Self-Selecting

In this episode, I break down one of the most misunderstood phases in physique development: maintenance.

I walk through when maintenance actually makes sense — whether you’re coming out of a fat loss phase trying to drop dietary fatigue, or stepping down from a build because life stress is too high to support a surplus. We also talk about the biggest mistakes I see: treating every day as 1:1 energy balance, over-adjusting food based on activity, fearing scale weight increases, confusing reverse dieting with maintenance, and assuming you can’t train hard without a surplus.

If you’re trying to improve recovery, regulate body composition, or strategically place a maintenance phase into your annual plan, this episode gives you the framework to do it correctly.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 01:13] – Why maintenance is not a “vacation phase”
- [01:14 – 04:17] – When to use maintenance (post-fat loss vs. post-build scenarios)
- [04:18 – 07:09] – What maintenance actually is (energy balance explained)
- [07:10 – 10:08] – Auto-regulating calories based on activity (without overcorrecting)
- [10:09 – 14:10] – Common mistake: fearing strength loss when leaving a surplus
- [14:11 – 15:40] – Daily scale weight & normalizing fluctuations
- [15:41 – 18:57] – How to approach training & recovery at maintenance
- [18:58 – 23:24] – Taking inventory of habits: sleep, stress, food adherence
- [23:25 – 26:12] – Fear of weight gain & using cardio to “cancel out” food
- [26:13 – 27:34] – Reducing cardio strategically during maintenance
- [27:35 – 29:22] – Reverse dieting vs. maintenance (they are not the same)
- [29:23 – 33:27] – Can you build muscle at maintenance? Final considerations

Links & Resources:

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

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Kyle Gillett to tackle the growing obsession around peptides, GLP-1 agonists, and coaching ethics in the fitness industry. We broke down how private sector incentives may be skewing decisions, what to consider before trying peptides, and why stacking compounds without proper oversight can be dangerous — especially in physique sports.

We also got into the nuanced risks of GLP-1s (like semaglutide), their link to depression, misuse based on BMI, and how the system often pushes women into protocols that may not serve their long-term health. If you're navigating fat loss, coaching, or peptide protocols — this is a must-listen.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 00:56] – Intro to Dr. Kyle Gillett + What today’s episode covers
- [00:56 – 04:29] – The peptide craze: risks, trends, and context
- [04:30 – 10:49] – “Should I use peptides?” What you need to ask first
- [10:50 – 16:19] – Are you stacking blindly? Athletes and false beliefs about peptides
- [16:20 – 20:32] – Finding legitimate medical guidance vs. internet hype
- [20:33 – 28:23] – Corruption in the private sector: incentive-driven prescriptions
- [28:24 – 31:07] – Is your coach or provider truly looking out for you?
- [31:08 – 36:02] – GLP-1s, women’s health, and trend exploitation in bodybuilding
- [36:03 – 39:53] – “Longevity” peptides — are they worth the investment?
- [39:54 – 43:53] – When *not* to use GLP-1s (mental health and other contraindications)
- [43:54 – 46:54] – GLP-1s and depression: overlooked concerns
- [46:55 – 50:24] – People using GLP-1s without meeting criteria: red flags and risks
- [50:25 – 59:32] – The truth about nicotine + closing insights

Links & Resources:

Follow Dr. Kyle Gillett on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylegillettmd/?hl=en

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

In this episode, I dive deep into a topic that’s extremely personal for me — body dysmorphia. From the outside, it might look like discipline, ambition, or just wanting to “improve.” But for so many of us, the obsession with how we look becomes the filter through which we judge everything — our self-worth, our success, even our relationships.

I talk through how this disorder shows up subtly and loudly — from mirror checking and scale obsession to tying your identity to your body. I break down how perfectionism, social media, and childhood messaging play into the way we talk to ourselves today. I also offer tangible tools I’ve used (and continue to use) to stop the spiral and shift the conversation. This episode is raw, real, and a must-listen if you’ve ever felt like your value lives in how you look.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 03:00] – Intro & personal struggle with body dysmorphia
- [03:01 – 06:29] – Defining body dysmorphia & how it differs from insecurity
- [06:30 – 10:20] – What it feels like to live with body dysmorphia
- [10:21 – 13:32] – Obsession, punishment, and when discipline becomes destructive
- [13:33 – 17:49] – Romanticizing the grind & the mental health toll
- [17:50 – 22:35] – When self-esteem only exists in restriction
- [22:36 – 27:44] – Social media, comparison loops & trauma reinforcement
- [27:45 – 31:00] – Who’s feeding the belief? Taking accountability for inner talk
- [31:01 – 32:49] – The “physique = worth” trap & normalizing vanity with balance
- [32:50 – 36:28] – Using competing as a socially acceptable excuse to obsess
- [36:29 – 38:33] – Recognizing the spiral & how to start reining it in
- [38:34 – 44:00] – Why removing the scale isn’t always the answer + setting boundaries
- [44:01 – 47:30] – Best angles, Photoshop, and the influencer illusion

Links & Resources:

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

In this episode, I break down the most common programming and training mistakes I see in lower body sessions—especially when it comes to chasing symmetry and strength. Whether you're a competitor or just serious about your physique, this episode dives into warm-up protocols, pelvic stability, the myth of bilateral-only training, and how to properly structure your sets for progressive overload.

I talk through real-world training applications like split squats, RDLs, and unilateral leg work, and I also explain how to assess failure, rest periods, and the importance of filming your lifts to improve your form. If you’ve ever questioned whether your training is actually driving adaptation or just checking boxes, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 00:56] – Why effective lower body training starts with structure
- [00:56 – 05:57] – What you’re probably missing in your warm-up sets
- [05:58 – 07:59] – Pelvic stability & its impact on performance
- [08:00 – 14:23] – The role of unilateral work for hip and core control
- [14:24 – 16:29] – Training symmetry: Bilateral movements alone won’t cut it
- [16:30 – 22:42] – Common asymmetries + going back to pelvic balance
- [22:43 – 28:14] – Warm-up volume vs. working sets
- [28:15 – 31:59] – How many warm-up sets before your first working set?
- [32:00 – 34:32] – Progressive overload ≠ just more weight or reps
- [34:33 – 35:34] – Judging failure: How close is close enough?
- [35:35 – 40:27] – Rest periods, unilateral fatigue, and why you should film sets
- [40:28 – 47:13] – Split squat mechanics, B-stance RDL placement, and finishing with isolations

Links & Resources:

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

In this episode, I sat down with Torey Braly to talk through her evolution as a competitor — from first show nerves to becoming a pro athlete navigating the big leagues. We broke down her shifting mindset, PED decision-making, building phase strategies, and what it's really like to show up to a competition… while on your period.

Torey also shares the growing pains of off-season weight gain, how she's learning to balance expectations with reality, and why obsessive tendencies can sabotage progress. Whether you're an athlete in the trenches or a coach trying to understand client psychology, this one hits home.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 03:34] – Torey’s first show mindset + early PED awareness
- [03:35 – 06:29] – First prep + what she didn’t know going in
- [06:30 – 09:10] – Turning pro and PED use in the pro league
- [09:11 – 13:27] – Competing while on your cycle + stage-day challenges
- [13:28 – 16:39] – Honest feedback + knowing where you stack up
- [16:40 – 20:44] – Needed improvements and physique assessment
- [20:45 – 25:25] – Muscle-building strategy + leveraging structure
- [25:26 – 32:02] – Off-season weight gain, body image, and mindset
- [32:03 – 36:16] – PED pressure, regret, and informed choice
- [36:17 – 44:42] – Navigating the new points system + Retatrutide
- [44:43 – 50:16] – Posing evolution + obsession with the small stuff
- [50:17 – 58:10] – Radical ownership, emotional addiction & athlete maturity

Links & Resources:

Follow Torey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torey_ifbbpro/?hl=en

Pose With Torey: https://calendly.com/fitfornorzn/30min-client-posing?month=2026-01

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