Fasting Is Making You Fatter (Here’s Why) | Mind Pump 2824

Key Takeaway

Stop fasting for fat loss—it's making you fatter. Skipping breakfast regularly (4+ times/week) increases your odds of elevated blood glucose by 33%, hypertension by 25%, and metabolic syndrome by 24-25%. The problem isn't the fasting itself, but the calorie restriction combined with inadequate protein intake, faster eating when you break the fast, and poor food choices. Instead, eat a high-protein breakfast to control blood sugar all day, and if you must restrict eating windows, cut off food in the evening, not the morning.

Episode Overview

This episode dismantles the popular myth that intermittent fasting is an effective fat loss strategy. The hosts discuss how fasting creates metabolic problems, leads to disordered eating patterns, and fails to produce better results than simple calorie restriction. They explore the only legitimate uses for fasting (spiritual practices, certain gut health issues, and psychological benefits for those with binge-eating tendencies), explain why eating protein in the morning is crucial for blood sugar control, and warn about the long-term health consequences of chronic fasting—especially for women. The conversation also touches on GLP-1 medications and recent FDA policy changes regarding peptides.

Full Transcript

Transcript of Fasting Is Making You Fatter (Here’s Why) | Mind Pump 2824 from Mind Pump Show. Auto-generated from episode audio; may contain minor errors.

You want to lose weight, so you thought fasting was a good idea. Skipping breakfast. Great idea, right? Easy way to control calories. No. Fasting is making you fatter. Stop doing it. Let's get into hot take. We haven't said that in a minute. We haven't. I uh um this is coming up because I have a friend of mine who um you know, he trains jiu-jitsu, lifts weights, and uh you know, he of course he's sending me the articles. Not articles, typically they're like Instagram posts on fasting.

Yeah. Oh, it's good for you, dude. I should do this. I should that. I'm like, listen, definitely not a good idea, especially for someone like you who trains in jiu-jitsu and lift weights. You already, you know, having trouble hitting your protein intake this, that, and the other. other. other. You need nutrients. And he's just, you know, he's just debating and arguing with me. He thinks it's a great idea. So, um, you know, I'm like, "All right, cool. Let me just show you a study." So, I'll I'll send I'll I'll kind of go over the study uh on f and we actually have good studies now on fasting and it's and comparing it to control calorie diets or in other words diets that are similar but um the difference being you know it's fasted uh or not.

or not. or not. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um and here's here's one of the ones that I uh that I found. Um, and this was done with I don't know 1,700 uh individuals. And this is the relationship they found with skipping breakfast. Okay. So, people who skip breakfast more than four times a week had 33% higher odds of elevated fasting blood glucose, blood glucose, blood glucose, 25% higher odds of hypertension, 40% higher odds of reduced HDL. Um and overall they had 24 to 25% higher odds of full metabolic syndrome.

So those are the associations. Wow. Wow. Wow. With people who skipped uh breakfast. Um and so I just we need to tackle this because fasting is uh it's again it's coming around again as this like great way to to lose weight. It's terrible. It's it's funny because it's something that it's been around forever, you know, and it's one of those another classic example in the space that, you know, that we we've taken um and broke down some of the positive uh benefits from it and then exacerbated it and marketed the [ __ ] out of it and it's sell it.

Yeah. And then sell it and then it's turned into a trend and then now there's, you know, supplements that you should take while you're fasted. So you don't, you know, so you minimize the muscle loss and all the and so it's just like we totally have bastardized the true meaning of fasting and the intent of it and where that where it originated from and turned it into a marketing ploy to get people to buy more stuff. And uh you know I I think there's tremendous value in in fasting.

In fact, there's many times where I'm like, you know what, I should get back to where I was like trying to fast at least once a month. month. month. I'm going to guess you're not doing it for fat loss. No. No, of course not. I think that's we all agree that it's a terrible strategy for fat loss and you always will get push back from somebody like well I did it and I lost all this weight and it's just like yeah it's okay great there's a lot of different things that you can do uh temporarily just to lose weight.

Um, but there's a couple things why I don't like it. Because when I look back at all the people that I've trained, and you've heard this probably many times in the podcast, this repeat and it still stands true. And our live callers that we take every single week, the same thing. Almost everybody under eats protein unless you've been listening to the show and you've now adopted that you focus on that. people that are just kind of eat or do their thing. Um, typically are carbheavy, um, a lot of sugars, uh, high fats, and don't hit high protein.

And you take somebody like that and you skip a whole another meal or two. Yeah. Right. Or two, you may reduce the calories temporarily in that person, but you also end up cutting into some of their protein intake that was already low. So now they're even now now they're getting really low on protein. and and and they're they're probably if they're fasting for fat loss doing more activity or lifting weights. Um you're just over now overdoing it on that, not giving the body the proper nutrients to to build and grow.

And eventually the body adapts to that new calorie intake and it shows, okay, I'm used to skipping breakfast and lunch and eating at 2 or whatever time you first start your your first meal and you're getting no results. You're low protein, you're training every other day, energy dramatically decreases. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I went through that whole process because it's a convenience like, you know, skipping breakfast is an easy one for people to be able to handle for the most part because, you know, you're busy and you're getting ready and um and I think that the red reduction in calories initially for somebody that's like, well, I need to like, you know, manage this a bit and and reduce calories so that way I'm not intaking as much.

I'm going to lose body fat. Like all these benefits can happen. You start to find out that yeah, your energy is really going to be affected, you know, in a negative way. Uh and you're going to get adapted to that pretty quickly to where it's not really going to benefit you uh and your workouts. And the thing is it it acts as more of a deterrent as you go further along with it uh towards any kind of progress you're making. There's three. So uh fasting does have a long history.

It's actually one of the the first documented uh forms of quote unquote diet. uh and it was it's documented early on for uh spiritual practices. So it's it's it's present in the major the world's major religions, Christianity, Islam, uh Judaism. Um it's also uh recorded as a way to help with seizures. Uh so and that's what we think they were talking about but and we know this because uh when somebody has epilepsy many times they respond well to um having rising ketones in the system and no glucose and so that's what happens when you fast right you have no you're not consuming anything so your body starts to develop energy from ketones.

This can also be accomplished with a medicinal uh ketogenic diet and which is actually one of the first treatments for epilepsy before we had uh better drugs. But there are there are a few places that the data shows uh where fasting has value. So one is spiritual practices. practices. practices. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh so fasting for spiritual practices um is like fasting for anything like you're you're you're denying the flesh. You're you're you're you're putting yourself in a state of suffering in an attempt to get closer to uh to God.

So that's there's there's value there for sure. There's also value for certain gut health issues. So certain inflammatory gut issues. You may have a functional medicine practitioner which will have you take a break from eating to allow the inflammation to come down um or have shorter eating windows to allow this to happen. So that's another way. And then the third value of fasting is for people who are uh not on the other end of the spectrum of eating disorder orexia. orexia. orexia. Not not orthorexia but like bigexia.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we know what anorexia is. It's like starving yourself. starving yourself. starving yourself. Then there's like what we used to label or what they label big. This would be maybe closer to what I would do as a kid. I always felt skinny, so I was stuffing myself stuffing myself stuffing myself constantly constantly constantly throwing it down. And it it was uh mentally beneficial for me to fast because I didn't eat for 10 hours and realize that my muscles didn't just evaporate and it's like, "Oh my god, I was been so attached to having to eat every other hour." But that's it.

Other than that, there's no real value. And the reason why people like fasting uh as an for weight loss is because it's a very black and white clear clear clear the most simplistic basic. Yeah. This is how I cut calories. I was I was not eating. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Until this time. Now the data that I showed people might be wondering why is it associated it associated it associated with worse fasting glucose, worse blood lipids, worse overall metabolic health. Well, there's there's a couple reasons for this.

one, eating protein in the morning controls blood glucose better all day long than if you don't have protein. protein. protein. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And and we know this because we have continual glucose monitor data now, which measures blood sugar in real time. And uh for the most part, unless you got really bad gut issues, again, if you got really inflamed gut issues and your functional medicine practitioner tells you to take a break, it'll probably benefit your blood glucose. But everybody else eating a high protein breakfast with all the same food all throughout the whole day versus not eating the high protein breakfast and eating the same food.

The high protein morning uh meal controls blood glucose better. And then the second reason which I think is the big reason here's what happens with regular fasting or regular restriction. It results in binging later. Yeah. later. Yeah. later. Yeah. It results in disordered eating later. You're either you're eating faster this and you know this if you're listening you know this like you break your fast watch the speed of your eating it's faster which leads to higher calories and then food choices tend to be more difficult and then Adam to your point okay I need to eat let's say I'm I'm a woman that needs to eat 130 grams of protein a day and and the data on protein is clear I'll just really quick high protein or optimal protein for fat loss muscle gain athletic performance is around a gram of protein per pound of target body So, you can do less than that, you're okay.

But optimal is better, way better for whatever fitness uh or athletic performance goal you have. Okay? So, I'm 100 I want to eat 130 grams of protein a day. I'm not even a 200lb male. I'm a typical small petite woman. 130 grams. So, it's like 40 grams of protein, you know, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, 45 grams or so breakfast. So, now I skip two meals and I have an eating window of 3 hours. What am I going to do? Eat 130 grams of protein in 3 hours?

you got a lot to shovel in. I if I'm dedicated and I'm like, "Well, I'm still going to get my protein." That is disordered eating. Eat 130 grams of protein as 130 lb female in 3 hours, you're stuffing yourself. yourself. yourself. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so this is why you see these problems. Now, we have really good data now. Ever since fasting became popular over the last 10 years, we've compared with controlled studies, like really good, well done studies where it's calorie restriction. So, so same diet, both deficit.

This one's fasted, this one isn't. Guess what? Uh, same results. In fact, the trend is towards the non-fasting group for muscle gain. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. And for just overall well-being, hormones and stuff like that, the trend because it's not a huge difference, but it's a difference. So, there's really no benefit. People talk about cell autophagy. You know, this is when your your cells are clearing out waste and, you know, rec. Guess what? A calorie deficit does that, too. I know. All right, real quick. If you love us like we love you, why not show up by rocking one of our shirts, hats, mugs, or training gear over at mypumpstore.com.

I'm talking right now. Hit pause. Head on over to mypumpstore.com. That's it. Enjoy the rest of the show. We also have a brand new bundle and there's only 4 days left to take advantage of it. It includes Map Symmetry, Maps Prime, and the Advanced Training Techniques Guide. All of that together over 50% off. Head over to mapsch.com. mapsch.com. mapsch.com. Here comes the show. Not only that, but it's like if you if you really are doing it for that, then do do it once a month for 24 hours.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like don't do it for fat. Like if if you want all the neurological benefits that you're going to get from it, cell autophagy stuff like the psychological benefits and everything else removing yourself from the dayto-day like always having to eat. But what I'm trying to say to you, Adam, is that uh the data shows it doesn't produce any better results than a calorie restrict. I know, but I mean and I know that V I know Valter Longo did the the fasting mimicking diet and showed all this research and you know, just eat 500 calories for a week, but I mean I would I would just I would say I would I personally think that you hit it hard or something.

Yeah. Yeah. 24 hours of no food is easier than 500 calories for for seven days in my opinion. Like I think I think restricting for seven days in a row 500 calories where it's just like hey I'm not eating for 24 hours. Let's get those great benefits uh that we're talking about. Also detach from things, get the spiritual benefits, whatever. Um and then that and then go back to eating normal. It's the intermittent fasting that I'm not a fan of. It's just like that's the daily this is what I do.

And it it I think what Justin brought up, it just becomes like a excuse to just skip breakfast and do it do it that way because it's easy to not eat in the morning for a lot of people. The irony is if you're going to put restrictions on your on your eating and you're like, I don't care what you guys say, it's better for me. I need to have hard lines, lines, lines, you'd be better off doing than the evening later. evening later. evening later. You're better off eating in the during the day and then cutting it off, which by the way would present a challenge for a lot of people because a lot of people have a hard time eating high protein for breakfast.

That's right. Or they're on the run. They're in the run. They're they're rushing. Yes. rushing. Yes. rushing. Yes. But you're better off if you if you're going to do this, which I don't even think you need. I don't think you should do this at all, but if you're going to and your heart set on it, you're better off eating the high protein breakfast, get that blood glucose control, cutting it off at 6 p.m., you'll get better sleep that Also just like okay I mean you I you always go the the research and science stuff which I I think I know our audience appreciates but just anecdotally with clients u this is why and if you've listened to mindful for a very long time I was the big advocate and would deate we used to break up we used to debunk the myth about yes small meals small meals small meals six small meals and I used to advocate still for and argue for it not because of the science and it's burning any more body fat and what we used to say as 20-year-old trainers it's like stoking fire and like that's all [ __ ] and I'm very aware of that.

Yet I still advocated for clients doing that cuz what I found is that when clients were like regularly eating every 2 to three hours and they never allowed themselves to get really hungry, they just had better self-control. And I I'm the same way too. Even if I'm not practicing intermittent fasting, if I just miss breakfast and I don't get my first meal till like 11 or noon and I'm kind of behind all day, well by later evening at 10:00 at night, I'm like ravenous. I'm craving.

I'm more likely to make bad decision and then I make bad and then I make bad whereas if I'm like I get up I make sure I have my my first my first meal early and then I'm having another meal by 10:1 then I have another meal I do if I'm like doing it every 2 to three hours come dinner time I have a very modest dinner I feel satisfied I I can cut it off before bed and I go and I have found that with clients also the clients that try and restrict these windows and stuff like that maybe they have a little temporary success but they're also the ones that are more likely to binge and make bad choices later in the evening.

Yeah. you have to be careful with studies is when you look at a stud they're they're they're controlling, controlling, controlling, right? And not only that, but you look at a study and then you see a result. Uh it's important to get into the study and figure out what's causing the result. So like the benefits that they'll show with fasting are real, but they're not from the fasting. They're they're coming from the calorie restriction. Okay? So it's not the fasting. It's not that I'm not eating for eight hours.

It's that my calories are really low. And for depending on the individual and how long you do this cuz you keep this long up long enough not great either. But for for for a lot of people uh restricting calories for a little bit I mean you get a lot of uh health benefits reduce inflammation higher BDNF in the brain improved you know accelerated cell autophagy anti-cancer all those different things but it's not the fasting it's the caloric restriction. So this is what's real important to look at.

So fasting again in my experience uh unless I'm dealing with those three people that I listed earlier like spiritual reasons uh bigexia or gut health issues uh my the the success rate with fasting for clients for fat loss or anything else is is literally as bad as any other diet. It's got the same fail rate. Uh in fact I would say it's uh a faster track towards disordered eating than the other uh than some of the other uh diets except for the extreme ones. Uh you're going to create some disordered eating eating by the way the people even with gut issues.

I mean, I I think even like the elimination diet where you start just extracting, you know, one item at a time so you can really evaluate, you know, what what your body doesn't agree with the most and and but still the consistency of, you know, having routine. I think the body just it performs so much better when you just give it that kind of like hardline routine as opposed to this intermittent uh, you know, throwing things at And what makes me like really annoyed with this is that often times these articles are presented by scientists and so they have like all this authority.

Uh but but none of them are none of them have coached and trained people for years. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and if they were just took a little extra time and compared it to just regular calorie restriction, they would see see see there's no real benefit uh to fasting aside from the fact that it restricts calories. And again, just for somebody listening, because there's people out there like, "No, I need hard lines." Like, you don't understand. I need like structured eating. For me, that's the best way to get going because I don't think it's a great way to live forever, but maybe for you, it's a great way to get going on figuring this out.

Uh you're far better off restricting in the evening uh from a health perspective uh than you are in the morning. In the morning, it's actually the worst time uh to restrict. I mean, this is why I advocate for the six small meal. There's also a psychological part of that. I think that we there's always that angle, too. Like that's the biggest angle ever. Yeah. When you you you prep these meals, you have the you have a good choice ready for you. It's like it's easier to make that choice then you're not prepared.

You don't have a you don't have a meal. You're on the go. You've also fasted now for 12 hours. It's like, man, you want to talk about really having to white knuckle some situations like that. And then heaven forbid you have one day that week you also had bad night's sleep. Yeah. So now you got a bad night's sleep thrown in there also. So like you just it's like it's inevitably it's going to break. break. break. Totally. Totally. Totally. And then when it does it's just and I'll say this look if if diet was X's and O's, what's good and what's bad.

If it was that easy, there would be no nobody would have any issues with their diet. It would be simple. But the the the thing is diet is so much less of the do this, do that, here's the right diet, and so much more of the behaviors and psychology around it. I mean, that's just a fact, you guys. Like, it's it's if it was as easy as like, "Let me just get like the right way to eat, would anybody have a problem?" No. Then all my all my all my family that love chat GBT would all be in great shape.

shape. shape. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's that was the case cuz you could chat you could put in all your metrics and say, "Give me all the answers and I'll do it." One more one more warning I'll say, and this is more common in women than men. Far more common. Uh, just because our bodies are more sensitive. Fasting repeatedly, even if you're eating enough calories and stuff, does seem to have a stress response on people. And I've had female clients who just did this and then over time hormone issues, uh, hair falling out, like just didn't feel good.

They started feeling burnt out, out, out, uh, because it can cause prolonged periods without eating repeated over and over and over again does uh, cause a bit of a stress response. And you see this in in blood markers. you'll see, you know, catakolamines rise, cortisol rise, and you just do that over time, especially if you combine it with exercise and a busy, you know, you know, lifestyle. Probably not a good idea uh for most people. Speaking of which, speaking of studies studies studies that people don't uh just misconstrue, another study came out on GLP uh medicines and it's flying everywhere and people are just so uh it's a little bit um frustrating.

um frustrating. um frustrating. Yeah. study came out that showed that there was a significant uh correlation between GLP usage and bone weakening. Okay, so now people like, "Oh my god, GLPs, they're bad for your bones." It's massive calorie restriction. No, man. People on GLOP are just not eating enough. That's very predictable. Uh you if you don't eat enough, you're going to lose muscle eventually. Bone mass, uh tendon and ligament strength will go down. Uh hair will go down. you'll notice uh saggy skin on your face, all this, you know, ompic face, all the stuff they talk about.

It's uh it's just because people are doing it wrong. They're they're hammering their appetite with GLPs and eating 1,000 calories a day. And that's what's going to happen. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When you do that for a long time. I'm watching I won't I won't name the family member that I have going through this right now, but I'm watching kind of the the dark side or the the bad side of these JLP ones. I've seen a lot of good examples of like it's we we've obviously had callers and and we took groups through and so we've seen um like the the radical change that somebody's gone through and how awesome it's been and how powerful it can be for people with with behaviors and to break those chains and all those things.

Um I I don't I don't know where I stand. I think I argued pretty strongly on the podcast early on that I felt it would be a net positive for sure from it. I go back and forth especially when I have situations that are really close to me uh my own experience than uh having like a family member that I'm watching like just like drop like 60 70 pounds or whatever. The thing that I'm I'm most fascinated with that um I should know better. I should know that uh even though I I said when I went through it I took my trainer brain out of it.

There's still part of that that I can't eliminate. Right? Like for example, example, example, because of uh who I am and how long I've done this for, I have a healthy relationship with food. So for example, one of the things that I was so fascinated with the GLP1s, I thought it was like just no desire for junk food. In fact, I could feel my body craving nutrient-dense foods because I needed it so bad. Like I felt so deprived. It was just like all I wanted was chicken, steak, and rice or something that like felt like it was of value.

like things that were just garbage. One, didn't taste the same anymore, were bland, and didn't didn't feed me or feel that. Watching somebody who has had a really bad relationship with food for a really long time, it's wild to see that they still keep grabbing the fire Cheetos. And it's like way less and then and then like on the toilet like just destroyed and then come back and then try ice cream cream cream and then and then like and spite of and then not eat not eat for a whole day because going down.

They took a shot, right? They took a shot. The the first two days, no appetite, so almost eat no food. Then finally, day three, they can eat a little something. When they finally do want something, oh, let me try some garbage. And then it's like, and then on the it's battling the all the side effects. And it's like, how is that not signaling to you, don't do that, like go eat and and yet still going back and and and doing that over and over and over.

And I forget that I have a a better a healthy relationship with food. So it was really easy for me. Eat, try one bad thing, notice it doesn't feel good, doesn't sit well. It's like, oh. And then I thought, wow, that's crazy how you just you crave the nutrition. the nutrition. the nutrition. I know different than a lot of eating disorders. disorders. disorders. Yes. But if you have people that are just are it's so insidious they don't even realize. It's like I'm watching it like and coaching to it and still I'm beginning to think that maybe cuz if you look at the medical system doctors uh well-intentioned uh but not trained in coaching almost no nutrition background and they're prescribing uh GLPS to obese people.

Yeah. uh and uh I think if you look at that and you look at it broadly and the the negative effects of just eating too little including muscle loss uh hormone issues like all those different things we may end up with a net like negative or flat because how is there no like standard in terms of like like physicians when they're prescribing this prescribing this prescribing this well here's why I'll tell you why having specific like you have to have program with this with strength I'll tell you why have to have I'll tell you what and this is like this is more of like what I'm like what it's unfolding to me.

Doctor's happy. You know why? know why? know why? They're losing weight. Blood sugar's down, losing weight, like all these other metrics. Like all these other markers are showing positive because this person's coming from obesity. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so they're not like they're not measuring bone density and worrying about it going downg. Yeah. And strength and asking about that. They're like weight is down, blood sugar levels are down, cholesterol is down, like fat is down. like, "Oh, we're keep it up." That's the equivalent of like a plastic surgeon, you know, like, "Oh, yeah.

I can help you get the weight off. I can help you like there's no like like long-term health benefit." You know what's going to happen? Cuz they don't think that way though. Well, and also just the way the industry, the whole medical industry is organized in the incentives. What's going to happen is instead of them because this is the hard way. The hard way and doctors can't do this. They don't have time. The hard way is okay, we're going to put you on this, but we're going to start with a low dose.

We're going to make sure you hit protein. I'm going to make sure you strength train. We're going to coach you and follow you. They're not going to do that. They can't. So, what it's going to look like is the pharma industry is going to come out with more drugs to stack on top of it to help fight for sure for sure for sure the other stuff. Yeah. Muscle building side effect. Yeah. Like all that stuff is going to throw more stuff on top. Well, it makes it even tougher because I think what is it?

Is it It's Moro and Ompic both are preloaded. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so And so And so there's no modifying the dose. Yeah. There's no modifying the dose. It's just go up. That's like that's that's what the the dose that they they had my family member on was just like holy [ __ ] completely crushing. And you know why that was was because when they first uh put her on it still was eating the bad food and some of that not seeing fast enough weight loss. So it's like ramp it up you know so ramp it up and then finally it's like crush the appetite like doesn't want to eat for a day or two then finally eats a little bit.

When they do eat it's something that's not like it's like holy smokes. And you're getting this feedback of you go eat the thing and then you're you're tore up on the toilet the toilet the toilet but who cares the weight's going down. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like it just and but knows knows it's making them miserable and still gravitates to it. So I know that I said that I did my best to take my trainer brain out and experience that so I could try and relate to a client as much.

But what I didn't realize until this recent conversation was conversation was conversation was you didn't you didn't allow yourself to be sick on the toilet. Yeah. I didn't allow myself to be naive to what I was feeling and and I like I I just went with how I felt and so in my head I would go like yeah but how you feel and and you're how you're connected to how you feel different different different right and I just I I misunderstood the level and the power of how important that is.

that is. that is. You know what we're going to see is we're going to see over the years it's going to take a while you're going to see um an explosion of osteopenia osteoporosis injuries. You're going to see IQ drop. you're going to start to see IQ because not enough nutrients, your brain starts to also suffer. Uh it's it's not going to be good until unless people really figure out uh how to do this the right way. way. way. Malnourished and brittle. It's it's frustrating. By the way, I got to say this too.

My this is my favorite part of the whole thing only because uh there's a part of me that is very uh gets annoyed with Hollywood. the whole uh you know uh what is what was the movement they were doing like body like body like body oh yeah body body acceptance movement body positivity move through Hollywood gone all those overweight actors and musicians who were like promoting like promoting like promoting you know healthy at any size and body they're all skinn they're all skinny now they all went on on on JLPs and lost hella weight all those same people just just remind people that Hollywood they don't give a crap about you they're just going to say whatever they think they're supposed to say type of along these lines signs.

By the way, this is good news. So, RFK just took a bunch of So, there was a bunch of peptides. I have a list of them here. here. here. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Where uh they were not available uh uh through compoundingies cuz the FDA came down and said, "You guys can't compound these anymore." So, for people who don't know, you can get um GLPS through your physician, brand name, uh far more expensive, or you could go through like a company like that we work with.

If you go to np hormones.com, you work with a doctor. You still work with a doctor, but they work with a compound pharmacy. So, it's the equivalent of a generic drug versus brand name. Okay? So, it's like ibuprofen versus Advil. Same medicine, a little more expensive to go brand name. Same thing. So, compoundies are were able to make all these different peptides. FDA said no more. So they had to they banned them for a while. RFK reversed that. So now you can get again original BPC57, thyosin alpha, thymosin beta, you can get GHKCU, you can get Epimein, Epalon, KPV, MC is back, CAX and Sanker back, Kiss Pepin, DSIP, all back now through real compoundies through doctors.

So if you go to np hormones.com you can get all those peptides again which were you know for a while they're FDA regulatedarmacies uh compoundingarmacies weren't able to make them them them good official now they're all back. Yeah you can get them all now. Yeah I know that is that is really cool. I was uh you know recently I've been reading this book and and these studies on like um anxiety and depression and how like community is so important and uh how that's probably the real reason why we're seeing challenges.

It's not social media. It's not tech. It's that it's replacing it's replacing it's replacing these other important things. So, I was listening more and I heard something so uh it's it's obvious, but when I heard it really was like, whoa, that's that's crazy. crazy. crazy. We've confused We've confused We've confused uh like uh breadth of friendships to with depth of friendship. So, like I know a lot of people, I have a lot of acquaintances. A lot of people know my name. I say hi to them.

Uh and the data shows uh better than nothing. It's better than being isolated but it pales in comparison to having really deep friendships. It's not even on the same univer and I think uh think uh think uh inherently we all know that without naming names uh the amount of people that we have met in the space that are that are that are Instagram famous or YouTube famous and they're surrounded by you know millions of people following them and and communicating with them. Loneliest people Loneliest people Loneliest people are some of the loneliest people we've ever met.

so lonely. A lot of them battle depression and and take anti-anxiety medication and, you know, really struggle with this. Yet, you see this outward personality online and they're always doing stuff with people and it's like it's all this great social life. Yeah. You you think that they must have the most social life. Look at all the things they do and all the people around them and all. It's like and then yet when you actually get to know them in person in a conversation outside of the cameras and it's like they just they lack depth.

They lack connection. They just they don't have any really they don't have any they call a really close friend and it's like wow it's so wild. Well, one of the reasons why this hit me so hard is because uh I wasn't like that but it was definitely I was definitely me. Like in the past, I'd have friendships and I'd have family, but I would only let them in so far. Like you can't I I wouldn't let people in on my challenges, on my struggles, on my real like vulnerable ch to the point when I got divorced, you guys notice when I got divorced, was it 11, 12 years ago, my family was shocked.

They had no idea. They're like, "What? What? What do you mean?" Not knowing that the last, you know, 10 years was really really really right. Because you didn't admit anything. anything. anything. I didn't let them in. And so that's the depth. The depth is like like do people really know you and do you really know them? And a few of those friendships is like that's worth gold. gold. gold. What has the uh because you've openly shared this with us and told us this before. What is that what does that practice or training look like for you to work on that?

Um what does that look like? Yeah. What does that look? Because obviously becoming aware of it is step one. That's what I was going to say. That's number one. Yeah. Step one is you become aware I'm this guy who does this. Uh step two is how do I get out of that? Like are there moments um where you're like this is something that I I wouldn't share with my boys. Uh I need to do this and it's like it's uncomfortable. You don't want like are you do are you are you are you consciously exercising that?

It's still a challenge and I think it's probably a challenge for a lot of guys cuz you you don't want to feel like a burden. burden. burden. You know what I mean? Like I don't want to tell you know this you I don't want I got it. I'm going to handle it. That was like my mo. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um uh you know finding faith uh made a huge difference on that. Huge difference on that. Um and so now it's much easier for me to like communicate challenges and issues and even do it publicly.

Um which actually it's funny publicly it's easier for me than in private. uh which is also a way of kind of you know putting up a wall type of deal right like I can tell about I can talk about here but then in person I'm not going to talk too much about it but uh it's way better now what do you think that is right there right there right there oh I know what that is if if I feel like I'm helping someone else then I can do it it it oh interesting oh interesting oh interesting yeah cuz it's not a burden you see so I can do that oh you'll reveal enough but then they're not going to keep digging well they also they can't they can't give any feedback that's what I mean they're not going to keep like prying Well, it's not just that.

It's the feeling like a burden part. Like I could do it with clients if I like if somebody comes to me with like an eating disorder uh early on. I I I found if I shared that I struggled. It's also It's also It's also I feel like I'm helping them. It's also self- serving the ego versus true vulnerability. true vulnerability. true vulnerability. Well, true vulnerability is true vulnerability would be putting yourself out there with you said an uncomfortable situation with your friends. Doing it to help others is the makes my ego feel better because I'm helping others.

helping others. helping others. Yeah, I guess you could put it that way. The other way to think about it is uh um real vulnerability means uh you get I you I I'm not helping you in any way, shape or form. So now I'm really vulnerable, you know, like just about whatever you're you're you're struggling with this and now you got to rely on someone else. You know what I Well, especially like you said with men because it's like, you know, you don't want to admit like all these things that are failing, you know, and that's a really hard thing to come forward with that without any other, you know, sort of context of how you're fixing it or how how how cuz that's always me.

It's like, well, I'm working on this and I'm going to fix this [ __ ] this [ __ ] this [ __ ] Totally. Totally. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think a lot of guys like, oh man, I'm really getting, you know, I'm sucking at this. Yeah. I think a lot of guys can relate to to that. By the way, uh doing this it's I think it's important you have a wife and you're and you share with her, but this is also a natural thing for a husband that you don't want to burden your like let's say you're the the primary bread winner.

I'll give a good example. You're the you work and your wife stays at home and man, you're struggling at work and you're like, "Oh my god, I might lose my job." I I think it's honorable to not want to burden her with every one of those uh problems cuz now she's stressed out, too. You want to try and make her feel secure. Well, I also think that's one of the places where real val real valuable relationship with other men come in where you need you get to you and I have a beard and you're like, "Bro, I think I might get fired this and you and I talk it out and we work about it and like 100%." 100%." 100%." Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Rock when you get home. Yeah. That's a thing. 100%. I was having that discussion with somebody and they're like, "Oh, yeah. That's That's That's cuz you're right. Burdening your wife with every challenge at work and now she's at home with the kids and she's like probably like you want to protect her a little bit." Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, no, no. I mean, the the the flip, which I think is true in her role, like her burning you with all the things that she's doing at home while you're out doing the breadwinning and the money is also is also is also it's important for men and women to have uh that's like that's again that's the relationship with she she has with her girlfriend that goes like, "Oh my god, the kids today, they were this or that." It's like last thing you want to hear when you're almost about to get fired from your job in the middle of the day.

like, "Oh my god, my son the son your son just did this and broke the windows." It's like that's not like I mean it goes both ways. You're right. Yeah. Yeah. That's that's why there's got to be value. There's value for both sexes having relationships with people. I think the the next layer of complexity is like healthy good ones. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. So it's like that's it's like first Yeah. That sucks if you have toxic. Yeah. Because then then it's like cuz then that's the the other layer to this is uh it's it's already important to have those.

But then you also want good and so I I was always this was an area that I didn't struggle in. I've always had networks of friend. But what I've realized as I got older is uh how I've curated that circle. So I I I didn't have a problem. I'm very open. I'm very vulnerable. I'll share I'll share that stuff. That wasn't probably it has something to do with being raised by a mother and I have that more of that feminine energy. So I'm okay with doing that.

But also having men that weren't going to pull me up and and push me to be better versus more like, "Oh man, yeah, that sucks or that's [ __ ] dude." Or, "F her." You know, like, you know, like that's not that's not helping. You know what I'm saying? That's not making me better or really go. So, being able to curate that circle. That's why I I mean, I really do believe you're an average of the five people you spend the most time with. And so, so, so, you know, what's a good example of that?

It'd be like if I was hanging out with a bunch of uh like uh meatthead uh body dysmorphia bodybuilder guys, that's my friends. And then I go to them like, "Guys, I think I'm overdoing it with my workouts and I think I'm just I have a bad No, bro. Go after it, bro. Be disable." disable." disable." Well, no, that's such a good good point. Such a good point to bring up, S, because because because when we're young, especially in our like teenage years and young adult years, you tend to gravitate to others who have the same insecurities and [ __ ] and then you form these bonds that you have and that so this was me like I like I I form bonds and loyalty to a lot of other men that struggle with all the same insecurities and issues and [ __ ] and so we're all stuck.

Yeah. You commiserate. Yeah. and and you don't realize it and then you and you justify it because like oh that's my boy. We got into like at least five fights together and he's got my back and like you know what I'm saying? Like he would die for me. Like you that's why uh Goodwill Hunting resonates so much with me. That's like it's all loyalty when you're Yeah, it's all it's all loyalty. It's like you've built this like this this family unit, but it's it's based and rooted around these insecurities.

You know, it's a good uh bullwark against that. Um so I I I learned this from our church. We have groups that we go to. They have they're really good. The church I go has got really good communities and stuff. And they said, and I think this is brilliant. You need to have other men in your life, but you also need to have men that are in a same life st similar life stage. So you got young kids, you're whatever. You want friends that are like that as well.

You also want older male friends who are retired, they they've raised the kids, they're they've gone through all that. And then you want men under you that you can mentor. Uh, and they said that that combination is the best uh for being vulnerable, offering help and stuff. and stuff. and stuff. I I I Yeah. And I'd add to that too with like if you can do that and then find things that that are different that you admire about each of them. Like I might have my friend who like just has lots of spiritual wisdom and he's older and he has this.

I love that. Learn from that. Yeah, I can I I can learn from that. Then I have somebody who's just fiscally super responsible and done really well for him financially. Then I have my, you know, founder friends. It's like having a diverse group and and seeing characteristic characteristics that you admire about those other men. Totally. Cuz you can also have that too cuz there's I have I have good close relationships where relationships where relationships where you know maybe that friend I there's certain aspects of him that it's like that's not something I want to get from him, him, him, but they have other aspects that I admire that I go like well that I do admire that.

admire that. admire that. You try to steer the hangouts around the aspect. aspect. aspect. That's how you really start curating that. And I too I always gauge it based off of like, you know, is this filling me up or is this draining me down, you know? And like that's after I leave to hang out, it's like, okay, well, I have to evaluate that and what was that? And so then you kind of start to curate a better environment that brings out more of the positives. I remember as a young dad cuz you know I have older kids so at one point I was kind of a young dad and I'd have buddies that were still single and they were the worst for any kind of advice or or anything around that because they didn't understand they had all the that quote unquote freedom in the world or whatever.

But being friends with other younger dads was great because they're in the same thing. They have the same priorities. So now you guys are imagine you're coaching your your young, you know, teenage sons, um, that are getting into young being young men and young adults and this is they're this is starting to click for them. They understand this and they might not be there yet, but they're they're starting to and they go, "Well, how do I do that, Dad?" Like, how do you coach them to curate that?

What does that look like? Because I know that's what when we talk about things like this, I I get DMs all the time about this. It's like, okay, I get that this is important, but like, and a lot of people think of it as like it's this breakup. Like, they got you, okay, I realize these are my toxic friends that we, you know, that we grew up in high school together and stuff like that, and I need to evolve past that, but they have they really struggle with it.

So, what do I have to have a breakup conversation? And then how do I get that? get that? get that? It's a lot like our nutrition conversations where you're seeking out, you know, better nutritious foods. like I'm seeking out better friends that uh can mentor me or have some something to offer that's even better. And it's like you just it just naturally starts to gravitate more of your time. you're not completely disregarding, you know, that that friend group and maybe there's some value still there. But then that's where you look at that friend group like, well, how can I create and foster an environment where, you know, the best aspects of them, you know, I can enjoy with them, but like I'm not just doing it as frequently as I was, right?

I'm not I love that. I love the idea of giving that analogy like how we coach people with nutrition instead of thinking about cutting out more. Yeah. add more to where it's just it becomes a small amount of your time and then that time is focused on maybe the connection that you have with them. And the other thing too with teenage boys is often times the older mentor it can be dad but often times it's a coach like really good coaches do a good job of mentoring uh younger men.

Uh it could also be a pastor. Um and then mentoring younger uh guys uh which you could tell them specifically, hey, go get a kid that's 2, three years younger than you. wants to play your sport or whatever and you know coach them once a week. There's this is an unlock for guys by the way. You take a young man who's struggling and you put them in charge of other younger men and they tend to rise up. I remember learning I had a client years ago who got sent to one of those like those camps.

He was uh he got caught smoking weed a bunch and his parents sent him off to one of those camps and he was just he was struggling. He had no direction. He was good kid but just no direction. And one of the things they did with him is they put him in charge of a group of six younger guys and he just rose to the occasion. Suddenly became this like great leader and just totally became a better person. Responsibility. Responsibility. Responsibility. I think there's also too like there's a lot of value and like we we were we're always trying to like measure our time and value of dollars or something like that.

And like so so many young men that I talk to are afraid to go add value to somebody's else life without getting some sort of financial exchange for it or something. So it's like, dude, if you see someone that you admire in business or something that they do like to work for. for. for. Yeah, exactly. You know how valuable that is? that is? that is? Like find a way to add value to their life with asking nothing in return because the value is getting close to that person.

The value is being of value to that person because then that person will want you around and be okay with that being around like and that may means doing hours of stuff, you know, on a daily or weekly basis for free for this person. But the wisdom and that that you gain will pay itself tfold in your life. Totally. And being okay with that. We're always so caught up in like, well, how much am I gonna make if I go do all that stuff for him for free?

Is he gonna pay me or should I out? It's like, no. Like as if what you're getting you in the room room room as if you're not getting any value. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's insane. That's crazy. All right, I'm going to uh go in a in a different direction. I don't know if you saw this, Justin. Did you see the CIA declassified uh documents that came out? Just listen. This is, bro. People are posting the funniest memes and it's like a conspiracy theorist and they're like celebrating or like kings because they're just right all the time right now.

now. now. They're all right. Every single one is coming true. Declassified CIA files reveal that under President uh President Lyndon B. Johnson, the military sprayed chemicals from planes, also known as stratospheric aerosol injections to modify the weather. Uhhuh. Uhhuh. Uhhuh. So So So So chemtrails. Yeah. And then that was funny and like, "Oh, you're an idiot." Tinfoil hat loser. Oh man. You know what's funny, too? Cuz my cousin, my cousin, he likes he he gets all into this cuz my my uncle was like this. And my uncle's really smart, so he wasn't like wacky conspiracy stuff.

He'd like get into it. My cousin was taking he lives up in uh Roseville, right? And you know, it's California. It gets super hot up there, sunny. And he was taking pictures and he's like, "Check out the sky right now. Super clear." And then you see planes going across and you see the the contrail or whatever. And then he was taking pictures of it and those contrails were spreading. Next thing you know the whole sky is hazy. is hazy. is hazy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And he's like that's not a contrail dude.

He's like that's a chemtrail. Why are they doing like total crossing patterns so they like blanket one entire area? area? area? Like come on dude. Dude, what's happening dude? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Aren't there other files that are supposed to be coming out this year too? like more JFK stuff or another another conspiracy. conspiracy. conspiracy. I can't handle anymore. I need a break, dude. Stop releasing them. Let me just chill for a second. That's sort of the They may as well just dump it all right now because the fact that all the Epstein stuff came out and like we're just like nobody's in jail.

Nobody's like it's just like why not just throw it all out there now at this point. Like just just just I had heard there's like so there was like something like 4.9 terabytes of or whatever that they've released. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But there's like a 100 terabytes still of still of still of of just Epstein. Oh, of just epste. Well, I told you guys that Epstein stat that I heard that if you were to stack the emails p on paper, one one email at a time on top of each other, it's taller than two Eiffel Towers.

Towers. Towers. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. I mean, just did you, by the way, did you see that they they all the emails there is a period of time where there's no email no email no email the 911 time right around September 11. it right before during. before during. before during. Did you see Did you Did I send I'm pretty sure I sent Justin the stuff. I sent Justin all the stuff more. The uh Dude, I like it too. Yeah, I know. Sorry. I'll send it to you, too.

Uh the the interview of the guy there was like suppressed interviews from the firefighters that were in the building that said they saw explosions go off. Well, it's funny cuz like you know when all this happened it was you know I I was watching the news like like was big time like and I was sitting there and you there was actually interviews that were like very controversial that they live and they never showed never showed never showed that's what I'm talking about. These were these are these guys are like covered they just walked out and they're talking.

talking. talking. They're talking about explosions and like how it was like very much like there's no way it would just randomly well after the plane. Yeah. Especially the other buildings that they would just collapse like uniformly like that. There's no way. Is it thermite? Is that the name of the Didn't they find a bunch of thermite in the You know what that is? That's what melts steel. It's a compound that burns so hot. so hot. so hot. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That they use it for demolition to melt to melt steel.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I know. I know. Yeah. Oh man. And at this point it's like if you get all this release, there's just people out there that they just will resist it. They don't want to hear it. And they're still going to push back and be like, "Oh, this is all fake." I have I'm so like it's just baffling to me like what what like how do you decipher and determine what is true? Now that's just it. you've been gas lit so much that the common the common theme that I'm seeing in like my family and friends that don't go down the rabbit hole or like it's just like oh I don't even know what's true or they just dis they like so they they hear some crazy thing that's came out that proved a conspiracy theory true and they don't they're just like oh it's probably a psychological tactic in the Soviet Union is they would constantly change information to the point where people were just like I don't know what to believe believe believe that's where we're at right now we're that's When I talk to somebody who doesn't follow any of it or isn't into it and you bring something up, it's like, "Yeah, is that just another one of those things though that's not like I just dismiss it." My favorite my favorite part of all the September 11th thing that I always am so fascinated by was one of the most surveyed places in the world with audio recording security is the Pentagon.

This is remember this is like the central hub of intelligence of intelligence and defense of the United States government. It's surrounded by cameras. Okay? Like for sure for sure for sure there's no way you're going to sneak in surrounded. And we we don't have a single video of the plane flying in and hitting the side. We don't have a single one. And they confiscated all the security cameras from like the 7-Elevens and stuff around there. We don't have a single the the only video they show you can't tell what it is.

It just boom, blows up. It won't. There's no more video. I'm like, you can't tell me there isn't a like a there's a recording of how many birds flew by that building that day. I guarantee you they have the whole place is surveyed like crazy. There's people out there that want more government. It's just it's just it's just mindboggling to me. It's it's disgusting to think that one of the most horrific things that's ever happened in our history was done to ourselves. ourselves. ourselves. Maybe. Or we just don't know.

I mean, that's that's that's just that's that's so uh evil. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So evil and and so bad to think that. But again, like I said, the people that are close in my family that are just like like like who knows? who knows? who knows? Who knows? Yeah. It's just it's it's just it's like tune it out. You like you tune it out and you're just like just I mean and I I don't know if that was always the strategy. Like maybe that was the strategy from day one was just like eventually this going to be so much.

It seems like that's the strategy right now. Yeah, it does feel like that, right? It feels like any any skepticism that's going to go against like, you know, some push agenda or whatever. It's like, you know, the only thing they have is to make you look crazy. crazy. crazy. Listen, why are they releasing? First, we get Epstein emails and they're just boom boom tons of them. And it's crazy stuff. Simultaneously CIA declassified documents are showing. We were definitely trying mind control with psychedelics and drugs. We were definitely definitely definitely even before MK Ultra, what was that?

Operation Art Choke. Yeah. So that was even before like I even knew about that's declassified. Oh, and oh yes, we were bio-engineering ticks to to spread disease. Oh, and yes, we are spraying chemical. chemical. chemical. So all the punches were actually 100% true. true. true. Oh, and yes, aliens are real. And it's like boom boom boom boom boom. I think that's the the strategy right now is to make us go, I don't know what the hell to believe. to believe. to believe. Right. Right. It's it's all it's all so we talk about Bigfoot finally.

Wait for the one of you say that when we were walking. were walking. were walking. There's hella signing of Bigfoot right now. now. now. See, now, okay, this is what they do, too, though, right? This is where it gets fun for me. This is what they do right here. Then they throw some [ __ ] out there like that that you're just like, that isn't true. And then you're like, no, right now there's like a huge amount of reported Doug, look it up, of of Bigfoot sightings right now that are happening.

happening. happening. That's exciting. That's exciting. That's exciting. Which is exciting. By the way, you know, one of the main theory, you know what's funny about Bigfoot? There's a big theory that Bigfoot is an interdimensional. Yeah. Maybe. Yeah. Maybe. Yeah. Maybe. Well, they're they're just Yeah, they're trying to figure out why he disappears, why he's so good at hideand-seek, you know, like this big animal that's supposedly, you know, can't be super fast. Yeah, it can't be super fast. Like, you know, is in and out. And so, what do you get, Doug?

What do you get over here? over here? over here? Yeah. So, a lot have been reported early this year, most notably in northeast Ohio, which I never thought would be the place you'd see Bigfoot. Yeah. uh where several residents and a sheriff reported a 7 to 8 foot tall foul smelling creature and then there's been additional sightings in uh California from uh March. So yeah, it seems to be a thing right now. You say where in California? Always northwest north probably. Let me see if I can find more details here.

Um here. Um here. Um bro, isn't isn't that where you're at? Do you know Renan can Canyon where we have we have a Bigfoot museum? You know that, right? like down the street from street from street from Oh, also uh San Bernardino County. Wow. Wow. Wow. A lot of sightings, but we got Wisconsin. All these iPhones. You think we would catch some footage? No. No. No. I mean, well, they have some, but you know, you It's so skeptical. I know. I remember the last one I see was like totally guy.

We even have Florida and Texas, you know, reporting. know, reporting. know, reporting. You know what's weird, by the way? Bigfoot and aliens have some some interesting things in common. What? Like, yes. So, aliens, when people have uh encounters with aliens, they report a foul smell. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Often a suluric or wet dog type smell, which is the same kind of smell that people refer to with Bigfoot. I did not know that. Yeah. Do you know what else has a bad smell, Adam? smell, Adam? smell, Adam?

Oh, what? Oh, what? Oh, what? Demons. Demons. Demons. You know what else is interdimensional, Adam? Adam? Adam? Demons. Demons. Demons. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know, bro. I don't know. Might all be demons. You see that meme with the affirmation aliens? aliens. aliens? aliens. aliens? aliens. There's going to be one with Sal just like like like Hey, what once I debunked this carbon carbon dating now everything's on the table now. table now. table now. Everything's on the table now. Oh my gosh. I can't wait till we have reality is getting flipped upside down.

Yeah, we got Ste Steven Meyer will be on at some point. We're supposed to be having a schedule come on and he he breaks down all the science of that stuff. stuff. stuff. I'm actually really excited. And I tell you what, bro, you were right. But you couldn't sell it. You don't know the science, dude. This was how Adam sold it. This is how you sold it. So, were you there? I wasn't there. This is not how I was a beaker. beaker. beaker. Did you see it?

Did you see a dinosaur yourself? yourself? yourself? You mentioned it in the lab. I'm going to have to go back. I'm going have to go back and listen. Uh, you got to sell it better, dude. Right. Hey, this is me as a trainer, too. Like, I read the science. I understand it. Get me to regurgitate it perfectly. perfectly. perfectly. Just listen. That's why I tell my clients, just trust me. Just listen to what I have to say. Sorry, bro. I know. I'm sorry. I didn't trust you.

Yeah. Just should know that by now. Like I know. I read the books. I saw it. I heard the data, but I could not regurgitate it for you. Like that's your skill, dude. That's that's you read something. I'll sell you. Tell me what to sell, dude. I'll tell Hey, speaking of selling, so uh you we're this uh episode sponsored by Vori. And I got to say something, And I got to say something, dude. I was going through my my closet. I by this point 80% of my closet is Fiori, right?

We've been sp How long have you been sponsored by them? Good. Eight years, I think. Eight now. Probably more, actually. Bro, I got stuff. At least I got stuff that's like seven or eight years old. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. From Vory. From Vory. From Vory. I' I've washed them hundreds of times. They look brand. This is the It's the longest lasting. longest lasting. longest lasting. I still wear like my old stuff. They just don't go they don't get old. They last a long time. I you know I don't know if you guys seen I've been wearing the if you go back on some of the episodes I've been wearing that the the jacket.

I don't know what you call that. I wish it's like the lightweight black one I have. That's a Vor jacket. It's button up. Yeah. up. Yeah. up. Yeah. A windbreaker or Yeah. Yeah. It's like a kind of a like like a windbreaker material. Love material. Love material. Love they have a bunch of new stuff. Love. Yes. Love. Yes. Love. Yes. Oh, their rain coat, dude. I don't know if you guys have seen that one, but I wear that one all the time. It dude, it's so lightweight and perfect.

And yeah, I always forget about that and then it rains. I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I have this." have this." have this." I love that they're like branching out in more style stuff. It was It was very just kind of athleisure wear focused. Oh, no. No. But I feel I mean they got they got into snow gear and stuff like that. They get into rain jackets like that. this kind of windbreaker vibe like the flannel. Yeah. No, they got a lot. Are you able to cast up there, Doug?

I want to see what it's called. Uh what Adam has cuz uh Yeah. Let me see if I can I I bought the last one in the store when we just did a we did a shoot for them just recently. Yeah. And they get every time they get me, me, me, you guys come up with this. Yes. They get me. They get me every time I'm in there cuz there's something new that just got dropped. Late to the party. Are you pulling it up right now, Doug?

Yeah. I'm trying to get it. What's the name of it? Uh, I don't know which one you're referring to exactly. So many jackets. You haven't seen me wear it? I I probably It's got like a collar. It's got a collar to it. It Button It buttons up. It's lightweight. It's lightweight. It's lightweight. The the the wrist have like a like I can velcro it tighter or loose like it's Yeah. Let me see if I can get this to cast up here. Yeah, they come they got really But I was was was What I will say this, this is one and and thank god they've been with us for as long as they have and stuck with us for this long.

I'm terrible at remembering all the exact names of of of all the all the gear. She's like, I know what I like. I I know what it is. Like I know what it is for when I see it. Ponto chino. Ponto chino. Ponto chino. But when Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When when I got it dropped and when someone's like what is it? What are I'm like Sundays? They like Sundays. Sunday joggers. I know those. Like Well, that was my first favorite with the the Sunday joggers. I got I must What's this one?

That's the seaside sweats. Yeah. Seaside. Yeah. Seaside. Yeah. Seaside. That whole sweat line is amazing. Yeah. You got any suggestions of what it might be called, Doug? I wish I could. You don't even have a guess, huh? I don't even have a guess because again, I'm trying to get through all these different uh different uh different uh put in the show. Is it considered a shirt jacket? It's a jacket. We'll have We'll make sure the editors find it and put it in the uh the uh the uh Yeah.

Yeah. I I can't tell you. I mean, I seen one. It's called the Coronado shirt jacket, which is a button-up jacket, but it's almost with a collar. That might be it. It might be it. Coronado shirt jacket. Adam. I'm I mean I'm looking really quick right now to see if I can find it in the short of time of this is uh men. men. men. We'll just go with that shirt. Everyone's like that doesn't look like the one Adam was wearing. Let's keep talking about 911.

I'm always like, "Oh, we got to be careful, dude." Although, hey, conspiracy theorist, they're crushing right now. They're like 10 and0 or something like that. stepping on that on that on that rail. While you guys are look, while Doug's confused looking this up, what do you think the next Let's Let's bet some bets. V It's a V1 Coach jacket. Okay. V1 coach jacket. V1 V1 coach jacket. All right. What is What is the next conspiracy theory that will be proven right? Wow. Wow. There's so many.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I can't think of what hasn't. Tell me what's on the table still. still. still. That's where I'm trying. That's literally where I'm at right now cuz I think they've all been proven right. I think the um I think the power So um So um So um Oh, I got one. So So the pyramids, you know, the theory of it being an actual source of power. Yeah, I think that one's going to be the next the next the next I got one. It's going to make all the co stuff has already been done.

Well, that's already Yeah. That was [ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] This is going to make people super angry. Everybody relax. What I'm about to say. Just calm down. But they did they took they took a bunch of AI um AIs. I'll read it to you guys and what they did and they put in a bunch of data. Uh they took Super Grock, ChatGBT, and Google Gemini and they gave them fed them a bunch of data and studies and they all concluded that vaccines cause autism. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

That's what the AIs did. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. I hope that doesn't come out true, you guys. If that does, that'll be terrible. That's such a hot topic to That's such a hot topic to It would be brutal. It is. But if that comes out, by the way, who knows if they're right or whatever, but if it comes out and that's proven, oh my god, that's going to be really really really I wonder how bad how what what data they were scouring. Is it just a correlation though?

Would they would they put there? I mean, I mean, I mean, I have no idea. Yeah, like that's um I don't know how AI does it. I yeah I would imagine uh what led to that you know quote unquote conspiracy theory if you want to call it that uh is that there there was a high enough correlation that people started connecting saying that and so there was already I mean I think the human mind had already figured out that there's there's there seems to be a correlation there and so there must have been a release of a lot of data because they do internal studies all the time with these um medications so analyzed a 82page study is what they did and they they concluded included.

This is what the AI devices concluded. There you go, Douglas. That's the one. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's nice, dude. Yeah, I have mine. Mine's like a charcoal color. Yeah, it's sick, dude. It's really cool. I didn't know there was other colors. I want that blue one. I'm so getting other colors. Look at that, dude. You should be a model for them, bro. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. You got to have a face like that. I don't have that look, dude. I don't have a jawline like that.

No. Yeah. No. Yeah. No. Yeah. You ever seen Hey, show me a model that's got a fat face. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Models don't have fat faces. You know what? You You kind of That's weird. That's true. You're like ultra handsome fat face, though. Yeah. How does that work? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good job, dude. You just got to look you got to look confused like where is he looking right now? now? now? Yeah. Yeah. I don't I don't have the I don't have the jawline, dude, to be uh to be a model at all.

So, or the luxurious hair. luxurious hair. luxurious hair. Justin has that. Oh, yeah. I'm not a model. Ziotics is the world's first and only pre-alcohol drink that actually works. Remember this is genetically modified bacteria. Okay, it's patented. And what this bacteria does when you consume it, it's probiotic is it break it breaks down acetalahhide in the gut. What's acetalahhide? It's one of the negative byproducts of alcohol. So when you drink alcohol, it breaks down this negative byproduct in the gut so it doesn't get into your bloodstream like it normally would.

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I really enjoy your podcast. Um, and I've learned a lot. Awesome. All right. Thank you. what you got for us? All right. So, I'll just jump right into my question. Um, so my question is, how should I train during pregnancy and before getting pregnant? What should be the goal during this time and what can I expect? So, for a little context, I eventually want to cut and reach a body fat goal of 20 to 22%. I'm currently 51 um and around 130 lbs with a body fat around 28%.

I eat around 2300 to 2500 calories per day. I did a reverse diet at uh 25 I got up to 2500 to get my period back and I've had a consistent period the past 3 months. So after having my first baby, I had a tough postpartum. I had an unexpected C-section and lost a lot of weight afterwards. I was around 118 pounds postpartum. postpartum. postpartum. I didn't have a period even after I stopped breastfeeding and finally realized I had hypothalamic amenorhea. So, I cut back on activity and I increased my calories.

I eventually got it back um at 1 and 1/2 years after uh giving birth. I've been at maintenance and while I really want to try to work towards my body fat goal, I know I shouldn't try to cut right now. My husband and I want to start trying for a second baby in the next couple months. So, should my goal during this time be maintenance? Um, can I expect to make any gains during pregnancy? Yeah, good question. I see you wearing scrubs, by the way. Do you work in the medical field?

medical field? medical field? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. What do you do if you don't mind me asking? Yeah, I'm actually a dentist. Okay, cool. Very cool. And I wanted to ask that question because um it you have it seems like just based off of um you know not getting your period and and kind of what you experienced before that you probably uh veer more towards stress uh and do uh rather than rest. Is that accurate would you say? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So yeah. So um for people listening um hypothalic aminora is a result of typically it's too much stress not enough eating and so your body just doesn't want to be fertile.

So what you did during that period is you probably did less work and ate more and then the period came back and now you're saying you got it back for the last 3 months. Yeah. And also I have a history of an eating disorder. So, I think even though my body fat percentage and like even my weight was probably like at a like could be a healthy um number, I think just given what my body's been through in the past, too. Maybe it's a little more protective.

protective. protective. Yep. I would agree. That's a really really good observation. Yeah. Yeah. Very good observation. So, your body fat percentage is actually exactly where you want to be to get pregnant. So, typically mid to high 20s is where you'll see the best fertility. Uh if you're trying to get pregnant right now, there is no fitness goal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're just you're just working out. Now, if you get stronger, that's a good sign. sign. sign. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because that means you're eating enough. So, if you have to have a goal, the goal I would have is to get stronger in the gym.

gym. gym. Muscle preservation. Muscle preservation. Muscle preservation. Yeah. So, because getting stronger typically means I'm eating enough. Uh my stress is okay. I'm getting good sleep. Uh so, if you need a goal, it's to get stronger. And I would start I would start back up on the slow reverse diet right now. right now. right now. I keep them calories around 2500 for sure. 2500 in a three-day a week type of training program or like a MAPS 15 type of protocol. Either one of those two programs with eating 2500 calories should keep you in that good place.

Yeah, I like MAPS 15 a lot, especially with the the workload that you probably have. Um have. Um have. Um and the responsibilities that you hold. Plus your b your your first child is what uh a year and a half old. Yeah, he'll be turn turning two soon. Okay. So, you're still got your hands full. Yeah, you still got your hands full. So, it takes a little while for that to slow down. Uh so, I would go maps 15, I would continue to reverse diet. And then when you're pregnant, the uh idea is for exercise is to maintain good uh pain-free mobility and health.

And so MAPS 15 would remain to be the best program and walking and you want to listen to your body. As you probably already know, first trimester sometimes really sucks. So if you can only do a little bit, then do that. If you can't do anything, then don't do that. Um, and you're just listening to your body the whole time. Postpartum, once you get cleared, depending on the situation, uh, now you're looking at MAP starter, and that would be the ideal program. Uh, postpartum. By the way, what I'm telling you isn't just the best advice for fertility, it's also the best advice for overall fitness and health.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, they're actually both the same. Because if we go opposite of what I'm saying, uh not only will you reduce your your chances of getting pregnant, you'll also prolong the amount of time it's going to take to quote unquote get back in shape and all that. So, it's actually the same thing. And I'm only saying that to sell you, by the way. What I'm saying is true. I'm not making it up. But I'm only saying that to sell you on this because you probably have a tendency to go, "Yeah, but I want to get this "Yeah, but I want to get this at the same time." Yeah, that's right.

Yeah. So, what you're saying is I can I should keep increasing my calories right now. now. now. Are you at 2500 right now? Are you at 2500 right now? Yeah. And I mean I think just give or take the the type of day it's um it's right around there, but I can eat anywhere from like 2300 to 2500 and it seems like my weight is kind of stable. Yes. Um Yes. Um Yes. Um you're probably in a good place right now. Are you uh what's your activity like throughout the day?

How how many how often do you like like how many steps? Have you ever tracked how many steps you're at? I'm at like 10,000 about a day. Okay. You're moving pretty good then. Yeah, I' I'd want you hitting 2500. That would be kind of consistently. Yeah, consistently hitting 2500. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, So, So, um should I try to bump up like my calories and I guess intentionally to bulk to or stronger? I would let your body tell you. In other words, I would the goal would be to hit 25, follow the training program and try and be get strong.

If you start to build muscle, you'll feel an appetite increase. And if your appetite increases, feed it whole foods and go ahead and let your calories come up. But you also might be at a pretty good number. 2500 51 is not bad. It's a It's a good place It's not bad. It's a It's a good place to be. You're at a healthy body fat percentage. You're probably in a really good place to kind of hover. So, I'd hover right around there. But if my appetite increases, cuz I'm on a good strength training program, I'd let you go up 26 2,800 calories if you feel it.

But if you don't feel it, I don't I don't need you to stuff yourself to get over that. over that. over that. But I wouldn't go below. Yeah, I wouldn't go lower. Yeah, I wouldn't go lower. And especially because you just got back your period, which tells us that you're you're moving in the right direction. Yeah, we definitely don't want to try and restrict and cut from where you're at. You want to you want to eat to where you're satisfied. you're satisfied. you're satisfied. I think you're at a healthy place at 2500 calories.

If your appetite increases, it's probably because you're starting to build muscle on the program and then I would say go for it. Bump bump your calories a little bit. Okay. Um during pregnancy, do people still get like can they still get stronger during that time? I mean, you can, but that's not the goal, right? So, in other words, if I'm training you through that process, it's we're we're following the same program as that you were doing before you got pregnant. And a good goal for us is like, can if we were able to maintain that strength through, that would be an awesome win.

But I'm also listening to your body. Like, if you came in and you saw me and you're like, "Oh, Adam, I'm just didn't get the greatest of sleep. I don't feel great. I'm going to back off I'm going to back off intensity. We're But if you're feeling great, we're going to keep going along the way we're going." And I've had clients train literally up till the week they popped the baby out and maintain their strength that they did going into pregnancy. pregnancy. pregnancy. But here's what here's what you should expect though.

You should expect the first and third trimester to not be as strong. strong. strong. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Typically first trimester uh which may be experienced. Not all women do, but it's typically it's typically it's typically nausea. I'm not getting enough food because everything sounds gross and so you're feeling kind of weaker. Second trimester, you know, they call it the honeymoon trimester. I'm feeling great. I'm strong. All good. third trimester, especially towards the end, I'm out of breath. I don't have the energy. So, I So, you know, maintaining strength is a gift uh during pregnancy.

Uh getting stronger is like a a blessing. Just remember this. You if you've been listening to show long enough, you've heard us say this. Uh to maintain the muscle you built takes very little. So, if you if you do a good job right now before pregnancy, like as you're trying to get pregnant, like building muscle and staying fit and staying healthy, when you get pregnant, the amount of training and volume you need to maintain that muscle is very minimal. It's one like 17th. So, imagine how much you can still scale back during pregnancy and still keep a healthy, strong, fit body.

Um, actually to go off of that, is it okay if I ask one more question to go off? off? off? Yeah. Yeah. Um, so with this first with my first baby, like after my surgery, it felt I had to build from the ground up. Like I started I did pelvic floor therapy. It was body weight. So like in that time, I've come a long way and I lost all that weight including a lot of muscle and strength. I guess is there any if if I'm about to do that over again, like I'm almost nervous to have to do that all over again.

Is there anything any tips or like things I should keep in mind or what I can do differently? I I know looking back I'm like I definitely could have ate more because I I mean that's how I lost my period. But if there is anything else? Well, I mean there's going into going into it or after it. Are we talking about like what you could be doing right now? Oh, after after Oh, well after what you did with pelvic floor stuff is is going to be crucial again.

again. again. Yeah. And Lisa, I'm going to say this, like it's there's so the the information that's out there for postpartum fitness is is some of the worst I've ever seen. Um what you what they tend to advertise is, you know, you get back into shape, you know, 6 months postpartum, 9 months postpartum. Here's here's the the reality the and you're probably experiencing this even as someone who exercises. It takes like two years to feel like your old self. like you that doesn't mean you weren't progressing the whole time, but like it takes a while before you're like, "Oh my god, I feel like my old self." And then boom, I'm pregnant again.

Is typically what it what it what what happens. So, you give yourself a little grace. It's a it's a radical change on the body. Now, going into uh you know, giving birth at a healthy body weight, feeding yourself well, being strong, the odds that you can have vaginal delivery, especially after having a C-section, goes up. It's it's it's better. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. It's much better. Um, and then there's other stuff that you could look into like really good duelas uh seem to increase the odds of uh of vaginal delivery and stuff like that.

But, um, go into it wellfed, healthy, don't try to get lean. Don't try to overdo it. You're just taking care of yourself. And then postpartum, you know, it sounds like what you did was okay. Uh, and it might take a while. You might happen faster. So, the second pregnancy, second birth might be way better. My wife had a radically different experience the second time around. Much better. But the expectation is just what we tend to get from the fitness influencers. So crazy wrong. wrong. wrong. It takes a while.

Okay. So it sounds like it's just kind of unavoidable. Like it's just hard. Like you have to kind of work from the ground up and build back up. And here's what's going to be difficult. I don't know. Have you heard me talk about my experience with Katrina when she when she got cleared? you're gonna feel like you can do more. And I was constantly telling her, you don't need to. Like we're staying in map starter. So she want she after like two weeks of map starter, she's like, I want more, but let's get back to map.

And I'm like, why? You haven't done anything for 6 weeks, you know, plus like it's your body very little it will take to elicit change. And so it's like doing pelvic floor exercises, doing MAP starter is enough of a program and volume to progress your body over the next 3 months. And so it was really difficult for her to to get that. Now I'm c now after a while she put it together and was like okay she listened to me and but it was I know what it's like.

You'll feel good. You'll start to feel good and you'll want to do more. The proper way is probably what you did which is pelvic floor stuff then start to introduce exercise. But when you're coming off a layoff of 6 8 weeks of no exercise at all and also giving birth, you don't need to do very much for your body to start to adapt and change in the right direction. And in fact, doing too much will only set you back and you take longer to get to where you want.

Yeah. There's also too because C-sections are so common, we tend to think of them as like a minor procedure. That's a big it's a big surgery. I mean, they cut right through lots of different, you know, core stabil core muscle. So, so if you have another C-section, you're going to have to add you add some time to that for sure, which you've already experienced. So, just keep that in mind as well. Right. Is the goal of like a body fat percentage like 20 to 22%? Um is that realistic one day?

Like is that do I need to like just like redefine and like you know kind redefine uh postpartum? Okay. Once things start to settle and you start to feel good and you're healthy and your baby's sleeping and then you can start chasing it. But you but the the ideal healthy body fat percentage uh before, during, and after pregnancy is actually mid to high 20s. It's not low 20s. Uh low 20s is like fitness. I look good in bikini type of deal. But when it comes to you need a little bit of that cushion, uh it's also tends to be if you're fit and healthy, I should say that's the context.

It tends to give you a better hormone profile. Um uh so that's you kind of want to stay there uh for a little bit and maybe not chase getting leaner until much later. Also keep this in mind too which we we always try to communicate is uh 25 to 27% looks different with more muscle too. Sometimes we get this arbitrary number of like oh I I think that percentage is where I would look this way. It's like I bet if I put 10 15 pounds of muscle on you right now same body fat percentage look you would look different.

You would look more shapely. you would have you you so a lot of times we get hung up on like a body fat percentage and we're far healthier and better off trying to build more muscle in our body and then you can carry yourself at a higher body fat percentage and still have the look that you're trying to achieve at 2022. So don't get hung up on a percentage of a number per se. You're in a better place eating more calories, trying to build muscle and when you come out of the baby you do that slowly and focus more on that.

focus more on getting a healthy metabolism, building muscle, getting strong, and taking your time and listening to your body. And like you'll you'll get there. And if you absolutely want to get through this, like if you were my client, you're like, I want to see what it looks like. Okay, we can get down there. I'll show you. But I could also show you what you loving your body looks like at 25 to 28% body fat, too. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. I think for a long period I was just um I wanted to look like I worked out because I've I've lifted for several years and I just felt like I didn't look like it and so I think that was why I came up with that goal or that number just in my mind I was like that's when you look lean and fit.

fit. fit. Totally. No, totally. I get Lisa, can I ask you a question? Sure. Sure. Sure. Would your friends and your husband say you look like you lift weights? I don't know. I My husband will, but he's also Yeah. Um, but he's my husband, so Well, he also sees you naked, so he has the best vantage to be the best he has the best vantage to be honest. honest. honest. And and and he's the most important person. What he thinks of how you look is way more important than other people.

But and also look, you said you have a history of challenge around this. You know, you can't necessarily trust your subjective uh you know, how you view yourself physically. So, this is a good time to like ask your husband and ask your friends and and they're probably going to be honest with you and you probably already get comments. I bet you already do get comments maybe at work or whatever like, "Oh, yeah, you look like you work out or you look fit." And you might discredit them because you're like, "No, no, I don't.

You're just being nice type of deal." So, just consider that as well. We're gonna have Doug send Maps 15 over to you and then uh after you after you have this baby, uh you can reach back out to us, let us know how you're let us know how you're Do you have maps 15? What do you guys think about muscle 15 with the pelvic floor emphasis? Oh, no. Even better. Let's go. Maps 15. Muscle mommy. Thanks, Justin. That's the best one for you. Oh, thank you guys so much.

Thanks for taking my call. You got it. You're going to do great. Thank you. Thank you. Bye. Yeah, good call, Justin. I forgot about that. that. that. Yeah, I know. I just thought of that. Forgot that I forgot that I fought for that pelvic floor exercise. You remember that? that? that? It is. Yeah. I mean, it's in the original, but then yeah, we we definitely put that in the 15 version. I I I I really think it's important for people to understand like uh you know fit and so so fit meaning you've got good fitness.

Okay, so strong stamina like good fitness. You compare the typical woman at 20% versus 26% same fitness. So 26% body fat person or woman is more resilient probably more likely to have a better hormone profile better energy better energy uh more more fertile uh more you know more resilient postpartum post injury post illness post certain you know yeah so it's just this is just for real especially when it comes versus health versus health versus health especially when it comes to uh fertility um and and we get hung up on like what this like fitness look that we see on social media and think that's what ultimate health looks like.

But in many cases it doesn't. Many cases it's a we know this for men. Now men's fertility is is not nearly as uh fragile. But you can look at athletic performance and men typically perform better athletically at 15 or 16% than they do at 10%. You know I I'm going to keep beating the Dr. Gabriel Lions uh drum with the you know our problem is we're under muscled. Yeah. And I and I even like this uh I feel so strongly about this right now because of what I've personally just experienced too is like it's wild how uh how different our body can look with 10 or 15 lbs more muscle for same body fat.

Yeah. Same body fat. And so uh and and I think this is even more true for women because women have been marketed to for so long. This kind of skinny small like and if if I if she I bet you if I put kept her body fat percentage so we go up fat. So I put on 10 lbs of muscle and probably some body and some body fat on her even more. So more fat on her but I put 10 pounds of that more. So more muscle.

I bet she would like the way she looks. And and I think that more people need to understand that that even these the body fat percentage is better than the scale, but even it can be deceiving on this this number that we get obsessed with that we think, oh, this is the best my body ever looked like was at this percent. And by the way, like uh if you ask men what looks best on women and vice versa, healthy men and women, I should say, uh they tend to like a higher body fat percentage because we are geared to look at things like fertility and health.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so even women would say, a guy that's got muscle around 15% looks better than 9% in real life. And men, listen, men for the same thing. A woman with muscle and shape and strength at 26%, she looks damn good. 20%. Most guys will probably go for the 26%. So, and this is just again, this is not saying that you do it because the other person likes it more, but rather this points to health more than it does anything. Our next caller is Taran from Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania. Hi, Taran. How you doing, Taran? How's it going? it going? it going? How can we help you? So, over the past 6 years, I have been through a lot medically. I had a radical hyctomy in 2019 um for cervical precancer. found out that I was BA positive in 2024. And then in 2025, I had a um full ovary removal, thrusting me into surgical menopause at age 39, a double mistctomy, and a reconstruction all in a 10-month time period. So, I've been I've finally been cleared to start being active again, but you know, the mix of surgical menopause and a year of decreased movement has really kind of thrown me into a loop.

So, hormonal issues, dizziness, weight gain, um, and really just being disconnected from who I was before. So, my care team was great, but, you know, they're all very siloed in their specialties. So, I've just been thrown around from doctor to doctor, um, who other than handing me an estrogen patch and telling me to get back to normal, haven't really helped me on a path to kind of this new phase of my life. Um, so my question is really for any woman in my position, you know, thrust into surgical menopause in their late 30s, coming out of major surgeries.

I'm a busy mom. I own a business. I'm on the road a lot. You know, what should I really prioritize to rebuild my strength, get my health back in order, get my hor hormones on track, and then also, how do I know who to trust in this space when it really just feels super noisy sometimes? noisy sometimes? noisy sometimes? Yeah. Well, first off, I'm sorry you've gone through all that and but I'm really really uh grateful that you had the courage to come on here uh share your story because there are women listening women listening women listening also have a very good attitude.

Yeah. Who um probably don't have a lot of people that they can listen to. Um uh and so they're probably like, "Hey, tell me what what we can do here." Um you're on hormone therapy now. Uh you've been cleared for that. So is that is that going on? going on? going on? Yes. Yes. So I am on um an estrogen patch. Um, but that's it. Okay. Okay. So, no progesterone, uh, no other hormones. Okay. No, because I don't have a uterus anymore. anymore. anymore. Got it.

Okay. So, um, so here's the deal. And on on top of this, uh, which is lots of stress and trauma on the body, um, you also said you've got kids, business, so there's a lot of things going on here. And so, what we want to do with exercise is we want to be very gentle. uh the focus should be on strengthening because muscle is very protective. Uh it also requires little stimulus to uh kind of elicit that change. So building strength takes a lot less damage and stress than if you were trying to like become a marathon runner.

So it's just going to be more appropriate. MAPS 15 would be the perfect. So we have a a series of maps 15 programs. There's mass 15 the original mass 15 muscle mommy symmetry perform like they're all that protocol for you would be perfect. On top of that I would just look at steps to stay active. So if you're not already tracking steps uh you know 8 to 10,000 steps a day is a decent amount of activity that'll that'll give you the most benefit or a majority of the benefit you'll get from being active.

And that's it. That's really it. And so you with that protocol, what you should experience is strength gains, improvements in mobility, and just general improvements in overall fitness. The mistake you can make, Taran, is if you push you push you push overdo it. overdo it. overdo it. Yeah. And and you're going to be more sensitive to that that than than most people. But I will say this, uh women with children who also have a business are they're far more sensitive to the stresses of exercise than they realize anyway.

Most women with kids, uh, job, um, they're more sensitive to the stress of exercise than they realize anyway. So, my recommendation to them typically sounds very similar to what I'm telling you, just you're going to be even more sensitive to over applying stress. So, when you go into the gym, practice the exercises. When you feel like you're stronger, add a little bit. And, uh, that that approach is going to yield you great results long term. if you if you'd be open to it, I' i'd actually love for you to work with one of our coaches, too.

Uh I don't know if that's something that's feasible for you or that you could consider or not, but just just cuz you have a unique situation and as you're going through, I'd love for you to have somebody who you could reach out to that you could trust and just be like, "Hey, this is what I'm feeling. This is what I notice." and they could make modifications modifications modifications both in the gym and nutritionally for you as you go through that process and or refer you to someone who would be we have just a great network as far as other doctors, professionals, things like that, too.

So, I don't know if that's something that you're open to. Uh, but I think you'd be a great person to be able to help through something like this. like this. like this. Yeah, that would be awesome because I it can really feel like you're on an island and there's not a whole lot out here for, you know, I think women who are in this at my age, too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean and just consider this when it comes to what kind of exercise and nutrition advice you should listen to.

Um obvious of course of course you have unique situations. So if your doctors say hey you know avoid this or that then you want to listen to them. But beside that uh the approach is going to be uh balancing the the stress from the stimulus and the adaptation. So like am I progressing I progressing I progressing uh performance-wise? This is a really good measure for you. Did I get stronger? Do I feel like I'm stronger? Do I feel more stable? If the answer is yes, you're moving in the right direction.

Don't add more because the tendency is going to be like, "Hey, I'm getting stronger. I feel good. Like, let me just throw more at my body." Um because there's a there's a line that when you cross over, your body's going to feel like it's shutting down just because of the the hormones. Yeah. It may interrupt sleep. It may kind of impede on other metrics. So, yeah, to to pay attention mainly if it's you feel stronger, you feel like you're energizing uh from your workouts. It's more medicine for you.

That's that's good. This is why I think the having a coach that you can just kind of bounce this off of as you go through this process because it's going to be a kind of a week toeek type of deal on how you're feeling. Some weeks we may feel great and the perfect amount of volume and training. Other weeks we may need to adjust certain things based off of your lifestyle, sleep, whatever else you got going on because it sounds like you're busy. So, um, yeah, I think you would do great with with one of the coaches.

Like this is obviously a unique uh situation and I think I'd want I'd want to be talking to you as we go through this process. communication. process. communication. process. communication. This is not like a, oh, just go do these things, see you later, hope it works out, you know, and I also don't want you to feel that way either. Like, I think Sal's giving perfect advice on where to go, but go, but go, but but it's not it's not going to be individualized as we go along.

Yeah. Yeah. I recognize there probably be some some pivots along the way, too. Yeah, certainly. And I'm one who will go one to 100 way too quickly, so that's for sure. for sure. for sure. But yeah, which is a good reason to have the coach, too, is just Well, good. The coach will be the brakes for you. for you. for you. Yeah. Yeah. So, I we'll we'll we'll do that if you're if you have time. I'll have someone call you and and reach out to you and and tell you exactly what that would look like and then hopefully we see you a part of the family.

And again, thank you for coming on and asking this question. I know there's people listening right now that just would love to hear advice and so this was very helpful. I can I can tell you're going to be successful. You have a great attitude and everything everything that you've gone through and been through. You seem very positive and you want to do the right thing. So, you're going to be great. It's going to be great helping you. you. you. Awesome. Thank you so much, guys. You got it.

Thank you. Are you guys familiar with the the the the bricky gene? Sorry. BRC. No, I was going to ask her to explain it. it. it. Depending on the variation, which she probably had the one that's the the the one that will increase your osmosis. If you have it, your odds of getting a, you know, really aggressive breast cancer in your life is like 70 something%. And so when they test you for this gene, they typically recommend removing removing removing Yeah. And and for the reproductive system.

So cancers like ovarian cancer, stuff like that. So they'll typically be like, "Yeah, "Yeah, "Yeah, okay, you've got the the this gene this and so we're going to recommend double masectomy." Basically preventative surgeries and we're going to remove your your entire your entire your entire Wow. So all before you even actually get it. it. it. So she already had it. She already had it. Then they tested her and they're like, "Oh, it's you got this gene." So the odds that you're going to get it again, especially since you had it the first time are really high.

So they go in and they just basically preventative, preventative, preventative, you know, drastic surgery. One, she had a great attitude. It It's uh remarkable. Uh, awesome that she was able to have kids out first, you know, that she's had kids. She she's had had kids. I mean, my sister had to have a her hysterctomy at a very young age. Um, which is is tough to do that. She did even younger. Cassie had it even younger than that. So, it's tough. But I This is something where it's like we could sit here and give like all the the the the what we think is the best advice.

advice. advice. No, you're right. I mean, she's, you know, through this process, it would be great to have someone there because especially busy lifestyle, all these things that she's going through, very likely, even with the the best prescription we can give right now in this 10 minutes, uh, she's going to have a week where she's like, "Hey, monitoring how she feels. Yeah, I feel this way or this is what's going on." Or even like, and I'm glad she said it like, "I feel great. Can I do that?

I'm going to do this or should I do that?" Like, and having a coach like, "No, no, no, no. We'll just stick." Yeah. So, but we'll help her out. Our next caller is Vanessa from Georgia. Hi, Vanessa. Hi, Vanessa. Hi, Vanessa. How you doing, Vanessa? Hello. Hello. Hello. Hey y'all. How are you? Good. Good. Good. Good. What's happening? Good. Well, I have a question about the belly and like how to unbloat it and all that kind of stuff. So, I thought y'all would be the first uh people I'd want to ask.

ask. ask. All right. All right. All right. Yeah, let's go. Let's hear it. Okay. So, a little backstory. I'll go ahead and just read the email that I sent. Uh I'm a tall woman, 5'11, and I put on muscle pretty easily, even at 47. But I also stay chunky looking especially especially especially uh tucky looking especially in my belly. It's always puffy no matter if I'm 137 lbs which is me in Marine Corps boot camp when I was 23 or I shot up to 200 lb at one point when I was more sedentary.

sedentary. sedentary. Currently, I'm about 166, 167, and I'm lifting four to 5 days a week. By 2028, I'd like to compete in my first natural bodybuilding show in the bikini division. And I'm confident about everything else, everything else, everything else, but the belly just I'm really concerned about that coming in lean enough. So, um, I eat low to super low carb and I definitely get my 150 g of protein. I sleep well. sleep well. sleep well. So, what would y'all recommend for finally leaning out my mid and low Ellie area?

area? area? I'm I'm curious. First, have you have you body fat tested? Because I'm I'm willing to bet that you're at a really good weight where if you build muscle pretty well, like you say, you're 5'11. Uh, you're built similar to what my ex was built like and that's about where she carried her weight. 165 to 175 pretty much is where So, where's your body fat percentage right now? The only body fat uh measurement that I've had was one of those I I don't know if I can really trust them.

You hold it with your hands and you stand on the scale scale scale and supposedly it said I was at 24%. Okay. Okay. Yeah, that's why I fig I figured you'd be in a good a good good range. I had a feeling you weren't. And it specifically the stomach area. It could be bloat from something we're eating too. eating too. eating too. Is it is it bloat or is it belly fat? So that's why I've restricted my diet for the last couple years. Basically done like an elimination diet.

I don't eat a whole lot of new foods. I'm staying away from any of the FODMAP. So yeah, yeah, yeah, um you know, tomatoes and stuff like that. I do well with rice and potatoes, but even then, um I'm having trouble eating enough. So that's why I've mostly cut out the carbs. So I'm just focused on like really nutrient-dense foods like beef, lots of steak, lots of, you know, hamburger, things like that. So Well, so Vanessa, to be clear, it's not belly fat, it's bloat. Because you know the difference, right?

Do you know the difference between the two? So maybe I maybe I don't. I mean I got jiggly. jiggly. jiggly. So belly fat you can grab and squeeze like this. Blow. It feels hard. It's kind of digestive. So my stomach's protruding. protruding. protruding. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I would say that there's a little of both cuz I can still pinch. So there's two so there's two directions here because if if you're if you notice digestive issues like a lot of digestive issues with certain foods. Uh then the direction you want to go is with a functional medicine practitioner and identify what's really happening.

Is it SIBO or SEO? Uh tested you can get tested for parasites. Heal your gut. Like that's all digestive stuff. stuff. stuff. Belly fat. There's two if it's belly fat. Uh there's two directions I typically look at with someone like you. One, you you know, you you're in the Marines boot camp, you competed, you want to compete again. The there's there's pretty high odds that you may be viewing yourself a bit distorted. And I don't see a picture of you, so I can't determine that. But based off of those right there, you're the odds that you see yourself in a distorted way or you pick yourself apart.

I'm almost certain of I'm almost certain of that. I I'm looking She's 47. She's 5'11. I know if she says she puts on muscle good, I'm I'm pretty pretty confident. I can envision what you probably look like. You probably look really good. Yeah, you probably look really good. Maybe not to yourself, but I'm I'm I'm pretty sure you look pretty good. 5'11, 47, and 167 and probably around 22 to 24% body fat is a good look, especially on somebody who who says they can build muscle.

What are your lifts like? Tell me about like uh squatting, deadlifting, like what do you what are your numbers? What can you what can you I don't actually know what PRs are because I don't ego lift. Yeah, I did that that that before and it didn't work out so well. I ended up getting hurt. So yeah, to avoid all of that kind of stuff. Um but let's see. Just to give an idea, like I can deadlift like 190. Yeah, you're good. Yeah, that's what you work out with.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're good. Yeah. You're strong. Now, here's the other side of this. Okay. Uh, were you always an athlete? Did you always find that you were good at sports? at sports? at sports? No, I rode horses. So, that's what I did. did. did. Well, that's a sport. So, so here's the thing, too. Some women have uh what's known as an athletic uh uh body type and body fat distribution. And so what this typically looks like is hips are a little bit more narrow and there's a little bit more storage in the belly than what you would see traditionally where it looks like a pair.

And so sometimes you'll run into this with female athletes where once they go above 25% they'll have a little bit more belly fat than another woman who's at 25%. Which actually lends itself well to athletes. So a female athlete that does really well is going to have uh more narrow hips, going to make them faster, uh a little more belly fat. It's why men store body belly fat in the belly because energy reserves. Yeah. So, so there's that as well. Uh but I I would guess I would go in the direction of what Adam said.

I think you might be kind of picking yourself apart. If you do have actual digestive issues though, you want to get to the root and and and going into a bikini composition competition would not be an ideal situation in that in that either. If if you find eating f, you know, the FODMAP foods cause digestive issues and bloat and you got to stay away from too many carbs because it hurts your stomach, stomach, stomach, that's a gut issue. That's a gut health issue. Have you found any foods that are like uh you know are inflammatory for you?

So far it's been like tomato sauce and jalapenos. jalapenos. jalapenos. Okay, that's not too out of the out of the ordinary. I mean, those are, you know, you have your night shades. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But if you find digested, like what happens when you eat too many carbs? Do you just feel super distended and painful? painful? painful? Uh, it depends if they're really clean like potatoes and just plain old white rice. I don't have any problems. In fact, I blow through those very easily. Okay. It's the preservatives, I think, bread is what it was.

Okay. Yeah, you're probably fine. You're probably fine. Um there's really no way to spot reduce. So getting leaner overall, unfortunately. overall, unfortunately. overall, unfortunately. Yeah. What makes it happen? Where where your calories at right where your calories at right now? Do you track? Uh I do. Yeah. Average is 1,600. Oh yeah. Too low. Too way too low. Way too low. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. We need reverse diet. reverse diet. reverse diet. Yeah. You got a lot of muscle on you. You're tall. You're lifting weights four to five days a week.

You should be up to like 23 24. Okay. Yeah. So, if you if you came to me to to hire if you hired me to be your coach for competing, I wouldn't let you do compete bikini until we were in the high 2,000 calorie range maintaining your weight. So, you that would be before we before I would let you get ready for a prep or pick a show, I would reverse diet you all the way up to a good at least 28 2900 calories. Your height, muscle, strength that you have on you, on you, on you, you should be we we need to get our calories up.

We got to get our calories because you you have nowhere to cut if you're right now 800 calories. Yeah. You're not gonna I mean that I'm so glad I said that the asked that question because there's no way I would want you to get ready for a bikini show from a 1600 calorie maintenance. That that's a that's a that's a that's all bad. There's nowhere to go. Yeah. Yeah. All bad. You'll you'll feel horrible. You'll feel horrible and then you won't even get close to the the physique that you're trying to attempt to get.

You'll you'll be disappointed on both ends. And so it's like the move right now, reverse diet reverse diet reverse diet would be to reverse diet slowly and just and keep focusing on getting strong. And since that's what's what's exciting because you're already somebody who's strong and you put muscle on, don't shy away from that. It's easy to let lose muscle. If you stop lifting weights, don't worry, it'll go away. So, don't don't shy away from building muscle, letting the scale go up because we're building muscle, but focusing on getting those calories up to put us in a a healthier place.

And I I'm willing to bet you would you're going to feel better. You'll look better. Definitely from 1600 calories, all all the things. Yeah. You'll feel way better. I would bump you 200 right out the gates. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right out the gates. Go up to 1,800 calories. calories. calories. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Are you Are you Are you Are you listening? I don't know how regularly you listen to this show. Are you listening to my journey with Karen right now coaching her? her? her? Yeah.

Yeah, I listen to you guys a lot. In fact, thank you so much. I work nights so you guys get me through the night. night. night. Okay, cool. Okay, cool. Yeah, I'm this is what we're going through right now is I'm I'm reverse dieting her and you know, uh she's she's a tiny tiny little petite thing and we're we're up to 2,700 calories. So I and I want I still going. So I want I want to keep pushing her in that direction before I let her come back down in calories.

So, um, yeah, I' I'd want you up much higher. So, that same focus. And you work, uh, you work n So, you, uh, on your feet a lot. What do you do? you do? you do? Yeah. Yeah. I stock shelves right now. So, lots of movement, bending, moving constantly. constantly. constantly. Your calories are way too low. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I don't feel depleted, though. That's kind of why cuz I thought maybe that, too. too. too. No, just wait till you start feeding yourself more and then you'll know.

Then you'll be like, "Oh, yeah. I was way I I want you way better. I want you on a program like MAPS 15 and I want to reverse diet you. This is a very similar kind of protocol as I got Karen on. So I'd love to send MAPS 15 to you. I take Sal's advice at least 200 calories right out the gates. Right out the gates 200 more calories a day and then a good goal is to every every week or every other week bump 100 and keep going that way.

And only and just map 15. That's all you need. Okay? The more more training harder isn't better. Uh, stay away from the scale if that messes with your head. So, like I Okay, cool. If you're cool with it, then then that's fine. But I expect that expect some of that as we as we do that. Uh, but I I think you're going to put muscle on and I think we're going to get a place where we get our calories up and you should be feeling strong and and good energy and then that'll give us some room to totally manipulate calories.

calories. calories. Where should I bring those 200 calories in from? in from? in from? Carbs. Yeah, rice. Rice. If you like I love rice. love rice. love rice. Yeah, because I'm assuming your your pro your protein's good. Your fat's okay. Are you okay with your fats? What are you at with grams? Yeah, I'm 120 grams of fat. Oh, yeah. Bump carbs. Carbs. Add 200 grams of 200 200 g of carbs. You know what I love too is that especially since you said rice and potatoes is is literally just use that as your just keep you know a half a cup or a cup a day is what you're you know whatever that is and then just the next week add another half a cup and the next week or that add another half a cup and just keep doing that you know.

you know. you know. Okay. Okay. Okay. All right. Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. All right, Vanessa. Thanks, y'all. You got it. All right, keep us posted. Absolutely. Okay, guy. God, I'm glad you asked that. 1,600 calories is in five if you're working out four to five days a week and you're active and you're not She's 5'11. She's built like my ex. Yeah. And there's no way, bro. She's deadlifting almost 200 lb. She works out with That's not PR numbers. She works out with almost 200 lb deadlifting.

She says she puts on muscle good. She's 5'11. That's a dude. That's what uh my ex walked around at 165 to 175 year round as a fit personal trainer and and she does she would she's thicker in that area, but it's just that that's her body type. And then when you get she'd hit stage at 150. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, she's not far off from like a stage weight, but she needs to build muscle, build her metabolism up before she comes back down that that direction.

For sure. Totally. All right. I know you like that episode. If you did, check this one out. One of the keys to fat loss is protein. It's true. If you're not eating a high protein diet, you're not going to burn as much body fat as you can. So today's episode, we're going to talk about the smartest ways to use protein for fat burn and to build muscle. You got to watch this. watch this. watch this. I wish I understood this earlier in my career. I think it was probably almost 10 years in when I started to just focus on this with clients.

I knew it was important, but I don't know how important. Yeah. I also did I knew what was important and but I also