In this week’s episode of Fitness Stuff for Normal People, Marianna and Tony walk through the 10 harsh fitness truths almost everyone runs into at some point in their journey. Things like why changing your body often means changing your identity, why health doesn’t always look like fitness, and why progress usually takes way longer than you expect. They also talk about failure, comparison, obsessive “healthy” habits, and why most of your results actually come from what you do outside the gym. It’s an honest look at what it really takes to make progress when the motivation fades and the work gets boring.

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• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(2:37) New life will cost your old


(8:12) Health ≠ fitness


(13:41) Some people have to work harder

(20:18) Even when doing things right, you’ll still fail


(25:03) 10 miles into the woods

(30:34) Some people start out making healthy choices only to later develop obsessive eating and workout habits


(38:12) It’s fine to admire other people, but don’t compare yourself to them


(45:22) Mental health is just as crucial

(47:53) Most results come from what you do outside of the gym


(49:20) Consistency > Perfection

In this week’s episode, Marianna and Tony cover four highly requested topics in one focused, efficient conversation. They review the Phase 3 trial results on Retatrutide and what the data actually demonstrates, discuss how L-Theanine works and when supplementation may be useful, explain the science behind newbie gains and how to maximize early training adaptations, and close with a practical look at microwaves and their role in food preparation. This episode delivers concise, evidence-based insights designed to help you make smarter decisions without overcomplicating the process.

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• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(2:01) Retatrutide

(15:32) L-Theanine


(23:09) Science of Newbie Gains


(32:17) Microwaves

In today’s episode of Fitness Stuff for Normal People, Marianna and Tony break down the five habits that might be killing your progress even if you train hard and track your lifts. They shift the focus outside the gym and explain how low daily movement, too much extra activity, heavily processed food choices, unmanaged stress, and poor sleep can quietly cancel out your results. If you feel stuck despite doing the work, this episode helps you pinpoint what is actually holding you back and shows you where to tighten things up so your training finally pays off.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(7:20) Not Active Outside Workouts

(15:13) Too Active Outside The Gym

(21:15) Processed Food Over Whole Foods

(28:52) Not Managing Stress

(39:08) Poor Sleep

In today’s episode of Fitness Stuff for Normal People, Marianna and Tony break down the closest thing to a real life “secret code” for looking fit, feeling good, and staying healthy long term. They walk through 10 habits that the healthiest people do daily almost on autopilot, from staying active all day and listening to hunger cues to tracking something that matters, drinking more water, and actually prioritizing sleep and stress. They also talk protein, lifting, and why having a simple plan for meals makes the whole thing easier without turning your life into a full time fitness project. If you want structure that actually works in real life, this one gives you the framework.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(4:10) Extremely Active Through the Day


(9:13) View Food as Optional


(15:20) Always Measuring Something


(20:27) Do Not Drink or Smoke


(23:24) Obsessed with Water


(28:01) Take Stress Seriously


(31:15) Love and Prioritize Sleep


(34:54) Primarily Whole Foods Diet


(38:46) Lift Heavy Several Times a Week


(40:05) Plan Everything

In today’s episode of Fitness Stuff for Normal People, Marianna and Tony break down how to lose weight without tracking a single calorie. Yes, fat loss requires a calorie deficit, but no, you don’t need to log every bite of food for the rest of your life. The real goal is building simple, realistic systems around food, movement, and recovery that make the deficit happen automatically. This episode shows you how to engineer your environment so fat loss feels predictable, sustainable, and way less exhausting.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(4:53) Why calorie tracking works

(10:05) When tracking doesn’t make sense

(16:50) Step 1: Protein anchor each meal

(21:16) Step 2: Fiber anchor each meal

(30:00) Step 3: 10k steps daily

(33:18) Step 4: Slowing down

(44:12) Step 5: Stop fighting biology

(49:45) When a calorie count actually matters

In this episode of Microdose Monday, we take a quick dive into four intriguing topics. Discover how thick thighs might actually be lifesaving according to various studies. Learn the direct vs. indirect impacts of hormones on weight and fat loss. Understand the updates to the new food pyramid and dietary guidelines, highlighting concerns about the emphasis on saturated fats and the misunderstanding around grains. Lastly, a new study on intermittent fasting reveals that the real benefits come from calorie restriction rather than the timing of meals. Packed with data, insights, and actionable advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to navigate their health and fitness journey with science-backed information.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:40) The Science Behind Thick Thighs

(11:02) New Food Pyramid

(22:22) Hormones and Weight Loss

(33:18) Intermittent Fasting

Welcome back to Fitness Stuff for Normal People. On this episode, Marianna and Tony walk through seven things you can do to make a calorie deficit suck less because while “eat less than you burn” is simple on paper, it’s much harder to execute in real life. They break down why fat loss feels so difficult and the practical adjustments that make it easier to stick with, from managing hunger and sleep to setting up your environment so willpower isn’t doing all the work. If you’re in a deficit and feeling like it’s starting to wear on you, this episode helps you focus on what actually matters and make the process more sustainable.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(2:16) Map vs territory

(5:39) Protect sleep like it’s part of your diet

(10:33) Eat a high-protein diet

(20:28) Engineer your environment so willpower barely matters

(26:14) Don’t cut out foods you enjoy

(34:58) Learn how to cook and understand your way around the kitchen

(40:51) Play with meal timing

(44:55) Mini cut vs normal cut

On this episode of Fitness Stuff for Normal People, Tony and Marianna walk through a complete, evidence-based guide to setting up a lean bulk. They explain how to maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat gain during a bulking or muscle-building phase, covering how to properly set calories and macros and what actually matters in training. The conversation focuses on how to build workouts that support muscle growth without unnecessary extremes or confusion. By the end of the episode, listeners will have everything they need to confidently take themselves through a lean bulk or muscle-building phase.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Timestamps

(6:15) Lean vs Dirty Bulk

(12:20) How To Train

(24:25) Calorie Goals

(33:29) Protein Goals

(37:36) Misc. Questions

On this episode of Fitness Stuff for Normal People, Marianna and Tony rank the biggest fitness and health trends of 2025 using a tier list format, from S Tier trends that are actually worth paying attention to to F Tier trends you can safely ignore. They talk through what’s helpful, what’s overhyped, and what’s just confusing online, covering everything from supplements and diets to wearables, recovery tools, and popular wellness trends. If you’ve ever wondered which trends are worth trying and which ones you don’t need to stress about, this episode helps you sort through the noise.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

In this episode, Tony and Marianna break down the commonly misunderstood condition known as 'skinny fat,' where individuals have low muscle mass and relatively high body fat despite appearing thin. They provide a clear, actionable five-step plan to address and fix this issue. The steps include prioritizing strength training with compound lifts, optimizing diet with high protein and appropriate calorie intake, incorporating strategic cardio routines, improving lifestyle factors like sleep and stress management, and tracking progress with patience. They emphasize the need for consistency and the importance of adjusting goals as one's body changes.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Fitness Stuff PREMIUM here!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ALL of our complete 12-week training programs
• Bonus episodes every Friday
• Just $5 /month

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Legion Athletics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• BOGO 50% off for your first order + 2X points on every order after that
• use code “FSPOD” at checkout

Calorie + Protein Calculators

Timestamps:

(02:56) What is “Skinnyfat”

(09:00) What causes Skinnyfat

(14:41) How to fix Skinnyfat