Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

There's no shame in admitting that at least 50% of the reason you exercise is that you have a “complicated” relationship with carbs or a sweet tooth and don't want to get fat. Or that you literally can’t afford to gain weight because then you’d have to buy a new wardrobe. Or that you want a good excuse to buy a new one. No matter how zany your reasons may seem to others, if you can use them to fire your fitness furnace, there’s no shame in exploiting them to the fullest. Listen to this podcast for a bit of motivational inspiration! Timestamps: 0:00 - Please leave a review of the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe to the show! 2:48 - Save up to 25% during my July 4th sale! https://buylegion.com/ Mentioned on the Show: Go to buylegion.com and save up to 25% during my big July 4th sale! Use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% on any non-sale items or get double reward points!

What is “ancestral eating” and is it a healthy way to eat? Should we be eating the same foods our ancient ancestors did? I’ve written and recorded a lot of evidence-based content over the years on just about everything you can imagine related to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy. I’ve also worked with thousands of men and women of all ages and circumstances and helped them get into the best shape of their lives. That doesn’t mean you should blindly swallow everything I say, though, because let’s face it—nobody is always right about everything. And especially in fields like diet and exercise, which are constantly evolving thanks to the efforts of honest and hardworking researchers and thought leaders. This is why I’m always happy to hear from people who disagree with me, especially when they have good arguments and evidence to back up their assertions. Sometimes I can’t get on board with their positions, but sometimes I end up learning something, and either way, I always appreciate the discussion. That gave me the idea for this series of podcast episodes: publicly addressing things people disagree with me on and sharing my perspective. Think of it like a spicier version of a Q&A. So, here’s what I’m doing: Every couple of weeks, I’m asking my Instagram followers what they disagree with me on, and then picking the more common or interesting contentions to address here on the podcast. And in this episode, I’ll be tackling “ancestral eating.” That is, eating like our ancient ancestors. Timestamps: 0:00 - Save up to 25% during my July 4th sale! https://buylegion.com/ 2:44 - What is ancestral eating? 6:07 - What is the scientific evidence on ancestral eating? Mentioned on the Show: Go to buylegion.com and save up to 25% during my big July 4th sale! Use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% on any non-sale items or get double reward points!

Many people get started on their nutrition journeys being told they need to eliminate certain foods, or even entire food groups. In turn, this can cause guilt when you do stray from “the one true diet” and you can end up creating an unhealthy relationship with food, or worse, full-blown disordered eating.  If you’re familiar with my work, you know that you can lose weight and achieve your goals without completely eliminating foods. The key is moderation and doing most things right most of the time. That’s how you make sustainable progress long-term without crashing and burning or bingeing.  And so, part of the solution to helping more people get healthier is education. That’s why I write my books and that’s why Jordan Syatt and Mike Vacanti wrote their new book, Eat It!: The Most Sustainable Diet and Workout Ever Made: Burn Fat, Get Strong, and Enjoy Your Favorite Foods Guilt Free. In it, they break down nutrition myths and diet fads, how to eat sustainably (both with and without tracking macros), and even provide simple strength training programs for both men and women just getting started on their fitness journeys.  In case you’re not familiar with Jordan Syatt and Mike Vacanti, they’ve both been on the podcast before. They’re Gary Vaynerchuk's personal trainers and have their own online coaching businesses (Syatt Fitness and On the Regimen, respectively) where they’ve helped thousands of people build better bodies and get healthier. They also host their own How to Become a Personal Trainer podcast.  In the interview, Jordan, Mike, and I discuss . . .  The trials and tribulations of writing Eat It! and the origin of the title  The different styles of dieting taught in the book  The concept of “shame” and whether it’s productive towards getting healthy  Practical tips to feel less hungry  And more . . .  So if you want to learn about how to eliminate the feeling of guilt in your diet and lose weight and get stronger sustainably, you’re going to enjoy this episode!  Timestamps:  0:00 - Save up to 25% during my July 4th sale! https://buylegion.com/  5:48 - When is your new book out? 5:57 - What was the process of writing your book like?  13:01 - What is the title of your book?  16:17 - What are your thoughts on feeling guilty for yourself when having an unhealthy lifestyle?  24:28 - What type of dieting are you teaching in your book?  26:49 - If someone isn’t used to tracking food, what do you think is the best method for them?  32:54 -What is your approach when it comes to calories vs macros and does it matter if the person’s goal is muscle gain or fat loss?  38:19 - What are some tips that work for being less hungry when cutting?  1:00:22 - What kind of training do you focus on in your book?  1:07:13 - Where can people pre order your book?  Mentioned on the Show:  Go to buylegion.com and save up to 25% during my big July 4th sale! Use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% on any non-sale items or get double reward points!  Jordan and Mike’s book Eat It!: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Sustainable-Workout-Strong-Favorite/dp/0063015005/?tag=mflweb-20

How much alcohol can you drink while cutting and still lose weight? Should you still train if your HRV score says to rest? How long should you rest between sets during a deload? All that and more in this Q&A podcast. This podcast is a Q&A, but it’s a bit different from the kind you’ll typically find here on Muscle For Life. In my usual Q&A episodes, I take a question from email or Instagram and then fully answer it in an episode of the podcast every week. However, over on Instagram, I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy hearing these questions and my short answers. So, instead of talking about one thing in an episode, I’m going to cover a variety of questions. And keep in mind some of these questions are just for fun. :) So if you want to ask me questions in my Instagram stories, follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness), and if I answer your question there, it might just make it onto an episode of the podcast! If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Whey+ risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/whey and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 3:47 - What are your thoughts on drinking alcohol when on a diet to lose weight? 4:26 - What is a healthy choice of sauce for chicken or other foods? 4:54 - How long should I cut for? 7:13 - Do you have to pause for a certain amount of time after finishing a bottle of Phoenix? 9:11 - How did you overcome acne when you were ages 15-20? 10:49 - If your HRV score says to rest but you feel okay, should you train? 13:10 - How do I overcome nonstop hunger? 14:37 - Is there a certain rep range or volume to use when cutting? 17:13 - Do I need direct or indirect volume for deadlifts? 17:37 - Should I dedicate my extra gym days to core workouts? 21:28 - Is resting time during deload 3-4 minuets? 21:58 - Should my hamstrings hurt after doing deadlifts? 22:30 - Is 15 oz of red meat bad for you? 22:49 - Any tips on combining strength training and marathon preparation? Mentioned on the Show: Try Whey+ risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/whey and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

I’m going to give you the TLDR for the latest studies on topics like cardio’s effects on muscle and strength gain, body recomposition, pre-workout meals, how creatine affects cognition, and how browsing social media can make you weaker. This podcast is another installment in my Research Roundup series of episodes, where I give you concise and practical takeaways from studies that I think are interesting and that can help us gain muscle and strength faster, lose fat faster, perform better athletically, feel better, live longer, or get and stay healthier. There is a ton of scientific research that gets published every year, and even if you narrow your focus to fitness research, it would still take several lifetimes to unravel the hairball of studies on nutrition, training, supplementation, and related fields. That's why my team and I put a lot of time into reviewing, dissecting, and describing scientific studies in articles, podcasts, and books. In today's episode, I'm tackling studies on whether glute “activation” exercises boost glute growth, how effective the 5:2 diet is for preserving muscle while you diet, whether vitamin D can actually help prevent injury, and how well blood flow restriction training works for building muscle. Press play if you want to learn the answers to those questions. Oh and if you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness). And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better. Timestamps: 0:00 - My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/ 4:01 - Does cardio kill muscle gain and strength? 9:22 - How can I gain muscle and lose a lot of fat at the same time? 17:08 - Are pre-wokout meals helpful for strength training? 22:49 - Does creatine make you smarter? 25:59 - Does scrolling through social media while training make you weaker? Mentioned on the Show: My award-winning fitness books for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

In this episode, I’m analyzing trends in the fitness industry and peering into the crystal ball with Joe Vennare to speculate on the future of health and wellness. Joe is a great guest to interview about these topics because he’s the co-founder of Fitt Insider, a platform that offers industry news and analysis of the business side of fitness and wellness. Specifically, Fitt Insider helps industry operators stay informed, make better decisions, and seize opportunities (especially in regards to startups and investments) through a weekly newsletter, podcast, and jobs board. Joe is a content strategist who’s been in the industry for more than a decade and leads Fitt Insider’s research and media efforts. I wanted to get him on the show because Fitt Insider’s goal is closely aligned with my own: to help millions of people live healthier, happier, better lives. By being a resource to help startups grow and advancing the conversation around wellness itself, Joe and his team can help facilitate massive change in the industry. In our chat, Joe and I talk about . . . Trends in fitness industry including wearables and subscriptions, and where technology and personalization may be headed in the future Offering legitimate value versus using “sexy” marketing to make money Virtual reality’s role in fitness The gamification of apps and services Surprising wins and flops in the fitness space How the supplement industry has changed and where it might go in the future And more . . . So if you want to learn about the business side of fitness and how the industry has changed over time and where it may be headed in the future, you’re going to enjoy this discussion! Timestamps: 0:00 - My free quiz to answer all your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz 2:57 - What are some of the most interesting things you’ve seen in this industry and where do you think things are headed? 8:20 - What are some new, upcoming trends that you see on the business side of the fitness industry? 17:44 - How much of that is legitimate value versus complicated marketing? 25:32 - What are your thoughts on new technological tools for health and fitness? 31:50 - What is gamification? 36:50 - Is VR coming to the fitness world? 40:57 - What are some surprising business wins or losses you’ve seen in the fitness industry? 1:00:01 - What are your thoughts on the future on supplementation? Mentioned on the show: Take this free quiz to get science-based answers to all of your diet questions: www.muscleforlife.show/dietquiz Fitt Insider: https://insider.fitt.co/ Joe’s Twitter: ​​https://twitter.com/JoeVennare

Naivety can be bliss. Remember when you discovered just how many calories are in a tablespoon of peanut butter and how small or proper tablespoon really is? Or the moment you realized that losing “only” one pound per week is actually a win? Or that you still have to watch your calories and macros when you’re bulking or you just get fat? Listen to hear more (funny) fitness disappointments in this podcast! Timestamps: 0:00 - Please leave a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts and make sure to subscribe! 2:48 - Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip Mentioned on the Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://www.muscleforlife.show/vip

Is TRT getting too trendy? How do I manage my work and time as a parent of young kids? How can you stay in a calorie deficit while going to social dinners? Can keto optimize your hormones? All that and more in this Q&A podcast.This podcast is a Q&A, but it’s a bit different from the kind you’ll typically find here on Muscle For Life.In my usual Q&A episodes, I take a question from email or Instagram and then fully answer it in an episode of the podcast every week.However, over onInstagram, I’ve started doing weekly Q&As in the stories, and it occurred to me that many podcast listeners might enjoy hearing these questions and my short answers. So, instead of talking about one thing in an episode, I’m going to cover a variety of questions. And keep in mind some of these questions are just for fun. :)So if you want to ask me questions in my Instagram stories,follow me on Instagram (@muscleforlifefitness), and if I answer your question there, it might just make it onto an episode of the podcast!If you like this type of episode, let me know. Send me an email (mike@muscleforlife.com) or direct message me on Instagram. And if you don’t like it, let me know that too or how you think it could be better.Timestamps0:00 - My free meal planning tool: buylegion.com/mealplan2:41 - What are your thoughts on tattoos?3:37 - Do you think that TRT is getting too trendy?5:27 - What is missing in the fitness industry?6:37 - Do seated dumbbell/barbell presses work the core as much as standing overhead dumbbell/barbell presses?7:23 - How can I maintain a calorie deficit when social dinners are constantly on my schedule?9:36 - How much do you love listening to me talk about horses?10:02 - How can I maintain my goal and strong mindset while cutting?11:23 - How do you manage all that you do while having kids?14:17 - What is the recommendation on warm up weights vs set weights?16:31 - What are your thoughts on keto in terms of hormonal optimization and preservation?Mentioned on the Show:Want a free meal planning tool that figures out your calories, macros, and micros, and allows you to create custom meal plans for cutting, lean gaining, and maintaining in under 5 minutes? Go to https://buylegion.com/mealplan and download the tool for free!

If you’ve ever wondered what effects the menstrual cycle has on fitness, and how you can take advantage of your monthly cycle when it comes to body composition and training, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’ve wondered for yourself, for your significant other, or even just a friend or client, this is something many people have asked about. How can you work around your menstrual cycle, and is there a way to optimize your diet and training around the different phases of your cycle? You’re going to learn the answers to these questions and more in this interview with Astrid Naranjo. There’s no doubt women have to deal some unique challenges compared to men, and one of those is their monthly period and its effects on body weight, mood, energy levels, hunger, cravings, and more. As someone who’s never experienced menstruation firsthand or the hormonal changes in my own body, I thought it would be good to bring someone on the podcast who has. Specifically, I wanted to chat with Astrid, who’s not only coached tons of women and helped them navigate the trials and tribulations of eating and training during their menstrual cycles, but also specializes in sports nutrition, creating healthier relationships with food, and PCOS. Astrid is a Clinician Dietitian and Nutritionist and has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics Practice from Bond University, along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Central University of Venezuela. She’s one of the most well-known Accredited Practicing Dietitians (APD) on social media. In our chat, Astrid and I talk about . . . What the menstrual cycle is and how it can affect your body weight, energy, and more during the different phases Whether you should adjust your macros and overall calorie intake during different phases of your cycle How to respond to weight fluctuations, energy levels, and dietary struggles What drives cravings and how you can incorporate emotional eating into your meal plan Periodizing your training during your cycle and different types of deloads (not just lowering the volume or weight on the bar) Facts and myths about PCOS How oral contraceptives (birth control) affect your hormones and cycle And more . . . So if you want to learn how your menstrual cycle affects your fitness and how you can customize your eating and training to work with your cycle (or if you even need to), listen to this podcast! Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Pulse Mojito risk-free! Go to buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 7:48 - What is the menstrual cycle? 16:38 - What are your thoughts on not weighing yourself on the final week of your menstrual cycle? 21:40 - is it necessary to change your macro breakdown based on where you are with your cycle? 26:14 - is it helpful to eat less carbohydrates and more fat as you get further along in your cycle? 29:12 - Does metabolic rate change during a menstrual cycle? 33:30 - What is your approach to fat loss phase during a menstrual cycle? 39:55 - What are menstrual cravings driven by? 43:35 - Should women periodize their training around their menstrual cycle? 58:25 - What is PCOS and what are the best ways to deal with it? 1:06:16 - What are your thoughts on oral contraceptives? 1:09:52 - Is there anything else you would like to share? 1:13:43 - Where can we find you? Mentioned on the show: Try our new Pulse flavor Mojito risk-free! Go to buylegion.com/pulse and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! Astrid’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antidiet_dietitian/

What does a weightlifting belt do and how do you use one? Should you use one and on what exercises? How do you wear one correctly and what should you look for when picking a belt? All that and more in this podcast. Some people claim that a weightlifting belt is essential for avoiding injury—almost like wearing a seatbelt in the car. Other people though, they say that the safety benefits are completely overblown, and the only good reason to wear a belt is to lift more weight. Still others say that weightlifting belts are really just crutches and that they encourage you to try to do more than you should. A belt can help you lift more weight in the short-term, but it's going to increase your risk of injury and maybe even make you weaker in the long run. So in this podcast, you are going to learn what science has to say about these conflicting opinions and whether you can benefit from a weightlifting belt. Timestamps: 0:00 - Try Recharge risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/recharge and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points! 3:31 - What is a weightlifting belt? 4:33 - What does a weightlifting belt do? 7:31 - Does wearing a weightlifting belt improve workout safety? 8:41 - How do you use a weightlifting belt properly? 15:32 - How do I find the best weightlifting belt? 22:28 - What are your favorite brands of weightlifting belts? Mentioned on the Show: Try Recharge risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/recharge and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!