The Ripped Body® Podcast

Once the diet ends, most people don’t know what to do next.In this episode, Coach Matt and I talk about how to transition from fat loss to maintenance without panic or rebound. And then we talk about finding the least training you can do to maintain your physique.We use Fred’s story — a reader who dropped from 360 lbs to 166 — as a real-world example of what to expect when you stop cutting and start maintaining.We cover:How to calculate your maintenance calories after a deficit.Why regaining 5–10 lbs after a cut is normal (and not fat).What "maximum maintenance" means — and how to find it.How to reduce training volume without losing muscle.Why maintaining your physique is often harder mentally than dieting.This episode will help you end the "yo-yo" cycle and finally hold onto the results you’ve worked for.------------Since 2011, we’ve helped 2,000+ busy men get lean, strong, and in control — without supplements, gimmicks, or sacrificing their lives to the gym.👉 Get our Free 15-Day Transformation Kickstart Bundle (https://rippedbody.com/)(Training program, nutrition guide, and 15-step course to help you avoid the most common mistakes.)

Todd, a father of six, spent two decades in engineering and renewable energy. At 48, he decided it was time to re-engineer something else: his own life.Todd walked away from his career — not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He called it an "environment change." His goal was simple: finally take his health seriously, rebuild family connections, and reinvent himself.Three months later, he’s down nearly 40 pounds and delighted with the success he has had. But he’s also confronting new challenges: how to avoid the all-or-nothing mindset, how to eat sustainably instead of obsessively, and how to set goals that last beyond the initial rush of progress.In this episode, we dig into:Why Todd’s “temporary retirement” became the forcing function for change.How he lost 28 lbs in 34 days, and what really happened behind the numbers.Why aggressive dieting works short-term but fails without a plan afterward.How to reintroduce carbs without fear, and why this is necessary for his path forward.------------Since 2011, we’ve helped 2,000+ busy men get lean, strong, and in control — without supplements, gimmicks, or sacrificing their lives to the gym.👉 Get our Free 15-Day Transformation Kickstart Bundle (https://rippedbody.com/)(Training program, nutrition guide, and 15-step course to help you avoid the most common mistakes.)

In this engaging discussion, Coach Sam, a strength and physique coach, shares his journey post-photo prep, tackling gut health and dietary adjustments. He offers insights on how to maintain weight after rapid loss and the importance of resistance training. The duo dives into optimizing calorie intake and protein needs while addressing listener questions about weight fluctuations and nutrition strategies. They also bust myths around age and strength training, emphasizing it’s never too late to start. Perfect for anyone navigating weight loss and muscle gain!

Chris shares his transformative journey from a drastic crash diet to sustainable weight management. He reveals the struggles of binge-restrict cycles and the emotional toll of scale obsession. Transitioning to weight training, he highlights the importance of gradual bulking and structured training. The conversation explores realistic muscle gain, effective bulking principles, and the benefits of a supportive gym environment. Ultimately, Chris emphasizes a balanced approach to fitness that prioritizes mental well-being and long-term success.

Feeling stuck on your fat loss journey? Discover common reasons for stalled progress, from tracking errors to untracked meals disrupting your efforts. Learn how scale fluctuations often reflect water weight, not fat gain. Gain insights into body recomposition—losing fat while regaining muscle. Sam and Matt provide practical tips on evaluating consistency, making single adjustments, and using training performance as a guide. Most importantly, they remind you that methodical fixes are key to overcoming hurdles.

Chandler is a form of client of mine. He’s a 42 year-old father of two young boys living in Savannah, Georgia. We work together 11 years ago when he got stuck, and we managed to make a level change in his physique. In the year since Chandler has diligently kept up his training and progress tracking, tried different training styles, and tried cutting and bulking many times, but he hasn't been able to break through the plateau since.Has he reached his genetic potential? Is there something that has been missing? I think so. And frankly, I think the answer is hiding in plain sight and it goes back to what we did when we first work together.I hope you enjoy this conversation with Chandler. I'm sure it will resonate with many of you who have made some good progress but are now feeling stuck and unsure how to break through the plateau.------------Since 2011, we’ve helped 2,000+ busy men get lean, strong, and in control — without supplements, gimmicks, or sacrificing their lives to the gym.👉 Get our Free 15-Day Transformation Kickstart Bundle (https://rippedbody.com/)(Training program, nutrition guide, and 15-step course to help you avoid the most common mistakes.)

Andy and Matt dive into the tricky waters of dieting during the holiday season. They discuss the pros and cons of cutting calories versus taking a maintenance break. Learn how to adjust your calorie intake for a holiday maintenance period and why staying on track can help build lasting habits. They also explore personal circumstances that influence dieting decisions and share powerful strategies for getting back on track after a slip-up. Plus, gain insights into how their coaching philosophies have evolved over the years!

Joe’s beaten obesity and kept the weight off for years — but every bulk ends in failure. Why?On the face of it, it looks like he has been doing everything right. But when we dig in, there are a couple of simple tweaks I believe he can make that will help him take his physique permanently to the next level. Best of all, I'm confident he can do it within two years.We talk about:- The *moment* he decided to change after hitting rock bottom.- How CrossFit helped him kickstart his transformation.- The mistakes that cost him hard-earned muscle during past cuts.- Why long, patient bulks are the missing piece in his journey.- How to push through the mental battles of seeing the scale climb.------------Since 2011, we’ve helped 2,000+ busy men get lean, strong, and in control — without supplements, gimmicks, or sacrificing their lives to the gym.👉 Get our Free 15-Day Transformation Kickstart Bundle (https://rippedbody.com/)(Training program, nutrition guide, and 15-step course to help you avoid the most common mistakes.

Most people don’t quit training because they don’t get results. They quit because their expectations didn’t match reality.In this episode, Sam and I dig into a real coaching application where someone claimed to have gained 20 pounds of muscle in six months, based on body fat devices and faulty tracking.We talk about why this isn’t possible, the bigger problem in the fitness industry (coaches telling clients what they want to hear), and why being brutally honest up front is our preferred way to build trust.We cover:Why body fat progress-tracking methods like BIA machines give false hope.The real pace of muscle gain for intermediates vs. beginners.How unrealistic expectations poison coaching relationships.Why intelligent people often get stuck questioning instead of doing.What a realistic bulk-and-cut cycle actually looks like.If you’ve ever wondered whether your expectations are helping or hurting your progress, this episode is worth your time.------------Since 2011, we’ve helped 2,000+ busy men get lean, strong, and in control — without supplements, gimmicks, or sacrificing their lives to the gym.👉 Get our Free 15-Day Transformation Kickstart Bundle (https://rippedbody.com/)(Training program, nutrition guide, and 15-step course to help you avoid the most common mistakes.)

What if the reason you’re stuck isn’t a lack of knowledge or skills… but mindset?That’s the core idea behind Itamar Marani’s new book [*Elite Performance*](https://itamarmarani.com/book/).I'm delighted to have Itamar back on the Podcast. He is a former Israeli special forces operator, coached by the Mossad’s former chief psychologist, who now helps entrepreneurs and high-performers get out of their own way.In this conversation, we talk about:- The "face-punch" question that reveals whether mindset is holding you back.- Why adding more pressure usually lowers performance instead of raising it.- The five-step blueprint from his book to win the war within.- How to build guardrails that protect your family, fitness, and happiness while chasing goals.- The difference between *pursuing excellence* and falling into *perfectionism.*This episode is about doing more — sustainably, strategically, and without sabotaging yourself.Itamar’s book, “Elite Performance: The Israeli special ops mindset system to win the war within and achieve audacious goals” is available for pre order now and will be released October 1st. https://itamarmarani.com/book/------------Since 2011, we’ve helped 2,000+ busy men get lean, strong, and in control — without supplements, gimmicks, or sacrificing their lives to the gym.👉 Get our Free 15-Day Transformation Kickstart Bundle (https://rippedbody.com/)(Training program, nutrition guide, and 15-step course to help you avoid the most common mistakes.