In this podcast episode, I interview an absolute expert in exercise and nutrition, and we discuss: 1. The right Exercise and Diet to get your best body composition 2. How to lose fat and build more muscle 3. How to maintain your body and make it stronger

My guest Dr. Mike T Nelson is Owner and Chief Uber Nerd at Extreme Human Performance, LLC 

Dr. Mike T. Nelson has spent 18 years of his life learning how the human body works, specifically focusing on how to properly condition it to burn fat and become stronger, more flexible, and healthier. He has a PhD in Exercise Physiology, a BA in Natural Science, and an MS in Biomechanics. He’s an adjunct professor and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine.

He’s been called in to share his techniques with top government agencies. The techniques he’s developed, and the results Mike gets for his clients have been featured in international magazines, in scientific publications, and on websites across the globe.

Here are some of the highlights of our conversation:

12:20 How to use fats or carbs as a fuel and alternate

 

14: 00 What is the best Fuel For what Scenario

 

16:20 Burn body fat Exercise framework

• MWF: higher intensity work, weight training
• T,Th,Sat: 180-40. Max heart rate of 140. Lower intensity do it fasted.
• Fat will be burned
• Measure heart rate, measure polar heart rate straps
• Run it to your watch, and pull from the heart rate straps
• Rower - can pair it to equipment
• Machine sensors built in to equipment not so good

 

Examples of Lower Intensity Exercise 18:40

• Highest amount of work while still using oxygen to burn fuel
• Rowing, cross country skiing, biking, running, versa climber
• Starting 10 minutes, 20 minutes medium, 30,40,50 minutes if more experienced
• Using a rower, doing 5K couple of times a week
• Plus lower intensity work does not spike hunger

 

Higher Intensity Exercises 21:20

• Strength training, heart rate may or may not go up
• Intervals: Bike, rower, sprinting if only sprint mechanics are good
• All out for 10 seconds
• 20 or 30 second intervals with rower, then complete rest to bring heart rate down
• Complete same work to 90% of work, over time to do
• Over time get up to 10 intervals with a minute rest
• Can u improve with 45 seconds of rest, or even less with the same output

 

How to get the best Body Composition 24:00

• Caloric deficit is important
• Same workout template
• One day a week do 19-24 hours of fast
• Easy way to cut out one day's worth of calories
• Muscle is preserved even with the fast once per day
• 0.7 general recommendation grams/pound of body weight

 

How much Protein

How to Add 5-7 Pounts of Muscle 29:00

• 6 months to a year needed
• Fat 60-80 grams per day
• Keep pushing carbs high as high as possible
• Keep pushing training volume in 4-7 week cycles
• Volume is weightx#setsx#reps. How much work in gym.
• Rate and outcome is highly variable
• Need to be in caloric surplus
• 3 main forms of progressive overload is volume, density = volume/time, load
• Follow same protocol to gain muscle
• Fasted workouts still
• Gaining threshold may be 1:1, or 1:2 and 1:3
• Can add fasting if want to limit the fat gain
• Carb timing and what kind of carbs
• Baseline levels of muscle glycogen dictates performance, can take more simple form of carb for training
• Most people perform better with better carbs beforehand
• Timing of protein: have some protein and carbs before and after training (before and after 1-2 hours).
• What kind of exercises: Most clients spread as much stress out over 3-4 days
• Bench press on Monday and onemore chest, shoulders and back. Dumbell bench and dumbell fly. Wed: dips, fri: pushups
• Wed: lower body day squat, Friday: deadlift

 

Nutrition:

• BCAA's are not required if getting enough protein
• Pre-workouts: easiest to do caffeine or coffee (unless it impacts sleep)
• Creatine before workout does not have good absorbtion, after workout is better

 

How to maintain your body at the current weight and muscle 46:00

• If people don’t enjoy the process, then you can get by with not a lot of work
• The work to maintain something is a fraction of what it takes to gain it
• Key question is do you like training?
• If so, then keep pushing a little more to beat back aging

 

As we get Older, do you change the workouts to avoid injury 48:35

• Depends on if people emjoy exercise
• Do people have good form
• Have they been doing this for a long time
• There is risk/reward

 

Types of Carbs 51:10

• Focus on mostly whole foods, and get micronutrients and phytochemicals
• Also improves satiety

 

Top 3 Anti-Aging Hacks 52:12

• A sense of purpose
• Doing things you love
• With regards on training: Lower body mass, grip strength, cardiovascular training
• Lower Body Mass: Older we get, risk of dying from a fracture goes up
• Need the lower body strength reduces risk of falls
• Muscle mass is also a protectant to the bone if you do fall
• Grip strength: is a great predictor of overall strength

 

He’s been called in to share his techniques with top government agencies. The techniques he’s developed, and the results Mike gets for his clients have been featured in international magazines, in scientific publications, and on websites across the globe.