Where Optimal Meets Practical

In this episode, I sit down with coach Alex Thieme to talk about the psychology behind sustainable fat loss, behavior change, motivational interviewing, self-belief, and why changing your environment often matters more than relying on willpower. We also dive into identity, self-talk, parenting, decision fatigue, grocery shopping, and how to build habits that actually stick long-term.

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Guest

Alex Thieme is an online coach and educator known for his thoughtful approach to behavior change, mindset, and sustainable fitness. His work focuses heavily on helping people build self-belief, improve their relationship with health and fitness, and create realistic systems that fit into real life.

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What We Cover

03:55 – Becoming a parent, purpose, creativity, and life changes after kids

10:56 – Why we tell ourselves stories that may not actually be true

14:46 – Alex’s coaching philosophy and helping clients build self-belief

18:20 – Motivational interviewing, asking better questions, and behavior change

27:20 – The “five whys” framework and uncovering deeper motivations

30:58 – Optimizing your environment instead of relying on willpower

35:49 – Practical examples of reducing friction and improving habits

43:10 – Grocery shopping, convenience foods, meal structure, and reducing decision fatigue

56:03 – Identity, self-talk, and why “all or nothing” thinking keeps people stuck

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Connect with Alex

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

Website: https://alexthiemefitness.com/

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Connect with Jordan

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

WOMP Training: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

Episode Description

In this episode, I sit down with hybrid coach and athlete Alec Blenis to break down what it really means to train for both performance and longevity. We dive into his goal of running a sub-2:30 marathon while maintaining strength, the biggest mistakes people make with running volume, and why “perfect form” might actually be limiting your progress.

We also unpack the concept of movement optimism, why pain doesn’t always mean stop, and how the fitness industry has unintentionally made people more fragile. If you’ve ever worried about technique, injury, or balancing lifting with endurance training, this one will shift how you think about it.

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Guest

Alec Blenis is a hybrid coach and athlete specializing in combining endurance and strength training. He’s been coaching for over a decade and is currently documenting his pursuit of a sub-2:30 marathon while maintaining gym performance.

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What We Cover

0:00 – Intro + hybrid training misconceptions

2:00 – Alec’s background and coaching journey

5:00 – Why Austin is a hub for hybrid athletes

8:20 – The sub-2:30 marathon goal + recent 2:40 PR

11:00 – Overcooking training + bouncing back after a DNF

13:30 – Increasing mileage from ~40 → 70+ miles/week

17:00 – Why the “10% rule” for running is flawed

20:00 – Quality vs quantity in endurance training

23:30 – Why most runners get injured (not overtrained)

26:00 – What “movement optimism” actually means

28:00 – How the fitness industry creates fear around movement

30:30 – Pain during training: should you stop or keep going?

33:00 – Pain monitoring system (practical framework)

38:00 – Why you shouldn’t catastrophize minor injuries

40:00 – When to rest vs when to load

41:30 – “Weird” exercises (Jefferson curls, knees over toes)

44:00 – Risk vs reward in training

48:00 – Is any movement inherently dangerous?

49:30 – RDLs, lumbar flexion, and technique nuance

53:00 – Why technique must be viewed across the full program

56:00 – The problem with chasing “perfect form”

58:00 – Individual anatomy and why cues don’t work for everyone

1:00:00 – What actually matters for hypertrophy and progress

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Connect with Alec

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/alecblenis

Does your training split actually matter… or are we overthinking it? In this episode, Jordan and Bryan break down the bro split debate, why most training roads lead to the same place, and what actually drives long-term progress. They also dive into the “bulking is dead” conversation, range of motion nuances, and why chasing perfection might be holding you back more than helping.

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Guest 👇🏼

Bryan Boorstein is a coach and founder of Evolved Training Systems as well as the co-founder of Paragon Training. He is known for his practical, experience-driven approach to strength and hypertrophy.

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What We Cover👇🏼

0:00 – Intro + catching up

3:00 – The return of the bro split and why it still works

7:30 – Do different training splits actually lead to different results?

10:00 – Frequency vs volume vs sustainability

15:00 – What people obsess over vs what actually matters

18:00 – The “bulking is dead” debate explained

22:00 – Why a small surplus still matters in practice

26:00 – The most practical way to think about gaining muscle

27:00 – Range of motion: general vs muscle-specific training

30:00 – Squat depth, internal rotation, and quad targeting

34:00 – How much technique cueing actually matters

37:00 – “Analysis paralysis” in training execution

38:00 – The case for being a fitness generalist

43:00 – Strength training vs mobility (and why the line is blurry)

48:00 – What mobility training actually looks like in practice

52:00 – Kids and lifting: how to approach it the right way

57:00 – Letting kids lead vs forcing structure

1:00:00 – Final takeaways on range of motion and training balance

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Connect with Bryan

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

Connect with Jordan👇🏼

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

WOMP Coaching: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Emily Dow to break down some of the biggest misconceptions in nutrition and fitness right now. We get into why simple advice often falls short, how understanding the “why” can actually improve results, and where most people are getting tripped up with things like gut health, fueling, and eating enough.

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Guest:

Emily Dow is a registered dietitian with a PhD in exercise and nutritional sciences, blending research, coaching, and real-world application to help people better understand how to fuel their bodies.

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What We Cover:

• 00:00 Why a PhD changes how you think about nutrition and uncertainty
• 08:05 What Emily has changed her mind about including gut health and probiotics
• 16:25 The messy reality of research and why quick recommendations can be misleading
• 24:50 Why explaining the “why” leads to better results than just giving advice
• 30:47 How to balance simplicity with nuance in coaching and content
• 37:01 Why women struggle to build muscle and the importance of eating enough
• 41:46 The real reason “eat more” advice exists even with rising obesity rates
• 47:24 Practical fueling strategies for lifting and cardio

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Connect with Emily:

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

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Connect with Jordan:

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

WOMP Training: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

Where to find me ⬇️

IG: @JordanLipsFitness

Podcast: Where Optimal Meets Practical

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My group program ⬇️

WOMP Training [Gym + Home]

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1:1 Coaching ⬇️

Apply HERE

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Helping you find the balance between OPTIMAL and PRACTICAL

🫶🏼JL

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines are supposed to reflect the best available nutrition science… but what happens when the final recommendations don’t match the evidence?

In this episode, I’m joined by Akash Patel to break down how the Dietary Guidelines are created, where they diverged from the scientific report, and what this means for nutrition, public health, and your everyday food choices.

Akash Patel is an MD/MBA student at the University of Miami focused on nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and public health, with a focus on improving nutrition education in healthcare.

What we cover:

• 12:50 – How the Dietary Guidelines are created (DGAC explained)
• 17:43 – Why most Americans don’t follow the guidelines
• 23:27 – Where the final guidelines diverge from the science
• 34:24 – Issues with the new guidelines (visuals, messaging, contradictions)
• 58:31 – Key differences: plant protein, processed foods, health equity
• 1:19:50 – How U.S. guidelines compare to other countries
• 1:30:25 – Plant vs animal protein and long-term health outcomes
• 1:45:51 – Practical ways to eat more plant protein

Connect with Akash:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akashpatel

Key resources mentioned:

USA Dietary Guidelines

USA Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committee Executive Summary

List of 56 Recommendations from DGAC to HHS

Misinformation about the dietary guidelines (transparency/conflicts) PMID: 38522617

U.S. population largely does not follow dietary recommendations PMID: 20702750

Greater adherence to HEI and health outcomes PMID: 31529069

U.S. food supply not aligned with recommendations PMID: 25441965

NHS and HPFS studies (fruits/vegetables, physical activity, plant vs animal protein) PMID: 33641343, 41574252, 27479196

Where to find Ruth ⬇️

Instagram

Website / Coaching

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Where to find me ⬇️

Instagram

Podcast

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My group program ⬇️

WOMP Training [Gym + Home]

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Helping you find the balance between OPTIMAL and PRACTICAL

🫶🏼JL

Episode Description 👇🏼

In this episode of WOMP, Jordan sits down with registered dietitian Andy De Santis to break down the real drivers of fatty liver, the underrated power of fiber, and why legumes might be one of the most practical nutrition upgrades most people are missing.

They dig into metabolic health, ultra-processed food nuance, plant vs animal protein, and how to focus on the habits that actually move the needle.

If you want an evidence-based, practical approach to nutrition without the fear-mongering, this episode is for you.

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What You Will Learn👇🏼

• What fatty liver actually is and what drives it

• Why fiber intake is still too low for most people

• The metabolic benefits of legumes

• Plant vs animal protein: what matters most

• Where the ultra-processed food conversation gets oversimplified

• Practical nutrition habits that compound over time

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Timestamps👇🏼

00:00 Intro and welcome

02:10 Andy’s background and nutrition philosophy

05:45 Why Andy focuses on metabolic health

09:30 What is happening in fatty liver

14:50 Biggest drivers of fatty liver risk

20:05 Fiber and metabolic health

24:40 The case for legumes

29:15 Why beans are underutilized

33:50 Protein quality nuance

39:10 Ultra-processed foods discussion

45:25 Practical diet improvements

50:40 Where most people should start

55:30 Rapid-fire nutrition advice

59:10 Where to find Andy

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Connect with Andy👇🏼

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

Website: https://andytherd.com

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/andytherd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andydesantisrd/

Andy De Santis is a registered dietitian known for his practical, evidence-based approach to metabolic health and plant-forward nutrition.

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Connect with Jordan👇🏼

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

Website: https://jordanlipsfitness.com/

WOMP Coaching: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

Jordan Lips is the founder of WOMP (Where Optimal Meets Practical), helping busy adults build evidence-based nutrition and training habits that actually stick.

Where to find me ⬇️

IG: @JordanLipsFitness

Podcast: Where Optimal Meets Practical

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

My group program ⬇️

WOMP Training [Gym + Home]

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

1:1 Coaching ⬇️

Apply HERE

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Helping you find the balance between OPTIMAL and PRACTICAL

🫶🏼JL

Where to find me ⬇️

IG: @JordanLipsFitness

Podcast: Where Optimal Meets Practical

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

My group program ⬇️

WOMP Training [Gym + Home]

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

1:1 Coaching ⬇️

Apply HERE

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Helping you find the balance between OPTIMAL and PRACTICAL

🫶🏼JL