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S02E08 - The Unicorn Diet - Build Muscle While Your Fat Takes a Hike
Episode 8 • 8th July 2025 • Scaled to Fit • Marko Lindgren
00:00:00 00:16:54

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What’s your goal? Lose fat? Build muscle? Or maybe both?

In this episode, I delve into the science and strategy behind body recomposition – the process of simultaneously losing fat and gaining muscle. It’s not about perfection or punishment, but about getting the basics right and sticking with them.

  • Why “eat less, move more” isn’t enough when your goal is to recompose
  • The essential roles of protein, carbs, and fats in building muscle and losing fat
  • How alcohol and high-fructose corn syrup quietly undermine your progress
  • How to find the calorie “sweet spot” for simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain

You'll also hear the inspiring transformation story of James Rice, who lost nearly 70 kg, won a national body transformation championship, and wrote the book Transform Yourself.

https://www.100poundwar.com/

Key Takeaways:

  • Macronutrients matter – protein repairs, carbs fuel, fats support hormones.
  • Calories count, but so does how and what you eat.
  • Alcohol and HFCS: enjoyable? Maybe. Helpful for goals? Definitely not.
  • Transformation is a long walk, not a sprint—one step, one meal, one habit at a time.

Sample Meal Plans:

https://www.seasonhealth.com/blog/7-day-meal-plan-for-muscle-gain

https://levelupyourmeals.com/blogs/7-day-meal-plan-for-building-muscles

https://www.berrystreet.co/blog/meal-plan-for-building-muscle-and-losing-fat-for-women

https://www.berrystreet.co/blog/meal-prep-for-muscle-gain

https://liezljayne.com/spring-meal-prep-16-high-protein-meals-in-1-hour/


Please send us feedback by email to feedback@scaledto.fit 

Go to podchaser.com/scaledtofit and give us a rating. 

#scaledtofit #fitness #grownupfitness #scaling


Additional resources are available in the links below.

Transcripts

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This is Scaled to Fit Fit in your 50s. Restarting exercising and feeling like a rookie at the

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age of over 50. With Marko Lindgren. What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve

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with your exercise? Do you want to lose weight, gain muscle or perhaps both? Those kinds of

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questions are floating everywhere in the exercise and fitness realm and for a good reason. Today,

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we are diving into the holy grail of fitness goals. The thing so mythical that even unicorns are in this.

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The topic of nutrition and food easily brings up a range of opinions and emotions. So I won't go

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into any fine details, but stick to the basics. The basics which will help you on the way towards

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your own goals. I will also talk about a man who lost nearly 70 kilos from 136 kilos to 68 kilos and

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won the National Body Transformation Championship in Canada 2022. And then he went on to write a

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book about his experience. "When I started to be more active, I didn't have any particular target

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or goal. I was happy to move and I sort of silently hoped that I would get thinner, not

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necessarily to lose weight, but to lose fat and gain muscle. I didn't pay much attention to my

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eating habits, but I gradually tried to eat more vegetables and fewer white carbs. My primary goal

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was to become healthier and improve my overall mood, both of which I have achieved." And again,

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goes what I like to say, don't do nothing, do something and scale it back. For losing weight,

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the old wisdom applies, eat less than you consume. However, when we aim not only to lose fat, but

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also to gain muscle and recompose our body, that old wisdom doesn't really work anymore. First of

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all, muscle weighs more than fat. So if you are successful in gaining muscle, your weight will

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actually increase. Your physical activity also influences your overall metabolism and your muscle

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mass has an impact on your resting metabolic rate, also known as basal metabolic rate. The more muscle

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you have, the more your body consumes in a state of rest. So body recomposition is basically asking

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your body to multitask. Getting muscle and losing fat at the same time is not rocket science, but

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it's also not as simple as eat less, move more. You just can't out train a bad diet. If you want to

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transform your body, what you eat is just as important as how you work out. We are talking

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about getting the right balance of the big three macronutrients, proteins, carbs and fats, plus all

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those vitamins and minerals that keep your body running like a well oiled machine. First up,

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protein, the building blocks of your muscles. When you exercise, you're actually creating tiny tears

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in your muscle fibers. Protein comes in and repairs those tears, making your muscle bigger

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and stronger in the process. How much do you need? Aim for about one and a half to two grams of

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protein per kilogram of body weight every day. So if you weigh 80 kilos, say you're looking at

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probably 120 to 160 grams of protein daily. Where to get it? The usual suspects are our great,

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their chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, lentils. Also, protein powder is an excellent

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addition to legumes and lean meats. Your muscles don't really care if their building blocks come

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from cow or chickpea. They just want quality stuff. Now, carbohydrates get a bad rap, but they are not

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the enemy. They are your friend when you are trying to build muscle. They are like gas in your car.

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They fuel your workouts and help you recover afterward. Without enough carbs, your workout

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will feel like you're running on empty. For muscle building, you want carbs to make about 40 to 50%

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of your total calories. If fat loss is your primary goal, you can reduce it to 30 to 40%. However,

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keep protein intake high to avoid losing muscle. But then, not all carbs are created equal. The

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key is choosing the right kinds of carbs. We are talking about complex carbs, whole grains, oatmeal,

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brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables. These give you steady energy instead of the sugar

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rush and crash you get from that donut that's calling your name from the break room. Simple carbs,

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yeah, that donut, are like putting regular gas in a Ferrari. It'll work, but you are not getting the

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performance you paid for. And then last, but definitely not least, we have fats. Healthy fats

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help produce testosterone and other hormones that are crucial for muscle growth. They should make up

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about 20 to 30% of your total daily calories. We are talking olive oil, avocados, yes, you can keep

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your avocado toast, nuts, seeds and fatty fish like salmon. Fats are literally the oil, the lubricant

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that keeps your whole body machine running smoothly. Without them, everything gets creaky and doesn't

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work very well. The good to know corner. What are the substances that the brain craves, but the body

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hates? Yes, alcohol and high fructose corn syrup, HFCS. First, let me say that I do love my whiskey.

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I love my bubbles and I even like some beer, but my body doesn't. That is because both alcohol and

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high fructose corn syrup significantly impact exercise performance, recovery, and weight

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management, though the mechanisms are different. So let's talk first about the exercise performance.

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Alcohol impairs exercise performance in multiple ways. It acts as a diuretic, promoting dehydration,

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that reduces endurance and increases fatigue. Alcohol also disrupts glycocaine synthesis,

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limiting the body's ability to store carbohydrates for energy. HFCS affects exercise differently,

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while it provides quick energy through its glucose component. The fructose portion bypasses normal

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glucose metabolism and goes directly to the liver. This can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes,

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followed by crashes, potentially causing energy fluctuations during prolonged exercise. Unlike

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glucose, fructose doesn't efficiently replenish muscle and glucogen stores. And then what comes

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to the recovery. Alcohol severely hampers recovery by disrupting sleep, particularly REM sleep,

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which is crucial for physical and mental restoration. It also impairs protein synthesis,

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slowing muscle repair and growth. Alcohol increases inflammation and oxidative stress,

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while interfering with the release of growth hormone, further compromising recovery processes.

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HFCS primarily impacts recovery through its inflammatory effect. High fructose intake can

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increase inflammatory markers and contribute to the development of insulin resistance over time.

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However, the glucose component can help with immediate glucocaine replenishment if consumed

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shortly after exercise, though this benefit is offset by the metabolic burden of processing large

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amounts of fructose. And then what comes to weight control. Both substances significantly challenge

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weight management, but through different pathways. Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, nearly as

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much as fat, and these are empty calories with no nutritional value. It also disrupts fat metabolism,

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causing the body to prioritize alcohol breakdown over fat burning. Alcohol increases appetite and

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lowers inhibitions around food choices, often leading to overeating. And that is why it's

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practically impossible to drink just one beer. HFCS contributes to weight gain through several

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mechanisms. Fructose doesn't trigger the same satiety signals as glucose, potentially leading

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to overeating also. It's also more readily converted to fat in the liver compared to other sugars,

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and chronic consumption can lead to insulin resistance, making weight loss more difficult.

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Both alcohol and HFCS can disrupt hormonal balance, particularly insulin sensitivity. They both

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contribute to inflammation when consumed regularly and can interfere with the body's natural hunger

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and satiety cues. Neither provides meaningful nutritional benefits relative to their caloric

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content and both can become psychologically habit-forming. The primary differences lie in

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the immediate effects. Alcohol directly impairs physical and cognitive function, while HFCS

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primarily affects energy metabolism. Alcohol's impact on sleep and protein synthesis makes it

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particularly detrimental to recovery, whereas HFCS's main concern is its contribution to metabolic

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dysfunction over time. In the optimal case, these substances should be avoided. If that is not

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possible or desired, timing matters. Alcohol should be avoided around training sessions and sleep,

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meanwhile HFCS containing foods may be less problematic immediately post-exercise when

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glucose uptake is enhanced, although whole food carbohydrate sources remain preferable.

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The good to no corner. Next up, the micronutrients, the vitamins and minerals that are like the

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supporting cars in a movie. They might not get top billing, but without them, the whole show falls

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apart. Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin, is like your muscles' personal trainer. It helps with muscle

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function and testosterone levels. If you are not seeing the sun for a while like a vampire,

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you might want to consider a supplement. Magnesium, on the other hand, is an anti-cramp superhero.

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It's involved in muscle contraction and energy production. Calcium is not just for strong bones.

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Your muscles need it too to contract properly. It's like the starter for your muscle engine.

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Iron carries oxygen to your muscles. Without enough iron, your workouts will feel like you are

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breathing through a straw. And zinc, your hormone balance depends on this little guy. It's also

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crucial for your immune system. Because nobody wants to be the person who gets sick every time

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they start a new workout routine. And then B vitamins. These are like your energy production

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team. They help turn food into fuel and keep your red blood cells happy. The good news is that if

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you are eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean proteins, you are

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probably covering your bases. But if you are the type who thinks ketchup counts as a vegetable,

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you should reconsider your approach. And don't forget water, because your body is basically a

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fancy water balloon that can do math. You need to stay hydrated for your muscles to work properly,

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and for your metabolism to run efficiently. Aim to sip water throughout the day, especially during

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and after your workouts. If you are dehydrated, everything else falls apart. Proper hydration

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helps with everything from muscle recovery to fat loss to feeling energized during your workouts.

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Yes! And here's where the things get interesting or tricky. To lose fat, you need to eat fewer

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calories than you burn. To build muscle, you typically need to eat more calories than you

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burn. So how do you do both at the same time? It's like being just a little bit hungry, but not I'm

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gonna eat my own arm hungry. This sweet spot, pun intended, lets you lose fat while still having

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enough energy to build muscle, especially when you are hitting the protein targets we talked about

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earlier. It's like threading a needle or tightrope walking, but it works. Some people might go a step

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further and do higher calorie days for muscle growth, alternating with lower calorie days for

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fat loss. It's like negotiating with your body, "Hey, I'll give you extra fuel today if you promise

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to burn some fat tomorrow." The calorie balancing act is taken to a completely different level in

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James Rice's autobiographical book and motivational guide, Transform Yourself. The book details the

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dramatic physical transformation from 48 years old, severely overweight, pre-diabetic, and injured at

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almost 140 kilos to a national bodybuilding and body transformation champion in Canada. Through

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stories, practical advice, and reflections, the writer encourages the reader to pursue health

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changes regardless of age, setbacks, or starting point. His focus is on exercise, food, and recovery.

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The book is an inspirational story of an extraordinary man. It gives some great takeaways

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also for anyone who is not after such a magnificent body recomposition, but seeks a profound sustainable

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shift in health and life. Firstly, lasting transformation requires community and support. Rice

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emphasizes that no one succeeds solo. His achievements were made possible through a team,

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including his trainer, family, and fitness community. Maintaining transformation is not just a

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physical task, but also a psychological one, supported by others who believe in your vision

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and keep you accountable. Vision and habits trump motivation. Success depends on establishing a

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clear vision, a compelling why, and building daily sustainable habits, more than fleeting

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motivation. Rice likens working out and eating well to brushing your teeth. When these become a

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routine, success follows. He highlights that having a vision can disrupt your life, but that's often

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necessary for change. And last but not least, failure, setbacks, and plateau are essential, not

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optional. Plateaus and failures are part of every transformation, not signs to quit, but opportunities

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to learn and adapt. Rice explains how he overcame self-doubt, negative self-image, and physical

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setbacks by reframing failures as learning opportunities. Even after achieving considerable

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success, the focus remains on continual learning, adjustment, and helping others. So, in practice,

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how do you get going with the meals for fat loss and muscle gain? Links to detailed meal plans are

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in the show notes, but the summary would be prioritized high protein intake, that's one and a half to

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two grams a kilo per day, moderate carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Focus on whole, nutrient-dense

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foods for both macro and micronutrient needs. Maintain a slight calorie deficit for fat loss while

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supporting muscle with resistance training. Distribute protein evenly throughout the day and

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refuel after workouts. And prepare meals in advance to ensure consistency and convenience. At the end

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of the day, body recomposition isn't about perfection, it's about making better choices consistently

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over time. You don't need to weigh every gram of food or carry a calculator to dinner parties. Get

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your protein, don't fear carbs, eat good healthy fats, stay hydrated, and create a small calorie

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deficit. This isn't a sprint, it's more like a really long walk where you occasionally stop

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for snacks. Be patient with yourself, stay consistent with your habits, and don't let perfect be the

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enemy of good. Weekly challenge. Now take a look at the meal plans and choose the ones that interest

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you the most. Start by changing one meal per day to the recomposition version. Breakfast would be a

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good candidate. And what I like to say, don't do nothing, do something and scale it back. This was

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scale to fit, fit in your 50s with Marco Lindgren. All sounds are made by me. Send us your feedback

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via email at feedback@scale2.fit or visit potrace.com/scale2fit to leave a rating. Don't forget to check the

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show notes at scale2.fit, all the links are there. Thank you for tuning in.

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