Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates

Andrew Coates
  • 4.9 (67)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

The Lift Free and Diet Hard Podcast dives deep into the science and practice of living a strong, healthy, and intentional life. Hosted by Andrew Coates, the show brings together inspiring guests to share insights, stories, and practical advice that empower listeners to build confidence, make informed choices, and stay resilient in their fitness and wellness journeys. Every episode encourages thoughtful exploration of what it means to lift free, diet hard, and live fully.

  1. 2d ago

    #511 Pete Dupuis - So You Want To Be A Fitness Professional

    Pete Dupuis is an icon of gym ownership, business development, and mentorship within the fitness industry. Pete returns to share what aspiring coaches should understand before turning their passion for fitness into a career—and how the industry has changed over the last two decades. We discuss: • Advice for fitness enthusiasts considering a career in the industry • Realistic expectations of what working in fitness actually looks like • The skills and behaviours that improve your chances of long-term success • Different career paths available within the fitness industry • Pete’s story of “running away from reality” when he co-founded Cressey Sports Performance • Why internships and real-world experience matter • The value of spending time in a commercial gym environment • Building a career beyond simply training clients forever • How fitness professionals used to build authority online • How social media and algorithms changed that process • Why having a smaller number of true fans may matter more than chasing reach • The loss of long-form fitness writing • Why platforms like Substack may be bringing it back • What has happened in the gym industry since COVID • The rise of smaller, specialized gyms • What consumers increasingly want from their gym experience • Why community is such a powerful competitive advantage • How gym operators can create career opportunities for coaches • Building a trainer lifestyle you can sustain for decades • AI, apps, and the future of fitness coaching • Why quiet competence eventually gets noticed • And much more Follow Pete: @pete_dupuis CHAPTERS 01:05 The Reality of a Fitness Career 02:17 From Corporate Life to CSP 07:31 Niche, Reputation, and Word of Mouth 11:57 Education and Internships 16:20 The Value of Commercial Gyms 22:55 Building a Long-Term Career 26:55 Building Authority Online 27:57 Social Media Then vs. Now 28:50 Algorithms and True Fans 30:25 The Lost Era of Fitness Writing 32:55 Long-Form Content and Substack 33:37 The Post-COVID Gym Boom 34:17 Scaling the Micro-Gym Model 38:46 Career Paths With Great Operators 40:10 Why Community Drives Great Gyms 45:26 Building a Sustainable Trainer Lifestyle 49:47 Why Quiet Competence Gets Recognized 54:01 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Pete SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send this to someone considering a career in fitness FOLLOW ANDREW COATES Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES ANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs. Choose between: • Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%. www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Questions? https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APP Use code COATESRP: https://www.rpstrength.com/coates JUST BITE ME MEALS Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off: https://justbitememeals.com MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL Download MacrosFirst and enter ANDREW when asked how you heard about the app. KNKG BAGS — 15% OFF https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676 VERSA GRIPPS https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree Reply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com and tell them Andrew sent you. L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSE Use code COATES: https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

  2. 4d ago

    #510 Jordan Lips - A Passion for Fibre

    Jordan Lips is passionate about fibre - perhaps more than anyone else I’ve met - and maybe you should be too. Jordan joins me for a deep dive into fibre, gut health, food variety, beans, lentils, supplements, misinformation, and practical ways to increase your intake without making yourself miserable. We discuss: • How much fibre someone actually needs • Why fibre intake is about more than hitting one number • Whether you can gradually “train your gut” to tolerate more fibre • Why increasing fibre too quickly can cause problems • The different types of fibre and why variety matters • Whole-food fibre versus supplements and fortified foods • The major health benefits associated with fibre-rich diets • Misleading anti-fibre messaging, including claims from the carnivore community • Gas, bloating, FODMAPs, and when fibre needs more nuance • What “Fibremaxxing” is and whether it is actually a problem • Practical strategies for increasing fibre • Easy ways to increase food variety • Why Jordan is such a passionate advocate for beans and lentils • Why legumes deserve a better reputation • Canned versus dried beans • Batch cooking and freezing legumes • How to gradually ramp up fibre intake • Whether tracking fibre is useful • Why it is spelled “fibre” in some countries and “fiber” in others • HYROX, gastrointestinal distress, and perhaps more discussion of diarrhea than anyone expected • And much more Follow Jordan: @jordanlipsfitness CHAPTERS 01:27 How Much Fibre Do You Need? 02:40 Building Fibre Tolerance 04:35 Fibre Types and Variety 07:13 Supplements and Fortified Foods 10:26 The Big Benefits of Fibre 13:46 Fibre Myths Debunked 15:54 Gas, Bloating, and FODMAPs 21:54 The Fibremaxxing Rant 25:31 Practical Fibre Strategies 28:23 Andrew’s Favourite Fibre Hacks 29:34 Easy Ways to Add Variety 30:12 The Legume Redemption Arc 31:13 Salad Mix Safety 31:33 The HYROX Diarrhea Debate 36:00 Why Beans Work 42:18 Canned vs. Dried Beans 45:56 Batch Cooking and Freezing 50:08 How to Ramp Up Fibre 50:59 Tracking Fibre Intelligently 54:57 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Jordan SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send this to someone who desperately needs to eat a bean FOLLOW ANDREW COATES Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES ANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs. Choose between: • Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%. www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Questions? https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APP Use code COATESRP: https://www.rpstrength.com/coates JUST BITE ME MEALS Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off: https://justbitememeals.com MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL Download MacrosFirst and enter ANDREW when asked how you heard about the app. KNKG BAGS — 15% OFF https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676 VERSA GRIPPS https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree Reply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com and tell them Andrew sent you. L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSE Use code COATES: https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

  3. Sep 30

    #509 Brad Dieter - Lack of Disease Doesn’t Mean You’re Healthy

    Brad Dieter, now CEO of FITTR, returns to the podcast to bring the perspective of his PhD in Exercise Physiology to a wide-ranging conversation about coaching, trust, health, alcohol research, GLP-1 medications, and the future of fitness. We discuss: • What the “commoditization of everything” means • Why commoditization can hurt both coaches and consumers • Where lower-cost standardized services can actually be beneficial • Where commoditization starts sacrificing quality • How the music industry offers a useful comparison for fitness coaching • Why high-service coaching may become even more valuable • The “tragedy of the commons” and why trust is a limited resource • How short-term influencer incentives can erode trust across an entire industry • Why real outreach and relationships still matter • How consumers can evaluate coaches and services • Wearables, health data, and information overload • Why good coaching should give people more agency, not less • Are we measuring health—or just measuring the absence of disease? • Why “normal” lab values do not necessarily represent optimal health or function • Functional health metrics and quality of life • Why we may be tracking the wrong markers • How observational research created the impression that light drinking was healthier than abstaining • Why the alcohol “J-curve” became so influential • Why panic around weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications can miss the bigger picture • And much more Follow Brad: @brad.dieter CHAPTERS 01:49 Origins and Conferences 02:37 Commoditization Explained 06:02 The Music Industry Shift 09:21 The Future of Fitness Coaching 14:19 Grifters and High-Service Coaching 20:08 The Tragedy of the Commons 22:45 Rebuilding Through Real Outreach 25:22 Advice for Consumers 27:33 Wearables and Data Overload 30:29 Trust in Real Coaching 31:35 Giving People Agency 35:00 Rethinking Health Markers 36:57 Functional Health Metrics 40:11 Quality of Life Matters 43:18 Beyond “Normal” Labs 44:37 The Alcohol J-Curve Myth 49:26 The GLP-1 Rebound Conversation 54:57 Final Thoughts and Contact Info SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send this to someone interested in coaching, health, or evidence-based fitness FOLLOW ANDREW COATES Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES ANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs. Choose between: • Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%. www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Questions? https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL Download MacrosFirst and begin setting up your account. When asked, “How did you hear about us?” enter: ANDREW JUST BITE ME MEALS Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off: https://justbitememeals.com

  4. Sep 29

    #508 Sam Miller - Revisiting the PCOS to PMOS Reclassification

    Sam Miller returns to the podcast to discuss the transition from PCOS to PMOS, what the change actually means, and why the conversation seemed to disappear almost as quickly as it arrived. We also get into women’s health messaging, sleep, training nutrition, endurance fueling, and the career setbacks that rarely make it onto social media. We discuss: • Why discussion around PCOS becoming PMOS died down after the initial attention • What the new terminology means for patients and future care • Why shifting attention toward actionable behaviours matters • Problems with self-diagnosis and self-labelling • The two extremes of women’s hormonal health messaging • Dismissing symptoms versus convincing everyone they have a hormone deficiency • Finding a useful middle ground • Why eye masks and earplugs can improve the sleep environment • Important caveats around mouth taping • Building simple and repeatable sleep routines • Light exposure and circadian health • Why carbohydrates before training may improve performance • Fueling HYROX and endurance-style events • Intra-workout carbohydrates • Sam’s professional failures and setbacks • Why social media creates a distorted picture of professional success • Writing, networking, and building a career • And much more Follow Sam: @sammillerscience CHAPTERS 00:51 PCOS Renamed PMOS 01:48 Why the Name Change Matters 04:54 Will Practice Actually Change? 07:02 Action Steps for PMOS 08:21 Assessing History and Labs 09:38 Tailoring Training and Nutrition 15:00 Self-Diagnosis Culture 17:27 Marketing and Mindset 18:58 Two Extremes in Women’s Health 22:24 Finding the Middle Ground 27:42 Sleep Routine Hacks 28:04 Eye Mask Evidence 29:49 Mouth Taping Caveats 33:06 Travel Sleep Rituals 34:14 Light Exposure and Metabolism 35:54 Keeping the Ritual Simple 36:34 Earplugs and Safety 38:35 Carbs Before Training 43:41 Fueling HYROX Events 44:30 Intra-Workout Carbs 47:41 Sharing Career Struggles 58:54 Social Media Fears 01:03:24 Writing and Networking 01:05:11 Where to Find Sam SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send this to someone navigating PCOS/PMOS or confusing hormone advice FOLLOW ANDREW @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s programs: • Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%: www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Questions? Message @andrewcoatesfitness I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APP Use code COATESRP: https://www.rpstrength.com/coates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree Reply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com and tell them Andrew sent you. L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSE Use code COATES: https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

  5. Sep 24

    #507 Jonah Rosner - Endurance Sport Training and Nutrition Masterclass

    Jonah Rosner is a sport scientist specializing in strength and conditioning for endurance athletes. Jonah joins me to break down the research behind endurance training, strength work, cardiovascular programming, injury risk, recovery, and race-day nutrition. We discuss: • Why distance runners should lift heavy without routinely training to failure • How strength training can support running performance • Why shorter-duration HIIT may sometimes be a more time-efficient cardiovascular stimulus than Zone 2 • When higher-intensity work makes sense and when to add more low-intensity volume • Why elite marathoners accumulate dramatically more training volume, with most of the additional work performed at easier intensities • Understanding allostatic load as a framework for managing total stress • Why exercise-associated cramping is not explained by dehydration alone • Muscle damage, fatigue, and cramping • Running’s eccentric demands and the interference effect • Using cycling and other modalities to build cardiovascular fitness while reducing impact • Sudden increases in running volume and injury risk • What endurance athletes actually need to fuel performance • Why carbohydrate availability becomes especially important during endurance events • Fueling before and during races • Carb loading and race-day strategy • Evidence from the Boston Marathon linking signs of under-fueling with poorer performance and greater medical-tent use • Protein and fat in the broader endurance diet • GI distress and training the gut • And much more Follow Jonah: @rosnerperformance CHAPTERS 00:55 Strength Training for Runners 03:55 Heavy Lifting Without Failure 08:06 HIIT Versus Zone 2 12:36 Why Elites Run Easy Miles 13:30 Recovery and Allostatic Load 15:25 Sponsor: Active Life Workshop 18:38 The Cramping and Dehydration Myth 21:14 Running, Eccentrics, and Interference 28:00 Cross-Training to Reduce Impact 29:27 TrainHeroic Trial Offer 30:44 Long-Run Injury Spikes 34:38 Running Injury Rates 39:22 Under-Fueling at Boston 41:29 RP Hypertrophy App 42:54 Marathon Fueling Basics 48:16 Carb Loading and Race Day 51:36 Protein, Fat, and Recovery 53:45 Program Enrollment 56:04 GI Distress and Gut Training 57:47 Where to Follow Jonah SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send it to a runner, cyclist, or endurance athlete who wants to train smarter FOLLOW ANDREW COATES Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES ANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs. Choose between: • Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%. www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Questions? https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APP Use code COATESRP: https://www.rpstrength.com/coates JUST BITE ME MEALS Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off: https://justbitememeals.com MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL Download MacrosFirst and enter ANDREW when asked how you heard about the app. KNKG BAGS — 15% OFF https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676 VERSA GRIPPS https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree Reply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com and tell them Andrew sent you. L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSE Use code COATES: https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

  6. Sep 22

    #506 Dan Garner - How to Improve Your Performance in Life and Fitness

    Dan Garner is one of the most sought-after performance coaches among professional athletes, MMA competitors, and celebrities, while also working in performance research. Dan joins me to share lessons from coaching high performers and explain how the same principles apply to everyday people who want better results in fitness and life. We discuss: • Results-oriented vs. activity-oriented thinking• Process goals, outcome goals, and momentum• Identity, procrastination, and performance• Why controlling your schedule matters• Clarifying goals and building adherence• Emotions, decision-making, and the amygdala• Identifying the constraint holding you back• Applying elite-performance principles to everyday people• Adapting coaching to the individual• Blood work and cluster analysis• Low energy availability (LEA)• LEA vs. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)• Health and performance risks of chronic under-fueling• How LEA differs from simply being in a calorie deficit• Sports, disordered eating, and RED-S risk• Post-workout recovery• Peri-workout nutrition• Dan’s four-phase fueling approach• Caffeine and performance• And much more Follow Dan: @dangarnernutrition CHAPTERS 02:02 Results Over Activity04:50 Momentum and Early Wins08:34 Identity and Procrastination10:36 Control Your Schedule12:54 Goals That Come From Within14:53 Sponsor: MacrosFirst16:38 Clarify Your Goals Three Times19:19 Adherence and Small Swaps22:03 Emotions and the Amygdala26:04 Coaching Constraints Framework26:40 Monkey Mind and Coaching Style28:14 Blood Work and Constraints28:49 Cluster Analysis32:22 Low Energy Availability34:39 RED-S and the Athlete Triad37:21 Injury Risk Evidence38:35 Sponsor: Just Bite Me Meals39:40 Sports and Eating Disorders42:47 Peri-Workout Nutrition44:43 Four-Phase Fueling Plan51:01 Sponsor: Group Strength Programs52:37 Caffeine on Leg Days57:44 Wrap-Up and Links SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes• Share and tag @andrewcoatesfitness• Send this to someone who is busy but struggling to progress FOLLOW ANDREW COATES @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Men’s and Women’s programs: • Gym Upper/Lower• Home Upper/Lower• Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%:www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Questions?https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APPCode COATESRP:https://www.rpstrength.com/coates JUST BITE ME MEALSCode ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off:https://justbitememeals.com MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIALDownload MacrosFirst and enter ANDREW when asked how you heard about the app. KNKG BAGS — 15% OFFhttps://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676 VERSA GRIPPShttps://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIALhttps://www.trainheroic.com/liftfreeReply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com and tell them Andrew sent you. L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSECode COATES:https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

  7. Sep 17

    #505 Elizabeth Ward & Hillary Wright - Menopause Nutrition

    Elizabeth Ward and Hillary Wright are registered dietitians, authors of *The Menopause Diet Plan*, and together are known as The Menopause Dietitians. They join me to cut through the noise around menopause nutrition and explain what actually changes, what gets exaggerated online, and which habits matter most. We discuss: • Whether metabolism actually slows during menopause • Age, hormones, activity, and energy expenditure • Why women may have less margin for gradual fat gain • Hormones, appetite, sleep, and behaviour • Estrogen and abdominal fat storage • Stress, cortisol, and exercise • Why alcohol can become more significant during menopause • Fibre and practical ways to eat more of it • Fibre fearmongering and “fibre maxing” • Ultra-processed foods and nutrition nuance • Menopause influencers and supplement misinformation • How to judge credentials and health claims • Practical nutrition strategies for menopause • Why adding nutritious foods can work better than constant restriction • Personalized fat-loss planning • Easy nutrition wins like frozen vegetables • And much more Follow The Menopause Dietitians: @menopausedietplan CHAPTERS 00:54 Menopause and the Metabolism Myth 02:45 The Reality of Declining Activity 05:29 Aging, Pressure, and Grace 07:32 Health and Beauty From the Inside Out 11:51 What Hormones Actually Change 13:37 Estrogen and Abdominal Fat Storage 15:20 Alcohol and Smaller Calorie Margins 19:43 Stress, Cortisol, and Exercise 22:02 Menopause Influencers and Misinformation 24:43 Fibre Fearmongering 26:27 The “Fibre Maxing” Myth 27:13 Alcohol and Trigger Foods 27:38 Ultra-Processed Food Needs Nuance 29:09 Fast Food and the Speed Trap 30:57 The Menopause Supplement Grift 35:00 Credentials, Trust, and Health Information 40:52 Finding the Middle Ground 44:25 Practical Nutrition and Coaching Tips 50:33 Personalized Fat-Loss Planning 51:28 The Frozen-Vegetable Cheat Code 52:28 Final Thoughts and Resources SUPPORT THE SHOW • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send it to someone navigating perimenopause or menopause FOLLOW ANDREW COATES Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs. Choose: • Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body Get full access to me with prompt responses. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%. [www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/](http://www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/) Questions? Message me: https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APP Use code COATESRP: https://www.rpstrength.com/coates JUST BITE ME MEALS Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off: https://justbitememeals.com MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL Download MacrosFirst and enter ANDREW when asked how you heard about the app. KNKG BAGS — 15% OFF https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676 VERSA GRIPPS https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree Reply to the email you receive or email [trials@trainheroic.com](mailto:trials@trainheroic.com) and tell them Andrew sent you. L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSE Use code COATES: https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

  8. Sep 15

    #504 Harley Pasternak - Diets and GLP-1 Use in Popular Culture

    What happens when evidence-based nutrition collides with celebrity culture, fad diets, GLP-1 medications, and increasingly extreme body-image trends? Harley Pasternak is an internationally renowned trainer, author, educator, and professor who has coached some of the most famous people in the world. He joins me to discuss what fitness and nutrition actually look like behind the scenes—and how very different that can be from the stories presented online. In this episode, we discuss: • How Harley navigates popular fad diets while staying evidence based • Why extreme diets can become normalized through social media • “A lot of today’s most popular diets look suspiciously like disordered eating” • Harley’s experience coaching high-profile celebrities • What celebrity fitness actually looks like behind the scenes • Whether GLP-1 medications are as common in Hollywood as people think • GLP-1s, weight loss, and changing body-image expectations • Why cherry-picked photos of extremely thin celebrities can distort reality • Media narratives around celebrity weight loss • Harley’s thoughts on the 10,000-steps guideline • Why daily walking and movement still matter • What makes a great home gym • What makes a great hotel gym • Gym layout, equipment selection, and user experience • Coaching people with extremely busy schedules • Why sustainable habits still beat most fitness trends • And much more Follow Harley Pasternak on Instagram: @harleypasternak SUPPORT THE SHOW If this episode helped you think differently about celebrity fitness, fad diets, GLP-1s, or daily movement: • Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode on social media and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send it to someone trying to make sense of the latest diet or weight-loss trend FOLLOW ANDREW COATES Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com PARTNERS AND RESOURCES ANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs today. Choose between: • A Gym Upper/Lower Program • A Home Upper/Lower Program • A Full-Body Program Get full access to me with prompt responses throughout the program. Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%. Join here: www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/ Have questions? Message me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en I would love to coach you. RP STRENGTH APP Use code COATESRP: https://www.rpstrength.com/coates JUST BITE ME MEALS Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off: https://justbitememeals.com MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL • Download MacrosFirst • Begin setting up your account • When asked, “How did you hear about us?” enter: ANDREW KNKG BAGS — 15% OFF https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676 VERSA GRIPPS https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates TRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL • Visit: https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree • Reply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com • Let them know Andrew sent you L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSE Use code COATES: https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

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4.9
out of 5
67 Ratings

About

The Lift Free and Diet Hard Podcast dives deep into the science and practice of living a strong, healthy, and intentional life. Hosted by Andrew Coates, the show brings together inspiring guests to share insights, stories, and practical advice that empower listeners to build confidence, make informed choices, and stay resilient in their fitness and wellness journeys. Every episode encourages thoughtful exploration of what it means to lift free, diet hard, and live fully.

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