Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I sit down with Rob Wilson to talk about Robustness, Anti Fragility, Breath Training, Nasal Breathing. Rob is a human performance specialist with over 20 years of experience working across manual therapy, coaching, and stress management and the author of Check Engine Light . We get into performance coaching for Navy SEALs and elite athletes, what stress management really means beyond the buzzword, and why building robustness and ...
Sep 10, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I dive into Stubborn Fat Loss Troubleshooting (Without Dropping Calories Further) For Those 30+. We all know the basics… eat less, move more but what happens when you’re already lifting, tracking, and putting in the work, and the scale still won’t budge? I share seven strategies to break through fat loss plateaus beyond just cutting calories. From dialing in food logging and meal timing to adding structured cardio, managing str...
Sep 08, 2025•17 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I talk about Not Overweight But Want To Get Leaner? Should You Build or Cut? I share how to make the right call based on your training history, current body composition, recovery, and lifestyle factors. You’ll hear when it’s smart to push a deficit, when to hold at maintenance, and how to figure out the body fat percentage that feels best and is actually sustainable. If you’ve been stuck spinning your wheels between cutting and...
Sep 05, 2025•23 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I share a group coaching conversation with Kathy where we dive into Signs It’s Time To Pivot Out Of Fat Loss. We cover what really happens with metabolic adaptation, the mental and physical signs it’s time to take a break, and the key questions you should ask yourself before pushing further. You’ll also hear about common pitfalls like chasing endless deficits, ignoring biofeedback, and letting social pressures shape unrealistic g...
Sep 03, 2025•44 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this Q&A episode of the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast , I answer real client questions Missing Meals, High-Calorie Days Won’t Impact You As Much As You Think, Whoosh Effect and more I explain when it’s okay to skip a meal, how to handle eating out without derailing your goals, why protein and calories get you 90% of the way there, and how to navigate weight plateaus without making rash decisions. These are the exact situations most people ru...
Sep 01, 2025•27 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I dive into Training Through Stress: Why More Isn’t Always Better. This one’s a mix of my own experiences and practical tips you can apply to your own fitness journey. I cover what’s been impacting my recovery lately: travel, sickness, work, sleep, caffeine and how I’ve had to adjust my training and nutrition in response. You’ll hear what I’ve done well, what I’ve had to change, and the lessons I share with clients about managi...
Aug 29, 2025•24 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Alyssa Parten to talk about Resistance Training, Fat Oxidation, and Female Physiology. Dr. Alyssa is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Alabama whose research centers on resistance training and female performance. We dive into her dissertation on fat oxidation, what resistance training really does for women’s health, and how the menstrual cycle impacts training. We also cover her personal jour...
Aug 27, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this Q&A episode, I answer questions about How To Maintain High Performance During Fat Loss, What to Focus on Returning From Injury For Max Gains, Fasting All Day Issues I cover what to focus on when coming back from an injury so you can rebuild strength and body composition without overdoing it, break down how to balance cardio with fat loss goals, what tradeoffs to expect in performance, and why eating all your calories late at night can ba...
Aug 25, 2025•25 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode I dive deep into Pre Workout Nutrition For Lifting Cardio, The Frame Work I Use With Clients I share how pre-workout nutrition works in different scenarios such as early morning sessions, lifting vs. cardio, hydration strategies, and why hunger itself can impact your training. I also talk about my personal approach when preparing for sports like hockey. If you’ve ever wondered what and when to eat before training or if fasted wo...
Aug 22, 2025•18 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I sit down with Luke Madsen to talk about How Luke Took His Training/Results To The Next Level Luke shared his journey, what he’s learned along the way, and how coaching has shaped his progress. Plus, we dive into the challenges many people face with consistency and the mindset shifts that make training and nutrition more sustainable. If you’ve struggled with staying consistent, wondered if coaching is right for you, or just want...
Aug 20, 2025•56 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s solo episode, I talk about Why I Changed My Mind On Cardio In Fat Loss + How To Maximize Cardio in Fat Loss. I cover why cardio is more than just burning calories, how it helps with stress resilience, recovery, and fat as fuel, and the biggest mistakes people make when adding it to a fat loss phase. You’ll hear how to balance intensity, manage recovery, and use cardio without letting it backfire on your results. If you’ve been confused ab...
Aug 18, 2025•17 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I break down 5 Reasons Why You Feel Like Your Metabolism Slows Down As You Get Into Your 30s and Beyond We dive into what the research really says about energy expenditure from your 20s through your 60s, and why it’s not as simple as “your metabolism just slows down”, including how lifestyle, stress resilience, training, and nutrition all play a role in keeping it strong. If you’ve ever wondered what’s really going on with your...
Aug 15, 2025•13 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I sit down with Blaine Lints, a former Navy SEAL and pro triathlete, to talk about Training, Recovery, Cognition. We dig into the science and real-world application of training that supports both physical and cognitive performance. You’ll hear Blaine’s take on recovery strategies that actually work, how to approach conditioning without burning yourself out, and why he challenges some of the most popular workout trends. This is a ...
Aug 13, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I talk about Getting Clients To A Point Of Not Tracking Calories, My Fat Loss Q&A, Managing Hunger I share the key factors that drive hunger and you’ll learn practical, real-world strategies to keep hunger in check without feeling restricted. I also break down the pros and cons of tracking calories, plus how to shift into a more intuitive, habit-based approach while still making progress. If you’ve ever struggled with staying...
Aug 11, 2025•26 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Most people know how to diet, but they never learn how to exit a fat loss phase properly. In this solo episode, I break down the most important part of your fitness journey on How to Nail Your Transition Out of Fat Loss. You’ll learn what actually happens when you increase calories post-diet, how to avoid the dreaded “no man’s land” where progress stalls, and what to focus on to set up your next phase for success. If you’ve ever felt stuck after die...
Aug 08, 2025•12 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Matt Frakes, Director of Performance Nutrition for the New York Giants, to give you a look Behind the Scenes of NFL Nutrition. We talk about what really goes into fueling elite athletes and how he helps players stay healthy, recover faster, and perform at their best. Dr. Matt shares his journey from clinical nutrition to the NFL, how he approaches body composition goals in and out of season, and why most athletes...
Aug 06, 2025•59 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I walk through How to Know When To End Fat Loss, Tracking Biofeedback, Nutrition Around Sleep I share what I’ve personally been experiencing in my own cut, including hunger signals, lifestyle trade-offs, and performance changes. Then I give you a clear framework to assess whether it makes sense to keep pushing or shift out of a deficit. Plus, we talk about nighttime eating, protein before bed, and why biofeedback matters more than m...
Aug 04, 2025•26 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I break down How To Get Your Body To Handle Carbs Better. We walk through what really impacts your carb tolerance: muscle mass, stress, movement, body fat percentage, and even sleep quality. I also cover when it makes sense to go lower carb for a period of time, how to time carbs smarter, and what actually helps your metabolism become more efficient. If you’ve been feeling like carbs “just don’t work for you,” this episode for you! ...
Aug 01, 2025•24 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In Part 2 of our conversation, I chat again with Christian Rodriguez, this time diving deep into Body Composition, Metabolism and more We break down why most popular tools like DEXA scans, metabolic equations, and even wearables often underestimate or mislead, especially for muscular individuals. Christian shares what the latest research is showing, why context matters, and what’s actually worth tracking if you want useful data. If you’re serious ab...
Jul 30, 2025•52 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this Q&A episode of the Mind Muscle Connection, I’m covering Weight Training During Fat Loss, Dietary Fat Hierarchy, Weight Fluctuations For Those Who Lost A Lot Of Weight We get into why people who’ve lost a lot of weight might experience more water weight swings, what actually matters with dietary fat intake (and how to find your minimum), and how to train smart during a fat loss phase without burning out. If you’re stuck in yo-yo dieting, ...
Jul 28, 2025•25 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I share How to Combine Cardio + Muscle Growth in a Build Phase (Periodization, Training, Nutrition, etc) I walk through common signs you need conditioning, how I program it for clients depending on their fitness level, and three distinct training priorities: muscle growth, combo, or conditioning-focused. I also cover how to periodize this across the year, what recovery markers to track, and how to adjust calories and intensity ...
Jul 25, 2025•24 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode of the Mind Muscle Connection, I sit down with Christian Rodriguez, PhD candidate and body composition researcher at Texas Tech University to talk about Body Composition, Metabolism, and More We dive into his journey starting from losing 75+ pounds and struggling with yo-yo dieting to becoming a respected researcher. He breaks down what most people misunderstand about DEXA, BIA, and consumer-grade tracking devices, and shares what hi...
Jul 23, 2025•56 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I discuss the 3 Step Framework to Lower Stress + Build Stress Capacity I break down seven common stressors that may be quietly stalling your progress and how I help clients manage and build resilience using a simple three-step framework. Plus, I dive into the lesser-known stressors like circadian rhythm disruption, body composition stress, gut health, internal inflammation, and more including how mismatching your training and nutrit...
Jul 21, 2025•30 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I walk through The Protein Hierarchy I Use With Clients, what really matters when it comes to using protein for fat loss, muscle growth, and body composition. I cover why total protein intake is only the first step, how to time your meals for recovery and satiety, and why not all protein sources are created equal. This is all about simplifying what actually moves the needle and what doesn’t so you stop wasting energy stressing ...
Jul 18, 2025•16 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Mike T. Nelson to talk about Cardio For Lifters, Physiologic Flexibility & Stress Resilience, D9 Caffeine and more. We cover how much cardio you really need if your goal is muscle, ways to improve VO2 max without burning out, how to train around big life stressors, and Dr. Mike’s concept of “Physiologic Flexibility” for building long-term resilience. This is a very informative episode, so don’t miss out! Let’s ...
Jul 16, 2025•1 hr 26 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this Q&A episode, I answer three questions: HRV, Weighted Vests, The Importance of Stress Resilience First, I break down HRV in real terms: what it is, why it matters, and how it should actually guide your decisions. Then I share my honest take on using weighted vests and wrap up with a powerful lesson from a client who’s crushing her fat loss phase without being perfect. Her story shows how building stress resilience helps you stop spiraling...
Jul 14, 2025•20 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I’m diving into High RHR? Low HRV? Stress Load High? How to Adjust Training + Nutrition I break down my 3-step framework for managing total stress load and focus specifically on how to adjust your training and nutrition to match your recovery. This episode walks you through practical examples and tools I use with clients when they’re under stress, sleep-deprived, or just not recovering well. If you’ve ever hit a wall with progr...
Jul 11, 2025•21 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Sean Pastuch to dive deep into Pain Misconceptions, Nervous System Regulation, and What Actually Builds Pain Tolerance. We unpack the mindset behind pain, how your nervous system, stress, and lifestyle factors can work for or against you, and why some people stay stuck even with all the right exercise strategies. So if you’re tired of working around pain instead of resolving it, this conversation is for you! Let’...
Jul 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this Q&A episode, I cover 4 key questions that came in recently, Training During Travel, Nutrition On The Go, Steps Enough For Cardio, Underreporting Calories! I walk through what actually causes underreporting in food logs (and it’s not broccoli), plus I share tips for eating on the go, how to approach training while traveling, and why just getting your steps in isn’t enough if you want to optimize body comp, health, and recovery. So if you’...
Jul 07, 2025•19 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I discuss How And Why I Use Higher Calorie Days In Fat Loss For Myself and Clients I share how I use higher calorie days for myself and clients, when they’re helpful (and when they’re not), and what they can do for your performance, recovery, and long-term sustainability. I also break down who should be using them, how to implement them smartly, and what to avoid so they don’t turn into a binge. If you’re trying to lose fat wit...
Jul 04, 2025•20 min
