I read all the time. My favorite time to read is before bed but I don’t discriminate. I have been known to finish 5 or 6 books on a weekend trip, especially if I fly. Summer is the best time of year to read, in my opinion. We tend to have a bit more time, plus what can beat sitting outside in the warm sun or on a cool evening, listening to the birds and relaxing with a good book?
Most of my reading is done on my Kindle; I was one of the very first to buy one and have upgraded through the years. I now have two that I use interchangeably. As far as what I read, it varies. I tend to go between nonfiction and fiction, newer bestsellers and diamonds in the rough. I read “chick lit” and mystery, historical romance and memoirs. I have 778 books in my Kindle library as of this blog post writing.
Currently I’m reading Stephen King’s Fairy Tale. Prior to that, I read a few nonfiction books, mostly about health and fitness. Speaking of health and fitness, here are some recent health books I would recommend to anyone looking to learn more about their own health and wellbeing. These are in no order.
The Resistance Training Revolution: The No-Cardio Way to Burn Fat and Age-Proof Your Body—in Only 60 Minutes a Week by Sal Di Stefano – Written by the main host of the Mind Pump podcast, this book is an amazing book to give anyone who is a beginner. It lays out a simple, evidence-based argument for why strength training is the way to go and how to exercise and eat for a healthy life.
Thinner, Leaner, Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body (The Thinner Leaner Stronger Series Book 1) by Mike Matthews – This is a great primer for anyone wanting to get into shape or back into shape. Matthews writes in a familiar way and breaks things down nicely for anyone to be able to apply the principles.
Flexible Dieting: A Science-Based, Reality-Tested Method for Achieving and Maintaining Your Optima l Physique, Performance & Health by Alan Aragon – I loved this book. So often people think they need to go on a diet to “lose weight” and they deprive themselves of foods for a period of time only to fall off and revert back to their familiar ways of eating. This book explains how to eat for life. There is a bit of science-y stuff within but still a great read.
Bigger, Better, Bolder: Live the Life You Want, Not the Life You Get by Jennifer Cohen – I just finished this book a few weeks ago and it was very motivating for me. Jennifer gets me! But seriously, if you are feeling like there is more to life than what you’ve got, read this book and break out of your ho hum and into a thriving life!
The M.A.X. Muscle Plan 2.0 by Brad Schoenfeld – This book has so much in it, including a full, 9-month workout routine and nutrition support. I gained a ton of muscle on this workout. Brad is one of the leading experts in the health and fitness industry. I highly recommend any of his books.
Eat. Lift. Thrive. by Sohee Lee – I chose this book after finding Lee on Instagram. I’m always in search of other petite females to learn from them on how best to eat and train for strength. She is a PhD who knows her stuff! Plus, she’s down to earth. This is a great read for anyone looking to keep it real with exercise and nutrition.
Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training by Bret Contreras – Bret is the best. I am currently doing his Booty by Bret monthly workout program. This book is one I have in hard cover on my bookshelf. I read it cover to cover and still refer to it often. There are also workouts included within.
Strong Curves: A Woman’s Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body by Bret Contreras – Again, Bret is the best. I read this one before Glute Lab and boy did I learn a lot about how to strength train to look my best.
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess – This was the first book I ever read on lifting. In 2016 I had NO idea what I was doing. This was a great introduction and although I found the exercise routines difficult to follow and understand, the rest of this book was very helpful as a first primer.
So, there you have it– a bunch of exercise and nutrition books to keep you busy all summer long. Happy reading!