I really enjoyed this, it found me at exactly the right moment. I found the blending of light memoir and science really well done. The feminist lens (which I share!) could have been overbearing and hokey but it was perfectly applied. Johnston really means what she writes, it's not lip service. Having very very recently started courting strength I found this book helpful both in information and inspiration. It's not prescriptive but instead encouraging, communicating a hard won understanding of Johnston's own body and the way most women struggle with our bodies in relation to exercise and food, whether we admit it or not. The idea that so many of us are operating every day on a calorie deficit really got me thinking... and more excited about getting ripped. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I'm the last person who is qualified to review a book about strength building, but I enjoyed Casey Johnston's A Physical Education a lot. The author's uses of personal narrative and story to make the science more digestible, and I found myself really intrigued by the history of weight and strength training in the US, in terms of political action and community building. I found Johnston's experience inspiring and motivating, and I think it's probably even more so helpful if you're actually into fitness... but maybe the ultimate review is I actually try it....

Casey Johnston’s “She’s a Beast” is one of the only newsletters I open and read as soon as it hits my inbox. Her takes on weight lifting, movement, and eating have changed my feelings toward all of those for the better. Her first book, “Liftoff: Couch to Barbell” is a how to guide for weightlifting and helped me feel comfortable getting back into the gym and repeatedly picking up and putting down heavy(-ish) things.

Although this is a memoir, it’s so much more than that. Casey contextualizes her personal history with diets and exercise, which we do learn a lot about, within a much larger scope. Did you know that there was a socialist organization in the mid 1800s called the Turners that believed a strong, healthy population was an essential aspect of collective care and enabled the population to better stand against exploitation and that they built a huge network of public gyms to empower more people in their promotion of health as a public good? Me neither.

I also learned so much about how food restriction impacts not just our bodies but also our brains in ways that absolutely make sense but I hadn’t put together before.

Her discussion about the utility of failure is something I’m still thinking about, weeks after reading that last page.

Probably the only caveat I’d give before handing this book over to a friend is that there is a lot of talk about food. It’s largely in the context of how weight lifting requires you to eat more and what that looks like, but I could see it being a little much for some folks.

A big thank you to @netgalley for this ARC!

Dive into a powerful blend of memoir and science with A Physical Education. Written by Casey Johnston, the creator of the “She’s a Beast” newsletter, this inspiring book takes readers on an emotional and transformative journey of rejecting diet culture and embracing the empowering world of strength training.

📚 Why You Need to Read This:
• A Relatable Journey: Casey’s raw honesty about calorie restriction, cardio obsession, and self-image struggles hits home for anyone battling with body expectations.
• The Power of Lifting: Witness how picking up weights not only made Casey physically stronger but also helped her reclaim her spirit and redefine her self-worth.
• Thought-Provoking Insight: Explore how societal messages about women’s bodies seep into every facet of life—and how to challenge them.
• Wit & Wisdom: Casey combines sharp humor, personal anecdotes, and an investigative lens to create a book that’s both engaging and enlightening.

✨ Who Should Read It?
If you’ve ever felt at odds with your body, questioned diet culture, or wondered how to truly feel strong—inside and out—this book is for you. It’s a rallying cry to rethink what strength means and to find joy in moving your body for you.

🌟 Key Takeaways:
• Strength is about more than appearance; it’s about capability, resilience, and self-love.
• Challenging societal norms can lead to discovering your authentic self.
• Lifting weights isn’t just exercise—it’s a revolution.

📖 Final Thoughts:
This is a love letter to strength, resilience, and the journey back to yourself. Whether you’re a seasoned lifter or a beginner considering stepping into the weight room, Casey Johnston’s story will inspire you to take that first step toward owning your power.

💬 Let’s talk: Have you read A Physical Education yet? How has lifting changed your life?

🏋️‍♀️ #APhysicalEducation #CaseyJohnston #SheIsABeast #StrengthTraining #LiftHeavy #BodyPositivity #DietCultureDropout #MemoirLovers #InspirationReads #WellnessJourney #StrongWomen #BookstagramReads

An inspiring memoir, a testament to learning to love our bodies and a clarion call to heal our relationship to body image and fitness.

A very easy read, the information and stories are clear and enjoyable, though the momentum of the book seems to flag at the very end, with the final chapter feeling slightly tacked on, as the book searched for a finale.

Reading this book felt like seeing my own life, my own struggles, the struggles that so many of us live with the way that our culture pushes and pushes and pushes. It was informative, empowering, and emotive as it showed Casey's journey, but also another way for so many of us trapped in this endless cycle. It was about strength in more ways than one. I turned around and immediately recommended it to multiple people.

Ok this book was so inspiring. As a competitive powerlifter/bodybuilder I love hearing women’s journeys into strength training. I can’t wait to buy this book for my mom and the cover is beautiful

An interesting memoir-cum-bodybuilding exploration. I follow Johnston online and was excited to read this memoir. I enjoyed the journey and exploration of Johnston's evolution into weightlifting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and I'm so glad that I did. Casey's weight/exercise journey mirrors mine somewhat so I was easily able to relate to her story. Her writing style is engaging and it easily flows so that I was finished with the book before I wanted to be. Casey sends us on a journey through exercise history: I had never heard of the Turners or the class implications of having muscles. She also, in easily understandable language, describes how muscles are built. Building a strength routine doesn't have to be hard, you won't bulk up unless you're really intentional about it, and being strong is so much better than being skinny. These are my takeaways from A Physical Education. If you have screwed up dieting tendencies, you'll get a lot out of this book.

Johnston's book spoke to me. I just wrote about diet culture and how it has been part of my life since I was a young girl. I read a lot about this topic. I thought her story was interesting and authentic. Her writing style is enjoyable, and I felt I really got a sense of her struggles and healing. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.