On this Rippedbody podcast, I answer listener questions. Topics covered include my stance on intermittent fasting, tips for maintaining strength during a cut, how I determine a client's ideal body weight, my stance on calorie cycling for maximizing results, and many more.Thanks to all of you that submitted your question via Facebook and Instagram and hope you gain some valuable knowledge from this episode.For detailed show notes and links click here: rippedbody.com/podcast-andy-morgan/

On this episode of the Rippedbody Podcast, I interview sports nutritionist, researcher extraordinaire, educator, and one of the most influential figures in the fitness industry’s movement towards evidence-based information, Alan Aragon.Alan shares the inspiring story of his career journey to date, starting off the “wrong foot”, his feelings about the hoard of smart upcoming talent in the industry biting at his heels, plus the one piece of advice he would give for those looking to build a career in the fitness industry.I also get Alan’s take on the recent HMB study, and as per usual, Alan does not disappoint with his honest and very diplomatic answer.For detailed show notes and links click here: https://rippedbody.com/podcast-alan-aragon/

On this episode of the Rippedbody Podcast, I interview James Krieger. James is a published scientist, author, speaker, fitness competitor, statistical wizard and the mind behind the immensely popular blog and membership site, Weightology.net.We discuss the different methods available for tracking body fat percentage, the two-component model used by BIA machines, my secret method to cheating on a B.I.A. scan, carb loading, and how to successfully assess your progress.James is a wealth of knowledge and we cover a really broad and interesting range of topics in this great chat.Show notes: - Any and James discuss Jame's website www.weightology.net. Andy believes these are some of the best written articles available on the net [00:20] - Today, Andy wants to dig into body fat measurement. [3:00]- The only way to measure your body fat percentage accurately [4:30]- Methods for measuring body fat percentage . [6:15]- Why James is not a fan of most measurements. [9:10]- Why the Bod Pod isn’t as good as other testing methods. [12:50]- The Two-compartment model and BIA Machines. [14:00]- How to see fat free mass DEXA Scan. [19:55]- Taking weight first thing in the morning to find a seven day average. [20:45]- How to cheat a DEXA scan - [22:10]- How much could you swing a BIA and how long would it take?. [24:10]- James talks about his first men’s physique show. [26:40]- Carb-loads and cheating. [29:30]- Andy’s secret recipe to cheat on a BIA measurement. [32:10]- “CheatYourBodyFatTest.com” Let’s get this setup. [33:00]- Back to two-compartment model . [34:40]- Why not all BIA machines are made equal. [38:30]- Talking Inbody: Any BIA machine will have an error. [41:00]- Assessing progress and finding the best methods. [44:00]- Andy’s Free Diet Guide. [48:00]- The future of James Krieger. [49:50]- James discusses his website membership section benefits. [53:00]- Reading opinions versus reading the direct research information. [56:00]- One wish for the fitness industry and human nature. [57:30|- If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. [1:01:00]For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: rippedbody.com/podcast-james-krieger

In this episode, I interview Tony Gentilcore, one of the three original founders of the exceptionally successful, Cressey Sports Performance, and now founder-owner of the new CORE training center in Boston.The interview starts off talking about the subjectiveness of strength, moves to training with purpose and intrinsic motivation, progressing the chin-up for women, the hollow hold positions, progressing the deadlift for men and finishes up with the “trainable menu”.Tony is one of the great personalities of the fitness industry. It was a hell of a lot of fun doing this interview and I hope you enjoy it.Show notes:- Writing [2:00]- How do you describe it is what you do [3:25]- Training with purpose. What are we working toward? [8:20]- THEME: PROGRESSING THE CHIN-UP FOR WOMEN- Intro: Progressing the Chin up for Women [9:00} - Woman are can be impeded by the media on what they can achieve. The ‘chin-up’ resonates with a lot of woman as a goal to work toward. [10:20]- Progression pattern to get that first chin-up. [13:50]- Tony’s impressive YouTube on form and technique. [17:15]- Hollow hold position as a first step. [19:00] - THEME: PROGRESSING THE DEADLIFT FOR MEN- Intro: Progressing the deadlift for men [26:00]- Deadlift stance. Conventional deadlift is actually the most difficult. [27:30]- How to get started with a conventional deadlift. [35:00]- Using video to fix deadlift technique. - THEME: THE "TRAINABLE MENU"- Intro: The "Trainable Menu". [39:00] - Working with your anatomy, “trainable menu”. [41:00]- Resources. [45:00]- More about Tony. [51:00]- Best deadlift article from Tony. [51:40]- Grant one wish for the industry. Not being dogmatic. [53:00]For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: rippedbody.com/podcast-tony-gentilcore

Andrea is a member of the 3D Muscle Journey bodybuilding and powerlifting coaching team. She is a bodybuilder, Grid competitor, and is my co-author on the Muscle and Strength Pyramid books. Today's conversation covers three main topics:1. Coaching philosophy and building the coach-client relationship.2. The importance of getting "un-lean" after competing when moving into a muscle gain phase.3. How training for another sport has made her a better bodybuilder and may be something worth consideration.At the end of the podcast, we went a little off topic with Andrea schooling me on how to use Instagram and Snapchat. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the absolute bundle of energy that is... Andrea Valdez! :)Show notes- Why Andrea believes 3DMJ is one of the best coaching teams in the industry." [5'30]- The story of how Andrea brought us together to write The Muscle and Strength Pyramid books came about. [10'00]- Coaching philosophy and building the coach-client relationship. [16'00]- "I learned this coaching 10-year-olds and it is the same with adults, but you get to ask the hard questions." [22'00]- Why people need to get "un-lean" during the off-season. [30'00]- Andrea explains her sport, Grid. [40'00]- Why having another physical hobby has been the best thing for her bodybuilding. [44'00]- Client selection and the different coaching packages that 3DMJ offer. [52'00]- Andrea educates Andy on Snapchat and Instagram [58'00]For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-andrea-valdez/

Spencer is an American family physician who specializes in helping people with obesity. He helps his patients with lifestyle interventions first, via diet and exercise, before using to his prescription pad wherever possible.We talk about many topics: why obesity has been recently classified as a disease, why calories in vs calories out is what determines weight loss, but telling someone to eat less and move more doesn't generally work, how spencer gets buy in from his patients, how certain medicines can cause side effects that hamper weight loss, how to look at and interpret your cholesterol numbers, and the potential dangers of bulletproof coffee.Show notes:- Why Spencer puts diet and exercise first. [0'30]- The reasons why doctors don't generally put diet and exercise as medicine first. [3'00]- How Spencer gets 'buy in' from patients. [6'30]- Why obesity has been classified as a disease [10'30]- "Is it not just about calories in, calories out?" - "Yes but not entirely." [13'30]- The importance of controlling your food environment. [19'00]- "I don't feel that fixing one habit at a time is the best way for people." [22'00]- "The data shows that people who lose weight rapidly in the beginning tend to do the best." [23'30]- Is a donut less delicious to some people? [26'00]- Why Spencer wrote The Fat Loss Prescription [29'00]- Spencer talks about how medicines can cause side effects that hamper weight loss. [34'00]- In the current system I can't do what I want to do for my patients. [39'00]- Cholesterol talk. How to look at and interpret your cholesterol numbers. [41'00]- Bulletproof coffee and the damage it can cause. [47'00]For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-spencer-nadolsky/

Mark is the man behind Mark Fisher Fitness, a unique gym in New York City. Actually, as Mark will tell you, it's not a gym, it's a club house, they don't have members, they have ninjas, Mark is the ninja master, and their tagline is Serious Fitness for Ridiculous Humans.Now if all of this sounds a bit weird, that's because it is. But embracing weirdness is what has catapulted Mark's gym to huge success over the last five years. In terms of profit per square foot, it's likely the most successful Gym in NYC, which likely makes it one of the most successful gyms in the world. Mark has achieved this by building a unique and vibrant culture, and in this interview, we take a deep dive into exactly how and why he did that.Show notes:- How Mark got into the fitness industry and starting a gym. [2'30]- "Our first year we did $1mil in revenue. Then we did $2mil in the second year, $3mil in next, $4mil the next..."[9'30]- How Mark has created this success [10'30]- "It's like a human behavioral change experiment that's pretending to be a business." [11'40]- "We set a high bar for ourselves and we don't always make it. That is where all growth can happen." [16'30]- The way Mark used 6-week transformation contests to build Mark Fisher Fitness. [19'00]- Mark talking about how they split the client education by personality types and experience level. [22'00]- "We're all a lot more affected by our environment than is maybe immediately apparent." [27'00]- On the accidental creation of 'Fitness Friends Summit' in Mexico. [31'00]- What would you write on a billboard in Times Square? [40'00]For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-mark-fisher/

Jordan is 25 but already has an 11-year personal training career under his belt. What's most impressive to me about Jordan is how relentless he's been about putting himself in positions where he could intern under some of the best coaches in the world.What he's currently doing right now is no exception, except that he's getting a business education of a lifetime. Jordan is Gary Vaynerchuk's personal trainer. If you know Gary's work then you probably have an idea of how intense this is. Jordan is contracted to train him every day, for three years, with no holiday, and gets flown around everywhere he goes.In this interview, I dig into the details of how Jordan coaches his clients in person and online, and how working with Gary over the last 6 months has influenced his business for the better.Show notes:- "I was thrust into the evidence based industry at a very young age. I got my first personal training job at 14 years old." [3'30]- "Clients took me seriously because I had two mentors who presented me seriously." [5'20]- How Jordan's thoughts on training and nutrition changed since working with Martin Berkhan at the age of 18. [8'30]- "That's what everyone is missing, the patience to stick with a program. That's all it is." [10'10]- How Jordan works with his online coaching clients. [13'00]- "For me, the best business strategy has been to work off referrals. It forces me to maintain a really high level of coaching." [16'30]- The differences Jordan has found with coaching women. [18'30]- "I won't let anyone work with me for less than 6 months." [24'00]- The crazy story behind how Jordan got to coach Gary Vaynerchuk. [27'10]- "I train Gary 7 days a week. I travel with him anywhere he goes" [32'10]- "Basically, the job is 3 years, no vacation. But I'm happy to do it, it's a huge opportunity." [34'30]- How the lessons learned from working with Gary has positively impacted Jordan's business. [36'00]- "My job is to give them the action plan as clearly, simply and effectively as I can." [41'40]- An insane day in the life of Jordan [42'50]- "I think people are looking for the easy road when they try and get into the online space." [46'40]- Advice for coaches looking to build a business online. [50'00]- How Jordan got into business coaching. [53'00]- Jordan's attempt to fix the resting bitch faces of New York. [59'00]For links to the resources talked about in the podcast, go to: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-jordan-syatt/

It is no exaggeration to say that Sol Orwell knows everyone in fitness. He is on the advisory board for Schwarzenegger.com, has built Examine.com into the world’s biggest supplement information site, and yet, he has only been in the industry for five and a half years.This success is no accident. From SEO to online gaming, Sol has been building and selling businesses based out of his interests since he was 16 and retired twice now. How did he achieve this and what lessons are there for us in the fitness industry?I spent the last week hanging out with Sol in Toronto, and took the opportunity to record an interview on the last day before leaving for the airport. We get stuck into the following topics: Building a business and network through cookies, the importance of letting employees shine, the importance of expressing gratitude daily. Controversies, the importance of seeing the bigger picture when looking to make an impact, and where Sol feels fitness professionals get it wrong.Show notes:- Sol’s entrepreneur journey. – “I make businesses around my interests.” [2’30]- What is examine.com? “We analyze research in nutrition.” [4’30]- On the sensationalistic headlines in the media. [5’15 ]- At what point did you monetize your site? – “For the first 2.5 years, we didn’t make a dime in revenue.” [6’30]- How the business was born out of Reddit. – “There’s a big problem and you do your little bit to solve it.” [8’30]- The business case for staying in the background and letting employees take the limelight. [11’30]- On the insane questions they get asked. [17’30]- Sol’s background and first businesses. From Pakistan to Saudi Arabia to Houston, USA to Toronto. [18’30]- The mistakes people make when networking. How to go about it in a better way. [20’30]- “Don’t ever use the phrase, ‘I want to pick your brain,’ instead, try something different, for example, ‘I’m going to bribe you with the best chocolate chip cookie in Toronto!'” [23’10]- “People are too obsessed with the immediate thing they can get from somebody.” [25’30]- Sol’s morning routine. [26’30]- How Sol’s background has affected how he sees the world. [29’10]- Where people go wrong in the fitness industry. [31’30]- “Our job is to get access to more people. We publish anywhere that has an audience.” [34’30]- “If there’s one thing that humanity needs more of, it’s travel.” [39’30]Selected links:- For unbiased advice on supplements – http://examine.com/- Sol’s business musings – http://SJO.com/

Coach JC Deen discusses the underrated mental game when dieting.Show Notes:1. Andy's marvellous introduction of JC. [0'00 ]DIET HABIT RELATED STUFF ↓2. How do you manage to write in such a way that the reader feels like you are in their head? [3'20]3. The need to consider the mental game of dieting. [5'00]4. The story of how JC got into the industry. [8'30]5. The Christmas bodybuilding show bet between friends [10'00]6. "Alan Aragon changed my life one Saturday." [13'45]7. "The media just writes for eyeballs." [16'00]8. The first time JC hired a coach. [19'30]9. "That was the lightbulb moment - realizing that this is just math. I was no longer trying to figure out what the best diet was, no longer looking for the shortcuts." [22:45]10. An introduction to the 6 perils facing dieters. [27'30]11. On setting realistic goals when you're starting out. [32'00]12. "If you believe that nothing works for you then it probably won't." [34'30]13. Quit searching for shortcuts. [40'00]14. "A lot of times, more information is not going to make you better." [43'30]BUSINESS/COACHING RELATED STUFF ↓15. "I decided to head off to live in Northern Thailand." [52'00]16. How did the travel impact your physique? [55'00]17. "You can make anything work if you're prepared to be versatile." [56'30]18. How has travel impacted your business? [58'40]19. "I'm weary of anybody that has a simple answer for something that should require a lot more information." [67'40]20. Do you have any advice for people trying to get into this industry? [73'00]21. Wrap up [77'00]For links to the resources discussed, check out the show notes here: http://rippedbody.com/podcast-jc-deen/