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. Does HRT Cause Weight Gain or Help Fat Loss After 40? (Dr. Maria Sophocles) | Ep 439

    1D AGO

    Does HRT Cause Weight Gain or Help Fat Loss After 40? (Dr. Maria Sophocles) | Ep 439

    Are hormones making you gain belly fat?  Is menopause really breaking your metabolism, or is something else going on? And does hormone replacement therapy help or hurt body recomp after 40? Body recomp, weight loss, hormone health, and women’s fitness all collide in this conversation with Dr. Maria Sophocles, a board-certified OBGYN and nationally recognized menopause expert with 30 years of clinical experience.  We break down why women lose muscle, gain abdominal fat, and struggle with metabolism during perimenopause and menopause even when nutrition, macros, and strength training are dialed in. We unpack what estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone actually do for fat distribution, muscle building, insulin sensitivity, and longevity. We also tackle the biggest fear head-on: does HRT cause weight gain? If you care about lifting weights, strength training over 40, and sustainable weight loss, this episode brings clarity instead of confusion. Today, you’ll learn all about: 0:00 – Menopause and weight fears 5:33 – Why belly fat increases 9:15 – Hormones vs metabolism myths 13:56 – Muscle loss and calorie needs 20:18 – Does HRT cause weight gain 27:13 – Estrogen and fat distribution 28:24 – Progesterone and sleep effects 31:24 – Testosterone and muscle building 34:16 – Labs and doses 38:31 – Health risks and best time to start HRT 45:30 – Four HRT takeaways Episode resources: Instagram: @mariasophoclesmd Website: mariasophoclesmd.com Book: The Bedroom Gap: Rewrite the Rules and Roles of Sex in MidlifeTED Talk: What happens to sex in midlife? A look at the "bedroom gap"YouTube: @drmariasophocles  📱 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

    48 min
  2. 7 Natural Testosterone Boosters That Actually Work (Evidence-Based) | Ep 438

    3D AGO

    7 Natural Testosterone Boosters That Actually Work (Evidence-Based) | Ep 438

    Get your free 14-Day Rapid Start Fat Loss Guide to set up a sustainable approach that protects your testosterone and performance instead of the chronic restriction that tanks your hormones. Go to: https://witsandweights.com/fatloss -- Struggling with low T? The testosterone supplement industry wants you to believe your T levels require exotic herbs, pills, and "testosterone booster" powders. The TRT industry wants you to believe your hormones are the root cause. Many men over 40 with suboptimal testosterone don't have (primarily) a hormone problem. They have a lifestyle problem. Chronic under-sleeping, chronic dieting, and chronic stress suppress testosterone far more than you might think. Learn the 7 evidence-based lifestyle factors that affect testosterone levels in men, why strength training is non-negotiable for hormone health, how chronic calorie restriction backfires (even if you're trying to lose fat), and the BIGGEST factor that is lowering your testosterone by 10 to 15 percent. You'll also discover why popular supplements like ashwagandha and tongkat ali are the last thing to focus on, and how to reframe testosterone optimization as a natural byproduct of doing the fundamentals right for building muscle and losing fat after 40. Timestamps: 0:00 - Why testosterone boosters fail and what actually works 3:39 - Testosterone as a signal of how you treat your body 7:19 - How the HPG axis regulates hormone production 9:31 - 7 natural, evidence-based testosterone boosters 11:31 - Strength training as the foundation for hormone health 15:30 - Chronic dieting vs. strategic fat loss for men over 40 19:11 - Sleep deprivation and the testosterone crash study 22:23 - My 14-day rapid start fat loss approach 23:12 - Body fat, aromatization, and when losing fat helps vs. hurts 26:19 - Stress, cortisol, and the recovery connection 📱 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

    29 min
  3. Carbs Spike Your Insulin (But That's IDEAL for Muscle Growth) | Ep 437

    5D AGO

    Carbs Spike Your Insulin (But That's IDEAL for Muscle Growth) | Ep 437

    Download my FREE macros guide: Nutrition 101 for Body Composition. Learn exactly how to set your protein, carbs, and fats for muscle building and fat loss using a flexible approach that works long-term: witsandweights.com/macros -- Do carbs make you fat? Are spikes in blood sugar and insulin a problem for health or weight loss? Maybe you've been cutting carbs or tried keto or carnivore, yet your strength training progress has stalled, your recovery feels sluggish, and you're still not seeing the body composition results you want.  The problem isn't your discipline. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of what insulin actually does (especially if you lift weights). Insulin is not a "fat-storage hormone" but a nutrient-partitioning hormone whose effects depend entirely on context: your training status, muscle mass, and energy balance.  Learn how resistance training changes the way your body handles carbs, why lifters over 40 actually benefit from strategic insulin spikes, and how muscle tissue acts as a "sink" for glucose that determines where your nutrients go.  It's not about eating unlimited carbs but understanding why carb tolerance is built through strength training and how to use that to your advantage, and to stop fearing spikes in blood sugar. Whether you want body recomp, trying to build muscle while losing fat, or wondering why your low-carb diet isn't working despite consistent strength training, this episode gives you an evidence-based framework to rethink your nutrition strategy.  Plus, get a simple post-workout protocol that can improve your next-day training performance. Timestamps 0:00 - Why carbs and insulin don't automatically cause fat gain 3:20 - How training context changes what insulin does with your food 7:25 - The real reason lifters fear carbs (and why it's misguided) 11:55 - What insulin actually does (nutrient partitioning explained) 18:40 - How carbs support muscle building, recovery, and strength training performance 24:20 - Fat loss and insulin (why energy balance matters more than spikes) 29:20 - Acute insulin spikes vs. chronic dysfunction (the critical difference for body recomp) 📱 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

    32 min

  4. 6D AGO · BONUS

    New Episode Schedule (Plus I Need YOUR Questions)

    Submit your question for the podcast at witsandweights.com/question. If your question is featured, you'll get a shout-out on the show! -- Big changes are coming to Wits & Weights! My goal is to deliver higher-quality, more focused content while respecting your time. Also... what do YOU want to hear on the show? 👉 Submit your question or topic and help shape the future of the podcast! 📱 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

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

    FEB 6

    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
  6. 5 Signs You're Building Muscle (Even When the Mirror Says Otherwise) | Ep 435

    FEB 4

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

    FEB 2

    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
  8. 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
See All (604)

Trailer

4.9
out of 5
233 Ratings

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

Information

You Might Also Like