The Real Fitness Show

Episode 150!! I didn't even know it when I recorded it lol but it seems fair that this is a rundown of all the principles you need to understand if you want to lose fat in a sustainable way this year so... let's go for it! 

2024 Was the toughest year of my career. And the good thing about it is that it taught me a lot. So in today's episode I want to share with you my top 13 lessons from last year. Hope you find it valuable ;)

Cardio is probably the less effective way to lose fat, and in today's episode I want to show you exactly why and what you should do instead if you're trying to achieve a transformation that you get to keep. 

No one has probably told you this yet. But you're right. Your context, genetics, situation... that's why you can't get results. You are right. But what are gonna do about it? 

If there's one thing that will impact how good your results are in the gym is your intensity. You can have the worst plan in the world, and you'll still get some progress with the right intensity. Now imagine you actually have a plan that's freaking good and you DO have the right intensity...That's where the meats and potatoes are. In this episode, I show you exactly how to get the most out of your workouts to make sure that your effort and time match your results ;) 

At an age where most people haven't even started drinking in the US, Patrick was already out of recovery. His story is not one that you hear often, but the end of it is probably something you wouldn't expect. Patrick saw himself at a point of no return. He either did something or things were going to end up pretty badly. And he did so. Getting clean, building a business to help hundreds transform their physiques and health, and transforming the way thousands of people address fitness and mental health. The way you look at your journey has a huge impact on the way it turns out.

(Disclaimer: This episode is a re-run. It was originally published on the 31st of March 2021)One of the most researched keywords online today is Motivation. And motivation is great, but if you need to constantly look for it... there's something that isn't right. In today's episode, we talk about why habits are so important to accomplish your goals, and how can you build a habit that actually sticks for the long term so you can get the bests results possible.

"I'm in a calorie deficit but I'm still not losing fat, this calories in vs calories out doesn't work!"This is something that happens often and in today's episode I want to share with you the science behind the calories in vs calories out approach, how it works and if it would work for you. I've been getting a ton of hate for this topic online, so hopefully this can clear things up. Not that I care about what trolls say... but I care about you getting the right info lol

A lot of people say they don't have time to work out. They don't have time to eat healthy. They don't have time to sleep. But Sean is the example that you can do much more with your time if you have a clear goal and a little bit of planning. Sean was able to build a successful business, create more content pieces in a month than some creators do in a year, and build his physique, all while keeping a full-time corporate job. In today's episode, we talk about the importance of planning and prioritizing, what it means to achieve a fitness transformation, and how to do it without compromising your mental health. You're in for a treat ;)PS: Check out Sean's Recipe book (again, no affiliations here, I just really believe in Sean's work): https://fontyfitness.com/products/the-recipe-e-book-by-sean-fontaine 

If you had told Sean just four years ago that he would be one of the biggest fitness referents in the industry, he would probably have laughed at you. His ascension was meteoric. He went from hundreds to thousands to millions of followers online, launched products, and coached some of the most successful content creators in the fitness industry. But it all started with trying to get himself back. From alcohol and drug use to start taking care of his health and fitness. Sean is probably one of the most authorised voices when talking about social media and fitness, how it can help us, how it holds us back... And how you can use it to change your life. And that's what we go in today. This is a little bit of a different episode, but I'm sure you're gonna love it. 

Dave Fell is the perfect example of how a fitness journey doesn't have to be perfect, complicated, or boring in order to be effective. In today's episode, we talk about actionable steps to:1.- Measure Consistency2.- Measure Results3.- Improve Performance 4.- Maintain results5.- Enjoy your meals! Definitely one of the most value-packed episodes we've done, so make sure to give it a listen! 

A fitness transformation is not only about having six-pack abs and a juicy butt.But about not missing opportunities to create life-long memories with your loved ones.In today's episode the CEO of the Aesthetic Lifestyle, Connor Sleeman shows us how you can achieve a transformation that transcends the physical aspect.Follow Connor at @Connor.Sleeman

A fitness transformation is not only about having six-pack abs and a juicy butt. But about not missing opportunities of creating life-long memories with your loved ones. In today's episode the CEO of the Aesthetic Lifestyle, Connor Sleeman shows us how you can achieve a transformation that transcends the physical aspect. Follow Connor at @Connor.Sleeman

The bar has never been lower. You have the means to become a top 2% man in the world in just a couple of months with the right plan. In today's episode, we're gonna discuss how to make this a reality for you. Buckle your seat belts. Success here we come. 

Even when it seems similar, fitness and wellness aren't the same thing. Same as progressing in your career and becoming a better professional aren't. We live in a society that worships grind, long hours, sacrifice and suffering to achieve our goals. But how sustainable is that?And even more, is it even important for success? After almost 20 years working in tv and radio Clare McKenna is now in her own wellness journey and in today's episode we talk about how that really looks in the real world and how people can use it in their advantage to not only get ahead, but to do it right. 

We all know nutrition is kind of important for a fitness transformation...Okay, it's key.And we have all the information that we would ever need about it at our fingertips! But it's so much it can lead to overwhelming if we don't know how to filter that information. In today's episode, we dig into it with nutrition expert Aidan Muir. If you aren't check him out at @aidan_the_nutritionist

When I learned about Mike Meltzer it quickly became one of my favorite fitness stories. He didn't only win multiple pro shows. But he did it while working out less time in a month than some of his competitors did in a day. 

Although talking about mental health is becoming more and more okay in today's society, there are still some stigmas around it that might be preventing some people from getting the healing or the support that they need. What to share, who to share it with, and especially self-assess our mental health are just some of the issues many guys (and gals) struggle with. In today's episode, we talk with the psychotherapist Chloe Callanan to try to unfold some of these situations and give you clearer guidelines on how to start taking care of your mental well-being. 

Social media is nowadays fighting over the best way to lose fat. And while almost every educated voice signs in the importance of a calorie deficit, are all calories created equal?

If you aren't working on your glutes yet... You might want to start. Not only because of aesthetics, but especially for longevity, quality of life, and overall well-being. But there's a lot of misconception online about how to effectively target your glutes, what exercises are good, which are necessary, and which are a waste of time. In today's episode, we speak with glute expert Aaron Schiavone about how social media has influenced the idea of exercise, and how you can take the meat and throw away the bone. 

Still, I don't know if sharing this story is right from a business perspective, but I'd rather be transparent. 2 years ago I lost my Instagram account, which my entire business depended on. And the decisions I took following that event created The Shirt Off Project that you see today. It's probably my most vulnerable piece of content ever. 

In this day and age there's a lot more misinformation than real information online. Why? Because it causes clicks. And there are loads of people that are just trying to go viral, get more followers, get more views, and they will say whatever they think is going to be more controversial to achieve it. In today's episode we're gonna go over some of the claims about carbohydrates, and how you can use them in your day to day life not only to get better results in the gym but to feel a lot better overall. 

Even when many people think that once you achieve your initial fitness transformation is all gonna be sunshine and roses from then on, the truth is completely different. In today's episode I go over my entire fitness journey up to this point and how it's been absolutely nothing like I expected it to be...

Gyms all over the world are filled with guys who have been consistently working out for years...And still look the same. And also, filled by guys who are doing everything right, but this one thing. Today we're gonna talk about the maximizer that you should be using in your workouts to get the most of them. 

You're working out. Eating clean.Drinking water.Focusing on recovery. But still, the scale won't go down. What the heck is going on? Believe it or not, this is pretty common and it doesn't need to be. In today's episode, we go over why that might be happening to you, if it's a problem, and how to solve it. Some of today's insights might surprise you, I promise you that. 

Recording yourself in the gym has such a bad rep (thank you Instagram and TikTok), but it actually has a ton of benefits that you can exploit. I would say it is almost a requirement if you're serious about your fitness progress. And some of the reasons might surprise you. So in this week's episode, we'll go over how you can benefit from it and use it as your transformation booster. 

I'm always 100% honest with you,

Detoxing and cleansing have been around for ever but lately methods like juice cleanses or juice detoxes

With all the information online, sometimes can be hard to filter what's actually important or what should you focus on in this exact part of your transformation. That's why I wanted to make it easy for you and in this week's episode, we discuss the steps that I would take if I was starting from 30% body fat and wanted to get down to 12%. No BS, just straight advice. Hope you find it useful! 

Working out hard but still feel like you're not burning as much fat as you'd like? We'll it might be because you're focusing on working harder, instead of smarter. In this week's episode we discuss some strategies to make sure that every minute you spend in the gym is as effective as it can be. 

Are you tired and wish you had more energy? Are you tired of trying to lose weight and failing at it every time? Is not that your workouts are wrong... you're probably not maximizing the rest of the time. In this video, I'm going to show you how you can make your body burn calories faster and feel amazing!Have you ever heard of metabolism? It's a big word people use in the fitness world. But guess what? You can actually control it! In this video, I'll explain how you can make your body work better for you instead of against you.We'll talk about some things you can do to speed up your metabolism.So get ready to learn some cool tricks to boost your metabolism and feel awesome! Let's get started!

The most underrated way to improve your health is by getting better sleep. But the opposite is also true: the best way to ruin your health is by not optimizing your sleep.Trust me, this is not something you can postpone, and in this newsletter, I'll show you exactly why, and how to make sure you optimize your sleep correctly so you can not only extend your life (literally) but also sleep smarter.I used to be the guy who “could live on 3h of sleep” until I passed out in the middle of a test.Throughout my entire high school years and my first 2 years in college, I had severe insomnia. I just couldn't sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time.That's one of the reasons I got so into the NBA and the NFL at a young age, cause there was literally nothing else to do/watch at 3-4 am.And I kept this up until my junior year. I thought it was just the way I was and that there was nothing I could do about it.One day, after pulling an all-nighter before a test (which was pretty common for me), I fell asleep in the middle of the test.And at that moment, I decided to get serious about my sleep and fixing it. And thanks God I did, because the moment I started researching about sleep, I realized it was a much bigger deal than I thought…

(Disclaimer: This episode is a re-run. It was originally published on the 1st of April 2021)How's it possible that there are guys who look incredible and still don't like their bodies? In the era of Instagram, there's a lot of people who just want to look good with their shirt off (and with clothes) (aka want to look good ALWAYS). My entire brand is designed around helping guys take their shirt off with confidence, however, a lot of people misunderstand what that means.It's not about looking amazing. Looking great with your shirt off is just a side effect of earning the confidence to take your shirt off. In today's episode, I'm gonna explain to you exactly how to take your shirt off with confidence, how to take pride in the right things, and how to get the side effects of it, so you can enjoy it for the rest of your life! 

This is an episode I've wanted to do for a while but was hesitant to do because I know it's a somewhat controversial topic. Regardless, I think it is important that we dive deep into the body positivity movement. Now, before you roll your eyes and think, "Not another body positivity conversation," hear me out. This episode takes a closer look at how the movement, despite its good intentions, might be leading us down a somewhat misleading path.Body positivity is all about loving your body, and while I do believe that is tremendously valuable, you also need to be brutally honest about your situation. And sometimes, loving your body is actually doing something to improve your situation. 

If your goal is to get below 10% body fat, I won't sugar coat it. It's tough. Super tough. It doesn't feel great. But it looks pretty awesome. I'm a true believer that no one should be below 10% body fat for long periods of time, because of what it does to your body, but if you have a special occasion like a photoshoot, a competition, or a beach trip, it can be more than worthy to do a little shred. I've gotten below the 10% mark many times in my career, and I've tried many more. So in this episode, I want to share with you the 5 things that helped me get below that mark and how you can apply them in your own transformation. 

Is physical pain always bad? How can we improve our mobility? Is it possible to be 70 years old and not have any physical pain or aches whatsoever? In this week's episode my friend Alexandra Anderson is gonna walk us through some of these topics, and trust me, some of her studies results will definitely surprise you. Alexandra Anderson PT, DPT is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy with over 6 years of clinical experience, treating in both private practice and outpatient hospital-based settings. Graduating from Loma Linda University in southern California, Alex moved back East where she worked in Washington, DC for 2 years, prior to relocating to Chicago, IL where she completed UIC's Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.Furthermore, she holds a certification as a myofascial trigger point therapist.Currently, Alex works full-time at the University of Illinois at Chicago and is the founder of her own private practice, The Physical Therapy Academy, which offers patient care and continuing education. She has presented at national conferences, published case reports and contributed to authoring two book chapters for manual therapy for the hip and knee. Alex engages in academia by lab instructing physical therapy and medical students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as assisting in Northwestern's fellowship program.So if you're ready to learn how to improve your mobility, deal with pain better and ultimately build a body that you enjoy living in... this is the episode for you ;)Make sure to give Alex (@thephysicaltherapyacademy) a follow if you want to learn more about mobility, longevity, and overall body health. 

Are you tired of feeling frustrated and discouraged with your fitness journey? Do you wish you had known the secrets to success when you first started? If so, you won't want to miss our latest episode.In this episode, I'm gonna share with you my top 10 things I wish I knew when I started my own fitness journey. You'll discover insider tips and strategies that will help you get faster results, avoid common mistakes (and some stupid ones lol), and stay motivated on your path to fitness success. From goal-setting to nutrition, strength training, and consistency, we cover all the key elements you need to know to transform your body and achieve your fitness goals.Hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes and start boosting your results today! So, whether you're a beginner or an experienced fitness enthusiast, this episode is a must-listen. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your fitness journey to the next level.

Be brutally honest with yourself: Do you love the way that you look? Do you love your relationships? Do you love your career?Do you love your life? If you hate those things, that should be motivation enough to wanting to do something about it, but in most cases is not about hating them. Is about not loving them. Just being okay, or even happy with your situation, but not loving it. In this week's episode, we talk about how that contempt can be the difference between achieving your full potential and a life that you love, and just passing through life going through the motions. 

Did you know that Leo Messi, the best soccer player in history runs about half as much per game as the average soccer player? Progressing is not about how hard you work, but about how smart you can work. How much output you're getting, regardless of the input. If 2 men compete to see who can move a car farther, and one is trying to push it, while the other simply sits in the driver's seat and starts the engine... the first one will work a lot harder, but the second one will win without a contest. In today's episode, we talk about the difference between striving to work hard and striving to get results. 

Every time you log on to social media there's a new exercise or workout that will change the game. Many fitness influencers (even myself) show you a different workout every time. But that doesn't mean you need to try them all. Nor that you are going to have better progress with them. If you want to make progress you don't need to make your workouts "interesting" or "fun". You need to make them effective. In this episode, we talk about what thought process you need to use to make sure the exercises you're doing are actually the most fitted for yo.u.  

If you've been on a fitness transformation and have seen some results, you might start stressing a little about losing them. Here's the thing, when we don't have any results to show for our effort it can get frustrating, but when we do, sometimes it gives us anxiety about keeping them. If that's you... no worries. That used to be me. And pretty much every other fit guy you ever face. We all go through that phase. And in all honesty, is a make-or-break phase, the way you handle it mentally will determine if you end up staying fit for the rest of your life and continue to make progress year after year, or if you'll lose it all and end up even worse than where you were.Dramatic? Maybe. But I've seen it way too many times. So in this episode, I want to share with you a mindset that helped me, and has helped hundreds of our members inside The Shirt Off Project, to overcome this phase and make sure that the progress you get, you get to keep it ;) 

I bet your gym is full of people that you've seen showing up consistently for years, and still look exactly the same. We all have that one friend that claims that he works out a lot, but you can't quite see it. Why is that? Well, most likely because they are failing at following the 5 key principles for a lasting physique transformation. And which are those? The ones that'll guarantee that your efforts will be matched with your results. We cover them all in this week's episode, so I wouldn't miss it if I were you ;) 

When someone starts a fat loss process, what's the first thing that they do? Start eating less. Restricting carbs, sugars, fast foods, and almost anything that they really enjoy. And the result? 97% of people who start a fat loss phase end up gaining it all back. And the truth is that for many of them, the real problem is... That they simply aren't eating enough. In this episode, we're gonna talk about the logic behind this idea and how you need to eat MORE to lose fat sustainably. If you understand this concept, your fat loss process can even be enjoyable (come on Eric, cut the BS), no, I mean it. Check it out to learn how! 

Cravings are probably the biggest enemy of every fitness transformation, but they don't have to be. In this episode, we'll explore how to differentiate between the different cravings you might be experiencing and the systems you can use to beat them. We'll delve into the truth about cravings and offer practical tips to help you overcome them. From recognizing your triggers to building healthier habits, we'll help you turn your cravings into an advantage and make real progress in your fitness transformation.Whether you're struggling with sugar cravings, junk food cravings, or emotional eating, this episode will give you the tools to take control of your cravings and stay on track toward your fitness goals.

I did another fitness photoshoot, this time in Dubai. After the really unpleasant experience last year, with my first fitness photoshoot, I wanted to do things differently this time. And it worked out... kinda. In today's episode I break down my photoshoot protocol, what I believe is important to get you ready for a photoshoot, and some mistakes I made so you don't have to make them if you ever think of preparing for a photoshoot (or if you simply want to look great at a certain day, because of whatever reason). 

(Disclaimer: This episode is a re-run. It was originally published on the 31st of March 2021)One of the most researched keywords online today is Motivation. And motivation is great, but if you need to constantly look for it... there's something that isn't right. In today's episode, we talk about why habits are so important to accomplish your goals, and how can you build a habit that actually sticks for the long term so you can get the bests results possible.

The fitness industry has perpetuated the myth that all you need to do to get results is to show up at the gym. But the truth is, simply showing up is just the starting point. In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the realities of what it takes to truly see results in your fitness journey.Many people think that as long as they are consistent with their gym visits, they will automatically see results. However, consistency alone is not enough. In order to get the results you want, you need to adopt a "no matter what" attitude.This means that even when the going gets tough, you push through and keep working towards your goals. It means that you are committed to making progress, no matter the obstacles that come your way.We'll explore the role that consistency and effort play in the equation, and why simply showing up is not enough. We'll also discuss the mindset shifts you need to make in order to adopt a "no matter what" attitude, and why this is crucial for success. You'll hear stories from people who have struggled to see results, and how they turned things around by adopting a more committed approach.If you're tired of the same old advice that simply showing up is enough, then this episode is for you. Get ready to learn the truth about what it takes to get results, and to adopt a "no matter what" attitude towards your fitness journey. Whether you're a seasoned gym-goer or just starting out, this episode will provide you with the insights and inspiration you need to take your fitness to the next level.

When we talk about priorities, pretty much everyone falls into the same ones:- Health- Family- Business/Career/Studies- God (sadly this normally doesn't come up first)- MoneyOr some variation of them. However... are they really your priority? No one lists scrolling on social media when talking about priorities... Yet, that's one of the things most of us spend the most amount of time...No one lists doordash on their priority list...However many of us spend more money on it than on anything else...So what are your real priorities? In today's episode, we're gonna talk about how to know what you're prioritizing and how to make sure you start prioritizing what you want to be the most important thing for you. 

In today's day and age, we are obsessed with reputation. Obsessed with the idea that others have of us. With how we are perceived and judged by the people around us.However, in many cases, we're missing the most important type of reputation and we're paying a high cost for it. Self-reputation is the reputation that we have with ourselves. It's the way we see ourselves and how we evaluate our own actions and behavior.  Having a positive self-reputation means that we have integrity and we are true to our word. We take responsibility for our actions and strive to live up to our own standards. When you say you're gonna do something... what's your initial thought? Are you 100000% sure that you'll do it because your self-reputation dictates that every time you say you're gonna do something you get it done? Or are you only half convinced, because based on your self-reputation that doesn't always happen? In this week's episode, we'll unfold how you can create a solid reputation with yourself to eliminate any possibility of not hitting your goals ;) 

100 episodes! We made it! Thank you all for supporting and sharing the show, we wouldn't be able to get here without your help. And that's why in this episode I want to give you my best 2 pieces of advice on how to become successful, not only in fitness but also in life. There are 2 character traits that I see in every successful person. Regardless of their area of expertise, if they're successful, chances are they embrace these 2 nuggets. I'm working on them myself and wanted to share it with you so you can start doing it as well! 

If you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably heard about calorie deficit. But with so much information online, it can get confusing sometimes. What's a calorie? What exactly is a calorie deficit? How can this method help you burn fat? How many calories should you eat on a daily basis? All these questions and more will get answered in this week's episode!