Wits & Weights | Fat Loss, Nutrition, & Strength Training for Lifters

Want to build muscle, lose fat, and train smarter? ⁠⁠⁠Join the new Physique University for just $27/month⁠⁠⁠ and get your custom nutrition plan FREE (limited time): bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan—Were women in the past weaker than men, or have we been sold a lie? What if prehistoric women could outlift most modern athletes? And how does understanding this history change the way you train today?I’m joined by Anne Marie Chaker, author of Lift: How Women Can Reclaim Their Physical Power and Transform Their Lives. We break down archaeological evidence that shows ancient women had elite-level strength, explore how cultural narratives have stripped women of their physical identity, and reveal why midlife can be a prime time for building muscle. You’ll learn simple, sustainable ways to start lifting, structure your workouts, and rethink food as fuel, not the enemy.Today, you’ll learn all about:0:00 – Intro2:24 – From journalist to competitive bodybuilder4:30 – Archaeological proof of elite ancient women7:07 – The Viking warrior who wasn’t a man11:10 – The mixed messages of modern fitness culture17:37 – How to fuel like an athlete26:10 – Navigating perimenopause and training30:05 – First steps for women new to lifting36:10 – A brief history of strong women in sport40:09 – How lifting shapes identity and mindsetEpisode resources:Website: annemariechaker.comBook: Lift: How Women Can Reclaim Their Physical Power and Transform Their LivesLift SubstackLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anne-marie-chaker-62119317 Instagram: @annemariechaker Support the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Get your free Nutrition 101 for Body Composition guide to understand the fundamentals of nutrition and personalize your calories/macros:witsandweights.com/free--Diet culture emerged in the 1920s, when calorie counting was invented, cigarettes were marketed as weight loss aids, and thinness became associated with moral virtue for the first time in American history.Discover how the birth of modern diet culture 100 years ago created patterns we're still repeating today.Main Takeaways:Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters invented calorie counting in 1918, selling 2+ million copies of the first diet bestsellerLucky Strike's "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet" campaign increased cigarette sales 300% by targeting weight-conscious womenThe moral dimension of dieting (connecting food choices to character and virtue) started in the 1920s and persists todayBizarre 1920s fads (grapefruit diets, tapeworm pills, vibrating belts) reveal humanity's eternal search for effortless weight loss shortcutsEnergy balance remains the core principle, but now we understand the many other nutrition and lifestyle components that matterThe desire for quick fixes is deeply human but misleading... sustainable success comes from embracing fundamentalsEpisode Resources:Join Wits & Weights Physique University for $27/month - get your custom nutrition plan built for free when you use this exclusive podcast listener link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-planGet Chef's Foundry P600 Ceramic Cookware - 50% off at witsandweights.com/chefsfoundryTimestamps:2:37 - Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters, calorie counting pioneer 6:42 - Cigarettes vs. sweets campaign 9:30 - Bizarre 1920s fads (grapefruit diet, tapeworms, and vibrating belts) 12:44 - What the 1920s got right about weight loss 15:18 - 3 major mistakes that persist today 19:17 - Why we still seek the same quick fixes 100 years later 22:21 - Sustainable fundamentals vs. magic solutionsSupport the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Get Chef's Foundry P600 ceramic cookware at 50% off plus a complete guide on cookware materials and safety at:witsandweights.com/chefsfoundry--Do you cook with nonstick pans, microwave with plastic containers, or wonder about materials you drink out of?Learn about the science behind 3 major categories of chemical exposure from cookware and food packaging: microplastics, PFAS ("forever chemicals"), and plasticizers like BPA.While avoiding fear-mongering, we discuss legitimate concerns about how these compounds might affect hormones, inflammation, and long-term health when exposure accumulates over time.Plus, learn practical steps to minimize exposure without losing your mind over every container in your kitchen.Main Takeaways:Microplastics from scratched cookware and PFAS from nonstick coatings are legitimate concerns worth addressing through simple swapsThe "dose makes the poison" cumulative exposure over time matters more than occasional contactEasy wins include replacing scratched nonstick pans, using glass containers for microwaving, and choosing ceramic or stainless steel cookwareYour body's detoxification systems are enhanced by the same foundational health practices we always discuss (strength training, quality nutrition, adequate sleep)Timestamps:0:02 - 3 categories of chemical exposure from cookware 3:20 - Microplastics 5:21 - PFAS "forever chemicals" 6:56 - Plasticizers, BPA, and aluminum leaching 8:38 - How these exposures might affect you 10:38 - Recommended cookware 14:46 - Should you be concerned? 19:25 - 3 levels of kitchen safety 21:30 - Avoiding food safety anxiety 22:17 - Recap for cookware, storage, and waterTry Chef's Foundry P600 ceramic cookware at 50% off - Swiss-engineered ceramic coating with removable handles, no PFAS, no Teflon: witsandweights.com/chefsfoundrySupport the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Justin Silver, a serial entrepreneur and founder of SymptoGuard, shares his insights on managing the side effects of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. He reveals his father's harrowing experience with these medications, highlighting why many users quit despite successful weight loss. They discuss the most common side effects that hinder progress, the concept of 'food noise,' and how specific lifestyle changes can minimize discomfort. Justin also emphasizes the importance of maintaining protein intake and introduces SymptoGuard as a solution to alleviate these challenges.

Get my new RESOLUTE 5-Day Powerbuilding template when you join Physique University to maximize both strength and muscle growth simultaneously at this link (special for podcast listeners to get a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join): bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan--Most lifters choose between getting strong or building size.Powerbuilding represents the intelligent marriage of strength training and hypertrophy, allowing lifters to make simultaneous progress in both areas without compromising either goal.Discover why the traditional approach of switching between strength and hypertrophy programs limits your progress, and how Philip's new RESOLUTE 5-day powerbuilding design helps you create synergistic gains.Main Takeaways:3-week rep range rotations prevent adaptation loss while maintaining progress across all rep rangesStarting every session with your heaviest main lift when fresh maximizes neurological demand and drives all other liftsDevelopmental lifts reinforce main movements without competing, addressing weaknesses while adding complementary volumeDedicated back and arms specialization accelerates physique development without interfering with main lift recoveryIntelligent deloading only when necessary (every 9-12 weeks) rather than forced periodic breaksEpisode Resources:Chef's Foundry P600 Cookware: Swiss-engineered ceramic coating with no PFAS, Teflon, or plastic components. Get 50% off at witsandweights.com/chefsfoundryTimestamps:0:01 - What is powerbuding for strength AND muscle? 3:15 - Why strength and hypertrophy training are synergistic 5:37 - 3-week rep range rotation system 10:08 - Main lifts and developmental variations 14:37 - Back and arms specialization 16:51 - Adaptive deloading 19:34 - Frameworks vs rigid programs 22:28 - Building both strength and size systematicallyGet RESOLUTE when you join Physique U (and get a FREE nutrition plan with this special link): bit.ly/wwpu-free-planSupport the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Get a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join Physique University to maximize both strength and muscle growth simultaneously at this link (special for podcast listeners): bit.ly/wwpu-free-planGet 50% off Chef's Foundry P600 ceramic cookware (no PFAS, no Teflon, no microplastics) at witsandweights.com/chefsfoundry--Influencers claim you can get shredded eating nothing but junk food. At the same time, clean eating gurus demonize a single cookie (or even broccoli!) as though it's poison. Both miss the point entirely.This false dichotomy creates an all-or-nothing mindset that undermines your success. When we operate at extremes, either "if it fits your macros" with zero regard for food quality or rigid clean eating that moralizes every bite, we set ourselves up for an unhealthy relationship with food. The research consistently shows that the sustainable solution lives in the unsexy middle ground that nobody wants to talk about because it doesn't get views or sell weight loss programs.Learn about Lyle McDonald's concept of "Excluding the Middle" and why the fitness industry's obsession with extremes traps you in cycles of all-or-nothing thinking that undermine long-term success.Main Takeaways:Why both "if it fits your macros" junk food diets and rigid clean eating miss the pointThe research supporting the middle ground: 85% whole foods, 15% flexibilityHow rigid dietary restraint increases binge eating risk while flexible restraint improves outcomesThe exact framework for implementing sustainable nutrition without moralizing foodWhy planning for flexibility (not spontaneous perfection) is key to long-term successEpisode Resources:Get 50% off Chef's Foundry P600 ceramic cookware (no PFAS, no Teflon, no microplastics)Lyle McDonald's "Excluding the Middle" articleTry MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTSEpisode: Why Macros Might Be All You Need to Streamline Your NutritionTimestamps:0:01 - The false dichotomy of nutrition extremes 6:04 - All "junk food" diet 10:35 - 100% clean eating 15:28 - The middle ground 21:07 - 300 calories a day for enjoyment 22:27 - Flexible vs. rigid restraint (targets + guidelines) 24:19 - THIS is everything 25:30 - Planning for flexibility vs. spontaneous "perfect" choicesSupport the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Join Physique University for just $27 a month to access our workshop on sprint training and receive a free custom nutrition plan using this exclusive listener link: http://bit.ly/podcast-new-wwpu--Today we're celebrating a huge win for 73-year-old listener Bruce @bruceandjantrain.Bruce achieved impressive results following the sprint protocol discussed in Episode 293, increasing his power output by 78% in just 4 months and demonstrating the effectiveness of this time-efficient training approach for lifters. Age is no barrier!Listen to the Sprinting for Lifters episode here:7 Benefits of Sprinting to Lose Fat (And Why It Beats Cardio, Especially for Lifters!)Support the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Get your free custom nutrition plan (exclusive to podcast listeners) when you join Wits & Weights Physique University for just $27/month--The psychology behind weight loss methods has created a moral battleground where people judge themselves and others based on whether they use traditional lifestyle approaches or pharmaceutical interventions like GLP-1 drugs.People are losing 40 pounds on Ozempic or secretly microdosing GLP-1 drugs, while underground resentment brews between those who "did it the hard way" and those accused of taking "shortcuts."We're keeping it real about the psychology behind the Weight Loss Wars using a (more reasonable) systems-based approach that eliminates judgment while optimizing for what actually matters: YOUR sustainable results.Main Takeaways:"Ozempic envy" reveals more about our relationship with effort than with resultsFat loss is an engineering problem, not a moral issueGLP-1 microdosing creates fascinating case studies in behavior modification (and still requires building lifestyle skills)The most successful people combine external tools with internal skill developmentStop keeping score of who's doing it "right" and start engineering systems that work sustainably for YOUEpisode Mentioned:Eat More To Lose Weight? (The Iron Triangle of Fat Loss)Timestamps:0:00 - The Weight Loss Wars and moral superiority 3:00 - What is "Ozempic Envy"? 8:00 - GLP-1 microdosing 11:00 - Why we assign moral value to effort and struggle 15:00 - GLP-1s and/or lifestyle skills18:00 - Designing YOUR system (ignoring distractions)22:00 - Lifelines vs. shortcuts 24:00 - How to stop the weight loss warsSupport the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Check out the other half of our Q&A on Brandon's Chasing Clarity podcast, where we tackle your questions on hunger, cravings, appetite, and artificial sweeteners.---Just wrapped a bulk and scared to lose muscle? Over 50 and unsure if gains are still possible? Walking 20,000 steps a day with no results?In this Q&A, I team up with physique coach Brandon DaCruz, host of the Chasing Clarity podcast, to tackle five hot topics around fat loss, muscle building, and diet fatigue. We break down smart post-bulk strategies, how much walking is too much, and realistic expectations for muscle gain over 50, plus how to recover when dieting burns you out.Don’t miss part two of this episode on the Chasing Clarity podcast, where we explore how hunger, cravings, and sweeteners impact your results.Main Takeaways:A smarter way to cut after a bulkWhen walking too much backfiresMuscle gain over 50 is slow—but possibleDon’t underestimate diet fatigueLifestyle stress and recovery matter more than you thinkTimestamps:2:00 – Post-bulk strategy for women 40+8:34 – Are 20K steps a day too much?22:15 – Building muscle after 5028:49 – Best small-space home gym setup36:56 – How to recover from diet fatigue41:08 – Training and recovery during a fat loss phase46:54 – The signs you're hitting a wall53:50 – Training mindset and strength drops during a cutCheck out the other half of our Q&A on Brandon's Chasing Clarity podcast, where we tackle your questions on hunger, cravings, appetite, and artificial sweeteners.Support the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)

Get the new RESOLUTE 5-day Powerbuilding Program in Physique University and stop second-guessing your approach to lifting. Join for just $27/month and get a custom nutrition plan included when you tap this special link for podcast listeners--Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman didn't just build a legendary physique. He created a blueprint for what dedication, consistency, and love for lifting can achieve.His famous "light weight, baby!" was about an approach to training that transformed his body and an entire culture of lifting.This is the first episode in our new Lifting Legends series, where we connect modern training science with the rich history of lifting culture to extract timeless principles that are relevant today more than ever.Main Takeaways:Ronnie's blueprint for greatness: consistency, simplicity, and genuine love for the lifting processWhy fundamental movements (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows) built the greatest physique in bodybuilding historyHow to channel Ronnie's commitment while training smarter for long-term health and sustainabilityThe difference between training hard and training smart (and why you need both)Episode Mentioned:12 Rules of Training Volume to Build More MuscleTimestamps:0:02 - The King's blueprint for greatness 4:22 - Ronnie's humble beginnings at Metroflex Gym 6:30 - Ssimplicity executed at an elite level 12:56 - Why Ronnie's methods align with modern science 17:13 - Building your own lifting legacy 18:44 - What to emulate vs. what to avoid from Ronnie's approach 23:25 - Excellence + sustainability 26:48 - THIS separates legends from everyone elseSupport the show🎓 Join Physique University for just $27/mo + get a FREE custom nutrition plan with this special link: bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan 👥 Join our Facebook community for Q&As & support👋 Ask a question or find me on Instagram📱 Try MacroFactor 2 weeks free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS (my favorite nutrition app)