The Mind Muscle Connection

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

If you feel like you have to be in a fat loss phase all year to stay in shape, your building phases are probably the problem. In this episode, I go over how to run a building phase without unnecessary fat gain, starting with the expectations you need going in and how I set up calories and macros with clients.

I also cover the habits that keep fat gain in check, like not saving all your calories for the end of the day, fueling around your workouts, spending time at maintenance, and keeping cardio in. Then I go over the signs that your building phase is done.

If you’ve tried a building phase before and felt like you just gained a bunch of body fat, this episode is for you. 

Let’s talk about:

• Upcoming Nutrition Periodization Workshop
• What a Building Phase Is
• Setting Expectations for a Building Phase
• 05:40 Why Good Building Phases Mean Less Time Dieting
• How I Set Up Calories in a Building Phase
• Setting Your Macros
• Don’t Save All Your Calories for Later in the Day
• Prioritize Your Training
• Be Smarter With Food Around Sleep
• Put More Food Around Your Workouts
• Spend Some Time at Maintenance
• Short Catabolic Periods Deeper Into a Build
• Eat Until Satisfied, Not Stuffed
• Keep Your Base Nutrition in Place
• Keep Doing Cardio
• Some Weight Gain Is Fine
• Signs Your Building Phase Is Done

Nutrition Periodization for Body Recomp Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT):
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:
https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Aaron Straker, founder of Straker Nutrition Co. and co-host of the Eat Train Prosper Podcast with Bryan Boorstein, is back on for the third time. Aaron recently earned his IFBB Pro card in men’s physique and just moved back to the States after four years in Bali. In this episode, we talk about how he’s running his offseason build and how he’s working to bring up his upper back after his first bodybuilding season.

We also get into his low-volume leg training, what eating 4,300 calories a day looks like, signs it’s time to end a building phase, digestion and fiber when calories are high, how to keep insulin sensitivity in check, and how he uses cardio in a build, in a diet, and on TRT.

So if you’re in a building phase, or you’ve got a muscle group that just won’t grow, this episode is for you. 

Let’s talk about:

• 01:32 Moving Back From Bali and Starting From Zero
• 04:13 The Bali Gym and New Equipment
• 07:27 Salt Lake City’s Hidden Bodybuilding Gym Scene
• 09:28 Aaron’s Offseason Build and Training Split
• 10:45 The Men’s Physique Weight Cap and Why He’s Pulling Back on Legs
• 12:42 Three Sets of Quads a Week
• 14:13 Why Aaron Sticks to Structure and a Log Book
• 16:01 Calf Training and Getting Into the Stretch
• 19:58 Bringing Up His Upper Back and Dropping the Ego
• 25:38 You Never Stop Learning
• 27:51 Exercise Selection for Traps and Rhomboids
• 31:31 Eating 4,300 Calories a Day
• 33:36 Scale Weight vs. Training Performance
• 36:50 Signs It’s Time to End a Building Phase
• 39:17 Digestion, Food Quality, and Fiber When Calories Are High
• 45:04 Tracking Insulin Sensitivity With Blood Work
• 47:15 Carb Timing to Stay Insulin Sensitive
• 49:50 Cardio in a Build vs. a Diet
• 54:34 Cardio on TRT and Anabolics
• 57:33 Why Aaron Doesn’t Compete in Classic Physique
• 58:44 NFL Linemen, a 40-Day Fast, and Why Pros Aren’t Your Baseline
• 1:01:54 What’s Next and Where to Find Aaron 

Aaron Straker’s Links:

Straker Nutrition Co. Coaching: https://strakernutritionco.com

Follow Aaron on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaron_straker/

Eat Train Prosper Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1556699 

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Whether you need to eat before a workout depends on the type of training you’re doing. In this episode, I break down how I approach pre-workout nutrition with clients for both body composition and performance, including when training fasted makes sense, when it can hold you back, and what to eat if you do have something beforehand.

I also cover how your timing changes based on when you train and why heavy meals high in fat and fiber can hurt your session. I get into how lifting and cardio are different, what to watch out for in a fat loss phase, and why fueling for sports and events works a little differently. 

If you’ve always trained fasted, or you feel like you have to slam a big meal before every session, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• The Two Camps on Fasted Training
• Pre-Workout Nutrition for Lifting
• Training First Thing in the Morning
• Training Later in the Day
• What to Eat and What to Limit Before You Train
• Why Something Small Beforehand Goes a Long Way
• How Pre-Workout Timing Affects Your Post-Workout Meal
• Pre-Workout Nutrition for Cardio
• How Body Fat and Stress Load Change Things
• Pre-Workout Nutrition in a Fat Loss Phase
• Fueling for Sports, Events, and Performance
• Summary and Final Thoughts
• Does Protein Before Training Improve Performance?
• The TLDR on Pre-Workout Nutrition 

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Cody McBroom, founder of Tailored Coaching Method and host of the Choose Hard Podcast, is back on for the second time. In this episode, we talk about building discipline, confidence, and habits that last when motivation runs out.

Cody walks through his Self-Formation Framework, the four stages he uses to help clients create real behavior change. We also cover why "just try harder" doesn't work, how the way you talk to yourself affects your follow-through, when tough love helps, and how Cody is training and eating now that he's gone more hybrid.

So if you're a coach trying to help clients stick with it, or you're coaching yourself and keep falling off, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Catching Up With Cody
• Who Cody Works With and How Client Goals Change
• Why Coaches Need to Walk the Walk
• Bodybuilding, HYROX, and a Year-Long Back Injury
• The Self-Formation Framework
• Core Values, Standards, and Identity Shifts
• Self-Control, Self-Discipline, Self-Belief, and Self-Respect
• How to Figure Out Where a Client Is
• Why "Just Try Harder" Doesn't Work
• Finding Your Real Why
• Reviewing Your Game Tape
• The Language Audit: Why "Try" Isn't a Plan
• Accountability and Why It Matters More Than You Think
• Tough Love and Setting Expectations Early
• Putting a System to the Psychology of Coaching
• Cody's Hybrid Training and Nutrition
• Where to Find Cody 

Online Coaching Certification Wait List + Free Check-In Masterclass: https://onlinecoachingcertification.com

Follow Cody on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codymcbroom/

Choose Hard Podcast: https://choosehard.podbean.com 

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! 

Muscle growth is already a slow process, and a lot of what we do with our nutrition slows it down even more. In this episode, I break down the most common nutrition mistakes I see holding people back from building muscle, including eating too few calories, spending too much of the year dieting, and being inconsistent with your intake. 

I also cover how much protein you actually need and how to spread it out, how to set up your nutrition around training, why trying to stay too lean or being afraid of the scale can stall progress, and why carbs matter more than most people think. 

If your training is dialed in but you're not seeing the progress you want, this episode is for you. 

Let's talk about:

• Why Training Is the Primary Driver of Muscle Growth
• Eating Too Few Calories and Dieting Too Long
• Being Inconsistent With Your Calorie and Macro Intake
• Why Calorie Distribution Throughout the Day Matters
• Not Eating Enough Protein
• Why More Protein Isn't Always Better
• Poor Protein Distribution
• How Many Meals Per Day?
• Poor Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
• Trying to Stay Too Lean Year-Round
• Being Afraid to See the Scale Go Up
• Why Scale Weight Gain Isn't Automatically Body Fat
• Not Eating Enough Carbs to Support Your Training

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Carbs are always a hot topic. Some people think they're the reason you can't lose fat, and others think you need as many as possible to perform. In this episode, I go over nine carb mistakes I see that could be hurting your physique and performance, from staying low carb all year to assuming more carbs always means better training. 

I also cover what actually determines how many carbs you need, why placing carbs around your workouts matters, why high-carb, high-fat foods get blamed on carbs, what a rise in blood glucose really means, and how I like to periodize carbs throughout the year. 

So if you want to figure out where your carbs should be and how to adjust them over time, this episode is for you. 

Let's talk about:

• Mistake 1: Going Low Carb Too Often
• What Counts as Low, Moderate, and High Carb
• The Downsides of Staying Low Carb Year-Round
• Low Carb and Low Energy Availability: What the Research Shows
• Mistake 2: Thinking You Always Need to Be High Carb
• The Downsides of Staying High Carb Year-Round
• Mistake 3: Thinking Lifting 4x a Week Requires Massive Carbs
• Mistake 4: Not Considering What Determines Your Carb Needs
• Mistake 5: Not Prioritizing Carbs Around Workouts
• Mistake 6: Mistaking High-Carb, High-Fat Foods for Carbs
• Mistake 7: Thinking Carbs Are Bad Because Blood Glucose Rises
• Mistake 8: Cutting Carbs When Calories Need Adjusting
• Mistake 9: Keeping Carbs the Same All Year
• Why Women Should Periodize Carbs
• Final Thoughts

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Nutrition can make or break a body recomp phase. In this episode, Brandon DaCruz is back on for part three of our body recomp series, and we break down the nutrition strategies we use with clients, including deficit size, protein intake and distribution, carbohydrate quality and timing, calorie cycling, and dietary fat.

We also catch up on training and life, including training around a new baby, time-efficient training techniques, and Brandon's current fat loss phase and why he still puts himself through the process.

So if you want to learn how to set up your nutrition for a recomp phase based on your goals, body composition, and training, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Baby #2 and Training Around a New Schedule
• Time-Efficient Training Techniques
• "Never Miss Two" and Building Momentum Over Motivation
• Brandon's Current Fat Loss Phase
• Can You Change Your Lower Intervention Point Over Time?
• Deficit Size and Lean Mass Changes
• Why Start a Recomp at Maintenance
• Fat Loss Focused vs. Building Focused Recomp
• Setting Realistic Recomp Expectations
• Using a Primer Phase Before a Recomp
• Why Lab Work Matters Before Pushing a Recomp
• Why Protein Is the Most Important Nutrition Lever
• How Much Protein for Body Recomp
• Adjusting Protein Based on Body Fat Levels
• Protein Distribution
• Carbohydrates for Body Recomp
• Carbohydrate Quality
• Fueling Around Training vs. the Rest of the Day
• Adjusting Carbs Based on Metabolic Health
• Using Calorie Cycling in a Recomp
• Practicing Maintenance During a Fat Loss Phase
• Dietary Fat and Testosterone
• Low-Carb Diets and Thyroid Levels

• Follow Brandon on Instagram @brandondacruz_: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/
• Chasing Clarity Health and Fitness Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-clarity-health-fitness-podcast/id1619611966 

• Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c
• Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en
• How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/
• Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Progressive overload is one of the most important parts of building muscle, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode I break down my framework for applying progressive overload. I cover how hard your sets should be and how I use rep ranges. From there I explain when to add weight versus when to stay at the same weight to build reps. 

I also get into why you don't need to beat your numbers every session. Exercise order and recovery both affect your logbook, and forcing progress can backfire over time. 

So if you want a simple, practical approach to progressive overload and building muscle, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Introduction
• What Is Progressive Overload?
• Why the Body Resists Building Muscle
• Three Things That Matter for Building Muscle
• What 0 to 3 Reps in Reserve Looks Like
• Hard Training vs Heavy Training
• What the Research Says on Adding Reps vs Adding Weight
• Why I Prescribe Rep Ranges
• Building Reps Before Adding Weight
• What to Do If You Go Above the Rep Range
• What to Do If You Fall Below the Rep Range
• You Don't Need to Beat Your Numbers Every Session
• How Exercise Order + Context Affect Your Numbers
• Be Careful With Forcing Progressive Overload
• Final Thoughts 

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Hunger is a normal part of fat loss, but not all hunger comes from a true physiological need for more energy. In this episode, I break down the difference between physiological hunger and what I call self-inflicted hunger.

I cover what can increase physiological hunger, including an energy deficit, getting leaner, higher activity, and being further from your highest body fat level. I also go over the habits that can make hunger worse, such as low-protein meals, calorie-dense foods, poor sleep, stress, poor meal timing, and low food volume. 

The goal is to reduce the hunger that can be avoided so you can better manage your calorie intake and stay on track.

If you want to better understand your hunger and learn how to manage it, this episode is for you. 

Let's talk about:

• Introduction
• Physiological Hunger vs Self-Inflicted Hunger
• Learning to Sit With Hunger
• What Drives Physiological Hunger + Energy Deficits
• How GLP1s Affect Hunger
• Lower Body Fat Levels and the Role of Leptin and Ghrelin
• High Energy Expenditure + Client Example
• Appetite Dysregulation at Higher Body Fat Levels
• What Is Self-Inflicted Hunger?
• Not Eating Enough Protein + How Much to Aim For
• Too Many Calorie-Dense, Low Satiety Foods
• Poor Sleep
• High Stress and an Overloaded Stress Bucket
• Poor Meal Timing and Saving Calories for Later
• Not Fueling in Line With Your Activity
• Meals That Lack Volume or Balance
• Eating Too Quickly, Stressed Environments, and Social Events
• Setting Up a Meal Template
• Final Thoughts 

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform  

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Calorie cycling can be a useful tool during both fat loss and building phases. In this episode, I break down how I use calorie cycling, including redistributing calories throughout the week, increasing or decreasing the weekly deficit, and using higher-calorie days around training.

I also cover practical examples of how to set up calorie cycling during fat loss, when lower-calorie or protein-sparing modified fast days may make sense, and how I use calorie cycling in a building phase, including what I call a reverse refeed.

So if you want to learn how to adjust your calorie intake throughout the week based on your goals, training, and recovery, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• Three Ways to Use Calorie Cycling During Fat Loss
• Redistributing Calories Without Changing the Weekly Deficit + Examples
• Protein-Sparing Modified Fast Days
• The Trade-Offs of More Aggressive Calorie Cycling
• Using Calorie Cycling to Change the Deficit
• Increasing the Deficit With Lower-Calorie Days
• Using Maintenance Days to Reduce the Deficit
• How I Typically Use Calorie Cycling With Clients
• When to Increase the Deficit
• When to Decrease the Deficit
• Choosing the Right Size Deficit
• How to Adjust Calorie Cycling Over Time
• Calorie Cycling During a Building Phase
• Using Higher-Calorie Days Around Training
• Where Calorie Cycling Can Go Wrong
• How to Set Up Higher and Lower Days
• Practical Building Phase Calorie Cycling Examples
• Adjusting Calories as a Building Phase Progresses
• The Reverse Refeed
• Why Use a Reverse Refeed?
• Who Should and Shouldn't Use a Reverse Refeed
• How a Reverse Refeed Can Be Misused
• How to Set Up a Reverse Refeed
• Levels of Reverse Refeed + Examples

Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform