Self-Selecting

Should you lower your calories when fat loss stalls?

In this episode, I break down the decision-making framework I use with clients before ever reducing food. I explain why most people lower calories too quickly, the three data points you need before making any adjustment, and how inaccurate food tracking, poor adherence, and dietary fatigue often create the illusion of a plateau.

I also cover how to evaluate your weekly weight trends, when a slower rate of fat loss is actually a good sign, why sustainability matters more than creating the largest possible deficit, and how to know whether lowering food will actually move you closer to your goal. If you're wondering whether it's time to eat less—or if you're simply guessing—this episode will help you make smarter fat loss decisions based on data instead of emotions.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 02:40] – The 3 Data Points Before Lowering Calories
- [02:40 – 05:12] – Why Weekly Weight Averages Matter
- [05:12 – 06:56] – Can You Sustain a Bigger Calorie Deficit?
- [06:56 – 08:36] – Fat Loss Is Slow: Tighten Tracking Before Lowering Food
- [08:36 – 10:41] – Dietary Fatigue & Knowing When to End a Diet
- [10:41 – 12:37] – How Many Calories Do Most Women Lose Weight On?
- [12:37 – 14:58] – When You Should (And Shouldn't) Lower Food

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Should you train every set to failure if your goal is building muscle?

In this episode, I break down what training to failure actually means, the difference between technical failure and muscular failure, and why knowing the distinction can dramatically improve your results while reducing your risk of injury. I explain how movement quality, stability, exercise selection, and skill level should determine how close you train to failure—not simply pushing until you can't complete another rep.

I also discuss why feeling a muscle working doesn't always mean you're training it effectively, how compensations limit muscle growth, when it's appropriate to take an exercise to true failure, why filming your lifts is one of the best coaching tools available, and the biggest indicators I use to assess whether a set is productive.

If you're trying to build muscle, improve exercise execution, master reps in reserve (RIR), understand RPE, or make better training decisions for long-term progress, this episode will help you train harder—and smarter.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 02:42] - Introduction & Why Training to Failure Is Often Misunderstood
- [02:42 – 05:59] - What Training to Failure Actually Means (RIR vs. RPE)
- [05:59 – 10:28] - Technical Failure vs. Muscular Failure Explained
- [10:28 – 12:09] - Why Muscle Burn Doesn't Mean You're Training the Target Muscle
- [12:09 – 14:53] - Breaking Through Rear Delt Plateaus by Improving Stability
- [14:53 – 19:16] - Safety Considerations When Training Close to Failure
- [19:16 – 23:07] - When to Push Hard Based on Exercise Selection & Workout Order
- [23:07 – 30:44] - The Rep Speed Cue I Use to Gauge True Training Intensity
- [30:44 – 34:13] - Why Recording Your Warm-Up Sets Improves Technique
- [34:13 – 37:00] - High-Skill Exercises: Don't Push Past Technical Failure
- [37:00 – 40:52] - Building Better Technique, Confidence & Long-Term Progress

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

When should you lower the weight instead of pushing through the set?

In this episode, I break down the eight biggest signs that the load you're using is limiting your progress instead of driving it. I explain how movement quality, stability, exercise execution, recovery, and proximity to failure should determine your training decisions—not your ego.

We discuss why poor positioning changes the muscles you're training, how to distinguish acceptable technique breakdown from compensations that reduce hypertrophy, when it's appropriate to push through imperfect reps, and why lowering the weight can actually lead to more muscle growth over time.

If your goal is building bigger glutes, improving exercise execution, maximizing hypertrophy, or making smarter progressive overload decisions, this episode will help you know exactly when it's time to reduce the load and focus on quality over quantity.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 05:18] – When Lowering The Weight Is The Smarter Decision
- [05:18 – 08:15] – Sign #1: You're Losing Position Early In The Set
- [08:15 – 16:49] – Sign #2: The Severity Of Your Technique Breakdown Matters
- [16:49 – 20:11] – Sign #3: You Can't Correct Your Technique (And The Important Exceptions)
- [20:11 – 24:10] – Sign #4: The Weight Is Controlling You
- [24:10 – 25:18] – Why You're Growing Hamstrings & Adductors Instead Of Glutes
- [25:18 – 28:23] – Sign #5: Your Exercise Has Become A Different Exercise
- [28:23 – 33:11] – Sign #6: You're Failing Too Early In The Rep Range
- [33:11 – 36:55] – Sign #7: Recovery Is Limiting Your Performance
- [36:55 – 42:35] – Sign #8: When The Weight Increases Your Injury Risk

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people stop progressing in the gym—but in many cases, the lower back isn't actually the problem.

In this episode, I break down why lower back pain occurs during squats, RDLs, hip hinges, and glute-focused training, and explain how pelvic stability, core engagement, and movement quality influence performance and injury risk. I also discuss why simply treating symptoms isn't enough, how "small waist" culture can unintentionally contribute to lower back issues, and why proper warm-ups should assess movement—not just increase body temperature.

Whether you're dealing with chronic lower back pain, struggling to grow your glutes, or trying to improve your lifting technique, this episode will help you better understand the root cause and train with more confidence.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 06:47] – Why Lower Back Pain Happens During Squats, RDLs & Glute Training
- [06:47 – 11:12] – Lower Back Stability, Muscle Soreness & When Pain Is Normal
- [11:12 – 13:37] – Five Questions To Identify The Root Cause Of Lower Back Pain
- [13:37 – 17:00] – Why Your Lower Back Takes Over During Lower Body Exercises
- [17:00 – 19:10] – Small Waist Culture, Bracing Myths & Injury Risk
- [19:10 – 21:00] – Why Isometric Core Stability Won't Make Your Waist Bigger
- [21:00 – 27:44] – How Proper Core Bracing Leads To Better Glute Growth
- [27:44 – 33:33] – Pelvic Stability, The 90/90 Curl-Up & Preventing Lower Back Pain
- [33:33 – 38:21] – Using Warm-Ups To Assess Stability Before Heavy Training
- [38:21 – 43:06] – Why Fixing The Root Cause Beats Managing Lower Back Pain

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

⁠Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

GLP-1 medications have completely changed the conversation around fat loss—but are they actually the right tool for you?

In this episode, I sit down with family and sports medicine physician Dr. Christle Guevarra to explore the science, misconceptions, and real-world application of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and tirzepatide.

We discuss how these medications influence hunger, food noise, reward pathways, and long-term behavior change, while also addressing common concerns surrounding muscle loss, dosing, training performance, libido, gray market peptides, and what happens after coming off the medication.

Whether you're considering GLP-1s yourself, coaching clients who use them, or simply want an evidence-based understanding of these medications, this conversation provides the nuance that's often missing online.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 05:04] – Dr. Christle Guevarra's Background & Why GLP-1 Medications Changed Weight Loss
- [05:04 – 10:09] – How GLP-1s Reduce Food Noise & Reward-Driven Eating
- [10:09 – 19:12] – Scarcity Mindset, Food Behaviors & Who Benefits Most
- [19:12 – 23:17] – Finding The Right GLP-1 Dose Without Sacrificing Nutrition
- [23:17 – 26:27] – Why Aggressive Fat Loss & Oversized Deficits Backfire
- [26:27 – 31:08] – Muscle Building, Staying Lean & Using GLP-1s Beyond Fat Loss
- [31:08 – 32:40] – Building Sustainable Habits Before Coming Off Medication
- [32:40 – 37:20] – What Happens After GLP-1s? Maintaining Results Long-Term
- [37:20 – 41:59] – Setting Realistic Expectations & Understanding Your Fat Loss Goals
- [41:59 – 51:21] – When GLP-1s May Cause More Harm Than Good
- [51:21 – 54:49] – Women's Libido, Dieting & GLP-1 Side Effects
- [54:49 – 1:00:50] – Gray Market GLP-1s, Retatrutide & Emerging Research
- [1:00:50 – 1:04:59] – GLP-1s, Substance Use Disorders & Final Takeaways

Links & Resources:

Follow Dr. Christle Guevarra: https://www.instagram.com/dr.christle/?hl=en

Access The FREE GLP-1 Guide: https://drchristle.com/

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

⁠Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink