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The Peter Attia Drive
#228 ‒ Improving body composition, female-specific training principles, and overcoming an eating disorder | Holly Baxter, APD
Oct 24, 2022
02:15:24
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Quick takeaways
- Combining therapy, meditation, and self-compassion are essential in the recovery from an eating disorder.
- The pursuit of an extreme physique in bodybuilding can exacerbate body image issues and unhealthy habits.
- Setting realistic goals, prioritizing mental health, and seeking professional support are crucial for long-term physical transformation.
- Regular therapy sessions and building a support network are important components of the recovery process.
- During the build phase, progressive overload and high training intensity are necessary for facilitating muscle growth.
Deep dives
Understanding the Journey to Recovery
The podcast episode delves into the speaker's personal experience with an eating disorder and her journey to recovery. Through therapy and consistent mental health support, she was able to address the underlying causes and unhealthy thought patterns associated with her disorder. She emphasizes the importance of working on both mental and physical health to achieve long-term recovery.
The Impact of Bodybuilding on Mental Health
The podcast explores the complex relationship between bodybuilding and mental health. It acknowledges that the pursuit of an extreme physique can sometimes exacerbate body image issues and unhealthy habits. The speaker discusses the importance of redefining body ideals and prioritizing overall well-being over specific aesthetic goals.
Setting Realistic Goals and Prioritizing Mental Health
The speaker highlights the importance of setting realistic goals when it comes to physical transformation. She emphasizes the need to develop a positive body image and to prioritize mental health alongside physical fitness. This includes seeking professional support, practicing self-compassion, and creating a balanced and sustainable approach to training and nutrition.
The Role of Therapy and Emotional Support
The podcast emphasizes the role of therapy and emotional support in the recovery process. The speaker shares her own experience of therapy and acknowledges the need for regular therapy sessions to address past traumas, break unhealthy patterns, and develop coping mechanisms. She encourages listeners to seek professional help and build a support network to aid in their own healing journey.
Progressive overload and high training intensity during the build phase
During the build phase, the speaker emphasizes the importance of progressive overload and high training intensity. They mention the increase in volume by about 50% within the first 12 weeks, with workouts lasting up to two and a half hours. The speaker also discusses the use of RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) as a measure of training intensity and emphasizes the need to increase training intensity over time to facilitate muscle growth.
Exercise specificity and muscle group focus
The podcast explores the importance of exercise specificity and targeting specific muscle groups during workouts. The speaker discusses the focus on glute hypertrophy and shoulder hypertrophy as the main areas of training volume. They mention exercises like squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, step-ups, and abduction movements for glutes, and different variations of presses and pulls for shoulder hypertrophy. The speaker also highlights the benefits of single-leg exercises for balance and addressing imbalances.
Importance of nutrition during the build and fat loss phases
The podcast emphasizes the role of nutrition during both the build and fat loss phases. The speaker discusses the importance of an evidence-based approach, ensuring optimal protein intake (ranging from 1.8-3g/kg of lean body mass) for muscle growth. They also mention the need for a calorie surplus during the build phase to support muscle gain, with adjustments based on individual goals and preferences. During the fat loss phase, a gradual calorie deficit is recommended to preserve muscle mass while losing body fat.
Balancing weight loss and muscle preservation in the fat loss phase
In the fat loss phase, the podcast discusses the need to balance weight loss and muscle preservation. The speaker advises a targeted rate of weight loss within a range of 1-1.5% of body weight per week, to minimize muscle loss and preserve the basal metabolic rate. They highlight the importance of consistent tracking, macro manipulation, and photographic analysis to monitor progress and make adjustments. The speaker also mentions the need for a gradual transition out of the fat loss phase to maintain progress and prevent rebound weight gain.
The Challenges of Keeping Weight Off After a Diet
Often, people struggle with maintaining weight loss after a diet due to the loss of muscle mass during the fat loss phase. This reduction in muscle mass negatively impacts basal metabolic rates and hormonal balance, leading to an excessive desire to eat more than what is needed. Without being conscious of these hormonal changes, individuals typically revert to their previous eating habits. To counteract this, slowly reintroducing calories post-diet through a process called reverse dieting can help regulate metabolism and allow for a better food balance.
Gender-Specific Considerations in Training
When it comes to training, women tend to have a greater percentage of type 1 muscle fibers, which makes them less fatigable during exercise. Women also tend to be better at utilizing fatty acids during both fed and fasted states, leading to improved recovery. Traditional programming often suggests that women do better with higher rep ranges, while men benefit from lower rep ranges. However, it is important to consider the individual's preferences and goals, as women can also enjoy strength training with the guidance of a qualified coach. Other factors, such as the menstrual cycle, can also impact training outcomes, and deloading during specific phases may be beneficial.
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Holly Baxter is an accredited practicing dietician (APD), competitive bodybuilder, fitness and nutrition educator, and coach. In this episode, Holly discusses her experience as an athlete and competitive bodybuilder. She also opens up about her struggles with mental health, her long battle with an eating disorder, and the important steps she’s taken in her road to recovery. From there, she explains how she would design a nutrition and training program for a hypothetical female client wanting to improve her physique through the addition of lean muscle and loss of body fat. She explains reasonable expectations for gaining muscle and the value of a “reverse diet” for maintaining weight loss, and she shares her favorite exercises. She also talks through some female-specific training considerations such as programming, reps, volume, hormone replacement therapy, and more.
We discuss:
- Holly’s background and passion for sports and nutrition [2:00];
- Holly’s struggle with depression and an eating disorder [4:30];
- Reflecting on her eating disorder, body image, and a wake up call [18:15];
- Road to recovery: therapy, meditation, self-compassion, and a breakthrough [27:45];
- The effect of competitive bodybuilding on women [39:00];
- Holly’s competition prep and how she guides her clients wanting to improve their physique [46:45];
- Training principles for muscle hypertrophy [57:00];
- Training advice for an inexperienced person wanting to build muscle [1:01:30];
- Training program for a hypothetical woman wanting to add lean muscle and lose body fat [1:04:15];
- Lower body lifts: Holly’s approach to leg workouts with clients [1:14:00];
- Upper body exercises: Holly’s approach with her clients [1:24:45];
- Importance of nutrition and protein during the muscle building phase [1:34:00];
- Changes to nutrition and training during a fat loss phase [1:40:30];
- A “reverse diet” after a cutting phase to help prevent weight gain [1:49:45];
- Female-specific training considerations: programming, reps, volume, sex hormones, and more [1:53:15];
- Holly’s future in bodybuilding and helping struggling women [2:05:45];
- Looking forward: Holly’s focus on longevity, bone mineral density, and wellness [2:08:15]; and
- More.
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