Quest for The Gains: Recent Episodes
Quest for the Gains
Welcome to the "Quest for The Gains" Podcast. We're your hosts, Fran and Miguel and we’re on an epic quest to achieve all kinds of gains. Who are you guys? We're both MSc students in Sport and Exercise Nutrition. We've got a burning passion for bodybuilding, nutrition and self-improvement. We want to bring you all kinds of gains in your life, one episode at a time.
Hey everyone!
With the recent spike in covid cases around the world, some countries are shutting down gyms again. We know, that sucks big time. But hey, we've all been through this before and we know that we can come back stronger from it!
On today's episode, we discussed ways of staying active and actually enjoying your lifestyle outside of the gym. More specifically, how to build a physique that you're proud of and also a physique that can perform well and actually contribute to an improved quality of life!
For Miguel, surf has been a new addition to his routine and he loves it (I really do, signed Miguel) and for Fran, running gives this sense of freedom that no other sport does.
So sit tight, get comfortable and join us for today's episode!
Thanks for tuning in!
Hey you,
Do you find yourself hopping from one diet to another, hoping that this time you're finally going to get the results you desperately want? Do you feel like you've tried pretty much everything and nothing seems to work? Do you think some diets are magical?
Today, we're going over yo-yo dieting - what it is, why does it matter in the long run - and also what a diet should be and shouldn't be. We want you to make the best kinds of gains while enjoying your lifestyle. If your diet doesn't allow you to do that, then it may be time for a change.
Thanks for tuning in!
Do you feel like you haven't been making progress in the gym lately? Can't lift more weight, do more repetitions or feel like what was once easy is now becoming difficult and wearing you down? You may have hit a plateau.
There's a variety of reasons as to why this may happen. You may be doing too much volume or you may not be doing enough to progress in the gym. Your nutrition may need to be reassessed. Sleep, stress, maybe your favorite sports team lost and you're contemplating the meaning of life. Wait, what? Like we said, a lot of reasons!
On today's episode, we want to talk about what to expect from a plateau and share some insight on how to overcome them.
Join us for some gainz!
Thanks for tuning in!
Hey everyone!
Today we have a special guest on the podcast of the gainz. Meet Bruno Cirillo, a coursemate from our Sport and Nutrition MSc who is currently developing his practice.
On today's episode, we talked about how varying your training style can be beneficial to improve your overall fitness and wellness and also boost your motivation. With the recent lockdown closing gyms all over the world, many of us had to adapt their training. Bruno decided to put weightlifting on pause and dedicate his time to improving his running technique and train for a half-marathon.
We discussed many interesting topics such as what did Bruno experience with his performance, strength, weight and overall fitness.
Thanks for tuning in!
Whey protein. Is it a super food? Do you need it to make some sweet, juicy, gains?
Is it bad for you? Is it even natural? Can cause kidney damage? (Not really if you're starting out with healthy kidneys).
These are some of the questions you may have heard or thought yourself when it comes to whey protein. At the end of the day, it's a supplement and it is there to help you improve your diet so you can reach your goals. However, it shouldn't be the main source of protein in your diet. Remember, you can't outsupplement a bad diet.
Yet, in a world where there are a lot of cheesy, make-believe supplements, whey protein is actually one of those that could be beneficial to you if you're lacking protein in your diet. It is also pretty convenient and you can cook some interesting snacks with it. Don't worry, we're not getting payed to praise whey protein. We're two bros on a quest for the gains and we want to share our thoughts on whey protein so you can decide whether you should include it in your diet !
Thanks for tuning in!
Hey guys!
Have you wondered how often you should train to maximize your results in the gym? Perhaps you believe there is an optimal training frequency or training split that achieves the best, juicy gains. We used to think that! And a lot of swole bros out there still do.
Today we want to talk about training frequency, meaning the amount of times you go to the gym in a week and what it means for your overall training program and progress as a lifter. Is more always better? Should you go to the gym as many times as possible? Not necessarily. There are a lot more variables that come into play besides how many times you go to the gym. What if you go there just to check your phone between sets and don't put in any effort? Would you expect some gainz?
Join us for today's episode while we delve deeper into the quest for the gains and give some insight on practical applications you can implement in your program to continue making sweet, sweet gains.
Thanks for tuning in! Stay strong.
Sleep. We all do it. Every single night (hopefully). Some of us don't get much sleep, others fall asleep too often. But when it comes to health and fitness, how important is sleep? Is it overrated? Perhaps underrated?
In today's episode, we talk about how sleep is probably one of the best investments you can make for health benefits and aesthetics. Want to feel better and more energized? Prioritize sleep. Want to not feel hungry all the time? Sleep could help. Want to make Brodin descend from the heavens because of how jealous he is of your gains? Sleeeeeeeeeep!
Don't be like Fran who hadn't slept for 48 hours before recording this episode. All in the name of science!
As always, be prepared for us to diverge into other topics related to gains because, after all, this is the podcast of the gains!
Thanks for tuning in!
Hey guys!
Last week we kept it cool and talked about summertime experiences and how to meal prep. This week we wanted to keep that theme going on and discuss some funny stories we've heard or seen, like not eating for a whole day so you can binge-drink and still keep your daily calories in check. Sounds crazy right?
Anyways, when we started talking, we completely went off topic and discussed the importance of weighing yourself. Or even better, is it even important? It's interesting how attached some of us can be to that number on the scale and how it can make us feel great or sad and want to give up.
So this episode is a mix of both and we hope you enjoy it! Because that's how the Gains Podcast goes, sometimes it's wild, sometimes it's good, but it's always full of gainz.
Thanks for tuning in!
PS: Really sorry about the audio quality on this one. We had some technical difficulties and couldn't find an alternative. We'll do our best to make sure the audio quality is back to normal on the next episode!
Hey guys!
Today we're gonna brush up on cooking skills. Don't worry, we won't go all Gordon Ramsay up in this episode but rather talk about why we consider cooking such a valuable skill, especially if you're trying to dial in your nutrition. We'll discuss practical ways of cooking and how to meal prep during the Summer if you want to have a day out in the beach, a hike, whatever it might be, and still make sure you're nourishing your gains.
Sit down (or not, you decide) and relax. Spoiler alert: Since Miguel did his Bachelor's in Cookery and Food Production and Fran ate 9000 pizzas (which makes him a pro chef by now), you can expect a lot of food talk.
Thanks for tuning in!
What's up everyone!
Hope you're having a great week so far. Have you ever wondered if/why you have to do cardio to lose fat or get shredded? Do you hate doing cardio for hours? Because I sure do (Miguel) and that is why I don't do it. As a matter of fact, let me tell you something. You don't need cardio to get lean. "Whaaaaaat?". Yep. Cardio can be an effective tool to help achieve fat loss but it is not the end all, be all. Let's not forget the great benefits cardio can bring to the table tho!
In today's episode, we go over lifestyle and training adaptations you can make to achieve your goals and still doing the things you enjoy. So cardio... yay or nay? Well... it depends!
Thanks for tuning in!
Hey everyone,
We almost wanted to call this episode "The Rise of the Yolos" but that wouldn't make much sense and it wouldn't make justice to the very important topic of getting back to training after a long period of time without doing much (or at least much of what you were used to).
Why the yolos then? Well, do you know that feeling when you haven't had a food you really like for a long time and when you finally do, you indulge and sometimes eat so much you feel like you're going to burst? The same thing could happen with the gym but this time we're talking about how doing too much, too early could negatively impact your recovery and your gains.
A typical yolo swaggins will go to the gym as soon as they reopen and do all the sets they've missed out on during the quarantine to make sure they're right back on track. They'll also be in a full body cast because they'll be too sore to even move. That's why it is important to take it nice and easy and gradually expose yourself to resistance training once more.
Think of it as a car gaining speed, you need to start a bit slow until you can get to a fast and furious speed.
Also, find out Fran's special trick for increased gains. Doctors hate him!
As always, thanks for tuning in. You rock!
Hey guys!
You thought we were gonna skip this week's episode? Never!
Today we've got a special one for you. We had the honor of talking to Josh Montoya, a fellow swole bro and he shared some incredible insight on pain, how we perceive pain and how to not let pain dictate your life.
We've all been there. "Doc, something hurts." Well, Josh had a sciatica at the age of 24 years old and his life was being hindered because of it. This isn't a competition on who has the biggest ouchie but a great learning opportunity from someone who was in chronic pain and still managed to achieve their goals. Most importantly, Josh's incredible mindset sheds some light on bro's code of "no pain, no gain". Some pain is good and to be expected sure, but when is it too much?
Thanks for tuning in!
Josh, it was a pleasure having you on and we hope to see you soon!
How many times have you seen someone ask a bro what supplements they take? It's usually one of the very first questions, followed by "how much do you bench brah?". We've been there too. We've tried a lot of different supplements in our quest for the gains and have learned a lot from experience.
Supplements aren't magical. You can't outsupplement a bad diet. But does that mean they don't have a purpose? Not so fast. There are some supplements that have been heavily researched and proven to have a positive effect in body composition, performance and overall health. Today we're gonna discuss our view on supplements, which ones we recommend and why a food first approach is usually the best strategy.
Think of this as your quest to the mountain of gains and we are your sherpas.
Let's get started, shall we?
Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist? Always looking for the optimal answer to make the best gains possible? Nothing wrong with wanting the best results, however, becoming heavily focused on what is "optimal" may end up backfiring and causing you stop enjoying the process.
Sometimes, a "suboptimal" scenario could be optimal for you because you enjoy it allows you to stay consistent on the long run.
In this episode, we delve into how being a perfectionist in training and dieting could be an effective tool to achieve the results you want but also to be mindful when too much perfectionism could be hindering your progress. We also talk about pizza and how gluten is probably something Satan created to make mankind fat (wait, what?).
Yep. All of that and more on this episode!
Thanks for tuning in!
Over the past weeks, Fran and I have had some people reach out on how to lose fat or that they're unhappy because their body isn't how they would like it to be.
If you're lacking motivation or unhappy with your current body image, you came to the right spot. Don't worry, we're not gonna tell you to "suck it up and try harder, you cupcake" (wait, where did that come from?). No no.
Instead, we want to talk about the different aspects of motivation when it comes to fat loss and how body composition may change during these times. And how that is perfectly fine. The world is going through a pandemic. A little bit of extra fat does not automatically make you fat. However, being muscle nerds ourselves, we understand you may want more information on the topic and that's why we decided to record this episode.
Thanks for tuning in!
Have you ever wondered if you can build a strong, aesthetic physique on a plant-based diet? Long story short, you can. However, there are some things to bear in mind. And before we even start, what is your definition of a plant-based diet?
On today's episode we talk about things to consider about plant-based diets, be it a vegetarian, vegan or a diet mainly comprised of plants, if your main goal is muscle gains. Fran has been vegan for 4 years now and he shares his insight on what it's like to be a professional bodybuilder and being vegan. No, you won't lose all your gains and no, you won't fart all day, every day. Woohoo!
We also discuss omnivorous VS plant-based diets for those of you wanting to transition or wanting to include more plants in your diet, with some strategies to optimize your efforts in the gym.
Thanks for tuning in!
Today, we have our very first guest at the PoG (Podcast of Gainz). I'm talking about the one and only Stephanie Cawthorne. We met Steph at the University of Westminster(that explains why a bit of this podcast almost sounded like an ad - it wasn't tho!) and man, does she have the brains! (and the gainz!). Seriously tho, it was great to have the opportunity to have a chat about what lead us to studying nutrition and our future goals, considering we're close to finishing the masters.
In this episode, we talk about life choices and how you can pursue your passion (in Steph's case it was nutrition) despite some initial obstacles, adopt new habits and crush your goals. We talk about bullshit weight loss methods that only work to strip you of your hard earned coin and delve into why some people still think Miguel is spanish.
Have a great week guys!
Hey you!
Have you heard about "broscience"? The one and only, science of the bros. Legend has it that the biggest, swolest dude in the gym holds the key for everyone's gains. Thus, he becomes the "brofessor". That's why everyone strives to be the biggest and most jacked at their gym. They crave the secret to the gainz.
Alas, we digress! Throughout our lifting careers, we've tried all sorts of different strategies in the quest for the gains. We've chugged BCAAS, ate whole roast chickens inside a small car on a hot summer day (cough Fran cough), had discussions whether creatine was a steroid and whether whey was a superfood sent by the gods to bless our gains.
On this episode we go over most of the broscience we believed to be true and guide you through the jungle of the bros, so you can draw your own conclusions in your quest for the gains.
Single bicep flex
Hey guys!
How have you been doing? Eating good, tasty, food? We sure hope so!
On today's episode we're talking about how to cook, delicious and nutritious foods during the quarantine. We're aware that a lot of you (ourselves included) don't have the same access to food and may need to be a bit more creative (cough uber eats cough). Does this mean you have to eat like you're on a "diet"? Hell nah.
Although it's perfectly fine to eat foods that may not be considered as "healthy", they can be a good mental boost and help you feel better, which is very important right now. However, if you have goals of maintaining a certain body composition or want to improve your health, this is a great opportunity to brush up (or learn) on cooking skills to make sure you're keeping up with your goals.
We talk about food, cooking and being adaptable, we talk about nutrition and we talk about gainz. What else could someone ask for?
Hope you guys had a wonderful easter!
The Gains crew salutes you with a single bicep flex
Hello everyone!
Today we're taking you on a trip to the past. A time, not so long ago, when the founders of this podcast, Fran and Miguel met at the University of Westminster in London to get continue their epic quest into in the pursuit of gains.
It's quite interesting how this episode came to be. We wanted to start a youtube channel and do some educational videos with some gainz and humour in the mixture so we went to a park near our University to record our first episode. It took us quite a few takes but we got some kickass footage and had a lot of fun in the process, if I can say so myself. When we were going for lunch, we thought it would be cool to have a podcast for people who prefer to listen to something while they're doing something else, be it running, cooking, chilling, making some sweet, sweet gains, whatever floats your boat.
Excited with the idea, we decided to record our very first intro episode on the spot which had some good things like originality and improvising on the spot with no filters, however, being in central london, there was a lot of traffic and some bits may not have the best quality of audio. Nonetheless, it should give you an idea of what we want to do with this project and give you a bit of insight on who these meatheads really are. We're also releasing the video we had originally done to start the series. You can check it out on my IG @migueldmendes.
Hope you enjoy the episode!
Welcome to the first (of many) episode of the "Something Something Gains" Podcast. We're your hosts, Fran and Miguel. Disclaimer: We're still deciding on the name of the Podcast but we're all about them gains so one thing we know for sure is that it MUST have gains in the name.
Who are you guys?
Fran and I met last September in London as were both taking an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition. We quickly got along and found out that we have a lot in common, a passion for bodybuilding, nutrition and self-improvement. After a nice lunch, we thought it would be a cool project if we shared our experiences and we've learned about the gains (all kinds of gains) throughout the years.
What's the episode about?
We were thinking of introducing ourselves on the first episode but life doesn't always go as planned. The world is upside down as we're all adapting to a new homebound reality so we thought it would be more important to share how we're staying sane and what's been working well for us and the future of our gains, in this tough period. We're all in this together.
Spoiler alert: The Gains survive. Oh yeah!