrote Thinner Leaner Stronger to solve these issues for women, and help them get in the best shape of their lives.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Well, there is no main character in this book, so I’ll just say it’s written for every woman who wants to build her best body ever, no matter where they’re starting, how old they are, or how “good” or “bad” they think their genetics might be.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Getting in shape is much, much simpler than most fitness “experts” would have you believe. Once you learn how to pull a few levers—eating an appropriate number of calories and adequate protein, and lifting heavy weights, primarily—getting in amazing shape simply becomes a matter of showing up and sticking to the plan each and every day. You don’t need to waste your time or money on fancy exercises, trendy new diet plans, or overpriced, ineffective supplements. Instead, you just need to master the fundamentals of proper dieting and training, and you will get the body you’ve always wanted.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I’ve always liked reading and thought it would be fun and fulfilling to write a book, and I’d worked on a company that involved a fair amount of writing. About ten years ago I was also in the process of getting in the best shape I’d ever been in (using the same strategies I outline in the book), and was getting asked ‘how I did it’ by many friends. This gave me a wild hair, and I wrote and published Bigger Leaner Stronger in 2012. One of the main questions I got was from women, asking for a female-specific version of the book, and that prompted me to write Thinner Leaner Stronger.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m also the founder of Legion Athletics, one of the leading 100 percent natural sports supplement companies in the world. Once again, I created Legion to scratch my own itch. I was tired of the exaggeration, fake science, and outright lies that most supplement manufacturers use to foist ineffective products on consumers, and so I launched Legion to create the supplements that I wanted, using transparent formulations, science-backed ingredients, and honest marketing.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Yes. In fact, I’m currently working with a traditional publisher on a fitness book for men and women over the age of 40 that’s scheduled to come out next summer. One of the main reasons I wanted to write about fitness is that it’s one of the highest leverage activities you can do to improve every aspect of your life, and although I know I’d probably make more money selling the book independently, I wanted this book to reach as large of an audience as possible. Indie publishing is generally more profitable, but the traditional publisher I’m working with will allow me to reach a much larger audience and positively impact more people’s lives.