The Right Way to Use a GLP Without Losing Muscle | Mind Pump 2881

Key Takeaway

Before starting a GLP-1, commit to 60 days of strength training 2-3 times per week while hitting your protein targets. This builds a muscle buffer and establishes a fitness foundation, making it far easier to preserve muscle and stay motivated when you begin the medication and calories drop. Start the GLP-1 at the minimum effective dose, reduce training volume by about a third, and supplement with essential amino acids (40% leucine) throughout the day to protect muscle mass.

Episode Overview

A comprehensive guide to using GLP-1 medications effectively for fat loss while preserving muscle mass and successfully transitioning off the medication. The hosts outline a structured approach: pre-conditioning with 60 days of strength training, starting with minimal effective doses, reducing training volume during use, supplementing with essential amino acids, consciously replacing old eating behaviors with new ones, and gradually scaling down the dose when coming off.

Full Transcript

Transcript of The Right Way to Use a GLP Without Losing Muscle | Mind Pump 2881 from Mind Pump Show. Auto-generated from episode audio; may contain minor errors.

We're going to talk about the most effective ompic mjaro wiggoi strategies for fat loss and muscle gain. What does that look like? Lose the most amount of body fat. Don't lose muscle and don't have to stay on them forever. So, we're going to break down right now. Here's what you do. The road map. Let's go. You must be fired up from your recent interview with Dr. Seeds that you just went down and had, huh? This is like I'm sure probably a major conversation you guys had.

guys had. guys had. Yes. And so, and when you look at the uh what the data looks like on um those peptides, you otherwise known as GLP peptides, uh super effective uh for weight loss. The most effective medical intervention we've ever seen, period, end of story. Not even close. It's in its own category. But what we when we look at the data, what we see is a significant amount of muscle loss. And we see a relatively high fail rate when people try to come off. off.

off. Mhm. they try to come off and 6 months to a year later they tend to gain the weight back and so people's concerns are valid. It's like hey I don't want to lose muscle and I don't do I really have to stay on this uh forever. Now I want to be very clear the GLPs are not causing uh the muscle loss. So this is very important for people to understand. GLPs don't cause muscle loss. It's not a muscle wasting uh peptide, but they do suppress appetite so much that people will cut their food intake down so much that what the body does uh what it always does when you cut your food intake that low is it tries to adapt to the new energy intake by reducing expensive tissue expensive tissue expensive tissue muscle.

And so the body will lose muscle in an attempt to meet the new caloric intake. And so what we see in the data is 30 40% of the weight loss coming from muscle, which poses its own problems, right? You're looking at uh increased rates of frailty, increased rates of things like osteopenia, weakness, um loss of mobility. Um and then all the other side effects that come from really low calorie intake, which is like loss of energy, loss of libido, that kind of stuff. Uh so those are some of the main things to consider.

Yeah, I feel like um you know it's a big misconception with the public is that um you know it it leads to the uh muscle loss but also that it's it's a fat burner on some level and really like you know they don't understand the mechanisms really it's just the appetite suppression. I mean that's all it is in its simplest form, right? Like the the main thing that it's doing and I know that we there studies are showing like all these like neurological stuff and behavioral stuff that's happening with like smoking and all the other there's like other added benefits which you could probably argue and debate that could have something to do too with lowering the inflammation in the brain and then like not eating all this garbage.

Like the real thing that all it does is it keeps somebody from eating a lot of calories and not just a lot, but it keeps it low and and you're comfortable. And if you took to to another way to say what you were saying is that you could take the exact same person uh and and they're running a GLP1 and it suppresses their appetite to where they eat 900 calories a day for two months and they're going to have x amount of muscle they lose. You take somebody who's not on a that same person not on a GLP1 but still also eating 900 calories and they'll lose exactly the same amount of muscle.

muscle. muscle. You'll see very very similar. Yeah. It'll look almost identical. Uh and so the muscle loss that they have is is due to the low calorie diet, which is something that long before GLP1s were really popular in the fitness space, uh we would see all the time with clients. This is a super common thing. This is why we've been beating the drum forever about cardio being such a terrible source uh or mechanism for fat loss because what ends up happening so many people go on restrictive diets where they go from eating like [ __ ] to cutting their calories cuz we were told eat less move more and then they run on a treadmill.

So they create this crazy deficit. They undereat. They're and they're overtrained and then they end up lo Yeah. They lose 30 lbs on the scale, but 15 of it ends up being muscle. And so this is not new. This I mean this science that you're seeing unfold different drivers, but what's new is you're not hungry eating so little calories, right? Right. right? Right. right? Right. The difference now is the people that could uh to only eat 900 to 1,000 calories and do an hour of cardio every day uh before had to white knuckle it, you know, just grin and bear it and like oh my and just fight the hunger pains where now they can take this GLP1 and they forget to eat because they don't have these cravings.

They don't have this appetite. And so it's becoming this quick hack to oh I could easily cut my calories in half. Now, there is a way to use uh here's the good news. There is a way to use a GLP and have tremendous success. And we're going to define it uh again by this. We've seen it. Uh not losing muscle. By the way, you don't want to lose muscle for a lot of reasons. You don't want to get weaker. You don't want to lose mobility. You also don't want to slower metabolism.

That sucks. That sucks. That sucks. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, imagine this. You eat really low calories for a while, lose weight, and now you always have to eat really low calories because anything above that, you gain weight faster than you did before because you lost muscle, right? So, we don't want to lose muscle. And then in an ideal world, I think if you talk to anybody about any medication, but especially a GLP, if you said to them, ideally, would you like to be able to get off of this once you reach your goal, they would say yes.

So, ideally, in a perfect world, don't lose muscle and you don't have to stay on this thing forever. So, we're going to break it down. We're going to break down how to do this the right way. Now, there is a beginning part to this, which does not include the GLP. So, here's where it's going to get real challenging for people. We're gonna start off without using the GLP because what we're going to try to do is build muscle going into using the GLP. Why? We want to create a little bit of a buffer before we get into the calorie cutting effects of the GLP.

So, here's what it looks like. Number one, you're going to start lifting weights now. You're not taking a GLP. You're just going to start lifting weights. And for most people, this looks like two days a week or three days a week, full body, very basic compound lifts. The goal is to get stronger. And I also want you to hit your protein targets. Hit your target body weight and protein. And do this for 60 days. Now, here's what you're going to see in 60 days. Probably no weight loss on the scale.

You might get a little leaner because you might be losing body fat and building muscle, but you're going to get stronger. I want you going into using a GLP stronger than you would have had you not done it what we're saying right here. So lead into give yourself 60 days. Okay. for the next 60 days I am going to prepare or prep my body for going on a GLP. It's a great way to set yourself up yourself up yourself up there. There's other reasons too why I think that's so important s is like you know what it's like when I know for you maybe not cuz it's been so long since you've probably fallen off the wagon or not been consistent for a month or two.

But man, when you when you have just a month or two of not training for me and then coming back, those first couple weeks uh just there's no muscle endurance, you have no uh you have no stamina. Yeah. I mean, like it's just it's it's always tough for those first couple weeks of getting back and you kind of get acclimated. Your body remembers it and you're back and that if you've if you've never experienced a GLP1, uh that's difficult without low calorie. And so when you go into u working out like that and you are not adapted at all to training and then you're also a lower calorie diet, it is really difficult to push through that.

And so there is a there's another benefit I think to beside what you're you're claiming with the with muscle and your metabolism and strength and all those things I think. But even just that, like if I were to take somebody who is not trained at all, start a GOP one and then try and start their training, you just made it exponentially more difficult to be motivated to go there cuz it it's it's already hard. And then you're at you're low calorie because you're on this diet.

So at least this trained person has been acclimated to to lifting and have a little bit of muscle. You have a certain level of fitness. Yeah. You have a certain level of of fitness and endurance and uh and and it makes a big difference when you're on that. One of the things that personally um I I remember reporting on here with you guys that really surprised me uh was just how difficult it was to be motivated to lift um because you're so consistently undereating and low calorie and I remember what that was like uh competing um but I had also ramped my calories up so high that in a cut I still was still was still was You came in from an offseason where you're fit, strong, and fed.

Exactly. And so I I didn't feel the same kind of weakness and and tired and fatigued to not want to go in. Yeah. You're you're such a good point, Adam. Basically, what people are doing when they're starting a GLP and then trying to start exercise at the same time is they're entering into this deconditioned. deconditioned. deconditioned. Yes. Yes. Yes. And reduce calories. Yes. That's tough. It is. Doesn't it make sense to go in after 60 days of being relatively consistent, building some strength, building some fitness, hitting your protein targets?

Boom. Now, let's go on the GLP. Now I've got kind of a running start. Yes. Yeah. Makes makes a lot of sense. 100%. 100%. 100%. Now, now here's what happens. So, so if you do this for 60 days consistently, and I know listen, you might be listening going 60 days, I got to be consistent for two months. Yes. Yes. Look, here's the deal. I'm not asking you to be disciplined and consistent for the rest of your life. I know that's the ultimate goal. That's what we want.

But I want you to be honest with yourself. If I cannot promise myself to be consistent for two months, I got no business starting on a GLP. Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. There I say it. Okay, there I said 2 months. All I'm asking is 60 days. 60 days. Can you be consistent? 2 to 3 days a week. That's it. 2 to three days a week. week. week. Well, you're not even asking for really 60 days, Sal, when you think of it like that because you're only asking for two to three days a week over the course of two months.

two months. two months. That's right. That's right. That's right. So, you're really only asking for 16 workouts or something. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's like commit to 16 workouts in a row, right? Like that you don't you don't miss one of those days in the week. And that's not a lot. That's all you got to do. So, just say to yourself, "Okay, before I go to GOP, here's what I'm going to promise myself. I'm going to give myself 60 days of of decent consistency." And by the way, I'm not telling you because you might be on the other end of this, you might be so motivated, you're like, "I'm going to the gym 5 days a week." Don't do that.

5 days a week is not going to build more muscle and make you stronger. For most people listening, unless you've been working out for a while already, but if you're just getting started, two to three days a week is the most that you'll get benefits from. Any more than that, you're actually going to uh work more on healing than adapting. In other words, it's going to be too much. Your body's not going to adapt very well. So, for two months, two to three days a week, full body workouts, consistently hit your target body weight and protein.

Promise to yourself, I can do anything for 60 days. Do that. Then you get into now we're going to start the GLP. And here's where you start. Minimal effective dose. What you don't want is you don't want to take a dose of GLP that makes you so nauseous or that your appetite is so low that eating anything feels terrible. We don't want to go into a dramatic crazy calorie deficit right out the gates. If that happens, you're going to set yourself up for failure. I don't care how great your strength training is.

I don't it makes no difference if your calories are too low low low where you're just barely eating anything. And let me tell you, this happens. you're not going to hold on. This happens when people take too high of a dose of a GLP. Food becomes not just I don't think about it, but it becomes repulsive or I feel nauseous. This will kill anything that we're trying to accomplish right now, which is to preserve muscle. So, it's better to start with a dose that is too low to where by week two or three, you talk to your doctor, you say, you know, I think I need to increase the dose because I actually notice no reduction in appetite.

It's better to do that than to jump in with too much of a dose and after the first week you talk to your doctor like I cannot choke down a smoothie, let alone food. You don't want to be in that position. It's too catabolic. So, you want to start with the minimum effective dose. Step two, you want to keep lifting. Now, here's what gets crazy. I've been working out for two months. I'm finally on to GLP. I'm so excited. Here's what am I going to do with my workouts?

Reduce the volume. Yep. Now, here's where people think this doesn't make sense. What do you mean, S? I just started GLP. I got the ball rolling. Now, why am I cutting my volume of training? Shouldn't I increase it? No, we're we're playing the preserve game at this point. That's right. And and when so your the amount of energy that you can intake, the calories and nutrients that you can take in, so proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, it has a direct role in your ability to recover and adapt to exercise.

If I reduce your intake, I reduce your capacity to adapt and to recover. There's an old saying in strength sports, it's not entirely true, but the reason why it sticks around is because there's some truth to it, which is this. There's no such thing as overtraining, only undereating. Uh, and bodybuilders and strength athletes have been saying this for a long time now. It's not entirely true. Uh, because you could push that to extremes and and it doesn't work anymore. The materials to recover. That's right. But there's some truth to it, which is why this sticks around.

The more nutrients you intake, the better your capacity to adapt. So, you've just started working out for two months. You're hitting your protein intake. Now, you go to GLP. Minimum effective dose brings your calories down. You have a lowered capacity to recover. So, whatever you were doing before, do a little bit less. I would say cut down your sets by a third or so. Uh, and keep doing what you're doing. So, so reduce the volume. It's what we're looking at. You just said the I mean I love when you you tout the study of how little strength training is required to keep muscle.

It's like once every two weeks. Very little. Very little. Yeah. There's a certain amount that you would need to build and then there's a certain amount you need to keep. And what you need to keep is a lot less. Which is this is the point of the 60 days of committing before. So you build some muscle, build some strength, right? And you have that and then now it's like okay now I just want to hold the line prevent defense. It's like the goal is to just not lose muscle here.

I'm certainly not going to build. We are not going to build in a calorie redu a consistent calorie reduction getting on this. It's like can I just hold the line? Can I hold the line because I'm going to drop I'm going to drop weight and I want it to be all body fat. And the way you do that is by playing a prevent defense on it which is doing the minimal dose the least amount, right? just I want to do the least amount possible to to elicit the most amount of change, which is you just sending that signal to hold on to this muscle that we've already built on our body.

And any more than that puts you at risk of losing it. So what it would look like is if you did the two days a week full body, one exercise per body part, three sets per exercise, you're now doing something like one or two sets per exercise. So you've just cut it down because your nutrient intake is lower, but stay consistent with it. This will help you keep muscle. Next up, uh this is where you're going to use a supplement known as essential amino acids. Okay, so you do want to keep your protein intake high, but here's the strategy or the challenge on a GLP.

Number one, what you probably noticed in the first 60 days where you were lifting weights and trying to hit your target body weight and protein, what you probably found was that's hard. that's hard. that's hard. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, it's hard to eat that much protein. Protein Protein Protein without the GLP. Without a GLP, this is the first 60 days. cuz you weren't even on anything and you're normally somebody who overeats. Now you're trying to eat 150 gram or 180 g or 130 g of protein a day and you're probably finding this is hard.

Like I just don't want to eat that much protein. Protein produces tremendous satiety in comparison to carbohydrates and fats. And this remains true for about the first three years of eating a high protein diet. It's difficult. It's very hard. Now you're on a GLP. Eating your target body weight and protein in our experience from food all but impossible. It's so difficult in fact that even protein shakes are hard to choke down. This was the part that was really surprising to us when we started working with clients on GLPS is they would actually often times find it difficult to drink a protein shake.

But what they could drink were essential amino acid drinks. Uh they only contain the essential amino acids. Uh they taste like a fruity drink because they're thin. It's not like protein shakes. They make pill form, too. If you ask, they do make pill form. And essential amino acids maintain muscle mass and build muscle and other studies. Um and they're quite effective at uh stimulating what's called muscle protein synthesis. Now, here's what you want. I want to be clear with this because you can find a lot of essential amino acid supplements on the internet.

They need to be 40% leucine. Uh, leucine is the trigger for muscle protein synthesis. The leucine is the this is what sets things in motion. Without enough leucine, you're basically wasting your time. The best essential amino acid supplement uh bar none hands down on the internet is Keon. Keon makes the best. Every essential amino acid product they have, both pills and or uh the powder uh is 40% leucine. And so what you would do with this is you would drink this throughout the day. And this is going to help you preserve muscle.

A little bit of strength training. You're taking three servings of this a day. Even in a subcalorie diet, you're going to lose a lot less muscle by taking this throughout the day. day. day. So essential amino acids throughout the day. Now, here's where we get to the Okay, I also need to work on coming off this GLP and staying off it. How can I do that? Well, here's what you do. Our eating habits are often connected to lots of different things. It's typically not just it's lunchtime or it's dinner.

oftentimes connected to stress or anxiety or boredom. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh or an activity that I do. You're still going to have those feelings. So, when you go to GLP and your appetite's lower, that doesn't mean you're not going to experience anxiety. Doesn't mean you're not going to experience boredom. What you want to do is consciously replace an old behavior with a new one. Mh. Mh. Mh. And you what you're trying to do is you're trying to build a new behavior pattern. I'm bored. I'm anxious.

I'm stressed. What do I do now? That's what I'm going to do. And I'm gonna keep training myself to do this because what we're trying to do is have a behavior that sticks around. Yeah. This is the real Yeah. while you're while you're taking it and where the real value is to uncouple uh some of these like behaviors and associations you have with you know this is where I actually go seek out that kind of candy bar, that thing to help uh you know calm me down because I'm stressed out or whatever it is.

I I would argue that the step even before that is learning to become aware of this. Right. So it's like uh some some of the clients that I take through this uh were just unaware of even some of their habits. Yeah. Some of these habits that they had. They didn't realize that oh wow at work there's this you know bowl of nuts that I was always going by just grabbing it. like just they weren't even counting it or thinking about it until they got on the GLP one and realized they hadn't done it in a month or months had gone by.

It's like, oh wow, I noticed that I'm not doing that thing or they didn't realize that they always had some sort of a snack after dinner or they didn't realize that, you know, one drink always turned into four. Like they just there's a lot of things that you' be surprised that people mindlessly do and aren't even aware of it being a bad behavior. So, it's first becoming aware of like, oh, wow, there there's that thing that I always used to do that I no longer do anymore.

Okay, well, now what am I doing during that time? Or like to your point, like, you know, there's always that stressful time of their their job or whatever. And it's like, oh, I didn't realize that during those times in the past, I was also always having drinks at that night or I was always doing this thing. It's like, and now I'm not doing that. So, it's like, okay, that thing still exists where you get stressed out. You're no longer doing that. What then? Then it goes to the step where you're talking about which is okay now I need to learn because eventually I won't be on this GLP1 and I won't have that suppressed for me.

What do I need to do now and replace? So I had a client once and I I can't believe I didn't remember this uh up until now but I just remember she had a habit whenever she would watch a movie with her family she had to eat something. something. something. So she we just connected this. She's like man when I'm watching TV or watching a movie it's just something conditioned I feel like I need to be eating something. And it was it's the silliest thing. She started chewing gum.

She'd watch a movie and chew gum with her family and she's like, "It does it for me. I'm chewing on something. I taste the flavor. There's no calories in it." So when I was competing, uh I man I used to go through packs of gum like crazy. It was a huge hack. Now I don't I didn't have GLP1s to help me. So I had to like when I was hungry I was hungry. And just simply getting into the a habit of like when that hungry or cigarette would kick in and I normally would go over and snack on something, I would just go throw a piece of gum in there and just keeping my mind chewing that was such a huge hack to do that.

In fact, that's a that's kind of a bodybuilder hack. There's a lot of a lot of guys that That's where I got it from. That's why I recommended it bodybuilders. Yeah, that's a common thing that they they do is just like and again, it's just it highlights your point. Yeah, we have this little bit of a hunger signal or we have these these habits and simply switching it out for something else. The other one would be water. A lot of times I would just go, you know, pound a bunch of water till I didn't want anymore.

It was like if a lot of times I would just go, oh, I'm hungry. It's like, oh, maybe I just need to drink something. And then I'd fill up on water and be like, oh, that would pass. I'd be okay. So, there's a lot of things that you can do. There is. Now, here's here's what's interesting about a GLP. When you're on one, let's say you're on one for six months or a year, the neural networks or that you have developed with your old behaviors where you're reaching for food, they actually start to weaken because you don't practice those behaviors.

You can re you can build new neural networks for new behaviors and it's a it's a wonderful period of time to do this because you're not practicing an old behavior, you're practicing a new behavior. And this sets you up for when you start to come off, which takes us to the last point, which is to scale down. Scale down your dose. Work with your doctor. Try not to go cold turkey. In our experience, it seems to work better when people lower the dose slowly over time.

And also understand this. We're just being realistic here. Many people need to do the onoff a little while before they can finally come off. So, they tend to scale down, scale down, scale down. They're off for two, three months. Uh-oh, things are getting out of hand again. Go back on the GLP. Let me try this another couple months. Come off. Two or three trials later. We have a lot of success with people who are on a GLP. did it the right way, didn't lose muscle, feel great, came off, took them two or three times, off forever, and now they have a lifestyle that supports, you know, being lean and fit.

We've we've helped enough people in here that I've put together a uh some common things with the people that have to do that so many times versus who's the person who just does it one time and they figure it out. And it has a lot to do with what we were just talking about with becoming aware of the behaviors and implementing. The people that don't do that work come off and then the habits come right back and they tend to have to do that two or three times before they realize what's happening.

Yeah. Then they sort of see what happens. It's like, man, I was so fine for the when I was on it. Now it's like, you know, and all a sudden this creeps back in. This creeps back in and then it's like come back. Yeah. It forces them to connect those dots. And so if you skip the process where we're talking about becoming aware of your behaviors and replacing those behaviors with good good behaviors or good habits, if you skip that process and you do all the other things we're talking about, you might have success on the GLP1.

Then you come off and then you go right back. And then that's what I've noticed is the people that tend to have to do that a few times, that's the way they have to learn their lesson or learn become aware of, you know, what their habits and behaviors are. Totally. Speaking of weight loss, uh there was a 2025 study in middle-aged women who used a multistrain probiotic over four months. Uh 40% reduction in anxiety. anxiety. anxiety. Wow. Wow. Wow. 40%. Here's what's crazy. In another 20 25 minute analysis, probiotics led to greater weight loss, including waist circumference and lowered visceral fat in obese patients.

We may be looking at with probiotics uh one of the most important supplements people could possibly possibly possibly we may be looking at for the which is so crazy to think is they've been around for so long the best fat burner that's ever been around I mean all the fat burners that were around and marketed for so long were we're garbage fat burners all promise to make your body burn more body fat but in reality they don't really do that probiotics actually do that yeah get you to move more probiotics actually do that by making by by by by influencing the bacteria It just shows you how influential your bacteria is.

It's astounding. We may be looking at like an actual fat burning supplement and then on top of it a anxiety supplement. It's it's so wild. It's so wild that we're looking at something like that. I've heard Yeah. anxiety a lot of times derived from the gut, right? That's where it's signaled. I mean, I'm not and looking at the journey that we've had with our partnership. How many years now we've been with Seed? We've been with Seed for quite a long time. Five or more years. More than five years.

probably six or seven now. And and I remember when we I mean you were always you always consistent with taking a probiotic and I know you were big on it, but I actually didn't think that our [snorts] audience would support a partnership that well with something like that. I mean, let's be honest, the things that are sexy are the things that sell and do the best. Yeah. Like the building muscle, the burning body fat, the quick hacks or whatever shortcuts, things like that. and a probiotic.

I just it was like a more in the wellness health category. I just I honestly did not think but the reviews, the feedback and our our people don't stop taking it. They don't. Nope. And the stuff that I hear from the people that have taken seed is is crazy. Family, friends, Family, friends, Family, friends, people that have been listening and following for a long time. And so it's one of them partnerships that I didn't see coming that would be this long-term partnership that we had because of the No.

They're and they're just so they're just so far ahead of other probiotic companies. companies. companies. I think that's what it is. I think what what they've done is there's enough people that listen that we're already taking like you like taking different probiotics probiotics probiotics and there's like this clear difference wild results from it. Yeah. And then they take it and they go there's a clear difference. Yeah. Once they take No, no. It's it I mean they they're able to keep the bacteria alive without it being refrigerated.

It's in a capsule that's designed to deliver the bacteria where it needs to go. They test it through an artificial digestive system that they've created. They have the world's leading researchers in probiotics. Uh they're there's basically seed and then everybody else is down here. here. here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So exceptional job. Speaking of Seed, I I was at uh I got I went down to LA to be on Dr. Seeds. Oh yeah, Dr. Seeds podcast in LA. That guy I love that guy. Oh, he's he's hilarious.

He's the He's the Bruce Buffer of peptides. peptides. peptides. He He He the way he dresses. Yes, dude. I'm always excited to see his shoes and his bow tie. I'm like, I can't wait to see what he's rocking. You know what he is, dude? It's like if if Adam was a doctor. I feel that. Hey, I totally feel that. So unfiltered. So unfiltered. So unfiltered. He's unfiltered, He's unfiltered, He's unfiltered, bro. He's definitely He's definitely flashy. Like I I feel that bit of an [ __ ] too.

He's got a little bit He's got a little bit of a prick streak to him. him. him. Like you love it. He's so unfiltered, dude. Half the time like, "Oh my god, Dr. Seeds." And I walk in and he's sitting at this desk and he has his leg elevated and he's got like bandage wrapped around his leg. I'm like, "What happened, dude? What happened to your leg?" And I don't remember where he said he was. He was somewhere where there was like this world or this like this mountain bike riding championship competition that was happening.

And I guess the track was open before the competition started. So Dr. Seeds is like, "I can I'm going to go do this track. [snorts] Let me go do this." And he bailed. He like went Oh my god. Like he tore his like adductors. Yeah. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. So he had his leg all bandaged up. Yeah, dude. I was laughing. We were laughing about it together. But it was it was a good time, dude. You know what he Hey, do you know what he does?

He's going to be so mad. I'm going to share this cuz he told me not to say anything, but I will anyway. Do you know what? So before his he's got a podcast room uh where he does his show. show. show. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He just really started it, right? He just just just been a year. I think it's only been a year. Nice. year. Nice. year. Nice. Yeah. And he's great, dude. Dr. Seeds is like he's he's like he's pure integrity. Like he will not And he's unfiltered, yes, but he will say he will only speak the truth.

He doesn't hype or anything like that. like that. like that. He's he's also arguably the worldleading expert in peptides. I mean, who who do you know the longest? Who do we know that knows? Nobody. Nobody. Nobody. Nobody. Right. Nobody. Right. Nobody. Right. You know, here's what I hate. And we have a lot of friends that that know. know. know. Nobody does. Yeah. No. Here's what I hate about the peptide space. You you've compared it to medical marijuana for so long. It's so true. That whole space is filled is filled is filled with charlatans and gangsters.

Yeah, it literally it is filled gangsters just hustling. You meet them and you're like, "Oh, you're not like you're just to make here to make a buck." Um, and influencers that talk about things like they know what they're talking about. Dr. Seeds is he's the only guy that I would say is an authority. I mean, we've had people on here talk peptides and we have fun with them and stuff like that. Dr. Seeds is the authority. There is nobody else I would I would point to.

Um, but anyway, I go in and we're about to do his podcast. I'm like, "Oh, S, our girls going to We have a girl who's going to do your makeup." I'm like, "Makeup? Is that your first time?" I'm like, "I got to do makeup." He's like, "Yeah, I'm not. Why couldn't I be there for this?" I'm like, "I'm not going to do makeup. I'm not going." And they're like, "No, but you're shiny. Your forehead's shiny. Shiny, dude. I'm not going to do it." And so I'm like pushing back, you know, but I could tell that they were like, "No, we really want to do this." So, I'm like, "The only way I'm going to do this is if I could talk about this on my show." my show." my show." Oh my god.

Your life would probably be totally different. I'd be all like they try to throw some tanner in tanner. She's like doing stuff on my forehead trying to make like I never had someone do makeup on my face. I you know I actually thought for sure when I was with I was when I was with Shelene that that she was going to offer that but she's like she does her own thing. So she was like when we before we got ready to podcast she's real particular about I mean she was like I remember when we had her here and she was like critiquing just light.

just light. just light. Yeah. She was critiquing the [ __ ] out of our our like this is not working. you can put me in the worst place. All this stuff like that. Like we got roasted, right, by all that. And then I was just like, and I never I don't think any of us ever put that much thought into it, right? I mean, Doug does enough putting into it to look to make sure it's clear on the on No, dude. I'm not doing makeup every day. day.

day. But they the the level I like food on my face. That's what I care. care. care. The level that some people go to to I was like, man, we we could look a lot better, better, better, dude. Whatever. dude. Whatever. dude. Whatever. We could we could look a lot cuz I can't I can't wait for more viral. And I had no makeup, right? I didn't do anything she did, but I'm like I could see the they have a you know they have a TV like we do, right?

And I'm like in the corner of my eye could see me. I'm like damn I look kind of good. Like I've never felt that way on my own show. I've never felt like I never looked at own show like I look kind of good. I'm like no I always I feel like I look like [ __ ] I look over and I'm like damn I didn't know I look that good. I look hella good on hers. But do Dr. Se is great dude. He's like he's such a bro too.

Super obviously brilliant. brilliant. brilliant. He's also such a bro. And so we're just having a good time. I just love the guy. He's so great. I can't wait to go speak at his uh at his event. I was off air. I was talking to you and I think it would be because I know you and him go uh go really deep, especially on the peptides and I'm sure GLP1 was a huge conversation with you and him and and all the cutting edge stuff. And so I I mean if Doug's okay with it, I think it would be um really valuable for that episode to go live on our platform after they after they do it.

I think our audience would really uh enjoy that conversation. I know it doesn't have Justin and I, but I think that it's super valuable. super valuable. super valuable. We had a lot of conversations about researchers versus practitioners. So, like in our in our lingo, it would be like, you know, guys who understand fitness data and then guys and girls that actually train people and Dr. Seeds is very much a practitioner. He's like, look, I know the data. I know the science, but I also work with people all the time.

We had a long conversation about that because he gets people that communicate peptides from a this is what it shows in the clinical data. clinical data. clinical data. Yeah. From a mechanistic. Yes. And he's like, [clears throat] "Yeah, but here's what actually happens." happens." happens." Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When you're working with someone. So, we had a lot of conversations around that. What's really cool is when I was explaining on his show what's what we've experienced with clients and why we coach a particular way. He was then able to explain what's happening on a molecular level, [snorts] which was really really cool.

you know, talk about he and he we were talking about adaptation versus recovery. It's really cool. It's really cool to see someone that smart uh who's like, "Yeah, you guys are on the right, you know, path type of deal." It really Yeah, it was cool. It was good. It was a good time. Yeah, he's always a lot of fun. Hey, what do you uh what do you think right now with um I know you're deep in the weeds with your family and everything, too, with this SpaceX getting ready to get launched.

Dude, this is this is this is And you've got me down the rabbit hole of like of like of like cuz I I just, you know, uh Yeah. What's that going to look like? I don't know if we share this on on on on air or not and I'll share it on air. Uh I think I alluded to it at one point. Um just I'm a terrible stock picker. Like I'm just terrible. I used you know it's funny cuz I I there was there was a time when I was is that this is got to be one of the most humbling things for a guy who's so good with with like numbers but it's Yeah, it's beyond humbling.

It pisses me off. The market the market is a total different different different anomaly. It's super You're usually right on point. It's super annoying to me. Um, and you're right, cuz I feel like I have uh I I have a decent business acumen and I feel like that I should be able to pick stock better than I gamble. You know what I'm saying? Apparently not. Apparently, I'm better at sports picking than I am at stock gambling. Yeah. gambling. Yeah. gambling. Yeah. And so I I've already committed to both my son's portfolio and mine.

I'm just I'm clearing all the losses and taking taking that and then I'm going to move everything into an index and I'm just going to boring old mindlessly every month. Not even look at it. It just goes over there because looking back over the last, you know, two I think it's been two three years that I committed to stopping my sports gambling and going all into stock gambling. Um I look at my the bottom of my portfolio and I'm like, dude, if I would have just indexed this, I know I know I know it just hurts my stomach.

And so I've committed all that. But again, so that's where my mind has been. And then here you are in my ear about SpaceX. You know what I'm saying? I'm just like, this is what how this happens is I got a buddy who's talking to me. I'm waiting to see if you buy or not. If you buy, I'm not going to get it from you. So you. So you. So So I I can't help myself, but at least go down and do a little bit of research.

And so I've been I've been diving into it. And dude, I am just uh I saw a breakdown of the valuation that they're getting right now in the trillions of dollars. dollars. dollars. And uh you know, and I'm very aware of like how you know they get these crazy valuations like an Amazon which is like 18 times it like what it's valued at, right? Is what the what it's predicted. And this you have SpaceX is like 100 times. We've never seen anything like this like this like this in history.

In fact, it's comparable to the entire world's GDP, which is just that has to be scary for you. It is. So, let me preface this by saying this is we're we are now talking way outside of our scope. This is not our expertise whatsoever. We'll get back to fitness in just a second. I uh so when I I go I get torn, bro. I go I go back and forth. One side is what you're saying. you're saying. you're saying. Their value what they're what they're going to be asking for makes no sense.

We've never seen that before. Right. On the other hand, what we're looking at essentially potentially are the guys who are making the railroads. In other words, uh they're creating a way and they're the only ones that have this capability. this capability. this capability. It's a real solution. They're the only ones that have this ability. SpaceX is really the only company able to launch satellites into space profitably and quickly where they're going to be building this basically these data centers. Yeah. uh that are going to get solar power that are going to be cooled all this AI all this technology is going to need it so essentially they're building all the railroads that all the businesses are going to need to transport and so the promise is well he if he's doing that the potential is massive but then on the other hand it's like this valuation we've seen the backlash at the data centers like the way they're doing it here you know like in uh Utah for instance instance instance well we can't do it you can't do it it's it's unsustainable there's too many resources it requires I so I'm I'm familiar with all that and you and it so you we need the sun's power.

power. power. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We need and and getting closer to it cool too. Yeah. Right. And all that. Yeah. So it and we can't we can't feasibly if if AI goes where all these people are predicting it. Then we'll need all these data centers. We'll need all this stuff, all this support that we can't literally build down here. And so that makes sense to your point argument about railroads. But I'm also back and forth and on the fence of the arguments of the AI hype.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Is that you know it there's a lot of hype around it because billions of dollars of of move that and so it's in their best interest to keep that going just like the dot right when the dot hype was going on is like there was so much hype in it and everyone was buying every I mean they were right that the internet was going to revolutionize but nobody knew which company ex exact and what it was going to look like. Exactly. And also and it's very it's f to me it's following such a similar pattern where we see this initial job loss which everybody back then was afraid to if you were in a brick-and-mortar business you were scared to death do the internet was going to put everybody out of business and some businesses did go out of business but then what ended up happening was we got way more business and way more jobs and I feel like AI is following the same trend.

We saw this initial fall off software engineers that getting replaced and oh this one AI tool can replace 10 of them but that you know that's spiking right now. Well, you got to talk about uh Chris Williamson's data that he found out about AI about I think I only sent that to you. Did I send that to everybody or was there a thread? thread? thread? It was so interesting cuz it's like I thought that was interesting. He was talking about how um you know how humans have been affected by social media and how like they can now measurably uh show how it's lowered IQ.

Guess what? The same thing's happening to AI because it's aggregating all this junk data. Did you watch this? Yeah. When they when they plugged in I I saw So what they did is they plugged AI into and and had it just absorb and learn from social media consumes everything. became dumber. Dumber. Dumber. Dumber. Not only to become dumber, but they couldn't bring it back. It lasted. It lasted. It lasted. Yeah. Even Yeah. Even when it they permanent brain damage. Permanent. Permanent. Permanent. Yes. Yes. Yes. To the AI.

This is so tripping. Which is so wild. Yeah. Which is so crazy. crazy. crazy. Yeah. I wouldn't even have thought of that, you know. I don't know. But you know, the other thing too is Did you guys see that the the speech that uh I shared the at Harvard the um Yeah. I I brought that a long time. Yeah. There's like a big push back uh with students, you know, because it's like, dude, you set us up for what? like they hate AI. Like at least a good majority of like graduating students are going to make it's going to make us dumber.

It's different than like what we've seen before with things like uh navigation which is like this narrow scope of like okay and and a calculator. Everyone tries to make that leap. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like well we you used to do math long form before calculators and oh you used to you know used to pull a map out to go figure out like this is a very narrow scope. This thing is replacing everything you think about. You know, we like that's getting to that place where people are just outsourcing to that everything.

everything. everything. I hung out with a friend of mine, John, uh who I I recently just met and he invests in startups and AIs and he said the dumb companies are using AI to try to figure out how to do more with less uh with less people. He goes uh or get rid of people. He says, "No, no, no. Smart companies are trying to figure out how they can do more with more. Can we have this AI produce so much more and we have more people producing so much more?

That's what the smart companies well and that's the curve we just saw. So like this is what I'm talking about. We saw this massive layoff of software engineers and all the fearongering around everyone's going to lose their job and now it's on this huge spike back and I think that's because the smart companies companies companies did you see uh was it Chase Bank and and like now they're putting more money into actually having more actual people in the branches. I was like why? Oh, I didn't see that.

Interesting. It was really interesting. I don't know if there's a movement now for actual humanto human interactions because of some kind of push back of AI. Well, you can't get around the fact that we need to be around people. We're super relational. relational. relational. Uh, period. End of story. And all the data will show this. We just need to be around uh people. But like a bank, like surprising to me because that's one of those things like I mean I [snorts] have a theory on that.

Uh, Uh, Uh, who needs them to tell me? Well, I think you're talking about somebody's money. Like if I'm if I'm skeptical ever like to like send money or do something that it's like doing it all automated. all automated. all automated. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Not having a person who I know is like, "Hey, my money's going like you." So there's probably and there's probably a lot of fraud. There's probably so much fraud that's happening on the banking side with AI tools and people hacking into emails and doing things like that that they're probably going back to like, "Okay, we need to have people who answer the phone, who sit down with somebody and actually do a wire, reassure them." reassure them." reassure them." Yeah.

reassure because I think there's become that would be that's my theory totally. totally. totally. You know what's interesting back to what you said about we're going to get dumber. You know what happened with the internet is a lot of people became dumber but some people became a lot smarter. smarter. smarter. So we actually have most people lost that's fair. It it'll it'll create a bigger gap. bigger gap. bigger gap. Yeah. There's but some people were were used the internet and used technology to become even more even smarter and AI may do the same thing.

Yeah. I'm sure that that goes into your I mean that's uh how uprisings and throwing overthrowing empires happen is then it comes the wealth gap crater, right? Cuz if you got all these people that are way smarter and you know way dumber then they're going to make way more money. They become way Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Then Exactly. Then Exactly. Then but but you know back to the SpaceX you know there was a huge selloff in the market. There was like a huge drop. Uh lot the speculation is that people were trying to liquidate.

That's what they say about SpaceX. That's the That's the That's the get rid of all the stuff. Yeah. Bitcoin. Yeah. Bitcoin. Yeah. Bitcoin. That's what I was listening to my boy Nigibi talking that that's what Bitcoin was. The big drop on Bitcoin was. He made this argument that a lot of big bullish Bitcoin people are also huge Elon Musk fans. Sure. Sure. Sure. And so they're bought in that the next big run is going to be on SpaceX and so they're liquidating Bitcoin to go over there.

there. there. The thing too about which makes sense why it's like huge low. thing about about Elon which is very fascinating uh because you're also betting on a guy anytime you buy a person right anytime you buy a company you also have to look at the person and kind of buy the person and that dude uh he's comes through I don't care ideas that against him whether you like him or not cuz you can not like him you can like him but it's it's an objective fact that he's the greatest entrepreneur in the history of the world uh he's built more that triggers some people it does but it's just a fact how How many companies has he has he turned into billion dollar companies?

But not just that, if you look at his companies, he's got SpaceX, Tesla, he uses Grock and X. What else does he own? These are all things he can integrate and work together. Boring or he can take all the all these things, integrate them. You know the Tesla, all the Teslas that when they're parked become a supercomput. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And they're collecting all kinds of insane data. insane data. insane data. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he can he can integrate all that. that. that. I was listening to it's all his own ecosystem.

I was listening to one of my my car shows today and there's a guy that's like one of the most famous tuners who tunes all the cars, right? Gets in there and takes the computers out and then retunes them and stuff. and stuff. and stuff. Um, Um, Um, and he was talking about on there that pe people have no idea that, you know, there's this big scare of like the cars being able to be controlled and so he's like, like, like, he's like that technology is in all cars for the last 20 years.

He goes, "I I my job is to go in and and and write that code and do that code." He's like, "And you I can see it in every single every car that has a computer in it. It can be can be taken over and controlled." controlled." controlled." That makes me feel good. So this whole fear of like, oh, it's coming. It's like that's it's been here. It's that he goes it literally can be somebody can go in and do that on if you're you're you're make you crash.

Yeah, I know. Yeah. Now, let's go back to accidents, you know, that are suspicious. That code that code's been written in cars already. Someone made like a future dystopian movie like that. You'd see the heroes all be driving muscle cars. I believe they did make a movie like that. I feel like they did already. Dude, speaking of which, did you look at that channel on YouTube? I showed you Dusk. Dusk. Dusk. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, bro. It's really cool. I don't know. You guys would probably like it.

You guys like Black Mirror, right? Do you guys like Black Mirror? Like that kind of stuff? Yeah. I didn't watch all of them, but likei likei likei it's like one of the best YouTube channels I've ever found. Like it's they're sci-fi shorts, but they're also really good stories. Some of them are better than others. Some of them are really good. really good. really good. That's like Black Mirror. I feel like Black Mirror is like hit and miss. Yeah. There's like It's like all these really well produced like Are they Is that what it is?

It's like short versions of Black Mirror. That sounds like it. They're like eight eight to 20 minute uh short films short films short films and they're all kind of sci-fi based or And I wish some of them were like full-fledged movies, dude. Like I'm trying to remember the one that uh I don't know the names of it. Did you watch Immortal? Uh remind me. I'll give this one away. It's really I think 9 minutes long, but this dude eventually this guy figures out how to become immortal somehow.

So he figures out how to become immortal and so and it really explores like what would the real challenges be with becoming immortal, right? So it shows him at first he's like he can never die. It's cool. Then it shows him living through uh continuing to live as Earth continues to change and there's like an uprising of machines. They can't kill him, so he's still alive. Then there's a new civilization. Then there's another civilization. I got watch. He's married. He loves his wife, but then he watches her slowly die.

She's dead. Then eventually he he lives until the until the sun expands and and and destroys the earth and he's just in space space space lonely by himself. Oh my god. And you WATCH YOU'RE LIKE, "OH MY GOD, THIS SUCKS, DUDE. DEPRESSING." It was so good though. So like, you know, as a as a you know, as a kid, that's like one of the like probably as an adult, if I still mess with myself and sit down and think about it, the the thought of eternity is more scary than dying.

Oh yeah, just the thought of existing for that long. long. long. Meet like everybody dying around you and stuff like that. Just period. Even if it not even if it's not on earth, even if it was like in space or uh heaven or another place, the thought like your my brain can't fathom no no no what this ongoing forever cuz cuz you logically logically logically I go like forever means I would check the box on everything that's capable of doing and then then what? Then what?

And it's like that sounds really like how long are you going to be good? Yeah, you know. Like at some point you just turn into a freaking super villain. super villain. super villain. Yeah. I don't know. It's I but as a kid that used to really trip me out. But dude, watching that I did not expect that. I did not expect him to them to show him live until the you know you know you know they say the sun's supposed to expand eventually destroys earth and contracts and he's just sitting there in space by itself.

Oh this sucks, dude. This is the end. Did you ever go watch uh the movie our buddy released? We had on the show the um uh interview we did. I cannot for the last last last Yes, I did. You did go watch it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was uh the theor god theory of everything. Was it the theory of everything? Maybe you could double check and look that up. Uh Steve, you did go see it. Steve Meyer. Meer. It was so good. Oh Oh Oh yeah, I talked about it, I think, on the show.

So show. So show. So I know you talked about you were going to go do it. No, I haven't watched it. It was really good. good. good. I missed it in the theaters. It was really good when they Can we watch it on streaming now? Is it I don't know. I hope if if you can, you guys got to check it out. The No, that's actually that No, it wasn't. It wasn't that one. No, the story. I'll have to look. Look at Stephen Meer. Just Steven Meer new movie.

Well, it'll pop up. up. up. Yeah, just look up Steven Meyer. Oh, I did go see a movie last week. It was kind of funny cuz um we were going to watch Obsession, which is like this like thriller scary movie and I heard really good things about it and like it was supposed to be at 4:55 and we got there there there and apparently it was at 4:15 and my friend hadn't showed up yet. So, we're like, we're like, we're like, "Yeah, the theory of everything." You sure, Doug?

That's a new one. Well, that's what it says here. Uh all you have to do, Doug, April. No, you don't see it. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, it's Steven Meyers. Uh, yeah. Theory of everything, April 30th. I'm listening. Anyways, I'm listening story story story conversation. Uh, yeah. So, anyways, I we thought it'd be funny. This is really like one of those jokes that like you have to painfully sit through because you made the decision to do it, you know, cuz you thought, "Oh, this is gonna be so funny, dude." And now you're waiting.

You're waiting. You're committed. You're committed. You're committed. Now we're Now you're committed. So, uh, you know, we're buying the tickets cuz and the guy's like, "Oh, no. You're we missed it at 4:15." Uh, and and so we're like, "Oh, well crap." Like, "What are we going to do?" Well, what's playing right now? You know, 455. And And so the only thing that was playing was Scary Movie the Movie the Movie the Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, Okay. So, Okay. So, was it good? No, it was awful.

But, uh, so my friend come comes in and we just like give him the tickets. We we go s we don't tell him anything like he's he still thinks we're watching this movie. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. And like we're just going to wait to see like when it like starts when it clicks. Oh my god, dude. The the opening of of Scary Movie. It's like this this lady that's like you know you know it's very animated and it's like she's it's I don't even know who it is.

I guess it's somebody famous like you know like actress or or whatever. And and it's just like it's very like how do we say this? like uh not white humor. It's and he's just like what what are we watching? You know, and like the whole movie was like it was great. They they literally like were trying to like push white people out. They're like, "Yeah, this isn't for you." You know, we're just sitting in there and I just started laughing at like really like random parts that are like making fun of white people like, you know, just to have fun with it.

Um but uh dude, it was so awkward. How long did it take you before he he he It took It took a good like 20 minutes and then he thought he wasn't that long before he before he before he was still trying to figure it out. That was the whole joke. And so we had to like sit there and then now we're watching this stupid movie. There's some funny parts, but it was really really really You looked up I saw a thing on this. What is the uh scary movie franchise worth?

The amount of money that they've been able to make piggybacking off of all these. all these. all these. I thought there was only three. There's like seven. There's a Oh, there's a bunch. Yeah, there's a bunch. The first one was hilarious. That was funny. Yeah. Like the first two to three were hilarious. Well, they they did a good Well, they they did a good job of mocking all these popular scary movies back then. And they It's worth over a billion, bro. A billion dollars and literally no original ideas.

You're just mocking all these. Yeah. It's just a complete all the franchises. You know movie I'm going to be watching soon. Have you guys heard of Obsession at the theaters? This is what I just was talking about. Is that the one you were going to watch? No. Hold on. But you didn't watch it, did you? did you? did you? No, no, no, no. That's where we were playing. playing. playing. Hey, bro. I just showed you how much you The best part about that was I was telling Justin like I'm listening to your story cuz you can listen you wrong seat when this was in the middle of a story about obsession.

Hey, listen. Listen. But you didn't watch it, did you? No. My My son watched it. That's so you right there, dog. That's so you. so you. so you. Listen, I was trying to find the right one that was selling and I was watching Doug's horrible Google and he was like googling the name with like dude, that's not how you look. I'm done catching strange now. now. now. Oh man. All right. Anyway, it's uh Obsession is this super. It was a very It was a lowcost scary movie basically horror movie like independent film.

Those always end up doing well. It's crushing. It's crushing. It's crushing. Those do. Those do. Those do. It is crushing. For some Okay, for some reason that genre genre genre Rotten Tomatoes 99 95%. It was like It was making as much money as as Mandalorian and Grou. Don't you guys remember? It was like what would you say? Would you guys say that? who really kicked that off was what was the one the one the one that got that got that got Blair Witch Project. Yes. Yes.

Yes. They were the ones that made like lowbudget horror like super popular to do it that way. Like And is it because it feels kind of like what um what um what um why we see this this trend in social media right now of like this going back to just holding your phone and doing ads. People want this authentic feel real. And I think something about horror music is the same right now and I'm getting a lot of intel with that. It's really interesting. Garage bands are like way on the rise, right?

So, people don't want to see overly produced horror. What's scary to me is like this feels real and that's what remember Blair Witch people thought that was like a real that really happened. Everyone thought that really happened and happened and happened and captured video of like this witch and so I think Blair and we'll look it up. I think Blair Witch Project had the greatest uh like revenue to cost of any movie ever. I believe it was so so Obsession cost them a million to make Obsession.

It's already grossed over $250 million. $250 million. $250 million. So, 1 million. Now, I don't think it's filmed I [clears throat] don't think it's filmed in the same way. I saw the trailer. I think it's just low budget because they don't have any star actors and I don't think there's lots of crazy special effects. special effects. special effects. So, it's all about the story, which I wish they would pick up on that. It needs to have a legit story. I don't care about all the stuff.

Well, you know, the reason So, I've I've What is it? Let me see. The Blair Witch Project had an initial production budget of 35,000 to 60,000 which increased to 2750 once post. Oh, okay. once the Okay, so 200 to 700,000 post and it made $248 million back then. That's back. But the principal photography 35 grand. Now this was back in when was this made? 199 something. Yeah. Uh maybe early 2000s, like 01 maybe or something. Maybe maybe past. But obsession, you know what the story is about obsession, right?

This dude, This dude, This dude, you know, I don't watch. This dude, well, I'm not going to give I mean this the the trailer shows us this dude likes this girl. He's totally like infatuated with her and he makes a wish somehow. He gets this thing makes a wish that he wants her to love him. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But then it turns into her being like super obsessed with 99. Wow. 99. Wow. 99. Wow. Blood witch was you know Justin to your point that you brought up there's a reason I mean obviously you probably know the reason but like uh I've read up on that before like what like we lose this like originality of like risk of like storytelling because there's such a a easy formula for success.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because there's so many whole business around it. Yeah. That's I mean scary movies. Yeah. Scary movie is a perfect example of that. It's like there's a built-in cult following already that you could throw garbage out there and as long as a percentage of that cult goes and sees it one time, you already make your money back. Where coming up with a new idea is 100% risk. And I think the success rate is so small. It takes a lot of risk. You know what's interesting?

Of all the genres of movies, [snorts] I think the most successful genre where you see the formula of low cost to high uh revenue is horror. Well, yeah, but don't you think it's for the reason why I just what I was saying earlier? It's because you don't want something overly produced for horror because if it's overly produced, it makes it even more fake where if it feels kind of gritty and like low budget, it feels more real. I don't know if that's necessarily true because some of the most because some of the most some of the highest producing horror movies were highly produced like The Shining or I think what it has to do more with is the story.

Was The Shining highly produced? It was it was a major Hollywood production. production. production. It was a major production really. It's the story. I think when we look at horror, we get caught up with the like the the gore or the special effects or the jump stuff jumps at you. It makes you scared. you scared. you scared. But it's really about think about the scariest movies you ever watched. It was all about the story. It was just really really good storytelling. Blair Witch Project, as wild as it is, is actually a really interesting story as you're following.

following. following. I actually couldn't watch it because it made me sick. Yeah. A lot of the the first person like camera that probably didn't I'm sure that played a little bit of a role, too. Do you when you watch this cuz I know you're like a big wuss with this. When you watch scary movies, I don't watch scary movies, but if I If I were to Let's say you watched a handful. handful. handful. Okay. Let's say all of us together go and watch Obsession or something like that.

You're covering your face. Watch you like this. No, you're not. Shut up, bro. For real? For real? For real? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, you're not, dude. No, you're not. I swear to God. God. God. Listen. Listen. Listen. White knuckling. White knuckling. White knuckling. Is it How does it affect you? Like, tell me like how does it affect me like how does it affect you? Why do you think I get anxious? And I don't like that. Like, I want that when I ride a roller coaster in the middle of the day.

Okay. Okay. Okay. That's like I like that anxious. I like I like to be scared in the middle of the day in the sun on the beach riding a ride and go like a this is great and my adrenaline's going and I'm hyped for the day. 8:00 at night when I'm eating popcorn with my wife. I do not want that feeling. Okay. feeling. Okay. feeling. Okay. There's nothing about that. Now, what happens after the movie is over? Do you have do you not you can't sleep?

sleep? sleep? I you know I haven't watched enough to connect patterns, but it's not I don't feel good like going to bed after that. Like I'm not a person who could watch a horror film and go right to sleep. Do you guys want I'm more like my wife. She's cuz she Katrina and I don't both. That's one of the things that was connected us. Like she's like anti- scary. She can't even watch an action-packed movie and go to sleep. She's got to watch something like really like I can at least do that.

But boy, you put you if it's a thriller or on the scary side, it's like Yeah. So I don't like scary movies like I used to cuz if they get too demonic, I don't like them anymore cuz now you obviously I'm different now. But when I was younger, I watch this I could watch the most demented twisted thing. Go right to bed. Nope. No. [clears throat] That was a good movie. Yeah, I can't do that. that. I can't do that. Yeah, I can only take it like the slasher movies.

Those are still fun. Some of them are so Rob Zombies were too much though. It's not because they were too scary. It was It was just excessive. It was just too much. Yeah. See, I really don't like gore like like really gory over the top stuff like that. There's some stuff that like I like Six Sense. I watched the first two Saws. I saw saw saw Yeah, there's certain like but that again I thought that the storyline and the whole idea. Do you guys know that scary movies will uh can induce physical uh arousal in women?

Did you guys know this? Google this. Make sure I'm telling the truth. the truth. the truth. You've talked about this before. I have, but I want to make sure motivation and I just make this up right now for dates that I think it can induce uh physical signs of arousal uh in women. I mean, is it the what what is the thing that the the that it's doing? Is it anxiety and excitement? Scary movies can induce physical arousal in women. This happens because it said physiological signs of fear closely mirror those of sexual excitement.

Scroll down, Doug. See what else is happening here. happening here. happening here. Scroll down but slowly sort of watch a scary movie with my wife. Yeah. Blood flow redirection. Blood pumps to your extremities and genitals. Wow. Wow. Wow. This doesn't happen for men. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This doesn't look Doug. Look up if this happens to guys. No, cuz I don't think it does. No. No way. But then you add into this. I remember I read an article about this. You you take a girl to a scary movie, she gets scared.

Physical arousal, but she's not aroused. It's different. Physical arousal and actually being aroused. I wonder if they don't realize it's happening cuz happening cuz happening cuz No. No. No. You know, also too, like their obsession with like serial killers, but then what happens is then she's with a guy who then makes her feel safe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Boom. Boom. Boom. Yeah. I mean, it know like that was like a go-to formula, right? It says it can happen to dudes, too. That's called scare rousal. I feel like if that happened to me, I would like it.

That doesn't I feel like if it did that did happen to me, I wouldn't wouldn't wouldn't I know you're scared right now, but you got a boner. Yeah. Something weird. Yeah. If that happened, I'd be like, "Okay, I can get into this." But no, it's not like that for me. I I get I get all the anxiety, know the sexual sexual sexual I have never been aroused from a scary movie, so that's definitely not true for Yeah. No, I don't know. I've, you know, I have always had groups of buddies that are into them that want to Where's this going?

I'm I've now left your sexual mindset. Yeah. Like Yeah. Like Yeah. Like that's that's weird. My buddies watch scary movies together. No, I I've always got buddies that want they they swear that I haven't watched the right one. I got to they got to introduce me to this one or like that and everybody's so I want to watch a scary movie with you only because I want to see what like the the anxiety and like I just want to be there to watch that. You want to see I see him just in torture.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I've I've done it enough times now that I I would fake it well enough that you would I wouldn't give you the I wouldn't give you the pleasure of of of seeing that. seeing that. seeing that. It's the same pleasure you guys get when you guys watch me try and do something athletic. Were you guys watching me for the side and laugh? I hear you guys laughing. laughing. laughing. Oh, there he is. There it is. How can I move the way he does?

You'd be like taking me to a bodybuilder show or something. We did Adam. I know. And I was squirming the whole time. time. time. We should like I know that guy, but we didn't get enough. We didn't get enough footage of what you should have done. You should have had him go backstage. You know how uncomfortable that got him be the one rub the rub the dudes putting oil on each other. other. other. Hey, bro. Could you oil me up? Come on, dog. You're my boy.

You're my guy. The business, bro. Reach my glue. We got to grow this podcast business. Nobody's listening to us yet. Come on. Paint them cheeks. I don't want to. One of the most important components when it comes to fat loss, muscle gain, health, hormone health, it's sleep. If you get better sleep, everything gets better. In fact, studies show poor sleep makes it much more difficult to burn body fat and definitely more difficult to build muscle. And you want to throw your hormones off, have suboptimal sleep.

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truemed.com/8. truemed.com/8. That's true.com/eigt sleep. Go see if you're eligible. Get that discount. Back to the show. Our first caller is Carrie from Utah. Hi Carrie. Hi Carrie. Hello. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. How you doing? Uh I'm well. Thank you. I'm so uh I'm kind of nervous. So I've been listening to you guys for a very long time. So kind of fangirling over here. So I will just start by reading my email and then I do have an update since this mail was sent a little over 30 days ago.

Okay. So Okay. So Okay. So all right. Uh, it says, "Hi, hi, Mind Pump team. I'm a 45-year-old mom [snorts] [snorts] [snorts] of five with who lives with Hashimoto's. I finally was making real progress with strength training, and after a year of trauma, survival, and rebuilding my life, I've gained 35 lbs. Despite being physically active every day, and I feel completely lost in my body. I started listening to you guys back in 2018, but it took me until 2023 to let go of cardio and start actually lifting.

I ran MAPS anabolic and transitioned to MAP Strongs, but my body couldn't handle it at the time. high stress, joint pain, and poor recovery, and I stopped. In [clears throat] March of 2024, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's anemma, and low cortisol. I was exhausted, gaining weight, barely functioning. I worked with a functional med medicine doctor for about eight months, focusing on stress, sleep, gut health, and slowly rebuilding my tolerance to exercise. Eventually, I was cleared to gain to lift again, and I ran MAP symmetry. For the first time ever, I saw real results.

I lost seven pounds. All right, I'm trying not to cry. I lost seven pounds of body fat and gained 5 lbs of lean muscle. I finally felt like I was doing it right. Then my life fell apart. In February of 2025, I left an emotionally abusive, sometimes physical relationship and went into full survival mode. I lost everything financially and had to rebuild from scratch and I stopped training. Shortly after, I started a sedentary job. I started my own cleaning business in August of 2025. I now clean one to two houses per day and physically active.

But since May, I May 2025, I've gained 35 pounds. That's what's confusing me the most. I'm not sedentary. I move all day, but I feel softer, weaker, inflamed, and further away from myself than ever. Recent labs show my testosterone had dropped significantly. I had to stop therapy due to cost, and my feritin is low again. Uh, nutrition is a big challenge. I don't feel hungry during the day. And because I'm constantly on the go without access to refrigeration or heating, I rely on quick options like drinkable yogurts, fruit, and snacks.

I eat a solid dinner, but I suspect I I'm under eating protein and possibly under feeling overall. Recently, I've also started waking up in the middle of the night starving. I'm not lifting right now because I feel exhausted, weak, and unsure of how to fuel properly with my current lifestyle. I feel stuck. I've done a lot of emotional healing, but my body feels like it's going in the opposite direction. opposite direction. opposite direction. And most of my life, I've haven't struggled with weight. So, my questions are, how should I approach training with Hashimoto's, low feritin, hormone changes, and physical demanding job?

Is it possible that I'm under fueling in ways that are contributing to my weight gain? How do I rebuild strength, body composition without pushing myself back into burnout? Thank you for everything you guys do. Your podcast has completely changed how I view fitness. And then here's my update. Um, since sending the email, I've gotten a much clearer picture through comprehensive labs and a DEXA scan. My DEXA scan shows that my RMR is only 1320 calories. My visceral fat nearly tripled in 14 months. and my body went from 32% um body fat to 40%.

The fat distribution is centralized trunk and midsection which looks mostly like a cortisol driven pattern. But what's interesting is my cortisol looks reasonable. My AM cortisol was 26.5 5 days after leaving that abusive relationship. Acute stress makes it completely makes complete sense. It came down to 13.1 by September of 2025 and my most recent reading is 15.1 which my functional med medical pre practitioner says is actually the best it's been in years. So chronically elevated cortisol doesn't fully explain the visceral fat accumulation. The [clears throat] fat distribution pattern looks more like a cortisol pattern on the on DEXA but my Morton cortisol looks fine.

Here's what's most frustrating. I identified the underfueling issue and I corrected it. I increased my calories to 2,00 to 2200 on lighter cleaning days and to 2600 on heavy days. I'm tracking consistently and hitting 130 to 150 grams of protein daily and I'm still gaining. The DEXA does show a small lean tissue increase in 14 months from 14 months ago, but I started creatine about 6 weeks ago. So, it's likely water and glycogen in the muscles rather than new muscle tissue. Lab shows my estradile dropped 68% and my progesterone dropped 92% at match cycle phases over 13 months.

My thyroid dose was reduced in October which caused a downstream across multiple markers including 3T3 total T3 cholesterol jumping 48 points and my hemoglobin trending down. I have since started TRT progesterone and iron bicarbonate supplementation and I got a thyroid dose increase but I'm only a few weeks into that. So nothing has had time to fully take effect. So my question is now um given the suppressed RMR centralized visceral fat accumulation hormones in the process of being corrected physical demanding job um burning calories. What should I be doing to with my nutrition and training right now to stop the bleeding and start moving in the right direction?

Yeah, [clears throat] thanks for calling in. in. in. I appreciate that. So, uh, you've been through a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's very reasonable. It's extremely reasonable that, uh, going through what you've been through, um, and with five kids and trying to support everybody on your own and what you described about the relationship that you kind of came out of, it's very reasonable, uh, that it would be reflected in things like how you feel, body fat gain, not being able to exercise because you're exhausted, all that stuff.

like that's actually expected uh going through uh what you went through. Uh Carrie, what does what does taking care of yourself or what does uh caring for yourself right now look like? look like? look like? Um right now what I do is I make sure I get good sweet sleep. So I'm sleeping seven and a half, eight and a half hours every night. Um I have an Aura ring so I track so I know I'm getting good sleep. Good. Good. Good. I'm supplementing at night with um glycine and um magnesium.

magnesium. magnesium. Magnesium. Um, and then I'm taking the progesterone at night, which also is like I'm on 200 milligrams, so it's kind of like a mild seditive, so it really helps me like get into sleep. So, I'm sleeping really good. So, my recovery feels really good. It's just I think the, you know, some days I'm six to nine hours of straight cleaning. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All day long, non-stop. So, that's where it's getting hard is there's no break in between sometimes just to keep going. So, I try to get that rest at night, lights off, blue light blocking glasses, 8 8:00, which I've done for years.

So, low lights, just relaxation at night just to recover. That's really good. And you're doing a lot of good stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I hear your frustration. Are you giving yourself grace? Um, yes. I I I journal a lot. So, I have a stack of journals back there that, you know, I'm just, you know, I'm pouring into like any where I'm feeling frustrated, where I'm feeling stuck, and just understanding, you know, this is just a season of life. Wonderful. Um, but but yeah, it is still I still want to make forward progress when you know everything I'm doing feels like I'm just either stuck or I'm going backwards.

backwards. backwards. No, I I get it. You're okay. So, you're doing the right stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And what it's going to look like, which is what you're doing, is going [clears throat] to be caring for yourself in ways that improve uh the quality of your life and your health. Um, and so sleep is the first place I would go. You're active. Uh, so you're already moving a lot. you're fueling yourself better, which would be the next place I would go. And then the next place I would go would be adding some strength training when appropriate and it might look like very little.

And she's also just now getting like her hormones really balanced too. So you're really with your thyroid and just getting that all aligned like it hasn't even been that long. So that's just that's all the next place too. It is. And so you're in the beginning. So what it feels like to me um and I feel pretty confident in this. I could be wrong, but I feel pretty confident that you're kind of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. So, you've been going through this dark tunnel and you're like, "Okay, I think I see some light at the end and I'm moving in that direction." In other words, this season looks like it's starting to improve.

You're starting to come out of it. Is is would you say that that's true? Um, yes. I'm actually going to be transitioning out of cleaning all day just because of the amount of load on my body. It feels like, you know, it's not sustain sustainable, especially with my Hashimoto's. M Hashimoto's. M Hashimoto's. M so I'm working on um slowly launching another business that is um not physically demanding so then I can transition out of one business into this other one um um um so that like I said it will give me so there won't be so much physical stress.

Yeah, you're tough, man. You're tough. How old are your kids? Uh my oldest is 25 and my youngest is six. six. six. Yeah, you're you're a badass. Can I do something for you? Uh sure. Uh sure. Uh sure. Okay. I think you're you're managing a lot. How would you feel about not having to manage some of this and allowing us to give you some free coaching? Now you're really going to make me cry. Um, I would love that. Okay, I'm going to give you a couple months with one of our coaches and I don't want you to worry about some of this.

You let the coach handle it and you just do what they say so you don't have to think about all this stuff. Um, and they're going to walk you through nutrition and they're also going to be able to able to able to modify the program, give you exercise recommendations and modifying because at this point right here, Carrie, what it's going to look like is a little bit of like dipping your toe in the water, seeing how you react. That's too much. Not enough. Okay, let's bump it up or let's pull back.

And we're going to have to go through that process for a little while while your body heals because I I have a good idea of where I'd want to start you, but I'd also want to see how your body reacts and how you feel uh through the process and we could change it. And the only way we could do that is if we have uh somebody work with you through this. this. this. Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. appreciate that. appreciate that. Okay.

I'm going to have somebody call you today and we're going to give you 60 days of coaching and they're going to work with you through this process. You guys are wonderful. Thank you so much. been really something that's been really challenging. No, I hear you. I've always been, you know, I've always been really strong. I've never had to actually lift because I I just have always been everyone's always like, "You're so strong. You don't, you know, so like the only time I ever did cardio, I was like, "Oh, I want to look a little better for XYZ." You know, so I do a little bit of cardio and I would be just fine.

And I would just go back to living. I've just always been active. So this is where it's really frustrating is to feel so weak all the time, you know? Well, of course. Are you kidding me? You're running a business. You got five kids. You're doing this on your own. You left an abusive relationship. You have Hashimoto's. I mean, I'm I mean, you're actually taking it all on. Not a lot of people not a lot of people could handle half of that. that. that. You're pretty damn tough.

And that's why I want to take some of this load off of you in the ways that we can. Uh which would be the coaching part of it. And if it's okay with you, Carrie, uh I'd love to hop on some of those calls with you when you get with the coach if that's all right. all right. all right. Yeah, I'd love that. Thank you. Okay, that's what we're going to do. we're gonna set you up with a coach and then we'll see what happens. I'll hop on a couple of those calls and but I'll tell you what, I'm very hopeful because you actually are doing all the right like you're you're already moving in the right direction.

You're tackling the right stuff right stuff right stuff uh that needs to be tackled first. There's really not much I can add other than than than let's start uh let's take some of this load off you new path here. Yeah, that's it. that's it. that's it. Hang in there. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, thank you guys so much. You got it. Very strong. We got we got good coaches. You'll be working with somebody good. Awesome. Thank you guys so much. I appreciate your help. You got it, Carrie.

Thanks. Thanks for calling in. calling in. calling in. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Got to start out the gates with an emotional one by the way. Here we go. Strap in. Well, Well, Well, dude, can you imagine? Hey, five kids. Five kids. Hashimoto. Hashimoto's. 45 crappy relationship. crappy relationship. crappy relationship. Hormonal changes, abusive relationship, start a business, starting a cleaning business and then another business, another business, another business, another one to get out of the cleaning business. Yeah. business. Yeah. business. Yeah. The last thing that she needs is to try to manage more stuff, you know.

So, I'm hoping that uh this takes some of that load off. And also, here's the deal. Just for people listening right now, I have a good idea of what I think she should do. But I also know considering all the variables. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Probably going to have to change it like four times in 30 days. Call an Audible multiple times. It's going to be managing is going to be Yeah, dude. There's so much stuff going on. on. on. You know, we didn't get I didn't get a chance to tell her this, but um to go from I'm assuming that she was under 2,000 calories.

2,000 calories. 2,000 calories. Yeah. to 2400 to 2,600 calories and have a little bit of water weight gain. gain. gain. Yeah. Is is actually a huge win and and focusing on sleep like she is. And so the one of the hardest things when you get a client um that's gone through all this is battling all this is [clears throat] [clears throat] [clears throat] it weight uh fat loss and muscle building is a long process when you're healthy and everything is perfect. When you're hyper stressed when you Yeah.

So it when when everything is perfect, this process is still slow. still slow. still slow. That's right. That's right. That's right. When you've got when you got all of this that you're tapping at the same time, boy, it just feels like it just feels like you're not move. But you are. And what and it's uh understanding that to be able to increase your calories like that. Uh and also get rid of what she was doing before. We didn't even mention to all the cardio. Sounds like she was doing excessive cardio before and overtraining her body and undereating.

And so, man, it's gonna take a minute for the body to feel safe enough to do what it you want it to do for you. That's right. That's right. That's right. Our next caller is Kyle from British Columbia. Columbia. Columbia. Hey, what's up, man? Welcome. Damn, Kyle, you look jacked now. That's right. That's right. That's right. How's it going? Good. Nice to see you guys again. Thanks for taking my follow-up call here. You got it, dude. Give us an update. All righty. So, yeah. Um, just to briefly recap, first of all, it was a great timing to have this call with you guys previously cuz it uh I went through quite a good journey this time.

You guys sent me on quite a trail. So, it was awesome. So, essentially when I called in last time, I had been kind of weight training for about a year on the split and then I managed to gain 10 lbs in that first year, but I still really wasn't sure what I was doing. I was looking for a good plan and I was feeling tired and just kind of hit a plateau. So, you guys set me on a path to eat 200 g of protein and a day and then train the anabolic program.

So, um yeah, it was great. Um I'll just start with there. Um it was quite a change for me and um my journey started with quite a rude awakening actually. So, my first goal was to gain as much strength as possible during this time. So, I was definitely going to be eating a lot more um lower volume um based on the split and stuff like that. So, I just really wanted to focus on strength as you guys mentioned. And I was actually out of town for a week um during some work stuff.

And then the last day of the week, I went to a gym cuz I was just doing some dumbbell hotel stuff during the time. I was like, I'm going to go push some weights. And before like at home, I'm using just plates on more like a lever. I got like a little lever system thing. So, I was never freeing and I had all my numbers in my mind based on that. And I went to the gym, I loaded up the bar, and I was like, "All right, I got these mad numbers.

I'm doing good." And I could barely move the bar. I was like, "This is this is terrible." I was like I had to stop and yeah, I had to stop Drack and I just felt so defeated. So, I got home and this was the beginning of the anabolic journey and I I traded in. I just got a basic rack and I've been just upping my numbers on that and I've got some um you know more calculative measures. But anyways, I'll start with how the diet worked so far based on upping the protein um and then I'll get to the strength and numbers and the training and stuff like that.

So, I'll sprinkle in some questions cuz I had to do a couple modifications along the way just for my lifestyle. And I want to I took your guys' advice from the podcast to try to make the best decisions. So, I'd love to have your real-time feedback on that just to see if I'm doing well. Um, and if I can make any better changes. But, um, yeah. So, essentially, diet-wise, diet-wise, diet-wise, um, the 200 g goal was definitely an up for me. My digestive system was having a hard time with that with that volume at first.

The first two weeks, I was like trying to figure out how I can get the protein but stop burping all day kind of thing. I get those digestive juices going. I don't know. So, um I've worked my way up now to about 180 g a day. That seems to be doing well so far. I'm still trying to get up there, but um to get these numbers and to um digest well, I guess um without lack of better terms, I've had to utilize uh protein powder, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, those things.

I could more get the numbers higher. Um, I've I've even been adding some just liquid egg whites to my eggs to try to boost those numbers, too. And I know you guys always say like um stick to whole foods as much as possible. And I wasn't sure if adding those to rely on is still in that whole foods category or if it's kind of like um like a crutch right now for me um or if it will eventually get easier to digest uh more nonp protein powder type stuff.

Um, so that was my first one. All right, let's let's start there, Kyle, before we get to the other one. So, let's talk a little about So, what were your calories at Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Yeah. Oh, sorry. Um, I wasn't actually tracking calories. I was just tracking protein grams. I just had like a protein gram number kind of going on throughout the day. the day. the day. Um, but if you suggest I can do that and see what that's like for the next week or so.

or so. or so. I' I'd like to see that. But also, um, tell me about the rest of the meal. Were you having vegetables, starches, is there fiber? there fiber? there fiber? Gotcha. Um, yeah. So, essentially, like for breakfast, I would have some boiled eggs and then a little bowl of some Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein. Like, I can easily get 50 g doing that for breakfast. And then, um, lunch would be some veggies and then some egg whites scrambled with another probably a few eggs in there.

Actually, lunch is kind of variable cuz it's usually like leftover dinner from the last night. I just pour some egg whites in there to try to boost it up with some veggies on the side type thing. Um, dinner is usually meat and rice and whatever veggies my wife is making type deal. So, you're having carbohydrates once a day? day? day? Oh, I do eat fruit throughout the day as well. So, I'm having like apples. I usually have rice with lunch as well. And then I have some beans mixed in there as well.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, sometimes when you increase your protein, you will notice uh slower digestion or it'll be difficult to break it down. There's a couple things you could do with that. U one is you can introduce uh digestive enzymes with your meal. Uh so there are digestive enzymes for protein. Um and then you can also use what's called psyllium husk. This is a fiber that you take after you're done eating to help with motility. there isn't a bit of an adjustment period when you when you bump protein sometimes.

So, I've had this with clients sometimes where some clients you bump protein, food intake, no problem. Other times people like, "Oh my god, I kind of feel like things aren't moving really well." And those two things almost always uh make a difference. Um so, so that'll I think that'll help a lot. I'd also like to kind of get an idea of what your calories at, but I think it's okay to fall at 100 gram 80 grams of protein. I think think think that's good. Kyle, uh give me an examp what was dinner last night?

What did you have for dinner last night? [snorts] [snorts] [snorts] Dinner last night was actually I went to my parents' place. They invited us over. So, but we had like a big pork shoulder and some and some and some Well, give me give me the last time you made dinner. What was it? What would you What are you normally making dinner? Give me an idea of what it looks like. Yeah, for sure. Um, when we had dinner mostly cuz the kids eat ground meat. We always have ground meat for like our meat base.

So, it's usually um ground meat with some mixed veggies in there and then rice is always it's either like mixed with the rice or the rice on the side. So that's Yeah, that's basically our 90% of the time dinner. Okay. I love that. Uh I mean, can I make a suggestion based off of the meal choices that you're kind of doing? Like uh have you tried to cook 4x that in a night? night? night? Um no, I have not. Okay. So cook 4x that. So instead of cooking I'm imagining you and your family are probably having 1 to 2 lbs of meat, cook four or five lbs of ground beef and cook double to triple the rice.

And that now becomes breakfast andor lunch the next the next day and throw man that meal exact meal ground beef rice with two or three eggs on it is amazing breakfast bowl I absolutely love to have and then have that for lunch the the next day and then also in the middle you can have that Greek yogurt and fruit and snack like that like that's a beautiful day right there of that what you have for dinner now carries over to breakfast with a few eggs cracked over the top of it and lunch in between those meals.

Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with your favorite fruit. Like that's a And I bet that'll sit really well on you. You won't need to have to just keep pumping egg whites into everything you do. Um, and enjoy. And I mean, if you want some cheese, throw some cheese on there to bump the calories. Uh, that would be my suggestion. You're already making dinner like that, try making it in in a larger bulk so it carries you over another day or two of of meals. But yeah, as far as the digestion is concerned, uh when you radically increase a macro, sometimes your body's not it takes time to produce more of the enzymes that break those down.

And so digestive enzymes can help a lot. And then the psyllium husk is a it's a non-soluble fiber. It just gets things uh moving through the body and uh typically helps uh with all of that. Are you noticing did you notice any increases in energy through the bumping of calories? of calories? of calories? To be honest, I Yes. Um the first two weeks not so much but around like week 3 4 there was a bit of an increase but honestly the last 2 to 3 weeks for me has been significant.

Uh like it just like a switch happened. I don't really know like it was kind of like a little bit but then all of a bit a little bit but then all of a sudden it's been quite a bit more. So it just Yeah. The last few weeks have been pretty awesome. pretty awesome. pretty awesome. Yeah. Yeah. You're on the right track there. Tell us about the workouts. Tell us what's going on there. Yeah. So, the workouts have been fun. Um, I really enjoy I've never done a full body um routine before.

Um, and so that was great. However, I this is my biggest modification. I stuck with the full body uh the first two and a half I'd say 3 weeks. Um, but then I did notice like because I like to rest a bit longer in between. I was getting up to like an hour like over an hour and then my mornings are a bit tight and I I like I don't like to feel like rushed in between. So what I ended up doing was um the full body I was listening to your podcast and then you're always talking about like keep the volume the same.

I know you're talking a lot about like the 15-minute workouts and stuff. So anyways, I tried to implement that into what I'm doing. So I said, "Okay, to avoid this rushed and get my um breaks in between, I took all the upper body exercises. I did that on the Monday and then I took all the lower body exercises and I did that on the Tuesday. That's fine. Yeah, that's great. That's great. That's a perfect way to That's a perfect way to split. That's how we tell people to split MAPS anabolic if you if you want to cut the workout in half.

[snorts] Beautiful. Okay. So, um yeah, so that's what I did. Um because of that I haven't been doing the trigger sessions just cuz there's that other workout the the following day but it has been consistently going through that and that's been that's been that's been yeah I've been enjoying that and the time has been working out great. I don't feel rushed. I can take my breaks in between and um push those weights um as I go. And honestly um in terms of my so far like throughout this program here um I have gained about 4 kilos which is pretty good.

That's awesome. I was pretty surprised. I I actually didn't weigh myself for my son. He's in there. He weighs himself cuz he's still super young and he's like, "Oh, I gained it like 0.2 today or whatever, you know." But he's like, "So, how much are you?" I was like, "I'm not weighing myself yet. I got to wait at least a month or whatever." And then um we did that. But yeah, um as of today, or not today, like last time I weighed myself, which was within the last week or so, it's like 4 kilos more.

Um Wow. Excellent. Yeah, I was pretty And your strength. How's your How's the strength? How's the Yeah. So, I wrote down my numbers. I got my numbers. So, um I was having a good time with this. Um and it honestly felt like throughout the anabolic every other workout, I was like, "Oh, maybe I'll add another like put those 2.5s on there for this last one. Go up another five or whatever." But then I was kind of finding my sweet spots. But anyways, my numbers for me, um I'm happy because I've seen progression.

And I know there's a lot of people who can lift a ton more, but I'm I'm happy cuz I've made progress. So, uh, my lifts, my deadlifts, when I started, I was at just 140, but now I'm up to 175 doing like Yeah. So, that's a huge increase for me. Um, Um, Um, for anybody, buddy. Yeah. Awesome. My bench. So, this was the funniest part. when I went to the gym. So, anyways, on my lever um weight machine there, I was going I was at 170 um and I went to the gym, I put that on there.

I just I was going to die, so I had to just stop. I was I don't want to kill myself. So, I stopped. And then when I got back home with just the free bench, the free bar, took me like took me a couple workouts to get the feel of it. So, I was only doing 115. Um but now I'm up to 150 again. So, that's significant um for me. And I'm just like, yeah, I got the feel of it now. I'm used to it. I got I got the safety bars on there now, so I know I'm not even if I dropped I got confident doing that.

I was like, sometimes I'll just drop it on the safety bars in the last one and then just rest and then put it back up. So, I'm feeling good. Um, so I got that. So, my bench went from 115 to 150 real free weights now, which I'm pretty stoked. Um, squat. I've never done like um a barbell. I was never Yeah, never did barbell squats before. always just dumbbells and I even had to rig up a backpack with an extra dumbbell just cuz I never had a bar and a rack before.

So, try to get the weights. But now with the barbell, my squat, I started at 135. I'm up to 185 now. So, I'm feeling good with that. Um over now, this is my main problem. I've noticed strength gains overall. Um, [clears throat] however, my shoulders are just that one part that's just kind of like stuck, you know, like my my overhead press is stayed at just like 70 lb. However, my reps have doubled. Um, so I've gone my reps are up, but um I just I have a hard time adding weight to it and it seems like my shoulders are a bit laggy in terms of growth.

Um, growth. Um, growth. Um, I dude, we're looking at your pictures right now for the first time. Uh yeah, you have made incredible progress. Like the vast first off your strength is this 90 days. Is that how long it's been? Has it been 90 days? February to April. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. The strength gains you're describing in 90 days are not they're not ordinary. They're actually remarkable. I wouldn't even advertise that as something you could expect. So you made tremendous tremendous tremendous strength gains in 90 days.

And it look based off of your pictures and your strength. I would say you just gained muscle. gained muscle. gained muscle. Oh, that's all you gained was muscle for sure. Look at your your waist his waistline and his his abs are still the same like same like same like Yeah. It's not You're not just doing a good job. You're blowing it away. Yeah. In fact, I don't I mean I know S asked for your calories, but you are fine. What you're doing, you're what you're with your thing.

You're huming. You're you're eating you're eating what you need to. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You put on you put on good all good weight, dude. weight, dude. weight, dude. Yep. Yep. Yep. You look great. Yeah, I think what the next thing to do would be to change your program. Keep pushing the calories. Add the digestive enzymes and the fiber so you can digest. Bro, you're so I don't want to change. I want him to run anabolic again. He just now is getting used to free weight. Yeah, that's fine.

You run anabolic another time and watch what happens your second round. second round. second round. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, your second round of free weight. By the way, if you're if you're using the same weight on your shoulders, but you doubled the reps, you got way stronger. Yeah, the thing I would wait till So this is another reason why I want you do anabolic cuz you're familiar with it. Watch when you come back around and you run it a second time and pay attention to all your lifts in that phase.

So that's that's the true measure is like now that you're back to phase one of anabolic, what does my five rep squat look like? What does my five shoulder and then watch how you feel and move that way that way that way and keep Yeah. And keep and push the protein up. Keep trying to get up to 200. 200. 200. Uh but you're Yeah, dude. This is like the the results you got with strength and muscle would be exceptional if it was over a year. Yeah, you look great.

So, you did that in 90 days. Yeah, dude. You look good. Which tells me your body was like, I need this. need this. need this. I was ready for it. Keep feel keep fueling yourself. You're hungry, feed. Definitely. I'm definitely going to encourage you to to to feed. And I would take the advice I was giving you about the like uh more of those dinner meals like that. Like make double at least double it up and start doing that in there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're doing great, dude.

Yeah. You're good, bro. Like way more than good. than good. than good. Yeah, you're killing it. Very good. Very good. Very good. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it Yeah, it's been a great time like honestly just like learning. I really like you guys talk about like uh learning the movements like practicing and I felt like I really got a good chance to practice the the exercise cuz it was a whole new system like just free weight barbells, learning that. You were just warming up, let me tell you.

I can't wait to see 90 days later. I want you to send us uh check in check in with us again 90 days. Send us some photos and updates on all your numbers. You got more crazy games coming, dude. Yeah, you do. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. Well, that's great to hear. I appreciate that. that. that. You got it, man. We'll see you in 90 again, dude. again, dude. again, dude. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right on. All right, Kyle. All right. Um, sorry. May I ask just one totally random question?

Yeah, let's go. Go for it. Okay. So, this was um something I've been kind of my wife's really starting to get into training, too. and I've been helping her and um so recently like she's I'm I'm still teaching her like she's she actually did some measurements and she said she checked in her strength has gone quite a bit up and her measurements are the same and based on what I know it's like oh that's a great outcome like you're obviously getting more muscle and all that stuff.

However, um, one totally weird thing, I don't know if you guys have ever experienced this with anyone before, but when we started upping her protein, we were focusing more on like dairy based stuff, but she started getting migraines and and then we like, okay, that's the only thing we've changed. So, we we kind of dialed that back and her migraines have gone away, but she doesn't have any digestive issues with dairy. So, I wasn't sure, but I'm not sure if that's come up soon. Yeah. So food intolerances uh can look like digestive issues.

They could look like skin issues. They could look like energy issues. They could look like pain, inflammation. Migraines are a very uh very clear sign. If you reduce the dairy and the migraines went away, stay away from dairy. [clears throat] Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. Good to know. Yeah. I just want to There's there's some good uh uh companies out there. Hule is one uh some of their like vegan powders and protein drinks and stuff like that that she can use to supplement, something like that. Perfect.

Okay. Yeah. Just wanted to know if you've heard of that and experienced that. So, perfect. No, you're good, dude. Yeah. Do good job, brother. Keep it up. Awesome. Yeah. Thanks, guys. I appreciate all the help. See, he gained 10 pounds, bro. His picture came up. I went, "Oh, bro." bro." bro." Hey, 10 pounds of muscle in 90 days. That's not That's That's phenomenal. He's building muscle using that window fast. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's like, "Every workout I'm adding weight." Like, that's great. Oh, I mean he So, it sounds like and I don't I don't I didn't remember hearing or or noticing this the last time we talked to him.

At least I don't remember. It sounds like he's coming off of a you know like a whatchamacallit machine. A Bowlex. Yeah, like a Bowlex type of machine. I think that's what he and being introduced. Yeah. Now that he's on free weights. Oh dude, that that's why I wanted him to run an fine. Yeah. like that. His whole first round is was just like I bet you he spent the first two weeks of every phase feeling out the weight and so he only got one good week of like really shocking.

really shocking. really shocking. Like watch when he comes back around. Watch. Yeah. Watch. Yeah. Watch. Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if you get another five. another five. another five. The only thing that will keep him from not is feeding. He'll guaranteed he gains another five to I'll even say 10 if he pushes the calories. calories. calories. Free weights for the win. If he fuels his body and eats the way things are going right now, he's in he's in newbie gains range right now. guy who's never done free weights now doing free weights is a good example.

I hope he's Sounds like he's pretty diligent, so it' be it's gonna be cool to see him tonight. Yeah. Our next caller is Jai from Ohio. What's up, Jai? What's happening? How you doing, man? Hey, what's up, guys? What's up, guys? Hey, thank you so much for taking my call. call. call. Yeah, you got it, man. How can I help you? you? you? All right, so um here, let me just fire off this question because my laptop is dying here. But, um so yeah, my name is Josh Faraji.

Um I'm currently uh a personal trainer uh locally here in Cincinnati and also I'm trying to actually grow um online as well. So I'm trying to take more of a hybrid approach. Um what I'm looking to do is um improve my marketing and client retention and my overall business structure. So um I have three questions for you guys. So if you're starting from scratch today, what would be your top strategies for consistently acquiring clients and how would you structure your content to convert, not just get attention?

Secondly, what systems and habits have you found most effective for improving client retention when motivation drops? And lastly, I've been exploring ideas like seeing Ask a Trainer booths and different workshops at local businesses and corporations. Also, I'm um another idea that I had in mind is um I'm trying to maybe get like a program together like maybe an 8-week program just to start bring that idea to some different businesses here like such as Proctor and Gamble and um uh TQL. Both of these companies have uh top-notch gems over there.

So, I'm trying to, you know, maybe get something going on over there uh you know, with their staff um in order to um obviously build um build build my business locally and hopefully convert a lot of those people into uh one-on-one clients also. Um so, like what I would like to know is um how would you recommend structuring and marketing something like this um so that it converts into paying clients and are there any key materials or systems you guys suggest having in place? So, I really appreciate everything that you guys put out.

Um, and I'm looking forward to uh hearing these answers. Yeah. I mean, I love you. First of all, I love all the questions. There's a lot there. So, let's go back to number one and just start right there. Okay. [clears throat] [clears throat] [clears throat] So, so when you're getting started right now, and this is like the number one thing that I I talk to new coaches about. Every hour you don't have a person in front of you is a is like a failed hour. I don't care if it's free or not.

And that since you're trying to build online and in person, I'll take either one. So it's like if I if I meet somebody and I have an opportunity to get a free hour with them in front of me versus me not training somebody like that's so and that not only is that important for reps for you. Okay. So like you're this part of this process when you're building is the educational process like you are this is you getting people in front of you getting good at your craft and your skill.

Nothing will serve you more than that. And so every hour not having a body in front of you whether it be virtually or in person is is wasted time like that like you got to do that like that's first and foremost and that that's going to give you that. Now while you're doing that that also provides the content for social. So I let's just say you are the person I you I meet you at the store or a supplement store. We're talking it up and I get you in front of say hey man tomorrow I got some free time.

You want to come in? I'll take you through a workout. I'll go over some of those things I was talking to you about with your shoulders that you were asking me about. You're like, "Yeah, cool. Totally free. It's on me." Yeah. Rad. So, so then you and I are in there. I'm going to work you out, talk to you, teach you about whatever it was we talked about in the supplement store about building your shoulders and some movements. I'm going to teach you some things. And then the things I'm talking to you about are now ideas for content that goes on social.

So, if I gave you a tip for say shoulder health and mobility because I noticed that on one side you kind of have a rounded shoulder. And so whatever it is that I I notice about you or I help you with that now becomes a piece of content that I put out free on social and I'm just rinse and repeat every day. If I got three or four people in front of me, whether they're paying me or not paying me, that's three or four pieces of content I should be able to at minimum put up on social.

You see how that just starts? You see how that compounds? I get practice and reps. reps. reps. I get content ideas. And then guess what? All those three people are also opportunity to maybe become a client and this also this also this also right. So now this becomes an opportunity for me to get work on my presentation skills because one of the best one other than being a great trainer the other number one thing that you can get good at is sales and so this is going to give you that practice of doing that and a lot of the other stuff that you talked about all good ideas but what I just said should be 99% of your focus.

right now. Bodies in bodies in front of me, repetitions and practice both on my sales pitches and my content that I want to create and teach other people. Like that is what's going to that right there will will start to scale your business by itself. by itself. by itself. And then we start to the other things what happens to a lot of trainers where they're at where you're at that are highly motivated, intelligent, like all the things I can tell about you. you kind of want to do all the stuff and it's like I'm what I'm telling you right now is the biggest thing that you can go do and and and and like a huge success if you were if I was mentoring you would be right now you maybe have one or two people at most in front of you every day by next month you've you've always got five people in your book like I don't that's what I'm trying to do that's right and I don't care if you're making money I don't even care if they're paying you just you you come to me and you're like Adam I'm seeing five people a day every day now.

And I was only seeing one person at most a day. And now we're seeing five. Four of them might be for free. I don't give a [ __ ] But that's four bodies you got in front of you. That's going to make you a better personal trainer, give you a better opportunity for presentation sales, and give you more content to produce on social media. And it all come together. together. together. Okay. Okay. Okay. Jo, how Okay. How many clients do you currently have? What are you at? What are you doing right now?

right now? right now? Uh, so currently um Okay. So I I just started um as as an entrepreneur. So outside the gym, I used to work at Crunch Fitness. Uh this was like uh maybe about two years ago now. So I was doing really well over there at Crunch, but I mean you guys probably know like working over at Crunch, you have to uh work there for so many hours. You have to be there for so long with so many, you know, clients in order to make a good amount of money and things like that.

And honestly, I was starting to get burned out. So um I just decided to try to move on and work on building my business outside of the gym. Uh so at least I've been doing it seriously uh for for about the last 6 months. Um, it's been a little bit of a journey. I don't really, you know, care to get into all the details, but I've just kind of been been going through a lot, but 6 months ago, I finally decided to take it seriously. So, I've been able to acquire um four inerson clients, and right now I actually have five online clients.

So, so a total of nine clients so far. Okay, good. Good. So, so, but I'm actually I'm I'm trying to work on building that obviously as well. I do have a goal in mind as far as a number of clients that I would like to have so that I can kind of be comfortable. Um, but so far I'm at nine. I actually have a goal of 30. So I can just kind of give you my goal. So so far my goal is 30 either in person or online.

So right now I'm at nine. So I guess I'm looking for about No, that's great. So one of the challenges uh so social media is great. Uh it's this wonderful tool. But here's one of the the things that it's done that I think is a negative to trainers is we look at social media and like this is how I'm going to market. This is how I'm going to get clients. This is abstract. I'm J. Listen. Huge distraction. Once you hang up with us, you go outside your car, start talking to people.

to people. to people. Like I could get 10 clients Like I could get 10 clients walking out of my studio faster than if I was trying to get them on social media. Just walk around outside. Learn that's that's what I've realized as well, which is why like I wanted to show because at first my focus was online, but I just realized how difficult that that can be. Um it's so much easier to just talk to people around me, you know? So that's why I really wanted to try to focus on building my presence here locally as well.

well. well. That's right. Yeah. You literally you go outside. You set up a body fat testing booth at the grocery store. You go to the park or something. You talk to people. You you do a like let's let's predict your all cause mortality with a grip tester. Like you just talk to people outside. People trainers don't like it cuz it's scary. And when you look at social media, it lies to you because oh my god, look at these guys with all these followers. They must be building a huge I'm going to tell you right now, if I was going to turn a trainer into a six-figure trainer, I would I wouldn't even have start a social media.

Like we're going outside right now. We're going to go get you a client. client. client. Where are you training out of right now? Like what gym? Oh, so right now, um, I'm training at it's a gym called Lion's Pride. So, you know, they do Olympic weightlifting, personal training, yoga, MMA, like it's uh Yeah, they they they offer a lot. So, it's called Lion's Pride and it's located downtown here in Cincinnati. So, that's where my inerson clients are. And just to back up with what Adam said, your social media is to support what you're doing by walking around and talking to people and meeting a reflection of that.

Your social media, you know, Um, I'm sorry. Go ahead, guys. No worries. Your social media is not your business. your business. your business. Y, Y, Y, that's not your business. So, so the focus is I'm talking to people. I'm getting them in front of me. I'm getting as many people in front of me as possible, and this is how I'm going to build my business. And then as an afterthought, the conversations I have, whatever, I'll post it on social media to support my business. But that's not your business.

your business. your business. Your business is literally and and trainers today really mess mess this up. It's it's no different than it was 20 years ago. And like I said, what's happened is people gotten confused. And I'm meeting a lot of coaches who like, I don't understand what's the right post and how do I do the right engagement and how do I convert people? I'm like, walk outside your door. Walk outside your door and talk to people. It's it's it's a million times easier. easier. easier.

Immerse yourself. Immerse yourself. Immerse yourself. On that on that on that note, okay, I'm going to say this to you and I feel like I say this to people all the time and they still ignore it and don't listen to it, but this is so important to understand. It is more powerful for you to add three new followers to your Instagram that because you helped some guy out with his shoulder pain and that are talking to you about their shoulder pain than it is for you to get 10,000 followers because you did the the latest Tik Tok dance that or or did something viral that are you just have a bunch of looks on your page that I'm telling the that totally the right like okay this mind pump media to be meaningful.

Yes. I want it to be meaningful. Yeah. I want I want to actually educate people. I want to The type of content that I want to post on social media is I I want it to be informative and actually helpful. helpful. helpful. Listen, Listen, Listen, I'm not trying to entertain as much. I'm trying to educate. If you had 100 people 100 people who followed you because they want to hear what you got to say, they DM you questions. They're interested in Jai the coach, that is worth way more to your business than 10,000 followers that just like your content.

Yep. Yep. Yep. I agree. I agree. And the way you build that is through the people in person. That's it. You help people in person and every time and uh my buddy Michael does a really good job of explaining this with your goal is as soon as you coach somebody and you gave them a tip or you helped them out in that hour, as fast as you can, you get on that phone and you put that as social content. Don't let hours or days go by and then try and come back and do it.

Why? It's fresh in your mind. I just talked to you about shoulder health. I helped you out with a couple mobility drills. That's a piece of content. Don't overthink it. It's literally, "Hey, I was just with my client Jai and I noticed that his he had forward shoulder on his right side. I showed him a couple mobility drills that totally helped him out. He felt all that pain go away when we did our shoulder presses. Here's those two mobility moves that I showed him. him. him.

Do this three do this three times before like boom. That's that's it. That's a piece of content right there." And and and and that I'm glad you said that. Yeah. Cuz like do it now. Do it now. was do it now. Do it now. was usually that's my problem, you know, just cuz I I kind of overthink these things a lot. So, I usually have those. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, cuz I usually have those moments, you know, where I'm having interactions with people and things like that.

I'm like, man, this can be a great idea for some content, but I kind of put it off. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then just kind of forget about it, you know? So, I definitely do need to work on being more proactive. J, do you have our course? J, do you have our course? Because our course is all about building your business. your business. your business. No, and this is this is the thing. This is why I'm glad that I got a chance to hop on a call with you guys.

cuz I've been trying to sign up with your academy for the last 2 months. Every time I go on the website, um it it gives me the option to fill out a form. Like it's like a two-step process, right? It only allows me to do the first process and then it just thanks me for filling out the form, but then nothing else happens. I've even communicated with customer service, but no one's reached out to me yet either. So weird. That's why I'm just glad that I hopped on a call with you guys.

Yeah, cuz I don't know if I'm going to the wrong link or something, but I've been trying to um join your academy for I'll take a look at that, but I'm going to have I'll have somebody contact I'll have someone call you today. This is all the stuff we talk about though, just so you know. That's everything in the everything you're asking. Like these are all great questions. Yeah. So, yeah. And I've got so many more questions, which is why I wanted to join that academy, you know, because I I honestly I need a teacher.

I I know how to train, but I don't know [ __ ] about operating a business, you know? So, that leadership and I trust you guys leadership for sure. No, you got it, dude. I'm going to have somebody call you today. We'll get you in the academy. That way, we can see you as well. You got a great attitude. You got great energy. You're going to do great. Just don't get lost in the like looking at what social media and the guys. Total waste of time. You'll be fine.

You'll be fine though if you're in our course. This is part of the guidance that we give all our coaches. So, you'll be good. Yes. Yes. I believe I will. Thank you so much, guys. I appreciate it. We'll see you. We'll see you in there. All right. See you. You got it. That's uh it's so funny that um I I mean, social media has really skewed what it looks like. Yeah. But it's literally just walk out your door. I had a studio uh you know not not too far from here, small personal training studio and whenever a trainer would come in to work in my studio to rent space in my studio.

I would always spend 30 days with them walking outside the doors getting clients and it was 100% successful. It was like you just go outside to people but initially they're like how do I do ads on uh on on on the internet? How do I get my a website? How should I make flyers? I'm like no no follow me. Hey, we're going to go outside right now for an hour and we come back with two or three leads or two or three free workouts, sometimes a client.

It took 30 days. Easy. days. Easy. days. Easy. You know, when I talk to trainers about this and our journey with Mind Pump Media, I talk about this uh this was like our greatest weakness in building this business and it played out to be our greatest strength. And what I mean by that is we have no clue how to do social media or media. Uh what but what we do know how to do really well is help people and and teach people. And so we just leaned heavily into that.

It's like, hey, let's let's just give value. Let's just teach. Let's just help. just help. just help. Anyway, Anyway, Anyway, let's just share all of our experience, our knowledge, all of our mistakes that we made, everything we learned. Let's just give from and come from that place. Uh did not know what we were doing on the media and the social media side. And so it was very slow growth. We never had a hockey stick moment. We never went viral. We never had this huge moment. It was just we did we did a little bit better every year, every year, every year, every year year.

But then when you look at the sustainability of that, we have this incredible foundation that we've built. we've built. we've built. And I think this is to your point what social media, you have some of these overnight successes with some Yeah. an illusion of that this is a good coach. All a sudden this coach goes viral. He's got a million followers cuz he knows how to do social media. But really, he hasn't even trained that many people. He's not that good. And so it's like that will only last so long.

That's right. Eventually you're found out. Eventually your people don't see results. Eventually you don't change lives. lives. lives. Successful for three years. Exactly. You make a little bit of money for a year or two and then nobody gives a [ __ ] anymore because you haven't done that. It it's the reverse is true. It's a slower process, but uh it's how you build a sustainable business. Our next caller is Jana from Texas. Hi Jana. Hi Jana. Hi Jana. How you doing Jenna? Hello Hello Hello guys. How are y'all?

Good. Good. Good. Good. Welcome back. Looking for the update. update. update. Oh, not much. It's a little cold here in Texas today. So cold. So hopefully we'll get some rain out of it. How can we help you? Well, I am here to give an update. U my 60-day update from you guys. Um, I don't have a script prepared today, but I've got some uh I've got some data for you and um some things to to talk about to maybe help me decide what I want to do moving forward.

So, so I was on the mind pump on March the 4th and I had started um a combination. uh took up S up on his idea to alternate strength weeks and cardio weeks and I have to say it's been a fun adventure. So I a it's been a fun adventure. So I started um I went ahead and did the full symmetry programming um and alternated that with um base run training. So on my weight week, I did three major lift days. And then um on my non-lift days, I did some easy runs and some form drills because I was trying to get back to um good good running form after um some injuries.

my run week I did uh three quality um run days and then I used the mobility and the trigger sessions on my non non-run days so that I little bit of a little bit of everything every day but I definitely had some um alteration in my intensity um I so moving into this I had I kind of gave myself three metrics to do I actually did a a onem time trial um I did measurements and then I also did a DEXA scan before DEXA, sorry, an InBbody scan before and after just to kind of track the track the progress of things.

Um, so that's what that's what I've got today. So, I didn't know how y'all wanted to Let's hear it. I want to Let's hear it. I want to hear the results. hear I want to hear the results. So, um, my mile time I was able to decrease it um by 17 seconds. So, pretty good improvement considering that I was running every other week um with quality work. Um, I'm really happy with how my, um, form has come back in and so I feel like I'm, you know, kind of kind of back on track that I can start to push again.

Um, my measurements were actually, um, were actually quite interesting. They, my measurements actually stayed pretty much the same. Um, except, um, I'm happy to report that symmetry has done wonders for some of my side to side discrepancies. discrepancies. discrepancies. Yeah. Um, so that's that's that's the huge um difference that I saw. So when I was looking at the um and it really wasn't anything that I saw on the measurements. It was more on the DEXA scan of actual muscle mass um changes that I saw. Um I have always had a left leg that's smaller than the right because of an old ACL injury and probably the way I recovered afterwards.

Um but I've actually got my left and right quad as close to the right quad as close to the same number as they've ever been. And so I'm now only a quarter of an inch difference in um in my quads, which is huge because I was almost 3/4 of an inch to an inch smaller for Wow. Wow. Wow. That's awesome. That's awesome. That's awesome. So, and that's all it's all running symmetry. Um so, I was super excited about that. Um I'm left-handed. I feel stronger with my right hand, but my left my left arm always comes up higher.

and my um my arms have also they've grown, but they've also become more normalized as well. So, um super super stoked about that. So, shout out to the symmetry because I'm only I have one more week in phase three and so I haven't um so I'm kind of getting through all of that. But, um that part's been really awesome for me. So, um and then let's see. Um yeah, I put on here that my mile time trial was a 17 second improvement. And I said um in both of the half miles I was stronger um in that and I said it always hurts um but it's just over a little faster when it comes to um I thought this was this was also a fun thing that I saw.

Um I've had it when I went to the InBody scan um my skeletal muscle mass has increased um.7 increased um.7 increased um.7 um so I went from um 53.8 8 to 54.5 muscle mass. Um, and I'm a pretty small person, so I think that's actually carrying a pretty significant amount of muscle for my size. I'm only 5'2, about 125 right now. So, um, I was pretty happy to see that. That was probably the same amount of muscle mass that I had when I was at my leanest a couple of years ago.

So, I was excited about that. Um, I think the only downfall is I'm gaining weight in order to um, gain the muscle, too. But, we'll talk about that in a minute. So, my positives um that coming from this style of training is is that um I felt like I was able to focus more on all the things. Um one of the things that I tend to not do as much, which I can't really get away with anymore since I'm in my 40s, is is that I would drop the mobility, the focus work, um due to time constraints.

And so, the cool thing about the way that I had it set up is that I was focus I was able to focus on all the things. I fit everything in and not feel like I was limiting myself in any way. Um, I'm happy to report that I feel like my recovery is a thousand times better. I mean, my recovery is more like I was in my 20s and 30s. Um, every day is not intense anymore, but every day is intentional, and I've really liked that um, mental and physical um, change to see that.

I had a lot of fear going into doing this because I thought I might lose some ground. Um, but I actually have feel like I've gained a fantastic fitness space and my my body composition changes are actually trending back in the in a in a happy direction again. Just just just changing that up with training. Um, a couple of my cautions my cautions my cautions is that um, in the early days because I was feeling so recovered, I had a little bit of trouble letting intensity creep in just a little bit.

um especially in the early phases because when the weight weeks felt easy with the isometrics um I wanted to do more and so there was a little bit of I had to hold myself back from doing a little bit more but um that patience was good because I'm also learning that it's okay sometimes to feel a little bit bored because that's when your mind um kind of wanders and you can do things I think s kind of talked about that um what he did on the on the treadmill on his walking days is where you let your mind go but I think that helps a lot with my mental load with training and also alternating that with a busy life.

So, it actually made my exercise kind of more therapeutic in a way. So, I liked that. Um, my reflections on the last 10 weeks is that um I it's I have to keep my goals in mind. I have to make sure that I decrease that urge to compete versus progress in training. Um the one of the hard things for me has been the the weight scale um isn't paying isn't really telling me the big pictures. Um cuz some of my clothes are fitting a little tighter, but the measurements show that I'm trending in the right direction.

Um and I have to realize that being this as long as I have the change in my current fit fitness chapter, they're small increments. Um, and sometimes the changes that I think I might want to see um may require commitments that I don't know if worth it or time or maybe um I'm not willing to do or maybe it is time to do it. So that's kind of where I that's kind of where I came up with after my 10 weeks. I have I think at pretty much I have six more weeks left if um to continue on this course.

I would like to finish alternating until I get all the way through um symmetry. Um, so, uh, that's kind of my progress moving forward is do you guys what do you think of how I've committed to the to the training and what would you say to keep doing or maybe caution with um, moving into kind of the later stages of symmetry? You're kill you're killing it. Yeah, keep going. You're killing it. Don't change anything. Yeah. No, you're doing great. I mean, let's some things to highlight for maybe the listener who didn't hear the first one.

Like if I recall, we've we reduced the volume and intensity of running. running. running. Correct. Correct. Correct. And you've seen improvement on mile times, improvement on muscle mass, improvement on balance of symmetry. I mean, I don't think I could ask for better results from my client. I mean, you obviously you obviously you obviously all that everything is great. You obviously followed everything through a tea. I mean, that's I didn't change anything about um I didn't change anything with nutrition. And I'm not messing with I'm not mess I didn't mess with any of my macros or go into a cut or anything.

This is just straight body activity I want to do. And you know, for a 46-year-old female who's, you know, kind of on the brink of menopause, you know, the permenopause stage, it's it's really scary to try those things. But I I I I'm actually shocked. shocked. shocked. Trust in the process. Yeah, you did a great job. great job. great job. Um, and that was kind of one of my remarks that I put on here is that I I really want to thank S for talking about this and helping plant this seed for me because this last 10 weeks has really been kind of a love letter to myself in a way.

Um, many times I compare myself to my 28-year-old self, my 40-year-old self, and it's um, and it's really not fair to me. Um, it's um, so I I think that's a testament to just kind of continuing to pour into yourself where you are. you know, I live in a more um demanding time. I've got kids. I've got a career. I've got all these things and I have this limited amount of time, but if I keep showing up for myself, give myself some recovery, um I can we can still do great things.

still do we can still do great things. You're you're moving in you're trending great. I think you should continue to alternate. Uh keep doing the run weeks totally totally totally and the strength training weeks. Stay in symmetry. And after symmetry, you could go maps anabolic, you could go maps ppl, you could go performance. Those are all great programs and continue the alternating. It's working great for you. And I think it would work great for most people who are looking for what you were looking for, which was like a combination of endurance, stamina, stamina, stamina, hybrid kind of endurance, and strength and muscle.

It works so much better than combining them uh all into one workout. So, I guess that's my next question. a couple of days ago. I'm a little behind on your um daily podcast, but y'all actually alluded to maybe making a program that's alternating cardio. We haven't we haven't made it yet, but as of right now, use our current programs and do what you're doing. Yeah. So, you you'll you could do it with any of them. I I could have you run uh Muscle Mommy 15 and you could run it just like that.

Take a week on, week off, week on, week off, and you would see great results. And I've done performance. I've done Muscle Mommy 15, I've done performance 15, and I've done I can't remember the other one, but I would it would be interesting to me to actually go back to one of those other programs doing the alternating and see how much difference how much better I could actually do in those um in those phases. phases. phases. I mean, I think that would be a great suggestion is to actually go do something you've done before so you can compare of when you now are doing the appropriate amount of volume and intensity and mobility and you're taking care of yourself, how much better you perform in the program.

You're going to continue improving. I think your your run times and your strength are going to keep getting better here for a little while. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, we're moving in a great direction. Yep. Yep. Yep. Thank y'all very much for your support. Yeah. No, this is great. I appreciate you taking the leap because that's a big, you know, leap for somebody who's used to doing it all all the time. But I'll check back in with y'all after I get to after I finish phase four and I'll compare how much stronger I was from some of the other 5x5s I've done in my Please do keep us updated.

It's exciting. You're killing it. Thank y'all. Thank y'all. Thank y'all. You got it. Yeah, for I I think for people for people looking for uh just overall fitness, right? Stamina, strength. This approach I strongly believe is best for most people. most people. most people. Yeah, it's pretty sound. The only time I wouldn't do something like this is when you have to really practice the skill often. Like you're an athlete, you got to practice your swing often. You So, but for somebody who's like, "No, I just want endurance and I want strength." want strength." want strength." Instead of doing it all in the same week, one week is strength, one week is endurance.

And uh the data seems to suggest it's better. and the experience that people are having from it. Everybody's coming back saying, "This is weird, but I'm actually stronger and faster." faster." faster." I mean, talk about one of the more difficult goals to achieve, right? We always talk about like how harding Yeah. Yeah. You have somebody who is uh like borderline competitive running. Yep. Uh wants to keep uh body composition in check, wants to work on mo I mean, wants to build muscle, also wants to get more stamina, endurance, like the unicorn.

And I don't know if you could have asked for better results in in that period of time to to reduce the amount of intensity and volume of your running yet improve on your running time. No, everything's she did better to Yeah. Work out every other week and gain muscle and not just gain muscle but gain it where to balance your body out more. more. more. This is over 60 days. Yeah, that's phenomenal. I think I feel like because Justin's the most athletically minded. I would love to see you do something like this.

Well, because I think you'd love it more than I would. I know. I I I agree cuz I remember when you were talking about it and I was like, uh, we'll see. But like I I was actually considering it because I wanted to move more effectively. And it's also, this is the other part of it besides it being really good programming for the body. It's also a nice mental switch every other week because I don't know about you guys, but I know when I focus on strength, I have a different mindset than, okay, now I'm focusing on stamina.

And to alternate so quickly, especially in the same workout versus like, oh, this is my stamina week. week. week. It's a hard shift. Yeah. Oh, all week I'm focusing on stamina. Oh, now all week I'm focusing on strength. I feel like mentally, uh, it would even be better. better. better. Totally better recovery, I think, too. 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. I wish I understood this earlier in my career. I think it was probably was probably was probably almost 10 years in when I started to just focus on this with clients. I knew it was important. Yeah. But I don't know how important. Yeah. I also did I knew what was important and but I also