Wits & Weights | Nutrition, Lifting, Muscle, Metabolism, & Fat Loss Philip Pape, Nutrition Coach & Physique Engineer

On this classic episode (a replay of Ep 60), we’re examining the world of programming and coaching with my special guest, Andy Baker. We get into programming principles for lifters of different ages and experience levels, whether your goal is to improve strength, performance, or body composition, or just have fun but effective workouts. We also talk about Andy’s career as a coach,  training principles and methods, and what he’s been up to lately.

If you don’t already know him, Andy Baker is a highly sought-after strength coach, personal trainer, competitive raw and drug-free powerlifter, and co-author of two best-selling books on strength training.

Andy’s books and programming changed my life when I finally figured things out and got my act together back in 2020 and did my first novice linear progression with Starting Strength. I’ve since run several of his programs, my favorite being The KSC Method for Power-Building, and I’ve been a group client of his Baker Barbell Club since 2021.

Unlock the secrets of effective strength training with Andy Baker, a strength coach whose expertise spans from military fitness to running a successful barbell club. Our conversation promises insights that transcend the usual workout chatter, focusing on how to craft a regimen that's as enjoyable as it is sustainable. Andy and I dissect the principles of programming that hold true whether you're a gym rookie or a seasoned weightlifter, offering guidance on how to pursue strength, enhance body composition, and safeguard long-term health.

To check out the original episode (including full timestamps and links to Andy's website and podcast), check out:
Ep 60: Strength and Programming for Maximum Gains at Any Age with Andy BakerYou might also like the more recent interview of Andy about bodybuilding:
Ep 131: Andy Baker on Bodybuilding for Hypertrophy and an Aesthetic, Muscular PhysiqueSend me a text message!
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🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

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📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

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Are you struggling with weight due to thyroid issues? Confused about the role of minerals in thyroid function? Do you need a roadmap for exercise and nutrition with a thyroid condition?

Today, Philip (@witsandweights) welcomes Haley Fountain, a women's health coach who balances modern nutrition with ancient wisdom and behavioral science. Haley is certified as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and specializes in Hormonal Health. She's also a yoga instructor, model, and actress.

In this episode, you will learn about the world of thyroid health. This complex issue impacts your weight, metabolism, sleep, and mental health. Haley will guide us through managing weight with a thyroid condition, the role of minerals in thyroid function, and the importance of exercise and nutrition. They'll also explore how the mind-body connection and sleep contribute to thyroid health.

Haley is dedicated to empowering women to thrive. She offers personalized coaching, organizes events, and hosts retreats to create a supportive environment for women to connect with their health and well-being. Her approach is to provide accessible and practical information, regardless of where individuals are on their health journey. Whether someone is dealing with thyroid issues or simply seeking to expand their knowledge, Haley's expertise promises to be valuable.

Get the 13-minute bonus Q&A video interview with Haley on thyroid health



Today, you’ll learn all about:

2:11 The importance of the thyroid and its function
4:26 The conditions associated with the thyroid
6:05 Hormones vs. lifestyle
8:22 The role of the thyroid in metabolism and weight management
12:27 How do you approach meal spacing and diet
18:36 The link between minerals, supplementation, diet, and thyroid health
27:33 How to test for mineral deficiency
33:04 Exercise for thyroid health
35:45 The impact of the third leg of movement
37:29 Specific foods that are helpful for the thyroid
41:22 The value of sleep, naps, and yoga
45:22 What Hely wished Philip had asked
48:19 Where to learn more about Haley
48:47 Outro

Episode resources:


Haley’s website: holisticinhouston.com/ IG: @holistic_in_houston YouTube: Send me a text message!
Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

Think spending more time in the gym is how to look like you lift? Think again.

There's one surprising reason that most people are doing that prevents them looking like they want to and getting results from all that hard work in the gym, and we're going to talk about that on today's Quick Wits.

Ever feel like you're a hamster on a wheel, working out endlessly but your muscles are playing hide and seek? Let's reveal the culprit behind why your gym efforts aren't translating to that superhero silhouette you're after. Today, I am tearing down the misconceptions that keep your gains under wraps.

We're not just lifting weights; we're lifting the veil on creating an anabolic environment, the necessity of a calorie surplus, and the optimal path to muscle visibility. This episode is your ticket to a smarter workout regimen that ensures you're not only feeling Herculean on the inside but also looking the part.

Forget the frustration of progress that feels glacial and those years that seem wasted in search of muscle definition. I break down evidence-based strategies for a controlled calorie surplus that meshes with your body’s needs like a glove.

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“Quick Wits” are short mini-episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

These mini-episodes give you practical advice on fitness, training, and mindset based on my everyday experience with clients that you can implement right away.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a message on IG @witsandweights or hit me up in the free Wits & Weights Facebook community.


Send me a text message!
Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

Are you feeling lost in the calorie counting maze for body recomposition? Struggling to juggle muscle gain and fat loss at the same time? Tired of the yo-yo effect after dieting?

In this episode, Philip (@witsandweights) talks about body recomposition and strategies for muscle gain and fat loss. He emphasizes patience and consistency, starting with maintenance calories for beginners and slower recomp for experienced individuals. Philip also dives into caloric balance, setting and adjusting calorie targets, and optimizing macronutrient ratios for muscle growth and fat loss. He emphasizes the importance of peri-workout nutrition to support muscle growth through strategic protein and carbohydrate consumption.

Philip also stresses that strength training is crucial to body recomposition and long-term fat loss. He shares principles of effective strength training, including progressive overload and proper exercise techniques. He also touches on the hormonal benefits of strength training, like elevated testosterone and growth hormones.

Philip advocates a holistic approach to body recomposition, incorporating nutrition, training, mindset, and lifestyle factors. He encourages celebrating small victories, staying dedicated, and trusting the process towards achieving your desired physique.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

1:59 Wins from the WWPU community
6:48 Common misunderstanding about body recomp
10:57 Underlying body recomp mechanisms
13:47 Three categories of body recomp
19:37 Using nutrition for body recomposition
27:20 Setting your macros
28:47 The significance of effective strength training
31:09 Benefits of proper training and building muscle mass
33:40 Peri-workout nutrition
36:34 Optimizing health and hormone status
39:59 The importance of mindset
44:02 Final thoughts on body recomp
48:27 Outro

Episode resources:
Watch this FREE video on how to setup MacroFactor for body recompTry MacroFactor FREE with my code WITSANDWEIGHTSRelated episodes:
Ep 66: Sustaining Fat Loss Results and Maximizing Recovery for The Long Game with Jeff HoehnEp 136: How to Maintain a Lean Physique Year-Round (Without Cuts or Bulks)Send me a text message!
Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

If you're pressed for time in the gym but you still want to make massive gains, learn about time-efficient training techniques to supercharge your upper body workouts.

Ever feel like you're racing against the clock in the gym, trying to squeeze in those exercises? We're sharing the insider scoop on rest-pause sets and supersets that can cut your gym time in half while still scoring you those significant muscle gains.

This episode isn't just about fast-tracking your fitness; it's about optimizing every minute for maximum results. We'll explain why these tried-and-true methods, often overlooked as simple bro-science, are backed by solid research and can be integrated into your routine without compromising performance.

Tune in as we break down how to maintain intensity and volume in your workouts, sidestepping the common trap of excessive volume, all while keeping an eye on the clock. Whether you're a busy professional or a time-strapped fitness enthusiast, you won't want to miss the game-changing strategies we're unpacking to revolutionize your upper body workouts.

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“Quick Wits” are short, 3-5 minute episodes between full episodes to give you an actionable strategy or hit of motivation.

These mini-episodes give you practical advice on fitness, training, and mindset based on my everyday experience with clients that you can implement right away.

If you enjoy these bonus episodes or have feedback on how to make them better, just send me a message on IG @witsandweights or hit me up in the free Wits & Weights Facebook community.


Send me a text message!
Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail

Should you stop taking creatine to drop weight as a runner, and will it kill your gains? What is the best diet to lower your cholesterol? Can you still build lean muscle while on a calorie deficit, as long as the protein is high? And is body recomp realistic if you are 200 pounds, 5'10 with 25% body fat or really whatever your stats are and your background?

We are answering 4 questions today:


Should I stop taking creatine to drop weight as a long-distance runner and will it kill my gains?What is the best diet to lower my cholesterol (omnivore, carnivore, keto, Mediterranean, etc.)?Can I still build lean muscle while in a calorie deficit as long as the protein is high?Is body recomp realistic for me at 200 pounds, 5'10", 25% body fat. I lift 5 days a week, cardio 2-4 days.Get the answers in today's Weekend Q&A bonus episode.

Mentioned in the episode:


Get MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS---

This is a special Weekend Q&A edition of the Wits & Weights podcast, where we supercharge your Saturdays with an answer to one burning question so YOU can put it into action this weekend.

These questions are taken from the weekly #AskPhilip thread in our free Wits & Weights Facebook community. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the endless amount of information and, let’s be honest, MISinformation online and just want a straight up answer without the jargon, that’s what this free service is for.

With the weekly #AskPhilip thread, you can post a specific question relevant to your unique, individual situation that week and have it answered live by me on Friday. If you’d like to experience it yourself, I invite you to use the link in the show notes to join the Wits & Weights Facebook group. It’s totally free and you’ll quickly find out what a positive and supportive community it is.

Join our FREE community here to get access to the #AskPhilip thread!




Send me a text message!
Support the Show.

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👩‍💻 Schedule a FREE nutrition/training audit with Philip

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🩷 Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights

🤩 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail