How do you know if you're lifting heavy enough to build muscle?

Find out in today's Weekend Q&A bonus episode.

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This is a special Weekend Q&A edition of the Wits & Weights podcast, where we supercharge your Saturdays with an answer to one burning question so YOU can put it into action this weekend.

These questions are taken from the weekly #AskPhilip thread in our free Wits & Weights Facebook community. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the endless amount of information and, let’s be honest, MISinformation online and just want a straight up answer without the jargon, that’s what this free service is for.

With the weekly #AskPhilip thread, you can post a specific question relevant to your unique, individual situation that week and have it answered live by me on Friday. If you’d like to experience it yourself, I invite you to use the link in the show notes to join the Wits & Weights Facebook group. It’s totally free and you’ll quickly find out what a positive and supportive community it is.

Join our FREE community here to get access to the #AskPhilip thread!

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

Did you know that testosterone plays an important role in women's health? Are you curious about how hormones can help you achieve lasting weight loss?
 
In today’s episode, Philip (@witsandweights) welcomes back Karen Martel, a Certified Hormone Specialist and Transformational Nutrition Coach who has helped many women find new vibrancy through hormone awareness and optimization, especially throughout the peri- and post-menopause phases.

The last time Karen was on the show, way back in Episode 31, where listeners can also get her full backstory, Philip and Karen unpacked the complexities of hormones and weight loss during perimenopause. Karen is here today to uncover the truth about testosterone for women. You will learn the role of testosterone in women’s health and vitality, who might benefit from testosterone therapy, common questions related to benefits, safety, and dosage, and where all this is headed into the future.

Today you’ll learn all about:

2:36 Testosterone’s role in women’s health
7:24 Debunking myths about testosterone in women
9:02 DHEA, adrenal health, stress/cortisol
11:38 Criteria for testosterone supplementation/treatment
17:44 When women should test for testosterone levels
23:01 Role in weight management during menopause
28:47 Integrating testosterone in holistic hormone therapy
34:49 Benefits for aging/vitality
46:07 Side effects and dosing of TRT
47:40 Long-term use and the future of TRT
50:03 One question you wish I had asked
53:26 How to connect with Karen
55:32 Outro

Episode resources:

• Ep 31: Hormones and Weight Loss During Perimenopause with Karen Martel
• The Hormone Solution Podcast
• Website: karenmartel.com/ 
• Instagram: @karenmartelhormones 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenmartelhormones 

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

If you want a stronger, more-defined back, tune in as Philip (@witsandweights) reveals his top 4 favorite lifts for building a powerful back.

This is the first in a weekly series of Quick Wits devoted to Philip's favorite lifts for each body part and muscle group.

Follow the show in your podcast app to get the other episodes in this Lifting for Muscle Series!

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“Quick Wits” are short, 3-5 minute episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

These mini-episodes give you practical advice on fitness, training, and mindset based on my everyday experience with clients that you can implement right away.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a message on IG @witsandweights or hit me up in the free Wits & Weights Facebook community.

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

Are you struggling to achieve your health and fitness goals despite following your diet and exercise routine? Do you feel like something is holding you back?
 
Happy New Year! In this first episode of 2024, Philip  (@witsandweights) talks about stress, its impact on health and fitness goals, and how to reduce or cope with it effectively. He gives a lot of attention to nutrition, training, and even sleep, and he talks about how sometimes stress can be the hidden barrier to unlocking a higher metabolism, more effortless fat loss, increased energy, and better health. Philip dives into practical, evidence-based strategies to identify and mitigate stress in the context of both physical and mental health.

Philip also created a free Stress Solution Guide to accompany this episode that you can download at witsandweights.com/free or click here for direct access.

Today you’ll learn all about:

3:19 Recent 5-star reviews on the podcast
6:31 What is stress?
11:08 Acute vs. chronic stress
12:54 What creates more stress
14:41 The effects of stress
18:55 The physiology of the stress response
21:20 Pick one thing
23:18 Self-therapy
24:54 Social connection
25:39 Spending time in nature or outdoors
26:16 Planning or organizing
27:07 Optimizing nutrition and training
30:27 Ideas on managing stress from the community
38:52 More stress management ideas
43:53 Outro

Episode resources:

• Free Stress Solution Guide
• Mindfulness Special: Relaxing Guided Session to Manage Stress and Anxiety with Allen Friedman
• Shoutout to the Sam Miller Science podcast (inspiration for episode)

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

New Year, new you! Are you tired of the same old approach every year, those New Year's resolutions that quickly vanish by February?

Philip (@witsandweights) takes a different approach called the anti-resolution resolution. We're going to kick tradition to the curb together on today's Quick Wits.

Say goodbye to the same old New Year's resolutions that fizzle out before Valentine's chocolates hit the shelves. This episode of Wits and Weights is all about the anti-resolution resolution—a call to arms for making this year count with goals that are as concrete as they are thrilling.

Learn how to set targets that are not just specific but audaciously attainable, whether you're looking to crush a personal record in the gym or become a high-protein meal planning wizard. We'll explore the additive approach to habits by making small, pivotal changes that lead to massive gains.

Transform your approach to New Year's goal-setting with actionable, flexible steps that accommodate life's curveballs and keep you on track toward success. Learn how to create resolutions that are measurable, realistic, and designed to stretch your limits without snapping your willpower. We'll discuss how to pivot with purpose and carve out a path to physical self-mastery that's built to last so you can experience a year of tangible, hard-earned progress!

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“Quick Wits” are short, 3-5 minute episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

These mini-episodes give you practical advice on fitness, training, and mindset based on my everyday experience with clients that you can implement right away.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a message on IG @witsandweights or hit me up in the free Wits & Weights Facebook community.

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

(This is a re-run of Ep 69. Originally aired on May 12, 2023.)

Today, I answer a common question many people have when starting their fitness journey: What should you do first to get results on your body recomposition? Should you focus on losing fat, building muscle, or doing both at the same time?

I discuss seven common scenarios and share a 6-12 month plan for each scenario. You can choose the best approach based on your goals, starting point, and personal preferences. Plus, I'll share some common mistakes people make when pursuing their fitness goals, so you can avoid them and stay on track. I also recommend an app that is particularly helpful for tracking your macros, making it easier to manage your nutrition goals.

Today you’ll learn all about:

• Six to ten weeks maintenance phase, establishing your habits
• Common mistakes
• Scenario 1: You need to lose 10-20 Lbs
• Scenario 2: You need to lose 20-40 Lbs
• Scenario 3: You need to lose 40-50-60 Lbs or more
• Scenario 4: You're at the lower end of skinny-fat
• Scenario 5: You're untrained and lean
• Scenario 6: You're trained and lean
• Scenario 7: You're trained and hitting the upper limit of your body fat

Episode resources:

• Ep 25: Lose 30 Pounds (or More) the Right Way and Keep it Off
• Download the MacroFactor app to stay on track with your diet and achieve your fitness goals. Extend your free trial using the code WITSANDWEIGHTS.

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

As we close out the year, enjoy this surprise bonus episode!

Change your mind through your body with this relaxing session using alternate nostril breathing, led by mindfulness expert Allan Friedman, who walks you through a simple technique that will help you relax in less than 10 minutes.

Allan explains the science and physiology behind it (the vagus nerve) and then walks us through how to perform alternate nostril breathing!

Episode resources:

• Join our free and very active Facebook community to watch the video of this session or to connect with Allan!

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

(This is a re-run of Ep 40. Originally aired on January 10, 2023) 

Whether you're trying to lose extra weight, switch to a fat loss phase after building muscle, get lifestyle lean, or finally achieve success with your new year’s resolution, this episode will help you get there.
 
You will learn everything you need to know about fat loss so you can lose the weight and keep it off sustainably, efficiently, and in a way that actually improves how you look and feel for the long term.
 
This is NOT a “rapid weight loss” prescription. This is a “fat loss for life” approach that I use with clients that you can use on your own with a little bit of knowledge, practice, and accountability.
 
Today you’ll learn all about:

• The 3 principles that make fat loss possible, easier, and maintainable
• The most important behavior to maintain muscle during fat loss
• Which macro is the "body composition" macro and how much you need
• What data to collect to maximize your results and consistency
• What to do before you actually start a calorie deficit
• How fast you can and should lose weight
• The most important consideration when selecting foods during a fat loss phase
• The easiest way to boost your metabolism during fat loss
• What you're doing TOO MUCH of, and what to do instead
• The simplest way to reduce overall stress and also belly fat!
• How to avoid diet fatigue

Episode resources:

• Download the MacroFactor app (use affiliate code WITSANDWEIGHTS to extend your trial by an extra week)

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

How can the spirit of adventure revitalize your fitness journey? What concepts help you overcome common hurdles to staying consistent with your fitness goals?

In this episode, Philip  (@witsandweights) talks with Kelly Howard, a Fitness Consistency Expert with a touch of Adventure and the author of FIT: Active & Ageless for Life. Learn how the spirit of adventure can revitalize your fitness journey. You will learn how to overcome common hurdles to staying consistent with your fitness goals. The show explores the concepts of a ‘Fitness North Star,’ ‘Layered Accountability,’ and external vs. internal motivation. You can expect to expand your comfort zone, reignite your passion for fitness, and embrace a sense of fun and adventure.

Kelly has helped thousands of women prioritize their fitness for over 25 years to feel great and have more fun in this second half of life. She invites women to adventure out of their comfort zones by trying new experiences they may have only imagined. Kelly’s Fit is Freedom podcast, coaching, online courses, and retreats change lives daily. She currently calls Houston, Texas, home but can often be found kayaking rivers and traveling trails worldwide.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

2:07 What adventure means

3:51 Overcoming struggles with staying consistent

7:22 Create a schedule and aim for 80 percent

9:17 Finding and following your Fitness North Star

15:14 Building and using layered accountability

18:54 Where does community fit into the layer

23:22 Expanding comfort zones with new fitness activities

25:46 Making fitness fun and adventurous

27:55 Setting exciting fitness goals for the future

29:59 How adventure shapes fitness goals 

32:00 Expanding comfort zones with new fitness activities

35:09 Where the fun and positivity fit in

39:35 One question Kelly wished Philip had asked

40:33 Where to find Kelly

40:58 Outro

Episode resources:

• Website: https://fitisfreedom.com/ 
• Get a FREE digital copy of Kelly’s new book FIT: Active & Ageless for Life 

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏

What if you could jump right back into your workout routine after a break, with no loss of progress or strength? Well, the good news is, you can!

But how do you jump back into your routine without missing a beat?

Let's talk about getting back to lifting and a straightforward strategy for maintaining the momentum of your program, even after a vacation or illness has kept you away...in today's episode of Quick Wits!

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“Quick Wits” are short, 3-5 minute episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

These mini-episodes give you practical advice on fitness, training, and mindset based on my everyday experience with clients that you can implement right away.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a message on IG @witsandweights or hit me up in the free Wits & Weights Facebook community.

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build muscle, lose fat, and maintain your weight loss and physique (even in perimenopause and menopause)

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for evidence-based fitness and nutrition over 40. Real-time, personalized guidance that evolves with your data and lifestyle to help you build muscle, lose fat, and body recomp

👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle with strength training and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (evidence-based nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss and nutrition podcasts for adults over 40! 🙏