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Articles by Mike Matthews

Browse published articles attributed to Mike Matthews, with full-archive search.

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By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Which Form of Creatine is Most Effective?

Creatine is sold in many different forms. Which is most effective, and why? Creatine is a substance found naturally in the body and in foods like red meat. It is perhaps the most researched molecule in the world of sport supplements–the subject of over 200 studies–and the consensus is very clear. Supplementation with creatine can help you build muscle and improve strength, improve anaerobic endurance, and reduce muscle damage and soreness from exercise.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

2,543 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Stretching Before Aerobic Exercise or Weightlifting: Yes or No?

Stretching improves flexibility, but does it prevent injury, increase strength, speed, and muscle growth, and accelerate recovery? The common reasons for doing stretches that involve holding stretched positions for various lengths of time, or static stretches, before exercise are the beliefs that they help prevent injury, make you stronger and faster, reduce muscle soreness, and accelerate recovery.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

2,326 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Weightlifting and Flexibility: Does It Make You Inflexible?

Many people believe that weightlifting impairs flexibility. Is this true? Athletes were once advised not to lift weights because it would make them stiff and inflexible, and hurt their performance. Well, we now know better. Sure, being a hulking brute naturally limits your flexibility (big bodybuilders have an interesting time wiping on the toilet and showering), but research has shown that weightlifting itself, with a full range of motion, actually increases flexibility just as well as, or even better than, static stretching.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

2,262 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Cardio and Muscle Growth: Friends or Foes?

Many people think cardio should be avoided at all costs when trying to build muscle. Are they right? Many guys fear the treadmill, believing it has a mystical ability to shrivel up muscle and sap strength. And many bodybuilder types bash cardio simply because they don’t like doing it. While it’s clearly evident that excessive cardio causes muscle loss (just look at any marathon runner), what about moderate cardio? Will it interfere with your muscle growth? Or will it help? Well, it can go both ways, actually. 3 Ways Cardio Can Help With Muscle Growth

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

2,229 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

The “Hardgainer’s” Guide to Guaranteed Muscle Growth

The “hardgainer” gripe is common among skinny guys everywhere. It’s time to put it to rest. Some guys believe that their bodies are genetically programmed to stay scrawny and weak, regardless of how hard they train or how much they eat. Sometimes they turn to steroids and sometimes they just quit. While it’s true that some people naturally have an easier time gaining muscle than others due to hormone levels and genetic predispositions, nobody is doomed to have a forever-frail physique.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,945 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

WD-40 and the Dirty Little Secret of Ove ight Success

Do you know why WD-40 is called “WD-40?” It stands for “Water Displacement–40th Attempt.” “Who cares?” I hear you wondering. Well, the formula that accounted for over $300 million in sales last year was successfully created only after 39 failed attempts. The incredibly popular game Angry Birds was software maker Rovio’s 52nd attempt at creating something that would make money. They eked out a living for eight years and nearly went bankrupt before creating a game that has now been downloaded over 1 billion times.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,917 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Does Alcohol Consumption Affect Weight Loss and Muscle Growth?

Does alcohol consumption ruin hormone levels, strength, fat loss, and muscle recovery? Alcohol and its relation to health and fitness is a tricky subject. In small amounts—a drink or two a day—it has potential health benefits like improved insulin sensitivity, cardiac function, and blood lipids (fatty substances in your blood, which when lowered, reduces your risk of heart disease).

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,866 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

How to Quickly Gain Muscle: The Simple Science of Building Mass Fast

So you’re looking to quickly gain muscle? You’ve come to the right place. Gaining muscle quickly is simply a matter of diligently applying the laws of muscle growth, which are as certain, observable, and irrefutable as those of physics. When you throw a ball in the air, it comes down. When you take the correct actions inside and outside the gym, your muscles grow. It’s really that simple, and these laws apply regardless of how much of a “hard gainer” you think you are.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,835 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

8 Healthy, Pre-Packaged Snacks Perfect for Losing Weight or Building Muscle

Quick, healthy, and tasty snacks are an easy and enjoyable way to meet your dietary numbers every day. We all wish we could always have fresh, delicious, low-calorie foods within arm’s reach…but that’s just not the case. Packing fresh foods and transporting them around every day is a hassle, and especially so among those of us that travel quite a bit. Therefore, I decided to put together a list of my 10 favorite pre-packaged snack foods…and all are under 150 calories, so you can decide how much to eat based on your weight goals. 1. Fage Total 0%

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,765 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

6 Ways to Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Production

Boosting your testosterone levels is one of the easiest ways to get bigger, leaner, and stronger. That’s why millions of guy take dangerous steroids, and millions more buy products that claim to be able to boost testosterone naturally (but do very little, in reality). So, are there healthy, scientifically proven ways to increase your testosterone production without taking drugs or wasting ungodly amounts of money on fancy supplements? Absolutely. There are six easy, healthy ways, actually. If you incorporate all into your daily routine, you can notice quite a difference. #1

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,728 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

What is the Best Protein Powder for Building Muscle?

With so many options out there, what is the best protein powder for building muscle? In order to get an answer to that question, let’s first take a look at protein itself. There are two main sources of protein out there: whole food protein and supplement protein. Whole food protein is, as you guessed, protein that comes from natural food sources, such as beef, chicken, fish, etc. The best forms of whole food proteins for building muscle are chicken, turkey, lean red meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,715 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Water Retention and Weight Loss: You Can Lose Fat, But Not Weight?

Fluid retention can be an insidious problem to deal with when dieting to lose weight. Have you ever been rolling along nicely on a cut and then, out of nowhere, had your scale freeze up on you? That is, you go one, two, even three weeks without losing any weight, and without looking any leaner? Weight loss plateaus like these are usually caused by accidental over-eating or under-exercising, and there are simple dietary and exercise strategies you can use to remedy those issues.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,680 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

6 Ways to Kick Your Metabolism and Fat Loss Into High Gear

Do you want to speed up your fat loss? Here are my six favorite strategies for melting fat away as quickly as possible. Have you ever been in the following situation? You feel like you’re giving 110% in the gym, you’re doing cardio, and you’re eating clean…but you’re still a bit soft in the middle. What gives? Well, what many people don’t know about getting really lean is it is really nothing more than a slow accumulation of doing a bunch of little things right. If you do only some of them right, you probably won’t get there.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,652 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Muscle Growth, Fat Loss, and Your Genetics

Genetics are often praised and cursed, but how much do they really affect muscle growth and fat loss? This one gets tossed around a lot. Genetics are a favorite scapegoat for people who can’t effectively build muscle or lose fat. But what are they, exactly, and how much do they actually influence your results?

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,649 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

The Deadlift and Your Lower Back: Harmful or Helpful?

For some, deadlifting is synonymous with low-back pain. Is this fact or fiction? In the ‘70s, top powerlifters like John Kuc, John Cole, and Don Reinhoudt had outstanding deadlifts, with personal bests around 900 pounds. The deadlift was considered the king of compound exercises. These days, many powerlifters choose to compete only in the bench press, and for those that compete in all three (bench press, squat, and deadlift), the deadlift takes the back seat because of assistance gear that can add hundreds of pounds to their bench and squat, but nothing to their deadlift.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,596 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

5 Ways to Break Through Weight Loss Plateaus: Part One

Have you hit a weight loss plateau? It’s time to learn why, and what you can do about it. Fat was practically falling off your body just a few weeks ago, and now you’re wondering if your scale is broken because no matter what you do, your weight won’t budge. What gives? Why did your routine suddenly stop working, and what can you do to push through this weight loss plateau? Understanding Weight Loss Vs. Fat Loss... “Weight loss” is a tricky little devil because it doesn’t differentiate between changes in fat, muscle, and water.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,590 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Squatting and Your Knees and Back: Injury Risk or Safe?

Everyone knows the squat is an effective leg exercise, but is it bad for your knees and back? Like the deadlift, the barbell squat is one of the most powerful exercises you can do, involving the strength and coordination of over 200 muscles in your body. But, also like the deadlift, it’s avoided by many due to the fear that it’s bad for your back and knees.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,576 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Do Fructose and Fruit Make You Fat and Unhealthy?

Does regular fructose intake ruin insulin sensitivity, cause weight gain, and damage your metabolism? Many health gurus claim that fruit can cause horrible things in the body due to the sugar molecule it contains, known as fructose. I’ve known many people that were thoroughly convinced that they would get fatter if they ate any fruit (many of whom were already overweight, which is ironic), and that couldn’t believe I was able to stay in the single-digit body fat percentages eating over 100 grams of carbohydrate from fruit every day (apples, oranges, and bananas are my favorites).

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,404 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Use Cinnamon to Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Cinnamon not only tastes great, but it improves insulin sensitivity… While many of us know spices like cinnamon, tumeric, chili pepper flakes, and ginger as mere flavor boosters, they once had medicinal uses. In fact, the molecular structures of many drugs are based on natural substances. Cinnamon is an example of an everyday spice that has an impressive roster of benefits, primarily due to a substance it contains known as “cinnamaldehyde“–the molecule that gives it its signature taste and odor (and the sweeter and more pungent the cinnamon, the more cinnamaldehyde it has).

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,372 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

5 Ways to Break Through Weight Loss Plateaus: Part Two

Picking up where we left off, here are the remaining 3 ways to blast through your plateus and supercharge your weight loss: 3. Increase Your Cardio If you know that your daily caloric target is good and you have absolutely no calorie creep, then you should increase your cardio. You can add another day if possible (I don’t recommend more than 4 days per week if you’re also weight training), or add time to each day (I like to add 10 minutes to each session and see how my body responds).

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,366 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Carbohydrates and Weight Loss: Should You Go Low-Carb?

Do carbohydrates actually cause weight gain and prevent fat loss? The hysterical crusade against carbohydrates has reached a frantic pitch these days. From the scientifically bankrupt theories of guys like Gary Taubes to the trendy low-carb diets like Paleo, Zone, Dukan, and so forth, the carbohydrate is now the victim of the same level of persecution that saturated fat endured for decades.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,344 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

8 Signs of Overtraining That Most People Don’t Know

Are your workouts dragging? Feeling fatigued all the time? Having trouble sleeping? You may be suffering from overtraining… Overtraining is an insidious trap because it goes against our natural instincts. In most endeavors in life, you can expect to receive rewards in proportion to what you give in time and effort. Work more and harder in your career, and you’ll usually grow your business or wind up getting promotions and raises. Spend more time with friends and family, and you’ll usually build stronger, more fulfilling relationships.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,305 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

8 Ways to Improve Hunger Control and Weight Loss

Hunger control problems are behind most failed attempts at weight loss. The #1 weight loss problem that I help people with is, by far, sticking to their diet. This is especially the case with people that are new to a healthy weight loss regimen, which requires that you remain in a caloric deficit for many weeks, as opposed to a crash diet that you suffer through for a short period of time.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,290 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

3 Powerful Ways Working Out Makes You Better at Life

Few people argue the many health benefits of regular exercise. We all know it wards of all kinds of disease, and scientists have shown it’s a great way to fight depression, improve intelligence, and protect against the cognitive decline associated with aging. Many people don’t realize that the benefits of exercise go far beyond physiological and psychological improvements, however. That achieving your fitness goals can fundamentally change you as a person. That it can help you overcome your fears and weaknesses, and teach you a lot about how to succeed in all areas of your life.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,237 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Stubborn Fat Sucks! 4 Strategies for Losing It For Good

Belly fat, thigh fat, hip and butt fat…Here’s how to lose stubborn fat fast. Fat loss is simple enough–consume less energy than you burn every day–but trying to lose stubborn fat frustrates many. Have you ever noticed that certain areas of your body get leaner quicker than others, and that some fat just refuses to go away? If you’re a guy, chances are you’ve struggled with your stomach area (and particularly the lower part of your abs and your obliques), and the lower back region. If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve struggled with your belly, thighs, hips, and butt.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,199 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

The Real Battle We Have to Win to Get Into Shape

Before you can build the body of your dreams, you need to learn how to defeat the only force that can really stop you. “I’m going to really stick to this training program and diet and completely change my body!” thinks the wannabe athlete. “Oh man, I need to tweet about this before I forget.” Twitter is loaded, 140 characters are carefully crafted, and the announcement is sent. “I probably should write a quick blog post about it, too,” he or she thinks. A few hours later, a few thousand words are posted, and a few minutes are spent basking.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,158 views

By Mike MatthewsRecently published1 topic

Use Stevia as a Zero-Calorie Sweetener with Benefits

Stevia is a healthy, tasty way to sweeten just about anything and control blood sugar levels. Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (and particularly carbonated soft drinks), can lead to weight gain and increase your risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Not to mention the daily highs and lows that come with regularly spiking your blood sugar levels.

Primary topic: Fitness and Exercise

Fitness and Exercise

1,092 views

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