Wits & Weights | Evidence-Based Fat Loss & Strength Training Over 40

Can you target menopause belly fat?

The surprising answer is... yes! It involves how metabolism shifts after 40, why visceral fat behaves differently than subcutaneous fat, and THIS time-efficient form of conditioning that outperforms steady-state cardio in the latest postmenopausal research.

This episode covers 2026 metabolic chamber research on how the menopause transition independently changes metabolism and substrate oxidation, t...

Why do so many nutrition podcasts leave you more confused than confident, even when the "expert" host sounds so polished and certain?

I'm laying out a simple way to filter your podcast feed by prioritizing principles over specifics and how to watch out for red flags like misaligned incentives.

💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - a 26-week evidence-based strength training and fat loss program for lifters over 40 to build...

How can you lift weights, build muscle, and still be insulin resistant? What if your metabolism is sending warning signs before your A1C ever changes?

Insulin resistance is often treated like a weight loss or carb problem, but Amber Wilhoit, a registered dietitian and diabetes specialist with 22 years of clinical experience, shows why muscle quality, visceral fat, fiber, sleep, stress, and daily movement all matter.

We talk about fas...

The scale can jump 2 to 5 pounds overnight yet you're still losing fat. How is that possible?

Scale weight is one of the noisiest signals, and if you’re over 40, strength training, or dealing with hormonal fluctuations, it can push you into the exact wrong decisions: eating less when you shouldn’t, adding cardio when recovery is already limited, or assuming you're failing when you’re actually improving body composition.

Is high protein just another fad diet?

Learn about the 3 criteria that define a fad, how protein performs against each one, the research on lean mass and strength training, the mechanisms behind protein's thermic effect and satiety, and why the case gets stronger for adults over 40.

This episode covers the fad diet framework, research updates on protein and muscle building, the thermic effect on your metabolism and the satiety r...

Should you fix your diet or your training first?

You've probably heard that diet is 80% of the results, so nutrition is the obvious place to start. After all, "abs are made in the kitchen" right? The problem is this claim has no basis in science, and for a lot of you, training is the actual bottleneck.

The real answer depends on which part of your system is the weakest link right now. 

Learn about the research on resist...

Your fat loss plan isn’t broken! The real problem is what happens in the 10 seconds before you order, snack, or say “screw it” after a stressful day.

Learn an under-discussed truth about nutrition and fitness progress: the gap between a solid plan and real-life execution is where most people "fall off track" and lose momentum.

This episode covers a structural gap when it comes to food decisions in the context of t...

You eat clean, cook at home, and choose whole foods, so why can’t you lose fat? Are your macros and portions quietly keeping you stuck? 

I’m talking with Chef Mario Limaduran, culinary director at Trifecta Nutrition, who has cooked for UFC fighters, NFL athletes, Olympic-level competitors, and NCAA Division I wrestlers.

You’ll learn why food quality matters, but quantity still drives weight loss, muscle building, and performance. We ...

Bulking, cutting, bulking, cutting. If you've been through that cycle and ended up further from your goal than when you started, there's a reason the yo-yo keeps repeating, especially over 40.

Learn about the metabolic adaptation and hormonal changes that make long diet phases more difficult (and sometimes unsustainable), a creative approach called intermittent dieting (not to be confused with intermittent fasting), a very...

We're giving away a week of free high-protein meals from Trifecta to one listener who submits a 5-star review of the show!

Listen to the episode for the secret code word plus instructions on entering.

Deadline is April 30, 2026 so don't wait :)

The giveaway is open to all Wits & Weights listeners, and it's simple to enter. Just submit a five-star Apple Podcasts review and email me your Apple username and the code wo...

What supplements help with stress, sleep, and recovery after 40?

The honest answer is a very short list of compounds with clinical evidence behind them, specific doses, mechanisms that matter for body composition, and specific safety profiles.

This episode covers 5 compounds with clinical evidence for stress, mood, sleep, and recovery in adults over 40 who do strength training to lose fat and build muscle. Learn about the forms and d...

What REALLY happens when you take a GLP-1 drug?

Your fat loss, your muscle, your heart, your inflammation, what happens to your weight when you stop, and long-term safety.

This episode covers body composition data from the 2026 semaglutide and tirzepatide trials, cardiovascular outcomes from SELECT and SURPASS-CVOT, inflammation findings beyond weight loss, weight regain patterns after stopping, and a 5-part framework to keep muscle ...

How much lifting is too much vs. too little? What about cardio? And how hard does your body fight back when you try to out-exercise your diet?

Exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition expert Ben Brown breaks down why exercise is often a weak tool for weight loss, even when you are lifting weights and doing everything “right.” 

We unpack metabolic compensation, how stress after 40 changes your results, and why nutrition and fitnes...

Do you need yoga, stretching, or "mobility work" to stay flexible. Does lifting weights make you "stiff" or does it improve flexibility?

We examine 3 recent studies that compared resistance training to stretching for flexibility, and their findings challenge everything most people assume about lifting weights and mobility.

Philip covers the "lifting makes you stiff" myth and a training approach that buil...

Intermittent fasting is still the most popular nutrition advice on the internet. 

Skip breakfast, shrink your eating window, lose weight. But if you're over 40, this may not give you the results you want. It could even backfire.

Learn about the 5 specific ways intermittent fasting can backfire when your goal is losing fat and building muscle after 40. Philip examines a 2025 meta-analyses comparing IF to standard dieting, the cha...

You spent months building muscle, and now you're ready to cut. Or you're on a GLP-1 medication and losing weight but not sure how much muscle your'e also losing.

Without getting 3 things right, roughly 25% to 40% of the weight you lose can come from lean tissue.

Tune in to learn what they are!

Join Eat More Lift Heavy, a 26-week coached program where Phase 2 guides you through exactly this transition, from building to c...

NASA's Artemis II crew is flying around the Moon right now with a gym that weighs 30 pounds and fits in a carry-on suitcase. No treadmill, cable machine, or squat rack, just a small device that also serves as a step!

In this bonus episode, Philip nerds out on the exercise equipment and nutrition plan NASA chose for the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, including how they stay strong and preserve muscle (hint: compoun...

Why does lifting start hurting once you hit 40? Is it really age, or is your body compensating for weak links you cannot see?

Chris Duffin joins me to unpack the biomechanics behind strength training longevity, muscle building, and injury prevention. Chris is a world record strength athlete who has squatted and deadlifted over 1,000 pounds while applying engineering principles to human movement.

We talk about why many lifte...

You've been showing up to Pilates, yoga, or barre for months, maybe years, and your body composition hasn't changed. You're not getting stronger.

And if you're over 40, the muscle and bone you need most may be slipping away while you work hard at the wrong thing.

Building muscle and maintaining bone density after 40 requires two specific things from your training: mechanical tension and proximity to failure. Pilat...