Flex Diet Podcast

Jonah Rosner is a sport scientist, performance coach, and founder of Marathon Science, translating endurance research for runners and hybrid athletes. Does everyone really need two to three hours of Zone 2 each week? Sport scientist Jonah Rosner joins Dr. Mike T Nelson to explore when higher-intensity work makes sense, how to separate cardiovascular stress from tissue stress, and what heat training and blood flow restriction may add to an endurance plan. Expect to learn why time-crunched lifters may benefit from carefully selected intervals, how to separate cardiovascular load from tissue load, why sprinting needs a gradual runway, what heat acclimation may change beyond plasma volume, where oxygen strategies and blood flow restriction fit, and how to interpret heart rate alongside performance, and much more. Connect with Jonah: Marathon Science newsletter Instagram: @rosnerperformance Episodes you’ll enjoy next: VO2 Max, Zone 2 Training & the Psychology of Human Performance — Ben Skutnik — #402 From Powerlifter to Trail Runner — Paul Oneid & Cody Miller — #393 Episode Timestamps: 03:00 Zone 2 Versus HIIT 05:00 Choosing Safer HIIT Modes 08:56 Building Toward Faster Sprints 13:30 Quality Density Running Repeats 15:48 Polarizing Your Running Training 19:36 Heat Training For Endurance 26:40 Exercising In The Heat 29:48 Cooling And Heat Perception 32:27 Cold Water Between Intervals 35:10 Altitude And Oxygen Strategies 40:35 Exercise With Oxygen Therapy 42:16 Blood Flow Restriction Training 45:10 Measuring Muscle Oxygen Extraction 52:04 Heart Rate Versus Output 57:26 Triphasic Training For Runners 61:25 Thinking Beyond Training Dogma Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

James de Lacey is a strength and conditioning coach with an MSc in Sport & Exercise Science and more than a decade of experience in professional sport spanning professional and international rugby/rugby league. He now focuses on combat sports to prepare fighters under Sweet Science of Fighting. Do fighters really need zone 2 cardio? Strength and conditioning coach James de Lacey of Sweet Science of Fighting joins Dr. Mike T Nelson to challenge the "big aerobic base first" playbook for combat sports, from heart rate recovery and short-rest sprint intervals to muscle oxygen (NIRS) data. They also dig into VO2 max, wearables and why AI-written programs often miss the mark. Expect to learn why James questions the “huge aerobic base” approach for fighters, how heart rate recovery and heart rate kinetics can reveal more than time in zones, how short-rest sprint intervals and a simple air bike baseline test can guide programming, what muscle oxygen (NIRS) data can and can’t tell you, why trends beat single data points from wearables, and why generic AI-written programs often miss the mark—and much more. Connect with James: sweetscienceoffighting.com jamesdelacey.com Sweet Science of Fighting on Instagram Sweet Science of Fighting on YouTube Episodes you'll enjoy next: Episode 326: Row Hard, Breathe Easy: Boosting Aerobic Capacity with Dr. Kenneth Jay : Dr. Kenneth Jay on rowing and boosting aerobic capacity (Mike credits Dr. Jay for the bioenergetic testing he mentions in this conversation). Episode 221: Training performance, nitric oxide, blood flow, and more via the NNOXX device with Evan Peikon : Evan Peikon on training performance, nitric oxide and blood flow via the NNOXX device (Mike mentions Evan in this conversation). Episode Timestamps: 03:35 The biggest conditioning mistake in MMA 05:50 Why sprints are more aerobic than you think 07:46 Do fighters need a huge aerobic base? 09:44 VO2 max, muscle limits and oxygen testing 11:57 Conditioning trends and training volume 15:36 Zone 2, time costs and the 80/20 debate 22:10 Heart rate response and recovery between rounds 25:43 Mike’s rower test and heart rate recovery 28:25 Air bike sprints with short rests 31:44 Muscle oxygen and power between repeats 34:19 Testing and training each athlete’s limiter 41:47 Flexible Meathead Cardio and technical training 46:05 Elite athletes, VO2 max and training context 50:22 NIRS, oxygen drops and peak power 57:18 Why trends beat single test results 1:02:56 Wearables, coaching judgment and session design 1:06:57 AI programs and generic training blocks 1:13:02 Training around life and where to find James Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Bryan Krahn has been a personal trainer since 1997, a CSCS since 2005, and a full-time online coach since 2014. He is a fitness writer and the author of two books with Men's Health. Will AI replace online coaches, or only the ones who stop being human? Veteran online coach and Men's Health author Bryan Krahn joins Dr. Mike T Nelson for a candid, unfiltered conversation about paying for expertise, whether coaches should disclose AI use, personal experiences with peptides and TRT (opinion, not advice), and Mike's simple rower-based cardio plan. Expect to learn why paying for expertise makes you a better coach, how Bryan and Mike use (and distrust) AI in coaching and writing, whether coaches should disclose their AI use, why stacking compounds makes personal experiments hard to interpret, how Bryan thinks about TRT and lab markers like HDL, LDL and PSA, and Mike’s simple rower-based cardio plan—and much more. Bryan and Mike discuss peptides, TRT and other compounds from personal experience and opinion. Nothing here is medical advice; talk to a qualified healthcare professional before changing any medication or supplement routine. Connect with Bryan: over50muscle.com Bryan on Instagram (@bryankrahn) Episodes you'll enjoy next: Episode 137: Training Straight Talk with fitness writer, and online physique coach Bryan Krahn : Bryan's previous visit to the show: training straight talk from a fitness writer and online physique coach. AI Disclosure, Deepfakes & the Death of Expertise — Dean Guedo & Jeb Stuart Johnston — #404 : Dean Guedo and Jeb Stuart Johnston on AI disclosure, deepfakes and the death of expertise (Mike mentions Dean in this conversation). Episode Timestamps: 02:25 Online coaching's catch-22: taking clients you may not be set up to help 04:16 Bryan's niche: from over-40 clients to the over-50 guy, and why parents and older dads fit 06:10 Edge-case clients, referral networks and paying peers for expertise 08:06 Why paying for consults still matters, including Bryan's 1999 consult with Charles Poliquin 11:35 Why AI still struggles with niche training questions: PEDs, zone two and the Thomas Inch dumbbell 17:03 AI inside coaching software, and why chatbots are so agreeable 18:53 Would clients be accountable to a bot, and will live coaches last? 23:48 Should coaches disclose AI use to clients? Everyday AI wins like soundbars and grill repair 27:29 Contest-prep coaches, AI photo checks, and why coaches get second opinions 34:32 Peptide offers and appetite-suppressing drugs: personal experiences, not advice 39:38 DNP stories and risks as the speakers recount them 42:34 Mitochondrial peptides, NAD+ and IV infusions: why stacked self-experiments are hard to interpret 49:39 TRT: dialing in the basics first and working with a physician 52:41 Lab markers: HDL, LDL and PSA, and changing the marker versus the outcome 58:37 Traveling with a TRT prescription: Bryan's border-security story 1:01:25 Mike's rower cardio plan: baseline 2K test, progressive six-minute sessions and a smarter four-by-four 1:10:58 Should writers disclose AI use? Beating the blank page without losing your voice 1:19:06 Wrap-up: coaching availability, training from 50 to 53, and where to find Bryan Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dr. Gregory Kelly, N.D., is Chief Product Officer at Qualia Life, a naturopathic physician, author of Shape Shift, and former editor of Alternative Medicine Review. Detox is more than a liver story—and it is not a juice cleanse. Dr. Gregory Kelly of Qualia Life explains how clearance pathways work together, why mobilizing stored chemicals is not the same as eliminating them, and the thinking behind Qualia 2-Day Detox. Expect to learn why detox skepticism is warranted, how Dr. Kelly thinks about cumulative stress and chemical exposure, what liver biotransformation and elimination mean, why his formulation includes a between-meals binder stack, how sleep and the glymphatic system enter the conversation, and what Qualia’s small symptom-questionnaire study can and cannot establish—and much more. Dr. Kelly discusses his company’s Qualia 2-Day Detox product. Product descriptions and health claims are his views, not independent verification or medical advice; the small study discussed used self-reported symptom questionnaires. Connect with Greg: Qualia on Facebook Qualia on Instagram Qualia on TikTok Dr. Gregory Kelly on LinkedIn Episodes you'll enjoy next: Episode 352: Dr. Dan Pardi on Stem Cells, Supplements, and the Future of Health with Qualia : Dr. Dan Pardi on stem cells, supplements, cognitive performance and health habits at Qualia. Episode 310: Unpacking the Science of Sleep with Dr. Allison Brager : Neuroscientist Dr. Allison Brager on sleep phases, circadian rhythms and performance. Episode Timestamps: 05:03 Detox skepticism and why this conversation matters 06:35 Why Qualia chose to develop a detox product, according to Dr. Kelly 08:08 Who might need detox support, and Mike's experience with wildfire air pollution 09:42 Dr. Kelly's environmental medicine background and the "last straw" bucket analogy for stress load 12:44 Exposures Dr. Kelly tries to limit: canned foods, strong scents, new furniture, indoor air 15:59 Small, consistent changes versus one silver bullet; Dr. Kelly cites biomonitoring studies 18:59 Water filtration and drinking-water habits 21:32 Larger exposures, the precautionary principle, mold, and skin products 24:18 Sunscreen, sun exposure, and not overcomplicating health choices 28:39 How Qualia approached the formulation, and an explanation of phase one, two, and three liver pathways 33:07 Dr. Kelly's description of the four-step packets: morning and with-meal 36:28 The between-meals binder stack, and a weight-loss study Dr. Kelly cites on stored chemicals 40:26 The bedtime packet, the glymphatic system, and brain demands when learning new skills 44:35 Fat-loss phases, a two-days-a-month approach, and Qualia's small symptom-questionnaire study 48:49 Dr. Kelly's pairings for detox days: sauna, gentle movement, hydration, skin brushing, baths 54:24 Wrap-up: fitting the routine into your schedule, and where to find more information Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I break down why I built the Physiologic Flexibility Certification (PhysFlex) as a “level two” continuation after you’ve already got the basics of nutrition, training, and recovery mostly dialed in. I explain how Phys Flex targets four overlapping homeostatic regulators—temperature (heat/cold exposure), pH (acidity/alkalinity shifts), expanded fuels (ketones and lactate), and oxygen/CO2 regulation (breathing)—and why taking a systems view matters more than treating everything in silos. I share examples of how these pillars can become the real limiter in recovery and performance, including high-intensity work, long-duration events, and signs like elevated overnight respiration rate. Enrollment is open from Monday, October 12 through midnight PST Monday, October 19, 2026, and I’m offering direct email access for questions. Enroll here: https://physiologic.miketnelson.com/sales Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and Podcast Focus 00:19 Course Enrollment Window 01:44 Who This Certification Is For 02:48 Why Four Pillars Together 03:41 The Four Homeostatic Pillars 05:05 Systems Thinking Over Silos 08:07 Applying the Framework to Recovery 11:41 Course Structure and Interventions 13:09 Support, Email Access, Next Guest 13:58 Medical Disclaimer and Closing Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dr. Jordan Shallow, D.C., known as “The Muscle Doc,” is a chiropractor, strength and conditioning coach, and former competitive powerlifter. He is the founder of Pre-Script®, an education company that teaches coaches applied biomechanics and resistance training. Is getting stronger really about muscle, or about how well your nervous system learns the lift? Dr. Jordan Shallow, “The Muscle Doc,” explains why strength and size follow skill, how your senses shape movement, and how simple sensory inputs may change the way you train. Expect to learn when internal versus external cues make sense for strength and hypertrophy, how an intermediate lifter can use practice volume and frequency, why great lifters treat the empty bar like the heavy one, how touch, vibration, skin stretch and pressure may influence movement, and how neuroplasticity, lucid dreaming and film study connect to learning skills — and much more. Connect with Jordan: Website: themuscledoc.com Pre-Script: pre-script.com Instagram: @the_muscle_doc Pre-Script on Instagram: @pre_script Episodes you'll enjoy next: #401 — Psychedelics, Neuroplasticity and the Military-to-Spiritual Journey with Rick Alexander : A former Special Operations combat medic explains how a psychedelic experience reshaped his worldview, and what it taught him about neuroplasticity. #311 — Maximizing Athletic Performance with Neurology: Insights from Dr. Dylan Seeley : Dr. Dylan Seeley on how applying neurology can improve athletic performance. Episode Timestamps: 03:47 Internal vs. external cues for strength and hypertrophy 06:24 Longevity culture and why skill comes before loading 09:58 Intermediate bench press case study: practice volume and frequency 17:34 Ed Coan, intent and moving the empty bar like the heavy bar 23:30 Sensory-motor savants: Tiger Woods, Nick Kyrgios and Brian Shaw 27:29 How trainable is the sensory system? 29:35 Foam rollers, kinesio tape and cupping through a neurological lens 32:10 Perception, the electromagnetic spectrum and the limits of our senses 36:23 Mechanoreceptors and vibration 41:05 Light touch, vibration, skin stretch and deep pressure 47:14 Fast feedback: testing and iterating with the nervous system 51:38 Neuroplasticity, psychedelics and learning skills faster 1:02:45 Reality Switch Technology, tropanes and perception 1:05:08 Dreams, hypnagogic hallucinations and altered perception 1:12:26 Lucid dreaming and practicing the deadlift without the load 1:23:19 Film study, muscle memory and watching good reps 1:26:37 Where to find Dr. Jordan Shallow Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dr. Martin Gibala is a Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster University and one of the world's leading researchers on high-intensity interval training. Can short bursts of hard cardio outperform hours of Zone 2 for the average person? Exercise physiologist Dr. Martin Gibala explains how HIIT can improve VO2 max and metabolic flexibility, why elite athletes' 80/20 split may not fit a time-strapped schedule, and how to judge vigorous effort without chasing a perfect heart-rate zone. Expect to learn how to scale HIIT for beginners, what RPE and the talk test reveal about vigorous effort, when short sprints differ from VO2 max intervals, why elite athletes’ 80/20 approach may not fit your schedule, how Zone 2 definitions can mislead, and what metabolic flexibility and mitochondrial capacity really mean—and much more. Connect with Martin: Website: martingibala.com X: @gibalam Book: The One-Minute Workout (Avery, 2017; with Christopher Shulgan) Podcast: Exercise Science Episodes you'll enjoy next: #402 — VO2 Max, Zone 2 Training & the Psychology of Human Performance — Ben Skutnik : Dr. Ben Skutnik cuts through Zone 2 hype and discusses VO2 max and aerobic-training evidence. #387 — Nathan T. Jenkins on Metabolic Flexibility, Aerobic Base, and First Principles : a look at aerobic development, energy systems, and repeated high-intensity performance. Episode Timestamps: 2:25 Can beginners benefit from HIIT? 4:20 Interval training basics and scaling effort 7:13 Defining vigorous effort with RPE, heart rate, and the talk test 11:32 Designing HIIT workouts around time and preference 13:48 VO2 max intervals versus shorter sprints 16:39 Moderate versus vigorous exercise: guidelines and time efficiency 18:36 Is Zone 2 and the 80/20 rule right for everyone? 22:50 Why Zone 2 definitions and wearables cause confusion 29:12 Do you need an aerobic base before starting intervals? 33:00 Why elite athlete training is not a blueprint for everyone 35:22 What low-intensity volume may do for endurance athletes 38:46 Double-threshold sessions, training stress, and recovery 41:17 Carbohydrate intake and gut training in endurance sports 44:31 Emerging recovery strategies and exogenous ketones 49:12 Lactate supplementation: promise versus current evidence 51:19 Fat max, metabolic flexibility, and mitochondrial capacity 55:31 Exercise Science podcast and evidence over hype Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Matthew Paul Clemons, MD , is a diagnostic radiologist specializing in nuclear medicine and body imaging. He is Head of Nuclear Medicine at Radiology Partners Houston and a rectal and prostate cancer specialist. Whole-body MRI promises a detailed look under the hood—but what can a quick screening scan actually see, miss, and send you chasing? Dr. Paul Clemons explains why a whole-body MRI is a limited study, how incidental findings can lead to further tests, and why standard screening remains the better choice for most people. Expect to learn how MRI creates images and why scan protocols take time, why open MRI systems can have important image-quality limits, how PET/MRI adds functional information, why CT and MRI can be complementary rather than redundant, how radiation and implanted devices factor into decisions, why spine findings do not always match symptoms, when conservative care deserves consideration, and where DEXA versus MRI can be useful for tracking body-composition trends. Episodes you'll enjoy next: #237 — Demystifying Body Composition Testing with Dr Grant Tinsley and Dr Eric Helms : a practical companion discussion on body-composition measurement and its limits. #159 — Advice, Mentorships, Askholes, and Diagnostics: An Interview with Dr. Adam Sumarski : a related conversation on diagnostics and imaging in sports medicine. Episode Timestamps: 1:50 Whole-body MRI and preventive screening 2:52 How MRI works: magnets, noise, and safety 7:05 Open MRI, magnet strength, and image quality 9:05 MRI sequences, scan time, and diagnostic protocols 11:47 Why whole-body MRI is a limited screen 12:46 Incidental findings and downstream testing 13:57 High-risk screening, rare genetic conditions, and lung limits 17:53 Sensitivity, specificity, and standard screening 24:15 PET/MRI and where whole-body imaging has a clinical role 27:05 Why MRI and PET/CT systems are expensive to install 31:59 MRI safety, implants, and pacemakers 36:36 CT versus MRI: why one scan can lead to another 38:52 Whole-body CT, radiation, and its limits 43:47 Back-pain scans: why an image may not explain symptoms 51:44 Physical therapy, surgery, and warning signs 58:46 Evaluating evidence for peptides, stem cells, and biologics 1:05:47 Choosing an orthopedic surgeon for athletic goals 1:15:24 DEXA versus MRI for body-composition trends Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dean Guedo is an Edmonton, Alberta-based online nutrition coach and strength/nutrition professional with roughly a decade in fitness, athletics and strength sports, and Jeb Stuart Johnston is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and the Charleston, SC-based founder of Food on the Mind, specializing in emotional eating and food obsession. Dean and Jeb join Dr. Mike T Nelson for their yearly AI check-in, getting into whether creators should disclose AI use and why deepfaked video is a very different beast than AI-assisted writing. The conversation ranges into dead internet theory, why so much hard-won fitness expertise never made it onto the internet at all, and why demanding physical skills may become more valuable, not less, as AI accelerates. Expect to learn whether creators should disclose their AI use and why deepfaked video is a fundamentally different risk category than AI-assisted writing, why LLM writing may have already "peaked" and regresses toward the average, why fitness's hard-won oral tradition (Charlie Francis, Louie Simmons, old forums) never made it onto the internet at all, why oral defense of your own thinking may be the most AI-proof skill you can build, and why demanding physical skills could become more valuable — not less — as AI accelerates, and much more. Connect with Dean: Instagram: @walk.more.king Website: getfluxed.ca Connect with Jeb: Website: foodonthemind.com Instagram: @jebstuartjohnston Newsletter: Tangential, Inconsequential, Existential and Experiential (Substack) Episodes you'll enjoy next: Episode 136 — Flex Diet, Phys Flex, Metabolism and Nutrition Research for Compound Performance (Jeb and Dean interview Dr. Mike T Nelson): Listen here S2 Ep 28 — High Flux Model and More for Fat Loss and Client Coaching, an interview with Dean Guedo and Jeb Johnston of StrongerU: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 01:35 Welcome to the podcast & guest introductions 03:15 Should you disclose your AI use? 06:32 Deepfake video vs. AI-assisted writing: a different risk category 07:53 AI's exponential growth and the "singularity" question 11:11 What is "AI slop," and does it actually matter? 12:42 Why LLMs regress toward average (and the Reddit problem) 15:15 Falsely accused of "AI slop" for your own writing style 21:36 "Automate your business with AI" — the wrong things to automate 25:23 Dead internet theory: has AI writing already peaked? 26:34 Why AI can't reason about truly novel, hypothetical situations 28:37 Hemingway's unfinished-thought trick and "open-loop" thinking with AI 35:06 Why weird, opinionated writing might be AI-proof 44:49 Fitness's lost oral tradition: Charlie Francis, Louie Simmons, old forums 47:03 Stoner, the trivium, and teaching without teaching 48:06 Oral defense as the AI-proof assessment 56:08 Research vs. coaching: the application gap (Norwegian 4x4, tabata) 1:07:26 Will AI push us back toward hard physical skills? 1:15:00 Where to find Jeb & Dean Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Don Saladino is a New York-based coach and health entrepreneur who has trained A-list clients like Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Blake Lively since founding Drive495 in 2005. Don Saladino has spent nearly three decades training A-list stars like Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman — and in this episode, he shares the single business lesson he wishes he’d learned sooner. He and Dr. Mike also dig into why Don closed his $2M-overhead NYC gym, how tracking respiratory rate reshaped his approach to Zone 2 training, and the sobering personal loss that changed how he views performance enhancers. Expect to learn why Don stopped over-certifying and started looking at what’s leaking in his business, how he built 17 years of trust with a client like Ryan Reynolds, the real financial toll of running a NYC gym (think $1M rent and $2M overhead), what tracking respiratory rate taught him about Zone 2 training volume, his honest take on performance enhancers at 49 (natural), and the personal loss that reshaped how he views unsupervised PED use, and much more. Connect with Don: Website Instagram YouTube Episodes you'll enjoy next: #402 — VO2 Max, Zone 2 Training & the Psychology of Human Performance — Ben Skutnik: Listen here #397 — How Elite Bodybuilders Think About Problem-Solving, Business and Nutrition with Coach Cliff Wilson: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 2:26 — #1 Business Lesson: Stop Over-Certifying, Start Looking at What’s Leaking 5:43 — “Content Is King, Distribution Is the Kingdom” 8:35 — Take Risks Early: Betting on Yourself Before Responsibilities Pile Up 10:58 — Learning Business Over Breakfast: The NYC Advantage 12:01 — The Art of Adding Value Without an Agenda 13:32 — Working With Ryan Reynolds for 17 Years: Trust, Humility & Knowing You’re Replaceable 21:12 — What It Really Takes to Work With High-Profile Clients 26:26 — Actors vs. Athletes: Which Is Harder to Train? 28:39 — Performance Enhancers: Don’s Honest Take at 49, Natural 36:31 — Tracking Respiratory Rate & Rethinking Zone 2 Volume 38:37 — Closing the NYC Gym & Pivoting to Digital 43:35 — The Real Cost of Running a NYC Gym: $1M Rent, $2M Overhead 44:32 — Business Lessons You Can’t Learn at Harvard 46:09 — The “Integrated Wellness” Facility Trend: Is Anyone Actually Getting It Right? 1:05:26 — The Rise of Recovery Studios: New Happy Hour or Legit Wellness? 1:08:44 — A Personal Loss & a Stark Warning on Unsupervised PED Use 1:16:27 — Where to Find Don Saladino Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dr. Ben Skutnik, PhD, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D, is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Human Performance Lab Director at Butler University and Head of Nutrition Coaching at Power Athlete. Dr. Ben Skutnik joins the show to separate fact from fad in aerobic training, debunking zone 2 hype and explaining why VO2 max matters but isn't everything. Expect to learn why reading scientific literature is its own skill, how uncontrolled variables quietly derail hypertrophy and menstrual-cycle training research, why treating people as fragile backfires, why anecdote in human performance often outruns the research, how "closing the loop" with clients beats chasing mechanisms, what the Norwegian 4x4 method gets right (and what most zone 2 research gets wrong about training zones), and how to actually build VO2 max with the critical power model, and much more. Connect with Ben: Power Athlete Coach Bio LinkedIn Google Scholar Episodes you'll enjoy next: #400 — Build Aerobic Fitness Before Mitochondrial Peptides: AMPK, VO2 Max & Recovery — Dr. Dwayne Jackson: Listen here #374 — Zone 2 Cardio: What the Science Really Says (Pros, Cons & Better Options) with Kristi Storoschuk: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 1:46 — Why Ben was recommended for this conversation on cardiovascular and aerobic programming 7:31 — Reading scientific literature is a skill set of its own 14:05 — Hypertrophy training to failure and uncontrolled variables in research 16:27 — Debunking myths about training around the menstrual cycle 18:20 — Human resilience and the danger of treating people as fragile 22:09 — Why consistency beats trying to "hack" optimization 22:40 — Nutrition fear-mongering and overly restrictive diets 27:25 — Changing one variable at a time vs. the "kitchen sink" approach 29:55 — Why anecdotal evidence in human performance is often ahead of the research 34:48 — The ethics of placebo and "closing the loop" with clients 37:34 — The psychology of performance: the NFL kicker example 43:13 — The Norwegian 4x4 method and zone 2 training myths 46:40 — Why most zone 2 research relies on the wrong zone model 52:53 — HYROX, CrossFit, and Goodhart's Law in training 1:05:18 — Is VO2 max overrated? Performance vs. health tradeoffs 1:15:25 — Building VO2 max: interval protocols and the critical power model 1:26:02 — Life-changing results: taking deconditioned clients from VO2 max 18 to 35 1:30:09 — Where to find Ben Skutnik and his work at Butler University and Power Athlete Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Rick Alexander is a depth-psychological counselor, psychedelic practitioner, and interfaith spiritual care provider currently completing his Ph.D. in Mythology/Depth Psychology and a former Naval Special Operations combat medic. Rick was a Special Operations combat medic until a single psychedelic experience shattered his worldview and sent him back to school to study psychedelic spiritual care. He and Dr. Mike dig into neuroplasticity windows, why “good trip/bad trip” is the wrong question, and what may really be happening in DMT space. Expect to learn how a rough teenage salvia trip and a later psilocybin experience redirected Rick's entire career, what life is really like as a Special Operations Combat Medic supporting SEALs and Green Berets, why military training narrows emotional range and makes civilian re-entry so hard, how integration (not the trip itself) determines whether a psychedelic experience heals or destabilizes you, what the "third wave" of psychedelic science gets right that the DSM's "hallucinogen" label gets wrong, whether neuroplastic windows could help athletes learn skills faster, and what a brutal 5-MeO-DMT experience taught Rick about his own running form and breathing. Connect with Rick: Website Instagram Episodes you'll enjoy next: #47 — Tools to Down-Regulate in Response to Stress (an earlier conversation with Rick Alexander): Listen here #194 — The Pros and Cons of Psychedelic Compounds with Psychedelic Researcher Rebekah Senanayake: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 2:49 – Rick's PhD progress and the psychedelic experience that redirected his career 3:38 – A rough first psychedelic experience with salvia at 18 4:46 – The psilocybin experience that "peeled back" his worldview 7:00 – Life as a Special Operations Combat Medic supporting SEALs and Green Berets 8:23 – How military training narrows emotional range and worldview 10:01 – Why veterans struggle to re-enter civilian life after specialized training 13:34 – The double-edged sword: psychedelics can destabilize as easily as they heal 14:32 – The "third wave" of psychedelic science and the flawed DSM "hallucinogen" label 23:49 – Integration: do you have time to process what comes up? 24:43 – "Psychedelic myth-making" and building a new personal mythology 31:05 – Could neuroplastic windows help athletes learn skills faster? 37:01 – Yogic energy channels (nadis) and psychedelics amplifying subtle perception 39:17 – How a brutal 5-MeO-DMT trip changed Rick's running form and breathing 56:16 – What's really happening in DMT space: Strassman, Gallimore, and "reality switch technologies" 59:43 – Henri Corbin's "psycho-cosmology": consciousness and reality as mirrored levels 1:06:45 – "Functional consequentialism": why you shouldn't dismiss someone else's experience 1:10:46 – Where to find Rick and his counseling and breathwork work Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dr. Dwayne Jackson is a health specialist, medical educator, scientist, and entrepreneur with a PhD in neurovascular physiology. Mitochondrial peptides may be promising, but they cannot replace the aerobic base that makes their effects measurable. Dr. Dwayne Jackson explains AMPK and mitochondrial signaling, what MOTS-c and SS-31 can and cannot tell us, and why fitness data, training, and recovery come before any experimental compound. Expect to learn how aerobic fitness supports strength and Strongman training, why lactate clearance and conditioning can become the rate limiter, what AMPK and mTOR signal, how kidney disease changed Dwayne’s perspective on aerobic capacity, where the evidence for MOTS-c and SS-31 is limited, how to design a more useful N-of-1 experiment, and why training, nutrition, recovery, COAs, and third-party testing come before experimental compounds. Connect with Dwayne: Website: drdwaynejackson.com Google Scholar Episodes you’ll enjoy next: #396 — Are Your Peptides Illegal? — Rick Collins : A practical look at peptide science, regulation, and the gray market. #393 — From Powerlifter to Trail Runner — Paul Oneid & Cody Miller : VO2 max, cardiac adaptations, and the transition from strength sports to endurance. Episode Timestamps: 01:53 — Mitochondrial peptides and the aerobic-training foundation 03:19 — Peptides as training amplifiers, not replacements 04:22 — AMPK, mTOR and mitochondrial signaling 05:50 — Why aerobic fitness supports strength and Strongman training 08:12 — Conditioning, lactate clearance and the rate limiter for strength athletes 10:58 — Wingate tests and overlapping energy systems 15:12 — Kidney disease, mitochondrial dysfunction and aerobic collapse 21:22 — Hypertensive crisis, dialysis and recognizing a major fitness decline 24:48 — Kidney transplant recovery and rebuilding aerobic capacity 28:27 — The evidence and limitations behind mitochondrial peptides 34:55 — MOTS-c, AMPK activation and anecdotal HIIT performance 39:59 — SS-31, cardiolipin and mitochondrial efficiency 48:32 — Why training, nutrition and recovery come before peptides 58:40 — Using performance data to make an N-of-1 experiment more useful 1:01:22 — SS-31 before training, AMPK timing and recovery trade-offs 1:06:07 — SLU-PP-332, exercise mimetics and the gap in human data 1:09:17 — Peptide sourcing, COAs and third-party testing 1:12:02 — Genetics, response variability and sustainable performance Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Emily Werner, PhD, RD, CSSD, IFNCP is Team Dietitian for the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), and Nutrition Affairs Sport Lead at Timeline. Dr. Emily joins Dr. Mike to unpack postbiotics, urolithin A, and why mitochondrial health matters for pro athletes and everyday people alike, digging into the real research behind Timeline's Mitopure and why chasing $200K gadgets rarely beats getting the fundamentals right. Expect to learn what a postbiotic actually is and how urolithin A differs from other supplements, why old-school and new-school sports dietitians disagree on peptides and supplement fads, how chronic undereating quietly undermines performance in women's sports, what the current human performance research on urolithin A actually shows, how Mitopure is dosed and why urolithin A can't be reliably food-sourced, and why product quality and manufacturing integrity matter more than marketing claims, and much more. Connect with Emily: Website: https://www.eateliteperform.com/ Instagram: @emilywerner34 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-n-werner-phd-rd-cssd-ifncp-4a820a97/ Episodes you'll enjoy next: #377 — Methylene Blue for Mitochondria & Performance: Benefits, Dosing & Risks with Dr. Scott Sherr: Listen here #382 — Creatine for Muscle, Bone, Brain & Longevity (Plus Caffeine, Dosing, and Safety) with Dr. Darren Candow: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 2:21 Welcome & introductions 6:09 What is a postbiotic? Pre-, pro-, and postbiotics explained 7:09 Urolithin A: the postbiotic behind Mitopure 8:19 How Emily started consulting for Timeline 10:11 Old-school vs. new-school sports dietitians on supplements 13:53 Peptides, anecdata, and why athletes ignore the data 20:05 The hardest lesson: letting go when clients won't listen 21:15 Money, ego, and athletes chasing $200K wellness gadgets 24:53 Chronic undereating in women's sports 30:48 Nutrition's real job: keeping athletes available to play 33:19 Inside Mitopure: Timeline's flagship urolithin A product 35:06 Mitochondria, mitophagy, and why they matter as we age 38:16 Diet, fasting, and exercise as natural mitophagy triggers 43:36 What the performance research on urolithin A actually shows 53:19 Aging, aerobic capacity, and Emily's 101-year-old grandma 55:40 Mitopure dosing: how much urolithin A and when to take it 57:14 Why urolithin A can't be food-sourced (and can't be faked) 1:03:19 Why product quality and integrity matter in supplements Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Zach Moore is a nutrition and exercise coach based in southern Indiana, coaching clients online and in person. Zach cuts through the noise of complicated programming and diet protocols to get back to what actually works — minimalist strength training, honest macro-setting, and paying attention to gut health and micronutrient status before chasing anything fancier. Expect to learn how to build serious strength with far less training volume than you think, why chasing perfect programming conditions is often a waste of energy, how Zach sets carbohydrate and macro targets for real-world clients, when (and when not) to bother with micronutrient or gut testing, and why micronutrients matter even on restrictive or elimination diets, and much more. Connect with Zach: Website: zmoore.com Instagram: @ZachMFitness Episodes you'll enjoy next: #388 — What Vinegar & Lifting Really Do To Your Gut: Listen here #397 — Why Getting Better Never Gets Easier with Cliff Wilson: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 02:37 Training in a garage gym during a heat wave 03:53 Grip strength, sweat & cold water immersion 06:32 Overthinking training & lessons from old-time strongmen 09:54 Minimalist strength training & the trap bar deadlift 15:13 Go-to lifts & why you must add muscle for body comp 17:42 Progressive overload & long-term strength gains 19:56 How too much program variety kills progress 27:06 Individualizing & dialing in training volume 30:42 Favorite upper & lower body exercises 35:46 Nutrition foundations: informed eating 38:10 Eating enough to fuel training & recomp 44:06 Determining carb needs & setting client macros 48:13 The insulin myth: do carbs turn into fat? 52:40 Meal balance, fat timing & digestion 55:34 Tracking micronutrients with Cronometer 58:13 Gut testing, carnivore & elimination diets 1:02:25 Sleep tips: circadian rhythm, light & temperature 1:04:39 The Shiftwave chair for stress downregulation & sleep Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Cliff Wilson is a physique coach with over 16 years of experience working with bodybuilders and physique athletes of every level, including 24 world champions and the current natural bodybuilding world champion. Getting better doesn’t make hard things feel easier—it makes you capable of doing more. Cliff Wilson explains the mental skills behind elite physiques, why context beats internet absolutes, and how great coaches turn research, experience, and failure into better decisions. Expect to learn why impulse control makes up 20–50% of physique coaching, why you have to learn to dribble before you try to dunk, why practitioners and social media commentators are not the same thing, why getting fitter never makes a true max effort feel easier, how context (not absolutes) explains wildly different carb intakes between world-class physique athletes, why most advanced bodybuilders eventually land back on a bro split, and what separates “collectors” of credentials from coaches who can actually integrate and apply what they know—and much more. Connect with Cliff: teamwilsonbb.com (book: Becoming Unrivaled ) Instagram: @cwteamwilson Raw Intensity app (mentioned in the episode) Episodes you'll enjoy next: #323 — Natural vs. Enhanced Bodybuilding: An In-Depth Chat with Aaron Straker: https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-323-natural-vs-enhanced-bodybuilding-an-in-depth-chat-with-aaron-straker #167 — The Physiologic and Psychologic Benefit of Doing Hard Things: Akshay Nanavati of Fearvana: https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-167-the-physiologic-and-psychologic-benefit-of-doing-hard-things-akshay-nanavati-of-fearvana-with-dr-mike-t-nelson Episode Timestamps: 02:15 — The edited interview begins and Mike explains the unusual opening 02:49 — Why 20–50% of physique coaching is impulse control 05:19 — Skill levels: learn to dribble before trying to dunk 07:37 — Practitioners vs. social media commentators 10:45 — Why you cannot sidestep the hard parts of fat loss 12:44 — Getting fitter does not make a true max effort feel easier 14:04 — Context beats absolutes: 700 grams vs. 50 grams of carbs 19:26 — Slow thinking, pondering, and turning information into insight 21:57 — Giving clients autonomy dramatically improved results 25:18 — Range, cross-domain learning, and better problem-solving 27:03 — Using OODA loops to make better coaching decisions 28:24 — Why most advanced bodybuilders return to a bro split 31:42 — Low-volume training, outliers, and small-sample traps 44:01 — A surprising DNA result and the role of elite genetics 48:31 — Michael Phelps, elite rituals, and competitive mindset 50:43 — Why bodybuilding coaching skill may have declined 53:11 — Objectivity, Austin Stout, and the traits of great coaches 01:03:14 — Collectors vs. integrators: credentials are not application 01:08:07 — Cliff's Raw Intensity app and upcoming book Becoming Unrivaled Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Rick Collins, Esq., NSCA-CSCS, is a lawyer who defends the nutrition and fitness community, a partner at Collins Gann McCloskey & Barry PLLC, and General Counsel to the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Peptides are everywhere right now, but most of what's sold online as BPC-157 or TB-500 is illegal — and the FDA is about to decide what happens next. Rick breaks down the science, the legal gray market, and why the military's new testosterone screening policy matters too. Expect to learn what actually counts as a "peptide," how GLP-1 drugs normalized injectable medications and fueled the gray market, what the FDA's own scientists concluded about BPC-157 and TB-500, why Rick's caseload has shifted from steroids to 80-90% peptide cases, what a possible "experimental peptide" middle-ground category could look like, and what really happens when the FDA raids a peptide seller, and much more. Connect with Rick: www.RickCollins.com Episodes you'll enjoy next: #371 — Peptides, TRT, GLPs & Bloodwork: How to Do It Safely (and What Most People Miss) with John Gorman: Listen here #319 — Exploring the World of Peptides with Anthony Castore: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 4:07 Rick's background as a lawyer and his standard legal disclaimer 6:14 What actually counts as a "peptide" 8:25 How GLP-1 drugs normalized injectable medications 10:44 Loss of trust in the FDA fuels the gray market 11:46 The rise of personal health autonomy 13:40 Two markets: the medical model vs. "bro science" 16:23 Inside the FDA Compounding Advisory Committee meeting 19:23 FDA scientists' verdict on BPC-157 and TB-500 20:49 Why the science on BPC-157 is still so thin 22:07 Prohibition logic: the black market will keep growing 25:47 A possible middle ground: an "experimental peptide" category 32:11 Rick's caseload shift — from steroids to 80-90% peptide cases 35:30 Why big pharma cares about tirzepatide and retatrutide knockoffs 42:28 Pete Hegseth and testosterone screening in the military 46:57 Why the new TRT policy may be "much ado about nothing" 49:23 Low testosterone's real, well-documented health risks 52:26 Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, and biohacking against nature 57:12 The schism between orthodox medicine and biohacking 62:39 What happens when the FDA raids a peptide seller 63:30 Connect with Rick Collins Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Samuel Brown, M.Ed., CSCS is a Cognitive Performance Specialist for the U.S. Air Force and a strength and conditioning professional who has worked everywhere from collegiate athletics to elite tactical units. Sam spends his days training Air Force pilots and aircrew who run on nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol — and almost never turn off their nervous system. In this episode he reveals why the toughest operators need recovery just as much as intensity, and what years of coaching in Altus, Oklahoma taught him about real performance under extreme cognitive load. Expect to learn what Air Force pilots are actually like to train, why the nicotine-caffeine-alcohol "trifecta" dominates military performance culture, how the physical act of flying itself takes a hidden toll through vibration and posture, why sympathetic nervous system domination cements poor posture and movement patterns, how Sam sneaks down-regulation into hard training sessions disguised as recovery work, and why resting heart rate might be a better performance metric than any wearable, and much more. Connect with Sam: https://www.instagram.com/sambrownstrength Episodes you'll enjoy next: #312 — Optimizing Stress and Performance for Firefighters and Tactical Athletes with Dr. Drew Gonzalez: Listen here #310 — Unpacking the Science of Sleep with Dr. Allison Brager: Listen here Episode Timestamps: 01:59 – What Air Force Pilots Are Actually Like 07:21 – Back to Basics: Training with Minimal Equipment 10:13 – Breaking the Instagram Training Cycle 12:06 – Endurance Trends Among Pilots 17:05 – The Air Force Trifecta: Nicotine, Caffeine & Alcohol 20:31 – Physical Toll of Flying: Vibration, Posture & Injury 23:44 – Stress Cements Posture: The Sympathetic Domination Problem 28:06 – Down-Regulation Protocols After Training 30:47 – Hiding the Pill in the Peanut Butter 47:44 – Wearables & the Loss of Body Awareness 50:31 – Resting Heart Rate as the Performance Metric 52:14 – The GOAT Drill for Cognitive Load & Recovery 1:02:31 – Building a Culture of Buy-In & Program Integration Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD, is the author of the 700-page textbook Applied Nutrition Coaching and Counseling for Coaches . Most nutrition coaches know their protocols — but very few have been trained in what to actually do when a client says something unexpected, breaks down, or simply won't follow the plan. Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon reveals the counseling techniques that most nutrition coaches have never learned — and why mastering them matters more than any protocol. She explains why over-optimized clients are often the most fragile, how AI is eroding the critical thinking skills coaches rely on, and what it really takes to translate complex science into simple, effective actions. Expect to learn why LLMs are story-making machines that confidently get facts wrong, how the broken healthcare system is pushing patients toward fringe advice, what body awareness coaching actually looks like in practice, why Dunning-Kruger applies to both coaches and clients, how to help clients prepare better conversations with their doctors, and what makes coaching an irreplaceable human profession — and much more. Connect with Krista: Website: https://kristascottdixon.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stumptuous Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coach.krista.scottdixon 1% Better Academy - https://onepercentbetteracademy.com/ Episodes you'll enjoy next: #328 — Grit Gains: Building Mental Toughness and Resilience in Training with Ben Mayfield Smith: https://miketnelson.com/podcast/episode-328-grit-training-and-resilience-ben-mayfield-smith #373 — The Future of Fitness + Healthcare: Coaches, Blood Work, and Client-Centered Models: https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-373-the-future-of-fitness-healthcare-coaches-blood-work-and-client-centered-models-kevin-dineen-k12eNARO Episode Timestamps: 02:02 The Dangers of AI for Health Research 03:40 LLMs as Story-Making Machines 04:35 Mike's AI Citation Fail & the 'Dead Internet' Theory 08:55 The Antidote: Getting Back to Basic Skills 09:55 Literacy, Critical Thinking & Health Literacy Crisis 16:55 The Broken Healthcare System & Why Patients Distrust Providers 18:20 Why Parents Seek Fringe Medical Advice for Their Kids 20:55 The Power of Simple Coaching Interventions 22:55 Coaching as Translation: Complex Science, Simple Actions 26:35 Teaching Clients Body Awareness & Self-Observation 28:55 Gym Culture & The Dissociative Society 30:55 When Clients Don't Know Why They Feel Bad 33:25 Helping Clients Prepare Better Conversations with Their Doctors 37:55 AI, Cortisol Grift & Bastardized Physiology 40:55 If It's So Easy, Show Me — Krista's Coaching Insight 45:55 Dunning-Kruger, Expertise & Learning to Question Everything 51:55 Decision-Making: Low Bullshit, Cool People, Meta Skills 56:55 Choosing Projects & Finding Your Authentic Fit 61:55 The Book: Who It's For & What It Covers 74:55 Coaching as a Human Profession (Not to Be Automated) 84:55 Sprinting, Scope of Practice & Knowing Your Clients 86:55 Where to Find Krista & Closing Thoughts Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with Paul Oneid, MS, MS, CSCS and Cody Miller for a conversation about rebuilding from injury and the transition from strength sports to endurance training. Paul Oneid tore both quads and rebuilt himself from powerlifter to trail runner, with coach Cody Miller guiding the transition. They break down the emergent training approach, VO2 max and cardiac adaptations, and the mental side of suffering across strength sports and endurance. In this episode, you'll learn: How Paul's decision to move away from powerlifting and bodybuilding after tearing both quads The emergent, responsive approach Cody used to build Paul's running base from scratch Why cardiac structural adaptations (like resting heart rate drops) take months, not weeks Cody's time-to-exhaustion model for structuring endurance intervals without needing lactate testing Find Paul here: https://masterathletic.com https://coachescorneru.com https://www.instagram.com/pauloneid/ Find Cody here: https://hoopiestrength.com/ https://www.instagram.com/coach.cody.miller Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter