The Mind Muscle Connection

Jeff Hoehn
  • 4.8 (51)
  • Nutrition
  • Semiweekly

The Mind Muscle Connection is a show dedicated to educating you on applying science-based; training, nutrition, and mindset strategies to help you build a leaner, stronger, and more confident self. Grab some coffee and listen in!

  1. 2d ago

    Intermittent Modified Fasting (What is it, How to Set up etc.) with Lyle McDonald | Ep 793

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!  Lyle McDonald joins me on the podcast this week. He’s been writing about fat loss and training since the late ’90s so there’s a good chance you’ve read something of his. I’ve followed his stuff for a while and was excited to pick his brain on his newest book Intermittent Modified Fasting.  We start with how Lyle got into this field and his years racing inline and ice speed skating. Then we get into what led him to write the book and how he sets up the fasting days so you hold on to muscle while the fat comes off. We also talk about why he uses maintenance days in place of feast days or refeeds and how to pick a pattern that fits your goals and your training. Toward the end we talk about using this approach to keep the fat off long term and what Lyle’s own training and diet look like now. He uses this same setup himself.  If you’ve had a hard time sticking to a diet where you’re restricted every day this episode is a must-listen.  Let’s talk about: Lyle’s BackgroundLearning to Read the ResearchMoving to Salt Lake City to Speed Skate at 35Why People Lift Too Much During a DietThe Fitness Industry’s Endless Fads“I’m Not Your Coach and I’m Not Your Dad”Why Lyle Wrote Intermittent Modified FastingWhere the Protein Sparing Modified Fast Came FromHow IMF Came Out of His ConsultationsWhy One or Two Diet Days in a Row Feels EasierWhat Bodybuilders Get Right and What Doesn’t Apply to YouThe Fasting Paper That Started the BookBuilding the Fasting Day Around ProteinWhy He Uses Maintenance DaysPicking a Pattern Based on Your GoalsWhy Protein Was the Missing Piece in Early Diet ResearchHow the Deficit Sets ItselfThe Powerlifter Who Cut Without Losing StrengthFasting vs. Time Restricted Eating vs. Being FastedWhy Animal Fasting Research Doesn’t TranslateWhy Hunger Lags Behind a Calorie CutThe Problem With Cheat Meals and Cheat DaysUsing IMF to Keep the Fat OffKeeping RFL Days as a Calorie BufferProactive vs. Reactive MaintenanceIMF vs. a Straight Calorie DeficitLyle’s Training and Diet Right NowAdding Maintenance Days When Diet Fatigue HitsWhere to Find Lyle Lyle McDonald Links: Website: https://bodyrecomposition.com/ Store and Books: https://store.bodyrecomposition.com/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/810890695609053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lylemcdonaldisright Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcdonaldlyle/  Nutrition Periodization Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd  Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  2. 5d ago

    7 Types Of People Who Are At a Higher Risk of Underfueling (and What to Do About It) | Ep 792

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Most people picture underfueling as someone eating 800 calories a day, but you can maintain your weight and still not be eating enough to support your training, recovery, and health. I see this all the time with clients, so I wanted to break down who is most at risk and what to do about it. In this solo episode, I go through the seven types of people most likely to be underfueling, including those with a high training output, people trying to stay lean year-round, anyone afraid of seeing the scale go up, and people who have spent too long trying to recomp. From there I cover the signs to watch for, like declining performance, slow recovery, dysregulated hunger, and lower than expected maintenance calories, and then what I do with clients to fix it, from small calorie and carb increases to periodizing fat loss phases. I also explain why struggling to lose weight on a low reported intake doesn't automatically mean you're underfueling. If you feel tired, stuck, or like your progress has stalled even though you're doing everything right, this episode is a must-listen. Let's talk about: What Underfueling Actually Looks Like#1 You Have a High Training Output#2 You Try to Stay Very Lean Year-Round#3 You're Afraid of the Scale Going Up#4 You've Been Trying to Recomp for Too Long#5 You Chronically Diet#6 You Eat Low Carb Year-Round#7 You Have GI Issues or Have Cut Out FoodsSigns You May Be UnderfuelingSlow Recovery, Injuries, and Low EnergyDysregulated Hunger and Getting Sick More OftenMenstrual Cycle Changes and Bone HealthLower Than Expected Maintenance CaloriesWhen Fat Loss Gets Harder to SustainHow to Fix It With Calories and CarbsPeriodizing Your Fat Loss PhasesTraining Volume, Sleep, and MicronutrientsWhen You're Not Actually UnderfuelingFinal ThoughtsBody Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  3. Nov 2

    Is Bulking Dead? Body Recomp Overview with Dr Eric Helms | Ep 791

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Dr. Eric Helms is back on the podcast, and I wanted to ask him a question I keep seeing pop up lately, which is whether bulking is dead. Eric knows the research better than anyone I’ve talked to, so this one turned into a deep conversation on body recomp that I really enjoyed. We start by catching up on where Eric is at with his pro bodybuilding career, how he's deciding between competing in 2027 or 2028, and how he's gained weight over the past year without tracking calories. From there we get into what body recomp actually is, why you can gain scale weight and still be in a deficit, and why he sees recomp as a constraint problem where you figure out what is really holding back your muscle growth.  We also talk about how your body fat level changes what happens to muscle in a deficit, whether women can recomp more easily than men, and the new Vargas-Molina study on trained lifters, including what the maintenance and deficit groups actually ended up doing. If you've ever been told you have to bulk to build muscle, or that you never need to bulk again, this episode is a must-listen. Let's talk about: IntroductionCatching Up With EricEric's Time in the Air ForceCompeting in 2027 or 2028?What Eric Wants to Improve Before His Next ShowHow Eric Gained Weight Without Tracking CaloriesWhat Is Body Recomp?You Can Gain Weight and Still Be in a DeficitRecomp Is a Constraint ProblemWhy Fat Mass and Lean Mass Have Different Energy ValuesWhy Advanced Lifters Don't Need a Big SurplusWill Recomping Start to Feel Like a Diet?The Natural Ups and Downs of Weight GainZoom Out Far Enough and Everything Is a RecompPowerlifters Moving Up a Weight ClassPhysique Competitors Who Gained Muscle During PrepHow Body Fat Level Changes What Happens in a DeficitWhen "Bulking Is Dead" Holds People BackCan Women Recomp More Easily Than Men?Trained vs. Untrained Isn't a Clear CategorySo Is Bulking and Cutting Dead?The Vargas-Molina Recomp StudyWhat the Maintenance and Deficit Groups Actually DidDoes This Study Challenge Energy Balance?Where to Find EricDr. Eric Helms Links: MASS Research Review: https://www.massresearchreview.com/  3D Muscle Journey: https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/  The Muscle and Strength Pyramids: https://muscleandstrengthpyramids.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helms3dmj/  Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  4. Oct 30

    Body Recomp Training Strategies with Brandon DaCruz | Ep 790

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Brandon DaCruz is back for part four of our body recomp series, and this time we’re talking training. We start with why training is what drives the muscle side of a recomp, and why working out and training are not the same thing. From there we go through the principles that matter most, which are progressive overload, training close to failure, getting both quality and enough volume, and tracking your workouts so you know what to beat. Then we get into programming, including how many days per week to train, how often to hit each muscle, rep ranges, double progression, and how to split your exercises between compounds and isolations.  Before we get into training, Brandon talks about speaking at the Metabolism School seminar and peaking for a photo shoot during one of the hardest stretches of his life, and I share how training has been going with a newborn at home.  If you’ve been going to the gym for years and your physique hasn’t changed much, this one is for you. Let’s talk about: IntroductionRecap of the Body Recomp SeriesTraining With a Newborn at HomeBrandon Speaking at the Metabolism School SeminarBrandon’s Photo Shoot During a Hard Season of LifeWhat Brandon Does After the ShootWhy Training Is the Biggest Lever for RecompWorking Out vs. TrainingWhy People Train for Years and Don’t RecompProgressive Overload (Principle 1) Train Close to Failure (Principle 2)Proximity to Failure on Compounds vs. IsolationsQuality and Quantity of Volume (Principle 3)Track Your Training (Principle 4)How Many Days a Week to TrainCan You Recomp on Three Days a Week?Training Frequency in Research vs. the Real WorldRep Ranges and Double ProgressionTop Sets and Back-Off SetsHigher Reps and BFR for Cranky JointsCompounds as Your Key Performance IndicatorsIsolation Work and the Mind-Muscle ConnectionExercise Execution and Program RedundanciesFinal ThoughtsBrandon DaCruz Links: Podcast (Chasing Clarity Health and Fitness Podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-clarity-health-fitness-podcast/id1619611966 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/ Website: https://www.brandondacruzfit.com/  Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  5. Oct 26

    5 Things I Consider To Decide If You Should Cut, Bulk or Maintain | Ep 789

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Wanting to be leaner isn’t enough to decide if you should cut, bulk, or maintain. In this episode, I go over the five things I look at with clients before choosing a direction, starting with body composition and muscle growth potential. I break down body fat ranges for men and women, and why someone who has trained for 10 years can still have a lot of room to build muscle. I also cover how recent dieting history and yo-yo dieting affect which direction I go, which biofeedback markers I watch (like energy, libido, digestion, HRV, and blood work), and how your goals and training, lifestyle, and recovery demands factor in. Then I talk about when I’ll use a health restoration phase instead of pushing body comp changes. If you tend to go straight into a diet anytime you want to look leaner, this episode is for you. Let’s talk about: IntroductionUpcoming Cut, Bulk, or Maintain WorkshopThe 5 Factors I Look AtWhy Your Inputs Matter MostFactor 1: Body Composition and Muscle Growth PotentialWhat Muscle Growth Potential Is Why Training Age Can Be MisleadingHigher, Moderate, and Lower Body Fat RangesBody Fat Plus High Muscle Growth PotentialBody Fat Plus Low Muscle Growth PotentialFactor 2: Recent Dieting HistoryYo-Yo Dieting and Weight TrendsFactor 3: BiofeedbackWhat Your Blood Work Can Tell YouWhen a Health Restoration Phase Makes SenseFactor 4: Your GoalsFactor 5: Training, Lifestyle, and Recovery DemandsWhy Maintenance Is a Good Default Final Thoughts Should You Cut, Bulk, or Maintain? Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT): https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd  Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  6. Oct 23

    What To Do If You Overshot Your Building Phase | Ep 788

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Gaining more weight than you planned during a building phase doesn’t mean you have to jump straight back into a fat loss phase. In part two of my building phase series, I break down what to do if you overshot your build, starting with what I look at with clients before we change anything, including whether the increase is temporary, whether the weight gain is actually a bad thing, and whether you’re trying to stay leaner than your lifestyle and training allow.  I also go over the four options I use with clients when a build does overshoot. These are returning to maintenance, moving more, adding a reverse maintenance day, and knowing when it actually makes sense to go back into a fat loss phase. I get into the situations where I’d hold off on dieting again, and why building more muscle might be what your physique needs most.  If you gained more than you wanted during a build and your first thought was to start cutting again, this episode is for you. Let’s talk about: What Overshooting a Building Phase Looks LikeThe Biggest Mistake: Jumping Back Into Fat Loss Too SoonFour Questions to Ask Before Making ChangesIs This a Temporary Increase?Is All Weight Gain Actually Bad?Are You Getting in Your Own Head?Are You Trying to Stay Too Lean?Client Example: Lifestyle, Training Demands, and RecoveryOption 1: Return to MaintenanceOption 2: Increase Steps, Daily Movement, or CardioOption 3: Add a Reverse Maintenance DayOption 4: Transition Into a Fat Loss or Touch-Up PhaseWhen to Be Cautious About Dieting AgainWhen Your Biggest Weakness Is a Lack of MuscleShould You Cut, Bulk, or Maintain? Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT): https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  7. Oct 19

    Why You Feel Like You Need To Fat Loss Diet Year Round | Ep 787

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! If you feel like you have to be in a fat loss phase all year to stay in shape, your building phases are probably the problem. In this episode, I go over how to run a building phase without unnecessary fat gain, starting with the expectations you need going in and how I set up calories and macros with clients. I also cover the habits that keep fat gain in check, like not saving all your calories for the end of the day, fueling around your workouts, spending time at maintenance, and keeping cardio in. Then I go over the signs that your building phase is done. If you’ve tried a building phase before and felt like you just gained a bunch of body fat, this episode is for you.  Let’s talk about: Upcoming Nutrition Periodization WorkshopWhat a Building Phase IsSetting Expectations for a Building Phase05:40 Why Good Building Phases Mean Less Time DietingHow I Set Up Calories in a Building PhaseSetting Your MacrosDon’t Save All Your Calories for Later in the DayPrioritize Your TrainingBe Smarter With Food Around SleepPut More Food Around Your WorkoutsSpend Some Time at MaintenanceShort Catabolic Periods Deeper Into a BuildEat Until Satisfied, Not StuffedKeep Your Base Nutrition in PlaceKeep Doing CardioSome Weight Gain Is FineSigns Your Building Phase Is Done Nutrition Periodization for Body Recomp Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT): https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

  8. Oct 16

    How to Know When to End a Building Phase, Back Training & More w/ Aaron Straker | Ep. 786

    Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Aaron Straker, founder of Straker Nutrition Co. and co-host of the Eat Train Prosper Podcast with Bryan Boorstein, is back on for the third time. Aaron recently earned his IFBB Pro card in men’s physique and just moved back to the States after four years in Bali. In this episode, we talk about how he’s running his offseason build and how he’s working to bring up his upper back after his first bodybuilding season. We also get into his low-volume leg training, what eating 4,300 calories a day looks like, signs it’s time to end a building phase, digestion and fiber when calories are high, how to keep insulin sensitivity in check, and how he uses cardio in a build, in a diet, and on TRT. So if you’re in a building phase, or you’ve got a muscle group that just won’t grow, this episode is for you.  Let’s talk about: 01:32 Moving Back From Bali and Starting From Zero04:13 The Bali Gym and New Equipment07:27 Salt Lake City’s Hidden Bodybuilding Gym Scene09:28 Aaron’s Offseason Build and Training Split10:45 The Men’s Physique Weight Cap and Why He’s Pulling Back on Legs12:42 Three Sets of Quads a Week14:13 Why Aaron Sticks to Structure and a Log Book16:01 Calf Training and Getting Into the Stretch19:58 Bringing Up His Upper Back and Dropping the Ego25:38 You Never Stop Learning27:51 Exercise Selection for Traps and Rhomboids31:31 Eating 4,300 Calories a Day33:36 Scale Weight vs. Training Performance36:50 Signs It’s Time to End a Building Phase39:17 Digestion, Food Quality, and Fiber When Calories Are High45:04 Tracking Insulin Sensitivity With Blood Work47:15 Carb Timing to Stay Insulin Sensitive49:50 Cardio in a Build vs. a Diet54:34 Cardio on TRT and Anabolics57:33 Why Aaron Doesn’t Compete in Classic Physique58:44 NFL Linemen, a 40-Day Fast, and Why Pros Aren’t Your Baseline1:01:54 What’s Next and Where to Find Aaron Aaron Straker’s Links: Straker Nutrition Co. Coaching: https://strakernutritionco.com Follow Aaron on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaron_straker/ Eat Train Prosper Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1556699  Body Recomp Workshop Replay: https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c Follow me on Instagram for more information and education: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en How You Can Work With Me?: https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/ Coaching application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

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4.8
out of 5
51 Ratings

About

The Mind Muscle Connection is a show dedicated to educating you on applying science-based; training, nutrition, and mindset strategies to help you build a leaner, stronger, and more confident self. Grab some coffee and listen in!

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Hoehn
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    801
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Mind Muscle Connection
  • Show Website
    The Mind Muscle Connection

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