Burn: The Burn Boot Camp 5-Step Strategy for Inner and Outer Strength

This title begins with the same promise offered by many wellness influencers and brands (from Beachbody to Peloton and now Burn Bootcamp): “You aren’t failing to become fit. Fitness is failing you.” The coauthors then offer action steps for taking power back through their five-step strategy for achieving inner and outer strength, which they connect to the words “burn,” “believe,” “nourish,” “achieve,” and “connect.” The personal stories the authors share in the introduction demonstrate that they found fitness in their respective efforts to heal from difficult pasts and trauma, meaning that they understand the complex motives people have for making the choices they do about movement and nutrition. At base, though, they’re talking about transforming physical bodies, even when they refer to “inner fitness.” It’s the same slight shift in diet culture narratives that gyms have been using over the past few years; there’s a nod to the mindset shift of body positivity, but the book is still primarily about exercise and nutrition. There’s also a disconnect when the authors state that nourishment isn’t about counting macros—right before they explain how to “eat clean.”