Wits & Weights | Strength Training & Fat Loss Over 40

Are you scared that carbs will make you fat and avoid them completely? Did you know that a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates is not just good but essential for building strength muscle, and shedding fat?

Today, I will be going over all the reasons why, 9 reasons in particular, eating a moderate to high carb diet—or what I like to call a balanced and healthy amount of carbs—is absolutely essential if your goal is to build muscle, get stronger, improve your body composition, get leaner, and yes even make fat loss easier.

Let’s call this the “I love carbs, and you should too” episode. You’ll definitely want to share this with a friend, especially if they’re a low-carb or keto zealot who loves to brag about how they haven’t looked at, let alone eaten a potato or bowl of oatmeal in a while. They are leaving massive gains on the table, and this is a very fast road not only to skinny fat but to a miserable existence in terms of enjoying your food.

If I sound a bit sarcastically aggressive today, it’s because I lived the low-carb delusion for an entire decade and paid the price. Now that my bloodstream is flooded with nature’s sweet glycogen drug 24/7, I look back and feel sorry for my carb-deprived former self and want nothing more than for YOU to put that person in the rearview mirror, too.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:44] Carbs are beneficial to muscle growth
[7:34] Energy for high-intensity workouts
[8:52] Glycogen replenishment
[10:16] Protein sparing and mTOR activation
[11:56] Insulin release and hormone balance
[15:45] Prevent muscle protein breakdown
[18:05] Carbs optimizes testosterone to cortisol ratio
[20:02] Reduce muscle soreness post-workout
[21:18] Support muscle retention
[23:58] Improve overall performance
[27:13] Outro

Episode resources:

• Ep 124: How to Use Progressive Overload the RIGHT way to Build Strength and Muscle (Even in Fat Loss)

💪 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! 🙏

Instead of scheduling in a "deload week" for your training, life might just do it for you.

Ever thought about letting life dictate your workout deloads? Today we challenge the traditional approach to strength training and scheduled deloads. I'll guide you through the benefits of unplanned but natural breaks from your workouts due to life's natural breaks such as vacations, illnesses, and holidays.

Tune in to learn how to harness life's natural deloads for a smarter, more sustainable, and effective fitness journey!

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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 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! 🙏

How safe is hormone therapy? What are peptides, and how can they help you improve your health and wellness?

Today, I am joined by Kristin Gemme, a board-certified physician assistant with over ten years of experience as a PA and 16 years in the medical field. She is the owner and operator of Ethos Medical Aesthetics and Wellness in Avon, CT, and we connected through my coach and recent podcast guest, Andrew Romeo. Iwanted to bring her on my show to discuss peptides, hormone therapy, medical weight loss, and other ways to complement lifestyle interventions.

Kristin is passionate about helping people achieve optimal health through personalized holistic interventions such as skincare, injectables, lasers, PDO threads, and wellness programs. As I mentioned, she is also the host of the Just a Pinch podcast, where she discusses the good, the bad, and the ugly side of aesthetics, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:03] Becoming a PA in aesthetic medicine
[4:33] Guiding principles in aesthetic medicine and personal wellness
[9:07] Peptides and their role in health
[13:20] Identifying candidates for hormone therapy and testing methods
[20:49] Integrating medical weight loss with holistic health strategies
[23:01] Benefits of peptide therapy and the evolution of the field
[30:11] Using lab tests to craft personalized health interventions
[38:15] Testosterone replacement therapy
[44:15] Hormone replacement therapy for women
[48:41] Adaptogens and nootropics
[50:18] The future of medical aesthetics
[1:00:51] Psychological effects and misconceptions with aesthetic treatments
[1:12:47] The benefits of getting your bloodwork done
[1:14:49] Where to find Kristin

Episode resources:

• Ethos Medical Aesthetics
• Just a Pinch podcast
• IG: @injectorkristin

💪 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! 🙏

For my friends in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving!

Ready to conquer the holiday feast without compromising your nutrition goals?

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the abundance of food choices in a big holiday meal, tune in to today's episode of Quick Wits.

We will equip you with the strategies needed to navigate the food avalanche that typifies holiday meals. I will guide you through a stress-free approach to indulging in abundant holiday meals and decode the psychological aspect of holiday feasting.

Have you ever felt guilty for overindulging during the holidays? We tackle this and more for a guilt-free, stress-free holiday season.

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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 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! 🙏

Are your workouts actually making you bigger and stronger? Why do some people gain muscle and strength so much faster than others?

Today, we’re diving into the concept of progressive overload—what it is, why it’s important, and how to implement it in your training program.

I’ll explain the science behind how it drives muscle growth and strength gains and then provide specific methods for progressively overloading your workouts by increasing weight, reps, sets, intensity levels, and other creative approaches. These strategies apply to all training levels, from beginner to advanced. Finally, I’ll go over how you can use this principle even during a fat loss phase.

If you want my free detailed guide on progressive overload that you can download and reference whenever you want, just use the link in my show notes under Episode Resources or go to witsandweights.com/free.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:20] What is progressive overload?
[4:01] Stress recovery adaptation
[10:06] The four things that occur during adaptation
[14:23] The relationship between strength and hypertrophy
[18:14] Progressive overload for beginners
[23:30] Programming for progressive overload
[29:00] Progressing by weight
[30:42] Progressing by reps
[35:16] Progressing by sets
[38:48] Progressing by intensity
[46:16] Mind-muscle connection
[48:43] Post-activation potentiation
[49:30] Accommodating resistance
[51:31] Combining the progression variables
[53:29] Training during a fat loss phase
[59:15] Outro

Episode resources:

• Free Progressive Overload Guide – https://witsandweights.com/free/progressive-overload-guide

💪 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! 🙏

Can you have too much protein?

We answer that question in today's episode!

We're exploring the optimal protein range for muscle growth, shedding light on the balance between protein, fats, and carbs, and debunking the myth of protein-induced kidney damage.

This episode is all about achieving dietary balance, ensuring you're nailing your minimums without neglecting other vital nutrients in the pursuit of protein.

So, if you're looking to strike the right dietary balance, support your training, and boost your overall health, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

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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 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! 🙏

What's REALLY holding you back from achieving your fitness goals? Is a short-term focus on "weight loss" setting you up for long-term failure?

Today, I'm extremely excited to welcome to the show Mike Millner, a high-level nutrition coach and a business coach who has a gift for understanding the personality-based needs of his clients and where people are in their journey.

In this episode, Mike and I unpack the DNA of success to understand why so many of us fail at hitting our health and fitness goals. Transformation goes beyond calories in and calories out, all the way to the hidden barriers that hold us back. We're talking about the mental game. This is a 'how-to-crush-your-goals-and-redesign-your-identity’ conversation.

Coach Mike has experienced the highs and lows of dieting and fitness and has learned how to overcome the psychological barriers and challenges that prevent most people from achieving their goals. He is the founder of Peak Optimization Performance or POP and the voice behind the top-rated Mind Over Macros podcast, where he shares his insights and expertise on nutrition, training, and, most importantly, mindset. He aims to help as many people as possible navigate life as healthy individuals in a sustainable and enjoyable way.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[3:01] The moment his mindset shifted to confidence
[5:25] Mental vs. physical transformation
[8:17] Energy balance and CICO in long-term goals
[13:18] "Grit" vs. willpower in goal setting
[16:01] Top psychological barriers to fat loss
[18:21] Use of SMART goals and other theories
[23:23] Mental cycles, like training cycles
[26:35] How "mental diet" affects physical health
[30:01] Fear of success in fitness
[34:59] Power of language and self-talk
[39:16] Gratitude and positive psychology
[42:30] Short-term wins vs. life-long habits
[45:35] Mindset in muscle building
[48:21] What would Mike be doing if he didn't become a fitness coach
[50:33] Where to learn more about Mike and his work
[51:21] Outro

Episode resources:

• Mike's podcast – Mind Over Macros
• IG - @coach_mike_millner

💪 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! 🙏

Are you stuck in a fitness rut, repeating the same workouts and meals without any joy?

What if there were a way to keep your routine without surrendering to monotony?

In this episode of Quick Wits, I share my story of finding balance between discipline and boredom, in both the gym and the kitchen. I’ll show you how routine can be enjoyable, productive, and far from monotonous.

We'll examine the psychological aspect of movements and the importance of recognizing when a routine becomes too stressful or hinders recovery and needs a switch. We delve into how introducing variety, whether it's changing your squat movements or adding novelty to your meals, can be the antidote to monotony. After all, we are human beings who crave a bit of fun and change.

Tune in to learn this powerful distinction between routine and monotony to help you build sustainable practices.

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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 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! 🙏

What is the link between cholesterol and muscle growth?

Today, we will explore whether increasing dietary cholesterol can promote muscle growth and strength gains. In several studies, higher cholesterol intake has been linked to increased lean mass and strength, potentially by improving muscle cell integrity and boosting repair signaling pathways. We know that dietary cholesterol does not negatively impact blood cholesterol or heart disease risk, though stay tuned for one thing in your diet that might. Today is all about the muscle-building side of cholesterol.

__________

Click here to apply for coaching!
__________

Today you’ll learn all about:

[2:37] Myth on the effects of dietary cholesterol
[5:12] Dietary cholesterol and muscle gain
[13:40] The effect of higher cholesterol intake
[15:01] The effects of statins
[16:01] Lower cholesterol intake of vegetarians
[17:45] Sources of cholesterol
[23:30] Outro

Episode resources:

• Join the Wits & Weights email list
• Meno Henselman's article “Is cholesterol the forgotten anabolic?”

💪 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! 🙏

If physical health is your top priority, then why aren't you allocating your most VALUABLE asset to it?

And no, it's not money.

Listen to today's episode to find out what it is!

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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 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! 🙏