Are you over 40, juggling a demanding career, family responsibilities, and struggling to stay fit? Meet Jerry Bonanno, a 50-something family man who shed 36 pounds of fat and 5 inches off his waist without losing his hard-earned muscle or strength.

Philip (@witsandweights) talks with Jerry about being over 40 and struggling to balance a demanding job, family commitments, and staying fit. Maybe you've been hitting the gym for years but still have difficulty nailing your nutrition, or the daily grind has taken a toll on your physical health. You're eager to reclaim your health, lose fat, and feel strong again, but the challenges seem overwhelming.

Jerry reveals how he transformed his physique and reclaimed his health despite a hectic lifestyle. Tune in to hear his inspiring journey and practical tips that YOU can use to do the same.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

1:16 Jerry's discipline and training routine
6:52 Managing aches and pains during training
10:34 Jerry's motivation and health goals and why he worked with Philip
14:32 Dietary experiments and sustainability
18:12 Prioritizing his physicality to maintain a fulfilling life experience
26:06 Reduce friction: Work hard and smart to achieve goals effectively
29:14 The importance of tracking calories and protein intake
34:54 Why Jerry came back for a second time
39:53 Focusing on the process over the outcome
46:05 Shifting to the carnivore diet
49:21 Understanding personal data and adjusting nutrition
51:52 Intuitive eating with tracking for a balanced approach
54:31 High-frequency, low-volume weight training program without cardio
57:17 Maintaining health and physique goals
58:56 The question Jerry wished Philip had asked
1:01:25 How to connect with Jerry
1:02:02 Outro

Episode resources:

• Jerry’s IG: @thebasementape

Related Episode:

• Ep 115: How Tony Lost 15 Lbs, 8% Body Fat, and Built Lifelong Strength with Barbell Training

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Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

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Are certain exercises are too risky for women, especially as they age?

Today, we're challenging a common misconception in the fitness world: the idea that women should avoid loading their spine.

Is this well-intentioned advice actually holding women back from building stronger, healthier bones? And what's the real key to maintaining bone density as we age?

Let's break down the science and bust some myths in today's Quick Wits.

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“Quick Wits” are short mini-episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a text message.

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

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Are you sick of counting calories but still want to shed fat? Is your metabolism stuck in slow motion? Do you want to lose fat but feel overwhelmed by complex diet plans?

In this episode, Philip (@witsandweights) throws out the traditional calorie counting approach and dives into nonlinear dieting for fat loss. He argues that the stress of daily calorie restriction backfires, slowing your metabolism and making it challenging to stick with your diet. Nonlinear dieting offers a more flexible approach, allowing you to vary your calorie intake throughout the week or month. This can keep things interesting, prevent metabolic slowdown, and make fat loss more sustainable.

Philip also discusses the benefits of nonlinear dieting. He shares three specific strategies you can use and emphasizes that these are just starting points. The key is to find a nonlinear dieting approach that works for you. So ditch the calculator and get ready to experiment with a more enjoyable path to your fat loss goals.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

2:19 The problem with the traditional approach to flexible dieting
6:12 The power of nonlinear dieting
15:54 The 3 new creative dieting methods
27:02 The mindset shift with nonlinear dieting
29:19 Outro

Episode resources:

• Watch this video to download and setup MacroFactor
• Learn about Wits & Weights Physique University

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

Have you ever wondered why, despite all your efforts, you're not seeing the results you want in your fitness?

Today, we're exposing a sneaky little habit that's sabotaging your progress, whether you are aiming for fat loss, muscle gain or any other health goal.

What is this progress-killing behavior and, more importantly, how can you overcome it to finally achieve the results you're after?

Tune in to today's Quick Wits to find out the game-changing answer.

--

“Quick Wits” are short mini-episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a text message.

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

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Are seed oils really the evil villain they're made out to be? 😈

Let's dissect this heated debate and clear the air. I'm responding to a scathing one-star review accusing me of being "anti-science" and in cahoots with Big Food (seriously, where are my checks! 🤑💵).

Related episode about seed oils:
→ Quick Wits: Seed Oils Aren't the Problem

I stand firm on my evidence-based approach, explaining why seed oils are not inherently harmful and highlighting the limitations of observational studies that can't establish causality. As for the science, feel free to refer to the multiple meta-analyses (like this and this) that show no link between seed oils / omega-6 and health issues (and some seem to support the opposite, that higher linoleic acid is associated with LOWER heart disease and mortality risk).

We'll also shed light on how the real dietary culprits are often the excess calories, lack of nutrients, and high palatability in ultra-processed foods correlated with an unhealthy dietary pattern and overconsumption, rather than the seed oils themselves.

My message?

Focus on balanced nutrition and moderation within an 80/20 framework to truly prioritize your health. Shockingly "anti-science" isn't it? 😁🤯

Tune in to hear me go after the haters in a not-too-scathing-but-just-right way and if you want to drown out the negative reviews...

Click here to submit a 5-star review on Apple, one of the BEST ways to support the show! 🤩🙏

Last thing...

Did you like this episode? Not so much? How about the new music? Shoot me a text with your opinions (or questions!) 👇

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

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Are you feeling stuck in a fitness rut? Are you confused by conflicting fitness advice? Struggling to stay motivated when everyone on social media seems to have a perfect body?

Today, Philip (@witsandweights) welcomes Adam Poehlmann, host of The Poehlmann Fitness Show and a dedicated health, fitness, and nutrition coach at Poehlmann Fitness, to discuss how your inner voice can unlock physical achievements. This episode tackles the often-overlooked aspect of fitness: your mindset. Adam dives deep into the internal locus of control concept, empowering you to take ownership of your health journey. He also gets personal, sharing his fitness struggles and triumphs, from overcoming the temptation of alcohol to setting a positive example.

Philip and Adam explore the power of a growth mindset, where setbacks become growth opportunities. They also talk about navigating social media effectively, avoiding comparison traps, and harnessing its potential for inspiration and learning. Packed with actionable tips and real-life experiences, this episode equips you with the mental tools to finally conquer your fitness goals.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

2:21 What's the first mental shift Adam recommends
9:16 (1) Developing an inner locus of control
15:31 (2) Mental contrasting visualization
18:04 (3) Implementation intentions ("if-then" planning)
20:48 Choosing fitness over alcohol
23:25 (4) Community and accountability
26:32 When Adam hit a wall in his fitness journey
33:30 (5) Self-awareness and reframing negative thoughts
41:35 Mindset on nutrition and exercise progression
43:45 (6) Building resilience and self-compassion
53:52 (7) Managing information "diet" and social media influences
59:22 Navigating social media and fitness trends
1:06:11 Where to find Adam
1:06:55 Outro


Episode resources:

• IG: @adampoehlmann
• Podcast: spoti.fi/3W2kYBO
• Threads: @adampoehlmann
• FB Group: facebook.com/groups/thebodytransformationtribe

Related episodes:

• Ep 177: How Anatomy Impacts Your Gut, Muscle Mass, Hormones, and Health with Justin Cottle

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

Have you ever heard the concept that certain types of workouts might keep burning a ton more calories long after you've left the gym for many hours afterward?

Today we're tackling the "afterburner effect," the idea that you can keep burning calories long after your workout is over. And in scientific terms, we are talking about EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).

Is this effect real? Can it significantly impact your fat loss and, if so, how can you maximize it in your training?

We separate fact from fiction in today's Quick Wits.

--

“Quick Wits” are short mini-episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a text message.

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

Is rapid weight loss worth the risk? Can you really build muscle while losing fat? How important is nutrition tracking for your fitness journey?

Today, Philip (@witsandweights) welcomes back Jeff Hoehn for another co-hosted Q&A episode. This time, they discuss aggressive fat loss strategies, the benefits of higher protein intake, and overcoming menopause-related hurdles. They dive into the controversial topic of rapid weight loss, the importance of structured diet breaks, and the real deal about slow metabolism. Philip and Jeff also compare powerlifting and bodybuilding during fat loss phases, emphasizing the role of heavy compound lifts and hypertrophy training. They also talk about nutrition tracking, low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, and fiber intake.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

3:24 What are your views on rapid fat loss and the frequency of aggressive cuts? Also, how do you feel about protein-sparing modified fasting in a 5:2 diet for general weight loss?
12:10 Does consuming more protein than recommended have any benefits?
19:35 How can I effectively lose fat and reveal muscle definition despite increasing my calorie intake, exercising regularly, and maintaining a high-protein diet?
32:38 How feasible is it to build muscle in a deficit?
44:15 Heavier weight or more reps for an older guy looking to build a base for longevity?
54:09 In fat loss, does counting veggies affect the macros? Should I log them?
59:10 Outro

Episode resources:

• The Mind Muscle Connection podcast
• Jeff’s IG: @jeffhoehn_

Related episodes:

• Ep 169: Q&A w/Jeff Hoehn – Menopause Weight Loss, Bulking Without Getting Fat, & Cutting on Low Sleep
• Ep 178: Sleep Science - Doing THIS in the Bedroom is Killing Your Fat Loss, Gains, Hormones, & Metabolism
• Ep 180: The New Over 50 Roadmap to Lifelong Strength, Health, Muscle, and Longevity

📲 Send me a text message!

Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail