How To Make Healthy Stir Fry

Posted on by costafitness

Im am bringing you a recipe from the kitchen today! Stir fry is a popular food option but it can be made with high sodium levels and not be as healthy. I am showing you a recipe from scratch you can do at home within 20-30 minutes!

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The thing I really enjoy about stir fry is that you can personalize it to your favorite foods, at least to an extent if you’re trying to be healthy. 

You can do things such as add pasta noodles, rice, beans, etc for carbs. You can do this with thinks such as chicken, shrimp, beef, steak, turkey and more for a protein source. You can also add a nice variety of veggies for more micronutrients. It can be changed around to a different taste each time if wanted.

A few main Saftey points when preparing this meal:

  • Be careful cutting chicken, if you are a younger viewer then have a parent or guardian help you.
  • Wash your hands very throughly after dealing with raw products such as chicken.
  • Make sure you cook the chicken all the way to make sure any and all bacteria is out of the product.

I hope you enjoy this post and enjoy the video! Let me know how yours turns out! Post it on Instagram and tag me @costalottamoney1 or @ironstrengthandconditioning 

Have a great Monday!
-Alex Costa-

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Zombie Survival Workout

Posted on by costafitness

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! So very sorry I haven’t posted in such a long time, I got so busy opening my gym, training and coaching. I want to try posting more because I have sooooo very much I want to share and teach you guys! I hope you enjoy this workout I made today. Something that should really give ya a challenge and make you work! Let me know how you do, time yourself each set and try to beat the previous times!

Have a great day and great Halloween!

-Alex Costa-

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Easy Guacamole Recipe

Posted on by costafitness

This isn’t any chipotle guac but it still taste great👌🏼 Plus it is super easy to make. All you need is an avocado, lime juice, salt, pepper and some onion.
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1. First you need to mash up the avocado with a fork. Mash it until it becomes a smooth texture.

2. Now we will chop up onions and throw them in. If you do not like onion, then you can add in something else! Make it unique and use ingredients you would prefer.

3. From here, I add in the lime juice, pepper and a little salt to help with flavoring. Then continue mixing it up and mashing with the fork.

After you are done, take a chip and try it out! You could even put this with a quesadilla or whatever you’d like. It took me about 5 minutes total to do all this. I always put a little less of the ingredients into the mashed up avocado because you can always add more if it is too plain. If you throw too much in it could be too strong. One of the best things about making guac is that you can make it your own by adding whatever you like. Mine was a little more of a healthy option so if you are trying to keep the eating clean but also taste good then try mine out! Hope everyone is having a great week!

-Alex Costa-

St. Patrick’s Day Smoothie

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I have a St. Patricks Day smoothie for you to try! It’s not like the shamrock shake at McDonald’s but it is definitely healthier haha

All you need is the following:

  • 1 banana
  • ½ cup of blueberries
  • 1-2 handfuls of spinach
  • 2 TBSP of greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup of granola
  • 8oz of milk (I use almond milk)
  • Ice
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Throw these all in your blender and enjoy! Have a great rest of your weekend!

 

Clark’s 40 Pound Transformation

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Around the end of the year in 2017, I remember getting a tweet from Clark saying how a shoulder burnout I had posted was no joke haha. He reached out to me again later that month and he had told me how he was using my information from the website. I have stayed in touch with him ever since and man has he been killlllllin it!! He’s down 40 pounds and counting!!! He has changed his lifestyle for the better between the way he eats and the amount of exercise he does. I was so happy to see his progress picture he had posted, and I can’t wait to see what his transformation will look like in a couple more months of hard work.

He has goals set out and everything, which I believe is huge if you want to make a transformation like his. He also post a lot about what he eats and some of his workout information which keeps him accountable to his followers. He is a great dude with an awesome work ethic and I am so glad I was able to help. Here is a testimonial that he had written about the website content:

“The way I think Alex has helped me the most throughout my transformation, is the fact that he recognizes beginners. Most every other page/website I went to to find some info on strength training really just told me what to do, but not how to do it. Alex has TONS of videos posted giving broken down instruction on tons of exercises and stretches that really allow you to understand what you’re doing, and gives you something to go off of when you watch yourself in the mirror during your actual workouts. His recipes are also awesome, and pretty delicious. I haven’t tried too many of them, but really helpful for someone who may just be getting started and doesn’t quite know their way around their food yet. All in all, its great stuff. His website is definitely worth checking out. A lot of my transformation is thanks to his videos and content.”

-Clark-

 

Follow Clark and his weight loss journey on his social media platforms:

Instagram: clark_xr7

Twitter: @Clark_Umpire

 

Thank you for reading this post, I hope this gives you motivation to get started on working towards your goals or to kick it up a notch. If you need anything at all, I am always on the website or my social media platforms so stop by and leave a message or ask a question. I love trying to help people with anything I can especially fitness related! I also offer training if you need a little more accountability and instructions on everything. I do in-person sessions as well as online training so feel free to send me an email at Costafitness1@gmail.com and we can get you taken care of. I hope you are all having a great day and working hard at your goals! Hit me up and let me know what your goals are and how you are tackling them each, I’d love to hear them!

-Alex Costa-

 

Straight Bar Curl With Slow Eccentric

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Straight bar curl with slow eccentric💪🏼

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Looking for something new to try in the gym? Try this curl variation! Some call it a cheat curl, some call it a curl with a slow eccentric. All that’s different about it is that you will proceed with a normal curl then go slow on the way down. This is the eccentric portion of the movement. The reason this can be so beneficial is because muscle and tissue damage is happening primarily on the eccentric portion of the lift. This is allowing more time under tension which can lead to more hypertrophy in the exercise!

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This was my second bicep exercise today with a few sets in. You can either overload the biceps with a cheat curl and go slow on the way down or keep it pretty controlled the whole way through with lighter weight. Try these next time you hit biceps. Start with 3-4 sets of 8 reps, with about a 4 count on the way down. Let me know what ya think 👍🏼

 

 

Was going to start vlogging more on a daily basis and then I dropped my camera today… Going to try fixing it later so I can keep the better quality videos coming! Much love, have a great day!

-Alex Costa-

What’s The Best Day to Visit The Arnold?

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It’s a common question that is always asked about the Arnold Classic. “Which day is best to go?” Well I have my opinions that I will be sharing with you today! I hope this helps some of you to have a great time at the largest fitness expo in the world.

With today being the first day a lot of people are going to the Arnold, I wanted to post this a little early in the day so you can get an idea of how each day is.

Friday

I kind of look at Friday like the one day right in the middle. It’s not slammed but it’s usually not as busy as Saturday. 

Pros

  • Basically guaranteed samples wherever you go
  • almost all competitions are set at lower times or numbers. Ex, the pull up contest is lower the first day but by Sunday, that number may be like 50. That means it is easier to win prizes.

Cons

  • Pretty long lines
  • Not all athletes will be there just yet

Saturday

Well this is the day to go if you like to stand in lines lasting about 2 hours and like walking 10 miles cause of your parking spot. This is a solid day if you really want to meet like 1 or 2 people in the fitness industry. Everyone and their grandma is there on this day.

Pros

  • Pretty much everyone is there, celebrities, athletes and all the big booths are loaded
  • This day is a lot of fun, especially if you have a group of friends

Cons

  • Long walk for parking
  • Booths take forever
  • Feet cramps, well maybe that’s just me haha
  • Probably get to see only 2-5 celebrities max if you are hustling

Sunday

Pros

  • You get all the leftover samples
  • Get through most lines pretty quickly
  • Not as many people as Saturday

Cons

  • Most athletes and celebrities are starting to head out
  • Some booths are sold out of items
  • A lot of booths pack up early

Tips:

  • Park a few blocks away and take a bus. It may cost a few bucks but way easier and better than a $20 parking spot. Usually they are all taken anyway. I did this last year and it wasn’t too bad.

 

  • Take a book bag of some kind for all the supplement samples you get. They give you bags there at almost every booth so don’t feel like you have to but I personally like to.

 

  • Go with a friend! It’s way less stressful plus you have someone to talk to while your waiting 2-3 hours to see some of your favorite athletes and brands.

 

  • Wear comfortable shoes. I can’t stress this enough, but it should be a given. You are taking about 10,000 steps I’m guessing in this day maybe even more. The last thing you want is a blister on your foot during this event.

 

  • Grab an expo directory. This has all booths listed and where they are so you’re not looking for 1 booth for an hour. This sometimes tells you when events are like strong man events and other competitions.

 

  • Wear something comfy. I get that you want to look good for all the chicks or dudes but look you’re on your feet for like 10 hours and walking probably about 10,000 steps. You’ll probably break a sweat because of how many people can be packed in walking shoulder to shoulder with each other. For me, I hate wearing something that I won’t be comfortable in. I would recommend wearing a comfy pair of shorts, sweats or jeans with a nice comfy shirt. On the other hand, Ohio weather tends to suck monkey butt each year around this time so bring warm clothes for outside cause this year will be a little cold out and rainy.

 

  • PRE ORDER TICKETS. I used to get mine from Kroger but I don’t think they sell them anymore. You should be able to get them on the official website for the Arnold Classic. They are usually about $15-$20 for a normal ticket, but also have VIP passes available as well. This will save you money and a lot of time!

 

 

In my personal opinion, I have found that visiting the Arnold on Sunday is the best experience overall. It is not as busy as Saturday and you get so much free stuff! This is what a lot of people want though is the samples. If you want to meet someone and get pictures then I would go Saturday cause they sometimes aren’t there on Friday yet and leave by Sunday. Saturday is the best time to go and meet a couple people.

I hope everyone going has a great time full of amazing memories that will last a lifetime. Some serious motivation can be created at something like this so if you need some motivation to get healthier or create a fitness goal then I would definitely go to this huge event!

Have a great Friday and enjoy the weekend!
-Alex Costa-

Chocolate Almond Butter Avocado Smoothie

Posted on by costafitness

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Hello everyone and happy Thursday! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their week. I have an article and recipe for all of my avocado lovers out there.

I discovered a few different chocolate avocado smoothie recipes the last couple days and switched some things around to get this delicious smoothie recipe. One thing I will say is don’t knock it till you try it!! This may sound like it could be gross but it is the exact opposite. This is definitely one of my favorite smoothies I have thrown together so far.

This is super simple and easy to make so lets get into what you need.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces of chocolate almond milk
  • 1 TBS of organic almond butter
  • 1/2 of an avocado, should be about 60-90 grams
  • 1 banana, 100 grams is what I used
  • 4-5 ice cubes

Throw all ingredients into a blender and mix for about 30-60 seconds.

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Importance of fiber and healthy fats:

Fiber can be a key for weight loss. It doesn’t stop there, it helps your digestive track move smoother and faster to help digest the food you are consuming. When you consume fiber, it can clean your intestines and colon which in turn keeps bacteria away helping to reduce chances of colon cancer.

I found a study by Joanne Slavin that discussed how an increased fiber intake can reduce chances of cardiovascular disease. They state that “adequate fiber intake consistently lowers the risk of CVD and coronary heart disease (CHD), primarily through a reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.” So in other words, it lowers your LDL cholesterol which is the bad cholesterol. HDL is the good cholesterol in the blood stream.

Avocados are a stocked house full of health benefits and can be used in so many recipes. They are mainly comprised of healthy fats which are crucial for cells in the body and play a role in brain function. They can reduce inflammation and reduce cravings as well.

I am also a big chocolate fan so if you are like me then you may find yourself making this smoothie quiet a bit. I have the macronutrients listed in the photo above for anyone interested in tracking macros. If you try this out then reach out to me and let me know what you think!

Have a great day!
-Alex Costa-

 

Sources:

https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/education/why_fiber_is_so_good_for_you/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705355/#B31-nutrients-05-01417

Workout Wednesday (LEGS)

Posted on by costafitness

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It’s HUMPPPP DAAAY! I got a good one for you!!

Unless you hate legs, then you probably won’t do this one…

You should still try this cause there is nothing like a good ol leg day.

So let me explain how this one will work. We are starting with a back squat to front squat. You have 5 sets of 6 total, 3 each variation. So you will get under the bar and un-rack it, walk it out, do 3 back squats then re-rack it. Now don’t walk away just yet, as soon as you re-rack it, set it up for a front squat and bring that baby back out for 3 reps. After you complete those 3 reps then rack it and grab a drink, you have just finished one set.

Afterwards, we have a super set of stiff leg deadlifts with dumbbells and sissy squats. If you don’t know how to do these, click on the exercise link above or go to the Vault of Gainz page to see my exercise library.

Next we have leg press. We are tackling 100 reps with as little rest as possible so try getting as many reps done as possible each time until you reach 100. Don’t load the leg press so heavy you can’t do 10, load it accordingly. 1-2 plates on each side is plenty.

Time to finish off with calves. We are staying at the leg press for this. We will do 3 sets of 30 reps, 10 will be with your toes pointed inward, 10 with your toes pointed straight then the last 10 will be with your toes pointed outward. This will help to work all angles of the calf.

After you can finish with some cool down stretching or some walking lunges. This workout will give you a pump and a challenge so bring your A game for this one!!

Hope you have a great day!!
-Alex Costa-