Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

Bodybuilder Ben Pakulski interviews me on his podcast to talk about how to structure a diet to get extremely lean, fasting, planning your diet over several months, supplements for fat loss, book publishing, and more.This interview is different from my normal routine of drilling deep down into one topic, because Ben wanted to cover a lot of different topics including the finer points of getting lean, the ins and outs of self-publishing, and the hard lessons we’ve learned growing both as individuals and businesspeople.For example, we discuss the value of suffering when it comes to achieving our goals, how to decide what projects are worth pursuing and which aren’t, what it takes to be the best at something, and really anything else that popped into our heads. :)6:56 - What should people expect if they’re trying to get shredded? 8:28 - How does our unique physiological conditions affect fat loss? 11:00 - What are some of the challenges with tracking macros? 13:12 - What are your thoughts on muscle loss during extreme dieting? 16:38 - What was your experience with fat gain while fasting? 20:33 - What is your cut process? 27:12 - What’s the story behind writing Bigger, Leaner, Stronger? 30:32 - What are the main points in Bigger, Leaner, Stronger? 31:18 - Why do you recommend compound lifting and what is your experience with it? 34:13 - What do you recommend for people who don’t naturally fit a traditional exercise program? 39:58 - What advice do you have for people who want to start a business in the fitness industry? 44:52 - How do you overcome feeling like an imposter in the fitness industry? 53:56 - How do you grab people’s attention with content marketing? What’s the future of content marketing? 57:39 - What is muscleforlife.com and what is in store for its future? 59:31 - Where can people find you? 59:49- What books do you recommend for personal development, business, and fitness?Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here:https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

When it comes to building muscle and losing fat, most people “in the know” agree on at least a few things:-A high-protein diet is best.-An energy surplus is necessary for maximizing muscle growth.-An energy deficit is necessary for losing fat.In fact, those fundamentals are so well established both scientifically and anecdotally that they form a litmus test of sorts for diet “gurus” and methodologiesIf someone claims otherwise–that a low-protein diet is optimal or that you don’t have to worry about calories if you “eat clean,” for example–you should ignore everything they say.That may sound harsh but, as you probably know by now, one of the biggest barriers to getting fit is just figuring out who to listen to.Just because someone sounds smart doesn’t mean they know what he’s talking about. A degree doesn’t mean she can get results. A great body doesn’t mean he also has a reliable, universally workable system for getting there.Determining who is and isn’t full of shit can be tricky, but know this:One of the easiest ways to quickly assess the reliability of a self-style fitness expert is their grasp of the the non-negotiable fundamentals of dieting.If someone…-rejects the laws of energy balance…-claims certain foods make you fat by “clogging your hormones”…-rants about how sugar is ruining your life…-pushes other foods as the “keys to weight loss”…-or otherwise claims how a century of metabolic research has it all wrong and he knows better……he should be defrocked, pilloried, and exiled. He’s a fitness Flat Earther.I don’t care if these misguided people have good intentions, either. If they’re going to step up on the stump and gather a crowd, they now have a responsibility to be well informed. We all have a right to ignorance but not to infect others.As the saying goes, hell is full of good intentions but heaven is full of good works.

Today I talk with Stephen Guise, author of the book Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results.Now, habits and routines is a trendy topic these days that has been basically beaten to death, and that’s why I wanted to get Stephen on the show to talk about a little subcult of the habit space that I thought you might find interesting and helpful.Specifically, the “mini-habit” movement that he has created with his bestselling book, and how you can use these mini-habits to make behavior change as easy and painless as possible.If you don’t struggle with breaking or making habits, you probably won’t find this episode very helpful, but if you do, it may just change your life.Here’s a little sneak peek of what we talk about:- How do mini habits contribute to larger, long-term goals? - How do cues and rewards help us make or break habits? - How do mini habits affect our ability to handle discouragement? - What are some good mini habits for diet? - And more…7:14 - What is a mini habit? 8:04 - What are the benefits of mini habits? 8:47 - What is ‘cue and reward’ behavior? 11:16 - What personal failures led you to create mini habits? 12:34 - What helped you get through discouragement? 17:26 - Why does doing a little bit every day have a greater impact than doing a lot in one day? 22:45 - How do mini habits defeat discouragement? 23:47 - What are some transformational mini habits that benefit health, money, and our career? 26:07 - What is the psychological value of not breaking the cycle of mini habits? 32:42 - How do you know when something has become a habit? 34:29 - What are some good mini habits for diet? 38:26 - What are your thoughts on meta-habits? 53:07 - What did you learn from taking cold showers for 30 days?Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here: https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

According to weightlifting purists, if you’re not squatting, you’re not doing it right.Sure, you can get a decent set of wheels without squatting (there are plenty of other exercises you can do to train your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves), but the reason the squat reigns supreme is it’s freaking hard.The squat requires just about every major muscle group in your body to work in concert to generate a tremendous amount of force, as well as near picture-perfect form if you’re going to ever put up impressive numbers.You can cheat your way through the bench press and even the deadlift and eventually move heavy loads, but not the squat.If you don’t have the whole-body strength and technique, there’s no way to wiggle or jigger the weight up. You just get stuck.A good squat is worth a lot more than bragging rights, though.It’s also one of the single best exercises for developing every major muscle group in your body, from nosehole to butthole, snout to tail.If you do it correctly, that is.Let’s get to it.Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here:https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

This episode is part of a weekly series that I have dubbed “Motivation Monday.”(Yes, I know, very creative of me. What can I say, I’m a genius…)Seriously though, the idea here is simple:Every Monday morning, I’m going to post a short and punchy episode that I hope gets you fired up to tackle the workouts, work, and everything else that you have planned for the week ahead.As we all know, it’s one thing to know what you want to do, but it’s something else altogether to actually make yourself do it, and I hope that this series gives you a jolt of inspiration, energy, and encouragement to get at it.So, if you like what you hear, then make sure to check back every Monday morning for the latest and greatest installment.Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here: www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

In this episode, I speak with the grandfather of barbell training, Mark Rippetoe, who has given us many a great things, like Starting Strength and Practical Programming.I’m a fan of Mark and his work, of course, because nobody has done more to promote, teach, and defend barbell training than Rip, and because he’s extremely disagreeable, which always makes for a fun conversation.In this interview, we talk the squat, an exercise Mark kinda likes. In fact, he says that there are few things graven in stone, except that you have to squat or you're a pussy.And whether you agree or not, I think you’re going to find today’s talk helpful. You can find the basics of good squatting in Mark’s book Starting Strength, but once you get some experience under your belt, you begin to wonder how to optimize the movement.For instance, you’ve probably wondering...- Should you high- or low-bar squat? - Should you squat with a narrow or wide stance? - Should you use paused reps? - Should you use weightlifting shoes? - What are the best cues?In this episode, Mark is going to answer all of those questions and more. By the end, you’ll know more about squatting than 90% of the people in your gym, including the trainers.11:12 - What is The Barbell Prescription about? 14:52 - What are you thought on high bar versus low bar squatting? 28:11 - Which is better for squatting - a narrow or wide stance? 33:57 - What are your thoughts on pause reps? 38:07 - What are your thoughts on heels elevated on plates? 42:07- What are your thoughts on weightlifting shoes? 43:16- What are coaching cues that you recommend? 50:30- What are your thoughts on the safety bar? 51:31 - What are your thoughts on functional training?Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here: https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

If there’s one thing that would-be diet “gurus” everywhere agree on, it’s that a low-sugar diet is one of the most reliable ways to lose weight.Cut the heinous sugar molecule out of your life, they say, and watch the pounds melt away.Keep eating it regularly, though, they claim, and you’ll always look in the mirror with shame. (Yeah, you know, I like to flex my lyrical muscles too…)…Please clap?Er, anyway, sugar’s relationship to weight loss is all so neat and tidy…until someone like me comes along and points up the glitches in the matrix.You know, the professor that lost 27 pounds in 10 weeks on a “convenience store diet” consisting of protein shakes, Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, sugary cereals, and Oreos.How in the hell?Or the well-designed and well-executed studies that have found no difference in weight loss whatsoever between low- and high-sugar diets.Uh, that’s just funding biases, right?Well, we’re going to clear all the fog in this episode. By the end, you’re going to know what sugar is, how your body reacts to it, how it does and doesn’t affect weight loss, and what, if any, changes you need to make to your diet to lose weight with ease.Let’s start at the top. Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here:https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

In this episode I interview Wade, who recently completed my 90-day coaching service, to hear his story.He shares how he found his way to me and my work, including what he had tried previously, how things changed after he started implementing the advice in my books and articles, and how my 90-day coaching service helped him take his body to a whole new level.As with everything, nothing ever goes exactly as planned, and learning to adjust and adapt to conditions is an important part of the fitness game, which is something Wade has experienced firsthand.He has run into a number of stumbling blocks along the way that most of us can relate to, including exercise and meal scheduling troubles and hunger, cravings, and dietary temptations to stray, and in our chat, Wade shares what has helped him navigate these barriers skillfully and prevent them from getting in his way.So, if you like hearing motivational stories about how people have changed their bodies and lives, and if you want to pick up a few tips that may help you along in your personal journey, then this episode is for you.5:34 - What’s your fitness story before you found my work? 9:10 - How did it go when you started the Bigger, Leaner, Stronger program? 13:21 - What was your daily workout routine? 13:34 - Why do you like working out early in the morning? 15:16 - Why do you like to eat fewer meals every day? 21:15 - What was your experience with our coaching service? 24:10 - What were the problems in your diet? 25:00 - How did you overcome your diet problems? 32:00 - What were your results after our coaching program? 35:22 - What are your fitness goals after our coaching program?Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here: https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

You’ve probably heard that creatine is one of the few supplements that don’t suck…and you’ve heard right.It’s the most well-researched molecule in all of sports nutrition–the subject of hundreds of scientific studies–and its benefits are clear:It helps you build muscle faster.It helps you get stronger faster.It improves anaerobic endurance.It improves muscle recovery.What isn’t so clear, though, is which form you should take and why.Is something fancy sounding like creatine nitrate worth it?What about ethyl ester or hydrochloride?Liquid or powder?Buffered or micronized?Or can the old faithful creatine monohydrate give you everything you need?Well, this episode is going to answer all these questions and more, and by the end, you’ll know how to get the most bang for your creatine buck.Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here:https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/

This episode is part of a weekly series that I have dubbed “Motivation Monday.”(Yes, I know, very creative of me. What can I say, I’m a genius…)Seriously though, the idea here is simple:Every Monday morning, I’m going to post a short and punchy episode that I hope gets you fired up to tackle the workouts, work, and everything else that you have planned for the week ahead.As we all know, it’s one thing to know what you want to do, but it’s something else altogether to actually make yourself do it, and I hope that this series gives you a jolt of inspiration, energy, and encouragement to get at it.So, if you like what you hear, then make sure to check back every Monday morning for the latest and greatest installment.Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter!Click here: www.muscleforlife.com/signup/