Wits & Weights | Strength & Fat Loss Over 40

This bonus episode gives you my 14-day protocol for rapid fat loss, as presented during a kickoff call for a challenge in the Wits & Weights Facebook community.

This protocol is NOT for everyone. It's intended for lifters who know how to build muscle and understand how to track and log their food. It's also for people who haven't been dieting recently (you've been at maintenance or surplus calories for a while).

You'll learn everything you need to know to lose, on average, 3-5 lbs (or more) of pure fat over just 2 weeks, including:

• The two most important things to get right for rapid fat loss
• The EXACT steps to determine your calories and macros for each day of the protocol and how to setup MacroFactor
• What to do each day of the 14 days to hold onto as much muscle as possible and lose fat successfully
• Some nutrition strategies you can use to make it easier

If you want the entire guide for this protocol, including the macro tables to easily determine your targets, click HERE.

Download your free Rapid Fat Loss guide here.

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Joining me today is Sherry Shaban, an extraordinary fitness and life coach who’s battled back from the brink of paralysis to transform her body and her entire outlook on life. We met when she recently had me on her podcast, Fall In Love with Fitness, so I’m excited to talk to her again today.

Sherry will challenge your conventional wisdom on dieting and fitness as we examine why diets fail and what you can do differently. We are unpacking the nuances of ‘transformation’ versus ‘results’ and how to move from a life of limitations to endless possibilities. From the role of intuitive eating to overcoming chronic pain to the habits that define successful “athletes” in all walks of life, this is a holistic conversation about optimizing your performance from the inside out.

Sherry Shaban is an osteopath and an anti-diet health and life coach from Montreal, Qc. She is the founder of the Fall in Love with Fitness Podcast, the HIIT Decks™ App, and Make Peace with Food™, the leaders in an Anti-Diet approach that rewires the brain’s relationship with food to release bodyweight struggles forever naturally.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:
[3:23] How adversities shaped Sherry's life and mindset
[6:54] What it means to be an athlete
[11:33] The impact of identifying as an athlete
[14:15] The difference between transformation and results
[19:24] Working toward a short-term result
[22:37] Why diets fail and alternatives
[28:33] Busting a dieting myth
[32:05] Switching to intuitive eating
[37:24] Diet restrictions
[39:27] Differentiating emotional and physical hunger
[50:25] Transformation and focusing on food that serves us
[54:10] Protection mode
[56:30] Aligning to your needs and extracting habits
[58:14] The question Sherry wished Philip had asked
[1:00:25] Where to learn more about Sherry
[1:01:01] Outro 

Episode resources:

• Website:  www.sherryshaban.com 
• IG - @sherryshabanfitness

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Today, the battle between Flexible Dieting and If It Fits Your Macros (or IIFYM) is on. You’ll discover why the freedom to eat your favorite foods and only tracking macros isn't enough to achieve real, life-changing health. I will compare the glaring differences between flexible dieting and IIFYM so you can fuel your body for peak performance, physique, and longevity and make friends with foods that serve you and your values.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[1:44] What is IIFYM
[5:01] Personal experience with tracking macros
[7:00] Importance of fiber and its health benefits
[8:50] Transitioning to the flexible dieting approach
[10:57] Quote about flexible dieting from Alan Argon's book
[12:02] Different approaches to tracking and precision in flexible dieting
[16:47] Tracking fiber for improved health and fat loss
[18:25] Setting a maximum for saturated fat intake and tracking micronutrients
[19:24] Tracking workout nutrition and biofeedback
[21:52] The impact of meal timing and food choices on digestion
[24:10] The importance of sustainable and flexible dieting approach
[25:14] How do you do flexible dieting?
[31:01] Free 30-minute breakthrough session to achieve your fitness goals
[32:47] Outro

Episode resources:

• Ep 80: Flexible Dieting, Evidence-Based Nutrition, and Protein Strategies with Alan Aragon
• Ep 59: Why You Should Track Your Food
• Book: Flexible Dieting (Alan Aragon)
• MacroFactor app – use code WITSANDWEIGHTS to extend your free trial to two weeks (and support me and this show!)

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Today is a very special episode because I am joined by Andrew Romeo, a long-time coach of mine and a friend and fellow entrepreneur. He owns Romeo Athletics here in Connecticut, the gym that I joined 12 years ago, where I started training and came to understand what strength was all about. So, I have him to thank for introducing me to the world of lifting.

We'll discuss how to make fitness a part of your identity, balance family, career, and life, and make strength training work for you at any age. From his "platform of strength" to making training entertaining to bloodwork and supplements, Andrew will revolutionize your health and wellness mindset.

Andrew Romeo has always loved helping people reach their health and fitness goals. He developed and managed Romeo Athletics, Northern Connecticut's premier personal training and group fitness center in Enfield and Avon. He offers personalized training and mentoring. Andrew exemplifies integrity, self-improvement, and excellence, and goes the extra mile to help others succeed.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:15] Gym, family, and personal life
[3:42] Balancing roles as a father, husband, entrepreneur, and coach
[5:41] Andrew's core values and principles
[7:25] Realizing fitness as an identity, not just a habit
[10:22] Relationship with fitness over the years
[15:05] Effective approach to get started
[18:03] Making fitness enjoyable for adults and kids
[24:02] Concept of "platform of strength" in training
[26:22] Adapting training styles for different life stages and fitness levels
[28:45] Common mistakes in strength training
[32:57] Common questions or misconceptions from gym newcomers
[36:53] Importance of blood work and supplements in a fitness plan
[42:15] How to schedule a wellness consult with Ethos
[45:20] Plans for Romeo Athletics
[47:19] One question Andrew wished Philip had asked
[53:02] Learn more about Andrew and Romeo Athletics
[53:33] Outro

Episode resources:

• Ethos’s Wellness program - bloodwork, peptides, hormones -  ethosmedicalaesthetics.com
• Romeo Athletics (CT) - romeoathletics.fitness

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Do you want to lose 3-5 lbs of pure fat in only 14 days?

Get ready for the (totally free) Shredtober 14-Day Fat Loss Annihilation Challenge starting on Monday, October 2, 2023.

This is NOT weight loss challenge. It's an aggressive fat loss protocol that I am personally following (for research!) and want to share with others who want to do some self-experimentation.

You MUST register for the zoom call this Friday Oct 4 (at 12pm ET) to get access to the challenge guide, checklist, free coaching, group chat, and prize eligibility.

👉👉👉 Click HERE to join the challenge

If you can't make the call live, that's OK. A replay will be available but you still need to register ahead of time for access to the (totally free) 14-day challenge.

===> Click HERE to join the challenge <===

NOTE: This challenge is NOT for everyone. Everyone can join and follow along, but the actual micro-cut (aggressive fat loss phase) is only appropriate for those who:

• Are tracking food/macros and weight
• Have been barbell training for at least 3 months
• Have not been dieting for at least 1 month

Episode mentioned:

• Ep 92: Physique Enhancement, Rapid Fat Loss, Plateaus, and Processed Foods with Bill Campbell, PhD

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Today, we are re-examining the science of building muscle without accumulating unnecessary fat. Based on a new study that just came out this year, we will find the sweet spot between the “you gotta eat big to get big” dreamer bulk crowd and the “maingain/gaintain” crowd, so you have the optimal caloric surplus for muscle gain.

I’ll share my experience with these various muscle-building ranges, re-emphasize the role of strength training and protein, and discuss practical takeaways to set up your effective bulking strategy. This episode gives you a nuanced approach to lean muscle gains to help you achieve a muscular and lean physique without the extra fat.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:27] Personal experience with the dreamer bulk approach
[5:55] Finding the optimal calorie surplus for muscle gain
[9:23] Study on the effect of small and large energy surpluses
[11:53] The importance of a moderate calorie surplus for strength gains
[14:03] Key points on the Helms study
[19:30] Gains with aggressive surplus
[23:01] Adjusting body fat gain based on the rate of build
[25:27] Setting targets and rates for a muscle-building phase
[33:23] Outro

Episode resources:

• MacroFactor app – use code WITSANDWEIGHTS to extend your free trial to two weeks (and support me and this show!)
• Email Philip: [email protected]

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

This conversation is from my appearance on Lisa Salisbury’s podcast, Eat Well, Think Well, Lift Well, where we discussed strength for fat loss, body fat overshooting, the dangers of yo-yo dieting, and why strength training is a useful metric and what a great routine would look like.

Lisa was also on my show back on episode 73, “Breaking Free of the Clean Plate Club for Sustainable Weight Loss,” so download episode 73 to check that out.

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

I'm excited to welcome back Louise Valentine, my first interview guest who I didn't already know personally, way back in Episode 26, to catch up on her incredible accomplishments and discuss new and exciting strategies and considerations for female endurance athletes, especially women 35 and beyond.  She empowers them by dispelling industry stereotypes and reaching a zero-injury rate.

For background, Louise Valentine is a best-selling author, published researcher, and award-winning sports medicine, exercise science, holistic health, and performance expert. She is the 2023 American College of Sports Medicine Practitioner of the Year. Her website, BreakingThroughWellness.com, helps active women 35 and older manage hormone shifts and improve health, body composition, and running with less stress!

Louise's courses and coaching are for you if you can't stand hormones affecting your health, fitness, or endurance performance.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[3:19] Earning the ACSM Practitioner of the Year Award
[5:10] Contributions to a new sports medicine textbook
[6:38] Strategies for active women with excess weight and hormonal changes
[8:34] Energy-first approach and aligning running goals with physique goals
[10:15] Strategic calorie reduction
[11:51] Client results
[12:47] Addressing myths in female-specific exercise strategy for women 35+
[17:49] Understanding hormonal changes and taking control of health
[22:29] Science-based training and injury prevention for 35+  female runners
[27:19] Dynamic functional lifting
[30:08] Strategic layout for body composition and performance
[31:25] Gut health struggles and the importance of nourishment
[36:37] The importance of lifting heavy for female endurance athletes
[41:05] The question Louise wished Philip had asked
[41:50] Where to learn more about Louise
[42:50] Outro

Episode resources:

• Free blog articles, videos, mini-courses & a 4-month 1:1 learning experience at BreakingThroughWellness.com
• Ep 26: Sustainable Fitness, Physiology, Fat Loss, and Running at Any Age with Louise Valentine

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Today, we are diving into a topic that affects everyone. We all know that sticking to your nutrition goals is not something we do in a lab, it’s a battle fought in our everyday lives. And one thing that will always exist in our lives is eating out. Whether it's a business dinner, a social gathering, or a trip, dining out can feel like an overwhelming potential roadblock in the middle of your otherwise day-to-day routine.

But what if I told you that you don't have to choose between enjoying a meal out and engineering that ideal physique you're working so hard for? You can develop a few helpful skills to master the art and science of eating out without missing a beat.

We're talking planning, tracking, real-time decision-making, and even some tricks you've probably never considered. I am arming you with practical strategies, and you'll wonder how you ever dined out without them. By the end of this episode, you'll have a toolkit that will make eating out enjoyable and aligned with your goals.

So, if you're ready to take control of your dining experiences and fuel your performance, both inside and outside the gym, then tune in to today’s topic.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[3:11] Planning ahead
[4:30] Research the restaurant or menu ahead of time
[7:00] Pre-log your meal
[15:30] Strategies for making decisions in real-time dining scenarios
[18:32] Business dinners or dinner out
[19:59] Navigating social gatherings
[22:45] Tips for travel
[24:12] Creative hacks
[27:58] Key takeaways
[31:52] Outro


Episode resources:

• MacroFactor app – use code WITSANDWEIGHTS to extend your free trial to two weeks (and support me and this show!)
• Ep 20: How to Stay On Track with Meals, Fat Loss, and Fitness No Matter Where You Are
• Ep 93: Ditch Alcohol for a Physically and Mentally Healthier Life with Karolina Rzadkowolska

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏

Today, I am speaking with Cheryl Ilov, a dynamic force who challenges the misconceptions of aging, fitness, and the power of the female spirit. She is a physical therapist, martial artist, dancer, and author.  With over 20 years of experience in private practice, she has helped thousands of clients recover from pain and injuries by integrating the science of physical therapy with the art of movement.

Cheryl is also a second-degree black belt in an ancient Japanese martial art called Ninpo Tai Jutsu, which she began training at 47. She is the author of two books: “Forever Fit and Flexible: Feeling Fabulous at Fifty and Beyond,” and “The Reluctant Ninja: How A Middle-Aged Princess Became A Warrior Queen.” She hosts The FemiNinja Project podcast, which is about overcoming obstacles, personal empowerment, restoring human dignity, and alternative health and healing.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:40] Cheryl's passion for self-mastery
[7:15] Misconceptions about aging, fitness, and being a woman
[10:43] Definition and significance of the somatic movement
[13:27] Your perspective on vitality
[17:14] Top 3 recommendations for enhancing vitality
[22:44] Starting martial arts training at 47
[29:05] Your unique challenges as the only woman in your martial arts class
[35:09] Breaking gender barriers in martial arts
[41:39] Comparison of Ninpo Tai Jutsu with other martial arts forms
[44:30] Overcoming intimidation for women in martial arts
[49:45] Practical application of martial arts in real-life threats
[54:37] Safety and empowerment techniques for women
[59:59] One question Cheryl wished Philip had asked
[1:01:01] Where to learn more about Cheryl
[1:02:37] Outro

Episode resources:

• Website: cherylilov.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cherylilovvitalityconsultant 
• Podcast: The FemiNinja Podcast 
• Books: Forever Fit and Flexible: Feeling Fabulous at Fifty and Beyond and The Reluctant Ninja: How A Middle-Aged Princess Became A Warrior Queen

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

📱 Get Fitness Lab - AI-powered coaching app for strength training after 40, body recomposition, and evidence-based nutrition. Daily coaching that adjusts to your energy, recovery, and schedule. No calorie counting, no guesswork.

👥 Join our Facebook community - Build muscle after 40, improve body composition, and lose fat with evidence-based nutrition. Support for lifting weights, hypertrophy, fat loss, and hormones.

👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape (strength training & fat loss nutrition coach) on Instagram & thanks for making us one of the best fat loss podcasts for men & women over 40! 🙏