Wits & Weights | Evidence-Based Fitness & Nutrition for Lifters

Philip Pape, Evidence-Based Nutrition Coach & Fat Loss Expert
  • 4.9 (233)
  • NUTRITION
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Wits & Weights is a strength and nutrition podcast where in every episode I put a popular piece of fitness advice under the microscope, find the hidden reason it doesn't work, and give you the deceptively simple fix that does. For skeptics of the fitness industry who are tired of following the rules and still not seeing results. If you've been lifting weights, tracking macros, and doing "all the right things" but your body composition hasn't changed, you're probably overcomplicating it. This is the fitness podcast that shows you how to build muscle, lose fat, and achieve a real body recomp by focusing only on what the evidence actually supports. Evidence-based fat loss coach Philip Pape brings an engineer's approach to strength training, nutrition, and metabolism. Instead of another generic program or meal plan, you get specific, science-based strategies for optimizing body composition, whether you're focused on building muscle, losing fat, or both. The focus is on strength training over 40, hormone health, perimenopause and menopause, and longevity. You've seen the conflicting advice. One expert says cut carbs, the next says eat more. One says train six days a week, another says three is plenty. Building the body you want doesn't have to be this confusing or time-consuming. By using your wits (systems + identity-based behavior change) and lifting weights, you can build muscle definition, improve your physique, and maintain your results for life without rebound weight gain. You'll learn smart, efficient strategies for movement, metabolism, muscle, and mindset, such as: - Why fat loss matters more than weight loss for both your health and your physique- Why all the macros, including protein, fats, and yes even carbs, are critical to body composition- How just 3 hours a week of proper hypertrophy training can deliver better results than most people get in twice that time- Why building muscle is the single most powerful thing you can do for metabolic health, longevity, and aging well- Why perimenopause and menopause don't have to derail your progress when your training and nutrition are dialed in- How shifting the way you think about fitness can unlock more physical (and personal) growth than any program alone If you're ready to learn what actually works with evidence-based training and nutrition, hit "follow" and let's engineer your best physique ever! Popular Guests Include: Mike Matthews (author of Bigger Leaner Stronger), Greg Nuckols (Stronger by Science), Alan Aragon (nutrition researcher), Eric Helms (3D Muscle Journey), Dr. Spencer Nadolsky (Docs Who Lift), Bill Campbell (exercise science researcher), Jordan Feigenbaum (Barbell Medicine), Holly Baxter (evidence-based physique coach), Laurin Conlin (physique coach), Lauren Colenso-Semple (nutrition researcher), Karen Martel (hormone optimization expert), Steph Gaudreau (women's strength and nutrition), Bryan Boorstein (hypertrophy coach) Popular Topics Include: hormone health, metabolism optimization, hypertrophy training, longevity and healthy aging, nutrition tracking, best protein powder selection, strength training over 40, women's fitness, perimenopause, menopause, muscle building, body recomp, macros and nutrition tracking

  1. She SMASHED the Raw Squat World Record at 515 lb with THIS Training Program (Steph Mager) | Ep 436

    11H AGO

    She SMASHED the Raw Squat World Record at 515 lb with THIS Training Program (Steph Mager) | Ep 436

    Get Fitness Lab, the #1 adaptive coaching app that adjusts to YOUR recovery, YOUR schedule, and YOUR body. Build muscle, lose fat, and get stronger with daily personalized guidance. Now 20% through February 17. Take the free 2-minute quiz to see your custom plan before you buy. — How does someone smash a 515-pound raw squat at 181 pounds bodyweight?  What separates elite strength training from the way most people lift weights? And are deloads quietly sabotaging your body recomp progress? Body recomp, strength training, and lifting weights look very different when world-record powerlifter Steph Mager joins me on this episode. Steph holds the all-time raw squat world record at 181 pounds bodyweight, and she breaks down how a personalized conjugate system helped her build muscle, protect her metabolism, and avoid burnout.  We unpack why most lifters misunderstand deloads, how evidence-based training balances max effort with volume, and how nutrition and macros shift between off-season and meet prep. We also dig into women’s fitness, hypertrophy, recovery, and mindset, including how elite lifters manage stress, fuel muscle building, and approach weight loss without sacrificing performance.  Tune in to learn more. Today, you’ll learn all about: 0:00 – World record squat context 2:35 – Athlete mindset and ego 9:02– Conjugate training explained 11:58 – Max effort vs dynamic work 26:01 – Deloads most lifters misuse 38:53 – Nutrition and protein targets 50:39 – Learning from failed meets 54:06 – Developing an athlete mindset Episode resources: Instagram: @stephm.fit 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    58 min
  2. 5 Signs You're Building Muscle (Even When the Mirror Says Otherwise) | Ep 435

    2D AGO

    5 Signs You're Building Muscle (Even When the Mirror Says Otherwise) | Ep 435

    Upgrade your sleep and recovery with Cozy Earth's bamboo pajamas and blankets. Temperature-regulating, lightweight, and designed to help you fall asleep faster. Go to witsandweights.com/cozyearth -- You're training consistently, eating enough protein, doing everything you're supposed to, but when you look in the mirror or step on the scale, nothing seems to be changing. Or worse, you look softer than last week. What's going on? The mirror and scale are terrible short-term indicators of muscle growth.  They're influenced by glycogen levels, water retention, inflammation, and your nervous system, none of which reflect actual changes in muscle or fat tissue. If you're judging progress by how you looked this morning vs. last week, you're setting yourself up for frustration and bad decisions. Learn the 5 reliable signs that you're actually building muscle. You'll also hear the common scenarios where feedback gets confusing (deloads, building phases, body recomp, and post-diet maintenance) and exactly what to expect during each one. Plus, we answer a listener question about what to track during a deload week. Whether you're focused on strength training over 40, working on body recomp, or just trying to build muscle without the mental games, you'll get a framework to trust your process. Timestamps: 0:00 – Why the mirror and scale are misleading when building muscle 3:28 – How glycogen and water create short-term visual fluctuations 5:32 – 5 reliable signs you're building muscle 10:48 – Strength progression and recovery as leading indicators 14:32 – Changes in your clothes and performance 18:10 – Biofeedback markers (sleep, energy, hunger) 20:29 – Sleep and recovery tools for better adaptation 23:07 – What to expect during a deload week 28:20 – Reading your data correctly early in a building phase 31:23 – Body recomp and post-diet maintenance pitfalls 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    31 min
  3. Stop Blaming Menopause for Muscle Loss (Here's What's Really Happening) | Ep 434

    4D AGO

    Stop Blaming Menopause for Muscle Loss (Here's What's Really Happening) | Ep 434

    If what worked in your 30s isn't working anymore, it's not your fault. Your body and life have changed. The Fitness Lab app adapts to your sleep, recovery, and stress so you can actually build muscle and lose fat over 40. It also now syncs with Apple Health (iPhone version only). Podcast listeners get 20% off at bit.ly/fitness-lab-pod20 -- Does menopause cause muscle loss or make it harder to build muscle? The fitness industry loves to blame hormones for everything. Wellness gurus want to sell you special programs, protocols, and supplements for perimenopause and postmenopause. But the research shows that postmenopausal women build muscle and gain strength with resistance training just as effectively as younger women. The stimulus-response relationship doesn't break after 50 (or 40). So what's really happening?  Learn why the "menopause steals muscle" narrative is mostly a timing coincidence, and what's actually driving the decline.  We break down the 5 factors that "drift" during midlife, where hormone replacement therapy (HRT) fits into the picture, and specific strategies that work for women over 40 regardless of hormonal status. If you've felt like your body stopped responding, this episode offers both the evidence and the practical framework to test that assumption. Building muscle after menopause isn't about fighting your biology, it's about adjusting your inputs. Episode Resources: Take the free 2-minute quiz to see if Fitness Lab is right for youTimestamps: 0:00 - The dangerous menopause muscle loss narrative 3:50 - What the research shows about strength training after menopause 7:30 - Life changes vs. hormones (correlation vs. causation) 10:52 - 5 factors that actually drive midlife muscle loss 18:45 - How to train for muscle building over 40 (not just "staying active") 22:10 - Protein targets and meal distribution for women over 40 24:55 - Why sleep and recovery become non-negotiable in midlife 28:05 - The body composition feedback loop and metabolism myths 31:15 - Where HRT fits 38:15 - How negative messaging creates the outcomes it predicts 41:20 - Weekly training structure for building muscle 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    42 min
  4. Can Electrical Stimulation Build Muscle and Speed Recovery? (Garrett Salpeter) | Ep 433

    JAN 30

    Can Electrical Stimulation Build Muscle and Speed Recovery? (Garrett Salpeter) | Ep 433

    Get Fitness Lab (20% off for listeners), the #1 coaching app that adapts to YOUR recovery, YOUR schedule, and YOUR body. Build muscle, lose fat, and get stronger with daily personalized guidance. — If you train hard, want to build muscle, and still lose fat, how do you actually recover faster without breaking yourself down? Can electrical stimulation really support body recomp and strength training, or is it just another shiny gadget? Garrett Salpeter joined me to connect the dots between neuroscience, rehab, and performance. We break down how early strength gains are driven by neural adaptation, why pain and restricted movement are often software problems not hardware ones, and where most recovery tools fall short. You’ll learn why traditional TENS units underdeliver, how direct current stimulation works differently, and what the research shows for muscle building and rehab without excessive joint stress. If you care about evidence-based fitness, smarter recovery, and training hard without burning out as you get older, this conversation will challenge how you think about recovery. Tune in to learn more. Today, you’ll learn all about: 0:00 – Electrical stimulation myths 3:49 – Nervous system and strength 7:10 – Pain, protection, adaptation 15:08 – Fatigue and central governor 20:19 – Direct vs alternating current 31:40 – Muscle growth without load 35:45 – Real-world bodybuilding results 40:12 – Clinically designed recovery tools 50:40 – Regulation and real-world use Episode resources: Website: neu.fit Instagram: @neufitrfp / @garrett.salpeter YouTube: @NeuFit  📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    1 hr
  5. The Body Recomp Advantage for Appetite and Fat Loss After 40 | Ep 432

    JAN 28

    The Body Recomp Advantage for Appetite and Fat Loss After 40 | Ep 432

    Try Calocurb, a 100% natural appetite support supplement that activates your body's GLP-1 signals to reduce cravings by 40% and hunger by 30% within one hour. It's a helpful tool for your next recomp or fat loss phase. Get 10% off at witsandweights.com/calocurb -- If you're over 40, cutting calories to lose fat can backfire. Why? Because if your approach is too aggressive or your stress is too high, your hunger spikes, training suffers, and you often regain everything you lost when you increase calories again. Body recomposition (losing fat while building or preserving muscle simultaneously) can avoid this. It's not just a physique strategy but also an appetite strategy. In this finale of our 8-part appetite series, you'll learn why body recomp avoids the hunger cascade that derails most fat loss attempts.  Discover my Recomp Ladder framework that prioritizes your levers in the right order. Get 3 ready-to-use body recomp plans: aggressive maintenance for efficiency-focused recomp, small deficit recomp for faster results without hunger, and the build-then-mini-cut approach for breaking plateaus. You'll also learn who recomp works best for (hint: if you're over 40 with an inconsistent lifting history, you're in the sweet spot), the 5 most common recomp pitfalls, and a simple 2-metric check to know if your recomp is actually working (no scale weight required). Timestamps: 0:00 - Do you actually need a deficit to lose fat?  3:20 - What body recomp really means (and what it's not) 5:22 - Recomp as an appetite management strategy 7:10 - 3 reasons recomp works better after 40 11:32 - Who body recomp works best for 14:43 - When recomp gets harder (and what to do instead) 15:53 - Appetite support during recomp 18:05 - The Recomp Ladder (5 levels) 21:42 - 3 specific plans for body recomp 25:04 - 5 common recomp mistakes and how to fix them 30:35 - Bonus: Quick 2-metric body recomp check (hint: NOT the scale) 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    34 min

  6. JAN 27 · BONUS

    I Messed Up

    Since late 2025, the 20% discount link for Fitness Lab wasn't applying at checkout but it's fixed now! Plus: a quick update on Apple Health ❤️ integration for iPhone users.  Here's the (working) link for 20% off Fitness Lab: https://bit.ly/fitness-lab-pod20 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    1 min
  7. How Strength Training (Not Cardio) Suppresses Appetite and Burns Fat | Ep 431

    JAN 26

    How Strength Training (Not Cardio) Suppresses Appetite and Burns Fat | Ep 431

    Struggling with hunger during your cut?  Try Calocurb for natural appetite support that activates GLP-1 to help you feel satisfied. Clinical studies showed a 40% reduction in cravings and 30% reduction in hunger within one hour. Get 10% off at witsandweights.com/calocurb -- Hungry after every workout and stuck in an endless “eat less, move more” loop?  Strength training is actually one of the most powerful appetite control tools you have, but most people only think of it as a muscle-building tool. Learn the science behind why lifting suppresses hunger hormones like ghrelin while boosting satiety signals like GLP-1 and PYY. We cover why cardio often backfires through energy compensation, leaving you hungrier and more fatigued without the fat loss results. And discover the behavioral shifts that make strength training superior for long-term body recomposition. Plus, get a template for building an appetite-friendly training week, cardio structured to avoid spiking your hunger, and a specific post-workout timing strategy to eliminate overeating at your hardest meal of the day. Timestamps 0:00 – Strength training for appetite control 3:38 – How cardio triggers energy compensation and stalls fat loss 7:42 – The gut hormone shifts that suppress hunger after lifting 12:31 – How protein cravings and reward substitution change your eating 16:27 – Building a training week that supports fat loss and controls appetite 20:12 – How to adjust cardio to lose fat without spiking hunger 23:47 – 3 myths keeping you stuck (cardio, calories, and willpower) 27:12 – Bonus: post-workout timing trick to stop overeating at dinner 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    33 min

  8. JAN 25 · BONUS

    Why Generic Fitness Programs Don't Work (Do THIS Instead)

    For the ultimate in personalization, check out my Fitness Lab app, now with full Apple Health integration. It's like having a coach in your pocket. Listeners get 20% with this exclusive link: http://bit.ly/fitness-lab-pod20 -- What does it mean to "personlize" your fitness really? In this episode, you'll learn about my ADAPT framework for personalizing fitness: Assess your starting pointDo the thing (take action)Analyze your dataPivot based on what you learnTest your changesLearn why generic templates and YouTube workouts often fail, how to actually track progress beyond the scale, and the power of measuring energy and performance instead of just weight. We also cover walking and NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), how to train around injuries without making them worse, building an effective home gym on a budget, and why patience and consistent data collection beat program-hopping every time. This is from my conversation with Jenn Trepeck on her podcast Salad with a Side of Fries. Jenn is a health coach with an evidence-based approach to nutrition and weight loss who you may have caught on Wits & Weights last week discussing why your metabolism is stuck. Episode Mentioned Why Your Metabolism Is Stuck at 50% and How to Fix It Without Biohacks (Jenn Trepeck) | Ep 430Did you like this bonus episode? Leave a review with Apple or a comment on Spotify to let me know! 📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    45 min
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4.9
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About

Wits & Weights is a strength and nutrition podcast where in every episode I put a popular piece of fitness advice under the microscope, find the hidden reason it doesn't work, and give you the deceptively simple fix that does. For skeptics of the fitness industry who are tired of following the rules and still not seeing results. If you've been lifting weights, tracking macros, and doing "all the right things" but your body composition hasn't changed, you're probably overcomplicating it. This is the fitness podcast that shows you how to build muscle, lose fat, and achieve a real body recomp by focusing only on what the evidence actually supports. Evidence-based fat loss coach Philip Pape brings an engineer's approach to strength training, nutrition, and metabolism. Instead of another generic program or meal plan, you get specific, science-based strategies for optimizing body composition, whether you're focused on building muscle, losing fat, or both. The focus is on strength training over 40, hormone health, perimenopause and menopause, and longevity. You've seen the conflicting advice. One expert says cut carbs, the next says eat more. One says train six days a week, another says three is plenty. Building the body you want doesn't have to be this confusing or time-consuming. By using your wits (systems + identity-based behavior change) and lifting weights, you can build muscle definition, improve your physique, and maintain your results for life without rebound weight gain. You'll learn smart, efficient strategies for movement, metabolism, muscle, and mindset, such as: - Why fat loss matters more than weight loss for both your health and your physique- Why all the macros, including protein, fats, and yes even carbs, are critical to body composition- How just 3 hours a week of proper hypertrophy training can deliver better results than most people get in twice that time- Why building muscle is the single most powerful thing you can do for metabolic health, longevity, and aging well- Why perimenopause and menopause don't have to derail your progress when your training and nutrition are dialed in- How shifting the way you think about fitness can unlock more physical (and personal) growth than any program alone If you're ready to learn what actually works with evidence-based training and nutrition, hit "follow" and let's engineer your best physique ever! Popular Guests Include: Mike Matthews (author of Bigger Leaner Stronger), Greg Nuckols (Stronger by Science), Alan Aragon (nutrition researcher), Eric Helms (3D Muscle Journey), Dr. Spencer Nadolsky (Docs Who Lift), Bill Campbell (exercise science researcher), Jordan Feigenbaum (Barbell Medicine), Holly Baxter (evidence-based physique coach), Laurin Conlin (physique coach), Lauren Colenso-Semple (nutrition researcher), Karen Martel (hormone optimization expert), Steph Gaudreau (women's strength and nutrition), Bryan Boorstein (hypertrophy coach) Popular Topics Include: hormone health, metabolism optimization, hypertrophy training, longevity and healthy aging, nutrition tracking, best protein powder selection, strength training over 40, women's fitness, perimenopause, menopause, muscle building, body recomp, macros and nutrition tracking

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