Nutrition for Lifters Over 40

This page collects every Wits & Weights episode on nutrition for lifters over 40, grouped by topic with the newest first. You'll find protein, carbs, macro tracking, hunger, supplements, and GLP-1s. I look at each one through the research and what I see working for people who lift.

If you're not sure where to start, pick one of the five episodes below, then browse the topic that matches your question.

Start here

• Is 1 Gram of Protein Per Pound OVERKILL for Building Muscle?

• How to Track Macros (When Food Labels Can Be Wrong By 20 Percent)

• Stop Letting a Calculator Set Your Macros and Calories for Fat Loss

• The Satiety Diet (How to Lose Fat Without Fighting Hunger)

• The Latest GLP-1 Science on Muscle Loss, Fat Loss, and Weight Regain

Protein

• Is 1 Gram of Protein Per Pound OVERKILL for Building Muscle?

• Eat More Protein to Lose More Fat (No Calorie Deficit Needed)

• Is "High Protein" Just Another Fad Diet?

• Lose Fat Without Hunger Using Protein, Fiber, and Appetite Control That Works

• How Much Protein You Really Need to Build Muscle (Not What You Think)

• Is THIS the Ideal Protein Bar for Lifters and Athletes?

• What Happens to Macros (Carbs, Fats, and Protein) Inside Your Body?

• Is Excess Protein Turned Into Sugar and Fat? (Input-Output Systems)

• Collagen Protein Does NOT Build Muscle (Bayesian Inference)

• How to Allocate 1200, 2000, & 3000 Calories in Your Meal Plan (Plus Hit Your Protein!)

• The Dangers of Low Protein for Longevity

• Sweet Proteins, Food Science, and the Future of Sweeteners with Jason Ryder

• Protein Misconceptions and Strategies for Fat Loss, Muscle Growth, and Optimal Health

• Q&A - Calorie Tracking, Protein Shakes, Weigh-Ins, Muscle Over 40, EAAs, and More

• Flexible Dieting, Evidence-Based Nutrition, and Protein Strategies with Alan Aragon

• Diet Breaks, Energy Flux, Plant-Based Protein, and Dieting Psychology with Eric Trexler

• Balancing Strength, Physique, Recovery plus Animal vs. Plant Protein with Eric Helms

• Science Says - Protein Distribution to Increase Muscle Mass

GLP-1s and Weight Loss Medications

• Testosterone, GLP-1s, and Fat Loss Over 40 (Jay Campbell)

• Retatrutide Promises 28% Weight Loss (What About Muscle?)

• The Latest GLP-1 Science on Muscle Loss, Fat Loss, and Weight Regain

• Can THIS Plant Extract Activate GLP-1 Like Ozempic? (Sarah Kennedy)

• Hunger Hormones Controlling Your Fat Loss (Ghrelin, Leptin, and GLP-1 Explained)

• How He Lost 340 Pounds with Lifting, Walking (No Cardio), & GLP-1 (Jamie Selzler)

• Managing GLP-1 Side Effects for Weight Loss Without Losing Muscle (Justin Silver)

• Ozempic Envy, GLP-1 Microdosing, and the Weight Loss Wars

• Blood Sugar Spikes, Carb Myths, GLP-1s, and Fat Loss Tips from a Type 1 Diabetic (Ben Tzeel)

• Preserving Muscle on GLP-1 Weight Loss Medications

• Is Allulose the New GLP-1 Alternative to Weight Loss Drugs?

• How to Avoid Losing Muscle, Especially On Ozempic and Weight Loss Drugs (Sensor Damping)

• The Dark Side of GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound) with Amy Wilson

• From Emotional Eating and Bariatric Surgery to Optimal Health, Balance, and Mindful Living with Allan Friedman

Carbs, Insulin, and Blood Sugar

• Carb Cycling, Workout Carb Timing, and the Menopause Carb Myth

• 5 Signs You're Insulin Resistant Even If You Lift Weights (Amber Wilhoit)

• Carbs Spike Your Insulin (But That's IDEAL for Muscle Growth)

• 2 Biggest Causes of Belly Fat, Sugar Cravings, and Constant Hunger

• This Former Athlete Ditched Low Carb to Stay Shredded After 40

• How to Stop Prediabetes and Insulin Resistance Without Cutting Carbs

• Is Fiber Useless? The Carnivore Diet Thinks So

• Lose Fat vs. Burn Fat (Randle Cycle, Low-Carb, and Fasted Training)

• My Escape from Low-Carb Diets to More Energy, Muscle, and Fat Loss

• Are Low-Carb Diets Spiking Your Cortisol and Tanking Your Metabolism?

• How Cassandra Lost 11 Lbs Fat in 12 Weeks (While Building Muscle & Eating Carbs)

• The #1 Reason to Eat More Carbs (Material Elasticity)

• Carbs Aren't the Problem (Keto, Paleo, Bioenergetic, and Pro-Metabolic Diets)

• Bill Campbell on Aggressive Dieting, Dirty Bulking, and Keto Effects on Muscle Building

• More Carbs, More Muscle (Why Low-Carb and Keto Are Keeping You Skinny Fat)

• Q&A - Home Workouts, Antioxidant Supplements, Food Logging Hacks, Best Grains for Carbs

• Q&A - Dietary Guidelines, Carbs, Lipedema, Life Stress, Fasting for Longevity, Killer Plants, and Metabolic "Damage"

• Q&A - Bigger Glutes, Insulin Resistance, Carb Cycling, Refeeds, and Fat Intake for Hormones

Fasting and Meal Timing

• Intermittent Modified Fasting to Lose Fat WITHOUT Losing Muscle (Lyle McDonald)

• 5 Ways Intermittent Fasting Backfires for Women Over 40

• How the "Weekend Diet" Accelerates Fat Loss and Preserves More Muscle (Strategic Refeeds)

• 10 Intermittent Fasting Myths That Need to Die

Tracking Macros and Calories

• How to Track Macros (When Food Labels Can Be Wrong By 20 Percent)

• You Don't Need a Calorie Surplus to Build Muscle Over 40

• Stop Letting a Calculator Set Your Macros and Calories for Fat Loss

• How to Eat 400 Fewer Calories a Day Without Trying (Abbey Sharp)

• "I'm in a Calorie Deficit and Can't Lose Weight" Is NEVER True (What's Really Happening)

• 5 Nutrition Mistakes That Kill Body Recomp (Calories vs. Macros vs. Micronutrients)

• Calorie Counting vs. Pattern Analysis for Fat Loss and Muscle Building Over 40

• Why Most Fitness & Nutrition Apps Fail People Over 40 (And What Actually Works)

• Why You Can't Lose Weight on 1200 Calories (And What To Do About It)

• My 7 Favorite Food Logging Hacks with MacroFactor

• Is 800 Calories a Day Unsafe?

• How to Estimate Your Metabolism ACCURATELY (The Best Way to Calculate Calories)

• Fat Loss WITHOUT a Calorie Deficit? (Body Recomp Explained)

• 1920s Weight Loss Secrets (Calories, Candy, and Cigarettes)

• Organic, Grass-Fed, and Natural - What Food Labels DON'T Tell You (Natalie Kovarik)

• Calories Are Not "Real"

• Your Secret Weapon for Fat Loss is NOT a Calorie Deficit or Macros

• Can You Lose Fat Without Tracking Macros? (Christina McClurken)

• Your Macro Tracking App is Too "Dumb" for Real Fat Loss (or Muscle Gain)

• 10 Reasons Muscle Burns Even More Calories Than You Think (Thermal Mass)

• The Surprising 4th Macro That Stalls Fat Loss (and Increases Belly Fat)

• Why Food is NOT the Problem When Your Diet Falls Off Track (Ali Shapiro)

• How to Eat Thousands of Calories to Gain Muscle and Weight (Not Just for Hardgainers)

• Counting Calories for Weight Loss vs. Tracking What Matters for Fat Loss

• Your Macros and Training Plan Mean Nothing Without THIS (Kevin Palmieri)

• 4 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism by 500 to 1000 Calories per Day

• Macros vs. Intuitive Eating with the Godfather of Flexible Dieting, Dr. Joe Klemczewski

• Why Macros Might Be All You Need to Streamline Your Nutrition

• Food Logging That Doesn't Suck

• 5 Foolproof Strategies to Hit Your Macros and Finally Master Fat Loss

• Q&A - Macro Splits, Lean Bulking, Hunger, Muscle Over 40, Aggressive Fat Loss Strategies

• Macros Aren't Enough (Flexible Dieting vs. IIFYM)

• Is Your Food Logging App Sabotaging Your Fat Loss and Physique Goals?

• Why Working Out LESS Burns More Calories and Boosts Your Metabolism and Fat Loss

• Stress-Free Macro Tracking, Nerding Out on Metabolism, and Fitness Science with Greg Nuckols

• Bigger Gains, Tracking Your Food (or Not), and Fitness Principles with Carl Berryman

• Why You Should Track Your Food

• Science Says - Diet (Calorie Deficit) vs. Exercise (Cardio) for Fat Loss

• How to Stay On Track with Meals, Fat Loss, and Fitness No Matter Where You Are

Hunger, Cravings, and Eating Habits

• Is My Metabolism Damaged From Dieting? (What Your Hunger Is Really Telling You)

• The Satiety Diet (How to Lose Fat Without Fighting Hunger)

• Stop Eating LESS to Lose Fat After 40 (Do This Instead)

• How to Become an Intuitive Eater (Without Ignoring Data)

• Why "Moderation" Fails and What Actually Stops Binge Eating (Dr. Glenn Livingston)

• The Body Recomp Advantage for Appetite and Fat Loss After 40

• How Strength Training (Not Cardio) Suppresses Appetite and Burns Fat

• Build Muscle First, Cut Later for Easier Fat Loss and Less Hunger

• Why Appetite Changes After 40 (And How to Still Lose Fat)

• Why You're Always HUNGRY on a Diet (7 Mistakes Killing Your Fat Loss)

• How to Lose Fat Without Giving Up Foods You Enjoy (The 20% "Eat Anything" Rule)

• 3 Ways Thanksgiving WON'T Ruin Your Fat Loss (No Matter What You Do)

• Avoid Holiday Weight Gain with a BAILOUT Strategy (Flex Framework)

• Can You Eat "Clean" Without Food Guilt in an Ultra-Processed World? (Alana Bonnemann)

• Using Data to Break Free from Emotional Eating Patterns

• The Hidden Triggers Making You Overeat Without Realizing It (Sarah Krieger)

• Not Another Thanksgiving Fat Loss Podcast! (Entropy from the Holiday Chaos)

• The Hidden Brain in Your Gut Might Be Controlling Your Cravings with Dr. William Ferro

• Why You Can't Stop Eating (How to Break Food Addiction) with Dr. Judson Brewer

• The Science of Hunger and 9 Hacks to Outsmart Your Appetite (Especially in Fat Loss!)

• The Freedom of No More Cheat Meals

• Eating Out While Staying Lean (Even During Fat Loss)

• How Carol Lost 20 Pounds and 14% Body Fat, Set a Lifting PR, and Gained Food Freedom in Her 40s

• Body Positivity, Fit Shaming, Obesity, Food Addiction, and Keeping Your Self-Promises with David Greenwalt

• The "Best" Diet for Weight Loss and Finding Food Freedom with Kate Bay Jaramillo

• How to Control Emotional Eating and Exercise Consistently with Ashley Carlotta

• Stop Overeating, Binge Eating, and Obsessing Over Food with Dr. Glenn Livingston

• Set Your Fitness and Nutrition Habits on Autopilot

Supplements, Caffeine, and Alcohol

• Creatine for Women in Menopause (Dosage, Bone, and Brain Research)

• Q&A - How Fast Do You Really Lose Muscle? (Plus Bigger Glutes, Creatine, & More)

• 5 Supplements for Stress, Mood, and Recovery After 40 (Evidence-Based)

• 7 Natural Testosterone Boosters That Actually Work (Evidence-Based)

• The Alcohol Cancer Report Cover Up

• The 98% Success Method to Go Alcohol-Free and Get Lean (James Swanwick)

• Diet Soda Is Good For You

• Ditch Alcohol for a Physically and Mentally Healthier Life with Karolina Rzadkowolska

Gut Health, Inflammation, and Food Quality

• How to Lose Belly Fat After 40 (Cortisol is NOT the Problem)

• Why You Can't Lose Fat "Eating Clean" (Performance Chef Mario Limaduran)

• Are Toxins Disrupting Your Metabolism? (Michele Scarlet)

• Are Nonstick Pans Leaching Microplastics and Forever Chemicals Into Your Food?

• The All Junk Food Diet vs. Clean Eating (Lyle McDonald on "Excluding the Middle")

• The REAL Triggers of Chronic Inflammation (Hint: It's Not Specific Foods Like Seed Oils)

• Why Stress & Cortisol Are Destroying Your Fat Loss and What to Do About It (Molly McNamee)

• How to Reduce Midlife Back Pain and Joint Inflammation Over 40 with Megan Dahlman

• How Anatomy Impacts Your Gut, Muscle Mass, Hormones, and Health with Justin Cottle

• The Surprising Link Between Gut Health, Fat Loss, and Body Composition with Josh Dech

• Physique Enhancement, Rapid Fat Loss, Plateaus, and Processed Foods with Bill Campbell, PhD

Diet Strategy and Nutrition Myths

• How Jenny Lost 13 Pounds While Eating MORE After Dieting Since 7th Grade

• Why the Most Convincing Nutrition Advice Is Usually Wrong (Zoë Rom and Kylee Van Horn)

• Do Diet Breaks Actually Work for Metabolism Recovery and Fat Loss?

• "Broccoli Is Making You Fat!" (Why Single-Food Blame Is Nonsense)

• Should You Fix Your Diet or Training First?

• You Know Enough About Nutrition and Fitness (Here's Why You're Still Stuck)

• 2 Psychological SKILLS That Determine If You'll Stick to Lifting and Nutrition

• How Can We Trust Hypertrophy and Nutrition Science? (Eric Helms)

• Lose Fat Faster with THIS One Thing (Hint: It's Not Cardio or Eating Less)

• Q&A - Post-Bulk Fat Loss, Walking Too Much, and Diet Fatigue (Brandon DaCruz)

• The Blue Zone Hoax (and Other Diet Myths That Won't Make You Live Longer)

• Should You Lose Fat, Build Muscle, or Maintain? (Nutrition & Training Audit)

• Epic Q&A - 30 Nutrition & Training Questions Answered with Spartan Efficiency

• Does Cycle Syncing Your Workouts & Nutrition Actually Work? (Jillian Greaves)

• When You CAN "Eat More to Lose Weight" (for Fat Loss)

• Should You Lose Those Last 5-10 Pounds? (Nutrition & Training Audit)

• The WORST Weight Loss Diet to Lose 20 Pounds or More

• The DNA-Based Diet That Uses Epigenetics to Personalize Your Health (Dr. Matt Dawson)

• Eat More of THESE Mood-Boosting Foods for Everyday Happiness with Dr. Sarah Ballantyne

• Here's Why Your Diet SHOULD Be Restrictive for Fat Loss (Design of Experiments)

• This Quick Change Will Help You Stick to Your Fat Loss Meal Plan (Kaizen)

• Add THIS To Your Diet to Optimize Fat Loss, Energy, and More (Buffer Systems)

• How to Eat Healthy When Your Family Doesn't Have the Same Fitness Goals

• Eat These 5 Foods and Lose 20 Pounds By Next Week

• Eat More To Lose Weight? (The Iron Triangle of Fat Loss)

• 7 Biggest Fitness & Nutrition Myths Busted After 200 Episodes (According to Listeners)

• Why Mindset Alone Won't Solve Your Food and Hormone Struggles with Tanja Shaw

• The Top 15 Reasons NOT to Start a Diet Right Now (If You Want Sustainable Fat Loss)

• Why "Eat Less, Move More" Is Terrible Advice for Your Metabolism, Hormones, and Fat Loss

• My Complete Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint (Bulking to Get Lean and Fit Over 40)

• Eric Helms on Excellence, Consistency, and Getting Ripped Through Nutrition and Training

• The Perfect Meal Plan

• The Anti-Diet Athlete Mindset to Release Weight Naturally with Sherry Shaban

• Energy, Workout Nutrition, and Performance-Based Strength for Women Over 40 with Steph Gaudreau

• How to End the Extreme Diet Cycle and Embrace Balance with Lisa Franz

• Using High Energy Flux to Eat More, Burn More Fat, and Build More Muscle with Brandon DaCruz

• Q&A - Strength for Women 40+, Safe Lifting, 3 vs. 4 Day Splits, Workout Nutrition

• Training and Nutrition for Strength & Endurance, Managing Recovery for Longevity, and Backcountry Mountain Hunting with Josh Isley

• Demystifying Lifting, Cardio, Nutrition, and Fat Loss

• Fix Your Nutrition for a Healthy, Balance Lifestyle with Tyla Serro

• 25 Ways to Improve Sleep (The Missing Ingredient to Nutrition and Recovery)

• 10 Fitness and Nutrition "Facts" I Changed My Mind About

• How to Diet Without Being "On" a Diet

Put it into practice

Want help putting this into practice? Grab one of my free guides, or get 20% off Fitness Lab, my AI coaching app.