October 13, 2025 • 31 mins
This is part one of this episode as we had a technical error and only one mic was recording during the second half. We will be re-recording the second half and including a spot for questions. So if you have any questions about your bodyweight and how to master it hit us up in the DMs!
What if the number you’re chasing on the scale is the very thing holding you back? We unpack the obsession with target weights both in life and in powerlifting. As coaches and competitors, we’ve seen the same pattern for years: people tie identity to a weight class or an old “best” number, only to stall, burn out, or get hurt.
We get practical fast. You’ll learn how to set outcome-based goals, use progress pictures the right way (same light, same time, same clothes), and track signals that matter: strength PRs, sleep, steps, and weekly weight averages. We dig into body composition realities too: muscle weighs more than you think, and many folks need to weigh a bit more to look stronger and leaner. Genetics, frame size, and training age all shape the result, so comparison is a losing game; the win is building a body that performs and endures.
We also zoom out to the cultural noise: pressure to be smaller, the rise of GLP-1s, and the drastic pendulum swing between extremes. The antidote is simple and powerful: consistent training 3–5 days a week, protein-forward meals, good sleep, and patience. Consistency beats intensity every time, and the “overnight” progress people notice later is usually months of quiet, steady work. If you’re ready to ditch the scale drama, build real strength, and define success on your terms, press play, subscribe, and share this with a friend who needs a calmer path to strong.
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HOSTED BY
@lizribaudo_fortis
@nateribaudo_fortis
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
What's going on, you guys?
Welcome to another episode ofthe Fortis After Hours podcast.
I'm your host, Nate, joined bymy wife Liz.
SPEAKER_00 (00:06):
Hey.
SPEAKER_01 (00:07):
And today we have another awesome episode planned
for you guys.
Bet you couldn't guess that.
SPEAKER_00 (00:12):
Surprise, surprise.
SPEAKER_01 (00:14):
But we really do.
It's going to be a greatepisode.
We're going to be talking aboutmastering your body weight and
how that can help you in life,powerlifting, pretty much
everything.
Because your body is with you atall times, you know?
SPEAKER_00 (00:26):
Crazy.
SPEAKER_01 (00:27):
So we're going to be talking about that.
And we got a new setup today.
Liz is sitting in front of allof her awards that she's won
over the years.
So it's like really looking likeif we have both of ours.
Yeah, I know.
But mainly yours.
But if we had like a videoversion of the podcast, it'd be
pretty funny because she's like,it looks like she's like the
(00:47):
champ, champ.
Like.
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Okay, well, we just hung them up.
SPEAKER_01 (00:51):
I know.
SPEAKER_00 (00:52):
For the first time ever.
SPEAKER_01 (00:53):
Yeah.
Liz is pretty excited about it.
SPEAKER_00 (00:56):
We've been collecting metals since 2018.
And we finally hung them up.
SPEAKER_01 (01:02):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (01:03):
It's 2025.
SPEAKER_01 (01:04):
It is pretty cool though.
Pretty cool setup.
And it creates a nice littlebackdrop because it looks like
you're like, you know, you havelike all the backdrop of metals.
SPEAKER_00 (01:13):
I'm the champ.
SPEAKER_01 (01:14):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, you got a belt lasttime.
SPEAKER_00 (01:17):
I did.
SPEAKER_01 (01:18):
Um, all right.
So, anyways, today we're goingto be talking about mastering
your body weight um and kind ofgiving you guys some tips and
tricks on how to do that.
Um, also, we're just gonna kindof discuss why it's not
necessarily like as important asyou may think to be like a
specific weight.
Uh, because we see that a lot.
(01:38):
That's super, super common.
Um, if you guys don't know, I'vebeen personal training for 12
years.
Liz has been personal trainingfor like five years full-time
now.
Um, I think.
And then a little bit beforethat.
SPEAKER_00 (01:54):
Um I'm trying to do the math, and the math is not
mathing.
SPEAKER_01 (02:00):
2020-ish.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
2021 was full-time.
SPEAKER_01 (02:04):
Okay, so almost five years.
Um, and then we've been palatingcoaching since 2018.
Um, and uh along that time,we've worked with many different
people, and I would say anoverarching common theme is
people get stuck on like oneweight or another weight.
SPEAKER_00 (02:24):
Um now and I would say this is with powerlifting or
just like or life, general I wasjust gonna say that life people.
SPEAKER_01 (02:32):
Um they think you know, like just some quick
examples, like people thinklike, oh, if I'm this weight,
then like I'm gonna feel goodabout myself or I'm going to
look good.
Um, and I know you've talked onhere before how you used to be
like that way back in the day.
SPEAKER_00 (02:44):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (02:45):
Um and you know, that's for like general life, or
like, or maybe And that was likebefore I started powerlifting.
SPEAKER_00 (02:52):
So like just to make sure that's because I mean I've
definitely done it inpowerlifting as well, but then
also like before powerlifting.
SPEAKER_01 (02:59):
Yeah, it was That was just you.
SPEAKER_00 (03:01):
Yeah.
Just oh, when I get to thisbasic number on a scale, I'll be
happy.
SPEAKER_01 (03:06):
Uh fun fact, I wasn't.
This weight I'm gonna be happy,or this number on the scale, I'm
gonna be strong enough.
Um, and while that can beimportant if you're needing to
lose weight or you want to gainweight and you want to get
bigger, uh, it's not the be-allend-all.
And that's kind of what we wantto talk about today.
Um, and specifically, so that'slike kind of general, and then
specifically in the sport ofpowerlifting, it happens
(03:26):
oftentimes because it is aweight class sport.
So a lot of people, it's almostlike their identity.
They're like, uh, Nate Roboto,100 kilo, 100 kilo lifter, 100
kg.
SPEAKER_00 (03:36):
I mean, people make Instagram handles with that as
their Instagram name.
Yeah.
Which I always think is funny.
The weight class there.
SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
Because like it's just a weight class, like it
doesn't matter.
Um, and it actually likelegitimately doesn't matter at
all because the two ways thatyou win in powerlifting are
generally going to be putting upthe biggest total, so lifting
the most weight.
I mean, that's generally how youwin in powerlifting, period.
Dot.
Fun fact.
And the other way, well, for fora s for a select few elites, uh,
(04:03):
you can win by putting up atotal at a specific body weight
and getting the correct dots, orlike bodyweight coach.
SPEAKER_00 (04:12):
I would say if you're like the best in the
world or actually have like thepotential at being the best in
the world, which is no oneprobably listening to this
podcast, no offense.
But like, then okay, maybe yourweight class does matter, like a
little bit more, or like howmuch you weigh does matter a
little bit more.
But I'm talking about like thebest of the best of the best of
(04:34):
the whole entire world, not justlike winning which there's
nothing wrong with this.
Yeah.
Winning like local meets orwinning your weight class at a
local meet, or even like goingto nationals and doing well at
nationals.
Like, that's still really good,but that's still like different,
it's still different than likethe elite of the elite of the
(04:55):
elite.
SPEAKER_01 (04:56):
Yeah, and like for reference, just like to put a
numerical thing on it, we'retalking about like the 1% of the
1%.
Yeah.
Like it's like the you know,best in the world.
I mean, other than that, youguys, having just an arbitrary
number or a weight class numberthat you're like tying your
identity, your strength to, yourday-to-day life, your diet,
nutrition to is kind of silly.
(05:18):
Um, and instead, what we'regonna kind of dive into and
unpack is like finding insteadof just an arbitrary, just you
know, random basically numberthat happens to be a weight
class or whatever, or like iflike Liz was saying, like if
you're just cruising around lifeand you're like, once I get to X
number, I'm gonna feel good.
Um, we're gonna kind of exploreother options and viewpoints of
(05:38):
like not just that, but like,okay, like maybe I adjust my
diet and I only lose fivepounds, but I feel amazing.
It's like, okay, well, maybe Icould stay there, or vice versa,
I adjust my diet, I gain fivepounds, and wow, I feel my
strength is through the roof.
Uh so that's kind of what we'regonna be talking about today.
And really, this is kind of foreverybody, like we've been
(05:58):
saying, because we do hear, Imean, I've heard so many times
from people that do not powerlift at all, uh, that are you
know trying to get to a certainweight, up or down, because they
think they'll look a certainway.
Um, and it's really it is ametric to be used, but it's just
that, it's just a tool, justlike anything else.
Um, and I think if you can stripaway the emotions that get
(06:22):
attached to body weight somehowand just use it as the tool that
it is, akin to drinking water,sleeping, like it's just another
tool.
Um, then you're really gonnaunlock your body's full
potential.
SPEAKER_00 (06:34):
I think it's hard, especially for whatever reason,
like for people that are likearound our age, because like the
culture that we grew up in waslike I don't even know, like be
smaller, like always be smaller.
Like everyone, you had to belike a little skinny stick in
(06:56):
order to be considered likepretty or for women, I guess.
Um and I think that was justlike the culture that we grew up
in, and then I think for a whilethere was a little bit of a
shift, but unfortunately, Ithink we're shifting back, which
is how like everything works,like being skinny, being like
(07:16):
you know, a little moreaccepting of bodies, and then
now I feel like we're kind ofback to the like being skinny is
the only way to the new thing,yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (07:25):
And I mean, unfortunately, and we won't talk
about this too much on thispodcast, but unfortunately with
the um popularization of likeGLP1s and like the ease of like
the perceived ease and like noconsequences, perceived no
consequences.
Notice I use the word perceivedthere.
Um but I think with that comingabout and being popularized, I
(07:49):
think that has kind of taken usback a little bit.
Um and and at the same time, Iwill say, you know, like because
there was a point, you know, Idon't think, and this kind of
just goes to the whole point ofthis podcast.
I don't think either one is likewrong or right.
It's just like you just need tofind what works for you and what
you can be healthy at.
Because on the other, like, Idon't think where we're at right
(08:10):
now is really great, but like onthe other aspect, when it was
really like kind of beginning tobe celebrated to be, you know, a
little bit more like overweightand whatever, like that can be
dangerous for some people.
SPEAKER_00 (08:21):
And like I think in the same fashion, I mean to be
clear, we definitely havewhatever you want to call it, an
obesity epidemic, yeah, like forsure.
That's what I'm saying.
To where, like, no, that is alsonot healthy.
SPEAKER_01 (08:33):
And this is what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00 (08:34):
But also being like a skinny little like wafer of
like not healthy is also nothealthy.
Like both extremes are nothealthy.
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
Yes.
And that was my point, is that Idon't necessarily think either
one.
I'm not saying I guess my pointwas I'm not saying we need to go
like back to what we were doing.
I'm saying it'd be cool if likeas a society.
People focused on being healthy,exactly for them, like being
healthy for them.
Because that's the other thing,is for me, you know.
I mean, uh generally there isthis, and then we'll kind of
(09:03):
jump into this, but likegenerally speaking, you know, if
you are the heavier you are to apoint, you know, depending on
your frame, size, whatever, likethe harder it is for like your
heart organs.
This is like a scientific fact.
But like there is a balancepoint where each individual can
find where you know they feelstrong, they feel healthy, and
they can live a long, healthylife.
(09:24):
Well, and for some people, likeit's gonna be a different body
weight for everyone.
SPEAKER_00 (09:27):
And I was gonna say, some people are just going to be
a little bit heavier, but likealso that's just your body
composition, it's what you'remade up of.
Like how you are.
I know, like I've talked topeople before.
There was a lady I trained nottoo long ago, like talking about
body weight, and I told her thatI weigh like 150, and she just
like could not wrap her headaround the fact that I weigh
(09:48):
150.
Yeah.
Because in her mind, that waslike raw or whatever, yeah.
Like it was a lot more than whatshe thought I weighed.
And so, and that's I I've talkedto many people over the years
that don't understand that Iweigh 150 pounds, um, because
that to them is like heavy.
(10:11):
Like for some reason, a lot ofwomen specifically, just because
I train and talk with more womenabout body weight, so I can
relate more to that, but theythink women all need to be like
115, 120, 130, and like that'slike a normal size for a woman,
like a female.
And I guess like, of course,there are some women that are
(10:32):
that size.
Like, that's I'm not saying thatthat's like a bad weight to be,
but they think that's like whateveryone needs to be.
And then when they hear that I'm150, they can't like comprehend
how I weigh more than what theythink a like normal woman should
weigh.
SPEAKER_01 (10:50):
Yeah.
And I think that kind of leadsus into like the first point,
which is like you you want toreally try and avoid like using
a set body weight as like atarget.
Um, you know, if you're tryingto lose or gain weight, then
obviously you need some sort ofgoal.
So I'm not saying not to createa goal.
However, it's simply a goal.
Um, and it's nothing more thanthat.
(11:10):
I think, you know, a lot oftimes people in general fitness,
like lifestyle, um, notpowerlifters, they get way too
connected to like a specificweight.
They get emotionally connected,like But I think it's like a
like a random number.
That's like a random, arbitrary,like means nothing number.
SPEAKER_00 (11:29):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (11:29):
And then they turn it into like this, like it's
like this, uh they turn it intolike this like Mount Everest or
like this big trophy of like,yes, once I achieve this.
SPEAKER_00 (11:40):
But normally it's like, oh, this is what I weighed
before I had kids, or this iswhat I weighed when I was in
college, or this is what Iweighed like when I was in the
best shape of my life.
Like, and all of those weightsare cool, but like that's just a
weight for like that period oftime, and you are not that same
person anymore.
Yeah.
Whether you've had kids oryou've lived 30 years of your
(12:03):
life, like you are just adifferent person.
And I'm not saying that likethere's anything wrong with that
that number, um, but also likeyou might need to reconsider
like some of the other thingsthat have happened in your life
to making that number notnecessarily like an attainable
goal.
SPEAKER_01 (12:21):
Yeah.
And I mean, like, yeah, I I Ithink you know, what you're
trying to get at is like likethere's like people they create
this number and it could be fromthe past, it could be a friend.
That happens a lot as well.
Oh, my friend is ex, yeah, theylook amazing.
I want to be this exact sameweight.
And you know, that's I mean,this is another just sidebar
(12:43):
topic.
The other thing is like uhgenetics matter, so like that's
something that's like not oftentalked about, especially in the
sport apparel thing, becauseit's all about hard work and
this and that.
And uh, you know, at the end ofthe day, there are people on
this earth that are geneticallygifted to be strong, there are
people on this earth that aregenetically gifted to look good,
like they just have goodproportions in their face and
(13:05):
their body.
It just looks good to the humaneye.
Um, there are people that havegood genetics for beards, good
genetics for long hair, goodgenetics for whatever, like
insert X.
And that does make a difference.
So when you start comparingyourself to others, I think
you've already lost the battleright there.
So I think that's like anotherkey thing in the beginning is
(13:27):
like, you know, you need to finda goal that doesn't really have
to do with body weight, andmaybe you're tracking your body
weight so that you know, like,is it going up, is it going
down?
Maybe losing body weight is partof that goal.
Um, but getting to a specificlike finish line of a specific
body weight, I think is adangerous uh and maybe like
(13:51):
counterproductive goal to welland I think usually when people
say they want to lose weight formost people, like I understand
some people have this like crazynumber that for some reason
they've picked, but I don'tthink usually deep like I don't
think people like they careabout the number, but they like
I don't want to say theyshouldn't.
SPEAKER_00 (14:10):
Like their goal isn't necessarily what that
number is, even though theythink that's what it is.
They want to look a certain wayor they want to have a specific
body composition or less fat,more muscle.
And usually not usually no onecan predict what you're going to
look like when you get to acertain body weight.
SPEAKER_01 (14:28):
Like also, you could be the same body weight one year
and then the same body weightthe next year and look totally
different.
SPEAKER_00 (14:34):
Totally different.
And I think that is one of theproblems.
I also think a lot of peopleneed to be heavier than they
think they need to be in orderto look the way they want to
look.
SPEAKER_01 (14:44):
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_00 (14:45):
Um, just because muscle does weigh.
SPEAKER_01 (14:48):
Muscle's heavy.
Muscle's expensive.
SPEAKER_00 (14:49):
Muscle weighs something.
SPEAKER_01 (14:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (14:51):
So I think people get this like number in their
head, and then like I've talkedto people, and I was I was one
of these people who you get tothis certain weight, and you're
still not like you don'tunderstand why you don't look
the way that like you thinkyou're going to look.
Yeah.
And um so sometimes that meansyou need to typically it's you
(15:11):
need to build some muscle, whichtypically means you probably
need to be a little bit heavier.
Yeah.
Um yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (15:18):
Yeah, so I I think going off that, like I think the
next step is it's like, so maybeI shouldn't, you know, we're
telling you like maybe uharbitrary like random weight,
whether it's in the sport ofpowerlifting because of a weight
class or whether it's in youknow day-to-day life shouldn't
be the you know exact goal.
Well then what should be thegoal?
(15:40):
Um, and there's many differentthings, there's many different
ways to do that.
Um I think if you are a personthat's interested in general
fitness, I think number one, Ithink taking progress pictures
is highly underrated.
Um a lot of people, and I meanlike take like look, I get not
everybody is like understandslighting, whatever, but like
(16:02):
also I think it's also likesometimes comical to me when
people take these pictures andlike they're just not they're
just chilling, like they justlook like they just got out of
bed.
Like when you take a projectprogress picture, do your best
to look as best as you think youcan look in the beginning, and
then continue on, like trying tolook your best.
SPEAKER_00 (16:23):
I mean, I I yes or no.
Like, if you want to do that,but also like my thing with
progress pictures is just dothem the same every time.
Yeah.
Like if you want to roll out ofbed in the morning and you don't
really care, like, and you justare in your pajamas or in like
shorts and a sports bra or aswimsuit or whatever, and you
just rolled out of bed.
I don't know why you're sleepingin a swimsuit, but you know,
(16:44):
roll out of bed and putsomething on.
SPEAKER_01 (16:46):
I mean, like that's a you probably do that, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (16:48):
Like my point is like take take your progress
pictures in the same spot,wearing like the same thing
around the same time of day.
Yeah.
So like the lighting looks thesame.
SPEAKER_01 (17:01):
I guess I guess what I was getting at is sometimes I
recommend people take progresspictures and then they take them
and they're like, oh my gosh, Ilook like terrible or I look
this.
SPEAKER_00 (17:08):
I mean, yeah, anytime I take progress
pictures, that's what I think.
SPEAKER_01 (17:10):
Okay.
So my point is But you just doit anyway.
Yeah.
So for the people that are maybea little bit less disciplined
than you, I'm saying try andlike make it more of an
enjoyable experience.
Like, you know, like try and doyour best to look your best and
then continue that process.
Like Liz is saying, definitelyimportant to do, you know, don't
one week, one week, like I puton a full face of makeup, here
(17:32):
we go, progress picture, andthen the next week I just roll
out of bed.
Like, obviously, that's notgonna look great.
But I my point was progresspictures can be scary for a lot
of people.
Yeah, because they don't likehow they look, whatever.
So look, try and look your bestfor the pro they're just for
you, anyways.
So and I think that's like Idon't know.
I think progress pictures areextremely underrated in today's
(17:53):
like day and age, especially forpeople that want to look a
certain way.
Like, think about what you'resaying.
You want to look a certain way,and then I'm like, hey, take a
progress picture.
You're like, oh no, that's notit.
I'm like, that's literally it.
That is what you want to do.
SPEAKER_00 (18:06):
Yeah, and I think like with that too, like if you
don't want, and I think a lot ofpeople, you know, they see
progress pictures in, like I wassaying, a sports bra and shorts
or shorts if you're a guy, noshirt, um, a swimsuit, whatever.
Now, of course, like you willsee the most progress if that is
the way that you take pictures,because it is going to allow you
to see the most.
(18:27):
Yeah, I don't want to sayeverything, but essentially as
much as possible.
Now, if you're just super notcomfortable with that, like you
don't have to take progresspictures like that.
That's kind of what I'm gettingat.
You can wear, I mean, again, ifyou're wearing big baggy
clothes, you're not really gonnasee much because it's just gonna
get maybe in your face, butthat's about it.
So, like, if you're notcomfortable wearing, I don't
(18:50):
want to say nothing, butessentially nothing, or like the
bare minimum, put on like a pairof leggings and a tighter tank
top, or a tighter t-shirt, even,or a pair of shorts and a
tighter fitting shirt.
Because it's, you know, again,it's not probably going to be
the most flattering.
That's what I tell people.
(19:11):
Progress pictures aren't reallypictures that you like plan on
posting like on Instagram.
Like, they're not gonna be like,oh my God, I look so good.
Now, the transformation at theend, maybe it is something that
you want to post because you'reproud of the hard work that
you've done.
And so you can see that in theprogress pictures.
So maybe at that point, but likeit's not like most people are
(19:31):
posting like their monthlyprogress pictures online.
Yeah.
Um so I don't know.
My point is the the pictures arejust for you, they're not for
anyone else.
They're to track your progress.
The second part of that is whenyou're taking progress pictures,
because I do think this isimportant, um, you need to
actually put them like get anapp and put them side by side in
(19:54):
the app.
Um because like I work withpeople who I make them do this,
and they're just like, well,yeah, that's just what I look
like.
I look the same.
And then like I will like putthem next to each other, and
then it's like, oh, yeah, Iactually do look different.
Like you can see where theprogress is happening.
But even if even if you justswipe back and forth, like it
(20:17):
might just kind of be like, Ohyeah, they look about the same.
Because like, just to be realclear, the changes from month to
month aren't going to be crazy,no matter what.
I mean, I guess they could be,but for most people who are
having a functional life outsideof just losing body fat, um the
changes aren't going to be likeextreme.
(20:38):
So you're going to need to lookat them side by side, and then
you can see the subtle changesthat are happening.
And then, yes, when you swipefrom month one to month six,
there might be like you couldeven just see that swiping, but
it's still cooler to put themnext to each other and just be
like, Oh, no shit, I did that.
Like, that's cool.
SPEAKER_01 (20:55):
Yeah.
So I agree.
I think uh so yeah, I thinkprogress pictures taking them.
I think that is a really goodgoal if you are trying to look a
certain way.
So that is a much better goalthan choosing a arbitrary weight
and being like, once I get tothis weight, I'm gonna feel
good.
That's not gonna happen.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
So because that, like I said, I'm sure I haven't
shared the story in a long timebecause I haven't.
But like before I startedpowerlifting, or before I really
was like working out, that wasme.
Like it was like after college,and I don't know, they were all
arbitrary numbers, but I think Iweighed, which is just so funny
to me now, considering how muchI weigh.
But I think I weighed like 130,and I was like, oh my god, how
(21:35):
did I gain this much weight?
Like, this is not okay.
I have to lose five pounds.
I just have to be back at 125,and then we'll be good.
And then I got to 125, and I wasstill like, oh no, like I still
don't look good.
Like, oh man, it must just wejust need to get to like 120.
Like, that's okay once we get to120, and it kept going and it
kept going.
(21:56):
And then um, obviously the samething wasn't happy at 120, so
then my brain was like, Oh,okay, well, maybe just like five
more pounds, like maybe 115.
Got to 115.
Still was like, oh man.
And let me tell you, I thought Ilooked fat at that time, so
we'll just go with that.
But that's also a whole notherissue of life.
(22:17):
But um, I think I got down, Ithink it was like 112 was like
my lightest adult body weight.
Yeah.
And then something kind ofclicked, and I was like, okay.
SPEAKER_01 (22:28):
And I started getting jacked.
SPEAKER_00 (22:30):
I was like, obviously, losing weight isn't
going to work, so I needed tofigure something else out.
SPEAKER_01 (22:38):
So um, and then so that's like an example for, you
know, just I mean, there's somepowerlifters that are like that,
but like people that are justkind of like in the gym, like
everyday clients, things likethis.
Um, and then an example forpowerlifters is actually I will
use myself as the example, andit's also going in the other
direction.
So for the longest time, I waslike, well, one, I wanted to
(23:00):
bench 315, and I like I waslike, I just need to gain weight
until I do this.
And then I just had thisarbitrary number in my brain of
like 220, which came from aweight class, because I'm like,
I just need to be 220.
Once I'm 220, I'm gonna be sostrong, it's gonna be crazy.
And I got to 220, and I wasn'tas strong as I wanted to be, and
I'm like, I gotta just keepgoing.
(23:21):
And I got to 240, I got to like240 pounds, and I did that in
like two years, like a littlebit less than two years.
Well, from like 185 to 240.
That's a crazy weight swing.
SPEAKER_00 (23:35):
I think it was a little more than two years.
SPEAKER_01 (23:37):
I don't think so.
I have to double check thedates, but I was for sure in the
beginning of when I weighed atthat weightlifting meeting, that
was 185 in 2019, like March.
And I think it was 2021 is whenI was like 240, like the fall of
or the fall winter.
No, it was for sure, because Iwas like checking the other day
(23:59):
uh video.
So yeah, and like so, anyways,crazy weight swing um in a
couple years.
And fun fact, I was not mystrongest.
Uh I did bench for 100 poundsfor the first time, which was a
big goal.
Uh, but everything else, and Imean everything else, suffered.
I started getting injuriespopping up in my body here and
(24:20):
there.
Uh, my squat and my deadliftweren't doing the best at the
time.
Um, I went on to really injuremyself the following year.
And overall, I just wasn'treally taking care of my body uh
as I needed to be doing.
I wasn't sleeping super good.
I was having way too muchcaffeine.
SPEAKER_00 (24:35):
Um basically you weren't healthy.
SPEAKER_01 (24:38):
Yeah, my nutrition was subpar at best.
Like I didn't I I meal preppedat the time, but I ate so much
extra stuff to gain that weightthat I was not healthy.
SPEAKER_00 (24:48):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (24:49):
Um, and I think this was the time when I checked my
blood pressure and it was high,and we ended up like checking
that more frequently.
Um, anyways, point is all thatcame from this just random.
I'm like, I'm gonna get to thisweight, and then I'm gonna be
big and strong.
Fun fact, here we are today.
So, like, fast forward, it's2025 now.
I am literally the strongestI've ever been in my life, and I
(25:09):
weigh I did just start gainingweight, but that's I'll we'll
talk about that later.
But like I weigh 215 to 220, nomore than 220 right now, and I
am literally stronger by far inevery lift than I was in that
time when I was heavier.
And you know, I think a lot ofpeople get too stuck on like a
(25:32):
specific weight, and I was likefor a while, and then I realized
like it was at the end of thisyear that I was 240.
I'm like, I just feel I don'tfeel good, like I didn't feel
good, and you know, I'm notsuper short, so like 240, I my
frame can definitely handle 240,but I just like my body, and
this goes back to the geneticsthing, like I just didn't feel
good, I didn't feel likeathletic, I didn't feel I just
(25:53):
felt like a slug.
So I lost 20 pounds in like acouple months, and then I have
stayed at that weight-ish, plusor minus five pounds for like
three plus years, almost fouryears now.
And like it's funny because inthe beginning, I just like lost
the weight, and I lookedwhatever, probably just a little
(26:14):
bit smaller, but similar.
And then like over the years, Iget more and more people.
They're like, Oh, you're gettingbigger, or oh, you're getting
this as I get leaner, and it'slike, nope, I'm just staying the
same.
But I had the patience to staythe same weight and just put in
the work, and over time I'vebeen able to build lean muscle,
and over time, being years, justto clarify that again, years of
(26:35):
time, I've been able to buildlean muscle, and now I'm
starting to just now I'mstarting to like reap the
benefits of that.
Um, quote unquote, like yourovernight, like, oh, all of a
sudden you're hitting this.
SPEAKER_00 (26:45):
Yeah, well, and I think we live in like a society
that's just so like instantgratification, and they like
people just in general need likea result instantaneously versus
like just allowing themselvestime to build and grow and not
even necessarily gain weight,but yeah, but and also like your
(27:06):
weight fluctuated, like yousaid.
I would say between like 215 tomaybe like 225 over the past
like few years.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:12):
So like five pounds either way, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
Yeah, five pounds.
So like, but I also think thatsome people get kind of like
stuck almost when the scale doesfluctuate.
Because like I'm sure obviouslyI know you didn't weigh yourself
as consistently all the time,but like I'm sure there were
probably months where like youdid sit a little bit higher, and
(27:34):
then months where you sat alittle bit lower, and then
months where you kind of sat inthe middle.
Um just as far as like lifefluctuation goes.
And I feel like that's a verynormal thing, but I think some
people would tend to freak outone way or the other, like if
the scale gets like a little bitlighter and they're like stuck
on this whatever number forpowerlifting or for life,
(27:54):
whatever, and they get stuck onthis number and the scale's like
sitting a little bit lower,they're like, Oh my gosh, I have
to do this, this, this, I haveto change this, I have to do
this.
And then like they don't justallow their body to kind of like
do what it needs to do, or theopposite, if you're get sitting
closer to like the higher end ofwhere you're thinking that you
want to be, and then you sitthere for like a few weeks, a
(28:17):
month or two, and then you'relike, oh my god, like I have to
change, I have to start doingthis, I have to start doing
that, I have to lose this weightagain.
But like really, like your bodyjust needs that time to like
build what it's trying to do,especially in the sport of
powerlifting when you're tryingto be stronger and you're trying
to lift weights.
Like it's not like the scaleindefinitely went up, it kind of
(28:38):
like leveled out and stayedwithin a few pounds, or same
thing when it would go down, itwould kind of like go down a
little bit and then kind of stayaround in there.
And I think people just kind ofneed to understand the long-term
game.
I think, again, especially forpowerlifting.
Um the same thing could be saidfor general fitness, depending
on like what exactly your goalsare.
(28:58):
I mean, if your goal is extremefat loss or weight loss, then
that might you might need tolook at things a little
differently.
But if your goal is just to bemore fit, to be more healthy, to
at one of the goals to look moretoned, yeah, to you know, look a
certain way, like it's going totake more time than you think
(29:19):
it's going to take.
And you have to be okay withlike the fluctuations of like up
and down.
Um and just kind of going withthe flow and not like freaking
out and changing everything.
SPEAKER_01 (29:32):
This is kind of a hot take.
Uh it just like came in my mind.
It's maybe not the exact correctwording, but just saying like
it's gonna take more time andthen it's gonna take less effort
than you think.
Let me explain.
Like, I think like so manypeople are like they're doing
this, this, this, this, this,this this this to like try and
like lose weight or get strongeror whatever.
And really, you probably justneed to be doing like one or two
(29:54):
things or a few things every dayfor years or for months to see
the Result you're looking for.
So that's what I mean by it.
SPEAKER_00 (30:02):
Consistency over intensity.
SPEAKER_01 (30:03):
Exactly.
Like I'm not saying like you'renot gonna do anything.
Like I'm not saying, oh yeah,just like be lazy.
That's not what I'm saying.
I'm just saying it does take alike time is a much more
important variable in theduration that you can do
something than like the amountof quick right now effort that
you're doing on like one day.
SPEAKER_00 (30:19):
That's the same thing that goes like nutrition
is the same thing withpowerlifting training or just
like working out training too.
Like just because you go to thegym for one month and you go
every single day for three hoursa day and you absolutely destroy
yourself every day for likehours on end, like you will see
less progress than someone whogoes to the gym four days a week
(30:42):
for like six months.
Like that person will see leapsand bounds.
SPEAKER_01 (30:46):
Like if you start progress.
SPEAKER_00 (30:48):
If you start on January and you're whatever,
January resolutioner, and youhit the gym every day, hours,
go, go, go, as hard as you canfor the whole month of January,
and then you do nothing going tothe gym until whatever, like,
and then we like check in withyou in June, you are gonna be
way farther behind than theperson who went to the gym four
(31:11):
days a week, every week, forlike an hour all six months.
SPEAKER_01 (31:16):
Yep.
Like way far behind.
SPEAKER_00 (31:18):
So my point is the consistency over intensity is
going to win every single time.
SPEAKER_01 (31:24):
Every single time.
And that person is gonna be theperson that like you and your
friends are like, Oh my gosh,like they just got jacked like
overnight.
That's crazy.
Like, what did you do?
It's like, yo, I've been doingthis since January, though.
So, you know, I think that'slike a really important part.
What's going on, you guys?
Welcome to another episode ofthe Fortis After Hours podcast.
I'm your host, Nate, joined bymy wife Liz.
SPEAKER_00 (00:06):
Hey.
SPEAKER_01 (00:07):
And today we have another awesome episode planned
for you guys.
Bet you couldn't guess that.
SPEAKER_00 (00:12):
Surprise, surprise.
SPEAKER_01 (00:14):
But we really do.
It's going to be a greatepisode.
We're going to be talking aboutmastering your body weight and
how that can help you in life,powerlifting, pretty much
everything.
Because your body is with you atall times, you know?
SPEAKER_00 (00:26):
Crazy.
SPEAKER_01 (00:27):
So we're going to be talking about that.
And we got a new setup today.
Liz is sitting in front of allof her awards that she's won
over the years.
So it's like really looking likeif we have both of ours.
Yeah, I know.
But mainly yours.
But if we had like a videoversion of the podcast, it'd be
pretty funny because she's like,it looks like she's like the
(00:47):
champ, champ.
Like.
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Okay, well, we just hung them up.
SPEAKER_01 (00:51):
I know.
SPEAKER_00 (00:52):
For the first time ever.
SPEAKER_01 (00:53):
Yeah.
Liz is pretty excited about it.
SPEAKER_00 (00:56):
We've been collecting metals since 2018.
And we finally hung them up.
SPEAKER_01 (01:02):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (01:03):
It's 2025.
SPEAKER_01 (01:04):
It is pretty cool though.
Pretty cool setup.
And it creates a nice littlebackdrop because it looks like
you're like, you know, you havelike all the backdrop of metals.
SPEAKER_00 (01:13):
I'm the champ.
SPEAKER_01 (01:14):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, you got a belt lasttime.
SPEAKER_00 (01:17):
I did.
SPEAKER_01 (01:18):
Um, all right.
So, anyways, today we're goingto be talking about mastering
your body weight um and kind ofgiving you guys some tips and
tricks on how to do that.
Um, also, we're just gonna kindof discuss why it's not
necessarily like as important asyou may think to be like a
specific weight.
Uh, because we see that a lot.
(01:38):
That's super, super common.
Um, if you guys don't know, I'vebeen personal training for 12
years.
Liz has been personal trainingfor like five years full-time
now.
Um, I think.
And then a little bit beforethat.
SPEAKER_00 (01:54):
Um I'm trying to do the math, and the math is not
mathing.
SPEAKER_01 (02:00):
2020-ish.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
2021 was full-time.
SPEAKER_01 (02:04):
Okay, so almost five years.
Um, and then we've been palatingcoaching since 2018.
Um, and uh along that time,we've worked with many different
people, and I would say anoverarching common theme is
people get stuck on like oneweight or another weight.
SPEAKER_00 (02:24):
Um now and I would say this is with powerlifting or
just like or life, general I wasjust gonna say that life people.
SPEAKER_01 (02:32):
Um they think you know, like just some quick
examples, like people thinklike, oh, if I'm this weight,
then like I'm gonna feel goodabout myself or I'm going to
look good.
Um, and I know you've talked onhere before how you used to be
like that way back in the day.
SPEAKER_00 (02:44):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (02:45):
Um and you know, that's for like general life, or
like, or maybe And that was likebefore I started powerlifting.
SPEAKER_00 (02:52):
So like just to make sure that's because I mean I've
definitely done it inpowerlifting as well, but then
also like before powerlifting.
SPEAKER_01 (02:59):
Yeah, it was That was just you.
SPEAKER_00 (03:01):
Yeah.
Just oh, when I get to thisbasic number on a scale, I'll be
happy.
SPEAKER_01 (03:06):
Uh fun fact, I wasn't.
This weight I'm gonna be happy,or this number on the scale, I'm
gonna be strong enough.
Um, and while that can beimportant if you're needing to
lose weight or you want to gainweight and you want to get
bigger, uh, it's not the be-allend-all.
And that's kind of what we wantto talk about today.
Um, and specifically, so that'slike kind of general, and then
specifically in the sport ofpowerlifting, it happens
(03:26):
oftentimes because it is aweight class sport.
So a lot of people, it's almostlike their identity.
They're like, uh, Nate Roboto,100 kilo, 100 kilo lifter, 100
kg.
SPEAKER_00 (03:36):
I mean, people make Instagram handles with that as
their Instagram name.
Yeah.
Which I always think is funny.
The weight class there.
SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
Because like it's just a weight class, like it
doesn't matter.
Um, and it actually likelegitimately doesn't matter at
all because the two ways thatyou win in powerlifting are
generally going to be putting upthe biggest total, so lifting
the most weight.
I mean, that's generally how youwin in powerlifting, period.
Dot.
Fun fact.
And the other way, well, for fora s for a select few elites, uh,
(04:03):
you can win by putting up atotal at a specific body weight
and getting the correct dots, orlike bodyweight coach.
SPEAKER_00 (04:12):
I would say if you're like the best in the
world or actually have like thepotential at being the best in
the world, which is no oneprobably listening to this
podcast, no offense.
But like, then okay, maybe yourweight class does matter, like a
little bit more, or like howmuch you weigh does matter a
little bit more.
But I'm talking about like thebest of the best of the best of
(04:34):
the whole entire world, not justlike winning which there's
nothing wrong with this.
Yeah.
Winning like local meets orwinning your weight class at a
local meet, or even like goingto nationals and doing well at
nationals.
Like, that's still really good,but that's still like different,
it's still different than likethe elite of the elite of the
(04:55):
elite.
SPEAKER_01 (04:56):
Yeah, and like for reference, just like to put a
numerical thing on it, we'retalking about like the 1% of the
1%.
Yeah.
Like it's like the you know,best in the world.
I mean, other than that, youguys, having just an arbitrary
number or a weight class numberthat you're like tying your
identity, your strength to, yourday-to-day life, your diet,
nutrition to is kind of silly.
(05:18):
Um, and instead, what we'regonna kind of dive into and
unpack is like finding insteadof just an arbitrary, just you
know, random basically numberthat happens to be a weight
class or whatever, or like iflike Liz was saying, like if
you're just cruising around lifeand you're like, once I get to X
number, I'm gonna feel good.
Um, we're gonna kind of exploreother options and viewpoints of
(05:38):
like not just that, but like,okay, like maybe I adjust my
diet and I only lose fivepounds, but I feel amazing.
It's like, okay, well, maybe Icould stay there, or vice versa,
I adjust my diet, I gain fivepounds, and wow, I feel my
strength is through the roof.
Uh so that's kind of what we'regonna be talking about today.
And really, this is kind of foreverybody, like we've been
(05:58):
saying, because we do hear, Imean, I've heard so many times
from people that do not powerlift at all, uh, that are you
know trying to get to a certainweight, up or down, because they
think they'll look a certainway.
Um, and it's really it is ametric to be used, but it's just
that, it's just a tool, justlike anything else.
Um, and I think if you can stripaway the emotions that get
(06:22):
attached to body weight somehowand just use it as the tool that
it is, akin to drinking water,sleeping, like it's just another
tool.
Um, then you're really gonnaunlock your body's full
potential.
SPEAKER_00 (06:34):
I think it's hard, especially for whatever reason,
like for people that are likearound our age, because like the
culture that we grew up in waslike I don't even know, like be
smaller, like always be smaller.
Like everyone, you had to belike a little skinny stick in
(06:56):
order to be considered likepretty or for women, I guess.
Um and I think that was justlike the culture that we grew up
in, and then I think for a whilethere was a little bit of a
shift, but unfortunately, Ithink we're shifting back, which
is how like everything works,like being skinny, being like
(07:16):
you know, a little moreaccepting of bodies, and then
now I feel like we're kind ofback to the like being skinny is
the only way to the new thing,yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (07:25):
And I mean, unfortunately, and we won't talk
about this too much on thispodcast, but unfortunately with
the um popularization of likeGLP1s and like the ease of like
the perceived ease and like noconsequences, perceived no
consequences.
Notice I use the word perceivedthere.
Um but I think with that comingabout and being popularized, I
(07:49):
think that has kind of taken usback a little bit.
Um and and at the same time, Iwill say, you know, like because
there was a point, you know, Idon't think, and this kind of
just goes to the whole point ofthis podcast.
I don't think either one is likewrong or right.
It's just like you just need tofind what works for you and what
you can be healthy at.
Because on the other, like, Idon't think where we're at right
(08:10):
now is really great, but like onthe other aspect, when it was
really like kind of beginning tobe celebrated to be, you know, a
little bit more like overweightand whatever, like that can be
dangerous for some people.
SPEAKER_00 (08:21):
And like I think in the same fashion, I mean to be
clear, we definitely havewhatever you want to call it, an
obesity epidemic, yeah, like forsure.
That's what I'm saying.
To where, like, no, that is alsonot healthy.
SPEAKER_01 (08:33):
And this is what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00 (08:34):
But also being like a skinny little like wafer of
like not healthy is also nothealthy.
Like both extremes are nothealthy.
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
Yes.
And that was my point, is that Idon't necessarily think either
one.
I'm not saying I guess my pointwas I'm not saying we need to go
like back to what we were doing.
I'm saying it'd be cool if likeas a society.
People focused on being healthy,exactly for them, like being
healthy for them.
Because that's the other thing,is for me, you know.
I mean, uh generally there isthis, and then we'll kind of
(09:03):
jump into this, but likegenerally speaking, you know, if
you are the heavier you are to apoint, you know, depending on
your frame, size, whatever, likethe harder it is for like your
heart organs.
This is like a scientific fact.
But like there is a balancepoint where each individual can
find where you know they feelstrong, they feel healthy, and
they can live a long, healthylife.
(09:24):
Well, and for some people, likeit's gonna be a different body
weight for everyone.
SPEAKER_00 (09:27):
And I was gonna say, some people are just going to be
a little bit heavier, but likealso that's just your body
composition, it's what you'remade up of.
Like how you are.
I know, like I've talked topeople before.
There was a lady I trained nottoo long ago, like talking about
body weight, and I told her thatI weigh like 150, and she just
like could not wrap her headaround the fact that I weigh
(09:48):
150.
Yeah.
Because in her mind, that waslike raw or whatever, yeah.
Like it was a lot more than whatshe thought I weighed.
And so, and that's I I've talkedto many people over the years
that don't understand that Iweigh 150 pounds, um, because
that to them is like heavy.
(10:11):
Like for some reason, a lot ofwomen specifically, just because
I train and talk with more womenabout body weight, so I can
relate more to that, but theythink women all need to be like
115, 120, 130, and like that'slike a normal size for a woman,
like a female.
And I guess like, of course,there are some women that are
(10:32):
that size.
Like, that's I'm not saying thatthat's like a bad weight to be,
but they think that's like whateveryone needs to be.
And then when they hear that I'm150, they can't like comprehend
how I weigh more than what theythink a like normal woman should
weigh.
SPEAKER_01 (10:50):
Yeah.
And I think that kind of leadsus into like the first point,
which is like you you want toreally try and avoid like using
a set body weight as like atarget.
Um, you know, if you're tryingto lose or gain weight, then
obviously you need some sort ofgoal.
So I'm not saying not to createa goal.
However, it's simply a goal.
Um, and it's nothing more thanthat.
(11:10):
I think, you know, a lot oftimes people in general fitness,
like lifestyle, um, notpowerlifters, they get way too
connected to like a specificweight.
They get emotionally connected,like But I think it's like a
like a random number.
That's like a random, arbitrary,like means nothing number.
SPEAKER_00 (11:29):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (11:29):
And then they turn it into like this, like it's
like this, uh they turn it intolike this like Mount Everest or
like this big trophy of like,yes, once I achieve this.
SPEAKER_00 (11:40):
But normally it's like, oh, this is what I weighed
before I had kids, or this iswhat I weighed when I was in
college, or this is what Iweighed like when I was in the
best shape of my life.
Like, and all of those weightsare cool, but like that's just a
weight for like that period oftime, and you are not that same
person anymore.
Yeah.
Whether you've had kids oryou've lived 30 years of your
(12:03):
life, like you are just adifferent person.
And I'm not saying that likethere's anything wrong with that
that number, um, but also likeyou might need to reconsider
like some of the other thingsthat have happened in your life
to making that number notnecessarily like an attainable
goal.
SPEAKER_01 (12:21):
Yeah.
And I mean, like, yeah, I I Ithink you know, what you're
trying to get at is like likethere's like people they create
this number and it could be fromthe past, it could be a friend.
That happens a lot as well.
Oh, my friend is ex, yeah, theylook amazing.
I want to be this exact sameweight.
And you know, that's I mean,this is another just sidebar
(12:43):
topic.
The other thing is like uhgenetics matter, so like that's
something that's like not oftentalked about, especially in the
sport apparel thing, becauseit's all about hard work and
this and that.
And uh, you know, at the end ofthe day, there are people on
this earth that are geneticallygifted to be strong, there are
people on this earth that aregenetically gifted to look good,
like they just have goodproportions in their face and
(13:05):
their body.
It just looks good to the humaneye.
Um, there are people that havegood genetics for beards, good
genetics for long hair, goodgenetics for whatever, like
insert X.
And that does make a difference.
So when you start comparingyourself to others, I think
you've already lost the battleright there.
So I think that's like anotherkey thing in the beginning is
(13:27):
like, you know, you need to finda goal that doesn't really have
to do with body weight, andmaybe you're tracking your body
weight so that you know, like,is it going up, is it going
down?
Maybe losing body weight is partof that goal.
Um, but getting to a specificlike finish line of a specific
body weight, I think is adangerous uh and maybe like
(13:51):
counterproductive goal to welland I think usually when people
say they want to lose weight formost people, like I understand
some people have this like crazynumber that for some reason
they've picked, but I don'tthink usually deep like I don't
think people like they careabout the number, but they like
I don't want to say theyshouldn't.
SPEAKER_00 (14:10):
Like their goal isn't necessarily what that
number is, even though theythink that's what it is.
They want to look a certain wayor they want to have a specific
body composition or less fat,more muscle.
And usually not usually no onecan predict what you're going to
look like when you get to acertain body weight.
SPEAKER_01 (14:28):
Like also, you could be the same body weight one year
and then the same body weightthe next year and look totally
different.
SPEAKER_00 (14:34):
Totally different.
And I think that is one of theproblems.
I also think a lot of peopleneed to be heavier than they
think they need to be in orderto look the way they want to
look.
SPEAKER_01 (14:44):
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_00 (14:45):
Um, just because muscle does weigh.
SPEAKER_01 (14:48):
Muscle's heavy.
Muscle's expensive.
SPEAKER_00 (14:49):
Muscle weighs something.
SPEAKER_01 (14:50):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (14:51):
So I think people get this like number in their
head, and then like I've talkedto people, and I was I was one
of these people who you get tothis certain weight, and you're
still not like you don'tunderstand why you don't look
the way that like you thinkyou're going to look.
Yeah.
And um so sometimes that meansyou need to typically it's you
(15:11):
need to build some muscle, whichtypically means you probably
need to be a little bit heavier.
Yeah.
Um yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (15:18):
Yeah, so I I think going off that, like I think the
next step is it's like, so maybeI shouldn't, you know, we're
telling you like maybe uharbitrary like random weight,
whether it's in the sport ofpowerlifting because of a weight
class or whether it's in youknow day-to-day life shouldn't
be the you know exact goal.
Well then what should be thegoal?
(15:40):
Um, and there's many differentthings, there's many different
ways to do that.
Um I think if you are a personthat's interested in general
fitness, I think number one, Ithink taking progress pictures
is highly underrated.
Um a lot of people, and I meanlike take like look, I get not
everybody is like understandslighting, whatever, but like
(16:02):
also I think it's also likesometimes comical to me when
people take these pictures andlike they're just not they're
just chilling, like they justlook like they just got out of
bed.
Like when you take a projectprogress picture, do your best
to look as best as you think youcan look in the beginning, and
then continue on, like trying tolook your best.
SPEAKER_00 (16:23):
I mean, I I yes or no.
Like, if you want to do that,but also like my thing with
progress pictures is just dothem the same every time.
Yeah.
Like if you want to roll out ofbed in the morning and you don't
really care, like, and you justare in your pajamas or in like
shorts and a sports bra or aswimsuit or whatever, and you
just rolled out of bed.
I don't know why you're sleepingin a swimsuit, but you know,
(16:44):
roll out of bed and putsomething on.
SPEAKER_01 (16:46):
I mean, like that's a you probably do that, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (16:48):
Like my point is like take take your progress
pictures in the same spot,wearing like the same thing
around the same time of day.
Yeah.
So like the lighting looks thesame.
SPEAKER_01 (17:01):
I guess I guess what I was getting at is sometimes I
recommend people take progresspictures and then they take them
and they're like, oh my gosh, Ilook like terrible or I look
this.
SPEAKER_00 (17:08):
I mean, yeah, anytime I take progress
pictures, that's what I think.
SPEAKER_01 (17:10):
Okay.
So my point is But you just doit anyway.
Yeah.
So for the people that are maybea little bit less disciplined
than you, I'm saying try andlike make it more of an
enjoyable experience.
Like, you know, like try and doyour best to look your best and
then continue that process.
Like Liz is saying, definitelyimportant to do, you know, don't
one week, one week, like I puton a full face of makeup, here
(17:32):
we go, progress picture, andthen the next week I just roll
out of bed.
Like, obviously, that's notgonna look great.
But I my point was progresspictures can be scary for a lot
of people.
Yeah, because they don't likehow they look, whatever.
So look, try and look your bestfor the pro they're just for
you, anyways.
So and I think that's like Idon't know.
I think progress pictures areextremely underrated in today's
(17:53):
like day and age, especially forpeople that want to look a
certain way.
Like, think about what you'resaying.
You want to look a certain way,and then I'm like, hey, take a
progress picture.
You're like, oh no, that's notit.
I'm like, that's literally it.
That is what you want to do.
SPEAKER_00 (18:06):
Yeah, and I think like with that too, like if you
don't want, and I think a lot ofpeople, you know, they see
progress pictures in, like I wassaying, a sports bra and shorts
or shorts if you're a guy, noshirt, um, a swimsuit, whatever.
Now, of course, like you willsee the most progress if that is
the way that you take pictures,because it is going to allow you
to see the most.
(18:27):
Yeah, I don't want to sayeverything, but essentially as
much as possible.
Now, if you're just super notcomfortable with that, like you
don't have to take progresspictures like that.
That's kind of what I'm gettingat.
You can wear, I mean, again, ifyou're wearing big baggy
clothes, you're not really gonnasee much because it's just gonna
get maybe in your face, butthat's about it.
So, like, if you're notcomfortable wearing, I don't
(18:50):
want to say nothing, butessentially nothing, or like the
bare minimum, put on like a pairof leggings and a tighter tank
top, or a tighter t-shirt, even,or a pair of shorts and a
tighter fitting shirt.
Because it's, you know, again,it's not probably going to be
the most flattering.
That's what I tell people.
(19:11):
Progress pictures aren't reallypictures that you like plan on
posting like on Instagram.
Like, they're not gonna be like,oh my God, I look so good.
Now, the transformation at theend, maybe it is something that
you want to post because you'reproud of the hard work that
you've done.
And so you can see that in theprogress pictures.
So maybe at that point, but likeit's not like most people are
(19:31):
posting like their monthlyprogress pictures online.
Yeah.
Um so I don't know.
My point is the the pictures arejust for you, they're not for
anyone else.
They're to track your progress.
The second part of that is whenyou're taking progress pictures,
because I do think this isimportant, um, you need to
actually put them like get anapp and put them side by side in
(19:54):
the app.
Um because like I work withpeople who I make them do this,
and they're just like, well,yeah, that's just what I look
like.
I look the same.
And then like I will like putthem next to each other, and
then it's like, oh, yeah, Iactually do look different.
Like you can see where theprogress is happening.
But even if even if you justswipe back and forth, like it
(20:17):
might just kind of be like, Ohyeah, they look about the same.
Because like, just to be realclear, the changes from month to
month aren't going to be crazy,no matter what.
I mean, I guess they could be,but for most people who are
having a functional life outsideof just losing body fat, um the
changes aren't going to be likeextreme.
(20:38):
So you're going to need to lookat them side by side, and then
you can see the subtle changesthat are happening.
And then, yes, when you swipefrom month one to month six,
there might be like you couldeven just see that swiping, but
it's still cooler to put themnext to each other and just be
like, Oh, no shit, I did that.
Like, that's cool.
SPEAKER_01 (20:55):
Yeah.
So I agree.
I think uh so yeah, I thinkprogress pictures taking them.
I think that is a really goodgoal if you are trying to look a
certain way.
So that is a much better goalthan choosing a arbitrary weight
and being like, once I get tothis weight, I'm gonna feel
good.
That's not gonna happen.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
So because that, like I said, I'm sure I haven't
shared the story in a long timebecause I haven't.
But like before I startedpowerlifting, or before I really
was like working out, that wasme.
Like it was like after college,and I don't know, they were all
arbitrary numbers, but I think Iweighed, which is just so funny
to me now, considering how muchI weigh.
But I think I weighed like 130,and I was like, oh my god, how
(21:35):
did I gain this much weight?
Like, this is not okay.
I have to lose five pounds.
I just have to be back at 125,and then we'll be good.
And then I got to 125, and I wasstill like, oh no, like I still
don't look good.
Like, oh man, it must just wejust need to get to like 120.
Like, that's okay once we get to120, and it kept going and it
kept going.
(21:56):
And then um, obviously the samething wasn't happy at 120, so
then my brain was like, Oh,okay, well, maybe just like five
more pounds, like maybe 115.
Got to 115.
Still was like, oh man.
And let me tell you, I thought Ilooked fat at that time, so
we'll just go with that.
But that's also a whole notherissue of life.
(22:17):
But um, I think I got down, Ithink it was like 112 was like
my lightest adult body weight.
Yeah.
And then something kind ofclicked, and I was like, okay.
SPEAKER_01 (22:28):
And I started getting jacked.
SPEAKER_00 (22:30):
I was like, obviously, losing weight isn't
going to work, so I needed tofigure something else out.
SPEAKER_01 (22:38):
So um, and then so that's like an example for, you
know, just I mean, there's somepowerlifters that are like that,
but like people that are justkind of like in the gym, like
everyday clients, things likethis.
Um, and then an example forpowerlifters is actually I will
use myself as the example, andit's also going in the other
direction.
So for the longest time, I waslike, well, one, I wanted to
(23:00):
bench 315, and I like I waslike, I just need to gain weight
until I do this.
And then I just had thisarbitrary number in my brain of
like 220, which came from aweight class, because I'm like,
I just need to be 220.
Once I'm 220, I'm gonna be sostrong, it's gonna be crazy.
And I got to 220, and I wasn'tas strong as I wanted to be, and
I'm like, I gotta just keepgoing.
(23:21):
And I got to 240, I got to like240 pounds, and I did that in
like two years, like a littlebit less than two years.
Well, from like 185 to 240.
That's a crazy weight swing.
SPEAKER_00 (23:35):
I think it was a little more than two years.
SPEAKER_01 (23:37):
I don't think so.
I have to double check thedates, but I was for sure in the
beginning of when I weighed atthat weightlifting meeting, that
was 185 in 2019, like March.
And I think it was 2021 is whenI was like 240, like the fall of
or the fall winter.
No, it was for sure, because Iwas like checking the other day
(23:59):
uh video.
So yeah, and like so, anyways,crazy weight swing um in a
couple years.
And fun fact, I was not mystrongest.
Uh I did bench for 100 poundsfor the first time, which was a
big goal.
Uh, but everything else, and Imean everything else, suffered.
I started getting injuriespopping up in my body here and
(24:20):
there.
Uh, my squat and my deadliftweren't doing the best at the
time.
Um, I went on to really injuremyself the following year.
And overall, I just wasn'treally taking care of my body uh
as I needed to be doing.
I wasn't sleeping super good.
I was having way too muchcaffeine.
SPEAKER_00 (24:35):
Um basically you weren't healthy.
SPEAKER_01 (24:38):
Yeah, my nutrition was subpar at best.
Like I didn't I I meal preppedat the time, but I ate so much
extra stuff to gain that weightthat I was not healthy.
SPEAKER_00 (24:48):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (24:49):
Um, and I think this was the time when I checked my
blood pressure and it was high,and we ended up like checking
that more frequently.
Um, anyways, point is all thatcame from this just random.
I'm like, I'm gonna get to thisweight, and then I'm gonna be
big and strong.
Fun fact, here we are today.
So, like, fast forward, it's2025 now.
I am literally the strongestI've ever been in my life, and I
(25:09):
weigh I did just start gainingweight, but that's I'll we'll
talk about that later.
But like I weigh 215 to 220, nomore than 220 right now, and I
am literally stronger by far inevery lift than I was in that
time when I was heavier.
And you know, I think a lot ofpeople get too stuck on like a
(25:32):
specific weight, and I was likefor a while, and then I realized
like it was at the end of thisyear that I was 240.
I'm like, I just feel I don'tfeel good, like I didn't feel
good, and you know, I'm notsuper short, so like 240, I my
frame can definitely handle 240,but I just like my body, and
this goes back to the geneticsthing, like I just didn't feel
good, I didn't feel likeathletic, I didn't feel I just
(25:53):
felt like a slug.
So I lost 20 pounds in like acouple months, and then I have
stayed at that weight-ish, plusor minus five pounds for like
three plus years, almost fouryears now.
And like it's funny because inthe beginning, I just like lost
the weight, and I lookedwhatever, probably just a little
(26:14):
bit smaller, but similar.
And then like over the years, Iget more and more people.
They're like, Oh, you're gettingbigger, or oh, you're getting
this as I get leaner, and it'slike, nope, I'm just staying the
same.
But I had the patience to staythe same weight and just put in
the work, and over time I'vebeen able to build lean muscle,
and over time, being years, justto clarify that again, years of
(26:35):
time, I've been able to buildlean muscle, and now I'm
starting to just now I'mstarting to like reap the
benefits of that.
Um, quote unquote, like yourovernight, like, oh, all of a
sudden you're hitting this.
SPEAKER_00 (26:45):
Yeah, well, and I think we live in like a society
that's just so like instantgratification, and they like
people just in general need likea result instantaneously versus
like just allowing themselvestime to build and grow and not
even necessarily gain weight,but yeah, but and also like your
(27:06):
weight fluctuated, like yousaid.
I would say between like 215 tomaybe like 225 over the past
like few years.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:12):
So like five pounds either way, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
Yeah, five pounds.
So like, but I also think thatsome people get kind of like
stuck almost when the scale doesfluctuate.
Because like I'm sure obviouslyI know you didn't weigh yourself
as consistently all the time,but like I'm sure there were
probably months where like youdid sit a little bit higher, and
(27:34):
then months where you sat alittle bit lower, and then
months where you kind of sat inthe middle.
Um just as far as like lifefluctuation goes.
And I feel like that's a verynormal thing, but I think some
people would tend to freak outone way or the other, like if
the scale gets like a little bitlighter and they're like stuck
on this whatever number forpowerlifting or for life,
(27:54):
whatever, and they get stuck onthis number and the scale's like
sitting a little bit lower,they're like, Oh my gosh, I have
to do this, this, this, I haveto change this, I have to do
this.
And then like they don't justallow their body to kind of like
do what it needs to do, or theopposite, if you're get sitting
closer to like the higher end ofwhere you're thinking that you
want to be, and then you sitthere for like a few weeks, a
(28:17):
month or two, and then you'relike, oh my god, like I have to
change, I have to start doingthis, I have to start doing
that, I have to lose this weightagain.
But like really, like your bodyjust needs that time to like
build what it's trying to do,especially in the sport of
powerlifting when you're tryingto be stronger and you're trying
to lift weights.
Like it's not like the scaleindefinitely went up, it kind of
(28:38):
like leveled out and stayedwithin a few pounds, or same
thing when it would go down, itwould kind of like go down a
little bit and then kind of stayaround in there.
And I think people just kind ofneed to understand the long-term
game.
I think, again, especially forpowerlifting.
Um the same thing could be saidfor general fitness, depending
on like what exactly your goalsare.
(28:58):
I mean, if your goal is extremefat loss or weight loss, then
that might you might need tolook at things a little
differently.
But if your goal is just to bemore fit, to be more healthy, to
at one of the goals to look moretoned, yeah, to you know, look a
certain way, like it's going totake more time than you think
(29:19):
it's going to take.
And you have to be okay withlike the fluctuations of like up
and down.
Um and just kind of going withthe flow and not like freaking
out and changing everything.
SPEAKER_01 (29:32):
This is kind of a hot take.
Uh it just like came in my mind.
It's maybe not the exact correctwording, but just saying like
it's gonna take more time andthen it's gonna take less effort
than you think.
Let me explain.
Like, I think like so manypeople are like they're doing
this, this, this, this, this,this this this to like try and
like lose weight or get strongeror whatever.
And really, you probably justneed to be doing like one or two
(29:54):
things or a few things every dayfor years or for months to see
the Result you're looking for.
So that's what I mean by it.
SPEAKER_00 (30:02):
Consistency over intensity.
SPEAKER_01 (30:03):
Exactly.
Like I'm not saying like you'renot gonna do anything.
Like I'm not saying, oh yeah,just like be lazy.
That's not what I'm saying.
I'm just saying it does take alike time is a much more
important variable in theduration that you can do
something than like the amountof quick right now effort that
you're doing on like one day.
SPEAKER_00 (30:19):
That's the same thing that goes like nutrition
is the same thing withpowerlifting training or just
like working out training too.
Like just because you go to thegym for one month and you go
every single day for three hoursa day and you absolutely destroy
yourself every day for likehours on end, like you will see
less progress than someone whogoes to the gym four days a week
(30:42):
for like six months.
Like that person will see leapsand bounds.
SPEAKER_01 (30:46):
Like if you start progress.
SPEAKER_00 (30:48):
If you start on January and you're whatever,
January resolutioner, and youhit the gym every day, hours,
go, go, go, as hard as you canfor the whole month of January,
and then you do nothing going tothe gym until whatever, like,
and then we like check in withyou in June, you are gonna be
way farther behind than theperson who went to the gym four
(31:11):
days a week, every week, forlike an hour all six months.
SPEAKER_01 (31:16):
Yep.
Like way far behind.
SPEAKER_00 (31:18):
So my point is the consistency over intensity is
going to win every single time.
SPEAKER_01 (31:24):
Every single time.
And that person is gonna be theperson that like you and your
friends are like, Oh my gosh,like they just got jacked like
overnight.
That's crazy.
Like, what did you do?
It's like, yo, I've been doingthis since January, though.
So, you know, I think that'slike a really important part.
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