In the snowy village of North Point, an elf named tinsel embarks on an enchanting journey of transformation. Discover how this unassuming little elf with a sprinkle of elfin magic and the wisdom of a friend finds his strength and inspires a whole village, join tinsel and a heartwarming tale of Health Resilience and the power of believing in oneself. Welcome to the Wits & Weights podcast. I'm your host, Philip pape, and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self mastery by getting stronger. Optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition will uncover science backed strategies for movement, metabolism, muscle and mindset with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry so you can look and feel your absolute best. Let's dive right in. Wits& Weights community Welcome to a very special holiday episode of the Wits & Weights podcast. If you're watching me on video, you see that I have a little special something up on my head. And if you're listening on audio, you're still in for a treat today. In our last episode 131 Andy Baker on bodybuilding for hypertrophy and an aesthetic muscular physique, Andy joined me for his second appearance on the show to talk about bodybuilding style programming. Today for Episode 132, the elf who wanted to improve his health and get jacked, a heartwarming holiday story. I'm doing something completely different and telling you a story, a story about a little elf named tinsel, whom many of you may relate to. As a father of two young daughters, I've learned how powerful stories can be to inspire us sometimes just when we need to hear it. But before I do, you might have heard of the Spotify rap thing that's going around in the podcast world. It's kind of like a gift spot at Spotify is given to podcast hosts. And thank you to the listener this year 2023 has been one of growth and abundance for the Wits & Weights podcast. Thank you to you. I'm grateful to you. And I wanted to share just a few of the numbers from the Spotify wrapped results just so you can get an idea of what kind of year it was. So one of the stats is that 95% of our listeners discover the podcast this year. So that's tremendous. That's almost everybody who listens to the show, discovered it this year, which just shows you how much it has grown. We had 859% increase in listeners 577% increase in followers. And in Spotify allows you to rank your podcasts as top, your top 10 podcasts. And we are a top 10 for 487 fans. So if you're listening, and you love the show, and you follow it and it's not yet in your top 10. But you think it should be go ahead into Spotify and put it up there. And I I'd love to see a screenshot tag me on social media. A lot of you are doing that already. So I appreciate it. 88% of listeners joined me for the first time this year. Thank you so much. That means so much to hear these incredible stats, I'm just going to leave it at that. I don't want to keep you hanging too too long here. But as we close out the year of 2023, I am so thankful to you for taking the time I know how precious time is. And you've taken the time to listen, to subscribe to share the podcast and the little bit of results that I just shared with you show that we are reaching even more people and making a huge positive difference out there. And of course, if you find the story that I'm about to tell you, inspiring educational hilarious, whatever it is to you touching heartwarming, please do just share this podcast with a friend so they can hear it as well. By the way, it should be kid friendly. So just giving that warning upfront that it actually is probably kid friendly. Now it's time to tell you the story of tinsel the girl sit back, relax with a cup of hot cocoa and even your favorite holiday treat. Remember nothing is off limits flexible dieting, and enjoy the tale of the elf who wanted to improve his health and get jacked. A heartwarming holiday story. In the magical snow kissed village of strong point. Nestled amidst glistening frost covered pines with Northern Lights often danced in the sky lived in elf named tinsel. Unlike his sprightly, energetic and nimble companions, tinsel often felt lethargic and out of shape his body lacking the strength and vitality of his peers. He longed to be as robust and lively as the other elves, who he watched in awe as they definitely lifted heavy sacks of toys and worked tirelessly in the vast expanse of Santos workshop, tinsel harbored a dream, a burning desire to be as robust and energetic as them. More importantly, he desired to be a better version of himself. One crisp winter evening under the sun glow of the moonlight Tencel shared history with his friend Whitney and weights and Whitney known for her wisdom and compassionate nature, not to mention strong points leading health and fitness podcast, listened thoughtfully for eyes reflecting the flickering flames of the fireplace. Tinsel when he began her voice as comforting as gentle as the gentle snow outside. The journey to health and strength begins with a single step. You have the power within you to make a change. And remember, it's not about what you remove from your diet, but what you add in. Let's start tomorrow. The next day. Emboldened by Whitney's words, tinsel set out with a newfound determination. He visited the village library and discovered buried deep among the dusty shelves in ancient pyramid shaped tome by Elric helm Shire and Andrew Moore Ganis elves renowned for their knowledge of nutrition and strength training. As tinsel devoured each page, he learned about the wonders of progressive strength training, a more flexible and personalized way to eat the importance of eating for satisfaction and satiety and how indulgences can be part of a healthy diet, including those delicious sugar cookies from the friendly Baker elves. Tinsel started applying these lessons, he began incorporating more protein and fiber into his meals. Noticing how they kept him full and energized. He learned to enjoy his favorite treats by planning them in understanding that restriction often led to overindulgence. Whitney supported him every step of the way, reminding him that real magic was found inconsistency, not perfection. However, tinsels initial steps toward transformation were fraught with fears and challenges. The bounty of sugary elfin treats was always present, especially during festive times. The biting cold have strong point often made him want to stay indoors. His muscles and his mind strained from the unfamiliar exertion of squats and deadlifts, and doubt frequently clouded his mind. But Whitney was always there. Her encouragement, a steady present, each day is a new opportunity tinsel. Each challenge you overcome is a victory in itself. Remember progress over perfection, she would say, as the festive season drew near. tinsel and Whitney embarked on a mission to transform traditional elfin dishes into higher protein alternatives. They experimented in the kitchen, creating recipes that were both nutrient dense and delicious. The other elves were pleasantly surprised by these nutrients, which were as satisfying as they were healthy. This initiative helped tinsel take a balanced approach to eating embracing proteins, fats, and carbs, and he soon inspired others in the village to do the same. His next step was to optimize his nutrition to make even more progress with his workouts. Tencel started to track his food using a magical handheld device for even greater awareness of his eating habits, shifting his carbs around his workouts and finding more opportunities to get steps in Santos workshop. And out among the frost covered dunes of strong point tinsels physical transformation became more evident with each passing day. His walks around the village turned into community events, and he became a fixture at Whitney's morning strength training sessions and compound lift camps. He discovered the joy of feeling strong and capable, who tinsel learn the value of consistency, personalized nutrition, flexibility, instead of restriction and the magic of rest and recovery. His confidence reached new heights and he became a source of motivation for other elves who struggled with their health. months into his journey. Tencel reflected on his growth. He had learned that health was about more than just physical appearance. It was about feeling good both inside and out. His was a path of self discovery, resilience and a newfound appreciation for wellbeing. He was grateful for Whitney's mentorship and unwavering support, as well as encouragement from the strong point community, which was essential in his journey. tinsels story had become a source of inspiration for many who now approached him for advice and motivation. The highlight of tinsels transformation occurred on Christmas Eve, Santa having noticed tinsels dedication and hard work, not to mention his physical strength and newfound confidence chose him to lead the team responsible for loading the sleigh with toys as tinsel skillfully and effortlessly lifted each heavy sack helping his fellow elves who needed it. Santa commended him tinsel Oh, Your journey is an inspiration. Your strength is a testament to your commitment and belief in yourself. The other elves looked on with respect and admiration. Their cheers echoing into the crisp frosty night, standing amidst the joy and celebration tinsels heart brimmed with a deep sense of pride and fulfillment. He had not only realize his dream, but it also become a symbol of hope and inspiration in strong point. His journey marked by a positive shift in his self identity, a balanced approach to life and cancer. sistent even if not perfect effort, became a cherished story told each holiday season, tinsel story from an elf who dreamt of being healthy and strong to one who achieved that and so much more was shared every year. It was a heartwarming reminder of the power of finding a sustainable approach for life that works for you attained with progress over perfection, a supportive community and a bit of elfin magic. The end, I hope you enjoy today's heartwarming story. And if you couldn't tell much of tinsels journey parallels my own and that of so many of you that I get to connect with on a daily basis. May it fill your cup with compassion, and hope, give you the inspiration to take that next step. And know that I and many others in our community are here to support you. All I ask of you is that you share this story with a friend who would enjoy it and spread the positive message far and wide. For our next episode. 133 making fitness fun again through adventure with Kelly Howard, we are diving into how the spirit of adventure can revitalize your fitness journey, you'll learn how to overcome common hurdles to staying consistent with your fitness goals, external versus internal motivation and how to embrace a sense of fun and adventure to reignite your passion for fitness. That will be the last episode of the year before I take a week off for Christmas and New Years. So if you and I don't talk before then, I wish you the happiest of holidays, a happy new year and a strong end to 2023. As always, stay strong. And I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits & Weights podcast. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Wits & Weights. If you found value in today's episode, and know someone else who's looking to level up their Wits & Weights, please take a moment to share this episode with them. And make sure to hit the Follow button in your podcast platform right now to catch the next episode. Until then, stay strong