Calorie deficit
Hi there! Currently in a calorie deficit of 1725 5’7 female. Current weight 154. I’m hitting my macros on point with clean proteins,whole foods and healthy fats even adding treats but Im under my calories. Is this okay? I don’t feel hungry or deprived. Usually around 1500 1600 at the end of the day.
Alcohol and muscle loss/gain
Hi! I am doing really well with nutrition and weight lifting. My goal is recomp and so my calorie goal is close to maintenance, though I had to stop tracking due to an u healthy relationship with it. I started eating more intuitively and it’s been super great. Thing is it’s playoff season and I enjoy some alcoholic beverages when watching the games which is every other night. I have maintained my weight for a couple months, but since I’ve been drinking more (it’s summer after all!) I’ve lost 5 pounds. I take 5 g of creatine a day, starter that about a month ago. My question is, does alcohol deplete your muscles and is this weight loss potentially not coming from fat? Is there anything I can do to help myself still reach my goals while allowing myself to enjoy some beverages?
How long is too long?
Hello! I’ve been doing a cut of about 400 calories from my maintenance for 3 months now. I’ve been seeing good results, and would like to keep going with the cut. I know you guys have talked about how you shouldn’t be in a deficit for a long time. So is it ok to keep going until I get to where I want to be? Or should I be taking a break? I feel good with the calories I’m at, and can still get good lifting sessions in 4 times a week.
How to time your food intake with a busy schedule
First off thank you both so much for this podcast, it has leveled up my gym and nutrition knowledge. I work out 6 days a week. M,W,F I lift in the gym. Saturday is a long Walk/Run. Tuesdays and Thursday's I run in the morning, Have breakfast around 9-10 and then lunch at 12-1 (30-40g protein). I drive an hour away to teach marital arts from 3-5 . I have an energy drink when I get there around 2 and lots of water throughout the day. I sit down and have my dinner from 5-6pm (30-50g protein) Usually this is protein packed but a little lighter like a salad w/chkn, lots of veggies w/chkn or chicken and rice because from 6-7 I do light movements to help aid in digestion and warm me up for my class that I take at 7-8. I then have an hour drive home arriving usually no later that 9:30 and try to get to sleep around 10/1030 once I have settled in. I have a protein bar as a snack/treat in between lunch/dinner l because I feel it is too late to have after my own workout during the drive. I am trying to find out when to eat my food and my extra protein bar so that I have good energy, and optimal digestion without interfering with sleep, or workout. Summarize, I know usually they say dont eat 2-3 hours before sleep, but after a late workout and a decent drive is there a way I should switch around when to eat my meals and bar or does it sound like I am right on track. I am always exhausted but I am still fixing my sleep, but the next mornings I sometimes wake up with a raging stomach ready to eat everything or the scale puts me up 2-3 lbs ( I know its only one tool in my body transformation) but I wasn't sure if this would be effected by timing of eating. Thank you again so much for your time and all your help !!
Coming off creatine and missing days
Hello! After listening to Monday's episode I had a question about what happens 1. when you don't take creatine consistently, is it a huge deal if you miss a day here and there? 2. If you take creatine for a long time and then stop taking it, are there any side effects? Will you likely lose water weight and/or muscle throughout time?
Does walking speed matter?
Hello, long time listener, first time asker :) I know you often talk about the importance of getting steps in, and how it can help for health/digestion/increasing caloric deficit/etc. I get in 10,000+ steps most days, but much of that happens very slow as I’m walking my dog, who stops to sniff everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING. Is there research about how walking speed affects benefits?
Protein Powders for Cooking
I'm wondering what Marianna's go to protein powder is for cooking? If you had to pick just 1 or 2, what brand and flavor is the most versatile in your opinion? I prefer not to have a whole cupboard of protein powders but would like to make more of your high protein sweet treats. I currently have Legion's Dutch Chocolate.
Legion's Clear Whey Protein
I saw that Legion released a fruit punch flavored clear whey protein isolate. I'm intrigued since I tend to go for sweeter flavors and lately the Dutch Chocolate flavor that I usually drink has sounded unappealing. Have either of you tried Legion's Clear Whey and if so what are your thoughts? Are there other brands and flavors of clear whey protein isolate that you also enjoy?
Cooking with wine?
Hi guys!! Ive been obsessed with a bolognese meal prep lately. I make it with very lean beef, no oils and pack it with veggies. Its yummy, filling and satisfies every craving on my cut. I do use about 8oz of red wine in the recipe (which yields 5 servings) but cook it down for an hour. Does the alcohol in the wine cook off completely or should i maybe try to remove it from the recipe? If it was something i had once in a while i wouldn’t worry about it but right now its pretty solid in my meal prep rotation and i don't wanna be consuming wine on the regular. For context i rarely drink, only on special occasions. Also im a female if that changes anything. Thank you love the pod!!
Is salt actually bad for you?
Hii guys!! In the last couple of weeks i had a friend comment that my food is usually saltier that how they cook and that i should probably use less salt bc it can clog arteries and affect blood pressure. I know that i heavily season my food, not just with salt, but thats how i avoid using oils, butter and other high cal ingredients. Also i was raised by a chef. Anyways, as an active individual who is pretty good about drinking water, should i be worried about my salt intake? Or does it come down to: you crave it more cus your body is telling you you need it? Its also confusing cus then you have marketing for stuff like LMNT which is straight up salt but no one bats an eye about that. Can you shed some light on the topic? Thanks! Love what you do!
Less RPE and/or caloric deficit?
Hey, I want to burn fat to get a more lean look without getting larger or bulkier. I like the muscles that I have but I want to still fit in my clothes and look feminine. Would I change my RPE and still do a progressive overload or should I just focus on a caloric deficit? I haven’t been able to do as much cardio in the last year due to a hip injury that I’m trying to fix and Ive gained about 7 lbs since. Two of those pounds may be muscle but my clothes fit a little tighter. I don’t care so much about the scale but more on how I feel and how I fit into my clothes. The pounds are just easily quantifiable to give you a reference. I’ve been working out for about 12 years, currently about 6 days a week, and have a busy work day as an ER nurse- 3 12-hr shifts per week that affects my sleep.
Gym etiquette
Hey guys I’ve been going to the gym for a while and recently while I’m waiting in between sets I had someone take a machine and they acted like this was totally normal and said I shouldn’t walk away which I had walked away all my stuff was there still and I was just gettting some steps in he saw me. Anyway I was just wondering if you could go over some normal gym etiquette and what you may say to someone if this happened to you
Losing weight pretty fast, is my muscle gonna be ok
Hi guys! Love the pod! Im currently on week 3 of a 12 week cut, ive been losing weight faster that ive ever seen (bc i finally understood where my maintenance cals are and the impact walking has). I’m currently dropping about a pound and a half a week according to daily weigh-ins with happy scale. I started at 188 lbs (female, 5’3” and about 32% bf) so im losing around 0.8% a week. I know Tony has said that this is still a conservative approach but im wondering if i sustain this level of weight loss for 12 weeks, will my muscle be ok? Ive worked very hard hard to gain it and really want to protect it. Ps: im still strength training 3x week and hitting my protein goal ever day.
Best protein supp
Hi guys! Love the pod! My question is about protein. I have a sensitivity to pretty much any protein powder. I get heart burn whenever I use them, whether it be whey or plant based. Have you ever experienced or heard of anything like that? And could it possibly something that I need to build up some kind of tolerance too? You guys are the best! Thanks and have an awesome weekend. 💜💜
Are single leg movements necessary?
I'm currently doing your High Frequency Full Body program, and I noticed the only single leg movement is the bench bstance rdl (unless you do the glute focused add-on). Before starting the full body program, I always had at least 1, sometimes 2, single leg movements on every leg day. I always thought it was important to have those added in to fix any imbalances, or work on stability. Why is there only one in the full body program?
Canadian Supplements
Any recommendations on Canadian supplements for magnesium, Vitamin D, etc. I’d like to go with legion at some point but the exchange rate is too high right now. Ive heard that all of Canada’s supplements are FDA approved so would that mean it doesn’t really matter which one? I.e. Jamieson?
Intermittent fasting macro counting and training
Hey guys! The last month I’ve intermittent fasted (14 fasted, 10 eating) along with macro counting and training to switch it up and for added health benefits. I’m having a hard time getting my protein in because I’m not as hungry. I have really enjoyed it so far but feel like I might impede on my training progress because I can’t get my protein in. Can you shed any light on this and go into intermittent fasting more while macro counting and training? Thanks!!
How to keep weight off without thinking about it all the time
Hi guys! Thru your podcast and just overall training and fueling properly for 4+ years i have learned so much about body composition, muscle building and fat loss. I have lost a significant amount of weight (25 lbs) however i need to be really disciplined and dialed in to keep it off (diligently tracking and going out of my way to get my steps goal). When i start to be a little lenient, eat out a couple times a month, grab drinks from time to time, or just walk what my day allows without going on 20 min walks before and after work, i start to gain weight again. My current maintenance cals are about 1900 but im still 185 pounds at 5’3 and about 30% body fat. So its not like im asking my body to do something unsustainable, however i dont want to live this life forever, i dont want to be thinking about every single calorie or step forever. How can i make sure that my natural hunger cues + activity matches my maintenance calories? Does anyone that grew up overweight ever get there or are we just stuck tracking forever? Thanks so much for all you do!