Milestone And Mission

Philip Pape 0:01

400 episodes of Evidence-Based Fitness means 400 opportunities to challenge what we think we know about building muscle and losing fat. Today you're gonna hear 15 voices from the saga that is the Wits and Weights podcast, listeners, world-class strength coaches, evidence-based researchers, fellow podcasters, but most importantly, all my friends who have supported the show in some way. What did they take away from 400 episodes? How does that affect you when you strip away the distractions of the fitness industry and ask the question, what should I know and what should I do with my training and nutrition to get the result I want? Welcome to episode 400. Welcome to Wits and Weights, the show that helps you build a strong, healthy physique using evidence, engineering, and efficiency. I'm your host, certified nutrition coach, Philip Pape. And today we're gonna do something I've never done before because it is episode 400, and I've received 15 separate voice messages from people around the world who shared what this show has meant to them. There's some questions, there's some stories, there's some shout-outs from listeners who transformed their physiques, to colleagues who've challenged me to be better, to guests who've shared their expertise so generously. And I'm gonna add some of my thoughts, a little bit of commentary after each message, but mostly I'm letting their words speak for themselves, and I think you're really going to enjoy it as we together celebrate episode 400. All right, let's get into it with the first message,

Global Listener Stories Begin

Philip Pape 1:39

which is from Jo S, and she is in the UK.

Jo S. 1:43

Hi, this is Joe, listening from the UK. I'm a huge fan of the Wits and Weights podcast, and I look forward to the new episodes each time. Congratulations, Philip, on 400 episodes. Please keep going. Keep it coming. I absolutely love it. I'm a member of the Wits and Weights Physique University as well, seeing some great results. And for the first time, breaking through some of the old habits that have kept me stuck. So thank you, and thank you, Carol, as well, the other coach, for all of your great work on there. Keep going. Congratulations.

Philip Pape 2:16

So that was Jo, and she's in Physique University, as she mentioned. She's one of the very engaged members who is always asking questions when she gets stuck and trying to figure out how to move forward. And I love how she mentioned breaking through old habits. I think that is what systems thinking helps us do. The habits could be very simple and we take them for granted. Like you go to bed at 10:30 every night, and now you have to develop a system to get to bed at 10 every night. I also like how she gave a shout-out to Carol, who is my other coach in Physique University, and she's going to have actually have a shout-out later on in the show. And lastly, Joe is from the UK. We actually have a lot of members and clients and listeners from all over the world, which is an amazing outcome of the digital world we live in and the ability to reach more people. So thank you so much, Joe, for your message. All right, the next one is Julia D from Germany.

Julia D. 3:09

Hi, Philip. This is Julia from Germany speaking, you know who. Wow. First of all, congratulations to episode 400 of your podcast. This is huge. This is amazing. Oh my gosh. First of all, I've learned

Breaking Habits With Systems Thinking

Julia D. 3:27

from you that why I've lost so much muscle over the past years and my my metabolism slowed down so much. And yeah, why I gained much more fat without eating differently. So yeah, I'm into protein now, and the right amount of protein. I learned so much about hormones for women after 40. I learned how important strength training is. I've done it before, but now I'm seriously committed and have regularly done it for several months now, which is the first. And wow, I loved your nerdy episode about what muscle tissue has for advantages as advantages. Because of that, I learned that more muscle tissue will seriously better my chronic health condition, which on the first glance has nothing to do with muscle muscle tissue or anything. So that's why I'm so committed to the strength training now, because I know in the long run my chronic condition will be better gradually. You motivated me to think about my physique with a much, much longer time frame over years, not weeks or even months. You motivated me to go into aggressive maintenance first. So in well, a little bit of head loss, but basically first a recomposition just to gain the first amount of muscle to later then be easier able to lose

Muscle, Metabolism, And Long-Term Mindset

Julia D. 5:16

fat. Yeah. And I'm so looking forward to the cycle over the year with shredding fat in the summer season for to be, yeah, to have a bikini body, you know. And then enjoying all the holiday food in the winter season while also building serious muscle. This will be so much fun. I could say tons more, but just for the moment, I I also love your personality, I love your style, you're so empathetic, you're so client-centered, always respecting individual choices. And at the same time, you are so clear and you're so able to really condense complex information and highlight the main points. So, yeah, seriously, you should take money for your podcast because it's so valuable. Thank you so, so, so much, Philip. I hope there will be tons of messages which motivate you to go on with it because so, so many people need your advice with your personality and your style. Thank you so, so much.

Philip Pape 6:31

Wow, and thank you so, so much, Julia. I don't know where to begin. That was so kind. You basically explained the entire podcast journey in just a few minutes. I love that you took information that is universal in terms of muscle mass, for example, and applied it to a chronic condition you have, knowing that these work no matter who you are. It's just how it's personalized. And that mindset shift to thinking over the longer term is fantastic. Some people don't have very much patience, and that's one of the messages we preach here. And of course, a bunch of other things you said I don't need to repeat because folks could hear that. But at the end of the day, I think your words at the end really touched me the most about empathy and being client-centered and all of that. I personally have gone through a journey over the years. When I was younger in my 20s, I was not that way. I didn't have much emotional intelligence at all. I could be very rude, very defensive to people. And those things don't always get called out on. But when you reflect on yourself and then you see how you treat people and what a difference it makes, the opposite is true in terms of if you can really get into their shoes and understand where they're coming from and understand whatever question someone asks, there's no stupid question in this context, and that is a I truly believe that, but also understand where they're coming from. There's a reason they're asking, there's something they're frustrated with, there's something that they're not getting. And that question comes from a place of curiosity, and curiosity is what we're all about. So those are my thoughts, Julia. Thank you so much for the message. I really, really loved it, and I hope the listeners did as well. All right, so that was two listeners as well as two clients in Physique University. Our next one is from Kevin Palmeri, who is a stand-up guy, a super guy in the industry. He's actually the head of NextLool University, co-founder with Alan Lazarus. And Alan was on the show, by the way, recently, actually last week. But Kevin is a personal mentor and coach of mine. He leads the team that edits this podcast. They do the interview episodes. I do the solo episodes, but they do the interview episodes, which are more complex with the video with multiple people and all that. And so I'm going to let you hear his message, which also includes a question.

Prioritizing Training When Life Is Busy

Kevin Palmieri 8:41

Philip, my friend, 400 podcast episodes. That is truly amazing, my friend. I am so, so, so very happy for you, and I am so happy to see your success and your continued success. And probably more than anything, I am honored to see you help so many people. You are really, really helping a lot of people. And I hope you know that, and I hope you feel that, and I hope that you accept the recognition that you deserve. So super proud of you, my friend. And it's amazing to see you grow and help as many people as you are. I have a question for you. As somebody who is busy and growing a business, how often are you prioritizing fitness over other things? So when I get super overwhelmed, fitness is usually the first thing to go because it doesn't pay the bills, unfortunately. So sometimes I'll either skip a workout or I'll wake up two hours earlier than I should so I can get my workout in. What are your thoughts on that? And how do you prioritize and how do you choose? And then how do you live with whatever decision you make?

Philip Pape 9:52

Kevin, my friend, thank you for the message. Thank you for the message. I always can count on you to challenge me to think about why I do things and where what the intention is behind it, but also I know it serves as a model for how others might think about similar challenges. So the question you asked about how I prioritize my fitness, I think like any anchor habit that is the priority in your life, it be it's the first part of the stack. And what I mean by that is if I were to plan out my week on a blank sheet of paper, number one, where does my training go? Now, some people might say, Well, what about your relationship with your wife? What about your kids? What about your job and your business? I'd say, Yeah, I'm gonna get those done. But to me, fitness and in this case, strength training in particular is a catalyst for making all of those things way more productive to the point where I feel like the ROI is at least break-even, right? And what I mean by that is the hour and a half I spend four or five days a week is paid back in spades by the productivity, the energy, the mindset, the consistency that I get with everything else. Now that's not the case for everyone. Some people, because of their schedules, because of how much they have to spend on other activities, may have to make other trade-offs like working out three days a week instead of four or five, or even just two days a week, or doing two a days that are small exercise snacks. And these are a lot of the things we talk about on the show. So I think it starts from saying, look, if this is a priority, how can I fit it into my week? And then we're actually doing a challenge called the Strong Finish Challenge in Physique University, where we talk about having a minimum, a minimum viable habit, which I think is what your uh co your partner calls it, minimum viable habit, but also having a bailout strategy. So if your optimal is to go into the gym four days a week, 90 minutes, your minimum might be three days a week for 30 minutes. Your bailout might be a short 15-minute body weight workout two days a week, right? So it's kind of having those different levels. That that's how I would put it, Kevin. And I will admit there are other things that are important to me that I've not done that

Simple, Truth-First Coaching Values

Philip Pape 12:08

to, and it shows. In other words, sleep hasn't been as high a priority as I quote unquote should make it for myself, like training, and therefore it's suffered. And I know that and I'm aware of that, and that's a thing that I can pop to the top if needed, if I need to double down. So I hope that answers your question, Kevin. Thanks for challenging me as always. I'm gonna go to the next message, which is from Pam Sherman. And guys, Pam was just on the last episode of the podcast for the Women Over 50 QA, and I've known her for a while. She's a trainer, coach, uh amazing woman in the space. And I'm gonna play her message for you now.

Pam Sherman 12:41

Philip, Pam Sherman here. I am so excited to be part of your journey. It's been amazing to be a guest on your podcast, to be a guest on your Facebook group. You are awesome. I know a lot of people in our well health and wellness space, and I resonate with you so much. You're my people. You try to keep it simple, you try to keep it easy while doing so much research. I know you want what is best for your audience. You want to give them the truth about what works and what doesn't work. You and I have both struggled. We've both struggled with our weight, with our workouts, we've done everything wrong. And now we're on the other side, so we can help as many people as possible get on top of their nutrition, know the right way to eat fuel for their workouts or for weight loss or just for a healthy life. I am so happy that Karen Martell introduced us because I you are one of my very favorite people in this space. Congratulations again on 400 episodes, and thanks for having me be a part of this journey.

Philip Pape 13:43

Thank you, Pam. And you are also one of my favorite people. And yeah, you know, Karen Martell is a through line on this podcast. Um, her ears are are burning. You guys she's gonna be featured in a little bit. And yeah, she brought us together, but we've kept it going from episode 190 when you were on, where we talked about why women over 50 need strength, health, longevity to yesterday's episode or earlier this this week's episode about some QA questions on protein training, all of that. And really, at the end of the day, I just love to hang around people who are always learning, who are improving, who show that age is definitely not a factor when it comes to your health, that we could get after it and yes, help help each other and help others make an impact. And I hope those of you listening to the show feel like this show helps you and guests like Pam having been on the show help you, and that you are sharing with others the message and sharing them this, sharing them this podcast so that they can learn as well. All right, our next message is from someone who probably needs no introduction. So

Fighting Pseudoscience With Clarity

Philip Pape 14:43

I'm gonna let it speak for itself and then give my thoughts afterward.

Eric Helms 14:46

Philip, my man, just want to say thank you so much for what you do with Wits and Weights. Educating the public and other trainers and other professionals to be more effective at helping others is a huge service. And there's so much pseudoscience, misinformation, and unfortunately disinformation out there that we need more voices and leaders in this space, making evidence-based information clear, understandable, and interesting. It's always a pleasure to be on. And I look forward, if you'll have me, from coming back on Wits and Weights. Keep doing the thing, man. You're crushing it.

Philip Pape 15:19

And that means a lot coming from Eric. Just so you guys know, some of the backstory here. You know, Eric is one of the authors of Muscle and Strength Pyramids, which is one of the things that I read back in the 2019, 2020 timeframe that was a catalyst for me learning more about evidence-based fitness, you know, with the the pyramids themselves, that whole idea of adherence as the foundation, sustainability, and then building up from there of what's most to least important is crucial when it comes to making this work for you. But I also like the idea of making evidence-based information clear and interesting. We've had Eric on for three episodes so far 72, 121, 391. And the first time I asked him to be on, I was completely surprised because I was just getting started. And then I realized, hey, there's a lot of generous folks out there who, you know, they're not like untouchables. They're they're real human beings who we can reach out to and talk to and just have good conversations with and you know, develop friendships and networks over the years. So, Eric, your message really does mean a lot to me, truly. You're definitely going to come on the show again. Keep doing what you do, keep contributing to the research, but also the conversation. And I, for one, will always be on your side in this battle. All right. The next message is from Jen Trepik.

The Podcaster’s Grind And Growth

Philip Pape 16:37

Jen was on the show, episode 337. She hosts Salad with a side of fries. Such energy and passion for this. We really hit it off, and you know, we've collaborated on some other things, been talking business behind the scenes, and she's definitely my kind of person. And I'm gonna let her message speak for itself.

Jenn Trepeck 16:53

Your podcast friend and colleague Jen Trepik from Salad with a Side of Fries. Huge, huge congratulations on 400 episodes. Believe me, I know that is no small feat. I'm so excited for you and all that you do for your clients, your members, your community, your listeners. You are truly changing lives. It is an honor to know you and to call you a friend and a colleague. Congratulations again.

Philip Pape 17:23

Jen, thank you so much. I always love messages from fellow podcasters because you really get it when it comes to the business side of this, not only as a coach, but podcasting itself. And what a, I'll say pleasant grind it can be, right? That's the way I'm gonna put it. It's one of those things that takes time to really build the momentum. And I appreciate you calling me a friend and doing this collaboration together. And for those listening, Jen is gonna be on the show again pretty soon. It might be in the new year. She has a new book, and I wanted to come in, have her come on and talk about a specific topic that I think is gonna resonate really hard with all of us. But I'm gonna leave it at that. You guys keep following the podcast for when Jen comes back on. Jen, it's awesome to know you, and we're definitely gonna be in touch. So, our next guest who sent in, I shouldn't say guest, our next listener slash colleague, slash friend who sent in

Relationships Built Through Thoughtful Pitching

Philip Pape 18:12

a message. His name is Sam Brake Gia. And I was actually on his show, Mike's Tamillion. He is the co-founder of Podwritten, but he actually explains all of this in the message, and it's kind of an interesting, I'll say, origin story that we went through that I think you'll find pretty cool from a behind-the-scenes perspective.

Sam Brake Guia 18:28

Hi, I'm Sam BreakGear, and I am the co-founder of Podwritten and the host of Mike's Samillions. I first connected with Philip in June 2024 in what seems like very unusual circumstances because I sent him a cold pitch suggesting a guest and he rejected it. Now, most people might assume an interaction like that wouldn't lead to a friendship or multiple collaborations. But I think really early on we saw that how we approached the situation really set us apart from most people. So my method of pitching guests and Philip's thoughtful uh handling of this inbound recommendation really created a foundation for an unlikely friendship because we saw that we both do things differently than than most people are in our industry. And from the start I could tell that Philip had taken so much time to carefully review my pitch and provide thoughtful feedback. And that attention to detail really made him stand out. And I was so appreciative of the insights and feedback that he shared. I could see that there's a reason why he was so successful in creating wits and weights and what made it a standout show. And he would make a fantastic guest for my podcast, is what I thought. And that's when I invited him on. We had a great chat, I really enjoyed it. It was so much fun. And he could see also that I wasn't a typical podcast booking agent, so I'm not in the business of just getting my clients anywhere and everywhere, but I really want to focus on getting them on specific shows since then. I booked multiple right fit clients or guests on wits and weights, and he's also been a key guest on two of my podcast episodes, and I really love those episodes. I'd even argue uh that Philip potentially has

Coaching Craft And Community Impact

Sam Brake Guia 20:15

better knowledge around podcast growth and podcast marketing than most podcast marketing professionals you'll find online. I also love the fact that he's super easy to collaborate with, he has a really positive attitude all the time whenever we interact. He's very responsive, he's super open to feedback and encourages it wherever possible. And I am really surprised as well by his analytical skills. I'm not surprised, but impressed. And that's definitely something I see coming through from his engineering background. So, yeah, I'm really grateful to be a part of this wits and waste journey, and I can't wait to see where the podcast and Philip go next. Here's to another 400 episodes. Keep up the amazing work, Philip.

Philip Pape 20:54

Sam, thank you for that message. I'm glad the listener can hear a little bit of you and this behind-the-scenes business stuff when it came comes to guest pitching. Guys, Sam did reach out to me. The guest wasn't a great fit, but because we had a cordial conversation and he was interested in the show and the audience and how he could help, it came through as very genuine and honest. And those are the kind of people I'm so gravit, I so gravitate to, and that's why we still have a connection to this day. And it has led to other things. You don't, you guys don't hear about all this directly on the show. I don't talk about it maybe enough. But one of those was other having other guests come on the show and also talking about tactics and strategies behind the scene related to podcast growth and marketing. The whole analytical thing, you know, doesn't just apply to fitness in my case. You guys know I'm an engineer, love to do things behind the scene. He had actually asked me to record a clip about how I use, I think it's overcast for podcast advertising. And so if you kind of check out these other shows of Sam's that I was on, you can hear some of that behind the scenes. But definitely another 400 episodes. I feel like just as the years fly by, the episodes fly by, Sam, and it's totally doable. Uh back at episode 200 or 100, that would have sounded insane, but that's kind of how this thing goes. And I appreciate

Team Voices: Coaching From Within

Philip Pape 22:12

you and I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. Let's continue to make it happen and do things from the heart and from the soul and really keep pushing positivity into the world, is the best I can put it. Thank you, Sam. Moving on, we have somebody that you guys will know. He's been on the show several times. Brandon DeCruz is a world-class physique coach, host of the Chasing Clarity podcast. And let me tell you, this guy is also so, so generous. He will reach out if you reach out to him and is just passionate about the industry, the science, helping people reach their goals. Again, truly from the heart. Again, these are the types of people I just love to be around in their orbit. So have a listen to his message.

Brandon DaCruz 22:55

What's going on, guys? This is Brendan Cruz of the Chasing Clarity Health and Fitness Podcast. I just want to take a moment to congratulate my friend Philip Pape on hitting episode 400 of the Wits and Weights podcast. That is no small feat, my man. It's been an absolute pleasure being a guest on your show multiple times, going all the way back to episode 58 and watching how much you've grown the platform since then. You've done an incredible job consistently putting out high-quality, evidence-based information while making it engaging, relatable, and actionable for your audience. And let's be honest, you've got the best podcast intros in the business. Congratulations again, my friend. Forget episodes is a milestone that reflects your dedication, consistency, and genuine passion for helping others become the strongest, healthiest versions of themselves. I'm proud to know you and to have been part of your journey.

Philip Pape 23:39

I really appreciate that, Brandon. And for the listener, you know, folks like Brandon taking the time to do these messages really speaks a lot for the type of person they are. And Brandon was on episodes 58, so that was the early days, 99, and then recently 354, you know, so spanning three years been on the show watching this platform grow, but I've also seen him do more and more in the space with his podcasts. We've done Q ⁇ A's together. He's, as far as his craft as a physique coach, if you follow him, say on Instagram, you will see just a constant uh reminder of how he helps one person after another from physique competitors to everyday people just trying to improve their bodies, their health, their longevity, their strength, all of that. And Brandon, I really do appreciate your friendship. I wish I could have you on more. Honestly, like there's so many folks that I love that we, you know, we could have them on, but then I would never make any other episodes. So uh and I really enjoy the QA we did not long ago. So hope, hopefully, listeners get to check that out. We'll throw all this stuff in the show notes for all these guests. It's gonna be an extravaganza. But again, thank you, Brandon, so much for everything you do and the expertise you bring. All right, our next two, I'll say listeners slash former clients slash friends slash current team members are Carol Hanshu and Alan Friedman. I'm gonna play them back to back. Actually, no, I'm gonna play Carol's, then I'm gonna give a little commentary and then Alan's. Carol

Options Over Absolutes

Philip Pape 25:03

is, she's a friend, she's a former client, she's now a personal trainer and nutrition coach. She has her own business, but she's also helping us in physique university as an assistant coach in that business. So she's all over the place helping everyone, but especially women over 40, hormones, thyroid issues. She has a lot of personal experience there. And she is so kind, genuine, but also really intelligent and helpful when it comes to helping clients get through specific issues. When we have our two-on-one coaching calls in Physique University, she's right there helping you solve your problems and get the next step. So I'm gonna let player message and you guys can judge for yourself.

Carol Hanshew 25:42

Philip not only helped me achieve my fat loss goal, but working with him also inspired me to give my own certification as a nutrition coach and personal trainer. Philip is the real deal. He's honest, sincere, and will always do his best to get to the bottom of any problem or challenge you might be facing. It's an honor and privilege to work with him, and I'm excited to celebrate this 400th episode.

Philip Pape 26:09

And Carol,

4:30 A.M. Workouts And Daily Fuel

Philip Pape 26:10

the honor and privilege is all mine. Just so the listener knows, Carol has justified all the odds in terms of, you know, chronic health issues and hormones and really getting the strong fit body composition that she's going for. And she's really a role model to people. And you can hear how, you know, she's soft-spoken, but she is so honest and sincere herself. I know those are the words you used. She's also really a whiz when it comes to cooking and recipes and meal planning and groceries and all that fun stuff on the food side that I joking, I joke with her that like those are the things I don't like to think about as much, which sounds odd for a nutrition coach, but you know, we all have our strengths. And anybody who's working in our community, whether it's in our free Facebook group, which you can join anytime, you'll see Carol there, or in Physique University, where she's putting up all sorts of wonderful content. And now she's helping us get ready for the strong finish challenge next month, will appreciate immediately, you know, her the way she thinks very compassionately, empathetically, but also specifically. You know, she she even has a little bit of that engineering mind in her, even if she won't admit it or maybe she will, to really just go after the problem, use numbers, use data, use logic, but also use some creativity and empathy along the way. So, Carol, it's a pleasure to have you on my team. And I'm glad people got to hear a little bit from you today. And those who work with you get to experience that all the time. So thank you, Carol. All right, and as promised, our next one is from Alan, who is also a friend of mine, former client, and he's on the team. And I will play his message now.

Allan Friedman 27:43

Hi, I'm Alan. Before I listened to Philip, I was driven by the low calorie, low-carb mindset. Philip has taught me that food is a tool used to be used in conjunction with strength training and overall activity, with the end result being overall health, and that daily food consumption is

Psychology, Behavior, And Real Talk

Allan Friedman 28:01

not something to be judged, but looked at as a variable to affect change. Philip has assisted me to observe that my body does respond to changes in nutrition and how I adapt to changes in my strength training. Philip has helped me through my journey by encouraging the establishment of goals across the long term so I can see the big picture and where I'm going. Thank you, Philip, for your work with wits and weights and your wise content in the fitness industry.

Philip Pape 28:29

Thank you so much, Alan, for the message. Now, again, for the listener, Alan, you can see is very soft-spoken. I'm very much attracted to people who are kind, are empathetic, are helpful, have nothing but positive energy in wanting to help people, and they've all gone through gone through their own struggles. I encourage you to go way back and listen to episode 77. Alan was on as a guest talking about how after bariatric surgery, he finally found optimal health, optimal strength over 60. And he will be the first guy to reach out and say hello, ask how I'm doing, ask about my kids, ask about anything, but but also he gives and he helps. He helps with the business, he helps with the coaching, he does so many things behind the scenes. Sometimes I forget how much he's doing. And Alan, I'm very, very grateful to you for that. And I know it comes from the heart. You're just a true, truly wonderful guy. And for the listener, what's neat about Alan is he he kind of jumped onto this pretty early

Weekend Diet Results In The Real World

Philip Pape 29:28

when Wits and Weights came out and reached out and said, Hey, I love the show. I'm kind of I'm learning some things. And he kind of learned along with me as I was creating the podcast. And we've bounced ideas off each other a lot, including ideas for the for the app I had the new app I have coming out, wouldn't have been what if what it was if it wasn't for being able to brainstorm with Alan. So never underestimate the power of people and friends and being able to connect. And if you're an entrepreneur or even if you're not, anybody can become a really important part of your life. When you least expect it. You know, uh he went from a listener to a client to a team member. He's a moderator in our Facebook group. And I mean, we're pretty much just friends. Yeah, I coach him, he helps me. You know, we don't like keep a tally. It's just let's lift each other up and upward spiral the heck out of our lives and those of others, and that's how we change the world. All right, so I thought it would be fun for the next message to be another friend of mine who has a little bit of a different style and is still just as, I'll say, helpful and important to me in my life, whether he wants to admit it or not, whether he's rolling his eyes right now, or getting ready yet again to send me an inappropriate reel that he knows I'm gonna completely laugh at and appreciate that he sent it to me. Here he is, my friend, my lifting buddy, Tony.

Tony P. 30:48

This is Tony, client and friend of Phillips. The reason I'm a listener to the Wits and Waits podcast is that it's a refreshing break from typical social media fitness content that either tries to pad the pockets of

Consistency As A Superpower

Tony P. 31:00

the hosts, build their ego, or regurgitate content. Philip has been consistent with his very open-minded, understanding, directed approach, whether he's talking macros, barbells, or cardio. He'll never tell you what to do, only give options.

Philip Pape 31:14

Thank you, my man. And I think I have you fooled because the whole purpose of the show is to pad my pockets and to build my ego, but I haven't been able to do that yet. So the fallback is, I guess, to put out the best content I can, and that's what I try to do. And I appreciate you saying that. But also, again, to the listener, Tony's a guy that I can go back and forth and brainstorm on, get philosophical, really get deep on topics and talk about everything from engineering to craftsmanship to philosophy to lifting, of course, to the science to the bros, to everything in between, to politics, really anything goes. And I appreciate you know your openness to hear me out, but also, like you alluded to in your message, lean into that flexibility, that personalization that comes along for the ride, even though there are solid principles in place. And by the way, Tony was on way back in episode 115, talking about our time working together when he was a client, where he lost 15 pounds of body fat, 8% body fat, is big into barbell training, really talked about the whole process of a mini cut that I think you're gonna find interesting. So go check out episode 115 for that. All right, next up we have a listener, Gabelou M from Mexico.

Gabilu M. 32:26

Hi, wits and weights. I am Gabelou Mireles. I'm from Mexico, and I am a listener and fan of this amazing podcast. Congratulations on this incredible anniversary. I am such a fan of everything you share. This podcast is my companion. Every morning that I wake up at 4 30 a.m. It's the first thing I listen to, and it just pumps me up for my workout. I love learning everything that there is to learn about working out, but how to make it really effective for each and every one of us. Thank you so

Takeaways, Gratitude, And Next 400

Gabilu M. 33:05

much for all your hard work, for sharing all this information with all over the world, and I hope you have an amazing, amazing podcast for many, many years.

Philip Pape 33:15

Wow, you guys are really encouraging me to go on with this. And I wasn't planning on stopping anytime too soon, trust me. But Gabby Lou, I love how you listen to it at 4:30 in the morning. I don't know if you listen to them the day they come out, but I do set it to release at 4 a.m. And I've toyed with should I do that later? And I'm like, no, I know there's people that go to work out in the morning uh early, and maybe it's something that they like to have. So I really appreciate hearing from you. And guys, I connected with Gabby Lou recently on Instagram. If you go to my Instagram at Wits and Waits, definitely give me a follow there if you don't already. But she reached out and I always respond. I usually send audio messages, we go back and forth. It's a fun place to connect. And so, Gabby Lou, I appreciate the loyalty and the you know, being a fan of the show and reaching out again. And I hope this reaches you as well. Maybe you're working out right now and go after it. All right, thank you so much for the message. The next message is from somebody you guys might know again on the business side, also in the coaching space. His name is the Mike Milner, host of the Mind Over Macros podcast. He is also a long-term nutrition coach of Pop and is a business coach. He actually has helped me a lot with email marketing, with ads, with things like that from an authentic perspective, not a you know, cold sales, sleazy type of marketing that we none of us like when it comes to fitness coaches, but more of an authentic be yourself, explain what it is, be transparent approach. So here's his message. Thank you for sending this in, Mike.

Mike Millner 34:43

Hey, what's up, Phillip? Just want to drop a quick message and say congrats on 400 episodes. It's a huge accomplishment from one podcaster to another. I know what it takes to be that consistent and disciplined, and I just appreciate the work that you're doing. I think our industry needs more people like you who put out true, valuable content and keep doing your thing. And let's, you know, let's do 400 more episodes, as I'm sure you will, and well beyond that. Thanks for all the work that you're doing, and we'll talk soon.

Philip Pape 35:11

Thanks for that shout-out, Mike. And from one podcaster to another, I know how challenging it is to keep that going, but it's also a lot of fun because I know, I mean, you're really good at this of bringing up very current topics from questions and problems that come up in your audience. Literally, the day before you're like, let me get on the horn and record a podcast about it. So, guys, go to episode 123. Again, one of one of our classics at this point, since we're we're at 400 now, it was about the hidden barriers holding you back. Mike is all about psychology. I've learned a lot about behavior and psychology from him, not how to manipulate people, but how to better reach people and connect with them, which I think is so, so important in this industry. So thank you again, Mike. All right, we've got two more messages. The next one is for another listener who I connected with recently, Alana. And what's cool about her message and her experience is she took a very specific episode I did about a specific protocol or approach and applied it and had the results that I talked about. And she did it. She tried it out. She's like, let me see if this works, and she did. So here is Alana's message.

Alana Van Der Sluys 36:15

I just wanted to give a shout out to Phil because I listened to his episode about the weekend diet, which I thought was super interesting. And I was just about to go into my second cut, and I tried the weekend diet. I did it exactly the way he described it. He had a lot of studies to back it up, and it was basically, you know, eating a little bit less during the weekdays and eating more at maintenance on the weekends during a cut to give yourself a little bit of a reprieve. And it was by far the better cut out of the two that I had. I had amazing results, and I have Phil and his research to thank for that. So thanks, Phil.

Philip Pape 36:56

And thank you, Alana. And I hope you don't mind me sharing your other Instagram handle, your business handle, which is at Freedom with Food and Fitness on Instagram. And I will say Alana wasn't pushing the fact that she's a coach or anything. She literally just wanted to add value and say, hey, I listened to this show about the weekend diet. I did it, and it seemed to work really well. And if you're not sure what she is talking about, it's episode 324, and it's based on research that shows that a weekend refeed where you're dieting during the week and then you eat up to maintenance during the weekend might have a slight advantage for muscle mass retention during fat loss and also making you feel better and recovered. So, Alana, thank you so much for doing that, for trying it. I wish anybody listening who hears something that they think might help them would go ahead and take that action, document the results, and send me a message on Instagram at wits and weights. And whether I share it on the podcast or not, we'll have a conversation. And if it worked for you, I really would love to hear it. Maybe it didn't work for you, and you can let me know that as well. It's all good data. And that brings me to the final message. Last, but as they say, definitely not least. And this is someone you are going to recognize because we've collaborated for a while. She's been on the show several times. I was on her show when she had a podcast. Now she's a huge YouTube star, doesn't have a podcast anymore, but that's intentional. And we all we all know and love this woman in the space. Her name is Megan Dahlman, and here's what she has to say.

Megan Dahlman 38:17

Well, Philip, Megan Dahlman here, and it's crazy to think that you have reached 400 episodes. That's nothing short of a remarkable feat. When, you know, in the fitness and health industry and nutrition, we all know that it is so hard just to show up every single day and make those decisions on a daily basis to take care of our body. And your consistency and dedication to simply producing a top-notch podcast shows how great of a coach you are. So much of being a healthy person is being just consistent with the basics and producing, publishing a podcast. It's nothing short of just being consistent with those basic things. And I know that all the work that you've put into the show has reached thousands and thousands of individuals, and it's helped encourage them to take care of their health, to show up, eat, eat good, nutritious, robust meals, and be strong and healthy and just march forward every year into a healthier version of themselves. So we all greatly appreciate just all of your dedication, inspiration, and just energy that you bring to this space. So can't wait to see where the next 400 episodes take you. Hopefully you'll have me on the list. I'd love to come back. It's been always fun to share with your audience. And but but boy, we're all just cheering you on, and we we just appreciate all the work that you've put into the Wits and Weights podcast. Keep up the good work. We'll be in touch.

Philip Pape 40:02

Megan, Megan, Megan, thank you so much. I mean, you're one of the ones in the space that I just truly honor our friendship and our ability to collaborate on the things that the listener cares about so much and values, not just in the nuts and bolts of training, which obviously you have a lot of expertise in, but your point about consistency. And when you do something for a long time with a system in place and you've developed a habit, you develop a routine, it's not that it's automatic, right? You still have to do it. It still can be hard. It still takes trade-off sometimes, sacrifice, but it's almost inevitable because you've set things up that way. And that's kind of where everybody wants to get. I appreciate what you've done for us on the show. You've been on multiple episodes, three so far, 149, 217, and the recent one 349. And it's always a blast. I mean, there are definitely some guests who I have a rapport with. You're one of those. And I really, really appreciate you giving the shout-out here and spending time, as always, with our listeners to teach us and help us become better. All right. I don't want this episode to go longer than it needs to be. There you have it. That was 15 messages from around the world, from around time, with again the saga, the epic that is wits and weights, 400 episodes strong with many, many more to come. And lots of things really stood out for me. I'm not going to repeat my commentary, but a few things just in general. One is the international reach. It's so cool to hear people from the UK, from Germany, from Mexico, obviously from the US. And we have listeners from, I think, well over 100 countries. I don't remember. I didn't haven't checked in a while, but that's just really cool. That's just amazing. Secondly, is all of these transformations that people get by actually taking action on this information. I'm a big podcast listener myself. And I've I've heard things through osmosis that I'll say, hmm, that's interesting. Why don't I try that out? And so you have, you know, Julia with her chronic condition, Alana with a weekend diet, Carol, you know, was a client, now she's a coach. Like all of these things that are happening, I'm so proud and happy to have been a part of with all of you, with the listeners, with my colleagues, with my friends, all of that. And that leads me to the mission. The mission, cutting through the BS, challenging the nonsense in the industry, making evidence-based information more clear, more interesting, hopefully entertaining in a way. And that's what I set out to do because this industry, yeah, it's full of people, like Tony said, patting their pockets, building their egos, regurgitating the same tired contest content. And it's full of amazing people who have it in their heart to help people and do it in a way that is just aligned with who they are. And if they haven't a business in the process doing that, then they should be rewarded for that. That's my, but that is a good form of capitalism, the one where everybody's aligned and it's a win-win for everyone. And then lastly, you know, Megan talked about consistency. Yes, the podcast is being consistent with the basics, but also is taking care of your health and your dedication to showing up, like Brandon mentioned, the engineering mindset applied to the content creation, but also your fitness system and continuous improvement. So, what do I want you to take away from this, be besides everything else I hope we've taken away, is that the 400 episodes is about something that's become, I think and I hope a lot bigger than just me. I'm a person, but it's I wouldn't have done it without having all of you listen and provide feedback and share it and challenging me and helping me challenge conventional wisdom and treating people like adults who can think critically and make informed decisions. And it's about the community as well, like the community of podcast listeners, our Facebook community, physique university clients. Like to me, it's just one big giant happy family. Not all of you know everybody. I know a lot of you, which is awesome. Like, I feel like it's a big family, even colleagues, even guests who've been on the show, even business partners, you know, Eric, Pam, Jen, Brandon, Kevin, Sam, Megan, all of all these great people who push the evidence-based approach forward. So this show exists because of that. It just wouldn't have existed, you know, 400 episodes ago it didn't exist. Now it does. That is mind-blowing to me. It's the questions you send, it's the episodes you share, it's the reviews you leave, it's the transformations you achieve and tell me about. And yeah, I'm proud of 400 episodes, but I'm even more excited about the next 400 because we are just getting started. So I've given you a lot of resources already throughout the episode, like other episodes to check out. I'm not gonna pitch you anything now. All I'm gonna ask is that you let someone else know about the podcast. It doesn't have to be this episode, because honestly, if you've never heard the podcast, this might be a little much and it isn't really exactly the same type of uh format as or most of our episodes. But share an episode that you did like, you know, share one of the ones mentioned on the show or a timestamp or whatever, and then tag me, let me know, reach out to me on Instagram, whatever makes sense. And to everyone who sent a message for this episode, thank you, thank you, thank you. To everyone who's been listening, whether it's all 400 episodes or just this is your first one, thank you to my friends, to my colleagues, my assistant coaches, every guest who shared their expertise, thank you. Here's to the next 400 episodes. Until next time, keep using your wits, lifting those weights. And remember that just like building a podcast takes all the things we talked about today, so does building an impressive and healthy physique. It's consistency, it's evidence, it's systems that actually work. This is Philip Pape, and I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits and Weights podcast.