Celebrating 300 Episodes With 30 Questions

Philip Pape 0:01

Have you been hitting the gym for years but still don't look like you lift ? Are you confused by all the conflicting advice about protein timing , cardio killing gains and whether creatine is worth it ? Like King Leonidas facing the seemingly infinite hordes of fitness misinformation , do you wish you could just cut through it all with a simple this is science . Today we're celebrating our 300th episode by standing against the Persian army of fitness myths , not with 300 Spartans , but with 30 razor sharp answers to your most burning questions about building muscle , losing fat and optimizing your metabolism . From whether Instagram physiques are achievable to killing junk food cravings and training to failure , we're going to cover it all today with the brutal efficiency of a Spartan phalanx . So prepare yourself for glory . I mean gains , because tonight we dine on protein .

Philip Pape 1:02

Welcome to Wits and Weights , the show that helps you build a strong , healthy physique using evidence , engineering and efficiency . I'm your host , philip Pape , and today we are nerding out and celebrating a massive milestone our 300th episode . That is right 300 episodes of science-based , no-nonsense fitness and nutrition advice to help you build muscle , lose fat and optimize your metabolism , and so much more . And what better way to celebrate that than to channel our inner Spartans from Zack Snyder's visually incredible , if historically questionable , epic 300 . Just as King Leonidas and his 300 elite warriors held the narrow pass at Thermopylae , we'll be using the narrow pass of scientific evidence which is pretty narrow at times given all the influencers that are out there to fight back against the Xerxes of fitness myths , the immortal supplement hucksters , the cardio and carb fear mongers and the eat clean or die zealots . We may not have rippling CGI enhanced eight packs , we might not fight in anything but red capes and leather speedos , but we do have some weapons peer-reviewed research evidence , practical experience that are far more effective in the real world . Before we dive into this battle against fitness myths and confusion , I want to take a moment to thank you taste of what people are experiencing with the show .

Philip Pape 2:47

We have one review from Matko Haig who says Philip helped me with my workouts . I was afraid to push more weight because of my injuries , but that's what helped me feel a lot better . I listen to all of his podcasts now . Love to hear that when someone takes the advice and helps improve their life with it , including getting past some of those fears . Another reviewer , jeff , said Philip does a fantastic job breaking down the fitness industry and helping listeners navigate weight loss more effectively . His recent episode on how carbs , fats and proteins function in the body was especially insightful . I highly recommend his podcast for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of fitness and nutrition . Yeah , that was a fun one , that episode . We explored what happens when macros go into your body . I love to nerd out on that stuff . Then we have a review from Alblamb . Love the research-based advice and the vantage point from an engineer . Feel like we speak the same language . Super informative if you're looking to learn how to actually learn how the body works so you can create the adaptations you desire and not waste time on lies and fad diets . Definitely worth a listen . So those are just a taste of the reviews that have come in and I want to thank everyone who's ever submitted a review . If you want a shout out and I haven't given it to you hit me up , send me an email . Philip1l at witsandweightscom . Every time I hear from a listener , it just makes my day . It motivates me to keep creating content that helps you achieve your goals .

Philip Pape 4:07

All right , let's get into today's q a extravaganza , because we are tackling an epic number of 30 questions Ranging from supplements and training to nutrition , to recovery . It's all the things . Some will be quick , others a little bit more detailed , but I'm going to try to keep them very Efficient and actionable so you can apply them right away if they're relevant to you .

Supplement Questions: Creatine, Caffeine, Macros

Philip Pape 4:27

Just real quick , before we actually get into the questions . If you have a question about anything in this realm , I want you to go to witsandweightscom slash question . That's the easiest way to get it to me and then I will definitely answer it personally via email and on a future episode , and I'll give you a shout out . You can let me know if you don't want that . Again , go to witsandweightscom slash question and I'll help you out .

Philip Pape 4:52

All right , spartans of the iron , let's prepare for glory . Today , as Delios would say , the Oracle's words stand as a warning . Except in our case , the Oracle isn't some mystic priestess with questionable fashion sense , but our very own listeners who've sent in their burning questions . I organized these into some categories and we'll approach them with the precision of a Spartan at least I hope so and instead of spears and shields , we're going to have research and evidence . Remember no retreat , no surrender is great for the movies , but knowing when to adjust your approach is really the smartest strategy when it comes to fitness .

Philip Pape 5:30

So let's start our battle against misinformation with some supplement questions from Helene , and she asked question one is creatine only for people who lift ? Absolutely not All right . Creatine is pretty amazing , one of the most studied supplements . It is known for how it benefits your training and your performance , but it has advantages for anyone who wants to boost performance in general not just lifting , including includes athletics , sprinting Um and it also has cognitive benefits that we're discovering . Studies show that it may help with brain function , especially when you're stressed or sleep deprived , kind of in a way that we see adaptogens help some people like ashwagandha . So , whether you are lifting or you want to just have more mental energy , I think creatine is great for anybody of all ages . You take five grams a day . If you want the cognitive benefits , you potentially want to take more 10 , 15 , perhaps 20 grams a day . Kind of depends on your size as well , but it is one of the few supplements that I recommend to everyone and has solid evidence behind it .

Philip Pape 6:27

Question two is caffeine necessary when you lift ? No , it's not necessary , nothing's necessary . Is it helpful ? Yeah , I think caffeine is one of the best pre-workouts that exist . That's totally natural . It's found in black coffee and it's found in a lot of pre-workouts . We know from the literature it can increase your power output . It can improve your endurance , it can enhance your focus . I mean , anybody knows this I drink caffeine in the morning . I can tell that's my most focused time of the day . Obviously there's other aspects and reasons why you don't have to do it . It's like you don't have to eat before you train no-transcript . But for training purposes , take it 30 to 45 minutes before . Remember that it has diminishing returns if you drink it a lot and you get adapted to it , but it can be a good tool . So yeah , it's not necessary , but it can be a helpful tool .

Philip Pape 7:22

Question three which macro is the most important ? So this is like asking which wheel on my car is most important . Right , they're all necessary . But if I had to rank them , I'd say that protein is definitely at the top in terms of physique development . We know it is essential to maintain and grow muscles . It has a high thermic effect , meaning it burns more calories when you eat it . It satiety , so it fills you up . But really you want to balance your macros for your goals and that usually looks like a good balance of protein , fats and carbs . Carbs fuel performance and recovery fats , support hormones and hormonal health .

Philip Pape 7:57

The most important macro is probably the one that you're currently neglecting , and for a lot of people that is protein . For others it might be carbs . So take a look , track your food , know what targets are and you can get in the ballpark in terms of muscle protein synthesis . It maybe gets a little bit overplayed in terms of its benefits , because if you're eating enough overall protein that 0.7 to one gram per pound of body weight you're already getting plenty of leucine . If you have it from whole food sources or whey protein , whey protein is very high in it and for most lifters , if you you know , isolated leucine supplementation has minimal added benefit , kind of like EAAs , right , you're kind of wasting your money on that . You might as well just buy whole protein , enjoy eating food and definitely creatine , like we mentioned before . If you're fasted training , which I recommend to almost no one a small dose might provide a theoretical benefit , but then I would again just have protein , just regular protein anyway , because some people don't consider that breaking the fast . Regular protein anyway , because some people don't consider that breaking the fast . But yeah , it's found in pre-workouts . So if you use , like Legion Pulse , for example . L-leucine is in there , along with a couple other evidence-based compounds that we know can be helpful for a little bit of a boost in performance . All right .

Philip Pape 9:18

Next question Number five is creatine safe for people with high blood pressure ? So this is a good one . Another creatine question , because people wonder about the efficacy , the safety , some of the symptoms . The research currently says that it does not impact blood pressure in most healthy people and some actually show improvements in cardiovascular markers . Obviously , if you have pre-existing hypertension , consult your doctor . This is not medical advice . Any supplement you're going to start , you should know your conditions , what the potential side effects are . Talk to a doctor , monitor your blood pressure . If that's a concern when you begin supplementing , start with a lower dose , stay well hydrated and also remember that creatine causes you to retain water , which is normal . It's not a blood pressure concern by itself , but for anything you're concerned about , it's good to consult a doctor and also track these things . Get the blood markers whatever makes sense . Take your blood pressure , all right .

Philip Pape 10:08

Question number six ATP versus creatine . Why do some people , like Frank's saying , use ATP instead , and is it a viable alternative ? All right , atp , which is adenosine triphosphate supplements , that is the let's cut out the middleman approach , since creatine works by helping your body generate ATP faster . However , oral ATP supplements have really low bioavailability because your digestive system just breaks down most of it before it even reaches your muscles . There are studies that show some modest performance benefits , but they're very inconsistent and they typically require much higher doses than creatine . Why did Frank Zane use it ? Well , the supplement industry was very different back in the golden era and not everyone had access to the research we have today . So if you want results that have been proven by decades of research , stick with creatine . It's cheaper , it's better research , it is more effective . That's my answer .

Philip Pape 11:01

All right , question seven are essential amino acids , eaas , actually beneficial for muscle growth or are they just expensive pee ? I would say more the latter probably a waste of money . They might support muscle protein synthesis if you're training fasted or you have low protein intake . In fact they probably do a tiny bit . But if you're consuming adequate protein throughout the day , your total protein then the EAAs don't really provide any benefit . Um , they're , you know , a waste of money . They're not magical muscle builders .

Philip Pape 11:32

Your body will use what it needs . It'll excretes the rest If you have sufficient protein . If you're not training fasted , you don't need them at all . Even if you are training fasted I alluded to earlier , you still probably could just have protein before and or after and not quote unquote break the fast . But that is not my world . I don't recommend training fasted . Just in general , I recommend having protein and carbs . So put the money toward quality food , evidence-based supplements , like creatine we've been talking about , uh , and which is the last time we're going to mention it and the one exception , I think , is maybe vegans or those with very restricted diets who'd struggle to get complete protein , in which case I would try to address the protein issue itself .

Philip Pape 12:07

All right , so let's move on to some training

Training Questions: Bands, Heavy Lifting, Overtraining

Philip Pape 12:09

questions . Question number eight how effective is training with heavy bands compared to free weights ? So bands , they are just a . They're like a rubber band . They're a way to create variable resistance . They're easier at the bottom , they're harder at the top , like when they are stretched . That is a strength of them . It's also a limitation , because if you're trying to do some rehab , some isolation work , like pull-aparts , for example , band pull-aparts or some of the shoulder stuff that I use a band for in my house , I actually do that . They're great , but they can't replicate , for example , the consistent tension of free weights throughout a movement's full range of motion . Again , that's not a bad thing .

Philip Pape 12:47

I've done a combination of weights and bands as well . You can put bands on a deadlift or bands on a squat . That's called accommodating resistance , and if you just isolate them , though , and you look at the studies , they show consistently that free weights produce superior strength and hypertrophy gains to bands . But bands are great for travel , for home gyms . I mentioned accommodating resistance , rehab , all of that . They're a valuable tool in your arsenal . I don't think they're a complete replacement for free weights , but you can argue with me on this . There are band-centric programs where there's a lot of thought behind it . You're using special types of bands . It's really good programming . I'm not gonna be dogmatic about it , but for the vast majority of people , just stick with free weights and you're going to have great results . All right .

Philip Pape 13:26

Question number nine Do you really have to lift heavy just to avoid having a dad bod ? I don't know how to answer this one . I'm going to say do you have to ? Depends on how we define heavy , and if we're saying above , say , 80 or even 90% of your 1RM , do you have to no . I think progressive resistance , progressive loading , lifting well above 30% of your 1RM , focusing on hypertrophy , could absolutely get rid of the dad bod if combined with proper nutrition , because ultimately you probably need to lose fat . You need to build muscle , you need to lose fat . However , I think the most effective route to that for someone new is to use compound lifts , fairly heavy , to focus on strength First . I talked all about this in last Wednesday's episode strength versus hypertrophy . Check that one out . You've got to build muscle and maintain muscle when you're dieting . You've got to avoid excessive fat gain and lose fat if you're overweight . You want to progress and be consistent , right , you don't have to be a power lifter . You don't have to be always strength focused on one or Ms . You have to challenge your muscles regularly and keep your nutrition in check and you can definitely get rid of the dad bod . So it depends on your goals . Go check out episode two , 97 , on strength versus hypertrophy , for deep dive into that . All right .

Philip Pape 14:39

Question number 10 , what is the advantage of range of motion or ROM in lifting ? Should you focus on skeletal range of motion or muscular range of motion , which is safer ? This is an interesting one , because I really don't use those terms , I just use range of motion in general . You know full ROM full range of motion typically builds more muscle because it creates greater mechanical tension throughout the movement and you hit the shortened and lengthened portions of the muscle , even though we know you could also get great results from focusing on just parts of the range of motion , and sometimes we do it deliberately right . Full ROM doesn't always mean maximal ROM . It means the optimal ROM for the specific exercise and also your individual . You know biomechanics . So for compound movements , skeletal ROM , like getting full depth in a squat , is very important . For an isolation exercise , muscle ROM , like feeling the stretch and contraction , might be important , and you know safety comes from proper form within your capabilities and forcing yourself into some range that your body cannot handle . That . That's where injuries happen . But the best approach is master technique and then increase ROM as you get better at that specific lift so that you're full ROM for most movements .

Philip Pape 15:51

All right , number 11 , do you need to lift heavier and heavier to keep gaining muscle , or is there another way to progress ? All right , this is a confusing thing for people because we talk about progressive overload , which is is a non-negotiable Like . You have to . You have to progressively increase the challenge to continue gaining . But getting heavier on your weights is just one form of that . You can increase your volume , which is sets , times , reps . You can even improve your execution quality , especially when you're newer and get more efficiency from your lifts and have results that way . That's more of a neuromuscular thing . You can shorten your rest periods . You can increase just your reps . You can even add frequency . There's a lot of ways the body responds to novel stimuli , right Increased challenge in all of its forms . So as you advance the weight increases are going to naturally slow down . You can't just forever get stronger , but you can keep progressing and build your muscles slowly over time and then build strength and then build muscle , build strength and kind of periodize over time to get bigger and stronger until you pretty much hit your genetic limit , which , I'll be honest , most people never do . So the answer is no , you don't need to . It's a great and simple way to do it when you're new . But then eventually you go into advanced forms of progressive overload , which I've talked about in the podcast . If you go to podcastwitsandweightscom you can search all our episodes and you can look for progressive overload and you'll see some good episodes on that , all right .

Philip Pape 17:12

Question number 12 , can you grow muscle purely from mechanical tension or do micro tears in the muscle need to occur ? Ooh , I like this one because again last week I talked about strength versus hypertrophy and the importance of mechanical tension across the full spectrum . Mechanical tension is the primary driver of hypertrophy , that's the increase in muscle size , in muscle mass , which supports both strength and hypertrophy . Past the newbie phase , microterrors , which is muscle damage , it's more of a side effect than a requirement or an input . Studies show you can build muscle with minimal muscle damage . And what's called the micro tear theory . It's been somewhat overstated and that's why things like soreness are not a reliable indicator of effective training , because your muscles adapt to the tension that you play on them , regardless of whether you're sore afterward . So I would just focus again on progressive overload , consistent training , rather than chasing micro tears .

Philip Pape 18:06

Question 13 , what's the deal with vibration plates ? Are they effective and who should and shouldn't use them ? All right , vibration plates , man , I think these have been around in some form or another for decades . They are something you want to laugh at , but then , at the same time , they may not be completely useless for things like improving blood flow , enhancing recovery , providing some low intensity activation for people who are deconditioned , maybe for warming up , maybe for increasing circulation in injured areas , maybe as an entry point for people who are just extremely limited mobility , but they're not going to replace what we should be doing Resistance training , progressive resistance training to build strength and muscle .

Philip Pape 18:45

I frankly don't give them a second thought . I wouldn't even look into them . For most people I wouldn't even consider them . However , maybe you found a special case for them . If you have bone density issues , for example . It might be a negative for those things . I have no idea , so I don't know much about them . I don't recommend them to anybody . This is not the podcast really to get into that . Maybe I'll change my mind in the future . That's all I have to say on it .

Philip Pape 19:06

Number 14 , when does overtraining actually start ? Is it just beyond the pump or is there a real threshold ? All right . So overtraining , what is it ? It's a clinical syndrome that develops over months . It's not just something that happens over a few days or weeks . What most people experience in the short term is actually called overreaching . That's where your performance dips and then it resolves in a week or two once you back off a little bit on your training or you increase your recovery . Maybe you need to eat more , maybe you need to sleep more . Whatever it might be True overtraining , which most people do not experience , it's very systemic , so you're going to have persistent fatigue . You're going to have decreased performance Even when you're rested . You're going to have mood disturbances , a higher heart rate , hormonal disruptions right , there's not like a universal threshold . It's very complex , based on your training history , your ability to recover , your life , stress , like all of this stuff . I recommend monitoring performance metrics and markers of recovery and biofeedback . And if your performance is constantly declining , despite having addressed adequate rest , adequate nutrition , adequate carbs , adequate sleep , you're likely overreaching and should scale back . But again , this is different than overtraining . I think overtraining is kind of like the chronic version of lots and lots of overreaching . All right .

Philip Pape 20:24

Question number 15 , getting us halfway through here . How do concepts like go to failure , go heavy or go home and forced reps impacting natural lifter versus an enhanced lifter ? All right , so I'm not an expert in enhanced lifting , that is , using anabolics and other uh medications and compounds to get an edge . Enhanced lifters are obviously able to recover a lot from higher training volumes , from higher intensities . They have artificially elevated capabilities to do that .

Philip Pape 20:54

If you're natural , training to failure on every set can lead to overreaching . Because you don't have that enhanced recoverability , you're going to have central nervous system fatigue , you're going to have increased injury risk without the gains to go along with it , right ? So research at this point is clear that stopping one to two reps short of failure in most sets is going to optimize the stimulus to fatigue ratio and it's even further from failure on bigger , heavier lifts . Occasional failure sets are fine , right , like we do them all the time . If you're doing barbell curls and you go to failure , that's great . Intensity techniques , force reps , even cheetah reps , those are all valuable tools . Myo reps , rest , pause , drop sets . But I would use them strategically . I would use them potentially just on the last set or the last exercise after you focused on the main priorities of your strength or hypertrophy program , maybe during deload weeks . It's the accumulated volume over time that's going to build your muscle , not again how often you go right to failure or feel destroyed after each workout .

Philip Pape 21:56

Question number 16 , what is the threshold for overtraining and how do you know you've crossed it ? So we touched on overtraining a few questions ago and I mentioned that there's no universal threshold . I also mentioned the warning signs like performance decreases , chronic fatigue um , that doesn't get fixed with sleep , elevated heart rate , et cetera . But I wanted to bring it up here again because the thing I think you should be focusing on is having productive training and really having a lot of recovery and space . Recovery and space and I use the word space to mean some of you are just doing too much . Even when you're lifting appropriately , you're then filling in the days in between with lots of running or lots of cardio or , yeah , maybe you're not sleeping enough , maybe you're not eating enough , maybe you're under eating and then doing the wrong program while you're under eating . So tracking recovery metrics like HRV could be helpful and your biofeedback on scores scales of one to 10 , like your sleep , your stress , your hunger , your digestion and so on , your mood , even your libido , and when those scores are failing , despite the adequate rest and nutrition , that is when you've crossed the line . That is the threshold to me .

Philip Pape 23:01

Question number 17, . Should beginners train differently than intermediate or advanced lifters , or is progressive overload always the answer ? Okay , so I'm going to say yes to both . In other words , progressive overload is the principle no matter what , but the way that you train , the method that you train , will change based on your beginner , intermediate or advanced . To achieve progressive overload ? Great question , because I'd love to make that distinction .

Philip Pape 23:24

Training's gonna evolve with your experience . Beginners are gonna benefit most from learning proper technique , having moderate volume but high frequency . That means you're squatting a lot or you're benching a lot because you can recover quickly , focusing on the compound lifts because they're very efficient , they use more muscle mass , they recruit more muscle fibers , going heavier and focusing on strength and training your full body , usually three days a week , and you're going to progress not just weekly but every session as you master these movement patterns and develop that neuromuscular efficiency media . And you need more volume . You need weak point training . You need potentially body part splits right , you need more accessory work , you need more medium and lighter intensity work for the main lifts and so on Once you become advanced . Now you need periodization , specialization , specific recovery strategies like stretching out your training weeks . There's so many things you know base and peak development , mesocycles and so on but progressive overload remains the same principle , no matter who you are . It's just how you implement the changes right and a beginner is going to add , you know , five pounds to their squat every session . An advanced lifter might add five pounds every six months to a year , right . So they're still progressing , but the training variables that drive the progress shift as you advance .

Philip Pape 24:42

All right , so let's move on to some nutrition and body composition questions

Nutrition and Body Composition Questions

Philip Pape 24:50

. Now we've got question 18 . How realistic is it to be muscular with six pack abs ? Is everybody on Instagram really on steroids ? What about those 40 or older ? Can they achieve that ? Look naturally , all right .

Philip Pape 25:00

The Instagram physique , which I get flooded with it in my search tab , no matter , even if I try to search for things that have nothing to do with it , eventually it works its way back to just flooding me with these incredible bodybuilder style physiques . They're pretty much all enhanced , right , and the massive muscles , they're shredded abs all year round , right For for natural lifters . That is not sustainable . You might get to that point for a brief period and if you want to do that , fine , have fun with it , figure it out . It's fun to do that . But the influencers most of them are enhanced . Most of them are using favorable lighting or angles . Many of them are just maintaining a specific pose or angle or condition . Briefly , for the photos . Actually , I appreciate some of the influencers who show what they look like five minutes apart based on two different poses and lighting . You know , one case they look kind of frumpy and flabby and in the other case they're like jacked . You get it right . It's all manipulation .

Philip Pape 25:55

But having said all that , being muscular with visible abs , you know , not necessarily dice-like like you know , totally shredded with vascularity , but really solid abs , it's totally achievable , naturally , even over 40 . There's no age limit . I know a guy whose podcast I was on . He's in his 80s , he's a competitive bodybuilder and he has abs . It's just having enough muscle and low enough fat , which takes years to do . You're not going to just reveal your abs immediately Now . Could you cut fat down significantly and reveal abs without spending too much time building muscle , possibly based on your genetics , but for most people you got to train your abs and there are effective loaded ways to do that , and then you've got to diet down to have low enough body fat to show them . But trust me , I mean myself . I'm in my forties and every cycle I go through of building muscle , the abs are more and more visible at a higher body fat . So it kind of takes precision initially , but then you can get a pretty impressive physique well into your fifties , sixties , beyond , by doing the things we talk about .

Philip Pape 26:55

Question 19, . Can you lift big without eating a ton of carbs , or do you need them for performance ? Oh , I love questions about carbs . You can absolutely lift heavy on lower carb intakes , right . Just look at any strength athlete in weight class sports who minimize carbs when they're cutting . Look at myself right now . I'm in a fat loss phase on very low calories , intentionally so , because I'm going aggressively for a mini cut and I'm still lifting heavy . Doesn't mean I'm going to hit PRs , right .

Philip Pape 27:26

There's a reason that carbs are the preferred fuel for high-intensity exercise . They efficiently convert , or the carbs are converted to ATP and that helps with those explosive movements . And studies always not always consistently show that moderate to high-carb intake optimizes performance for lifters and helps you build more muscle versus lower carb diets period . However , the individual response matters . If you're say , quote unquote keto adapted I kind of cringe at the term , but you're keto adapted or you prefer low carb for other reasons , you can definitely make gains , but then you have to really pay attention to your total calories , your protein timing , the carbs that you do have strategically around your workouts and maybe using only targeted , periodized approaches when you're talking about low carbs , but if it's not like a dogmatic thing that you feel you have to follow , just eat your carbs . It's going to help you perform better . You could definitely lift big in a fat loss phase while you're not eating that many carbs . You just may not increase your strength or muscle , but you're definitely going to hold on to it . All right . Question 20 . We're getting there Two-thirds of the way through here .

Philip Pape 28:28

Is it true that cardio kills gains or muscle ? What about heart health ? Is walking enough ? So cardio only kills gains when it creates a deficit in your recovery , when it impedes you from recovering or when it exacerbates your calorie deficit to push you into an extreme where you lose muscle . Now it's almost hard to get there for a lot of people , because when you do too much cardio , your body will actually compensate by lowering your metabolism , but then what that ends up doing is forcing you to eat less to maintain a deficit . That's what I mean , not that that cardio itself gets into a deficit . So moderate cardio , especially walking . Walking , yeah , it's a form of cardio , but cycling , swimming , can absolutely enhance recovery . They can help with your work capacity , with your conditioning . They can support muscle growth by helping with nutrient delivery , with blood sugar , with insulin sensitivity , the list goes on . For heart health , walking is the foundation . If you're hitting that like 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day , it is ideal , and then adding in once or twice a week some sprinting , is a solid approach . Any other cardio it's really up to you how you're able to manage the recovery program . It in keep it from being intense and separate it from , like your leg workouts and , ideally , from your training days . But no , it's not gonna kill gains unless it kills recovery .

Philip Pape 29:49

Question 21 , why do we always have room for dessert , even when we're full ? Is there a biological reason for sweet cravings ? Okay , and I joked , I think I joked and I said oh , you mean the dessert chamber , like my family's joked about for years , where you could even be stuffed from dinner and somehow still have room for ice cream or that pie , thanksgiving anyone , or the holidays . So this is called sensory-specific satiety , in case you want to label it Basically your taste buds . They get bored with similar flavors but then they respond to new ones that are sweet , that are novel . The food science industry absolutely knows this phenomenon because our brains evolved to prioritize energy-dense foods , especially sugar , when they are available , because they were rare in our evolutionary past . And sweet foods also trigger dopamine , that's your pleasure-reward chemical , and that creates a feedback loop that makes you want to eat more . Right ? So , physiologically , your stretch receptors in your stomach might say you're full , but your hedonic hunger system that's the pleasure-based eating overrides those signals . When having protein first , having a drink of water , that reduces this effect when compared to , say , starting with carbs or fats . So , yes , the answer is yes , there's a biological reason for this , but it doesn't mean you have no control .

Philip Pape 31:14

Question 22 , how do you kill cravings for junk food and actually feel satisfied with healthy choices ? So I thought this was a natural segue from the last question . This is both physiological that means your body , your biology , it's also psychological in your mind , which are connected . We know this . So the first thing is to ensure your diet has enough protein , which you want anyway . It keeps you full , it's great for muscles , et cetera . Enough fiber , which helps stabilize blood sugar . It's great for your gut , for your digestion , also for satiety . Fiber which helps stabilize blood sugar it's great for your gut , for your digestion , also for satiety . And people on carnivore are missing out on that benefit . And also enough fat , because fat does increase satisfaction in terms of mouthfeel , taste and so on . And so cravings often hit when we are under eating satiating nutrients . It's interesting , right , because you would think it comes from eating too much or eating the wrong things , but it's under eating the things that we need . So that's why I like additive nutrition adding in the things that we want and need .

Philip Pape 32:09

The second thing is addressing your habit loops , and that is identifying the triggers for your cravings and then create new routines around those , having a pattern , interrupt or a swap . And then , third , you want to gradually replace foods with the additive approach . You've got ultra-processed foods . Replace them with more nutritious whole foods that have similar taste profiles and experiences . Right , kind of like roasted chickpeas might give you a similar experience as potato chips , and your palate is going to adapt over time . It's going to get used to things . You're going to eventually not really like some of those ultra-processed foods or restaurant food . Anyway , your body is going to rebel as you're eating more nutritious foods . And of course , the last thing and I should have started with this , but don't make any food forbidden . There is no bad food . There's no good food , because what you're doing is you're increasing the psychological weight or value of the food . Instead , you want to plan the occasional indulgences in rather than have them reactively ,

Cravings, Spot Reduction, and Fat Myths

Philip Pape 33:07

so it avoids decision fatigue and you just have them as part of your plan . Consistency is always going to beat perfection and the sustainable changes like this are going to win over deprivation every time .

Philip Pape 33:18

Number 23 , is spot reduction of fat a myth ? What actually happens to fat during exercise ? I mean , this is kind of a loaded question . It could be a whole episode by itself . Spot reduction itself is largely a myth . When your body needs energy , it's gonna release fatty acids from your entire fat stores , regardless of which muscles you're working , and fat is mobilized based on hormonal signals . It has nothing to do with local muscle activity . What happens during exercise is you create a little bit of an energy deficit in the moment , and that prompts your body to release fatty acids into the bloodstream for energy , in addition to the energy you get , of course , from glycogen , from glucose , and the fat is transported to your muscles to be oxidized for fuel . There are studies that show this very tiny increased blood flow and lipolysis in areas that are trained directly , like your abs , but the effect is so small that it can't possibly create spot reduction . So the most effective approach again is going to be a calorie deficit through diet , through training Resistance training helps preserve muscle and build muscle , and don't overthink trying to reduce anything in a particular area .

Philip Pape 34:24

Question number 24 , can targeted exercises build muscle in a specific area even if they don't reduce fat in that spot ? So again , I wanted to segue from the last one , because this is an absolute yes . So while , like , spot reduction is pretty much a myth , spot enhancement is a real thing . If you think of it that way , it will give you the physical and the physique result you're looking for without the necessity of spot reduction . You can target your biceps by using more bicep curls . You can target your glutes through squats and hip thrusts . You can target your abs through loaded ab work . Right , the caveat is that there are genetic factors . You may not have a six pack or an eight pack . You may have a seven pack . You may have something wonky there , you can't do anything about that , but you can add muscle there and then you can lose fat , kind of like we talked about earlier . Right , and the more muscle you have , the higher body fat you can carry and still see and improve the appearance of that area . And also , by the way , when you have more muscle it kind of stretches out the skin and the fat in a way that is usually also aesthetically pleasing , even when you don't lose fat . That's why I'm a big fan of gaining and building muscle in certain periods .

Philip Pape 35:38

All right , question number 25 . Can you bulk without eating traditional carbs , eg just protein , eggs , milk , et cetera and will you still gain fat ? So you're saying basically , low carb or no carb , kind of keto , carnivore , things like that . I would say I'm going to be open-minded here and say yes to both questions . You can gain muscle on a low carb or ketogenic diet , provided you have a calorie surplus and you have plenty of protein diet , provided you have a calorie surplus and you have plenty of protein . And there are some studies that show some comparable gains between lower carb and higher carb . But most show a gap where the higher carbs tend to allow you to produce or build more muscle . But there's always nuances in the variables . So again , that's why I'm always open-minded about this and think a flexible approach is warranted and not to just say , no , you can't have carbs at all , but for the vast majority of people , having more carbs is going to help you build more muscle and it just makes for a more flexible diet anyway more enjoyable diet for most people .

Philip Pape 36:32

For fat gain you're going to gain fat if you're in a surplus , no matter what the macros are . So that has to do with energy balance period . Now , if you have more carbs while you're gaining weight , there is a chance that more of the energy surplus goes toward muscle and you'll actually gain less fat than if you were low carb . So that is true , but it still has to do with the surplus . It still comes down to proper training , protein timing , nutrient partition , strategies that can minimize fat while maximizing muscle , the way we've talked about before when we talk about at what rate to build and how to do it . So I think the bottom line is carbs can make bulking easier and more performance optimal , but they're not quote unquote mandatory .

Philip Pape 37:11

All right , question number 26 . Should bulking and cutting be saved for years , three plus of lifting or should you start sooner ? I struggle with how to answer this because it's going to highly depend on the person and what they want to do . For some people , bulking and cutting can be a lot of fun when I work with clients because they have my help and they can lean to me when they hit plateaus and such . We will have a couple months at maintenance and then lean into a cutting phase or a bulking phase , depending on what they're going for . But that's also partly because they have my support . They have some accountability to fall back on , or those in our physique university same thing .

Philip Pape 37:48

If you're doing it on your own , I still also think you can do it . I would say at the beginning it would be helpful to be at a slight , very tiny , tiny surplus to make sure you're fully recovered and find your new and true maintenance calories while you're training , to give yourself all the resources you need to train for strength in those first three to six months , and then I would go into a fat loss phase . Again , I have plenty of clients who never trained before they start training with me . We spend two months in maintenance and then go into fat loss and it just depends on what you're ready for how many calories you're able to eat , based on your metabolism , whether you are starting very lean or you have a lot of weight to lose , struggling to progress , et cetera . Right , some people don't like being in maintenance because it feels like they're not doing anything , and it takes its own form of psychological control , in which case even small bulk and cut cycles could be a good way to test the waters . So I would say no , it shouldn't be saved for three plus of lifting . I think that there's no should about it . It depends on what you want . I would say experiment and see how it goes and make sure you're in control and you're tracking your food and all of that , because otherwise it's actually going to be a lot harder .

Philip Pape 38:58

All right , question 27 . Why are people still afraid of fat , which I think you mean like fat consumption and what are the negative effects of avoiding it on recovery , strength and hormones ? So we don't talk about fat as much as protein and carbs . And there was like decades of misguided dogma on fat , like the low fat craze of the eighties nineties . I grew up in the eighties so I saw a lot of that with the snack wells and the Olestra , disgusting like synthetic fat and all this stuff . Um , the move toward margarine instead of butter and all that which we know . There was like a back backlash in the other extreme , which always happens , but it's like very deeply imprinted in the public consciousness , despite it all being based on flawed research . Okay , consciousness , despite it all being based on flawed research .

Philip Pape 39:41

There are consequences when you chronically avoid fat , predominantly to your hormone production , especially testosterone and estrogen . Also , fat helps you absorb fat-soluble vitamins A , d , e , k , so it's going to make that less efficient . It can impair your cell membrane function . It can make you more inflammatory . It can decrease your satiety . It could increase your consumption of sugar to compensate because of the lack of flavor , because you have no fat .

Philip Pape 40:06

So for strength athletes like , having adequate fat , which is usually above a half gram per kilogram of body weight , let's say , is going to affect , or I should say having adequate fat is good for recovery and performance . Having adequate fat could start to eat into that . So if I have a client in a dieting phase , I never want them to go below like rock bottom . Probably 20 grams , maybe 15 grams if they're super lean and we're really pulling out all the stops Like that's rock bottom . But usually people are in the 20s and 30s at a minimum and sometimes often above or far beyond that . Dietary fats , monounsaturated omega-3s are great , but even some saturated fats in your diet are great and certain fats actually support what we call the inflammatory resolution process . That helps with training adaptation . I know it sounds weird , but you get an inflammatory response from training . Having adequate fats helps you get over the hump of that inflammation and come back to adapt back to a lower inflammation state . I don't know if I've ever talked about this on the show , but it's kind of an interesting mechanic that goes on . So the solution isn't like a high-fat diet or a keto , it's just a balanced approach . I like roughly 30% of calories from fat as a starting point and then you can go a little bit up or down depending on your preference .

Philip Pape 41:25

All right , so we are going to wrap up with three final questions about mindset . So question 28, . What podcasts do you enjoy ? All right , why is this under mindset ? Because to me , the mind is also its own metaphorical muscle that needs to be flexed and grown , and I think learning and education is a massive part of that . So thank you for the question . So there are some I'll say longer fitness podcasts like Stronger by Science , iron Culture , revive , stronger , that I enjoy .

Philip Pape 41:56

I listen to a few new news podcasts here and there , like the journal . I listened to economic podcasts like planet money and freakonomics . I've got some friends in the industry , like Jeff Hain , whose podcasts I follow . I like fun educational podcasts like how , um , what's it called ? Oh , stuff , you should know that's what it's called . Let's see some other strength podcasts like starting strength , if you can take Mark Ripito's humor and political views . Barbell Logics podcast , which is called Beast Over Burden . I like Business Wars . I like Buzzcast . As a podcaster , conan O'Brien Needs a Friend is hilarious If you guys like Conan and his brand of humor . And then a few other business podcasts like creator , science and honestly , that is just the tip of the iceberg . I have a ton of podcasts in my queue .

Philip Pape 42:45

I don't listen to every episode of every show . I am very selective , based on the content , the title . I do listen , sometimes at like 1.25 speed . I don't want to go faster than that or else I'll miss it . I like to listen while I walk , while I lift , and I get a lot of inspiration that way . The common thread to me is people who are kind of changing the mold , using mental models , developing frameworks , developing systems , evidence-based thinking . You know , if somebody gets too off the wall with the claims , I tend to unfollow them . But if there's a good story , if there's a great topic , if there's some really extensive research that's been done , I'm all over that , all right .

Philip Pape 43:21

Question number 29 . What is the biggest training myth that refuses to die ?

Mindset and Fitness Myths That Won't Die

Philip Pape 43:27

I think my biggest offender here is still the idea that women will get bulky from lifting weights , when in reality most people women , men need to work incredibly hard just to gain modest muscle . Trust me , I know from personal experience and I am a man and my testosterone level is just fine and I eat a lot of carbs and I do my bulks and still it's a struggle to really put on lots of muscle mass , because it's a time-based process that you have to just put effort into and not worry about getting bulky . Most women will benefit a lot from maybe not a huge surplus , but a little bit of a calorie surplus to build muscle for about six to nine months and just try it . Do it for me and report back and tell me how great it feels to get strong , to increase your lifts consistently , to have enough energy , sleep , to have better stress mitigation all of the things in a way that you've never experienced before . And then you also fill out your clothes more aesthetically and then , when you lose some fat after that , you all of a sudden look lean in tone , like you wanted in the first place , and not bulky . So that is the biggest training myth that refuses to die that I wanted to answer . Today I've got about 50 more in my back pocket , all right .

Philip Pape 44:38

And the last question is what is the biggest nutrition myth that refuses to die ? And the one I have to go with here is that any food is good or bad and you have to cut out foods to get your results . So many diets still today carnivore , keto , even intermittent fasting , to a sense are depriving yourself unnecessarily , and I want to give the power back to people listening to know that their meal timing , their frequency all of that is super flexible and what you eat is super flexible . As long as you bring in and add in the macronutrients and micronutrients that support you and your body and how you feel and perform , it's going to naturally work itself out and result in the balance and theents that support you and your body and how you feel and perform , it's going to naturally work itself out and result in the balance and the foods that you need and want . Don't listen to the fear mongering about seed oils or plants being toxic , or carbs , or chemicals or additives or artificial sweeteners or any of that , because if you are consuming 80 , 90% whole , nutritious foods , your body easily handles whatever else you throw in it . You have a natural detoxification system there . That's . Another thing is detoxes , don't get me started , and you don't have to overthink it . Just track your food , become aware , add in sufficient protein and fiber and nutrients and you'll be golden . People get hung up so much on these diets and restricting themselves that they beat their head on a wall for years and years and years . You don't have to do that . Just track your food and shift it toward the things that your body needs .

Philip Pape 46:09

All right , I don't want to make this episode much longer than it has to be . I got through the 30 questions for you guys . I hope you enjoy them . I picked the ones that were kind of more general , that that more more most people would be interested in . And as we close out episode 300 , I want to thank you all again for being part of this journey . You know , unlike the 300 Spartans who met a terrible end at Thermopylae sorry for the spoiler If you haven't seen the movie or read history um , our battle here against fitness misinformation will continue , for I want to say forever ? I hope not , but we are in this together . I have your support . You have my support . We are allies . We're not immortals , but we are intelligently trained listeners and lifters and we're going to fight on for hundreds more episodes to come .

Philip Pape 46:53

Whether this is your first episode you've ever heard or you've been doing this for a while , the principles are all the same Progressive overload , adequate recovery , sufficient energy and food , an energy of balance appropriate to your goals . It's the basics , it's the foundations . Sleep , stress those are the foundations . Tracking and measuring the right things for awareness . The specifics , the methods of how you implement them are going to evolve as you progress and they're highly dependent on you and figuring out what works for you . That's what we do in my coaching program , whether it's one-on-one or the Physique University . That is what we do . There is help you discover what works for you . But the fundamentals endure and I'll leave it at that .

Philip Pape 47:31

So if you enjoyed today's epic 30 Q&A episode , which they're not all like this , a lot of them are shorter . They're not all like this . A lot of them are shorter . They're very focused topics , but I thought this would be fun . If you have your own question , submit it at witsandweightscom slash question . You will get a personal reply from me and I'm going to feature your question on an episode , either a Q&A or as its own topic . I'll let you know and I'll give you a special shout out if you want it . That's witsandweightscom slash question , or click the link in the show notes . Until next time , keep using your wits lifting those weights and remember that your fitness journey is a lifelong campaign where victory comes through consistency , not a single heroic moment . This is Sparta . I mean , this is Philip Pape , and I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits and Weights podcast .