Review by rmac1209 -- Beneath the Muscle by Lauren Powers

[rmac1209]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Beneath the Muscle" by Lauren Powers.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Beneath the Muscle: Unleash Your Inner Champion by Lauren Powers is an inspirational tale. Lauren is well known to the public as a successful bodybuilder, but she has achieved much more than that. She was a professional skateboarder, owned her own surfing business, became a firefighter, and has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. Lauren shares experiences and challenges she has faced, including drug addiction and resistance she encountered entering a male dominated profession, and what it took for her to overcome those obstacles and find success.

Lauren has faced a lot of adversity. Instead of letting failure and negativity push her down, she uses it as fuel. She is a true testament that hard work, dedication and having a positive mindset can really pay off. Lauren wrote her book to motivate and inspire others to pursue their wants and dreams despite their reservations or lack of support. She also provides a free workbook to assist in your own personal journey.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I perceive Lauren as a strong and positive role model for women in all walks of life. It’s amazing that she made a decision to change careers and transform her body at age 40. She included photos in her book which were inspirational. One that stood out to me was her dressed as and posing as Wonder Woman. It suits her. I enjoyed reading about her life and her trials and tribulations, her victories and failures.

Lauren has mastered many hobbies and business ventures, but this was her first book. Although I found it to flow well and be well-structured, there were some grammatical errors. Lauren is a public figure and enjoys being in the public eye. Marketing is important for a business woman, but I did not like that in order to get her free workbook, you had to subscribe to her mailing list. Her main message to achieve your goals is to be positive and stay determined. That comes easier to some people than others. As interesting as her story is, I don’t consider Lauren an underdog. She grew up in Southern California with a great support system. At times, her confidence came off as arrogance.

It’s obvious that Lauren seeks to coach others and leads by example. She jokes that her stubbornness is a big contributor to her achievements and drives her to keep going when things get tough. She embraced her typically negative quality and turned it into a tool for success. I believe this book would be most appealing to women in search of a strong role model or anyone who feels that they are in a rut or discouraged. I feel that Lauren’s story will empower others.

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Beneath the Muscle
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[Erin Painter Baker]

I think for some people, this will be a really inspirational book, especially those who are looking to transform their bodies as much as their lives. Probably not one I will read, though.