I have been following Erin Stern for awhile and love her workout tips and videos. I was excited to receive this copy of Bodybuilders cookbook, as I am always struggling to find macro friendly recipes. I have tried a few recipes and they did not disappoint. Cloud bread is a wonderful thing for low carb days.

Thank you to Erin Stern, DK, Alpha Publishing, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy for an honest review of “The Bodybuilder’s Kitchen.”

A heavy weightlifter of over three years now, I get leery on which lifting books, advice or cookbooks, I’m willing to picking. Especially because most of them are by men, and thus, are only about 25% applicable to me, my present, and my future goals. So, you can imagine how fast I snapped this book up the moment I saw it was written by a female bodybuilder.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I ended up liking it. I was so excited to receive the notification of being accepted for review and for getting the book down, but neither of my perusals through it turned up much for me. I like that she includes some early persona anecdotal information, but the rest is a little bland.

The 5 full-week plans are nice, and I do like how widely she uses her three-tier scale on every one of the recipes, but for a book being sold in ‘Cooking, Food, & Wine’ and not being touted as an exercise book, it’s highly lacking in a lot of helpful notes a cook book might. It’s definitely missing having more examples of what her dishes look like, or even notes about how to change up more than a handful of them.

Erin Stern is amazing and this book helps give us a little insight into one of the most difficult aspects for me is the dieting. Simple and appealing recipes that are more then just a broiled chicken breast and plain steamed broccoli. This is a great book with lots of helpful information.

I just embarked on a new exercise routine and was pleasantly surprised to find this cookbook on NetGalley. I can't wait to try some of these recipes. The photos included in this book make the food look extra appetizing.

I need to add this book to my collection. As someone who has incorporated regular strength training into her workout routine, this book is essential toward helping me hit my gain goals and macros. I've bookmarked many receipes I look forward to making in the future (and look forward to purchasing my physical copy!)

***Thanks to NetGalley and DK for providing me with an ARC and the understanding that any review posted will be my honest opinion.***

My Thoughts:

I am always looking for new recipes to try out. My boyfriend lives in the gym 5 days a week and is a power lifter so healthy recipes are always a bonus. I have lifted in the past to gain definition but over the years I have lost a lost of muscle tone and find myself in the position of starting at the bottom. I love to eat healthy but as I approach 40 I have realized that my metabolism is not what it used to be and a lifestyle change is needed. This book appealed to me because it was written by a female bodybuilder. Once I opened the book I knew it was going to be amazing. I love that it is filled with awesome recipes (Meatza was the first one we tried....and loved) but it also had some amazing tips and techniques to get the most out of your routine. I think this book is fantastic and will be used a lot around our house.

Not a review. I'm unable to view the book in its protected format, which is shame because it looks quite compelling.

Easy and tasty recipes that will help those who work hard in the gym. A great gift for those who love bodybuilding, CrossFit and working out and eating healthy.

Great companion book for lifters of all abilities. With a large range of recipes, it's easy to find one for almost any diet type.

Fantastic breakdown and recipe list of foods geared towards multiple forms of fitness. From a beginner to intermediate perspective - the book goes into detail on the different kinds of diet, meal portions, myth busting and savory recipe suggestions that appeal to anyone - regardless of fitness level.. This book proves that you don't have to sacrifice diversity and taste, in order to eat healthy. Highly recommended.

Great book...If you are into health and fitness, great read!

All the info you need to have a strong, healthy body - while enjoying the food you eat.