The Leaner You Podcast with Daniel Rosenthal and Santo Chiappetta

Between the office treats, school bake sales, and your own holiday baking, there’s sugar everywhere until New Year’s. You have one cookie, then somehow the whole sleeve is gone. Why can’t you stop at one, and what do you do about it?In this episode we answer two questions from the Instagram broadcast channel: why you can’t stop at one cookie, and what to do about tracking when you don’t know the calories at a restaurant or someone else’s house.We cover:- Why “I might as well just have the whole bag” happens, and how all-or-nothing thinking turns one cookie into a whole sleeve- Why labeling sugar as “bad” can make you want it more- How to make the willpower decision once, and what to keep (or not keep) in the house- How to pre-track a cookie or sweet treat in MyFitnessPal and enjoy it without guilt- Intention, attention, and permission: a sticky note on the snack cabinet, and pairing an anti-goal with a goal- How to estimate calories for homemade treats and office baked goods when you have no idea what’s in them- Why “I have a mental block” often means “this feels uncomfortable,” and how bare minimums (BAMs) shrink the goal- How to track restaurant and takeout meals: check the menu ahead, and why adding 10-20 percent can help- How to use an AI photo prompt to estimate calories, and why putting something in the photo for scale helps- Why you don’t have to clear your plate, and how to get back to tracking the next day after a big meal outSanto's AI photo prompt: https://www.strengthbysanto.com/gettrackingWant your question answered on the show? Join the Instagram broadcast channel here and ask us a question: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbFpUj0bHeHEP9Z/Find out more about coaching with us here: rosentrain.com/coachingFollow Daniel on Instagram: instagram.com/rosentrain/Follow Santo on Instagram: instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical, health, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: rosentrain.com/disclaimer

You’re showing up for your workouts, but you can’t tell if your weights are heavy enough. Then the clocks change, it’s dark by 5 PM, and you’re grazing in the kitchen after the kids’ dinner.How heavy should you actually lift, and is night snacking in winter a willpower problem?In this episode we answered two questions from the Instagram broadcast channel: how often to lift heavy vs moderate weights, and what to do about grazing in the kitchen after the clocks change.We cover:How to tell if a weight is heavy enough: stopping with about one or two reps left in the tankWhy how hard your last few reps feel matters more than whether a weight is called heavy or moderateThe best rep range for beginners (10 to 15 or 10 to 20 reps), and why 30+ reps can limit youHow to mix heavy, moderate, and lighter weights over a 12-week training cycleHow to use your sleep and recovery to decide when to push heavy, and why “heavy” is different for everyoneWhy using the same light dumbbells for months can stall your results (progressive overload)Why night snacking and kitchen grazing in winter is often about your environment, not willpowerEasy kitchen fixes: put leftovers away right after dinner, make less food, and get out of the kitchenHow low steps can affect hunger and sleep in winter, and ways to get your steps in earlier in the dayWinter routines that help: a morning light lamp, a winter prep project, and being mad about it for one day before you move onWant your question answered on the show? Join the Instagram broadcast channel here and ask us a question: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbFpUj0bHeHEP9Z/Find out more about coaching with us here: rosentrain.com/coachingFollow Daniel on Instagram: instagram.com/rosentrain/Follow Santo on Instagram: instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical, health, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: rosentrain.com/disclaimer

You do well for a few days, then work gets crazy or one of the kids gets sick, and you're back to square one. How do you stop starting over?In this episode we also answered a couple of questions from the Instagram broadcast channel: how to start a running plan, and how often to do mobility work.We cover:- Why "I'll start again Monday" quietly costs you three to six days of zero intention, and why you're not actually back at square one- What "doing well" should look like when you have a career, kids, and a hundred other responsibilities- Bare minimums (BAMs): how to shrink your habits so you keep your momentum on chaotic weeks- Switching the unit of measure (steps, minutes, a lap around the neighbourhood) when your usual target isn't realistic- Why consistency builds identity, and how habit stacking helps- A simple exercise: write your BAMs list before the next crazy week hits- How to start running without getting injured: run-walk intervals, treadmill incline walking, and the Couch to 5K program- Why running is higher impact than most people realize, and why you should keep lifting weights alongside it- Mobility vs flexibility, why you lose the range of motion you don't use, and how often you actually need dedicated mobility work- Why a good strength training program and a short dynamic warm-up already count as mobility workWant your question answered on the show? Join the Instagram broadcast channel here and ask us a question: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbFpUj0bHeHEP9Z/Find out more about coaching with us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠⁠⁠This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical, health, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r⁠osentrain.com/disclaimer

Should you work out when you’re sick? We cover when to rest versus push through, whether your macros and steps should change while you recover, and how to tone flabby arms after losing weight on Zepbound or another GLP-1.We cover:A simple rule of thumb for deciding whether to train or rest when you’re unwellWhy, when you’re sick, your only goal is to get better, and weight loss can waitWhat to do about food tracking, macros, and steps while you’re sickHow to ease back in afterwards without playing catch-upWhy your consistency over the last 52 weeks matters far more than any single weekYour question: “I’ve been on Zepbound for a few months and lost 20 pounds, but my arms look flabby. How do I tone up?” We explain why lifting weights and eating enough protein matter, and why GLP-1s change how you do the work but not whether you have to do itWhat food noise actually is, and what it isn’tWhy getting your GLP-1 without talking to a doctor is a bad ideaWe aren’t medical professionals, so run anything you hear here by your doctor.Want your question answered on the show? Join my Instagram broadcast channel and watch for the weekly post asking for questions: https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbbFpUj0bHeHEP9Z/Find out more about coaching with us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠⁠This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical, health, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/disclaimer

Daniel is away again this week, so we're reposting another one of our most popular episodes.__What used to work doesn’t work anymore in perimenopause.Same meals, same workouts, same effort… worse results.In this episode, we break down why that’s happening and why it’s not your metabolism. You’ll learn what actually changes during this stage of life, why your old approach stops working, and how to adapt your strategy to match your current reality.Book a 10-minute Strategy Call with Daniel: ⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/strategy-call⁠⁠⁠(Study) "Daily energy expenditure through the human life course": ⁠https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe5017⁠Episode 16 ("You're Exercising, But You're Not Strength Training"): ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/7yUgkw5zMfs6fgMAUfFlR5?si=6c9f9f1a94cd4765⁠(Article) "Netflix's biggest competitor? Sleep" ⁠https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/18/netflix-competitor-sleep-uber-facebook⁠This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rosentrain.com/disclaimer

Two weeks into a calorie deficit and exercise, and you're exhausted and starving all the time.Common? Yes. Sustainable? No.We break down the usual causes of fatigue and constant hunger in a deficit, and how to fix each one:Why hunger in the first 2-5 days is expected, but constant hunger and fatigue aren'tWhy processed food leaves you hungry on the same calories (volume eating, fiber, and potatoes vs rice)The calorie and protein formulas we use (target weight x 12, plus or minus 100 calories, and 0.7-1g of protein per pound of target weight)Why a 1,200 calorie default is too low for most peopleToo big a deficit, too many HIIT classes, too many changes at onceCarbs, water, electrolytes, and fiberHow poor sleep and stress make you hungrier and more tiredWhy "if you're not losing weight, you're not in a deficit" still applies in perimenopause and menopause, even though it's harderWhy we ask a lot of questions instead of handing every client the same planFind out more about coaching with us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical, health, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/disclaimer

Daniel was away this week unexpectedly, so we're reposting one of our most popular episodes...--This is episode 50, and we wanted to do something different.Instead of a narrow topic, we decided to lay out the entire framework for losing weight and keeping it off long term, in one place.No extremes.No perfection.No trying to overhaul your entire life at once.This episode is especially relevant if:You’ve lost weight before, but it keeps coming backYou feel like you’re “doing a lot” but nothing is stickingYou’re busy, stressed, and juggling work, family, and responsibilitiesYou know all-or-nothing approaches don’t work for you any moreWe walk through nutrition, training, movement, sleep, stress, and progress tracking, and how all of it actually fits into real life.If you want weight loss that doesn’t require starting over every few months, this episode will give you the big picture.If, after listening, you’d like help applying this to your own situation, you can book a short, no-obligation exploratory call with Daniel here:⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Coach mentioned: Jordan Syatt ⁠https://www.instagram.com/syattfitness⁠Check out episode 16 for a deep dive on strength training: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/7yUgkw5zMfs6fgMAUfFlR5?si=e7fa8c64084f47af⁠This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rosentrain.com/disclaimer

Your friends say you've become obsessed since you started taking your health seriously. Are they right? And what do you do when September hits and you have no time between work and the kids' schedules?We break down what "obsessed" really means, why consistency can make the people around you uncomfortable, and how to honestly check whether there's any truth to it. We cover a simple self-assessment for whether what you're doing is sustainable, how to respond when someone calls you obsessed, and why the decisions you make in your 40s shape the quality of your life in your 70s.Then, we get into the September squeeze. We share how to adjust the levers instead of going all or nothing, why one full-body workout every three to five days still adds up, and a realistic plan for workouts, meal prep, steps, and me time when life is chaotic.Find out more about coaching with us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠Santo's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0j5QaIeN86dg8nnLfum7d5?si=IA7EJxGrTB-LCheO5FCFwwTimestamps:00:00 Question 1: My friends think I'm obsessed00:55 What "obsessed" actually means01:29 Why friends call it obsession04:02 Is there any truth to it?05:25 Devotion vs. martyrdom: putting kids first without neglecting yourself08:29 Do you want their life?10:52 What real obsession looks like13:41 Outgrowing friends and finding your people17:09 Self-assessment: is it sustainable?18:07 How to respond when someone says you're obsessed20:15 Your why: investing in your health now23:21 Strength that carries over into real life27:12 Question 2: No time for myself in September28:38 Seasons of life and adjusting the levers31:01 One full-body workout every three to five days33:59 Smartwatches and tech-free walks36:37 Compartmentalising work and rest40:42 A realistic plan: workouts, meal prep, steps and me timeThis podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical, health, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/disclaimer

Most people trying to lose weight don't need more information - they need to actually do the things they already know. In this episode we break down why information overload can backfire, why "meal prep" doesn't have to mean batch cooking, and why researching your workout plan isn't the same as doing it.We also answer a listener question from someone who's two weeks into their weight loss journey, seeing no results, and ready to quit - and use it to dig into patience, process goals vs. outcome goals, and why real habit change takes closer to 12 weeks (minimum) to feel easier and 6 months to fully lock in.Find out more about coaching with us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠Get our weight loss calorie calculator here: https://mailchi.mp/rosentrain/leaner-you-calorie-calculatorTimestamps:00:00 - Why most people have an implementation problem, not a knowledge problem01:39 - Meal prep doesn't necessarily mean cooking and chopping - it means being prepared05:24 - Research isn't the work. Doing the work is the work07:15 - The fire hydrant study: why too much information can backfire09:25 - Collecting data vs. actually using it13:14 - Trackers, HRV, and why Daniel stopped wearing a smartwatch14:57 - The dose makes the poison: finding your minimal effective dose17:50 - Why intention matters even when things are on autopilot20:05 - Listener question: "I've tried losing weight for 2 weeks and want to quit"22:15 - Doing the math on how little time you're actually investing28:03 - Why chasing the outcome makes it harder to reach29:39 - How to set process goals that actually build identity change32:59 - Reward the consistency, not just the results on the scale36:42 - Why your process goals shouldn't require perfection (aim for 80%)37:30 - Reducing friction: making 1% better choices40:45 - The observer effect and why accountability changes behavior45:08 - Why habits take longer to form than most people think48:23 - The realistic timeline: 12 weeks to start, 6 months to fully lock in50:44 - Escaping the vicious cycle and finding the positive feedback loop52:39 - Why the approach that worked in your 20s won't work in your 40sThis podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical or health advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/disclaimer

A viral Instagram post kicks off this episode: Pilates, yoga, classes, and weighted vest walks are all great habits - but none of them are strength training.We break down why that distinction matters, respond to the pushback we got in the comments, go deep on what "mobility" actually means, and explain why proper strength training should make you more flexible, not less.Then we tackle a listener question about separating self-worth from the number on the scale.Timestamps:00:00 – A viral post on Pilates, yoga, and what actually counts as strength training02:25 – Why we use "and" instead of "but" when coaching04:15 – Responding to "Pilates done correctly is strength training"06:52 – Why beginners get stronger doing almost anything for six weeks08:45 – Breaking down a comment claiming strength training reduces mobility10:22 – Mobility vs. flexibility, explained simply14:00 – Usain Bolt's hamstrings, tension, and sport-specific inflexibility18:37 – Eric Cressey, off-season programming, and training for your goals20:40 – The price of specialization — and why the bigger risk is not training at all22:38 – Listener Q&A: separating self-worth from the number on the scale28:59 – Why the scale is low-friction but low-reliability data35:37 – Daily weigh-ins vs. measurements and progress photos41:18 – Commending effort over outcome, and building process goalsFind out more about coaching with us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Daniel on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/rosentrain/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Santo on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/santo.chiappetta/⁠⁠This podcast provides general fitness and nutrition information only. It is not medical or health advice. Consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise or nutrition routine. Drink responsibly. Full disclaimer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rosentrain.com/disclaimer