Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews

As you probably know, I work hard to understand and promote high-quality diet, nutrition, and exercise science. That’s why I’ve spent and continue to spend a lot of time researching and writing, and why I reference quite a bit of scientific literature in my work.What I don’t do, though, is produce a research review where individual studies are broken down and analyzed because my plate is already overflowing with work as it is, and honestly, I don’t think I could do it better than the researchers whose work and research reviews I myself read regularly, like James Krieger, Eric Helms, Greg Nuckols, Mike Zourdos, Alan Aragon, and Bret Contreras.And so I had an idea: why not get those guys to come on my podcast to discuss studies they’ve analyzed in their reviews and share with us what they’ve learned, and how we can use that information to optimize our diets, exercise routines, supplement regimens, and overall lifestyle.In this episode, I have the one and only Dr. Eric Helms back on to discuss a study published in 2016 titled “Endurance Training Intensity Does Not Mediate Inference to Maximal Lower-Body Strength Gain during Short-Term Concurrent Training.”This study looked at “concurrent training,” which is the inclusion of both cardiovascular and resistance training in the same program, and specifically at how it impacts strength and muscle gain. You’ve probably heard that cardio in any amount or intensity might interfere with strength and muscle gain, but is it really that straightforward? This study and Eric’s interpretation and explanation is is going to help shed more light on the matter...0:17 - What are the results of combining cardio and weightlifting? 3:28 - Is it better to do cardio before or after lifting? 4:51 - What do you recommend for people who want quick results? 7:57 - Which type of cardio workouts minimize the interference effect?  18:30 - What’s the next step in researching cardio and weightlifting?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/Referencehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093324/ 

I know some people (commies) believe you shouldn’t say this anymore but . . . MERRY FREAKIN’ CHRISTMAS . . . and happy holidays! I hope you’re having a fantastic time with the people you both love and tolerate (often one and the same, no?) and are ready to enjoy a good few weeks of “refeeding” . . . wink wink . . . :-) For my part, I am currently in the cold, northern reaches of Germany, where my wife and her family are from. And, yes, that means I’m surrounded by some of the most delicious bread, brats, and beer on the planet. I don’t drink (I’m weird), but you’ve never had bread like German bread. It’s so good it’s actually upsetting. I’m minimizing the damage though by following a few simple strategies that might help you get through the next couple of weeks kinda not fat, too. 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/

One of the first pieces of bodybuilding advice I was given was on pre-workout nutrition.If I didn’t eat protein and carbs immediately before training, I was told, I’d miss an opportunity to accelerate muscle growth, if not directly hinder it.And so I did, before every workout, without fail.Chances are you’ve heard the same things. Bodybuilders and gymbros alike have been singing pre-workout nutrition’s praises for decades.How important is it really, though? Does eating before workouts actually help us build muscle faster?Well, the long story short is this:Pre-workout nutrition isn’t as crucial as many would have us believe, but it’s not entirely without merit, either.And in this episode, you’re going to find out why.By the end, you’re going to know why pre-workout nutrition is even a “thing,” the ideal type of pre-workout meal, the truth about the “anabolic window,” and more.Let’s get started.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 interview is about the processed food industry, which generates a trillion dollars in sales every year and specializes in creating inexpensive, highly processed foods that are hyper-palatable and hyper-gratifying. Thanks mainly to the advances of food science, they’ve mastered the art of making foods and beverages that can “hit the spot” in ways that natural, nutritious foods never will, which is why their products are much harder to resist and much easier to overeat.Michael gives us a fascinating glimpse into just how much work goes into engineering and marketing these products, how the leaders of the industry view themselves in relation to the meteoric rise of obesity and disease, how we might go about breaking our dependency on highly processed foods, and more.5:26 - What’s the history behind the food industry making addictive food? 11:57 - What’s your opinion on the morality of food industry? 12:41 - How do we ease our dependence on highly processed foods? 14:39 - What’s the science behind making food addictive? 22:09 - Do you think large food corporations will educate the public on healthy food choices? 27:29 - What is it like to be the leader of large food corporations? 36:05 - How will a healthy change happen in the food industry? 40:15 - How can people follow you and find your work?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/

It’s cold and dark at six in the morning.And it seems even colder and gloomier when you have to get up and train.At that hour, it’s like gravity has tripled. Your eyes droop, your limbs drag, and your nervous system is running on fumes.It’s time like these that you thank the gods you have a pre-workout supplement.You fumble the top off, mix a (heaping) scoop in water, gulp it down, and the magic begins.Fifteen minutes later you feel like the star of the latest Marvel flick, ready to push, pull, and squat against the forces of evil.There’s no question that a pre-workout supplement can get you fired up to get to work in the gym. There are downsides, however.Many pre-workout drinks are stuffed full of ineffective ingredients and/or minuscule dosages of otherwise good ingredients, making them little more than a few cheap stimulants with some “pixie dust” sprinkled in to make for a pretty label and convincing ad copy.Many others don’t even have stimulants going for them and are just complete duds.The reality is it’s very hard to find a pre-workout supplement that’s light on stimulants but heavy on natural, safe, performance-enhancing ingredients.And in this episode, you’re going to find out what the best and worst pre-workout supplements are and why.Let’s get started.0:48 - Why should I take pre-workout supplements? 1:30 - What are your favorite supplements? 11:56 - Which pre-workout supplements are bad?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/

Hang around in the gym long enough and you’re going to hear about clenbuterol.Like steroids, “clen” is extremely popular in the world of bodybuilding and is the “go-to” cutting drug for many of the people that step on stage.Thus, it’s not surprising that it’s also a hot commodity among the general fitness crowd.If you want to shred fat as quickly as possible without losing muscle, the pitch goes, then you want to hop on the clenbuterol train.Or do you?Poke around on the Internet and you’ll find people that think otherwise.Clenbuterol, they say, isn’t actually all that powerful of a fat burner and is bad for your health to boot, and for your heart in particular, even when used in moderate doses.Who’s right?How much can this drug really boost your fat loss? Should you take warnings about side effects seriously, or are they exaggerated? Is there anything else you should know before deciding for or against clen?Well, you’re going to get answers to all of those questions and more in this episode.By the end, you’re going to know exactly how clenbuterol works, how effective it really is, how likely it is to harm your body, and more.Let’s get to it.4:28 - What is Clenbuterol and how does it work in the body? 7:10 - Does Clenbuterol boost physical performance? 10:07 - What are the side effects of Clenbuterol 14:20 - Is Clenbuterol legal?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/

“Skinny fat” sounds like a paradox.How can you be both skinny and fat at the same time?Easy: have too little muscle and too much body fat.It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, of course, but hey, some of us just don’t want to be skinny fat.And we don’t have to be if we do three simple things:1. Do a lot of heavy compound weightlifting. 2. Get our calories and macros right. 3. Don’t do too much cardio.These steps apply equally to men and women, too.Contrary to what most fitness magazines would have you believe, weightlifting doesn’t make women bulky, and cardio isn’t all that great for weight loss and maintenance.Weightlifting and maintaining a high body fat percentage is what makes women bulky, because any muscle added underneath a hefty layer of fat is just going to make you look fatter, and cardio should be used sparingly if you want to optimize your body composition.So, in this episode, we’re going to take a closer look at the three steps of not being skinny fat given above and learn how to do them right.Let’s do 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/

Did you know that certain fat cells in your body are extremely “resistant” to being mobilized and burned?Did you know that these fat cells tend to accumulate in the dreaded belly, hip, and thigh regions of your body?And did you know that you can use a handful of science-based diet, exercise, and supplementation strategies to beat (and burn!) stubborn fat for good?Imagine having that tight waist and those washboard abs you’ve always wanted…all year round.Imagine never again having to suffer through strange diets or grueling workout routines…only to be disappointed in the results.Imagine knowing which supplements are scientifically proven to help you get lean and which are a waste of money.Well, you don’t have to imagine these things because I’m going to lay it all out for you in this episode.By the end, you’re going to know what makes belly fat so tough to lose and exactly what to do to get rid of it once and for all.Let’s get to it.3:22 - Why is belly fat so stubborn? 4:51 - What is the physiology behind burning fat? 8:24 - What are the biggest myths regarding belly fat? 10:28 - How do you get rid of belly fat? 13:01- What is a good strategy to tackle belly fat? 21:34 - What supplements do you recommend for belly fat? 34:48 - What is your personal belly fat loss routine?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/

One of the first pieces of bodybuilding advice I was given was on post-workout nutrition.If I didn’t eat protein and carbs immediately after training, I was told, I’d miss an opportunity to accelerate muscle growth, if not directly hinder it.And so I did, after every workout, without fail.Chances are you’ve heard the same things. Bodybuilders and gymbros alike have been singing post-workout nutrition’s praises for decades.How important is it really, though? Does eating after workouts actually help us build muscle faster?Well, the long story short is this:Post-workout nutrition isn’t as crucial as many would have us believe, but it’s not entirely without merit, either.And in this episode, you’re going to find out why.By the end, you’re going to know why post-workout nutrition is even a “thing,” the ideal type of post-workout meal, the truth about the “anabolic window,” and more.Let’s get started.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/