Wits & Weights | Fat Loss, Nutrition, & Strength Training for Lifters
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© 2025 Philip Pape
Description
For skeptics of the fitness industry who want to work smarter and more efficiently to build muscle and lose fat. Wits & Weights cuts through the noise and deconstructs health and fitness with an engineering mindset to help you develop a strong, lean physique without wasting time.
Nutrition coach Philip Pape explores EFFICIENT strength training, nutrition, and lifestyle strategies to optimize your body composition. Simple, science-based, and sustainable info from an engineer turned lifter (that's why they call him the Physique Engineer).
From restrictive fad diets to ineffective workouts and hyped-up supplements, there's no shortage of confusing information out there.
Getting in the best shape of your life doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. By using your WITS (mindset and systems!) and lifting WEIGHTS (efficiently!), you can build muscle, lose stubborn fat, and achieve and maintain your dream physique.
We bring you smart and efficient strategies for movement, metabolism, muscle, and mindset. You'll learn:
- Why fat loss is more important than weight loss for health and physique
- Why all the macros (protein, fats, and yes even carbs) are critical to body composition
- Why you don't need to spend more than 3 hours in the gym each week to get incredible results
- Why muscle (not weight loss) is the key to medicine, obesity, and longevity
- Why age and hormones (even in menopause) don't matter with the right lifestyle
- How the "hidden" psychology of your mind can unlock more personal (and physical) growth than you ever thought possible, and how to tap into that mindset
If you're ready to separate fact from fiction, learn what actually works, and put in the intelligent work, hit that "follow" button and let's engineer your best physique ever!
434 Episodes
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Download my free Fat Loss & Muscle Gain Nutrition guide to setup your calories, macros, meal timing, and more to eliminate the guesswork and improve your physique and body composition. — Feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or stuck in your head? What if the key to unlocking your mental resilience isn’t talk therapy but lifting weights? I talk to Amanda Nigg, aka the FarmFit Momma, about how strength training helped her recover after losing everything in a devastating fire. We discuss how doin...
Submit your question and get featured on a future Q&A or dedicated episode or go to witsandweights.com/question --- It's our 300th episode, so we're doing an epic Q&A! Like King Leonidas facing the Persian army, we're battling fitness misinformation with 30 razor-sharp answers to your most burning questions. I'm tackling supplement efficacy, training myths, nutrition controversies, and the truth about building muscle and losing fat... all with the brutal efficiency of a Spartan phalan...
Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. -- Meticulously tracking your food but still not seeing results? You're not alone—and it's probably not your fault. Most calorie tracking and food logging apps are fundamentally flawed, using static formulas that never adjust to your body's changing metabolism. When you sign up for MyFitnessPal, Lose It, or Chronometer, they calculate your calorie needs once and never revisit them, despite the fact that your metabolism constantly ...
Download my new Strength Training for Hormone Health guide to optimize hormones, boost your metabolism, and maintain muscle mass for life. — Does your menstrual cycle impact how you should train and eat? Or is "cycle syncing" another wellness trend designed to sell programs? Dietitian Jillian Greaves and I cut through the cycle syncing hype - what works, what's just marketing hype, and how to support your body throughout your cycle. We break down the science behind hormonal fluctuations and d...
Download a FREE set of 8 strength and physique-focused workout programs from Physique University for 3 vs. 4 days, novice vs. intermediate, a built in log, form videos, and exercise substitutions for all types of equipment (barbell, dumbbells, machines, bodyweight) at witsandweights.com/free -- Why does always chasing maximum STRENGTH seem to limit muscle development, while always focusing on building MUSCLE doesn't deliver the strength gains you want? This paradox frustrates countless ...
Get 2 weeks free + your first trial in the Physique University, the program that helps ambitious individuals master the approach discussed in this episode with personalized guidance and community support at witsandweights.com/physique -- Frustrated by lack of progress despite tracking, training, and eating right? Learn why the most critical skill for sustainable fat loss isn't what you eat or how you train, but something far more powerful that most people completely overlook. Without th...
Book a FREE 15-minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment to audit your training and nutrition strategy, identify your #1 roadblock, and give you a personalized 3-step action plan in a fast-paced 15 minutes. — Can you build muscle while losing fat, or is it just a myth? What if shifting your focus from aesthetics to performance is the missing piece? I sit down with my client Melanie, who transformed her body by aligning her training, nutrition, and mindset. She dropped from over 24% to 16% body fat w...
Join Wits & Weights Physique University for a custom nutrition plan incorporating these volume-maximizing strategies. Get 2 weeks free to try it out. If you're not sure it's for you, email me at philip@witsandweights.com for a personal demo! -- Can you actually "eat more to lose weight" (as the fitness influencers claim)? Well...yes! But it has nothing to do with reverse dieting, ending "starvation mode," or fixing your metabolism. The fundamental truth remains: you need a calorie deficit...
Get FREE access to our workshop on adding sprinting to your training (and the replay), your first challenge, and 2 weeks FREE in 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! -- What's the best form of cardio for fat loss? If you lift weights, will cardio kill your gains? Learn why SPRIN...
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 ...
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...
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 cons...
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 ea...
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 a...
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—...
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 change...
To book your own FREE 15-minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment (not a sales pitch) and have me personally audit your training and fat loss approach, visit https://witsandweights.com/free-call -- Trying to lose those final 5-10 pounds but feeling stuck? In this episode, I share a real live recording of a 15-minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment with Libby, who wasn't sure if she should continue losing weight for fat loss... and together we discovered a better path forward. You'll hear how shifting you...
→ 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. Support the show 👩💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment: https://witsandweights.com/free-call 🎓 Get your first challen...
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 your long runs and cardio sessions actually making fat loss harder? Could walking be more effective for your physique and longevity? I bring on former pro triathlete and Olympic coach Brad Kearns to challenge the conventional wisdom around running and fat loss. Brad explains why chronic cardio may s...
Get FREE 2 weeks free + access to the MGE Calculator 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! -- Want to know if you're actually building muscle or just gaining fat during your bulk? Learn about the Muscle Gain Efficiency (MGE) score and how to use engineering's Bottl...
Get your free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint at witsandweights.com/muscle to optimize your nutrition for maximum muscle growth while minimizing fat gain. -- Learn how your metabolism can fight back during an aggressive muscle-building phase by dramatically increasing energy expenditure, even when you're doing everything right. Discover the hidden factors driving this metabolic adaptation and how to overcome them. Main Takeaways: Your maintenance calories can increase significantly ...
Download my free Progressive Overload Guide to maximize your progress in the gym and build strength and size. — What if sticking to just one squat style is actually limiting your gains? Struggling with joint pain or mobility issues from low bar squats but are afraid to switch? I’m joined by elite strength coach Andy Baker to break down the myth that low bar squatting is mandatory for gains. We dive deep into the world of squats, comparing different styles to see which ones are best for build...
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! -- Stop chasing arbitrary strength standards and learn why progressive overload is the only metric that matters for continuous progress. Discover how engineering Control Systems ...
Submit your nutrition and training questions at witsandweights.com/question to get featured on the show — Discover how a natural sugar called allulose is getting attention for potentially offering similar metabolic benefits as modern weight loss drugs by stimulating GLP-1. Learn the science behind how this unique compound affects blood sugar, appetite, and fat loss through natural pathways. Main Takeaways: Allulose stimulates GLP-1 more modestly than medications, working with natural bo...
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! -- In this bonus episode, I share results from our 2025 podcast listener survey and how your feedback is shaping the future of Wits & Weights. Find out what content resonated...
Download my free Better Sleep, Better Body guide to optimize your sleep for fat loss, body composition, and hormones --- Could your sleep position be holding you back from optimal recovery? You track your training, nutrition, and HRV—but what about your neck alignment during sleep? Dr. Peter Martone joins me to explain how your sleep position affects your nervous system, HRV, and overall performance. He reveals how traditional sleeping positions might be sabotaging your recovery and sha...
Book a FREE 15-minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment to identify your stress triggers and get a personalized 3-step action plan --- If your stress response feels stuck in overdrive where small triggers cause massive anxiety, this episode explains why using a fascinating engineering concept. Learn how the Nyquist Stability Criterion from control systems engineering reveals why some people maintain their cool while others get overwhelmed by the same stressors. Discover how to build a more resilient...
Join our free Facebook community to connect with others optimizing their nutrition and training. -- Can strength training alone help optimize your hormones after 40, or do you need homone replacement therapy (HRT)? Learn what the research actually says about how lifting weights impacts your endocrine system and body composition. Whether you're dealing with menopause, andropause, or age-related changes, discover how to make informed decisions about combining lifestyle interventions with medica...
Are you struggling with autoimmune symptoms that doctors keep dismissing? Are you tired of trying endless medications without seeing real improvement? I bring on Heather Gray to share her remarkable journey, from battling multiple chronic conditions for 30 years chronic illnesses including Lyme, Celiac, Hashimoto's, and endometriosis, to becoming a leading voice in natural healing. As a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner and head coach at a prominent cancer treatment center, Hea...
Try MacroFactor free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS - download on Apple/iPhone or Google/Android -- Should you weigh yourself daily? Learn about an engineering concept called Signal-to-Noise ratio to explain why daily weight tracking is both meaningless AND essential. You'll discover how your body's water balance, glycogen, sodium, and other factors create "noise" that masks the true "signal" of fat loss or gain. Learn how to use the power of trend weight to get clarity on your progress while m...
Join our free Facebook community to connect with others optimizing their nutrition and training -- That hidden "4th macro" (beyond protein, fats, and carbs) might be the reason you're not seeing results despite tracking everything else. Philip exposes how this macro impacts your physique beyond just adding calories. What is it? Alcohol! Learn the science behind alcohol's effects on fat storage, muscle growth, and metabolism - and discover practical strategies to maintain your social life ...
Learn about the importance of strength training for women over 40, navigating life's challenges, and the health and longevity benefits of progressive overload A special look at the 3 biggest themes coming from our 2025 listener survey, with practical tips to improve your training. Take our 2025 podcast listener survey or go to witsandweights.com/survey Main Takeaways: How proper strength training leads to better body composition for women over 40Why life's setbacks can actually improve your...
Join our free Facebook group to continue this conversation and connect with others who are building their best health and physique. You’ll get exclusive content, live Q&As, and free nutrition and training guides. — Is your fitness journey unintentionally straining your relationships? How can you pursue personal goals while maintaining emotional intimacy? What systems can help couples thrive in both their health and love lives? Philip (@witsandweights) explores the intersection of ...
Download the Stress Solution Guide now with more detailed strategies to reduce stress (and improve fat loss and muscle gain) -- Are you tired despite getting enough sleep? Are your workouts feeling like a grind? Learn how the engineering concept of the Work-Rest Cycle combines with the 7 types of rest can be used to maximize your muscle growth and recovery. Research from Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith reveals why sleep alone isn't enough, and how implementing all 7 types of rest can accelerate yo...
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 crash diets secretly sabotaging your fat loss efforts? Can eating less ever be too much? What if the key to lasting results is a completely different approach? Philip (@witsandweights) dives deep into the science of fat loss to reveal why the most common methods of rapid weight loss often fail...
Ask Philip a question for the podcast using our new form and get a personal reply by email plus a shoutout on the show (if you want). Or go to: witsandweights.com/question -- Today's question is from Nancy: "Google says muscle weighs the same as body fat. Is this true?" Learn whether muscle weighs the same as fat and what matters when looking at the differences between them, including: Muscle and body fat weight and density by the numbersBody recomposition vs. scale weightMetabolic benef...
Do you feel trapped in a cycle of dieting and frustration? Why do your best efforts with food seem to fail when it matters most? Is it possible that your food struggles are about something deeper than food itself? Philip (@witsandweights) explores the deeper roots of food consistency with integrative health pioneer Ali Shapiro. Ali shares why food battles often represent safety battles, how to identify hidden triggers and a practical framework to break free from emotional eating. Learn why f...
Book your FREE 15-minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment and get personalized guidance on which metrics to track for your situation. Take the 2025 Podcast Listener Survey to share your feedback and enter for a chance to win a FREE month of Wits & Weights Physique University! -- Your fat loss. Is. Stuck. You're even tracking your food and weight. But something's not working. What if every plateau, stall, or setback could be prevented by knowing which body signals to monitor and how to interp...
Download my free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint for the exact steps to structure your diet, calorie surplus, macros, and more to gain muscle at the optimal rate while minimizing fat gain or go to witsandweights.com/muscle. Take the 2025 Podcast Listener Survey to share your feedback and enter for a chance to win a FREE month of Wits & Weights Physique University! — Do you struggle to eat enough calories to support muscle growth? Have you tried "just eating more," only to feel sick ...
Take the 2025 Podcast Listener Survey now to share your feedback and enter for a chance to win a FREE month of Wits & Weights Physique University. Let me know what YOU want to see on the show this year! -- Learn about the strategies and habits listeners like you are using to crush their training and nutrition goals in 2025. Hear about some popular topics you’ll see in future episodes, like hunger management during fat loss, training over 60, staying consistent on vacation, and the scie...
Download my free Progressive Overload Guide to learn how to gain muscle, strength, and performance like never before. — How can dynamic resistance change the way you build muscle? Are free weights holding you back in certain lifts? Could technology offer a safer and more efficient way to train without compromising results? Philip (@witsandweights) dives deep into the science of strength training with Troy Taylor, Senior Director of Performance Innovation at Tonal. Troy shares his expertise ...
Join our free Facebook group to connect with others taking the #3MillionSteps2025 Challenge challenge! -- Are you struggling to lose that last bit of fat? Research shows hitting the right number of daily steps can dramatically boost your metabolism and fat loss through NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). Learn how the engineering concept of the Compound Effect explains why small, daily increases in movement create exponential results over time - transforming not just your physique ...
Download my free Precision Fat Loss Guide with the 6 core fat loss strategies customized for your experience, goals, and lifestyle (or go to witsandweights.com/free) — Struggling to shed fat without sacrificing your sanity? Why do 95% of dieters regain weight—and how can you avoid that trap? Can fat loss really be sustainable without drastic measures like cutting carbs or doing a 28-day challenge? Philip (@witsandweights) kicks off the new year with a powerful guide to six evidence-based f...
Want to kickstart your 2025 transformation AND have a chance to win big? MacroFactor just announced their $100,000 New Year's Transformation Challenge, with a $50,000 grand prize and 100 additional $500 prizes up for grabs. In this episode, I break down: How to join the challenge (January 1-10 registration)Why MacroFactor is my top recommended nutrition appExactly how to get started with the app and challenge3 steps to join: Download MacroFactor and use code WITSANDWEIGHTS: → Apple/i...
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. — Why does your body hold onto fat even when you’re training hard and eating right? Could chronic stress be sabotaging your metabolism, sleep, and recovery? How can small, manageable habits drastically change your stress levels and fitness results? Philip (@witsandweights) is joined by stress expert and f...
Join our FREE Wits & Weights Facebook group to get a downloadable PDF guide of the 25 creative strategies in this episode... and connect with like-minded people who use evidence-based principles to optimize their fitness! -- Are your New Year's resolutions already feeling stale? If you're tired of the same old fitness advice that ignores your lifestyle and preferences, it's time for a different approach. Learn how Lateral Thinking, a powerful engineering concept, can give you infinite pra...
Get your FREE Macros 101 for Body Composition Guide to master your macros and calorie intake for fat loss, muscle gain, and better health, including workout nutrition for performance and recovery and a long-lasting approach WITHOUT depriving yourself of foods you love. -- This is a replay of Ep 197. Originally aired on July 29, 2024 as: Your Very First Cut (Lose 10-30 Pounds of Fat) Do you want to lose 10-30 pounds of fat without sacrificing muscle or energy? Do you know the common pit...
Join our free Facebook group to ask a question and get resources like masterclasses, live Q&As, free guides, and community support -- Welcome to the final Q&A of the year, where I answer 3 questions about fat loss to wrap up 2024. If you’ve ever wondered whether workout timing, cooking your veggies, or fasted cardio make a difference in your results, this one’s for you. Today’s questions: Is there a best time of day to work out for fat loss?Does your body absorb fewer calories from...
Try MacroFactor FREE with my code WITSANDWEIGHTS. -- This is a replay of Ep 166. Originally aired on April 23, 2024 as: The Body Recomposition Blueprint (Recomp to Build Muscle and Lose Fat at the Same Time) 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 gai...
Follow Nutrition Science Daily, our new 5-minute weekday morning podcast delivering the latest in nutrition, fat loss, and health science... plus simple tips to help you optimize your diet, build muscle, and improve your health—all before your high-protein breakfast! -- This is a replay of Ep 160. Originally aired on April 2, 2024 as: Why “Eat Less, Move More” Is Terrible Advice for Your Metabolism, Hormones, and Fat Loss How often have you been told to “eat less, move more” to lose weight?...
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I want to like this podcast, he seems like he knows his stuff, but he's one of those Americans who uses his voice in such a way that he sounds like he's shouting. Constantly. I guess it's meant to be 'peppy' or something, but unfortunately for me it makes him un-listenable. Mr Pape, you know the benefit of coaching, talk to a voice coach, they can really help you sound and be more relaxed in your vocalisations. Suspect it will greatly help your podcast numbers, especially outside the US. Cheers.