Wits & Weights | Evidence-Based Fitness & Nutrition for Lifters Over 40
Philip Pape, Evidence-Based Nutrition Coach & Fat Loss Expert
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 aloneIf 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
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 9, 2025 • 9min
You Don't Need a Coach for Macros or Meal Plans | Bonus
Get your first challenge free plus 2 weeks full access (also free) to Wits & Weights Physique University (WWPU) plus a custom nutrition plan, live coaching calls, monthly workout programs and challenges, weekly check-ins, a supportive community, a resource vault, and courses on fat loss, physique development, and more!--I have a problem with nutrition coaching today. The point of coaching isn't to calculate your macros and create meal plans. We have apps and technology that can do this better than any human. So then what does valuable coaching actually look like?Learn exactly how to DIY your nutrition tracking using my favorite food logging app (which adapts to your unique metabolic response to give you accurate calorie and macro targets) and AI to generate customized meal plans around your preferences and lifestyle. These cost a fraction of what many coaches charge while delivering more precise results.The true value of coaching today lies not in number-crunching but in the human connection. Effective coaching provides 6 things that only a human can when life gets messy, you hit a plateau, you're struggling with the mental aspects of transformation, and need a world-class education in behavior change and physique development science.Enjoy my rant!Episode Resources:Join WWPU and get access to Tuesday's live sprinting workshop and your first challenge + 2 weeks FREE: witsandweights.com/physiqueBONUS: I am developing a new course on how to use AI to create your meal plans and more, included free of charge in WWPU Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS💪 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
Mar 7, 2025 • 1h 13min
Why Women NEED to Bulk for Long-Term Strength and Longevity (Niki Sims) | Ep 292
Download my free Strength Training for Hormone Health guide to optimize your hormones, boost your metabolism, and maintain muscle mass for life.—Are you worried that lifting heavy will make you "too bulky"? What's holding you back from building muscle as a woman?I'm joined by Nikki Sims, strength coach, and Chief Experience Officer at Barbell Logic, to break down why most women are leaving huge muscle and strength gains on the table and how understanding the science of muscle growth can change your fitness journey.Nikki also shares her journey from skinny to strong, her experience with bulking and cutting phases, and the biggest lessons she's learned from coaching women for over a decade.Today, you’ll learn all about:02:09 - Why do many women fear their physical potential?03:58 - The influence of media and beauty standards07:12 - From aesthetics to strength and performance10:49 - Strength training as a gateway to confidence19:11 - Can you be "too strong" or "too muscular"?27:17 - Nikki’s personal bulking and cutting experiences32:39 - Gaining weight vs "getting fat"39:31 - How long should you bulk?50:33 - Building muscle even when you can't squat or deadlift56:20 - The surprising mental health benefits of lifting heavy1:06:19 - Why every woman should get a strength coach1:10:00 - OutroEpisode resources:Beast over Burden PodcastInstagram: @barbell_logic Youtube: @BeastOverBurden Get a free coaching consultation with Barbell Logic: barbell-logic.com/experience💪 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
Mar 5, 2025 • 26min
10 Reasons Muscle Burns Even More Calories Than You Think (Thermal Mass) | Ep 291
Get your free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint at witsandweights.com/muscle to optimize your nutrition for maximum muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.--You've heard that a pound of muscle burns 6-9 calories per day at rest, but most fitness experts stop there.Discover the engineering concept of Thermal Mass and how it parallels the way muscle tissue creates a metabolic environment that dramatically increases your daily calorie burn through multiple mechanisms most people never consider.Main Takeaways:The commonly cited "6-9 calories per pound" dramatically underestimates muscle's true metabolic impactMuscle affects your metabolism in 9 additional ways beyond just its resting calorie burnBuilding muscle creates a body that maintains stable, healthy body composition with greater metabolic flexibilityThe engineering principle of thermal mass provides the perfect analogy for understanding these complex mechanismsEpisode Mentioned:The Most UNDERRATED Fat Loss Secret Making You FATTER (and Sabotaging Muscle Gain Too)Timestamps:0:02 - Why the standard calculation of muscle's calorie burn is incomplete 4:59 - #1: The 24/7 furnace effect 6:22 - #2: Burn more doing the same thing? 7:17 - #3: Heavier = Leaner 8:12 - #4: The 38-hour afterburn while you sleep 9:54 - #5: How muscles transform fat tissue 11:24 - #6: The training-triggered fat burner 12:40 - #7: A buffer system for metabolic stability 14:30 - #8: Activate calorie-burning brown fat 15:11 - #9: The secret weapon against metabolic slowdown during dieting 16:04 - #10: Creating a metabolic furnace beyond just muscle 17:20 - Practical applications for transforming your physique 21:42 - Philip's crazy musings and diatribes (to psych you up)Don't forget to download your free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint💪 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
Mar 3, 2025 • 33min
What Happens to Macros (Carbs, Fats, and Protein) Inside Your Body? | Ep 290
Join the Wits & Weights Facebook group where this question originated and connect with like-minded people who are focused on evidence-based nutrition and training. Click here to join--If you've been told that "a calorie is just a calorie" or that certain macros are "good" or "bad," you're missing the fascinating biological reality of how your body processes different foods.Learn the surprising truth about what happens to each macronutrient inside your body, including why carbs don't easily convert to body fat, how fats support crucial hormones, and what makes protein so special for body composition.Main Takeaways:Your body processes each macro through completely different pathways with unique effects on energy, hormones, and body compositionFears about carbs are completely misplaced once you understand what actually happens after digestionFat metabolism reveals why certain dietary recommendations of the past were fundamentally flawedUnderstanding protein's unique properties explains why it's so powerful for physique transformation beyond just building muscleThe concept of metabolic flexibility changes everything about how you should approach your nutrition strategyTimestamps:0:01 - Why simplified views of macros miss the biological reality 3:28 - Carbohydrates: from mouth to bloodstream and beyond 9:31 - Fats: the misunderstood macro and its critical functions 15:24 - Protein: the structural macro that burns calories during digestion 21:29 - Practical implications for meal composition and timing 27:40 - The surprising truth about metabolic flexibility 30:32 - Key takeaways and why balanced nutrition works best💪 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
Mar 1, 2025 • 7min
Warning! Before You Hire a Fat Loss Coach (or Join a Nutrition or Weight Loss Program) | Bonus
Need a plan + accountability to lose 10-30 lbs of fat? Get FREE access to your first challenge + 2 weeks free in Wits & Weights Physique University (WWPU) along with a custom nutrition plan, live coaching calls, monthly workout programs and challenges, weekly check-ins, a supportive community, a resource vault, and courses on fat loss, physique development, and more!--I discuss the common pitfalls when people are considering fat loss coaching or joining a nutrition program, such as:Common misconceptions about hiring a coachCommitment vs. readinessMethodical approaches vs. instant gratificationThe urgency of starting now for long-term successWays to get in touch with me:IG - @witsandweightsAsk a question - witsandweights.com/question💪 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
Feb 28, 2025 • 41min
How Cassandra Lost 11 Lbs Fat in 12 Weeks (While Building Muscle & Eating Carbs) | Ep 289
Book a FREE 15-minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment, designed to fine-tune your strategy, identify your #1 roadblock, and give you a personalized 3-step action plan in a fast-paced 15 minutes.—Are you training hard and tracking macros but still not seeing the results you want? Do you wonder if your body is just “different” or if you’re missing a key piece of the puzzle?I talk with my client Cassandra, who successfully lost fat and built muscle at the same time after years of slow weight gain—all while eating plenty of carbs. You’ll discover the exact system we used to help her break through plateaus, achieve sustainable fat loss, and develop a balanced approach to nutrition without extreme restrictions.Today, you’ll learn all about:02:52 - Why "doing everything right" wasn't working04:44 - Small but critical nutrition mistakes07:05 - Starting with a maintenance phase11:11 - Simple lifestyle tweaks that helped11:59 - Meal timing strategies13:41 - The impact of walking and daily movement14:55 - Coaching and accountability17:29 - Cassandra’s results22:51 - Overcoming food fears28:55 - Mindset shift about weight trends31:42 - From fat loss to muscle building38:01 - OutroEpisode resources:Join our free Facebook group and say hello to Cassandra, plus get support, live Q&As, and accountability from others on their journey to strength, health, and fat loss💪 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
Feb 26, 2025 • 18min
What Your HRV Numbers Actually Mean (Resonance Theory) | Ep 288
Submit a question for the podcast (and get a personal reply plus a shoutout). Just go to witsandweights.com/question--Confused about what those HRV numbers mean on your wearable device? Or if they even matter?Learn how Resonance Theory, the same science behind musical instruments and bridge collapses, reveals why focusing only on heart rate variability (HRV) numbers misses the bigger picture of what's happening in your body.Main Takeaways:Your absolute HRV number matters less than changes from your baseline3 key factors affect your baseline HRVDaily factors like sleep, alcohol, and stress can push you away from baselineLooking for patterns over 2-3 weeks is more valuable than daily numbersUnderstanding your body's natural frequencies helps optimize training and recoveryEpisode Mentioned:Make This ONE Change for Better Sleep, HRV, and Fat Loss (Dr. Peter Martone)Timestamps: 2:01 - What is resonance theory?4:08 - Interpreting HRV numbers and using data effectively10:43 - Tips to improve HRV Remember, to submit your question for a future episode, go to witsandweights.com/question and you'll get a personal reply from me plus a shoutout on the show!💪 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 snips
Feb 24, 2025 • 24min
Should You Lose Those Last 5-10 Pounds? (Nutrition & Training Audit) | Ep 287
Discover the unconventional strategy of gaining weight to build muscle while breaking through the struggle of losing those last stubborn pounds. Explore the shift from chasing scale weight to focusing on body composition for a healthier mindset. Hear a personal transformation story that emphasizes the benefits of weight training over cardio. Learn about optimizing your nutrition and training routine for long-term success, and get inspired to reframe your fitness goals with strength building in mind.
Feb 22, 2025 • 8min
The Solution to Menopause Belly, Metabolism, and Bone Loss? | Bonus
→ Follow Nutrition Science Daily in your favorite podcast app or go to https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/nutrition-science-daily--Enjoy this bonus episode from the Nutrition Science Daily podcast on a new trend being recommended for women navigating menopause, examining the science behind its effects on bone health, muscle strength, and daily activity.💪 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
6 snips
Feb 21, 2025 • 1h 5min
Walking vs. Running for Fat Loss and Longevity (Brad Kearns) | Ep 286
Brad Kearns, a former pro triathlete and co-author of 'Born to Walk,' explores the surprising benefits of walking over running for fat loss and longevity. He argues that chronic cardio can sabotage metabolism and lead to laziness. Kearns highlights that walking is anabolic while running is catabolic, challenging the belief that running is essential for fitness. He also discusses how most calorie burn calculations are inaccurate and offers insights into effective sprinting techniques. This conversation could change the way you approach your workouts!
