Where Optimal Meets Practical

by Jordan Lips

292: Alex Thieme - Motivation, identity & building better habits

In this episode, I sit down with coach Alex Thieme to talk about the psychology behind sustainable fat loss, behavior change, motivational interviewing, self-belief, and why changing your environment often matters more than relying on willpower. We also dive into identity, self-talk, parenting, decision fatigue, grocery shopping, and how to build habits that actually stick long-term. --- Guest Alex Thieme is an online coach and educator known for his thoughtful approach to behavior change, mindset, and sustainable fitness. His work focuses heavily on helping people build self-belief, improve their relationship with health and fitness, and create realistic systems that fit into real life. --- What We Cover 03:55 – Becoming a parent, purpose, creativity, and life changes after kids 10:56 – Why we tell ourselves stories that may not actually be true 14:46 – Alex’s coaching philosophy and helping clients build self-belief 18:20 – Motivational interviewing, asking better questions, and behavior change 27:20 – The “five whys” framework and uncovering deeper motivations 30:58 – Optimizing your environment instead of relying on willpower 35:49 – Practical examples of reducing friction and improving habits 43:10 – Grocery shopping, convenience foods, meal structure, and reducing decision fatigue 56:03 – Identity, self-talk, and why “all or nothing” thinking keeps people stuck --- Connect with Alex Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexthiemefitness/ Website: https://alexthiemefitness.com/ --- Connect with Jordan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanlipsfitness/ WOMP Training: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

May 11, 2026

1:34:46

291: Alec Blenis - Hybrid training, movement optimism & the truth about “perfect form”

Episode Description In this episode, I sit down with hybrid coach and athlete Alec Blenis to break down what it really means to train for both performance and longevity. We dive into his goal of running a sub-2:30 marathon while maintaining strength, the biggest mistakes people make with running volume, and why “perfect form” might actually be limiting your progress. We also unpack the concept of movement optimism, why pain doesn’t always mean stop, and how the fitness industry has unintentionally made people more fragile. If you’ve ever worried about technique, injury, or balancing lifting with endurance training, this one will shift how you think about it. --- Guest Alec Blenis is a hybrid coach and athlete specializing in combining endurance and strength training. He’s been coaching for over a decade and is currently documenting his pursuit of a sub-2:30 marathon while maintaining gym performance. --- What We Cover 0:00 – Intro + hybrid training misconceptions 2:00 – Alec’s background and coaching journey 5:00 – Why Austin is a hub for hybrid athletes 8:20 – The sub-2:30 marathon goal + recent 2:40 PR 11:00 – Overcooking training + bouncing back after a DNF 13:30 – Increasing mileage from ~40 → 70+ miles/week 17:00 – Why the “10% rule” for running is flawed 20:00 – Quality vs quantity in endurance training 23:30 – Why most runners get injured (not overtrained) 26:00 – What “movement optimism” actually means 28:00 – How the fitness industry creates fear around movement 30:30 – Pain during training: should you stop or keep going? 33:00 – Pain monitoring system (practical framework) 38:00 – Why you shouldn’t catastrophize minor injuries 40:00 – When to rest vs when to load 41:30 – “Weird” exercises (Jefferson curls, knees over toes) 44:00 – Risk vs reward in training 48:00 – Is any movement inherently dangerous? 49:30 – RDLs, lumbar flexion, and technique nuance 53:00 – Why technique must be viewed across the full program 56:00 – The problem with chasing “perfect form” 58:00 – Individual anatomy and why cues don’t work for everyone 1:00:00 – What actually matters for hypertrophy and progress --- Connect with Alec Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alecblenis/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/alecblenis

Apr 14, 2026

1:32:19

290: Bryan Boorstein - Does your training split actually matter?

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Does your training split actually matter… or are we overthinking it? In this episode, Jordan and Bryan break down the bro split debate, why most training roads lead to the same place, and what actually drives long-term progress. They also dive into the “bulking is dead” conversation, range of motion nuances, and why chasing perfection might be holding you back more than helping. --- Guest 👇🏼 Bryan Boorstein is a coach and founder of Evolved Training Systems as well as the co-founder of Paragon Training. He is known for his practical, experience-driven approach to strength and hypertrophy. --- What We Cover👇🏼 0:00 – Intro + catching up 3:00 – The return of the bro split and why it still works 7:30 – Do different training splits actually lead to different results? 10:00 – Frequency vs volume vs sustainability 15:00 – What people obsess over vs what actually matters 18:00 – The “bulking is dead” debate explained 22:00 – Why a small surplus still matters in practice 26:00 – The most practical way to think about gaining muscle 27:00 – Range of motion: general vs muscle-specific training 30:00 – Squat depth, internal rotation, and quad targeting 34:00 – How much technique cueing actually matters 37:00 – “Analysis paralysis” in training execution 38:00 – The case for being a fitness generalist 43:00 – Strength training vs mobility (and why the line is blurry) 48:00 – What mobility training actually looks like in practice 52:00 – Kids and lifting: how to approach it the right way 57:00 – Letting kids lead vs forcing structure 1:00:00 – Final takeaways on range of motion and training balance --- Connect with Bryan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanboorstein/ Connect with Jordan👇🏼 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanlipsfitness/ WOMP Coaching: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

Apr 7, 2026

59:09

289 - Dr. Emily Dow: Gut Health, Fueling, and the Truth About Eating Enough

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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Emily Dow to break down some of the biggest misconceptions in nutrition and fitness right now. We get into why simple advice often falls short, how understanding the “why” can actually improve results, and where most people are getting tripped up with things like gut health, fueling, and eating enough. --- Guest: Emily Dow is a registered dietitian with a PhD in exercise and nutritional sciences, blending research, coaching, and real-world application to help people better understand how to fuel their bodies. --- What We Cover: 00:00 Why a PhD changes how you think about nutrition and uncertainty 08:05 What Emily has changed her mind about including gut health and probiotics 16:25 The messy reality of research and why quick recommendations can be misleading 24:50 Why explaining the “why” leads to better results than just giving advice 30:47 How to balance simplicity with nuance in coaching and content 37:01 Why women struggle to build muscle and the importance of eating enough 41:46 The real reason “eat more” advice exists even with rising obesity rates 47:24 Practical fueling strategies for lifting and cardio --- Connect with Emily: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilydow_rd/ --- Connect with Jordan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanlipsfitness/ WOMP Training: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig

Mar 30, 2026

1:20:48

288: Q&A - Beans, bulking, training for strength and longevity, journaling, getting the health benefits of cardio and MORE!

Where to find me ⬇️ IG: @JordanLipsFitness Podcast: Where Optimal Meets Practical ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ My group program ⬇️ WOMP Training [Gym + Home] ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ 1:1 Coaching ⬇️ Apply HERE ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Helping you find the balance between OPTIMAL and PRACTICAL 🫶🏼JL

Mar 23, 2026

41:41

287: Akash Patel - Science vs Policy: The Dietary Guidelines Problem

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The U.S. Dietary Guidelines are supposed to reflect the best available nutrition science… but what happens when the final recommendations don’t match the evidence? In this episode, I’m joined by Akash Patel to break down how the Dietary Guidelines are created, where they diverged from the scientific report, and what this means for nutrition, public health, and your everyday food choices. Akash Patel is an MD/MBA student at the University of Miami focused on nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and public health, with a focus on improving nutrition education in healthcare. What we cover: 12:50 – How the Dietary Guidelines are created (DGAC explained) 17:43 – Why most Americans don’t follow the guidelines 23:27 – Where the final guidelines diverge from the science 34:24 – Issues with the new guidelines (visuals, messaging, contradictions) 58:31 – Key differences: plant protein, processed foods, health equity 1:19:50 – How U.S. guidelines compare to other countries 1:30:25 – Plant vs animal protein and long-term health outcomes 1:45:51 – Practical ways to eat more plant protein Connect with Akash: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akashpatel Key resources mentioned: USA Dietary Guidelines USA Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committee Executive Summary List of 56 Recommendations from DGAC to HHS Misinformation about the dietary guidelines (transparency/conflicts) PMID: 38522617 U.S. population largely does not follow dietary recommendations PMID: 20702750 Greater adherence to HEI and health outcomes PMID: 31529069 U.S. food supply not aligned with recommendations PMID: 25441965 NHS and HPFS studies (fruits/vegetables, physical activity, plant vs animal protein) PMID: 33641343, 41574252, 27479196

Mar 17, 2026

1:47:54

286: Ruth Maleski (@ruth_mpower) - Will it ever be enough?

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Where to find Ruth ⬇️ Instagram Website / Coaching ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Where to find me ⬇️ Instagram Podcast ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ My group program ⬇️ WOMP Training [Gym + Home] ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Helping you find the balance between OPTIMAL and PRACTICAL 🫶🏼JL

Mar 9, 2026

1:02:31

285: Andy de Santis (@andytherd) - "Ode to Legumes": Fatty liver, fiber, and what actually matters

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Episode Description 👇🏼 In this episode of WOMP, Jordan sits down with registered dietitian Andy De Santis to break down the real drivers of fatty liver, the underrated power of fiber, and why legumes might be one of the most practical nutrition upgrades most people are missing. They dig into metabolic health, ultra-processed food nuance, plant vs animal protein, and how to focus on the habits that actually move the needle. If you want an evidence-based, practical approach to nutrition without the fear-mongering, this episode is for you. - What You Will Learn👇🏼 • What fatty liver actually is and what drives it • Why fiber intake is still too low for most people • The metabolic benefits of legumes • Plant vs animal protein: what matters most • Where the ultra-processed food conversation gets oversimplified • Practical nutrition habits that compound over time - Timestamps👇🏼 00:00 Intro and welcome 02:10 Andy’s background and nutrition philosophy 05:45 Why Andy focuses on metabolic health 09:30 What is happening in fatty liver 14:50 Biggest drivers of fatty liver risk 20:05 Fiber and metabolic health 24:40 The case for legumes 29:15 Why beans are underutilized 33:50 Protein quality nuance 39:10 Ultra-processed foods discussion 45:25 Practical diet improvements 50:40 Where most people should start 55:30 Rapid-fire nutrition advice 59:10 Where to find Andy - Connect with Andy👇🏼 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andytherd Website: https://andytherd.com Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/andytherd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andydesantisrd/ Andy De Santis is a registered dietitian known for his practical, evidence-based approach to metabolic health and plant-forward nutrition. - Connect with Jordan👇🏼 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanlipsfitness/ Website: https://jordanlipsfitness.com/ WOMP Coaching: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/womp-gym-home-bundle?attrib=548099-ig Jordan Lips is the founder of WOMP (Where Optimal Meets Practical), helping busy adults build evidence-based nutrition and training habits that actually stick.

Feb 23, 2026

1:08:46

284: Q&A - RMR testing, strength asymmetry, GLP-1s to lose stubborn fat and MORE!!

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Feb 9, 2026

40:42

283: Q&A - HR during lifting, go-to fruits & veg, bulking vs maingaining, and MORE!!

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Jan 22, 2026

34:49

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