If your doctor said your blood work is “normal” but you still feel exhausted, foggy, inflamed, or stuck… this episode is for you. A normal lab range doesn’t mean optimal health, it often just means you’re statistically average inside a population that’s stressed, sedentary, and metabolically unhealthy. 

In this metabolic deep-dive, I break down lab markers that frequently get skipped or written off because they fall inside “reference range,” yet they can still be early warning signs of insulin resistance, poor recovery, hormone disruption, thyroid stress, and slow metabolic function. We’re talking about the high-normal lab trap: fasting blood glucose creeping toward 100, fasting insulin rising even when glucose looks fine, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) sitting in the upper end of normal while you still have fatigue, brain fog, cold intolerance, cravings, or stubborn body composition. 

This is an educational class, not medical advice, but it will help you understand patterns, interpret metabolic labs more intelligently, and have better conversations with your healthcare provider about optimal ranges, symptoms, and performance-based health.

Highlights:

→ You’ll learn why reference ranges are built from statistical averages and why symptoms can show up years before labs fall outside “normal.” 

→ We’ll cover what “high-normal” fasting glucose can signal about early insulin resistance, stress, sleep quality, and aging. 

→ You’ll see why fasting insulin may be one of the earliest metabolic warning signs, sometimes showing trouble even when A1C and glucose look okay, and how chronically elevated insulin can impact inflammation, fat storage, hormones, and recovery. 

→ We’ll also unpack TSH as a signaling hormone from the pituitary, why it’s often misread in isolation, and why context like free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies matters when you feel “off” despite normal labs.

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

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Low testosterone in women is one of the most ignored health problems today, and it can quietly wreck your energy, mood, body composition, and libido for years while your labs come back “normal.” 

In this episode of The Weaponized Body Podcast, Dr. Ryan Hewitt breaks down the real signs of low testosterone in women, why most doctors don’t test hormones properly, and why total testosterone alone doesn’t tell the full story. If you’re dealing with brain fog, stubborn weight gain, anxiety, low motivation, poor workout recovery, loss of muscle tone, or a libido that disappeared even though the emotional connection is still there, this conversation is for you. We talk about why women’s hormone decline isn’t just “normal aging,” how chronic stress and cortisol dominance suppress androgens, and how birth control can increase sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and tank your usable free testosterone. You’ll learn what a comprehensive hormone panel should include, what to look for, and the lifestyle foundations that protect hormones, strength training, protein, healthy fats, sleep, and stress reduction, before you ever consider medical optimization.

You’ll learn:

→ The most common real-world symptoms of low testosterone in women and why they often get misdiagnosed as stress, depression, or “getting older.” 

→ The difference between total testosterone and free testosterone, why SHBG can hide the real problem, and what markers to include in a proper hormone panel (including DHEA, progesterone, LH/FSH, thyroid, cortisol patterns, and metabolic markers). 

→ How postpartum recovery, fertility treatments, under-eating/over-training, and insulin resistance can contribute to long-term hormone suppression. 

→ The non-negotiable lifestyle levers that actually move the needle, without falling for “hormone balancing” supplement marketing.

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website: https://www.drryanhewitt.com/

The Weaponized Body Program: https://www.theweaponizedbody.com/

Weaponized wellness HRT: https://www.weaponizedwellness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theweaponizeddad/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theweaponizedbody

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Are you chasing better testosterone levels but still feel exhausted, foggy, and unmotivated? In this episode of The Weaponized Body, Dr. Ryan Hewitt exposes the truth behind a growing trend in hormone therapy, Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs). These so-called "natural" testosterone boosters are being handed out like candy, but are they actually helping men feel better... or just padding lab results?

Dr. Ryan Hewitt tackles a critical issue in men's health: why so many are being prescribed medications like Clomid or Enclomiphene in place of true Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), and why that often fails. He breaks down the complex science in simple terms and explains why good numbers on a blood test don’t always mean better energy, libido, or masculinity. With real-world examples and brutally honest insights, this episode is a must-listen for any man serious about optimizing performance, recovery, and long-term health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

→ Why SERMs don’t actually replace testosterone, and what they really do to your brain and hormones

→ The five assumptions that have to be true for SERMs to even have a chance at working

→ The side effects most doctors won’t warn you about: from estrogen chaos to vision issues

→ When SERMs do make sense (like post-cycle therapy or fertility preservation)

→ Why properly managed TRT, when indicated, often outperforms all the "hacks" out there

“Chasing lab values is not optimizing your life. Real results come from stable hormones and intelligent strategy.” - Dr. Ryan Hewitt

 If you’re a hard-working man who's doing all the right things, training, eating clean, sleeping well, but still feel off… it’s time to stop guessing. Get your hormones checked with real, comprehensive labs. Subscribe to Weaponized Body, share this episode with a friend, and start asking better questions about your health.

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website: https://www.drryanhewitt.com/

The Weaponized Body Program: https://www.theweaponizedbody.com/

Weaponized wellness HRT: https://www.weaponizedwellness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theweaponizeddad/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theweaponizedbody

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Alcohol is one of the most socially accepted performance killers, and most people have no idea what it’s doing to their sleep quality, HRV, resting heart rate, hormones, recovery, inflammation, and body composition. In this episode of The Weaponized Body Podcast, Dr. Ryan Hewitt breaks down what alcohol really costs you, even if you’re only having 1–2 drinks or “just drinking socially.” If you’re training hard but still dealing with poor sleep, stubborn belly fat, low energy, flat workouts, joint pain, rising triglycerides, fatty liver markers, elevated fasting blood sugar, or declining testosterone, this may be the hidden lever that’s holding you back.

You’ll hear a data-driven perspective (including wearable tracking like WHOOP, deep sleep, REM sleep, HRV, and resting heart rate) plus real clinical patterns from lab work, like triglycerides, AST/ALT, GGT, fasting glucose, and hormone shifts. This is not an anti-alcohol shame episode. It’s an honest look at how alcohol impacts metabolic health, fat oxidation, recovery, and longevity, and how to make a smarter decision based on what you actually want: a stronger body, a stronger mind, and a stronger life.

You’ll Learn:

→ Why alcohol can make you “pass out” but still wreck REM sleep and recovery

→ How alcohol impacts HRV and resting heart rate (and what that means)

→ The truth: alcohol temporarily shuts down fat burning (fat oxidation)

→ How routine drinking can worsen insulin sensitivity and fasting blood sugar

→ The hormone effect: lower testosterone + slower estrogen clearance

→ Why alcohol increases inflammation, soreness, and joint pain

→ Lab markers to watch: triglycerides, liver enzymes (AST/ALT/GGT), fasting glucose

→ A real patient story: stopping alcohol and reversing scary lab trends

→ The “earn your booze” framework: protecting the 5 levers of health

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized Wellness HRT

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YouTube

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Your teen’s smartphone isn’t just “screen time.” It’s an engineered attention trap, built around notifications, novelty, dopamine rewards, and endless scrolling, hitting a developing brain at the exact stage where impulse control, emotional regulation, and attention are still being wired. In this episode of The Weaponized Body Podcast, Dr. Ryan Hewitt breaks down why modern smartphone use is not a neutral tool for adolescents (and honestly… adults too). If you’ve noticed homework taking forever, rising anxiety, bedtime doom-scrolling, irritability when the phone is removed, or constant distraction from notifications, this conversation will hit home. We dig into how social media validation loops, variable rewards (the “pocket slot machine”), and constant interruptions fragment focus and increase stress, while also fueling sleep disruption, mood issues, and even physical problems like “text neck” and posture strain. Then we shift into practical solutions: simple boundaries, phone rules, sleep protection, and real-life dopamine habits that help your family use technology intelligently, without living like the Amish.

What You’ll Learn:

→ Why adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to smartphone addiction and social media loops

→ How notifications fragment attention and reduce frustration tolerance

→ The “pocket slot machine” effect: variable rewards and compulsive checking

→ Warning signs your teen’s phone use has crossed into a behavioral loop

→ How doomscrolling disrupts sleep quality, hormones, and recovery

→ Physical impacts: text neck, posture strain, headaches, and wrist/hand issues

→ Real-world risks: distracted driving and notification reflexes

→ “Phone armor” rules: notification shutdown, phone windows, bedroom boundaries

→ Building real dopamine: sports, sunlight, hobbies, face-to-face friendships

→ Practical parenting strategies: private accounts, audits, dopamine fasts, DND driving

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

Instagram
YouTube

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Nicotine is one of the most misunderstood performance compounds on the planet. Most people hear “nicotine” and instantly think cigarettes, vaping, cancer, addiction, and they’re right to hate the delivery methods. But pure nicotine, isolated from smoke and combustion, has a very different story. In this episode of the Weaponize Body Podcast, Dr. Ryan Hewitt breaks down nicotine as a cholinergic stimulant that interacts with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, influencing dopamine, norepinephrine (adrenaline), and acetylcholine signaling. Translation: nicotine can enhance focus, motivation, reaction time, alertness, and cognitive output, why high-performance professionals (athletes, pilots, surgeons, executives) have used it as a tool for decades.

But there’s a line you don’t want to cross. Nicotine can raise heart rate and blood pressure, disrupt sleep quality, blunt parasympathetic recovery, and create tolerance/dependency if you use it wrong. We’ll cover the pros, the cons, what research suggests about potential neuroprotection (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, depression), and the smarter alternatives, so you can build performance without wrecking recovery. 

What You’ll Learn / Highlights

→ What nicotine actually does (dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine)

→ Nicotine benefits for focus, working memory, motivation, reaction time

→ The real risks: sleep disruption, dependency, tolerance, cardiovascular load

→ How late-day nicotine impacts HRV, resting heart rate, deep sleep

→ The “tool vs crutch” mindset (performance boost without lifestyle addiction)

→ Why delivery method changes addictiveness (fast delivery = higher risk)

→ What research is exploring: neuroprotection, therapeutic microdosing, cycling

→ Safer long-term options: caffeine + L-theanine, Alpha GPC, creatine, sleep

→ Signs you’re using nicotine wrong (burnout masking, irritability, “need it” feeling)

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

Instagram
YouTube

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If you set goals every New Year… and then forget them by February, this episode is for you. In this final Weaponize Body podcast of 2025, I’m breaking down the exact goal-setting system that helped me stop drifting, stop quitting, and start hitting targets year after year. This isn’t hype, this is a practical framework you can use to plan your best year in 2026across the 4 areas that actually control your life: body (fitness/health), being (faith/spirituality), balance (family/relationships), and business (money/finances).

You’ll learn how to start with a Fact Map (where you are right now), choose goals that actually excite you using reasonable / radical / ridiculous targets, and then chunk it back into quarterly missions so you don’t crash after the first few weeks. The real secret? Weekly review. If you don’t review it, you drift back to your default. This episode gives you a step-by-step way to build better behaviors, raise your standards, and stay on track, without needing motivation to carry you.

What You’ll Learn:

→ How to build a Fact Map so your goals start from reality (not vibes)

→ The 4 core categories: Body, Being, Balance, Business

→ What to write under “facts” for fitness, faith, family, and finances

→ How to identify top 4 things working vs not working in each category

→ How to choose 4 key adjustments that move the needle fast

→ The reasonable / radical / ridiculous method to pick goals that stretch you

→ How to chunk back yearly goals into Q1 quarterly missions

→ The “Start / Stop / Sustain” behavior list that prevents quitting

→ Why weekly review (Sunday reset) is the difference-maker for consistency

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

Instagram
YouTube

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Confused about Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), or already on it and not feeling right?

In this complete guide, Dr. Ryan Hewitt breaks down when TRT makes sense, when it doesn’t, and why most TRT problems come from poor management, not testosterone.

What You’ll Learn:

→ The 2 types of low T (primary vs. secondary) and how they show up on labs

→ Why “testosterone crashes with age” is often a metabolic + lifestyle issue

→ The bloodwork most men aren’t getting (and what it should include)

→ The real risks of cookie-cutter TRT clinic protocols

→ How TRT can impact lipids, blood pressure, hematocrit/hemoglobin (and common mistakes)

→ Why crushing estrogen with aromatase inhibitors can backfire

→ The truth about TRT + fertility and what to consider first

→ A practical “6-month effort” framework before jumping on TRT (for many men)

Educational content only. Not medical advice, talk to a qualified clinician for personal care.

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

Instagram
YouTube

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Is victim mentality quietly wrecking your health, marriage, or business? In this episode, Dr. Ryan Hewitt breaks down how victim thinking weakens men and women, and how radical personal responsibility can weaponize your body, mind, and spirit. If you’re tired of feeling stuck and repeating the same patterns, this is your wake-up call on victim mentality and personal responsibility.

What You’ll Learn:

→ The real definition of victim mentality (and why it’s way more subtle than crying in a corner)

→ The everyday excuses, “I’m too busy,” “no one gets my situation,” “I don’t have support”, that are secretly destroying your progress

→ How Dr. Ryan’s own injuries, business struggles, and near-divorce exposed his victim mindset

→ The 6 core principles of personal responsibility that can transform your health, emotions, relationships, and money

→ Why your emotions, your health, and your results are 100% your responsibility

→ The difference between a renter’s mentality and an owner’s mentality in business and life

→ How raising your standards and discipline creates more freedom than any quick fix or “perfect conditions” ever will

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

Instagram
YouTube

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Training hard but still feeling cooked? In this episode, we break down heart rate variability (HRV) so you can stop guessing your recovery and actually see what your nervous system is telling you.

If you’re a CEO, athlete, or high performer who pushes the limits, this is your blueprint for staying out of burnout and keeping your body “hard to kill.”

What You’ll Learn:

→ What HRV (heart rate variability) really measures and why it’s your nervous system’s “Wi-Fi signal” for stress and recovery.

→ The difference between high vs. low HRV and how it predicts performance, injury risk, and burnout before you feel it.

→ How to use morning HRV as a daily readiness score to adjust training intensity and workload.

→ The lifestyle choices that tank HRV: poor sleep, alcohol, overtraining, under-fueling, emotional stress, late-night eating, travel, and more.

→ The habits that boost HRV: high-quality sleep, breathwork, zone 2 cardio, strength training, sauna, sunlight, hydration/electrolytes, meditation, and micro-breaks.

→ How illness, inflammation, aging, and women’s menstrual cycles affect HRV, and what “weird” spikes or drops can mean.

→ Why relying on “how you feel” is misleading, and how to combine HRV, resting heart rate, VO2 max, and muscle strength to build a truly resilient body.

Learn more about Dr. Ryan Hewitt by visiting the following links:

Dr. Ryan Hewitt Website

The Weaponized Body Program

Weaponized wellness HRT

Instagram
YouTube

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices