by Steven Mathis | Dec 27, 2015 | Blog, Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes, Uncategorized
This is a quick and easy lunch recipe. It provides tons of protein, good fats, fiber, vitamin C and potassium. Zucchini also contains significant quantities of folate and vitamin A, which are important for general good health. The black beans provide a good dose of iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc. The fiber from the black beans will help you control your blood sugar, feel full longer, and promote digestive health. Another benefit of this recipe is that the amount of carbs can be easily manipulated without changing the core recipe. The amount of carbs we eat should be based on our goals, body fat, and activity levels. You may be at a stage where you need a larger quantity of carbs, are carb cycling, or you may not have earned your carbs by crushing a workout. Regardless, this recipe can accommodate all of those scenarios. The soup itself consists of chicken, zucchini, bell peppers, black beans and tomatoes. Once the soup is prepared, it can be served over rice or quinoa (my favorite). To manipulate the carbs, vary the amount of rice or quinoa based on your personal needs. Chicken, Zucchini, & Black Bean Soup (Serves 5) Ingredients Chicken, uncooked, 1 ½ lb Olive oil, extra virgin, 1 tbsp Zucchini, chopped, 4 cups Green Bell Pepper, 1 medium, diced Black Beans, canned, 1 ½ cups, rinsed and drained Diced Tomatoes, 1 cup Garlic Powder, 1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1/4 cup Quinoa, 3 cups, cooked Directions 1. Cook the chicken using your preferred method. My preference is to line a baking dish with aluminum foil and...
by Steven Mathis | Nov 11, 2015 | Blog, Eat Real Food Based on Your Needs, Recipes
To stay up to date on the latest posts, click here and Like my Facebook page! Key Points: Beware of foods with labels that sound healthier… reduced fat, gluten free, low calorie, etc. Reduced fat foods usually swap good fats for sugar and chemicals. Instead, stick with the whole fat version. Your body and hormones will thank you! Gluten free foods aren’t any healthier (unless you have an allergy) than their gluten containing counterparts. Flavored yogurts and oats are definitely not the way to go. Instead, make your own and use real, whole foods to add a ton of flavor! Beware of smoothies purchased at the local smoothie shop. Experiment and make your Super Shakes. In order to be healthier, you eat reduced fat peanut butter, gluten free bread, yogurt and drink smoothies. You are on the right track, right? Not necessarily… First, give yourself a big pat on the back for making an effort, being aware that you need to make a change, and trying to take control of your life! Second, slap yourself for buying into media hype. You see, with the media constantly hyping diet trends like gluten free, low fat, low carb, etc., manufacturers took the cue and played on people who only read headlines and don’t look deeper. So, let’s look deeper! There many foods that claim to be “health” foods but aren’t. To keep from boring you with a detailed list, I choose five of the more prevalent unhealthy, health foods. Let’s break them down, find out why they aren’t healthier, and what to do instead. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter On the easiest...
by Steven Mathis | Oct 19, 2015 | Blog, Training, Uncategorized
We’ve seen (or done it!) hundreds of times! What exactly? Start a workout without doing any prep work. I understand… you are rushed, you are pumped to get into the training, you don’t like working on mobility… However, those excuses don’t negate the need to properly prepare our bodies for the upcoming work! A warm up is generally described as preparing the body for physical activity. An effective warm up will enhance overall performance, allow for more effective and efficient movement patterns, and decrease the risk of injury. [i] In other words, suck it up and do it… your body will thank you! So, how should we program a warm up? Well, that depends. What are you doing during the training session? Are you just lifting, running, rowing, or are you doing some combination? The warm up should be geared toward the upcoming activities. For example, if I am only running, I am not going to spend a lot of time working on my upper body. Instead, I’ll focus on my ankles, calves, hamstrings, hips, and core. On the other hand, if I am performing large lifts that require a significant range of motion (squat, snatch, clean & jerk, etc), I need to prepare my entire body. Even though the exact elements may vary, a good warm up will generally consist of cardiorespiratory work, foam rolling, dynamic movements, and specific mobility work. Cardiorespiratory Work The purpose is to increase your heart rate and body temperature and should last 2-5 minutes. Some good examples include jumping rope, slow jogging, rowing, etc. While I don’t always include cardiorespiratory work, it is...
by Steven Mathis | Oct 7, 2015 | Blog
Everyone has their reasons for training. For some, it may be to lose body fat or build muscle. For others, it may be to compete in a sport. There are some who do it for the social aspect. Maybe for you, it’s to keep the impact of aging at bay. Whatever the reason, it’s YOUR REASON and no one else’s! For me, mine is simple. It has nothing to do with fat loss or muscle gain, sports competition, social experiences, or aging. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those benefits but that’s not what gets me up at 3:30 in morning. No, there’s something more. I believe God has given us a body for a reason, a purpose. Just like your reason for training, everyone’s purpose is different and unique. The only way to fulfill our purpose is with our body. Think about it. Great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Franklin Roosevelt, and Gandhi needed their body to lead nations and peoples. What about philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie or Bill Gates? They needed their bodies to be able to generate wealth and then give it away. Not relevant to you? What about the teachers in your kid’s school? They need their bodies to deliver knowledge every day. What about the farmer who grew the vegetables you had for lunch? They too needed their body to do work. It has nothing to do with perfect health (i.e. Roosevelt), a six pack, or a 500 lb squat. The body is a tool that we are provided to carry out our purpose. God has entrusted each of with ONE...
by Steven Mathis | Jun 11, 2015 | Blog, Supplements
If you are interested in improving any aspect of training, nutrition, or recovery, or if you need help finding a specific supplement to meet your needs, email me at steven@csfitlife.net. You can also connect with me through social media by clicking the links below: CSFitLife on Facebook CSFitLife on Twitter Over the last five weeks, I have thrown a lot of information at you. So, let’s look at how to put it all together. Whole Food Pre- and Post-Training If you choose not to use supplements around training, consider having a whole food meal 2-3 hours prior to training. Preferably, the meal would have a good mixture of slowing digesting carbs (sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, etc.), some veggies, and an ample amount of protein (chicken, fish, red meat, etc.). Immediately following training, consider have a small meal with some fast digesting carbs (white rice, SweeTarts, Haribo Gummy Bears, cantaloupe, honey dew, etc.), and a lean protein. This meal should be relatively small and low in fat. Pre- and Post-training Supplementation If you choose to use supplements to, well, supplement your diet and aid in training and recovery, this is how I would consider putting it altogether: Between 15 and 30 minutes before training, consider drinking a shake that contains: 20-30 grams of whey protein 5-5 grams of creatine (depends on the type) 5 grams of BCAAs 2-3 grams of beta-alanine Immediately following training (preferably before you leave the gym), consider drinking another shake that contains: 20-30 grams of whey protein & 10-20 grams of casein protein 5-5 grams of creatine (depends on the type) 5 grams of BCAAs...
