This “Healthy Food” Was Hurting Him | #011

👉 Start testing your biology today: https://www.xfactor-labs.com/

In this episode of The Power of X, the team breaks down the dangerous reality of “doing everything right” and still getting poor results. From bodybuilding to marathon training, they expose how outdated industry standards, popular diets, and one-size-fits-all coaching can actually hold you back.

Through a real case study, they reveal how a bodybuilder following a “perfect” plan was unknowingly sabotaging his progress due to hidden food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, and genetic factors. 

The conversation dives into why common advice like “eat clean,” “follow the plan,” or “trust the system” often fails without understanding your unique biology. They explore the difference between guessing and testing, the impact of inflammation at the cellular level, and how personalized data like DNA and cellular nutrition testing, can completely change your approach to training, nutrition, and supplementation.

If you’ve ever felt stuck despite doing everything you’ve been told, this episode will challenge your assumptions and show you a smarter, more effective path forward.

Stop guessing. Start testing. Find your X Factor.

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@xfactorlabs

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Welcome back to the Power of X, where we stop guessing, start testing, and uncover the X factor that unlocks your true potential. Today we are talking about uh industry standards, wives' tales, debunking the this is the the way we've always done it mentality, and um how that can be impactful or or hurtful even to some athletes or even um you know people on a weight loss journey of just doing what um what is popular. And uh in today's case study, we're talking about a bodybuilder who happened to be doing everything right, doing uh to the T what he was told and taught. Um, but after further investigation using you know the Alcat food sensitivity test of ours and uh cellular nutrition, found out that um there were some things that he were doing that was actually uh hurting his training for his his prep for his show. So Joe would love to hear more about that and uh dive into that study.

SPEAKER_03 1:21

Yeah, so diving in, I will say myself personally, I am beyond guilty of industry standard preaching. You know, well, this you know, uh, so I am a I'm a uh recovering coach, I would say, um of just, well, this is just the way things have always been. You know, we you know, we make claims out there that this particular supplement does this, this particular type of training will lead to this, this particular type of food does X. You know, so after we say this over and over and over and over again, it just becomes almost like a you know, like a like a dogmatic type of thing that just, well, this is just widespread. Everybody knows this, this is just the way it is. And like anything in life, uh health and nutrition is definitely, I mean, it's it's evolving all the time. And you know, and especially with you know technologies like we have today, you know, for instance, for the most part, again, you might not even be a bodybuilder. More than likely, you're probably not. And this episode still still matters a ton because maybe you've had coaching, maybe you have coaching now, or maybe you know you're gonna look into coaching. And it's it's it's yes, we should be questioning certain things, but it's we need to be questioning methods. You know, it's yeah, we all need to be coachable, right? One of the hardest things I have is, you know, is when I do train somebody and they're just not coachable, right? They just won't adhere to it. But but if we ask the right questions, like, okay, why do we believe that this does this? You know, so we have to have a have a method where that method is scientific standards, scientific testing, genetic testing, biology testing, right? If we can look, you know, it's a lot easier to not be skeptical on something when you can stare their DNA and their biology right back to them. You know, it takes a lot of the skepticism out of it. But, you know, for instance, you know, what I'm kind of talking about, long story, but I mean, there, you know, there are certain industry standards out there that it's like, okay, well, you know, you need to do, you know, three days of hit and right, four days of steady state. Like, that's just what all my clients do. Or you read about a specific person who had success with that. So we automatically assume, well, that that is the route to get there. But again, we're not the same person. Our genetics are different. You know, certain things like these are just things that are said. You know, in in bodybuilding, when we are wanting to quote unquote dry out or get rid of water, you know, it's it's it's we have to expel water. So we have to dry out. Well, there's things out there like um uh dandelion root, right? So there towards the end of a show, somebody might take dandelion root uh to help kind of expel water. Uh they'll you know, they'll change vegetables from you know green beans to whatever to asparagus, right? It's kind of a known thing in the industry that people will move to asparagus to use the natural diuretic abilities of asparagus to magically get rid of water. Um there's certain times where they're supposed to stop eating salmon because the calorie content of the fat, which is fine, and go to tilapia or cod because white fish will thin the skin and help you lean out, right? There's certain cutting protocols that are out there, you know, and that's where, you know, even just joking, it's like, hey, what's for lunch, you know, again today? Well, uh chicken, rice, and broccoli, you know, and it's just, I mean, these are just things that are just constantly done over and over and over and over again. And right, clearly, when we're lifting, you know, we're creating inflammation. So, you know, everybody should add turmeric and uh milk thistle and all these different, you know, what we would call a botanical to the protocol to help with inflammation and to you know to help with all this protocol. This individual, um, their DNA showed that their MTHFR gene had a variant. So, therefore, just automatically their ability to convert folate into usable five-methyl tetra hydrofolate is what they call it, the ability to utilize that is going to be hindered. Also, B12 and um uh a couple other B vitamins in there. Well, the coach said you're eating a lot of meat, you probably don't need your multivitamin because you're eating a lot of meat. Well, he does a cellular nutrition test, every single B vitamin was low, even though he's eating a lot of meat. I mean, I mean, protein intake is very, very high, but it was still he was low in every single B vitamin. Right? So plus we can dive into a heck of a lot more going into this, but it's just like a lot of what he was being told was actually backfired.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

Yeah. Yeah. And um, you know, I can even relate with with my own training for for marathons, is uh when I did my DNA test, um it came back that you know my ability to um increase my VO2 max is below average. So I have a um you know a I experience less gain in my VO2 max from high intensity workouts. And um so what does that mean in my training? Is well in 2024 when I was training for my first marathon, I was training with two to three high intensity runs per week. And I mean just based off my DNA, that's not helpful. I need I need a lot more zone two, lower heart rate activity, so slow runs is actually going to improve my ability, my VO2 max ability. So, like the VO2max definition from um the Harvard Health publishing is uh the VO2 max is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can consume per minute per kilogram of body weight during intense exercises, so it measures the aerobic fitness by assessing how effectively your heart and lungs and muscles deliver and consume oxygen to generate energy. So VO2 max is really important in a long distance uh race, and having the highest I can is very important. And so this year, uh training for the IMT Des Moines Marathon, October 18th, uh I'm doing a lot more slow runs, a lot more zone two runs to improve my VO2 max the best I can and hopefully break my my current uh race time.

SPEAKER_03 8:25

So, yeah, so okay, so there's a book out there, and you would benefit a ton from reading it. It's called the 80-20 method of running. You know, that would be for you, but that's a book that was put out by a an author I have spoken with personally, has written a ton of books. I have the utmost respect for this gentleman, but that is his protocol to running is 80-20. 80, 80% of your runs need to be really long and really, really slow. But if someone's VO2 is different than yours, well, there's a different protocol, right? So it's just, you know, these are these things out there, right? There's an author, there's a book, but one of these things that, again, it's never factored in is the individual's biology. You know, yes, you could have read that, never looked at your VO2, and you could have read that book and said, well, this is the way to do it.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

Oh, I'm guilty of that. I've I've done that my whole life. And it reminds me that our conversation reminds me of uh talking to a very prominent local triathlon coach. He's done 10 Ironmans, I think he said, and he trains people for marathons, he trains people, you know, to do Iron Man. And he has a protocol, and his comment to me was, well, if you want to run a marathon, you got to do the miles. And it's like, well, yeah, but you're not factoring in. I don't disagree to some con, you know, to some extent that you have to put in the miles, but at the same extent is how you put in those miles makes a big difference on the results you get. And so that's the I think, you know, I'm listening to you talk earlier, Joe, and I'm thinking, you remember that story years ago about, well, why did grandma always cut off the turkey here? And and for generations, you know, they did that. And someone finally asked, why do you do that? Like, what does it do to the turkey? And she said, nothing. It's the size of the pan that I had.

SPEAKER_03 10:31

Right, right. Had nothing to do with any form of outcome. It's just that's just what was required at that time.

SPEAKER_02 10:38

Yeah. So I think we get caught up in these, that's the way we've always done it, and that's the way I need to do it. And, you know, that's the standard, right? And I think you you're talking about that in bodybuilding, and and I'm just sitting here listening, thinking, you know, speed skating, how we had some of those same kind of ideas, and and it's just funny. I mean, it's it's almost to the extent of uh what's it called when you gotta wear a certain thing, or you know, um when I was competing at the national level, it's a funny story, true story. I had to have one skate, had to have a red lace, and the other skate had to have a white one. How dumb is that? But I'll tell you what, about the time I showed up and didn't have that, damn it, I gotta fix that, you know. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 11:33

Well, yeah, that you know, and that's where, like, in you know, in today's world, that's why supplements, um, you know, well, this guy takes this particular supplement. So, you know, so if somebody can throw their name on it, well, therefore it has to be the best. So everybody's so whatever is going on in any industry, guys. I mean, I I mean, don't don't think of this as a bodybuilding episode. It's not, you know, I mean, it's just we're just gonna use this as an example, right? Uh yeah, so don't, don't, don't think this is a bodybuilding episode. Um, but it's, you know, if somebody can get their name on whoever the top bodybuilder is, therefore they won, therefore, this particular way is you know somehow superior to any other method. And it's and it's just, yes, it it potentially could be for that individual, you know, and that's where you know, when we take out the individual, then then then we're losing. You know, at this point, and that and that's why. I mean, I have said this over and over again. You know, how should I eat? I don't know. You know, how should I supplement? I don't know. How should I train? I don't know. How should I mean if what I'm saying is if somebody tells you I have the method for you, but they know nothing about your biology, if they are guessing. You know, can they get some things right? Yes. But the answer is they're guessing. I mean, it just it's just they don't have the best answer for you. You know, it's no different than, well, yeah, you just have to put the miles in. Well, yeah. Well, how do you get big? Well, you have to lift the weight. I mean, you have to do it. But, and that is very true. Yes, to run a marathon, you have to run the miles. You have to do it. To get big, to add muscle, you have to lift the weight. You do have to do it. I will agree with that forever. But the method of how you do it will be different. You know, no DNA test will ever come out and say whether or not somebody should or shouldn't do bicep curls. It's not like, you know, well, your DNA says you shouldn't use dumbbells. No, it is not going to say that. It's how should you use them, when you should use them, right? How often. You know, it just it is gonna, you know, it's like, you know, again, you know, I there's that reel that you recorded me saying about, you know, getting to LA. I mean, if I got in my car, I live in Indianola, you guys, you know, are in Des Moines. I mean, if we just at least headed west, I I'm sure I could find my way to LA. You know, but let's say I want to hit a specific restaurant or something, you know, and and I've got GPS in one hand, and you know, in the other hand, I just, you know what, I just want an you know, I just want an adventure, you know. Yes, I got a compass and I and a and a and a you know, adventurous spirit. Yeah, yeah. I both of those can get me to LA. One is gonna be a lot more effective, and one is gonna probably cost me a hell of a lot more money and some frustrations and you know some you know some big mistakes and all that type of stuff. Yeah, I mean, somebody can get to where they're going. Well, I've been doing this and it's been getting me results. Or, you know, well, I, you know, I I took turmeric and I still did a bodybuilding show. Well, you know, it didn't, it didn't kill me. I know, but what if it was inflammatory and what if it could have taken off a little bit more water off of you? What if it could have, you know, helped your joints a little bit, you know, versus just again going into this and just guessing because let's dive back into you know into this individual. Um, when we do an ALCAT test, uh, that's the food sensitivity, it breaks it down into severe inflammation, moderate inflammation, mild inflammation, and none. Broccoli was severely inflammatory for this individual. Most people, I didn't have a single thing show up in my severe. This this gentleman had two things show up. One was broccoli. He ate it, he ate it three times a day.

SPEAKER_02 15:47

Joe, walk us through um the the, if you can, paint the visual picture of the neutrophil because I was talking to a doctor this week and I was you know visiting with him about inflammate inflammatory things, and and I was talking about food sensitivities and how uh the cell and and and releasing you know the free radicals. Paint us that picture, walk us through that.

SPEAKER_03 16:11

Yeah, so a neutrophil, again, you know, we're gonna go back to biology and you know, junior high. A neutrophil is like the first line of defense. So anything, anytime something comes into the body, then the neutrophils are like, you're right, they're like the infantry, like, you know, go out there and you know, go see what this is doing or not, right? If it's if it's if it needs to be killed, kill it. And if you know, if it doesn't, if it's safe, it's safe, let it pass. So a neutrophil is first line defense. And if neutrophils don't like it, it is going to create a cellular disruption, right? So again, uh, one of the other episodes, we kind of walk through this, and you know, picture your cell like a like a perfect circle. The more and more inflammation, the more and more items that come into our body that the neutrophils have some form of reaction to, think of that cell now starting to look like an oval with like one end a little bit bigger, you know, almost like you're grabbing a balloon.

SPEAKER_02 17:18

Cellular indigestion.

SPEAKER_03 17:20

Cellular indigestion. There we go. You know, it's like, you know, if we're grabbing a balloon and squeezing it, one end is gonna look all odd shaped, and next thing you know, right, that you know, that balloon is now very, very odd shaped. One, you know, one side's, you know, take a red balloon, you know, one side's dark red, the other one starts turning white. Like that's what's happening within your cell. Too much pressure on that, what happens to the balloon? Pops, kid starts crying, you feel bad, you know, uh, disruption in the family, and next thing you know, you know, your kid needs some kind of psychiatric help 20 years later because dad popped their balloon, right? So that's what happens in the balloon world, but in the cellular world, what is that cell responsible for doing? It is it is responsible for taking free radicals, encapsulating it, taking it to the dump where it can be disposed of. That is the that is the that is the detoxification pathway that we always talk about. So if that detoxification pathway is working well, again, you're gonna have less inflammation, less free radicals, less cellular nutrition drain because of free radical, right? We always hear these free radical scavengers, right? They are they are scavenging your body for free radicals to encapsulate them to get them into the detoxification pathway. The more and more free radicals we have, the faster and faster the decline of overall health is basically going to happen. So um, so when these cells start bursting, it is releasing free radicals into the body before they are being detoxed. So it's constantly like recycling, you know, it's you know, it's that it's that uh shut the water off before you fix a plumbing leak, right? It's just you know, it's it's just all these same type of things. You know, there's a hole in the boat, but we just keep bailing water out. We have to cut it off at the source, and the source is inflammatory ingredients or foods or products that come into the body. That is the source. If we don't bring it in, it's not going to create the inflammatory response. So that's that's what's happening from a neutrophil standpoint. So now again, we're not talking about allergies, we're talking about sensitivities, right? Nobody would say, you know, hey, go eat broccoli. Yeah, but when I do, my eye swells up. Okay, okay, then let's uh uh let's go to green beans. You know, maybe that's what they would do, right? Well, go to something else that's green, you know. That because why do I say they? Because that's what I did. Well, I don't like asparagus. Okay, then great, then do broccoli or Brussels sprouts, right? So I would just throw some other random green food in there because of all the scientific knowledge, it's green is green, right? So I mean, literally, that's why people say that, not because of any other intellectual purpose, it's because it's green. Um, you know, so if you know your colors, you can be a coach, apparently. So now this individual, we have a severe reaction to broccoli. Guess who did not have a severe reaction to broccoli? Me. I had no reaction to broccoli, so therefore broccoli was fine for me. Eat your broccoli, eat your broccoli, except him, you know. That's I'm gonna do that. So if we're doing right, so you know, so if we're doing this every single three times a day, this guy was downing broccoli. Now he looks great, he's going to do great in his show, but why not identify it, eliminate that, add the foods that we should be adding in? I mean, this is just a simple thing of broccoli, let alone all the other things that were on the list. For instance, um he did have uh there was there was uh there was no response from turmeric, right? Because that was the first thing I always look for is turmeric, but it showed not even beneficial. So it showed no benefit, but it also showed no hindrance either. So it was it was green for Go, but it also just wasn't beneficial. And I I'm sure it's like not gonna cook with turmeric, it's terrible tasting, you know. But like if somebody liked it, okay, yeah, they could cook with it, but it's not going to be an you know an anti inflammatory antioxidant for this individual. But dandelion root was inflammatory, right? Which again, if we're using something as a way to expel water, inflammation holds on to water also. So all These things that we're right trying to do, or um asparagus was on his moderate inflammatory, so he's not going to eat asparagus, even though it's green. You know, he is not gonna eat it. You know, we we literally put together an entire vegetable because yeah, we need vegetables, right? There's you know micronutrients that are within them. So we put together an entire grocery list of vegetables. Uh there's um uh different different squashes. Um cabbage was totally fine, cauliflower was totally fine. Those are the main ones we're gonna do, but um green beans, peas, broccoli, asparagus, uh those were all mildly to moderately and on one of them severely inflammatory, so were carrots.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

Can you talk about can you talk about the ascension or the uh the after effects of your food sensitivity test, you know, following your green list for the first three months? But then what does it look like after that three months? Can you work in some of the mild foods that maybe maybe you miss some of them? You know, I really used to like apples, but they're on my mild list, and so I stayed away a while.

SPEAKER_03 23:12

But like and apples, apples were on his moderate list, you know. So it's like get your fruit. Um, another thing, avocados were were on his inflammatory side, and almost every coach is like, well, we got to get our healthy fats, so eat avocados for you know, with your eggs for breakfast, right? Right. Um, egg yolks were in his inflammatory, egg whites were fine, egg yolks were inflammatory. So, you know, so it's just like now we know all these little things in there, but it doesn't mean he can't have them. Because if it's mild, it just means again, it's it's it's exactly what it says. There's there's a little reaction. Mild means if you constantly eat it over and over and over and over again, mild is going to build up and be more of a chronic type of inflammatory response. But if it's a mild thing and you're seldomly doing it once a week or something like that, again, every um every every research that the lab has done said, you know, if you eat something on your mild list once a week, you're going to be fine. Especially if we get rid of all the other things, right? It's just when we're chronically inflamed, you we're constantly putting out fires, then even the mild stuff can get bad if we keep having all the moderate stuff also. So, you know, if we eliminate the big ones and then occasionally have some of the smaller ones, there's really not going to be much of a response to it.

SPEAKER_00 24:40

Right. So you follow the your green list for you know three months, three, six months, whatever um, you know, your coach suggests, and then you start working in some of those mild to moderate items, you know, once a week or whatever it is. What is that the correct balance once a week? That kind of thing.

SPEAKER_03 24:59

Pretty much, yeah. Pretty much.

SPEAKER_00 25:00

And also, do you then are you then able to retest? And when is that time to retest to see where your levels are at?

SPEAKER_03 25:08

So I I have heard anywhere up from 12 months, you know, to to like three, three years, you know, sensitivities also change. Right. Um, you know, again, I mean, let's say somebody had um Elon Musk's money, yeah. I'd probably test it every 12 months, you know. Um, yeah, that'd probably be a good idea. Um, really, these things can take a few years sometimes to change as well, too.

SPEAKER_02 25:35

So I think it it it's somewhat personal, right? Um you you reference the economics of it, and and that's fair and that's accurate. Um, but two years ago, I took it upon myself. I go in and just send my doctor's nurse uh request. I said, hey, I want to do all my labs, and I do my lipids, I do everything blood test-wise, and I chart it just to see where it's at. And so I, you know, and they ask me about insurance, and and I I don't, that's not my concern. Uh we could go into that another day, but the point is, I want to know where my biology, where my physiology is. And so I think that's that's somewhat the case here, Parks, is you know, how often do you test? You know, the lab would tell you your food sensitivity can change. You have to do the elimination period for three months, and then you could, you know, start reintroducing some of that very sporadic. Yep. Um, I've I've heard our dietitians say, you know, you could retest in six months, but on average, the rule of thumb from the lab is is every every year, 12 months.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

I mean, I would say it's just like your car, like you don't need to maybe do check all of your levels every single oil change, but you know, once a year checking all of those levels to make sure that you know it. I think your body can I think you can treat your body a lot like your your vehicle is continual um maintenance.

SPEAKER_03 27:05

Well, I'll take that a step further. Most people take better care of their vehicles than they bodies. Wash it and wax it weekly, and I put the premium gas in. And I, you know, because well, because what they're afraid of is is unexpected money, you know, unexpected uh vehicle breaks. Well, of course. We I I want to do preventative maintenance so that, oh yeah, you just blew your transmission. Oh, I didn't know you had to put oil in it. You know, I didn't, you know, well, we don't want unexpected health scares either. I mean, you know, your car, you can buy a new one, you know. Well, hell, you know, trade up and get a new one. Can't do that with our body, can't do that with our health, right? There aren't, you know, there aren't a lot of redoos in life.

SPEAKER_02 27:56

No, that's that's so, so true. And so that's I think where this is applicable not just to the bodybuilders, uh, but to everybody, every everybody. And and I say that because I think in in sports, whether it be bodybuilding, marathon, cycling, what pick your sport, that's where we see the attention to it because that's where um maybe not the money is, but the fame, the glory, right? Performance. Yeah, and and but the lessons that we've learned and the information that we can take back is is how we can improve upon our wellness and our health for every day.

unknown 28:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

And I think that's the point that I'm hearing is is gosh, this is so important just to be healthy and and improve your longevity. Longevity is is you know a hot button right now on on all the you know socials. And so I think it's just something that we need to to help people better understand is this isn't just for bodybuilders. This isn't just for people who want to run a marathon. This is for anybody and everybody to improve their health, to to get up and down stairs easier, to you know, go for a walk in in nature. I mean, just all the different quality of life.

SPEAKER_03 29:19

You know, I think you know, it's funny you mentioned that. It's and I've I've said this in the past, but it's like people will do extreme things for increased performance. I mean, it's you know, it's just you know, hey, I'm gonna test all this stuff so I can see the best way to run a marathon. Well, let's just face it. I mean, running marathons isn't necessarily the healthiest choice we can do. I mean, let's face it, the first person that ran a marathon actually died. You know, so uh literally, I mean that that was why it was 26.2 miles. You know, go, yeah, the first the first human that ran a marathon died. So humans said, Let's do more. Let's try that again. You know, let's do that again. I'm gonna I'm gonna do all these tests so I can perform very well in a bodybuilding event where I can go be three, you know, again, it's not even a healthy thing to do. You know, so so we do this because I, you know, I think I think a byproduct of just being American is just you know performance. You know, I have to do better at something. Like, you know, I'm gonna go do cardio, I'm gonna go lift, I'm gonna go diet, I'm gonna go do all this stuff because of how I'm going to look or how I'm going to perform at something. Very few people, if any, ever say I'm gonna push past my, you know, push past my limits, push really hard because man, I can't, I can't wait to see what my A1C levels are in six months. You know, it's just that should be a very motivating thing. You know, you know, I can't wait to get my VO2 improved so I can live longer, right? I can't wait to improve my lipid, you know, panels because I want to live longer. It's you know, I'm gonna go do all this stuff because I think it's gonna make me look good, you know, at the pool when I take my shirt off. You know, like those are things that people can get excited about, but yeah, rarely do people, you know, get all the motivation from the actual health benefits they're gonna receive after doing it. It it's almost like those are by right, your health is almost like a byproduct of trying to, you know, to perform better at something.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

Right, right. The vanity, the vanity, right? Trump card. Yeah, for sure. But I think there is a uh there's plenty of people out there that have neglected the automotive maintenance for long enough on their bodies that this would have a profound impact. And I think that's the the thing that we continue to see at X Factor is is how often these tests come back and you're just like, yep. And it's it's so it just reconfirms it every single time I look at a test that, yep, there it is, everyday stuff that is causing, you know, problems that that social media tells us are are beneficial or actually problems. I I don't know that we've done an episode yet without uh Joe's TTS traumatic turmeric syndrome, but you know, it's just those things. I mean, the it's the stuff that we've been told and we keep beating in, and and yeah, for some people turmeric is great. Just not everybody.

SPEAKER_03 32:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 32:27

And it's that second part that that doesn't get told. And I think that's the the point where you know it's it's an old saying in sales is you know, be careful of where you get your advice and what their motivations are. You know, if if they have something they're selling, then then you be leery of the advice you're getting to understand the motivation behind the advice. And and I think that's where we're we're at. I was listening to you know your opening response to Parks' question, and and I couldn't help but think, yeah, put somebody's face on a label and that's good for everybody. That's called marketing. That's not science, that's not wellness, that's not good advice, that's marketing. And if you don't believe me, enter a picture of the Marlboro man.

SPEAKER_03 33:24

Hey, y'all remember Wheaties?

SPEAKER_02 33:26

Yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:28

The worst cereal in the history of mankind, and I ate boxes of that because Michael Jordan ate them. It was worse, it was worse cereal ever.

SPEAKER_02 33:37

Well, yeah, I mean, that's the you know, that's the endorsement marketing mentality, and I think that's unfortunately that's where our healthcare system has gotten.

SPEAKER_03 33:46

Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, I look back, I mean, my advice, I mean, I mean, I was two-time MPC Midwest coach of the year. I mean, I I I I had a lot of clients get a lot of success, even in bodybuilding. And I was like, well, my clients do steady state cardio. We walk. Why? Well, because that's what worked for me, and I just hated running. I was like, I don't, I don't, I don't want to do hit.

SPEAKER_01 34:08

You were a runner as a child.

SPEAKER_03 34:10

Right, right. You know, if I, you know, if I could get lean by walking, that's what I'll do. So then all of a sudden I start running DNA tests, you know, and this and this is where things came back. I mean, I don't want to say it backfired on me, but it did. I mean, I have, you know, I've got clients of mine that I'm running running these DNA tests and right, methylation tests. Like, oh crap, I did tell you to get that supplement. Yeah, sorry, you know, I we're not gonna do that anymore. Or, hey, this shows that, you know what, I I was wrong with your with your cardio protocol based on your biology. You know, but the difference was I didn't I didn't set in and say, what if I am wrong? It was okay, I am wrong. You need to do this differently according to my research that we've done, and it's not, you know, it's not my research, it's according to your biology, according to your blueprint. This is what you need to do. I own up to it because I again I just didn't know. It's not like you know, I mean, there's a difference between ignorance and being naive. There's a really big difference. Naive is I just don't know. Ignorance is you know and you still do.

SPEAKER_01 35:16

That's well, that's further is yeah, I would call that willful ignorance. Right, right. You know, negligence. Yeah, to a point, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 35:27

So, Joe, like, all right, so some of the people listening, they're they're you know, jiving with what we're laying down here. What do I do?

SPEAKER_03 35:37

So it always, you know, it always comes down to how bad do you really want to just know? You know, and that you know, it's just like that question, right? How often should you be doing these? Well, I mean, how I don't know, how healthy do you want to be? Um, first off, yes, we have multiple different tests that can be ran. Um, best case scenario, yeah, you should have all of these done. You know, I mean, I mean, if you really want a really good picture perfect way to figure out how in the world you should be living your life, run run the test, but also also reach out. But it's one of these things, too. Any one of us, it's not like I'm just gonna say, here, go run a test, here's your information, have at it. All of us are probably guilty of over-explaining half of this because we enjoy it, we love it. It's something that, you know, yeah. I mean, if you want to talk, trust me, I can talk to you, you know, and you're gonna really want it afterwards. But reach out to either, I mean, reach out to any one of us. I mean, we can literally um paint a picture of, okay, you know, this is my pass, this is what I want to do, what's my best route? Okay, I think you really need to dive in to this particular site, right? So we have to get to know what it is that your goals are and what you're wanting to do. You know, after we can do that, we can say that okay, this would be the best package or this would be the best route for you to do, but you do there's no way around it. You have to do some testing. You have to. There's no, I mean, again, you cannot guess your way through this stuff. There's there's just no way to do it. You have to do some testing.

SPEAKER_02 37:09

There is another form of testing, and we've talked about it before, that doesn't necessarily upfront cost money. And it it it's the do-ity version of journaling, elimination, add it back. And and I can tell you from experience, I've done that, and it takes a long time. And and so that's still testing, it's just doing it on your own and and documenting. And my experience and and what I've witnessed with others, and I think it's fair to say, is that's long, tedious, and most people won't be able to do it effectively.

SPEAKER_03 37:49

Yeah, and still probably 50% accurate at best. Right, right. You know, because one of the problems with sensitivities is you're not really, really, truly showing symptoms that are that are that are like able to feel what's going on at the moment.

SPEAKER_02 38:10

Yeah, you're not eating peanuts and your lip swells up.

SPEAKER_03 38:12

Right. You yeah, you could potentially eliminate probably 50%, and there'd be things on there that just absolutely shock you.

SPEAKER_02 38:19

Well, yeah, you would think broccoli's bad.

SPEAKER_03 38:22

Broccoli, you know, and that's what you know. We talk about, you know, I was I was saying earlier, free radical scavengers. You know, I I would go read a book and they would say resveratrol is one of the best free radical scavengers available, which it can be. Well, the amount of people I do tests on that resveratrol shows no benefit is very high.

SPEAKER_00 38:44

I also think that's another form of treating the symptom rather than treating the source, is like exactly why not why not change your your eating habits and patterns to reduce the amount of free radicals instead of just trying to band-aid the problem.

SPEAKER_03 39:02

Yep, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 39:03

Well, and there's other coaches out there, and and and I think they genuinely want to help people and and they're trying to help people, but they're stuck in the mindset of, yeah, I don't know, that just sounds like another, you know, goofy thing right now that I'm just gonna recommend, you know, calorie deficit, cardio. And what do you say to those people who may have a coach like that who's who's genuinely trying to help them, but they're just I mean, this is what Joe, you and I and and part we aren't making this up. This isn't like something we cooked up. What do you say to that person, to that coach?

SPEAKER_03 39:46

It's it's a it's a tough one. I mean, it is, it's a tough one because I I have these conversations quite a bit now with people. I've got a functional med doctor that does this, this, and this. And you know, well, what type of tests are they doing cellular tests or blood serum tests? Well, it's a blood serum, you know, and yeah, but they mean really well and they're great, and I really like them. I'm like, I it's not, you know, it's not it's not a personal attack. It's just and they and they even said, because she goes back and forth. Well, Joe said this, well, they said this, and then Joe said this, and literally, you know, I'm like, they're like, yeah, it's not the most accurate, but it is, you know, it's like, well. Hello. I mean, it's like, I'm like, you have to, I would say it really depends on you. Because Jim, going back, I mean five, six, seven years ago, I helped, I helped 34 people lose over a hundred pounds before I even ran a test. I was NPC Midwest Coach of the Year twice before I even ran a test. I mean, I I mean, I was like, well, I know how to do all this stuff. I probably would have been, this is insane. You know, there were points and times in my career I'd have been like, I'm too busy to figure that out, you know, and that and that would be to my detriment. You know, one of the things I always I always warn people around getting advice is it's like, you know, if somebody is always set in their ways, you have to watch that anyway. I mean, I don't, you know, if you're not changing your mind on certain things or at least open-minded, you know, especially in the areas that are constantly evolving and changing, you know, there's certain things that I am not open-minded with, right? I mean, there's things that's like, nope, absolutely not. But with things that are like, you know, our biology, guys, that this is changing all the time.

SPEAKER_02 41:39

Right. It's somewhat of a moving target, right? I mean, yes, yes. Inputs, outputs, I mean, there's there's so many things that are changing and variables. And right now, I know the the the headline advertisements are microplastics, and you know, it's like, God, that that does impact science and and where things are at, and and what we're you know, what we're professing is is part of the revelations that are coming out of the genome project and having now the ability to test and understand it. I met you a couple years ago. What changed for you? Why, why did that all of a sudden I mean, you used to make recommendations on cardio, on strength, on food, and and what changed for you that that now you're on the bus?

SPEAKER_03 42:36

So I was I was already looking into some genetic sides of things where it got me questioning myself. So when we did meet up, it was like this is exactly where I need, you know, it was it was almost like I was I was um I was ripe for the picking, so to say. Um, we always look at timing, you know. It's like I, you know, I remember like my wife saying stuff like, I wish we'd have met, you know, sooner. And I'm like, I probably would have messed it up, you know. I don't know, you know, like I I don't think I was, you know, it just, you know, there's just certain times in life where we're open and when we're not, and timing has a lot to do with it. But and that's why I always just I always just tell people, it's just don't be, don't be so close-minded, especially in things like this, you know. And it's like, you know, and if you have a coach, sometimes it's in our it's in our approach of how we ask these questions too, right? Well, Joe told me you're dumb if you don't do this. Well, then they're automatically gonna be, well, who the hell is Joe to say that? You know, it's it's it's hey, have you ever looked at this before? What do you think this would mean? You know, it's just it's if we do have a coach, if we you know, if we are getting advice, it's it's are we telling people what we think or or are we asking questions in an in a like an open? open conversation to get people to explain their their their thought process behind where they're at you know versus like you know versus like attacking people you know it just because anytime somebody attacks somebody you know you know the gloves come on and it's like okay I'm ready to fight and you know I always just because I would just say most most coaches and and I fully believe this most most coaches are open to learning new science because they constantly are it's just usually the science out there is some new study on a supplement some new study on you know keto Mediterranean zone you know you know yeah you know though it's just it's just what type of science are we actually looking at something that can be done instantly to go change something you know this is the newest you know it's the it's the it's that that target has moved to the quickest fastest most deliverable results possible and you know if it's if it's fast and easy we always say it's usually sleazy or whatever you know and that's kind of it just I mean there's certain things that will always remain true and you know we identify our biology we identify a plan we run a diligent plan that that can be sustainable the long slow boring approach right I mean the tortoise and the hare I mean what did we learn about that most people didn't learn anything from the tortoise and the hare you know uh the little engine that could all the dumb things we always hear growing up most people don't ever learn anything from those oh that's a huge story they can they can repeat it over and over again but what do they constantly pick I want to be the tortoise you know no they want to be the they want it quick you know they never pick the tortoise they in life they never do not that this takes forever it doesn't I did it in a bodybuilding show and turned it around in a I mean I turned turn the ship very quickly I mean these aren't things 12 weeks 16 weeks I mean yeah I mean these aren't things that are taking decades to come to fruition I mean I mean you can turn the ship around quickly right but it's also one of those things that's like okay yes you identify your biology you're also going to identify it's your daily habits too right it's it's you you know most of our fixes out there are tell me it's not me tell me it's something else no it's you you are the you you are the variable your problem looks pretty much you your problem is looking you in the mirror every day you just you know it's you know it's whether or not you want to you know come to grips and go to battle with yourself or not.

SPEAKER_02 46:38

Well that that the quick story so I was talking to this doctor the other day and and he was we glp ones came up I full disclosure I do think they have a place but they're for like a very very small percentage of people but his son-in-law is now taking GLP1s and lost like 20 pounds still eats like garbage and still drinks I think he said like a six pack a day and because he was so obese before he could drink the six pack and not get drunk now he's just a skinny drunk and on a crash course for disease. Yep so this guy's taking the GLP1 so that he can continue to eat like shit and drink and he's happy because he's lost this weight and and and that's just so mind blowing but that's what our culture and unfortunately that's what our medical community is supporting.

SPEAKER_03 47:40

Yep yep yeah it's not you know even down to politicians you know I mean I would just love for a politician to come up and say oh all of your problems are your fault well well what are you gonna do? Nothing you know it's it's you know it's you you know it's uh you know it's parts you know we were talking about right uh personal excellence and you know it's it's that it's that people need you know and this is for and most people listening to podcasts most of our listeners you're into personal excellence you you know this right we're talking about the other ones that know everything already right we're obviously not talking to you um you guys are learning you guys are listening you you guys are wanting you know that you know that next era of personal excellence so it's it you know it just you know you can again force it upon people but at the same time again they have to want it so that you know that's our biggest thing you know if somebody wants it the tools are there to get the most effective route yep awesome I think that's a great place to to wrap it up so everybody thank you for tuning in and um you know listening to to this episode and if if you're interested in in learning more there's gonna be a link below in the description yeah um but until next time make sure you stop guessing start testing and let's find your X factor