Fitness, Strength Training, and Nutrition Lessons from a Professional Athlete and Biomedical Engineer

The Smart Simple Guide to A Better Physique - Fitness, Strength Training, and Nutrition Lessons From a Professional Athlete and Biomedical Engineer, by Emily Hu, is a straightforward guidebook to exercise, diet and nutrition. It is written in a friendly and pragmatic style, and based on the knowledge of a triple all-time world record holding powerlifter who also has a Master's in Science degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University and is a published orthopedic researcher.

The author went from never having competed in sports to becoming an all-time world record holder with professional sponsorships in 3 years, to being recruited by NBC for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's The Titan Games, while working a full-time job in biomedical research the entire time. This book was inspired during the COVID pandemic when the author received requests for advice from friends on how they could eat, feel, and look better quickly after many months of sedentary, government-mandated COVID lockdowns.

The author brings together advice on the following topics in a way that is suitable for newcomers but also helpful in filling in gaps for those who are more experienced:

Part 1 - Food
- Macronutrients (and Fiber!)
- Why Fad Diets Work (But Only For A While)
- Fad Diets with Some Merit
- “How I Keep My Weight Under Control”…or Low-Stress Diet and Execution Strategies
Part 2 - Exercise and Movement
- Cardio
- The Workout Section, or “Bare Minimum Weekly Workouts to Look Good Naked”
- The Exercises
- The Workout Plans
Part 3 - Sleep
Part 4 - Supplements
- Pre-Workout Supplements
- Post-Workout Supplements
- Non-Workout Supplements