 Flank Steak
Lean red meat has high levels of creatine which helps support both muscle and strength gains. CLA, a healthy fat found in lean red meat, has been proven to help shed body fat while boosting muscle mass and strength gains at the same time. Flank steak is a lean, flat cut of beef that can be found in nearly every supermarket. Flank steak is full of flavor and it can handle a good strong marinade, so flavor away! Marinate a minimum of 20 minutes, and no longer than 24 hours. Try these simple ways to prepare flank steak: - Grill: Grill on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve. - Fajitas: This traditional peppers, onions and soft tortilla combo works great with flank steak and your favorite toppings. - Salad: Use very thinly sliced flank steak over your favorite greens for a hearty salad. |
 Big Mike's Favorite: The Arnold Press is named for, you guessed it, our Governor, who popularized it in the 1970's. This exercise works both deltoids and upper pecs which will improve both your bench press and your military press. It is an excellent shoulder-building exercise and a great alternative to a regular shoulder press due to the wide range of motion. The Arnold Press
|
 "Eat! Eat! Eat! " No matter what your goals are in the gym, you will not realize them if you are not eating enough! If you are only eating one or two meals a day, or nibbling on snacks all day instead of planning nutritious meals, you are basically starving yourself. Your body gets this very small bit of food and says "I had better hold onto that for later..." So it does not burn fat, and over time you become a better fat storer than a fat burner. If your goal is fat loss, the only way to increase metabolic activity is by eating small balanced meals every three hours. This will keep insulin levels balanced which allows the body to efficiently absorb essential nutrients and get rid of unwanted excess (i.e. body fat). If needed, include a cheat meal once every ten days or so to reset your metabolic activity. If your goal is lean body mass gain, you need to be eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hours (every 2 hours if you have a very high metabolism). Meals should include ample amounts of carbs, protein and healthy fats. You will never put on new muscle mass if you are not giving your body the fuel that it needs to grow. Include a cheat meal every 3 to 5 days. The two most important meals of the day are 30 minutes after your workout and within 30 minutes of waking up. - Eating after training will repair muscles and can keep your metabolism running long after your training session ends. - Breakfast will end the catabolic process in sleeping and will start your day off right. |
||
 "Train Hard, Not Long" To get the best results from your workout, try training hard for 60 to 75 minutes. If you are working out efficiently, you should be ready to leave the gym. How can you up your intensity and max the time you spend in the gym? - Weightlifting: When working with weights, you should be struggling to complete the number of reps in the set. If you are not struggling, the weight is too light and should be increased. Using the same weight week in and week out is a waste of time. As you get stronger, continue to increase the weight. - Cardio: When doing cardio, you should be sweating and you should not be able to carry on a conversation on your cell phone or with the person next to you. Cardiovascular workouts are not a walk in the park. A walk in the park is a walk in the park. Big Mike says "Only by challenging the body both physically and mentally will you force it to go through change." |
 Do I do cardio before or after weights? This is a question I get asked a lot. If your goal is to look and feel better, always do weight training before cardio. This does not mean you should skip your 10-minute cardio warm up. Your body uses stored sugar (glycogen) for anaerobic activity (lifting weights). If you do your cardio first, you may use up all of your energy to have an adequate resistance workout. You will also burn more fat by doing your cardio after your weights because glycogen stores will be depleted by your weight training and your body will go right to stored fat for energy to get through the cardio. Core muscles can be weakened when doing cardio first, which could lead to poor form or an injury later on in the weight room. Studies have shown that doing cardio after weights will continue the fat burning process long after you leave the gym. |
 Flank Steak Shishkebobs over Rice Ingredients for one serving: Directions: - Grill steak and vegetables to your desired taste. Traditionally, the meat and vegetables are skewered, but it tasted just as good if grilled separately. - Prepare rice - a small rice cooker is ideal if you are only cooking for one or two - Serve beef and vegetables over rice. - You can substitute a grilled chicken breast or salmon fillet for the flank steak. For vegetarians, portobello mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant are all great on the grill. |
||
|
||||
Lean red meat can be an important part of your diet due to the high protein content. The cholesterol and saturated fat help maintain high testosterone levels.
Pic 1: 
