Muscles by Brussels Radio

Alex Payne joins Ben on Muscles by Brussels Radio to discuss his journey from athletics and years of lifting on his own to becoming a competitive vegan bodybuilder and completing two bodybuilding seasons. Alex shares how becoming vegan gave him a deeper sense of purpose for bodybuilding, motivating him to show what could be accomplished on a plant-based diet.

The conversation covers the importance of spending time building b...

Eating out is inevitable, whether you're traveling, meeting family, attending a work lunch, or simply not in the mood to cook. Dani and Alice break down how to navigate restaurants as a vegan while still building meals that work for your nutrition and physique goals.

They cover Mexican, Indian, Thai, pho, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mediterranean, American, and pizza restaurants, including what to order, where protein is eas...

Do you need to track every calorie and macro to make progress? Ben and Dani discuss the pros and cons of macro tracking, how nutrition tracking evolved, and why tracking can be an incredibly useful tool without needing to become a permanent part of your life. They also explore meal plans, meal templates, structured eating, calorie density, intuitive eating, and practical ways to gradually loosen the reins while still making progres...

Thinking about stepping onstage for the first time? Coaches Ben & Alice dive deep into what aspiring natural bodybuilding competitors should consider before committing to a contest.

They discuss who tends to thrive in bodybuilding, the importance of structure and routine, having a healthy relationship with food and your body, managing stress, and building strong social support.

They also cover the realities of co...

Shireen joins Ben and Giacomo to share her journey from going vegan for her health to discovering bodybuilding and eventually stepping onstage for her first competition. She talks about her lifelong interest in athletics, cosplay, and superheroes, and how building confidence through fitness eventually helped her believe she could pursue bodybuilding.

Shireen and Giacomo discuss how their coaching relationship evolved from he...

Flexible dieting can seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Coach Sawyer and Giacomo break down a practical approach to getting started without obsessing over numbers or overhauling your entire diet overnight. They discuss how to build awareness of your current eating habits, establish realistic calorie and protein targets, and gradually develop a system that fits your l...

Mobility, flexibility, and stability are often overlooked until pain or injuries force them into the spotlight...but they can make the difference between years of productive training and chronic setbacks.

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Dani and Giacomo discuss the key differences between these three concepts, why movement quality matters for every lifter, and how small amounts of mobility work can improve perf...

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben and Sawyer take a broader look at the role of movement in a healthy lifestyle. They discuss why staying active is about much more than burning calories, covering everything from daily step counts and intentional cardio to recovery, longevity, and overall health. They explain how movement can improve energy levels, appetite regulation, cardiovascular fitness, and long-term consistenc...

Evidence-based nutrition doesn't always win the attention economy...but it's what leads to lasting health. In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben and Coach Sawyer sit down with Mic the Vegan to discuss his journey from skeptical omnivore to one of the most trusted science communicators in the vegan space. Mike shares how he built his platform by prioritizing research over sensationalism, the challenges of combating nutri...

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben and Giacomo sit down with Cyrus Khambatta, PhD, co-founder of Mastering Diabetes, to unpack the science behind insulin resistance, diabetes, and long-term metabolic health. Cyrus shares his own journey living with type 1 diabetes and explains why his diagnosis ultimately led him to dedicate his career to researching nutrition and helping others improve their health through a whole f...

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, the Vegan Proteins coaching team sits down for their first-ever roundtable discussion to tackle one of the hottest topics in fitness right now: peptides. Ben, Dani, Sawyer, Alice, and Giacomo break down what peptides actually are, why they’ve become so popular on social media, and how the conversation around them has changed dramatically in recent years.

The coaches discuss...

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben and Dani discuss nonlinear dieting and how adjusting calorie intake throughout the week can make fat loss more sustainable. They break down strategies like high/low days, refeeds, diet breaks, and flexible calorie targets while explaining why adherence is often the biggest factor in long-term success.

They also talk about training updates, managing injuries, maintaining perfo...

In this episode of Vegan Proteins' Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben is joined by coaches Sawyer and Giacomo for a roundtable discussion on common beginner fitness mistakes and myths that can hold people back. They break down misconceptions around cardio, nutrition, muscle growth, training intensity, and building sustainable habits.

The coaches discuss why cardio can actually improve performance, why nutrition doesn’t nee...

In this episode of Vegan Proteins' Muscles by Brussels Radio, Dani and Alice dive deep into the realities of perimenopause, menopause, hormones, and maintaining a strong, healthy physique as women get older. They discuss the overwhelming amount of information online, the difference between helpful education and fear-based messaging, and why menopause is a complex transition rather than a simple explanation for every struggle with w...

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben sits down with coaching client Kelsey to discuss her remarkable first bodybuilding season, which culminated in earning professional status. Kelsey shares what initially inspired her to compete, how she balanced contest prep with a demanding legal career, and the lessons she learned about consistency, flexibility, and self-belief throughout the process.

The conversation also e...

In this episode of Muscles by Brussels Radio, Ben sits down with Dr. Angie Sadeghi for an in-depth conversation on GLP-1 medications, gut health, digestion, fiber, and the growing confusion surrounding modern nutrition advice.

Dr. Sadeghi explains how medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro actually work, why they’ve been so effective for appetite regulation and metabolic health, and what the research really says about c...

Ben and Sawyer begin with a life update covering travel, training structure, and adapting to new environments as a vegan athlete living abroad. Sawyer discusses moving from Spain to Albania, dealing with culture shock, finding vegan food options, and maintaining gym consistency while adjusting to a new lifestyle.

Ben shares updates on training flexibility, managing stress, and maintaining progress through structured but adap...

In this episode, Giacomo and Sawyer dive into the biggest coaching mistakes they’ve made throughout their careers and how their perspectives on coaching have evolved over time.

The conversation explores everything from rigid programming and poor communication to sustainability, emotional awareness, and the importance of building genuine client relationships. They discuss why coaching is far more than just training plan...

In this episode, Ben and Giacomo are joined by Dr. Michael Greger to discuss one of the most debated topics in nutrition and fitness: protein intake. The conversation covers how much protein we actually need, the potential longevity tradeoffs of excessive protein consumption, and why plant protein may offer unique advantages compared to animal protein.

Dr. Greger explains the role of methionine restriction, IGF-1, and mTOR i...