552 – Strength Training, Improving Your Body Composition, and The Science Behind Measuring Body Fat Accurately (with Dr. James Steele)

What really matters if you want to fine-tune your body composition and optimize for lean muscle mass?

Exercise Scientist and Head of Research at MacroFactor Dr. James Steele returns to the podcast to talk about the science behind measuring body fat using different methods, the effects of strength training on advanced trainees trying to optimize body composition, and what you can learn from years of data on what really matters.

We also go into what tools you can use, the little things that make a big difference, and what you should aim for when looking to optimize and progress.

If you want to know what things really matter when it comes to body composition, tune in to this one!

Free course to grow your strength training business

***

• Listen to it on Apple Podcasts
• Stream by clicking here
• Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”

---

Show Notes

• 00:55 – On Dr. Steele’s recent post on body composition
• 01:46 – What is MacroFactor?
• 02:50 – What metrics does James track (and how)?
• 04:30 – What does MacroFactor do?
• 04:56 – James on his cutting phase — the details and the data
• 13:07 – What factors helped James stay consistent?
• 17:22 – James’ physical activity and approach to training
• 21:20 – James and Lawrence on their “exercise snacks”
• 23:24 – On macros, diet, and nutrition
• 27:20 – On protein intake — how much does it really matter?
• 35:56 – Lawrence calls James fat (talking about 5-year weight data)
• 40:02 – How different are BodPods and DEXA scans?
• 43:58 – Lawrence’s current body composition experiment and his DEXA scans
• 45:10 – What is the optimal range for male body fat for longevity (and how accurately can you measure it)?
• 52:18 – On using AI, their interpretations, and data source quality
• 56:43 – Competitive DEXA scanning
• 57:09 – On body composition: Is 15%-20% bodyfat a good goal for general health and fitness?
• 1:00:36 – James and being “blackpilled” on advanced strength training
• 1:05:54 – On Mike Petrella’s new, super-jacked physique and his new approach to training
• 1:07:08 – James comments on Lawrence’s current training regimen and body composition experiment
• 1:13:38 – On recalculating his bodyfat percentage data using different approaches
• 1:16:32 – The effects of body composition changes on muscle appearance over the years, in photos
• 1:17:38 – What Dr. James Steele plans to do after all of this

People Mentioned & Selected Links from this Episode

• Dr James Steele | Steele Research | MacroFactor | On Instagram | On GitHub | HIB Episodes
• Dr Steele’s Instagram post on his body composition
• Everson Nunes
• Dr. Stuart Phillips | Official Page | Google Scholar
• Skyler Tanner | Official Website | Smart Strength Austin | HIB Episodes
• Blair Wilson | MedX Precision Fitness | HIB Episodes
• Mike Petrella | STG Strength and Power | HIB Episodes
• Ryan Hall | Exercise Science LLC | On Facebook | HIB Episodes
• Steve Hall | The Revive Stronger Podcast
• Eric Helms
• Peter Drucker | Drucker Institute
• Paper: An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of protein intakes effects upon lean soft tissue mass, muscle, strength, and function in healthy adults
• Withings
• Beat Saber