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

Do You Know Your FFMI? (The Muscle Metric That Ignores Body Fat) | Ep 366


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Get your FFMI calculated automatically with the Physique & Biofeedback Tracker in Physique University to track your actual muscle development over time and understand exactly what phase of training you should focus on next. This special link also gets you a FREE custom nutrition plan:
bit.ly/wwpu-free-plan

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Is your strength training actually building muscle?

Scale weight fluctuates, body fat measurements are inconsistent, and progress photos depend on lighting and angles.

There's one metric that cuts through all this noise:

Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI)

It shows your actual muscle development regardless of whether you're carrying extra fat or feeling bloated, and once you understand yours, it changes everything about setting goals and how to focus your training.

Most lifters have never heard of FFMI. Unlike body weight or even body fat percentage, FFMI isolates your actual muscular development from everything else, giving you clarity about your progress that no other measurement can.

Main Takeaways:

  • FFMI measures your muscularity independent of body fat percentage
  • Two people with the same training experience can have vastly different FFMI numbers, requiring completely different approaches
  • Building muscle takes years, while losing fat takes months, so you need a more precise way to track this
  • Your FFMI determines whether you should prioritize muscle building or fat loss (vs. your feelings or the mirror)

Episode Resources:

  • Chef's Foundry non-toxic ceramic cookware (50% off): witsandweights.com/chefsfoundry
  • Body Recomp Workshop replay and bonuses at live.witsandweights.com (includes free custom nutrition plan)

Timestamps:

0:00 - What is FFMI and why it's a game changer
5:06 - 2 scenarios that reveal everything about your training focus
8:16 - FFMI values explained (what your number actually means)
11:15 - How FFMI determines whether you should cut vs. bulk
17:12 - Natural vs. enhanced FFMI limit
19:45 - Why low FFMI means muscle building is your priority
22:14 - How the fitness industry gets muscle vs. fat loss backward
25:29 - Tracking FFMI over time to validate objective progress
27:03 - Muscle development vs. body composition


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🎓 Try Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support and accountability (free custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN).

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Wits & Weights | Fat Loss, Nutrition, & Strength Training for LiftersBy Philip Pape, Evidence-Based Nutrition Coach & Fat Loss Expert

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