The Mind Muscle Connection

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Dr. Eric Helms is back on the podcast, and I wanted to ask him a question I keep seeing pop up lately, which is whether bulking is dead. Eric knows the research better than anyone I’ve talked to, so this one turned into a deep conversation on body recomp that I really enjoyed.

We start by catching up on where Eric is at with his pro bodybuilding career, how he's deciding between competing in 2027 or 2028, and how he's gained weight over the past year without tracking calories. From there we get into what body recomp actually is, why you can gain scale weight and still be in a deficit, and why he sees recomp as a constraint problem where you figure out what is really holding back your muscle growth.

We also talk about how your body fat level changes what happens to muscle in a deficit, whether women can recomp more easily than men, and the new Vargas-Molina study on trained lifters, including what the maintenance and deficit groups actually ended up doing.

If you've ever been told you have to bulk to build muscle, or that you never need to bulk again, this episode is a must-listen.

Let's talk about:

• Introduction
• Catching Up With Eric
• Eric's Time in the Air Force
• Competing in 2027 or 2028?
• What Eric Wants to Improve Before His Next Show
• How Eric Gained Weight Without Tracking Calories
• What Is Body Recomp?
• You Can Gain Weight and Still Be in a Deficit
• Recomp Is a Constraint Problem
• Why Fat Mass and Lean Mass Have Different Energy Values
• Why Advanced Lifters Don't Need a Big Surplus
• Will Recomping Start to Feel Like a Diet?
• The Natural Ups and Downs of Weight Gain
• Zoom Out Far Enough and Everything Is a Recomp
• Powerlifters Moving Up a Weight Class
• Physique Competitors Who Gained Muscle During Prep
• How Body Fat Level Changes What Happens in a Deficit
• When "Bulking Is Dead" Holds People Back
• Can Women Recomp More Easily Than Men?
• Trained vs. Untrained Isn't a Clear Category
• So Is Bulking and Cutting Dead?
• The Vargas-Molina Recomp Study
• What the Maintenance and Deficit Groups Actually Did
• Does This Study Challenge Energy Balance?
• Where to Find Eric

Dr. Eric Helms Links:

MASS Research Review: https://www.massresearchreview.com/

3D Muscle Journey: https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/

The Muscle and Strength Pyramids: https://muscleandstrengthpyramids.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helms3dmj/

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:
https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Brandon DaCruz is back for part four of our body recomp series, and this time we’re talking training. We start with why training is what drives the muscle side of a recomp, and why working out and training are not the same thing.

From there we go through the principles that matter most, which are progressive overload, training close to failure, getting both quality and enough volume, and tracking your workouts so you know what to beat. Then we get into programming, including how many days per week to train, how often to hit each muscle, rep ranges, double progression, and how to split your exercises between compounds and isolations.

Before we get into training, Brandon talks about speaking at the Metabolism School seminar and peaking for a photo shoot during one of the hardest stretches of his life, and I share how training has been going with a newborn at home.

If you’ve been going to the gym for years and your physique hasn’t changed much, this one is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• Introduction
• Recap of the Body Recomp Series
• Training With a Newborn at Home
• Brandon Speaking at the Metabolism School Seminar
• Brandon’s Photo Shoot During a Hard Season of Life
• What Brandon Does After the Shoot
• Why Training Is the Biggest Lever for Recomp
• Working Out vs. Training
• Why People Train for Years and Don’t Recomp
• Progressive Overload (Principle 1)
• Train Close to Failure (Principle 2)
• Proximity to Failure on Compounds vs. Isolations
• Quality and Quantity of Volume (Principle 3)
• Track Your Training (Principle 4)
• How Many Days a Week to Train
• Can You Recomp on Three Days a Week?
• Training Frequency in Research vs. the Real World
• Rep Ranges and Double Progression
• Top Sets and Back-Off Sets
• Higher Reps and BFR for Cranky Joints
• Compounds as Your Key Performance Indicators
• Isolation Work and the Mind-Muscle Connection
• Exercise Execution and Program Redundancies
• Final Thoughts

Brandon DaCruz Links:

Podcast (Chasing Clarity Health and Fitness Podcast):https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-clarity-health-fitness-podcast/id1619611966

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/

Website:
https://www.brandondacruzfit.com/

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Wanting to be leaner isn’t enough to decide if you should cut, bulk, or maintain. In this episode, I go over the five things I look at with clients before choosing a direction, starting with body composition and muscle growth potential. I break down body fat ranges for men and women, and why someone who has trained for 10 years can still have a lot of room to build muscle.

I also cover how recent dieting history and yo-yo dieting affect which direction I go, which biofeedback markers I watch (like energy, libido, digestion, HRV, and blood work), and how your goals and training, lifestyle, and recovery demands factor in. Then I talk about when I’ll use a health restoration phase instead of pushing body comp changes.

If you tend to go straight into a diet anytime you want to look leaner, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• Introduction
• Upcoming Cut, Bulk, or Maintain Workshop
• The 5 Factors I Look At
• Why Your Inputs Matter Most
• Factor 1: Body Composition and Muscle Growth Potential
• What Muscle Growth Potential Is
• Why Training Age Can Be Misleading
• Higher, Moderate, and Lower Body Fat Ranges
• Body Fat Plus High Muscle Growth Potential
• Body Fat Plus Low Muscle Growth Potential
• Factor 2: Recent Dieting History
• Yo-Yo Dieting and Weight Trends
• Factor 3: Biofeedback
• What Your Blood Work Can Tell You
• When a Health Restoration Phase Makes Sense
• Factor 4: Your Goals
• Factor 5: Training, Lifestyle, and Recovery Demands
• Why Maintenance Is a Good Default
• Final Thoughts

Should You Cut, Bulk, or Maintain? Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT):
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:
https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Gaining more weight than you planned during a building phase doesn’t mean you have to jump straight back into a fat loss phase. In part two of my building phase series, I break down what to do if you overshot your build, starting with what I look at with clients before we change anything, including whether the increase is temporary, whether the weight gain is actually a bad thing, and whether you’re trying to stay leaner than your lifestyle and training allow.

I also go over the four options I use with clients when a build does overshoot. These are returning to maintenance, moving more, adding a reverse maintenance day, and knowing when it actually makes sense to go back into a fat loss phase. I get into the situations where I’d hold off on dieting again, and why building more muscle might be what your physique needs most.

If you gained more than you wanted during a build and your first thought was to start cutting again, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• What Overshooting a Building Phase Looks Like
• The Biggest Mistake: Jumping Back Into Fat Loss Too Soon
• Four Questions to Ask Before Making Changes
• Is This a Temporary Increase?
• Is All Weight Gain Actually Bad?
• Are You Getting in Your Own Head?
• Are You Trying to Stay Too Lean?
• Client Example: Lifestyle, Training Demands, and Recovery
• Option 1: Return to Maintenance
• Option 2: Increase Steps, Daily Movement, or Cardio
• Option 3: Add a Reverse Maintenance Day
• Option 4: Transition Into a Fat Loss or Touch-Up Phase
• When to Be Cautious About Dieting Again
• When Your Biggest Weakness Is a Lack of Muscle

Should You Cut, Bulk, or Maintain? Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT):
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

If you feel like you have to be in a fat loss phase all year to stay in shape, your building phases are probably the problem. In this episode, I go over how to run a building phase without unnecessary fat gain, starting with the expectations you need going in and how I set up calories and macros with clients.

I also cover the habits that keep fat gain in check, like not saving all your calories for the end of the day, fueling around your workouts, spending time at maintenance, and keeping cardio in. Then I go over the signs that your building phase is done.

If you’ve tried a building phase before and felt like you just gained a bunch of body fat, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• Upcoming Nutrition Periodization Workshop
• What a Building Phase Is
• Setting Expectations for a Building Phase
• 05:40 Why Good Building Phases Mean Less Time Dieting
• How I Set Up Calories in a Building Phase
• Setting Your Macros
• Don’t Save All Your Calories for Later in the Day
• Prioritize Your Training
• Be Smarter With Food Around Sleep
• Put More Food Around Your Workouts
• Spend Some Time at Maintenance
• Short Catabolic Periods Deeper Into a Build
• Eat Until Satisfied, Not Stuffed
• Keep Your Base Nutrition in Place
• Keep Doing Cardio
• Some Weight Gain Is Fine
• Signs Your Building Phase Is Done

Nutrition Periodization for Body Recomp Workshop (Oct 29, 1 p.m. CT):
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/2699843afd

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:
https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:
https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Aaron Straker, founder of Straker Nutrition Co. and co-host of the Eat Train Prosper Podcast with Bryan Boorstein, is back on for the third time. Aaron recently earned his IFBB Pro card in men’s physique and just moved back to the States after four years in Bali. In this episode, we talk about how he’s running his offseason build and how he’s working to bring up his upper back after his first bodybuilding season.

We also get into his low-volume leg training, what eating 4,300 calories a day looks like, signs it’s time to end a building phase, digestion and fiber when calories are high, how to keep insulin sensitivity in check, and how he uses cardio in a build, in a diet, and on TRT.

So if you’re in a building phase, or you’ve got a muscle group that just won’t grow, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• 01:32 Moving Back From Bali and Starting From Zero
• 04:13 The Bali Gym and New Equipment
• 07:27 Salt Lake City’s Hidden Bodybuilding Gym Scene
• 09:28 Aaron’s Offseason Build and Training Split
• 10:45 The Men’s Physique Weight Cap and Why He’s Pulling Back on Legs
• 12:42 Three Sets of Quads a Week
• 14:13 Why Aaron Sticks to Structure and a Log Book
• 16:01 Calf Training and Getting Into the Stretch
• 19:58 Bringing Up His Upper Back and Dropping the Ego
• 25:38 You Never Stop Learning
• 27:51 Exercise Selection for Traps and Rhomboids
• 31:31 Eating 4,300 Calories a Day
• 33:36 Scale Weight vs. Training Performance
• 36:50 Signs It’s Time to End a Building Phase
• 39:17 Digestion, Food Quality, and Fiber When Calories Are High
• 45:04 Tracking Insulin Sensitivity With Blood Work
• 47:15 Carb Timing to Stay Insulin Sensitive
• 49:50 Cardio in a Build vs. a Diet
• 54:34 Cardio on TRT and Anabolics
• 57:33 Why Aaron Doesn’t Compete in Classic Physique
• 58:44 NFL Linemen, a 40-Day Fast, and Why Pros Aren’t Your Baseline
• 1:01:54 What’s Next and Where to Find Aaron

Aaron Straker’s Links:

Straker Nutrition Co. Coaching:https://strakernutritionco.com

Follow Aaron on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aaron_straker/

Eat Train Prosper Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1556699

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Whether you need to eat before a workout depends on the type of training you’re doing. In this episode, I break down how I approach pre-workout nutrition with clients for both body composition and performance, including when training fasted makes sense, when it can hold you back, and what to eat if you do have something beforehand.

I also cover how your timing changes based on when you train and why heavy meals high in fat and fiber can hurt your session. I get into how lifting and cardio are different, what to watch out for in a fat loss phase, and why fueling for sports and events works a little differently.

If you’ve always trained fasted, or you feel like you have to slam a big meal before every session, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• The Two Camps on Fasted Training
• Pre-Workout Nutrition for Lifting
• Training First Thing in the Morning
• Training Later in the Day
• What to Eat and What to Limit Before You Train
• Why Something Small Beforehand Goes a Long Way
• How Pre-Workout Timing Affects Your Post-Workout Meal
• Pre-Workout Nutrition for Cardio
• How Body Fat and Stress Load Change Things
• Pre-Workout Nutrition in a Fat Loss Phase
• Fueling for Sports, Events, and Performance
• Summary and Final Thoughts
• Does Protein Before Training Improve Performance?
• The TLDR on Pre-Workout Nutrition

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Cody McBroom, founder of Tailored Coaching Method and host of the Choose Hard Podcast, is back on for the second time. In this episode, we talk about building discipline, confidence, and habits that last when motivation runs out.

Cody walks through his Self-Formation Framework, the four stages he uses to help clients create real behavior change. We also cover why "just try harder" doesn't work, how the way you talk to yourself affects your follow-through, when tough love helps, and how Cody is training and eating now that he's gone more hybrid.

So if you're a coach trying to help clients stick with it, or you're coaching yourself and keep falling off, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Catching Up With Cody
• Who Cody Works With and How Client Goals Change
• Why Coaches Need to Walk the Walk
• Bodybuilding, HYROX, and a Year-Long Back Injury
• The Self-Formation Framework
• Core Values, Standards, and Identity Shifts
• Self-Control, Self-Discipline, Self-Belief, and Self-Respect
• How to Figure Out Where a Client Is
• Why "Just Try Harder" Doesn't Work
• Finding Your Real Why
• Reviewing Your Game Tape
• The Language Audit: Why "Try" Isn't a Plan
• Accountability and Why It Matters More Than You Think
• Tough Love and Setting Expectations Early
• Putting a System to the Psychology of Coaching
• Cody's Hybrid Training and Nutrition
• Where to Find Cody

Online Coaching Certification Wait List + Free Check-In Masterclass:https://onlinecoachingcertification.com

Follow Cody on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/codymcbroom/

Choose Hard Podcast:https://choosehard.podbean.com

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Muscle growth is already a slow process, and a lot of what we do with our nutrition slows it down even more. In this episode, I break down the most common nutrition mistakes I see holding people back from building muscle, including eating too few calories, spending too much of the year dieting, and being inconsistent with your intake.

I also cover how much protein you actually need and how to spread it out, how to set up your nutrition around training, why trying to stay too lean or being afraid of the scale can stall progress, and why carbs matter more than most people think.

If your training is dialed in but you're not seeing the progress you want, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Why Training Is the Primary Driver of Muscle Growth
• Eating Too Few Calories and Dieting Too Long
• Being Inconsistent With Your Calorie and Macro Intake
• Why Calorie Distribution Throughout the Day Matters
• Not Eating Enough Protein
• Why More Protein Isn't Always Better
• Poor Protein Distribution
• How Many Meals Per Day?
• Poor Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
• Trying to Stay Too Lean Year-Round
• Being Afraid to See the Scale Go Up
• Why Scale Weight Gain Isn't Automatically Body Fat
• Not Eating Enough Carbs to Support Your Training

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Carbs are always a hot topic. Some people think they're the reason you can't lose fat, and others think you need as many as possible to perform. In this episode, I go over nine carb mistakes I see that could be hurting your physique and performance, from staying low carb all year to assuming more carbs always means better training.

I also cover what actually determines how many carbs you need, why placing carbs around your workouts matters, why high-carb, high-fat foods get blamed on carbs, what a rise in blood glucose really means, and how I like to periodize carbs throughout the year.

So if you want to figure out where your carbs should be and how to adjust them over time, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Mistake 1: Going Low Carb Too Often
• What Counts as Low, Moderate, and High Carb
• The Downsides of Staying Low Carb Year-Round
• Low Carb and Low Energy Availability: What the Research Shows
• Mistake 2: Thinking You Always Need to Be High Carb
• The Downsides of Staying High Carb Year-Round
• Mistake 3: Thinking Lifting 4x a Week Requires Massive Carbs
• Mistake 4: Not Considering What Determines Your Carb Needs
• Mistake 5: Not Prioritizing Carbs Around Workouts
• Mistake 6: Mistaking High-Carb, High-Fat Foods for Carbs
• Mistake 7: Thinking Carbs Are Bad Because Blood Glucose Rises
• Mistake 8: Cutting Carbs When Calories Need Adjusting
• Mistake 9: Keeping Carbs the Same All Year
• Why Women Should Periodize Carbs
• Final Thoughts

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Nutrition can make or break a body recomp phase. In this episode, Brandon DaCruz is back on for part three of our body recomp series, and we break down the nutrition strategies we use with clients, including deficit size, protein intake and distribution, carbohydrate quality and timing, calorie cycling, and dietary fat.

We also catch up on training and life, including training around a new baby, time-efficient training techniques, and Brandon's current fat loss phase and why he still puts himself through the process.

So if you want to learn how to set up your nutrition for a recomp phase based on your goals, body composition, and training, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Baby #2 and Training Around a New Schedule
• Time-Efficient Training Techniques
• "Never Miss Two" and Building Momentum Over Motivation
• Brandon's Current Fat Loss Phase
• Can You Change Your Lower Intervention Point Over Time?
• Deficit Size and Lean Mass Changes
• Why Start a Recomp at Maintenance
• Fat Loss Focused vs. Building Focused Recomp
• Setting Realistic Recomp Expectations
• Using a Primer Phase Before a Recomp
• Why Lab Work Matters Before Pushing a Recomp
• Why Protein Is the Most Important Nutrition Lever
• How Much Protein for Body Recomp
• Adjusting Protein Based on Body Fat Levels
• Protein Distribution
• Carbohydrates for Body Recomp
• Carbohydrate Quality
• Fueling Around Training vs. the Rest of the Day
• Adjusting Carbs Based on Metabolic Health
• Using Calorie Cycling in a Recomp
• Practicing Maintenance During a Fat Loss Phase
• Dietary Fat and Testosterone
• Low-Carb Diets and Thyroid Levels

• Follow Brandon on Instagram @brandondacruz_:https://www.instagram.com/brandondecruz_/https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/
• Chasing Clarity Health and Fitness Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-clarity-health-fitness-podcast/id1619611966

• Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c
• Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en
• How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/
• Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Progressive overload is one of the most important parts of building muscle, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode I break down my framework for applying progressive overload. I cover how hard your sets should be and how I use rep ranges. From there I explain when to add weight versus when to stay at the same weight to build reps.

I also get into why you don't need to beat your numbers every session. Exercise order and recovery both affect your logbook, and forcing progress can backfire over time.

So if you want a simple, practical approach to progressive overload and building muscle, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Introduction
• What Is Progressive Overload?
• Why the Body Resists Building Muscle
• Three Things That Matter for Building Muscle
• What 0 to 3 Reps in Reserve Looks Like
• Hard Training vs Heavy Training
• What the Research Says on Adding Reps vs Adding Weight
• Why I Prescribe Rep Ranges
• Building Reps Before Adding Weight
• What to Do If You Go Above the Rep Range
• What to Do If You Fall Below the Rep Range
• You Don't Need to Beat Your Numbers Every Session
• How Exercise Order + Context Affect Your Numbers
• Be Careful With Forcing Progressive Overload
• Final Thoughts

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Hunger is a normal part of fat loss, but not all hunger comes from a true physiological need for more energy. In this episode, I break down the difference between physiological hunger and what I call self-inflicted hunger.

I cover what can increase physiological hunger, including an energy deficit, getting leaner, higher activity, and being further from your highest body fat level. I also go over the habits that can make hunger worse, such as low-protein meals, calorie-dense foods, poor sleep, stress, poor meal timing, and low food volume.

The goal is to reduce the hunger that can be avoided so you can better manage your calorie intake and stay on track.

If you want to better understand your hunger and learn how to manage it, this episode is for you.

Let's talk about:

• Introduction
• Physiological Hunger vs Self-Inflicted Hunger
• Learning to Sit With Hunger
• What Drives Physiological Hunger + Energy Deficits
• How GLP1s Affect Hunger
• Lower Body Fat Levels and the Role of Leptin and Ghrelin
• High Energy Expenditure + Client Example
• Appetite Dysregulation at Higher Body Fat Levels
• What Is Self-Inflicted Hunger?
• Not Eating Enough Protein + How Much to Aim For
• Too Many Calorie-Dense, Low Satiety Foods
• Poor Sleep
• High Stress and an Overloaded Stress Bucket
• Poor Meal Timing and Saving Calories for Later
• Not Fueling in Line With Your Activity
• Meals That Lack Volume or Balance
• Eating Too Quickly, Stressed Environments, and Social Events
• Setting Up a Meal Template
• Final Thoughts

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Calorie cycling can be a useful tool during both fat loss and building phases. In this episode, I break down how I use calorie cycling, including redistributing calories throughout the week, increasing or decreasing the weekly deficit, and using higher-calorie days around training.

I also cover practical examples of how to set up calorie cycling during fat loss, when lower-calorie or protein-sparing modified fast days may make sense, and how I use calorie cycling in a building phase, including what I call a reverse refeed.

So if you want to learn how to adjust your calorie intake throughout the week based on your goals, training, and recovery, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

• Three Ways to Use Calorie Cycling During Fat Loss
• Redistributing Calories Without Changing the Weekly Deficit + Examples
• Protein-Sparing Modified Fast Days
• The Trade-Offs of More Aggressive Calorie Cycling
• Using Calorie Cycling to Change the Deficit
• Increasing the Deficit With Lower-Calorie Days
• Using Maintenance Days to Reduce the Deficit
• How I Typically Use Calorie Cycling With Clients
• When to Increase the Deficit
• When to Decrease the Deficit
• Choosing the Right Size Deficit
• How to Adjust Calorie Cycling Over Time
• Calorie Cycling During a Building Phase
• Using Higher-Calorie Days Around Training
• Where Calorie Cycling Can Go Wrong
• How to Set Up Higher and Lower Days
• Practical Building Phase Calorie Cycling Examples
• Adjusting Calories as a Building Phase Progresses
• The Reverse Refeed
• Why Use a Reverse Refeed?
• Who Should and Shouldn't Use a Reverse Refeed
• How a Reverse Refeed Can Be Misused
• How to Set Up a Reverse Refeed
• Levels of Reverse Refeed + Examples

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Maintenance calorie days can be a useful tool during a fat loss phase, especially when it comes to managing diet fatigue, supporting training performance, and improving long-term adherence. In this episode, I break down how I use maintenance days with clients, when to use them, and how to set them up without slowing fat loss unnecessarily.

I also cover how maintenance days affect your weekly calorie deficit, how to structure lower-calorie and maintenance days, when a protein-sparing modified fast may make sense, and the signs that you may benefit from adding a maintenance day.

So if you’re dieting and want more flexibility without losing sight of your fat loss goals, this episode is for you.

Let’s talk about:

00:05 Introduction

01:00 Why Use Maintenance Calorie Days?

02:02 Mental and Psychological Benefits

02:49 Supporting Training Performance

03:21 Lean Mass Retention and Body Recomp

04:01 Managing Diet Fatigue

05:03 Creating More Aggressive Deficit Days

05:34 Why Weekly Deficit Still Matters

06:44 Carbohydrate Availability During a Deficit

07:38 How to Set Up Your Lower-Calorie Days

10:32 Protein-Sparing Modified Fast Days

13:44 Carbohydrates on Maintenance Days

14:57 Flexibility Without Turning It Into a Cheat Day

19:21 How Often Should You Use Maintenance Days?

21:39 When to Use Maintenance Days

26:05 Potential Downsides

26:59 Maintenance Days Are Not Magic

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

In this episode, I explain why building muscle is such a slow process and how poor training and programming can make it even slower. I go through seven common training and programming mistakes that can hold back muscle growth and keep you from getting the most out of your training.

I also share how I approach training frequency, exercise selection, training intensity, exercise execution, and rep ranges when the goal is to build as much muscle as possible.

This episode will help you identify where your training may be holding you back and what you can change to make better progress over time.

Let’s talk about:

• Introduction and Why Muscle Growth Is So Slow
• Training Each Muscle Group Only Once Per Week
• How to Increase Training Frequency
• Poor Training Frequency Distribution
• What to Do When Your Schedule Gets Busy
• Not Training Hard Enough
• How Close to Failure Should You Train?
• Poor Exercise Execution
• How Exercise Execution Changes Muscle Bias
• Spending Too Much Time in High Rep Ranges
• Poor Exercise Selection and Distribution
• When Compound Exercises Aren’t the Best Choice
• Changing Exercises and Programs Too Often
• Final Takeaways

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

In this episode, I explain how to approach training during a fat loss phase while keeping performance and training volume high. I also talk about how I can balance my calorie deficit, training demands, and recovery during this phase.

I talk about total calories, carbohydrates, meal timing, and higher and lower calorie days, along with how I can manage training intensity and recovery while dieting.

This episode will help you better understand how to balance fat loss with training performance and why you can't maximize both at the same time.

Let’s talk about:

• Introduction and Training During Fat Loss
• Why Slashing Calories and Increasing Training Can Backfire
• What Counts as High Training Volume?
• Why Deficit Size Matters
• What to Do If You Want Faster Fat Loss
• Adjusting Total Calories to Match Training
• Why Carbohydrates Matter
• Carbs Around Training and Meal Timing
• Higher and Lower Calorie Days
• Managing Training Volume and Intensity
• Recovery and Overall Stress
• How Body Fat Levels Affect Your Flexibility
• Matching Fat Loss With Training Output
• Why You Need to Periodize Your Nutrition
• Final Takeaways

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

In this episode, I explain why the scale doesn't always tell you everything that's happening with your body composition. Four different scenarios show how you can maintain, gain, or slowly lose weight while still making meaningful progress.

I also discuss why muscle gain takes longer than fat loss and how that affects what you see on the scale. You'll also learn which other metrics give you a clearer picture of what's actually going on.

This episode will help you better understand what your scale weight is actually telling you and why you shouldn't rely on it alone to judge your progress.

Let’s talk about:

• Introduction and Why the Scale Doesn’t Tell You Everything
• What the Scale Actually Measures
• Why Muscle Gain Takes Longer Than Fat Loss
• Why Timeframe Matters
• BMI, FFMI, and Muscle-Building Potential
• Your Weight Stays About the Same
• The Scale Goes Up While You’re Losing Fat
• Slow Weight Loss
• Weight Goes Up While Body Fat Stays About the Same
• Recap of the Four Scenarios
• What the Scale Can and Can’t Tell You
• Other Metrics to Track Progress
• Final Takeaways

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

In this episode, I break down why having a stable body weight doesn’t automatically mean you’re adequately fueling your body. I discuss who is most at risk of underfueling, some of the signs to look out for, and how staying too lean, high training output, and chronic dieting can contribute to the problem.

I also cover what you can do to improve energy availability and better support your training, recovery, and overall health.

This episode will help you understand why stable weight doesn’t always mean you’re eating enough and how to better support your training, recovery, and overall health.

Let’s talk about:

• Introduction and Why Stable Weight Doesn’t Mean You’re Adequately Fueled
• Who Is Most at Risk of Underfueling?
• High Training Output and Low Energy Availability
• Staying Lean and Maintaining a Low Body Weight
• Being Afraid of Seeing the Scale Increase
• Spending Too Long Trying to Recomp
• Chronic Dieting and Repeated Fat Loss Phases
• Signs You May Be Underfueling
• Difficulty Building Muscle and Losing Fat
• Hormones, Thyroid Function, and Energy Availability
• Menstrual Cycle and Bone Health
• Why Scale Weight Fluctuations Matter
• What to Do If You’re Underfueling
• Carbohydrates, Training, and Recovery
• Periodizing Fat Loss Instead of Dieting Year Round
• Sleep, Stress, and Recovery
• Improving Micronutrient Intake
• Final Takeaways

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?:https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform

Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast!

Peptides are having a moment, promising to boost recovery, metabolism, body composition, and performance.

In this episode, Dave Marsh and I break down what they actually are, the categories, and how to source them safely, along with what Dave has learned firsthand using them for recovery, body composition, and performance. We also get into MOTS-c, GLP-1s, nutrient partitioning, muscle growth, and where peptides fit into the bigger picture of health and longevity.

If you've been curious about peptides, this episode covers what Dave has learned through research and personal experience, and where he thinks the space is headed.

Let's talk about:

• Introduction and Guest Intro
• Dave's Shift in Mindset and Training
• Somatic Work and Nervous System Regulation
• Why High Performers Need More Stillness
• Boundaries and Managing Stress
• Stress Resilience and HRV
• What Are Peptides?
• The Different Categories of Peptides
• Peptide Sourcing and Safety
• Dave's Experience Using Peptides After Dengue
• MOTS-c and Mitochondrial Health
• Dave's Half Marathon Experiment
• Going From 1,200 to 4,500 Calories
• Retatrutide and Food Noise
• Why Peptides May Be So Powerful
• A Client's Chronic Fatigue Turned Out to Be Low Testosterone
• Peptides and Muscle Growth
• NAD, 5-Amino-1MQ, and Metabolic Health
• Biggest Takeaways on Peptides
• The Future of Peptide Research
• Final Thoughts and Where to Find Dave

Follow Dave Marsh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachdavemarsh/

Follow Dave's website: https://coachdavemarsh.net/

Body Recomp Workshop Replay:https://chipper-producer-6244.kit.com/791129889c

Follow me on Instagram for more information and education:
https://www.instagram.com/jeffhoehn_/?hl=en

How You Can Work With Me?
https://jhhealth.net/workwithme/

Coaching application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE-99wLDZRXlOOY1pWuAmkogdZOm-7ZvN_thbqNWLdNrj5bg/viewform