Ready to level up your game in the gym and in the kitchen? The following selections for best workout books for women were chosen specifically for the female lifter in mind.
The best fitness books are the ones that keep things simple. With all of the information (and misinformation) out there it can be easy to get bogged down into finding the “best” workout routine or diet plan.
The following books contain exceptional information that is presented clearly so that it can be acted upon. All the exercises, workout plans, and macros are useless without action and clarity of purpose.
Whether you are a high-performance athlete, looking to get back into the gym for the first time, or needing some work on your motivational game, these are the best fitness books for women.
ROAR by Stacy Sims, MSC, PhD
- Best fitness book for female athletes
The female body is unique from that of men. And yet, for many women, coaches, and personal trainers, the female athlete is trained and fed like a man’s. This fundamental mistake ignores what makes the woman’s body special, and is often counterproductive in performance.
Sims’ book, ROAR, is essential reading for the female athlete (and gymgoer) as it breaks down the science behind the best way to feed and train the woman athlete. Included is nutrition and training advice specifically for women, busting through some common misconceptions along the way.
Not just for high-performance athletes, Sims’ ROAR is required reading for the woman (or coach or personal trainer) who is fed up with not seeing the results they want from their diet and efforts in the gym.
- “Sorry, it’s true. Guys do lose weight more easily than we do. But pumping up your protein intake can help a lot.”
- “As a woman, you have more essential fat, carry most of your lean mass in your lower body, and have a greater proportion of type I endurance (also called slow-twitch) muscle fibers than men.”
- “Pound for pound, a well-trained woman is darn near as powerful as her male counterpart.”
Where to Buy – ROAR by Stacy Sims
Paperback | Audiobook | Kindle
The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe, and Alwyn Cosgrove
- Best beginners fitness book for women
One of the enduring misconceptions about women’s fitness is that a woman will excessively bulk up when doing weight training.
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess systematically destroys this myth.
The authors, through a detailed and science-backed strength, conditioning, and nutrition plan, show women how torch fat and build a lean, healthy figure. The plan goes for about six months, which will give you plenty of time to see results.
- See also: 7 Best Weight Lifting Belts for Women. The right lifting belt helps you lift more and helps you lift safely. Here’s a look at the best lifting belts for women on the market.
Women will often bang out an endless number of hours on the cardio machines, believing that if they simply log enough time on the treadmill, they will burn fat.
The New Rules of Lifting for Women gives you a simple strength training plan that starts off basic enough for beginners and includes workout for more experienced gymgoers.
Where to Buy – The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe, and Alwyn Cosgrove
No Sweat by Michelle Segar
- Best motivational fitness book for women
The battle in the gym, the scale, and the kitchen begins and ends with happens between our ears. Despite our best intentions, it’s the mindset we bring to our goals that determine whether or not we persevere in their pursuit.
Michelle Segar’s No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness is a detailed breakdown of the ways we mentally sabotage ourselves, keeping us from realizing our potential in the gym and in the mirror. She shows how women can build a mental strategy that emphasizes self-care, enjoyment of the process, and giving yourself permission to succeed.
No Sweat isn’t a workout and nutrition plan. But rather, it’s a series of tools for maximizing your mental approach so that you can get the most of your workouts, eat better, and find the enjoyment in the journey that will sustain you long after that first jolt of motivation has faded.
Where to Buy – No Sweat by Michelle Segar
Paperback | Audiobook | Kindle
Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy
For the female gymgoer and athlete who wants to get a clearer understanding of how the body performs in the gym, Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy contains almost 300 full-color illustrations of your body at work.
I have recommended Delavier’s books as one of my favorite books for weightlifters. Being able to see what muscles are working during specific exercises helps you to visualize the movement and engage the right muscles. In terms of mental programming, dialing in your lifting technique, and using the correct muscles, this skill is priceless.
The book breaks down over 150 exercises and includes almost 50 unique programs that will help you get stronger, get lean, and get healthy.
Where to Buy – Delavier’s Women’s Strength Training Anatomy
More Book Recommendations and Guides:
Best Sport Psychology Books: Conquer Your Mind, Conquer the Competition. Looking to get under the hood of your mental game? Check out this collection of the best sport psychology books for coaches, athletes, and sport psychs.
Best Books for Weightlifting. Getting stronger in the gym doesn’t need to be particularly complicated. Here are the essential books for anyone who is serious about utterly destroying the gym.
