Wits & Weights | Evidence-Based Fitness & Nutrition for Lifters Over 40

Philip Pape, Evidence-Based Nutrition Coach & Fat Loss Expert
  • 4.8 (234)
  • 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. 5 Ways Intermittent Fasting Backfires for Women Over 40 | Ep 458

    1D AGO

    5 Ways Intermittent Fasting Backfires for Women Over 40 | Ep 458

    Intermittent fasting is still the most popular nutrition advice on the internet.  Skip breakfast, shrink your eating window, lose weight. But if you're over 40, this may not give you the results you want. It could even backfire. Learn about the 5 specific ways intermittent fasting can backfire when your goal is losing fat and building muscle after 40. Philip examines a 2025 meta-analyses comparing IF to standard dieting, the challenge of getting enough protein in a compressed eating window, recent findings on cortisol and hormonal effects that especially affect women in perimenopause, and a surprising 2025 review that challenges one of fasting's biggest marketing claims (hint: it's about inflammation). Plus, learn a structured meal timing alternative and 3 diagnostic questions to test whether your current eating window is causing issues for you. Try my favorite Cozy Earth temperature-regulating sheets for better sleep and recovery. Use code WITSANDWEIGHTS for 20% off: witsandweights.com/cozyearth Enroll in Eat More Lift Heavy, the 26-week coached program that builds your nutrition and strength training skills so you don't have to use a restrictive diet or intermittent fasting while still building muscle and losing fat. Go to: eatmoreliftheavy.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Intermittent fasting and fat loss 0:53 - 5 ways fasting backfires after 40 3:44 - #1: Metabolism and fat loss 11:04 - #2: Muscle building and protein 14:28 - #3: Cortisol and stress 17:33 - #4: DHEA and thyroid hormones 20:28 - #5: Fasting and inflammation 25:00 - Eating more to lose fat 27:00 - Structured meal timing 31:22 - 3 questions to test your eating window 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    35 min
  2. How to Lose Fat Without Losing Your Muscle Gains | Ep 457

    3D AGO

    How to Lose Fat Without Losing Your Muscle Gains | Ep 457

    You spent months building muscle, and now you're ready to cut. Or you're on a GLP-1 medication and losing weight but not sure how much muscle your'e also losing. Without getting 3 things right, roughly 25% to 40% of the weight you lose can come from lean tissue. Tune in to learn what they are! Join Eat More Lift Heavy, a 26-week coached program where Phase 2 guides you through exactly this transition, from building to cutting without losing what you built: eatmoreliftheavy.com Track your nutrition with MacroFactor using code WITSANDWEIGHTS for a free two-week trial Timestamps 0:00 - Muscle loss during a cut 6:31 - Rate of loss and lean mass 9:56 - Protein during a fat loss phase 13:12 - Per-meal protein over 40 15:01 - Sleep and body composition 17:08 - Eating more and lifting heavy 18:36 - Rate of loss and protein targets 21:25 - Training volume and intensity 23:57 - Diet breaks and refeeds 27:04 - GLP-1 body composition research 33:16 - Bonus: 50g protein meal for low appetite 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    37 min

  3. 4D AGO ·  BONUS

    How NASA's Artemis II Astronauts Maintain Muscle Flying to the Moon

    NASA's Artemis II crew is flying around the Moon right now with a gym that weighs 30 pounds and fits in a carry-on suitcase. No treadmill, cable machine, or squat rack, just a small device that also serves as a step! In this bonus episode, Philip nerds out on the exercise equipment and nutrition plan NASA chose for the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, including how they stay strong and preserve muscle (hint: compound lifts, with a bit of creativity) and the crew's shelf-stable, no-refrigerator meal plan. Designed for human performance in microgravity. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who lifts or someone who's following the Artemis II mission. And hit follow so you don't miss new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Get FREE downloads to build muscle and lose fat at witsandweights.com/free 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    8 min
  4. The Mad Scientist's Guide to Strength Training After 40 (Chris Duffin) | Ep 456

    APR 2

    The Mad Scientist's Guide to Strength Training After 40 (Chris Duffin) | Ep 456

    Why does lifting start hurting once you hit 40? Is it really age, or is your body compensating for weak links you cannot see? Chris Duffin joins me to unpack the biomechanics behind strength training longevity, muscle building, and injury prevention. Chris is a world record strength athlete who has squatted and deadlifted over 1,000 pounds while applying engineering principles to human movement. We talk about why many lifters trying to build muscle and lose fat end up breaking down, especially with strength training over 40. Chris explains how breathing mechanics, foot stability, and movement quality determine whether your body adapts or gets injured. You’ll learn why poor mechanics “detune” your nervous system, how foot strength influences power and metabolism, and why proper bracing unlocks safer muscle building and hypertrophy. If you care about body recomp, lifting weights long term, and evidence-based training that supports longevity, this conversation is packed with insights. Timestamps: 0:00 - Why lifters over 40 get hurt 2:40 - Adaptation and movement quality explained 9:36 - Detuning, breathing, bracing, and core stability 21:57 - Breathing strategy across rep ranges 34:16 - Why foot strength matters for lifting 39:36 - Barefoot training and footwear choices 43:28 - Shoulder and hip power mechanics 46:17 - Regenerative framework for recovery Episode resources: Website: enhancedexecutive.com YouTube: @MadScientistDuffin Instagram: @mad_scientist_duffin Facebook: @chrisduffinstrong  💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    51 min
  5. Your Pilates, Yoga, or Barre Class Is NOT Strength Training | Ep 455

    MAR 31

    Your Pilates, Yoga, or Barre Class Is NOT Strength Training | Ep 455

    You've been showing up to Pilates, yoga, or barre for months, maybe years, and your body composition hasn't changed. You're not getting stronger. And if you're over 40, the muscle and bone you need most may be slipping away while you work hard at the wrong thing. Building muscle and maintaining bone density after 40 requires two specific things from your training: mechanical tension and proximity to failure. Pilates, yoga, and barre are not designed to deliver either one.  Philip covers why these modalities plateau fast, what the research found when scientists actually measured muscle growth from Pilates with MRI, and a 10-second audit you can run on any workout to know if it qualifies as strength training. Join Eat More Lift Heavy, a 26-week coached program that pairs nutrition strategy with a coach-assigned strength training program from Day 1, so you stop guessing and start building the muscle and bone density that matter most after 40: eatmoreliftheavy.com Timestamps 0:00 - Why your Pilates class is not strength training 3:00 - What every modality gets right at first 4:45 - Two requirements for muscle growth 6:30 - Proximity to failure in group fitness classes 7:30 - The limits of a Pilates reformer spring 9:00 - Progressive overload and the repeated bout effect 11:00 - How Pilates, yoga, and barre plateau quickly 13:15 - Volume-hypertrophy data and diminishing returns 14:55 - Getting started with progressive resistance training 16:30 - Sarcopenia risk from perimenopause to menopause 18:30 - Bone density, the LIFTMOR trial, and lifting heavy 21:06 - Do THIS to build strength and muscle over 40 24:30 - Bonus: 3-question strength training audit 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    27 min
  6. The LAST Time You'll Ever "Start Over"

    MAR 28 ·  BONUS

    The LAST Time You'll Ever "Start Over"

    How many times have you sworn “this time will be different” only to end up right back at square one?  New program, new diet, new macros, new Monday. And every time, the results faded. Why does this keep happening to people (like you!) who are already disciplined, consistent, and willing to put in the work? The issue isn't effort or information. Listen in to find out what it is. Join Eat More Lift Heavy before founder pricing ends tomorrow at midnight. 26 weeks, two coaches, a phased, step-by-step experience that builds your strength training and nutrition skills in sequence, and a graduation model that means you leave with independence, not dependence. Founder pricing ($77/month billed quarterly) locks in permanently and goes away after midnight this Sunday, March 29: https://eatmoreliftheavy.com 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    16 min
  7. Stop Eating LESS to Lose Fat After 40 (Do This Instead) | Ep 454

    MAR 26

    Stop Eating LESS to Lose Fat After 40 (Do This Instead) | Ep 454

    You've been eating 1200 calories, working out, and the scale won't budge.  The advice you keep getting is to eat even less, but that's the problem. If you're over 40 and stuck despite doing "everything right," your body is probably caught in the undereating trap.  Chronic low-calorie dieting suppresses your metabolism, burns muscle instead of fat, and disrupts the hormones that control where you store fat and how you recover. The calorie deficit that worked at 30 stops working at 45 because your body's compensatory mechanisms get more aggressive with age, hormonal shifts, stress, and poor sleep. Philip breaks down the 3 metabolic adaptations that stack against you when you chronically undereat, and the three-part fix that reverses the cycle. Plus, one simple number that tells you whether your body is ready to diet or needs to recover first. Join Eat More Lift Heavy before the March 30 launch to lock in founder pricing on a 26-week coached program that builds your nutrition and strength training skills in phases so you can maintain your fat loss and body recomp results for lift: eatmoreliftheavy.com Timestamps 0:00 - The undereating trap that stalls fat loss after 40 2:36 - Why "eat less, move more" doesn't work 5:30 - How your body adapts differently in your 40s vs. your 20s 7:03 - Metabolic adaptation and suppressed energy expenditure 9:15 - Muscle loss from chronic dieting and why it compounds 11:45 - Hormonal disruption from undereating (thyroid, cortisol, estrogen) 14:44 - The undereating trap defined 16:36 - Fix #1 (related to calories) 22:00 - Fix #2 (related to protein) 24:51 - Fix 3# (related to training) 28:23 - Deficits, hormones, and fear of gaining weight 31:50 - The one number that predicts whether your next diet will work Episode Resources Download MacroFactor (use code WITSANDWEIGHTS for a free two-week trial) to track your true, dynamic energy expenditure (and get accurate calorie and macro targets)Join Eat More Lift Heavy before pricing goes up on March 30 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    34 min
  8. The 26-Week Plan to Build Muscle and Lose Fat After 40 | Ep 453

    MAR 24

    The 26-Week Plan to Build Muscle and Lose Fat After 40 | Ep 453

    Yet again, you're motivated to make a change. You've given yourself 6 months, you pick a program, cut calories, and go after it! Then (inevitably) the whole thing falls apart about 1-2 months in (maybe even sooner). Most people over 40 who want to lose fat and build muscle start with the wrong first step. They jump straight into a calorie deficit before they even know what their body is doing. This episode lays out a complete 26-week body recomp roadmap with three phases that build on each other: Stop GuessingEat More. Lift Heavy.Trust YourselfYou'll hear why the first 7 weeks should involve almost zero changes to your diet, how to read your own metabolic data so you stop relying on guesses, and the one skill most people never develop that determines whether results actually stick for the long term. If you've been lifting and tracking but your body still doesn't reflect the work, THIS is the plan to follow. Start the Eat More Lift Heavy program and follow this exact 26-week roadmap with the help of two coaches, a training program matched to your unique situation, monthly live coaching calls, and a community built for accountability. Founder pricing locks in through March 29: eatmoreliftheavy.com Timestamps 0:00 - Why most 6-month transformation plans fail 5:42 - Undereating, protein, and hormonal challenges 8:31 - Three phases: Stop Guessing, Eat More, Trust Yourself 10:10 - Phase 1: tracking, training, and building awareness 13:12 - Baseline measurements and biofeedback tracking 14:15 - The fear of eating more after chronic restriction 16:40 - The Phase 1 milestone and reading your data 19:30 - Phase 2: making decisions with real numbers 20:48 - Weekend eating, social situations, and alcohol 24:58 - Phase 3: building independence after 40 27:29 - Teaching yourself and hormonal awareness 30:10 - Troubleshooting without a coach 32:43 - 60-second protein audit for your gap meal Episode Resources Download MacroFactor (use code WITSANDWEIGHTS for a free two-week trial) to track your actual metabolic rate (and get accurate calorie and macro targets)Join Eat More Lift Heavy before pricing goes up on March 30 💪 Join Eat More Lift Heavy - A 6-month coaching program for lifters over 40 who are done collecting information and ready to have real human coaches watch their data and know what to focus on each week. 📱 Get Fitness Lab (exclusive 20% off) - The #1 adaptive fitness and nutrition app. Daily coaching, workouts, and biofeedback-based guidance to help you build muscle and lose fat over 40. 👥 Join our Facebook community -  For adults over 40 who want to build muscle, lose fat, and stop following bad advice. Weekly Q&A threads, coaching insights, and real chat with other lifters. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram

    35 min
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4.8
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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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