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

Join my email list for exclusive content on the psychology of transformation that you won't find anywhere else. Go to witsandweights.com/email--Struggling with fat loss despite knowing exactly what to do? You're not alone.The answer isn't about knowledge, it's about psychology. Learn how the PERMA framework from positive psychology reveals the 5 psychological elements that separate people who sustain their transformation from those who remain stuck.Discover how to engineer your fat loss approach to work WITH your psychology instead of against it, creating conditions where healthy behaviors actually feel good to maintain.Main Takeaways:The intelligence paradox: Why smart people often struggle most with sustainable fat lossThe 5 PERMA elements: Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and AccomplishmentHow to systematically engineer psychological momentum into your fat loss approachWhy traditional approaches focus on mechanics but miss the psychological infrastructureHow to audit yourself across the PERMA dimensions to identify your weakest areaTimestamps:0:01 - The intelligence paradox in fat loss 3:22 - Why smart people struggle with fat loss 5:06 - Introduction to the PERMA framework 6:17 - P: Positive Emotion and cognitive flexibility 8:31 - E: Engagement and finding flow states 10:50 - R: Relationships and social connection 13:07 - M: Meaning and purpose-driven goals 14:05 - A: Accomplishment and self-efficacy 17:24 - How to engineer YOUR psychologySupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)

Grab your free Ultimate Macros Guide ebook to implement everything covered in today's episode with specific formulas and practical steps. Go to witsandweights.com/free--What really works for fat loss?After 70 years of scientific research spanning thousands of studies and millions of participants, the truth is both simpler and more nuanced than the fitness industry would have you believe.Forget the latest fat loss hack or magic supplement. After 70 years of rigorous research (thousands of studies spanning from NASA's bedrest experiments in the 1970s to today's landmark trials), science has identified 7 key principles that determine fat loss success.These aren't TikTok trends or new theories. They're evidence-based principles proven over and over again in controlled studies, meta-analyses, and real-world applications.Main Takeaways:A calorie deficit remains non-negotiable for fat loss, but the method to create it is highly flexibleProtein preserves muscle and controls hunger through multiple mechanismsResistance training beats cardio for body composition every single timeDiet adherence matters more than diet type when calories are controlledNEAT (non-exercise activity) can swing your daily calorie burn by up to 2,000 caloriesMuscle mass serves as your metabolic insurance policy for long-term successSustainable approaches always beat aggressive "quick fix" methodsEpisode Resources:Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTSDownload our popular ebook, Ultimate Macros GuideRelated episode: The 3+3 Optimal Model of Fat LossTimestamps:0:01 - 70 years of research distilled into 7 principles 3:28 - Principle #1: A calorie deficit is required 7:23 - Principle #2: Protein is king 11:13 - Principle #3: Resistance training is best for body composition 15:45 - Principle #4: Diet adherence beats diet type 19:56 - Principle #5: NEAT can make or break your deficit 25:09 - Principle #6: Muscle mass is your fat loss insurance policy 29:39 - Principle #7: Sustainability vs. speed 35:36 - How these principles work together for life optimizationSupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)

What if everything you thought you knew about fitness was filtered through marketing hype rather than science?After experimenting with countless diet trends across my 20s and 30s, from Atkins to Paleo to keto and intermittent fasting, I've learned firsthand that what matters isn't finding the "one perfect approach" but building sustainable systems that work specifically for you.The fitness world has become saturated with influencers making bold but oversimplified claims. If someone tells you there's only "one true way" to achieve fitness goals, your skepticism radar should go on high alert.In this bonus episode from my recent appearance on the With Passion podcast hosted by Josh Taft, we discuss how to make sense of the barage of information from the fitness industry, why strength training is absolutely essential for longevity, and how to approach your health and fitness journey with a sustainable, evidence-based mindset.Discover why most fitness advice is wrong, how to navigate conflicting information, and why muscle truly is your retirement plan, especially after 40.Main Takeaways:Why being skeptical of fitness trends and guru claims can save your health and moneyThe shocking truth about why 95% of diets fail and what successful people do differentlyHow muscle mass is literally your insurance policy against aging and diseaseWhy strength training beats cardio for fat loss, longevity, and metabolic healthThe psychology behind sustainable goal setting and why most people try to change too much at onceHow to use "seasons" of focused effort followed by maintenance phases for long-term successWhy consistency with basics beats perfection with complex protocolsEpisode Resources:Check out Josh's podcast With PassionSupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)

Grab your free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint to learn how to eat for your training goals (even when managing blood sugar and eating carbs). Go to witsandweights.com/muscle–Are carbs really your enemy? Should you be training fasted? Can someone with diabetes actually build muscle and thrive?Registered dietitian and strength coach Ben Zeal, who’s been living with type 1 diabetes for over 25 years, joins me to break down some of the biggest myths in fitness and nutrition. We discuss carb fear, insulin misconceptions, and the truth about fasted training, CGMs, GLP-1s, and more. Ben also covers how blood sugar management isn't just for diabetics, but for anyone wanting consistent energy, better performance, and body composition goals that stick. Our discussion is packed with real talk and practical strategies to train smarter, eat with confidence, and stop fearing carbs.Today, you’ll learn all about:4:39 – Should non-diabetics track glucose?6:13 – Walks, workouts, and insulin sensitivity9:28 – Can movement replace medication?13:11 – How to overcome carb fear15:14 – Best training approach for blood sugar22:36 – Stress: the hidden blood sugar saboteur27:40 – GLP-1 drugs and smart strategy30:48 – What insulin pumps actually do36:32 – How to become a consistent lifter41:44 – Does fiber really matter for blood sugar?44:25 – Where to find Ben and free resourcesEpisode resources:Your Diabetes Insider PodcastWebsite: yourdiabetesinsider.com Instagram: @manoftzeel Youtube:  @yourdiabetesinsider Support the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)

Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS to see exactly how these walking breaks impact your daily calorie burn and support your muscle-building or fat loss goals or go to witsandweights.com/blog/macrofactor--Can you immediately increase muscle building by 47%?It's 3 PM on a Tuesday, and you've been glued to your desk since 8 AM. Your back is stiff, your energy is crashing, and you can feel that familiar tightness setting in from hours of sitting.But here's what you don't realize: that prolonged sitting isn't just making you uncomfortable. It's actively blocking your muscle protein synthesis, sabotaging your ability to build muscle from the food you eat.A groundbreaking 2022 study revealed a shocking truth: prolonged sitting can reduce your muscle protein synthesis by nearly 50%, effectively blocking your body's ability to build muscle from the protein you eat. This happens through multiple pathways we'll discuss, and there's a stupidly simple solution that can have the opposite effect and boost muscle building by 47%!Main Takeaways:Prolonged sitting creates "anabolic resistance" that can reduce muscle protein synthesis by up to 50%A simple walking hack can completely reverse this effect and boost muscle building by 47%The biological mechanisms: improved blood flow, enhanced amino acid delivery, reactivated mTOR signaling, and better insulin sensitivityCompound benefits beyond muscle building include stable energy, better blood sugar control, improved recoveryStudy Mentioned:Study by Moore et al. (2022) published in The Journal of PhysiologyTimestamps:0:01 - The hidden cost of prolonged sitting4:05 - Why sitting blocks muscle gains8:08 - How 2-minute breaks reverse the damage11:16 - Practical tips to implement TODAY14:15 - Compound effects beyond muscle buildingSupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)

Try Wits & Weights Physique University free for 2 weeks at witsandweights.com/physique - get a custom nutrition plan, live coaching calls, workout programs, and join Allan and our supportive community tackling similar fat loss and body composition challenges--Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt like you were staring at a stranger... but in a good way?That's exactly where Allan finds himself after successfully building visible muscle mass and fundamentally changing his relationship with food.In this real-time coaching session, we get into the fascinating psychological phenomenon of mental lag that happens when your body transforms faster than your self-perception can keep up.Discover how to handle rising metabolism during cuts, manage post-bulk hunger, and process the psychological side of major physique transformation.Episode Mentions:Allan's previous episode: After Bariatric Surgery, He Found Optimal Health and Strength Over 60Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTSTimestamps:0:00 - Allan's physical and mental transformation since Episode 77 6:31 - "Feeling fat" is a fallacy 11:49 - Relationship with food and emotional eating 16:06 - Current training and what's working 19:03 - Live coaching on metabolism and hunger challenges 27:27 - Identifying the real cause of grazing behavior 34:32 - Family responsibilities and life balance 39:15 - Planning the next bulk 44:15 - The deeper "why" behind transformation 46:35 - Importance of proper warm-ups and injury prevention 52:40 - Biggest takeaways and next stepsSupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)

Grab your FREE Ultimate Macros Guide, designed for those who are serious about optimizing their physique. It's not a quick fix; it's a playbook that teaches you how to make smart eating choices, track your biofeedback, and implement gradual changes for success.–Are you chasing success but running on empty? Do your workouts feel harder yet deliver fewer results? What if your energy, not your money, is the real currency of success?I sit down with Alex Feinberg, ex-pro athlete, former Google exec, and elite performance coach, to break down how high achievers can stay lean, energized, and efficient all year long. We explore why doubling your training volume might be hurting your progress, how to optimize your metabolism for maximum fat loss, and why treating energy like currency changes everything. Alex also reveals simple frameworks to track recovery, train smarter (not harder), and turn your body into a high-performance machine. Today, you’ll learn all about:2:35 – Why energy beats more money4:30 – How high performers get stuck6:58 – The kingpin habit that changes everything13:15 – The myth of the 3 PM crash18:39 – How carbs affect sleep and energy24:37 – Why your workouts aren’t working33:04 – High-intensity training, defined38:25 – How to stay shredded eating pizza44:39 – Processed food vs real food50:02 – Train what you usually ignore53:13 – Fitness is your wealth-building shortcutEpisode resources:Website:  feinbergsystems.com Instagram: @alexfeinbergofficial X: @alexfeinberg1 Facebook: @alexfeinbergofficial Youtube: @alexfeinberg1 Support the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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 guide at witsandweights.com/free to understand the fundamentals of nutrition without getting lost in the weeds, including how to set up energy balance, macronutrients, and calories in a way that actually makes sense--"Calories don't exist, they're just made-up numbers.""You don't eat calories, you eat food."These statements have gained traction on social media, usually from people trying to dismiss energy balance or suggest that tracking food is meaningless.But this argument reveals a fundamental misunderstanding about measurement in science and engineering.Let's dismantle the anti-calorie argument for good.Learn why calories are actually one of our most precise tools for understanding energy and how, at the same time, you don't need to obsessively count every calorie to benefit from understanding energy balance, and acknowledging their importance doesn't mean ignoring food quality, hormones, or individual differences.Main Takeaways:Calories are a precise unit of energy measurement, just like miles measure distance and money measures valueThe "calories aren't real" argument is a category error that could invalidate any scientific measurementBomb calorimetry directly measures the chemical energy in food's molecular bondsReductionism through measurement is how we understand and control complex systemsCalories provide a foundational tool that works alongside other factors like food quality and hormonesEpisode Resources:Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS - the app that uses calorie data to calculate your actual metabolismTimestamps:0:02 - The "calories aren't real" argument 4:06 - Measurement validity and category error 6:24 - What calories actually measure and why they're precise 7:42 - Useful approximation vs. perfect measurement 10:59 - 3 reasons people dismiss calories 14:18 - How we use calories for real nutrition results like fat lossSupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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 my free email list for exclusive mindset content or go to witsandweights.com/email--That crushing moment when you see someone warming up with what you consider your max lift. We've all been there. Your confidence evaporates, and suddenly you're questioning everything about your training, your genetics, and your worth as a lifter. But what if this entire mindset is exactly what's holding you back?Learn why your current strength numbers don't define you and how the comparison trap is sabotaging your progress, motivation, and enjoyment in the gym.Discover the psychology behind why we get caught up in strength comparisons and the simple mindset shift that will transform every workout into an opportunity for growth rather than a test of your worth.Main Takeaways:The comparison trap shifts your focus from personal progress to arbitrary rankings that don't serve your goalsYour current numbers are just a snapshot of where you are now, not your potential or worth as a lifterTrue strength is measured by consistency, effort, and continuous improvement within your own contextEgo lifting, exercise avoidance, and lost joy in training are the hidden costs of number obsessionFocus on the process of getting stronger rather than comparing absolute numbers to othersTimestamps:0:01 - The gym confidence killer 3:29 - The comparison trap explained 5:35 - Why there's no universal "strong enough" 7:53 - Numbers matter as tools, not identity 10:28 - What actually defines you as a lifter 12:27 - The destructive costs of number obsession 14:15 - Redefining strength and progress 17:23 - 5 mentally healthier strategies to track progress 20:31 - The irony of strong but insecure lifters 22:55 - Applying this mindset beyond the gymSupport the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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 (free for 2 weeks) to get a custom nutrition and lifestyle plan with the simple steps to start engineering your ideal physique, plus weekly coaching to commit, take action, and build momentum! –Why wait for motivation to get healthy? What if that’s exactly what’s keeping you stuck, and there’s a better way forward?I’m joined by Jenn Trepeck, host of Salad with a Side of Fries and an optimal health coach who helps people build sustainable habits, without extremes. We break down why motivation is not the key to fitness success and how relying on it keeps us in a cycle of guilt, shame, and inconsistency. Instead, we talk about building momentum through simple, repeatable actions that fit into real life, even on your busiest days. Jenn also shares two practical movement routines anyone can start today.Today, you’ll learn all about:3:43 – Replace motivation with another M word6:23 – What discipline really looks like10:21 – Make fitness fun and doable16:07 – How to start without overwhelm20:04 – Consistency beats intensity25:49 – Aligning expectations with your life35:02 – When tracking helps more than hurts54:27 – Your sustainable plan starts here58:45 – Two-minute routine for busy days1:01:17 – Affirmations that actually workEpisode resources:Podcast: Salad with a Side of Fries  Instagram: @jenntrepeckYoutube: @jenntrepeck “It’s Not What to Eat, It’s How to Eat” (free download)Support the show🎓 Lose fat for good in Physique University, now just $27/mo (tap here and I’ll create a FREE custom nutrition plan when you join) 👥 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)