Self-Selecting

Are you stuck at the same weight despite being in a calorie deficit? Or are you training hard, eating more, and still struggling to build muscle?

In this episode, I break down why your body probably isn't stubborn—and what might actually be preventing you from seeing progress.

I walk through how I troubleshoot fat loss plateaus with my coaching clients, why calorie tracking and dietary adherence matter, and how I determine whether someone needs to adjust their calorie deficit.

On the muscle-building side, I explain why eating enough to support growth is essential, how to assess whether you're making progress in a calorie surplus, and why tracking your training performance is just as important as monitoring your weight.

We also get into progressive overload, training close to failure, exercise technique, and stability. I share why increasing weights every week isn't always productive and how to recognize when poor positioning or limited stability—not a lack of strength—is holding back your lifts.

Ultimately, if you're struggling to lose fat, grow your glutes, or get stronger, the answer probably isn't that your body refuses to change. It's about identifying the specific factors limiting your progress and making better-informed adjustments.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 03:24] – Is Your Body Stubborn? Fat Loss & Muscle Growth
- [03:24 – 04:28] – Why You're Stuck at a Weight Loss Plateau
- [04:28 – 05:31] – Adjusting Calories After Checking Diet Adherence
- [05:31 – 08:32] – Tracking Consistency & Breaking Fat Loss Plateaus
- [08:32 – 11:12] – Why You're Not Building Muscle: Calories & Surplus
- [11:12 – 12:36] – Tracking Strength & Progressive Overload
- [12:36 – 14:20] – How Long Does Muscle Growth Really Take?
- [14:20 – 16:03] – Why Increasing Weights Too Fast Backfires
- [16:03 – 18:11] – Training Close to Failure & Rep Progression
- [18:11 – 20:35] – Exercise Technique, Stability & Strength Plateaus
- [20:35 – 21:45] – Fixing Progress Plateaus & Coaching Support

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 Chat⁠
https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠
https://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

How quickly should you be losing fat or gaining weight when your goal is to build muscle?

In this episode, I break down how I determine realistic rates of weight loss and muscle gain for my coaching clients, including how to set calorie deficits and surpluses that support progress without sacrificing muscle or accumulating unnecessary body fat.

I explain why I typically start with a 500-calorie deficit for fat loss, when a smaller deficit or maintenance calories might be more appropriate, and why aggressive dieting can compromise training performance, recovery, and muscle retention.

We also discuss mini cuts, weight loss plateaus, and how to evaluate progress when scale fluctuations make it difficult to know whether your diet is working.

On the muscle-building side, I share why I generally prefer smaller calorie surpluses, how to determine when it's time to increase calories, and why accurate food tracking matters just as much during a growth phase as it does during fat loss.

Ultimately, successful fat loss and muscle growth require more than hitting a calorie target. You need realistic expectations, measurable progress, and a strategy you can adjust based on your results.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 04:58] – Setting Realistic Weight Loss & Muscle Gain Goals
- [04:58 – 10:00] – Fat Loss Rate: Choosing the Right Calorie Deficit
- [10:00 – 13:29] – When to Start at Maintenance Calories
- [13:29 – 16:25] – Creating a Calorie Deficit: Diet vs. Cardio
- [16:25 – 21:39] – Aggressive Fat Loss & Preventing Muscle Loss
- [21:39 – 22:38] – When Faster Weight Loss Makes Sense
- [22:38 – 24:04] – Mini Cuts vs. Longer Fat Loss Phases
- [24:04 – 25:32] – Weight Loss Plateaus & Tracking Accuracy
- [25:32 – 30:31] – Muscle-Building Phases & Calorie Surpluses
- [30:31 – 35:55] – When to Increase Calories for Muscle Growth
- [35:55 – 39:25] – Adjusting Your Rate of Weight Loss or Gain
- [39:25 – 43:03] – Fat Loss Coaching, Glute Growth & Final Thoughts

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 Chat⁠
https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠
https://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

What does it actually take to build an Olympia-level bikini physique naturally?

In this episode, I'm joined by natural IFBB Bikini Pro and Olympia competitor Meg D’Ginto to discuss her bodybuilding journey, how she's built muscle without performance-enhancing drugs, and what it takes to remain competitive as bikini bodybuilding standards continue to evolve.

We cover natural versus enhanced bodybuilding, longer offseasons, progressive overload, training intensity, and why recovery is just as important as how hard you train. Meg shares how reducing her training frequency helped her build more muscle, why she continues to compete naturally, and how her approach to training and physique development has evolved.We also discuss glute and quad development, biomechanics, posing, competition pressure, and why patience and consistency matter more than chasing faster results.

Ultimately, building your best bikini physique isn't about training more or taking shortcuts. It's about maximizing your training, recovery, and execution while giving yourself enough time to grow.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 04:43] – Meg D’Ginto's Olympia Journey & Bikini Standards
- [04:43 – 08:44] – Building Muscle Through Longer Offseasons
- [08:44 – 16:59] – Natural vs. Enhanced Bikini Bodybuilding
- [16:59 – 23:50] – IFBB Pro Growth, Posing & Competition Feedback
- [23:50 – 33:04] – Stage Confidence & Bodybuilding Mindset
- [33:04 – 40:01] – Building an Olympia Physique Naturally
- [40:01 – 46:47] – Training Intensity & Progressive Overload
- [46:47 – 52:13] – Glute Training, Biomechanics & Muscle Growth
- [52:13 – 57:38] – Training Less, Recovery & Rest Days
- [57:38 – 64:29] – Bikini Training Split & Physique Development

Links & Resources:

Follow Meg On Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/meg.dginto/?hl=enWork With Meg: https://www.bairaesthetics.com/pages/2024-apply-now

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 Chat⁠
https://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

What’s the difference between being disciplined with your diet and becoming overly restrictive?

In this episode, I break down the difference between being strict versus restrictive with fat loss, nutrition, and training. Being strict can mean having structure, boundaries, and clear goals while still being able to adapt when life doesn’t go according to plan. Restriction often comes from fear, guilt, anxiety, and feeling like one deviation means you’ve failed.

I cover scale anxiety, overeating, tracking calories, social events, flexible dieting, and diet adherence, and explain why your reaction when the plan breaks can reveal more than the behaviors themselves. I also discuss why saying no to food isn’t automatically unhealthy, why flexibility still requires boundaries, and how unrealistic expectations around weekly weight loss can make dieting harder.

Ultimately, you don’t need to punish yourself to lose fat or build your dream physique. You need a plan you can execute honestly, the flexibility to adapt, and the ability to keep moving forward when things aren’t perfect.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 03:55] – Strict vs. Restrictive Dieting: What’s the Difference?
- [03:55 – 09:10] – Structure, Boundaries & Diet Adherence
- [09:10 – 11:18] – What Makes a Diet Healthy or Unhealthy?
- [11:18 – 14:12] – Scale Anxiety, Control & Dieting Neurotically
- [14:12 – 18:30] – Restrictive Behaviors Around Food & Tracking
- [18:30 – 21:33] – Social Events, Food & Trusting Your Decisions
- [21:33 – 22:47] – Why You Can’t Say Yes to Everything
- [22:47 – 24:16] – Guilt After Going Off Your Diet
- [24:16 – 30:38] – Flexible Dieting & Realistic Weight Loss Expectations
- [30:38 – 37:31] – Why Punishing Yourself Won’t Improve Fat Loss
- [37:31 – 40:46] – How to Stop Being So Restrictive

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 Chat⁠
https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠
https://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

Is your dream physique actually attainable—and are you willing to do what it takes to achieve and maintain it?

In this episode, I break down the framework I use to determine whether a fat loss or muscle-building goal is realistic. I explain why you need to look honestly at the gap between your current physique and your goal, how social media can distort what you think is achievable, and why you can’t know the day-to-day sacrifices behind someone else’s physique.

I also cover why PEDs and enhancements can’t replace nutrition, training, and commitment, why being afraid to gain weight can sabotage muscle growth, and the physical and psychological consequences that can come with getting extremely lean. Ultimately, achieving your dream physique isn’t just about whether it’s theoretically possible—it’s whether your lifestyle, timeline, and level of commitment can support it.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 04:45] – Is Your Dream Physique Actually Attainable
- [04:45 – 08:00] – Your Current Physique vs. Your Goal Physique
- [08:00 – 15:36] – Are You Really Doing Everything You Can?
- [15:36 – 18:51] – The Reality Behind Physiques You See Online
- [18:51 – 22:21] – Afraid to Eat? Why You’re Not Building Muscle
- [22:21 – 25:45] – Why PEDs Won’t Replace Training & Nutrition
- [25:45 – 27:25] – The Consequences of Getting Extremely Lean
- [27:25 – 30:38] – What Your Dream Physique Actually Requires
- [30:38 – 31:44] – Patience, Progress & Building Your Physique

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 Chat⁠
https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠
https://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