1. MAPS Aesthetic Giveaway
Adam and Sal discuss the difference between losing weight and losing fat. They explain how losing muscle can negatively affect the body and how gaining muscle can actually lead to a faster metabolism and more fat loss in the long run. They also offer a free program giveaway and a discount on their April sale.+
2. Body Composition Matters
Weight Loss and Body Fat:Sal and Adam discuss how losing weight doesn't always equate to a decrease in body fat percentage. They explain how losing muscle instead of fat can actually cause body fat percentage to increase. It's important to focus on body fat percentage rather than just the number on the scale.+
Weight Loss Misconceptions:Sal, Justin, and Adam discuss the common misconception of weight loss equating to fat loss and muscle gain. They explain how losing weight doesn't necessarily mean losing fat and how some weight loss methods can actually lead to muscle loss.+
Body Composition Matters:Sal, Justin, and Adam discuss how body composition is more important than weight when it comes to health and fitness goals. They explain how the body adapts to stress and how building muscle can lead to a faster metabolism. They also caution against relying too much on cardio for weight loss, as it can actually slow down the metabolism.+
Cardio vs Strength:Adam, Justin, and Sal discuss the differences between cardiovascular and strength training. They explain how focusing solely on cardio can lead to muscle loss and a slower metabolism, while strength training can help build muscle and increase testosterone levels.+
Body Fat Testing:Sal, Justin, and Adam discuss the accuracy of body fat testing and how some trainers deny the science behind it. They share personal experiences with clients and trainers who refuse to accept their body fat percentage and blame the testing method.+
Body Fat Percentage:Sal, Adam, and Justin discuss the accuracy of body fat percentage measurements and the importance of considering muscle gain vs fat loss when tracking progress. They share personal experiences and insights on how trainers and clients can better understand body composition changes.+
3. Cannabis and working out.
Cannabis and Workouts:Sal discusses the use of cannabis before workouts and how it affects physical performance. Although studies show that it reduces coordination, reaction time, and power output, surveys indicate that people use it for the psychological effects and to enjoy their workouts. Cannabis pre-workout users tend to work out longer and do more volume.+
Cannabis and Exercise:Adam, Sal, and Justin discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks of using cannabis before exercise. While it may improve mental focus and mind-to-muscle connection, there is concern over creating a dependency and a dysfunctional relationship with exercise. The group also shares personal experiences with getting too high and the potential dangers of lifting weights while under the influence.+
Mind-Altering Substances:Sal, Adam, and Justin discuss the potential benefits of using hemp oil to improve mental state before a workout, as well as the importance of mental preparation for physical activity. They also briefly touch on a news story about a kindergarten student accidentally sharing their mother's margarita mix with their class.+
4. Parenting Insights
Nap Time Revelations:Adam and Sal discuss the joys of nap time for kids and how it seems like they behave better for other people. They speculate on why this might be and share their own experiences with their children's nap habits.+
Kids' Quirks:Sal, Justin, and Adam discuss the quirks of their children, including their behavior in public and their bedtime routines. They share anecdotes and insights into parenting and childhood behavior.+
Baby Sleep Habits:Adam, Sal, and Justin discuss their children's unique sleep habits, including sweating, hugging teddy bears, and banging their heads on the mattress. They also talk about the use of baby monitors and the invasion of privacy concerns.+
Removing Baby Monitors:Adam, Sal, and Justin discuss the appropriate age to remove a baby monitor from a child's room. They share their personal experiences and opinions on the matter, considering safety and privacy concerns.+
5. Big Family Challenges
Big Family Joy:Sal shares his excitement about having another child, making it his fourth. He talks about his love for big families and how he enjoys the chaos. The hosts discuss the challenges of having a big family, including the need for more space and creative ways to save money.+
Pregnancy Struggles:Sal discusses the struggles his wife Jessica has been facing during her pregnancy, specifically the intense nausea she has been experiencing for six weeks. The group talks about the difficulty of finding foods that won't make her sick and the challenge of balancing proper nutrition with the need to keep food down.+
Pregnancy Hunger:Adam and Sal discuss the challenges of pregnancy hunger and how Katrina had to set an alarm to stay ahead of it. Sal shares a funny story about his son's reaction to his wife's morning sickness.+
6. Food Prices & ButcherBox
Rising Food Prices:Sal, Adam, and Justin discuss the rising food prices due to inflation and the decrease in food supply. They explain how this will affect both rich and developing countries and predict that the situation will worsen in the next 9 to 18 months.+
ButcherBox Prices:Sal, Adam, and Justin discuss the prices of ButcherBox and its high-quality meat. They mention how the company's prices are becoming more attractive due to their sourcing and elimination of middlemen.+
7. American Home Equity
Adam and Sal discuss the staggering amount of money that has been pulled out of people's homes in America, amounting to half a trillion dollars in the last year. This has caused a shortage of workers as people are sitting on money and equity, leading to the question of why work when they have hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank.+
8. Amino Acid Appetite
Amino Acids & Appetite:Sal shares an interesting study on how nonessential amino acids can suppress appetite and encourage movement in mice. This finding could potentially support bodybuilders who consume branch chain amino acids.+
Amino Acid Movement:Sal explains how nonessential amino acids trigger movement in mice and how this could potentially transfer to humans. The hosts discuss the possibility of supplement companies using this information to create weight loss products. Sal also recommends a digestive enzyme product for those with high protein diets.+
9. TRT Optimization Tips
TRT Treatment Tips:Ben seeks advice on how to optimize his TRT treatment through diet and training. Despite fixing his sleep, diet, and training, he still has low testosterone levels and has sought help from Dr. Todd. Ben shares his experience and asks for tips on how to start testosterone treatment.+
TRT and Fat Loss:Sal explains that TRT doesn't change the advice for building muscle and burning fat. It simply makes hormones work for you instead of against you. TRT can lead to better muscle gains, faster recovery, and indirectly to fat loss.+
Optimal Testosterone Levels:Sal explains that optimal testosterone levels improve health and increase muscle gains, which in turn leads to fat loss. It's important to not change your routine drastically and to allow your hormone levels to work with you. Within four to eight weeks, you'll notice an increase in libido drive, strength, muscle mass, and fat loss.+
Bulking and TRT:Adam and Sal advise a listener who just started TRT to bulk and consume adequate calories. They also discuss the individuality of TRT dosages and how some people may need more or less than others.+
Optimizing Testosterone:Adam and Sal discuss the importance of optimizing testosterone levels through good resistance training, diet, and sleep. They caution against going too aggressive and emphasize the need for a balanced approach. The guest shares his experience with the Maps Strong program and how he feels like he's no longer fighting his body.+
Hormone Optimization:Sal and Adam discuss the importance of working with doctors to optimize hormone levels, and Sal gives advice on how to approach nutrition when trying to bulk up. They also encourage listeners to take advantage of the forum for expert advice on hormone-related questions.+
Hormone Optimization:Adam, Sal, and Justin discuss the importance of nutrition when optimizing hormones and how hormone therapy should only be used as a last resort. They also touch on the growing trend of testosterone replacement therapy and the need for proper guidance from qualified professionals.+
10. Military Fitness Training
Military Fitness Training:Brian seeks advice on how to balance his weight training for physique goals with his military fitness training. The hosts ask him about the fitness tests he needs to pass and give him advice on how to incorporate the necessary training to pass them without negating his physique goals.+
Training for Tests:The hosts discuss how to train for fitness tests and suggest incorporating the test into a workout routine twice a month. They also recommend focusing on bodybuilding for aesthetic goals and suggest a structured program like Maps Performance for a balanced fitness routine.+
Military Training Preparation:Adam and Sal give advice on how to prepare for military training, discussing the benefits of both bodybuilding and endurance training. They suggest that the guest could train with an aesthetic program, and then transition to endurance training two weeks before starting military training.+
Building Athleticism:Sal, Adam, and Justin discuss the importance of building athleticism alongside bodybuilding. They emphasize the genetic component of athleticism and how training for aesthetic purposes alone can lead to a lack of overall fitness.+
11. Fit at Sea
Staying Fit at Sea:Phil, an active duty Navy member, seeks advice on how to stay fit while on a six-month ship deployment. The hosts suggest using a suspension trainer and recommend dumbbell-based programs like Anabolic and Strong. They also touch on the importance of nutrition while at sea.+
Ship Life Protein:Phil, an aircraft mechanic, shares his concerns about getting enough protein while working on a ship. The hosts suggest using protein powder as a supplement and discuss the benefits of its convenience and storage. They also recommend specific workout programs for Phil's limited space on the ship.+
12. Strength & Mindset
Strength Training & Running:Brandon, a former competitive weightlifter and Olympic weightlifter, shares how the pandemic forced him to switch to running and how it affected his health and metabolism. He seeks advice on how to get back into strength training and overcome the mental challenges of starting from scratch. The hosts provide insights on how to balance running and strength training, overcome mental barriers, and prioritize health.+
Returning to Strength Training:Sal gives advice on how to return to strength training after a break from it. He explains that the body is an adaptation machine and that with patience and consistency, muscle memory will kick in and progress will happen faster than expected. He also touches on how metabolism can be affected by a change in physical activity.+
Changing Your Relationship:Adam advises a listener to change their mindset towards exercise and view it as a lifelong journey instead of a competition. He suggests making connections between training and overall life to enhance and improve it.+
Shifting Competitive Drive:Justin and Adam discuss the transition from a competitive mindset to a holistic approach to strength training. They suggest shifting the focus towards overall health and mobility, rather than just winning or lifting heavy weights. They recommend being competitive with movement technique and range of motion instead.+
New Workout Strategies:Sal recommends Map Symmetry for Brandon's workout routine, emphasizing the importance of trying new exercises and focusing on movement technique. The program includes isometrics and unilateral training, which Brandon has not done before, preventing him from comparing his progress to his previous strength levels. Adam agrees that the key is to focus on the movement workout and technique, rather than increasing weight on the bar every week.+
Mindset Shift:Adam, Sal, and Justin discuss the importance of discipline and changing your mentality when it comes to comparing yourself to previous lifts or others. They emphasize the need to focus on personal growth and not just beating others, especially as you age.+
Mindset Shift:Adam discusses how he had to shift his mindset from always competing with others to focusing on personal growth. He shares how this shift has helped him in his personal life as well, making him a better husband and partner. The hosts also discuss the importance of mindset in training and how it can prevent burnout and injury.+