Flex Diet Podcast

Dr. Mike T Nelson
  • 4.7 (55)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Weekly

Dr. Mike T Nelson gets geeky with the latest research and scientific findings in the fitness world. Visit www.flexdiet.com to get Flex Diet Certified and www.miketnelson.com for more geeky goodness.

  1. 3d ago

    Are Your Peptides Illegal? — Rick Collins — #396

    Rick Collins, Esq., NSCA-CSCS, is a lawyer who defends the nutrition and fitness community, a partner at Collins Gann McCloskey & Barry PLLC, and General Counsel to the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Peptides are everywhere right now, but most of what's sold online as BPC-157 or TB-500 is illegal — and the FDA is about to decide what happens next. Rick breaks down the science, the legal gray market, and why the military's new testosterone screening policy matters too. Expect to learn what actually counts as a "peptide," how GLP-1 drugs normalized injectable medications and fueled the gray market, what the FDA's own scientists concluded about BPC-157 and TB-500, why Rick's caseload has shifted from steroids to 80-90% peptide cases, what a possible "experimental peptide" middle-ground category could look like, and what really happens when the FDA raids a peptide seller, and much more. Connect with Rick:www.RickCollins.com Episodes you'll enjoy next: #371 — Peptides, TRT, GLPs & Bloodwork: How to Do It Safely (and What Most People Miss) with John Gorman: Listen here #319 — Exploring the World of Peptides with Anthony Castore: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 4:07 Rick's background as a lawyer and his standard legal disclaimer 6:14 What actually counts as a "peptide" 8:25 How GLP-1 drugs normalized injectable medications 10:44 Loss of trust in the FDA fuels the gray market 11:46 The rise of personal health autonomy 13:40 Two markets: the medical model vs. "bro science" 16:23 Inside the FDA Compounding Advisory Committee meeting 19:23 FDA scientists' verdict on BPC-157 and TB-500 20:49 Why the science on BPC-157 is still so thin 22:07 Prohibition logic: the black market will keep growing 25:47 A possible middle ground: an "experimental peptide" category 32:11 Rick's caseload shift — from steroids to 80-90% peptide cases 35:30 Why big pharma cares about tirzepatide and retatrutide knockoffs 42:28 Pete Hegseth and testosterone screening in the military 46:57 Why the new TRT policy may be "much ado about nothing" 49:23 Low testosterone's real, well-documented health risks 52:26 Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, and biohacking against nature 57:12 The schism between orthodox medicine and biohacking 62:39 What happens when the FDA raids a peptide seller 63:30 Connect with Rick Collins Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  2. 6d ago

    What Coaching Air Force Pilots Taught Me About Real Performance — Sam Brown — #395

    Samuel Brown, M.Ed., CSCS is a Cognitive Performance Specialist for the U.S. Air Force and a strength and conditioning professional who has worked everywhere from collegiate athletics to elite tactical units. Sam spends his days training Air Force pilots and aircrew who run on nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol — and almost never turn off their nervous system. In this episode he reveals why the toughest operators need recovery just as much as intensity, and what years of coaching in Altus, Oklahoma taught him about real performance under extreme cognitive load. Expect to learn what Air Force pilots are actually like to train, why the nicotine-caffeine-alcohol "trifecta" dominates military performance culture, how the physical act of flying itself takes a hidden toll through vibration and posture, why sympathetic nervous system domination cements poor posture and movement patterns, how Sam sneaks down-regulation into hard training sessions disguised as recovery work, and why resting heart rate might be a better performance metric than any wearable, and much more. Connect with Sam:https://www.instagram.com/sambrownstrength Episodes you'll enjoy next: #312 — Optimizing Stress and Performance for Firefighters and Tactical Athletes with Dr. Drew Gonzalez: Listen here #310 — Unpacking the Science of Sleep with Dr. Allison Brager: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 01:59 – What Air Force Pilots Are Actually Like 07:21 – Back to Basics: Training with Minimal Equipment 10:13 – Breaking the Instagram Training Cycle 12:06 – Endurance Trends Among Pilots 17:05 – The Air Force Trifecta: Nicotine, Caffeine & Alcohol 20:31 – Physical Toll of Flying: Vibration, Posture & Injury 23:44 – Stress Cements Posture: The Sympathetic Domination Problem 28:06 – Down-Regulation Protocols After Training 30:47 – Hiding the Pill in the Peanut Butter 47:44 – Wearables & the Loss of Body Awareness 50:31 – Resting Heart Rate as the Performance Metric 52:14 – The GOAT Drill for Cognitive Load & Recovery 1:02:31 – Building a Culture of Buy-In & Program Integration Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  3. Jul 13

    The Counseling Skills Nutrition Coaches Are Missing — Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon — #394

    Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD, is the author of the 700-page textbook Applied Nutrition Coaching and Counseling for Coaches. Most nutrition coaches know their protocols — but very few have been trained in what to actually do when a client says something unexpected, breaks down, or simply won't follow the plan. Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon reveals the counseling techniques that most nutrition coaches have never learned — and why mastering them matters more than any protocol. She explains why over-optimized clients are often the most fragile, how AI is eroding the critical thinking skills coaches rely on, and what it really takes to translate complex science into simple, effective actions. Expect to learn why LLMs are story-making machines that confidently get facts wrong, how the broken healthcare system is pushing patients toward fringe advice, what body awareness coaching actually looks like in practice, why Dunning-Kruger applies to both coaches and clients, how to help clients prepare better conversations with their doctors, and what makes coaching an irreplaceable human profession — and much more. Connect with Krista: Website: https://kristascottdixon.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stumptuous Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coach.krista.scottdixon 1% Better Academy - https://onepercentbetteracademy.com/ Episodes you'll enjoy next: #328 — Grit Gains: Building Mental Toughness and Resilience in Training with Ben Mayfield Smith: https://miketnelson.com/podcast/episode-328-grit-training-and-resilience-ben-mayfield-smith #373 — The Future of Fitness + Healthcare: Coaches, Blood Work, and Client-Centered Models: https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-373-the-future-of-fitness-healthcare-coaches-blood-work-and-client-centered-models-kevin-dineen-k12eNARO Episode Timestamps: 02:02 The Dangers of AI for Health Research 03:40 LLMs as Story-Making Machines 04:35 Mike's AI Citation Fail & the 'Dead Internet' Theory 08:55 The Antidote: Getting Back to Basic Skills 09:55 Literacy, Critical Thinking & Health Literacy Crisis 16:55 The Broken Healthcare System & Why Patients Distrust Providers 18:20 Why Parents Seek Fringe Medical Advice for Their Kids 20:55 The Power of Simple Coaching Interventions 22:55 Coaching as Translation: Complex Science, Simple Actions 26:35 Teaching Clients Body Awareness & Self-Observation 28:55 Gym Culture & The Dissociative Society 30:55 When Clients Don't Know Why They Feel Bad 33:25 Helping Clients Prepare Better Conversations with Their Doctors 37:55 AI, Cortisol Grift & Bastardized Physiology 40:55 If It's So Easy, Show Me — Krista's Coaching Insight 45:55 Dunning-Kruger, Expertise & Learning to Question Everything 51:55 Decision-Making: Low B******t, Cool People, Meta Skills 56:55 Choosing Projects & Finding Your Authentic Fit 61:55 The Book: Who It's For & What It Covers 74:55 Coaching as a Human Profession (Not to Be Automated) 84:55 Sprinting, Scope of Practice & Knowing Your Clients 86:55 Where to Find Krista & Closing Thoughts Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  4. Jul 6

    From Powerlifter to Trail Runner — Paul Oneid & Cody Miller — #393

    In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with Paul Oneid, MS, MS, CSCS and Cody Miller for a conversation about rebuilding from injury and the transition from strength sports to endurance training. Paul Oneid tore both quads and rebuilt himself from powerlifter to trail runner, with coach Cody Miller guiding the transition. They break down the emergent training approach, VO2 max and cardiac adaptations, and the mental side of suffering across strength sports and endurance. In this episode, you'll learn: How Paul's decision to move away from powerlifting and bodybuilding after tearing both quads The emergent, responsive approach Cody used to build Paul's running base from scratch Why cardiac structural adaptations (like resting heart rate drops) take months, not weeks Cody's time-to-exhaustion model for structuring endurance intervals without needing lactate testing Find Paul here: https://masterathletic.com https://coachescorneru.com https://www.instagram.com/pauloneid/ Find Cody here: https://hoopiestrength.com/ https://www.instagram.com/coach.cody.miller Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  5. Jun 29

    How to Harness Leucine and EAA for Bigger Muscles and More — Daniel A. Traylor, Ph.D. — #392

    Can you really build more muscle just by rethinking how you dose leucine and essential amino acids? Dr. Daniel A. Traylor, Ph.D. — co-founder and principal scientist of LEUVATE™ — reveals the science behind protein quality, muscle protein synthesis, and why older adults may need twice the protein dose to get the same results as younger people. We dig into mTORC1 signaling, sarcopenia, the 30g protein absorption myth, GLP-1 drug effects on muscle, and the clinical trial data behind LEUVATE™. If you care about muscle, longevity, or protein strategy, this one is loaded. Guest Bio Daniel A. Traylor, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Health Sciences at DePaul University in Chicago and Owner, Co-Founder, and Principal Scientist of LEUVATE™. His research explores how protein quality, amino acids, and exercise interact to influence muscle adaptation, recovery, and physical function across the lifespan. He is the co-inventor of LEUVATE™ — a precision-engineered leucine-enriched nutritional formula validated across multiple peer-reviewed human clinical trials. Timestamps 3:36 — Can you really only absorb 30g protein at once? 9:16 — Sarcopenia: the muscle-loss crisis in aging 16:01 — mTORC1 and what triggers muscle protein synthesis 20:46 — Why older adults may need twice the protein dose 30:26 — The origin story of LEUVATE™ 34:01 — Leucine: the master switch for MPS 37:56 — How leucine acts as a dimmer on mTORC1 53:21 — GLP-1 drugs, muscle loss, and amino acid needs 1:06:36 — LEUVATE™ vs whey: MPS data and ongoing trials 1:17:01 — How leucine-enriched EAAs signal differently in the gut 1:27:11 — Protein spiking and supplement quality red flags Resources LEUVATE™ Dr. Traylor email Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  6. Jun 22

    Flex Diet Cert Closes at Midnight Mon 6/22/2026 and Coaching Leverage — #391

    In this solo episode, Dr. Mike T. Nelson introduces the concept of coaching leverage—the idea that effective coaching means multiplying physiological impact by a client's realistic ability to change. Why sleep is a physiological powerhouse but a coaching nightmare The coaching leverage formula: physiology × psychology Why protein ranks #1 (score: 81) and sleep ranks #8 (score: 20) How to stop majoring in the minors with your clients The eight interventions inside the Flex Diet Certification Why following a proven system beats reinventing the wheel The Flex Diet Certification closes tonight (Monday, June 22, 2026) at midnight Pacific. Get details here. Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  7. Jun 19

    Antibiotics, Gut Microbiome, and the Exercise Connection — Dr. Sara Campbell — #390

    In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Sara Campbell, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Rutgers University, for a conversation about the bidirectional relationship between exercise and the gut microbiome. Dr. Sara Campbell returns to discuss her lab's cutting-edge research on the bidirectional relationship between exercise and the gut microbiome — including why consumer gut tests oversimplify a complex ecosystem, how antibiotics devastate exercise capacity in animal models, and why single-microbe probiotics miss the bigger picture of functional guilds. She also shares new findings on short-chain fatty acids, amino acid metabolomics after antibiotic treatment, and the emerging neuromuscular junction hypothesis. In this episode you'll learn: Why consumer gut microbiome tests are misleading and what functional guilds tell us instead How antibiotics devastate exercise capacity and the surprising metabolomic changes they cause The current evidence on probiotics for exercise performance and why single strains fall short What short-chain fatty acids do for gut health and exercise, and the emerging neuromuscular junction hypothesis Find Sara here:Rutgers Faculty Page Google Scholar: Sara Chelland Campbell --- The Flex Diet Podcast is brought to you by the Flex Diet Certification. Learn more at miketnelson.com Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

  8. Jun 16

    The Flex Diet Cert is OPEN and AI vs Coaching Solocast — #389

    In this solo episode, Dr. Mike T. Nelson dives into the intersection of AI and coaching. Using his quest to pick up the 175-pound Inch dumbbell as an example, he shows how AI struggles with niche topics where quality training data is scarce — and why that matters for fitness advice. Topics covered: Why AI gave terrible advice on training for the Inch dumbbell — and what that reveals about how AI sources information The protein-and-kidney-damage myth: when AI repeats bad science Where AI actually helps coaches: data analysis, blood work organization, backend tasks, and production workflows Why clients still want (and need) a real human coach — accountability, customization, and skin in the game Will people be compliant to a robot coach? Probably not The baseline is rising: why just writing training and nutrition programs isn't enough anymore Flex Diet Certification — now open through Monday, June 22nd, 2026 at midnight PST. Eight interventions (protein, fats, carbs, exercise, sleep, micronutrition, fasting, and more) built on coaching leverage and metabolic flexibility. Includes direct email access to Dr. Nelson for enrolled students. Enroll now: https://miket.me/fdc Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

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4.7
out of 5
55 Ratings

About

Dr. Mike T Nelson gets geeky with the latest research and scientific findings in the fitness world. Visit www.flexdiet.com to get Flex Diet Certified and www.miketnelson.com for more geeky goodness.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Mike T Nelson
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    402
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2020 - 2022 Extreme Human Performance, LLC
  • Show Website
    Flex Diet Podcast

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