Mind Pump Ep 2736: DON'T Listen to Your Body!

Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge

Episode Overview

This episode of Mind Pump dives deep into the oft-repeated advice to "listen to your body" in fitness and wellness—and why this guidance can sometimes be misleading, or even harmful. Drawing from personal anecdotes, coaching experiences, and listener call-ins, Sal, Adam, and Justin challenge the notion that your body’s instincts are always trustworthy, especially when decades of habits, psychological baggage, or metabolic adaptations are in play. Through real-life coaching scenarios and nuanced discussion, the hosts illustrate when and how to question your body's signals, how to foster self-awareness, and how to wisely apply outside programming for longevity and genuine progress.

The episode features several live coaching calls, with a recurring focus on the challenges people face with CrossFit, GLP-1s (weight loss medications), lifestyle changes, and balancing real life with health goals. Throughout, listeners are reminded that real transformation often requires humility, objectivity, and sometimes, surrendering to guidance outside the self.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem with “Listen to Your Body” (04:48-13:01)

Nuanced Advice: "It's often said—hell, we've said it—'listen to your body.' But sometimes, that's actually terrible advice." (Sal Di Stefano, 04:48)
Misreading Signals: Years of overeating or undereating can distort your body's hunger/fullness cues. Similarly, if you've spent years associating exercise with self-punishment or extreme effort, your internal 'signals' can mislead you.
Client Example: Sal recounts coaching calls where clients, due to past eating disorders or body image issues, can’t accurately interpret hunger, fullness, or exertion.
Habitual Behavior: Adam shares ordering excess food out of habit, realizing it's driven less by hunger and more by old patterns: "I didn't even finish the first thing... it's just out of habit." (Sal, 07:37)
Exercise Intensity/Identity: Justin discusses how former athletes or overachievers often overtrain, thinking soreness and exhaustion equal progress: "You tend to overdo it and you’re not actually progressing." (Justin, 10:55)

2. Identifying Your True Challenges & Fears (13:01-16:38)

Fear as Driver: "What are your fears? Write them out—because those are what's driving a lot of this." (Sal, 13:01)
Progress Markers: Rather than relying on feeling, look at objective markers: strength, performance, energy, sleep.
Letting Go: Sometimes, the best move is surrendering to someone else's plan—especially if your own hasn’t worked for years.

3. The Role of Trust, Coaching, and Structure (16:38-20:28)

Trust the Coach: "The most important thing... is trust. They have to totally trust you because they’re going to be leaning on you, not themselves." (Sal, 16:38)
Objective Measures: Focus on measurable progress, like strength, not feelings or the scale—“Avoid the mirror and the scale at all costs." (Sal, 19:12)
Awareness: Question urges that seem frantic or compulsive—“Your urges are going to feel frantic... it’s like jerking the steering wheel." (Sal, 20:28)

4. Social and Environmental Factors (21:52-22:51)

Accountability & External Feedback: Check in with trusted friends/family who see you infrequently—they're more likely to notice positive changes than those who see you daily.

5. The Dangers and Downsides of Social Media Fame (27:59-41:16)

The hosts shift to a wide-ranging conversation about the perils of online fame, algorithm-driven personas, and the erosion of true identity.
"Attention like that is a curse... I bet if you took 100 people and gave them sudden social media fame, 99 would turn out worse." (Sal, 38:27)
Reflections on coaching, vulnerability, and accountability with a team vs. solo enterprise.

Live Coaching Calls & Q&A

Each coaching call exposes real struggles with habit, environment, and physiology—and how to thoughtfully intervene.

Dawn – Addicted to CrossFit, Injury, and GLP-1 (57:46-69:17)

Caller Profile

54 years old, longtime fitness enthusiast with a break, recent CrossFit convert, multiple injuries, currently on Tirzepatide (GLP-1 agonist), wants muscle and longevity but can't "quit" CrossFit.

Key Moments & Advice

Underlying Addiction: Hosts make the case that her relationship to CrossFit has parallels to addiction. "There’s a relationship with this that is very similar to what someone may have with an addictive substance." (Sal, 63:50)
Real Talk: "If you want longevity... you have to do it, because I’m going to tell you right now, if you don’t stop, the injuries and the... challenges are going to get worse. Your body will stop you." (Sal/Di Stefano, 65:04)
Community vs. Behavior: Dawn protests that it's the people, not the activity, she's addicted to. The hosts point out that trying to socialize at the gym without joining the WOD is like "going to the bar and not drinking" (Sal, 66:09).
Best Path Forward: Surrender to professional guidance, accept help, and expect the shift to be uncomfortable but worthwhile; "Put it on us. We gotcha." (Sal, 68:48)
Memorable Quote: "Whenever I’ve worked with someone... when they say, 'I can’t do this on my own'—that’s the big first step. The rest now, you put it on your coach." (Sal Di Stefano, 68:23)

Joe – 20-Year-Old Trainer, Factory Worker, Overworked & Underslept (71:12-77:48)

Caller Profile

Young, ambitious personal trainer working a grueling factory job and training clients.

Key Points

Scale It Back: With ~5 hours of sleep/night, he’s advised to drop to low-volume strength training (MAPS 15), prioritize sleep/nutrition, and give up on high-frequency bodybuilding splits.
Business/Life Advice: Use current grind to build savings, aim to transition to full-time training, consider gym es with more foot traffic (e.g., Crunch).
"You gotta work out way less because you’re getting so little sleep." (Sal, 73:32)

Kevin – New Dad, Former Trainer, Misses His Old Routine (78:43-90:02)

Caller Profile

33, ex-trainer now in medical sales, new parent to twins, life and workout logistics have completely shifted.

Guidance

Let Go of Old Mentality: "You’re still doing it all, brother. You just have kids and a wife and are supporting everybody." (Sal, 82:01)
Efficient Protocol: Switch from high-volume training to something sustainable for his new life demands—either 2x/week full-body or MAPS 15, with any extra gym time spent walking to offset high sedentary time.
On Mindset: “Here’s the realization you’re going to have, Kevin: you’ve done too much. Man, I didn’t need to do as much as I thought.” (Sal, 89:05)

Jasmine – Hypothyroid, Massive Weight Loss, GLP-1 Concerns (90:48-106:48)

Caller Profile

31, born with hypothyroidism, formerly 270 lbs, dropped to 185 on GLP-1, recently regained to ~205 after stopping medication, struggling to maintain and plagued by guilt.

Host Approach

Self-Compassion: “This process is going to be full of stumbles… if you don’t give yourself grace, what’ll creep in is shame.” (Sal, 95:54)
Protein-First Nutrition: No calorie counting, just hit 150g protein daily, eat it first at every meal.
Best Training Plan: Follow the 3x/week MAPS Anabolic program, supplement with walking.
GLP-1 Strategy: If possible, use a compounded version and scale dose down slowly with medical supervision—avoid abrupt cessation.
On Measurement: Don't fixate on calories or the scale. “Focus on how you feel: energy, joy, enjoyment of the workout, strength.” (Sal, 106:07)

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Misguided Intuition: "Listening to my body got me here—listening to my body is what got me into this mess." (Sal, 05:34)
On Identity and Training: "Often we got in the ‘best shape’ of our life in spite of how we trained. If we’d trained better, we could have been even better." (Sal & Adam, 12:53)
On Overdoing It: "Doing more, eating less, pushing harder—these urges are more like reflexes than wisdom." (Sal, 20:28)
On Fame/Authenticity: “Attention like that is a curse. If you gave a hundred people sudden social media fame, ninety-nine would turn out worse.” (Sal, 38:27)

Highlighted Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:48-13:01| Why “listen to your body” can be damaging; distorting hunger & effort signals | | 13:01-16:38| Identifying fears and challenges; objectivity and progress markers | | 16:38-20:28| Trust and surrender to coaching; questioning urges, tracking strength | | 21:52-22:51| Social feedback and accountability | | 27:59-41:16| The perils of algorithm-driven fitness fame, authenticity, and ego | | 57:46-69:17| Coaching Call #1: Dawn—CrossFit, injury, and addiction to intensity | | 71:12-77:48| Coaching Call #2: Joe—Overworked young trainer | | 78:43-90:02| Coaching Call #3: Kevin—Former bodybuilder, new dad, rebalancing priorities | | 90:48-106:48| Coaching Call #4: Jasmine—Hypothyroid, GLP-1, and mindset around weight regain |

Tone and Takeaways

The hosts’ advice is direct, compassionate, and sometimes tough-love, striking a balance between science-backed strategies, personal anecdotes, and insight into the psychological struggles that sabotage progress.
Repeated encouragement to measure progress objectively, be kind to oneself through setbacks, and trust in well-designed plans—especially when self-made strategies have failed to produce sustainable results.
Practical, actionable steps are given for each caller, with warmth and positivity, focusing on identity shifts, sustainable habits, and self-compassion.

Final Words

"Focus on how you feel, energy, the joy... if you focus on feeling good, enjoying the workouts, that will direct you far better than anything else." (Sal, 106:07)
Self-awareness and surrendered humility—combined with smart, outside guidance—are the keys to lasting health and a positive relationship with food, fitness, and yourself.

For more episodes and resources:
Find Mind Pump on Instagram @mindpumpmedia or visit mindpumppodcast.com.
For expert fitness programs: mapsfitnessproducts.com (check for ongoing promos!).

Mind Pump Ep 2736: DON'T Listen to Your Body!

Date: November 26, 2025
Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem with “Listen to Your Body” (04:48-13:01)

Nuanced Advice: "It's often said—hell, we've said it—'listen to your body.' But sometimes, that's actually terrible advice." (Sal Di Stefano, 04:48)
Misreading Signals: Years of overeating or undereating can distort your body's hunger/fullness cues. Similarly, if you've spent years associating exercise with self-punishment or extreme effort, your internal 'signals' can mislead you.
Client Example: Sal recounts coaching calls where clients, due to past eating disorders or body image issues, can’t accurately interpret hunger, fullness, or exertion.
Habitual Behavior: Adam shares ordering excess food out of habit, realizing it's driven less by hunger and more by old patterns: "I didn't even finish the first thing... it's just out of habit." (Sal, 07:37)
Exercise Intensity/Identity: Justin discusses how former athletes or overachievers often overtrain, thinking soreness and exhaustion equal progress: "You tend to overdo it and you’re not actually progressing." (Justin, 10:55)

2. Identifying Your True Challenges & Fears (13:01-16:38)

Fear as Driver: "What are your fears? Write them out—because those are what's driving a lot of this." (Sal, 13:01)
Progress Markers: Rather than relying on feeling, look at objective markers: strength, performance, energy, sleep.
Letting Go: Sometimes, the best move is surrendering to someone else's plan—especially if your own hasn’t worked for years.

3. The Role of Trust, Coaching, and Structure (16:38-20:28)

Trust the Coach: "The most important thing... is trust. They have to totally trust you because they’re going to be leaning on you, not themselves." (Sal, 16:38)
Objective Measures: Focus on measurable progress, like strength, not feelings or the scale—“Avoid the mirror and the scale at all costs." (Sal, 19:12)
Awareness: Question urges that seem frantic or compulsive—“Your urges are going to feel frantic... it’s like jerking the steering wheel." (Sal, 20:28)

4. Social and Environmental Factors (21:52-22:51)

Accountability & External Feedback: Check in with trusted friends/family who see you infrequently—they're more likely to notice positive changes than those who see you daily.

5. The Dangers and Downsides of Social Media Fame (27:59-41:16)

The hosts shift to a wide-ranging conversation about the perils of online fame, algorithm-driven personas, and the erosion of true identity.
"Attention like that is a curse... I bet if you took 100 people and gave them sudden social media fame, 99 would turn out worse." (Sal, 38:27)
Reflections on coaching, vulnerability, and accountability with a team vs. solo enterprise.

Live Coaching Calls & Q&A

Each coaching call exposes real struggles with habit, environment, and physiology—and how to thoughtfully intervene.

Dawn – Addicted to CrossFit, Injury, and GLP-1 (57:46-69:17)

Caller Profile

54 years old, longtime fitness enthusiast with a break, recent CrossFit convert, multiple injuries, currently on Tirzepatide (GLP-1 agonist), wants muscle and longevity but can't "quit" CrossFit.

Key Moments & Advice

Underlying Addiction: Hosts make the case that her relationship to CrossFit has parallels to addiction. "There’s a relationship with this that is very similar to what someone may have with an addictive substance." (Sal, 63:50)
Real Talk: "If you want longevity... you have to do it, because I’m going to tell you right now, if you don’t stop, the injuries and the... challenges are going to get worse. Your body will stop you." (Sal/Di Stefano, 65:04)
Community vs. Behavior: Dawn protests that it's the people, not the activity, she's addicted to. The hosts point out that trying to socialize at the gym without joining the WOD is like "going to the bar and not drinking" (Sal, 66:09).
Best Path Forward: Surrender to professional guidance, accept help, and expect the shift to be uncomfortable but worthwhile; "Put it on us. We gotcha." (Sal, 68:48)
Memorable Quote: "Whenever I’ve worked with someone... when they say, 'I can’t do this on my own'—that’s the big first step. The rest now, you put it on your coach." (Sal Di Stefano, 68:23)

Joe – 20-Year-Old Trainer, Factory Worker, Overworked & Underslept (71:12-77:48)

Caller Profile

Young, ambitious personal trainer working a grueling factory job and training clients.

Key Points

Scale It Back: With ~5 hours of sleep/night, he’s advised to drop to low-volume strength training (MAPS 15), prioritize sleep/nutrition, and give up on high-frequency bodybuilding splits.
Business/Life Advice: Use current grind to build savings, aim to transition to full-time training, consider gym es with more foot traffic (e.g., Crunch).
"You gotta work out way less because you’re getting so little sleep." (Sal, 73:32)

Kevin – New Dad, Former Trainer, Misses His Old Routine (78:43-90:02)

Caller Profile

33, ex-trainer now in medical sales, new parent to twins, life and workout logistics have completely shifted.

Guidance

Let Go of Old Mentality: "You’re still doing it all, brother. You just have kids and a wife and are supporting everybody." (Sal, 82:01)
Efficient Protocol: Switch from high-volume training to something sustainable for his new life demands—either 2x/week full-body or MAPS 15, with any extra gym time spent walking to offset high sedentary time.
On Mindset: “Here’s the realization you’re going to have, Kevin: you’ve done too much. Man, I didn’t need to do as much as I thought.” (Sal, 89:05)

Jasmine – Hypothyroid, Massive Weight Loss, GLP-1 Concerns (90:48-106:48)

Caller Profile

31, born with hypothyroidism, formerly 270 lbs, dropped to 185 on GLP-1, recently regained to ~205 after stopping medication, struggling to maintain and plagued by guilt.

Host Approach

Self-Compassion: “This process is going to be full of stumbles… if you don’t give yourself grace, what’ll creep in is shame.” (Sal, 95:54)
Protein-First Nutrition: No calorie counting, just hit 150g protein daily, eat it first at every meal.
Best Training Plan: Follow the 3x/week MAPS Anabolic program, supplement with walking.
GLP-1 Strategy: If possible, use a compounded version and scale dose down slowly with medical supervision—avoid abrupt cessation.
On Measurement: Don't fixate on calories or the scale. “Focus on how you feel: energy, joy, enjoyment of the workout, strength.” (Sal, 106:07)

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Misguided Intuition: "Listening to my body got me here—listening to my body is what got me into this mess." (Sal, 05:34)
On Identity and Training: "Often we got in the ‘best shape’ of our life in spite of how we trained. If we’d trained better, we could have been even better." (Sal & Adam, 12:53)
On Overdoing It: "Doing more, eating less, pushing harder—these urges are more like reflexes than wisdom." (Sal, 20:28)
On Fame/Authenticity: “Attention like that is a curse. If you gave a hundred people sudden social media fame, ninety-nine would turn out worse.” (Sal, 38:27)

Highlighted Segment Timestamps

Tone and Takeaways

The hosts’ advice is direct, compassionate, and sometimes tough-love, striking a balance between science-backed strategies, personal anecdotes, and insight into the psychological struggles that sabotage progress.
Repeated encouragement to measure progress objectively, be kind to oneself through setbacks, and trust in well-designed plans—especially when self-made strategies have failed to produce sustainable results.
Practical, actionable steps are given for each caller, with warmth and positivity, focusing on identity shifts, sustainable habits, and self-compassion.

Final Words

"Focus on how you feel, energy, the joy... if you focus on feeling good, enjoying the workouts, that will direct you far better than anything else." (Sal, 106:07)
Self-awareness and surrendered humility—combined with smart, outside guidance—are the keys to lasting health and a positive relationship with food, fitness, and yourself.

For more episodes and resources:
Find Mind Pump on Instagram @mindpumpmedia or visit mindpumppodcast.com.
For expert fitness programs: mapsfitnessproducts.com (check for ongoing promos!).

2736:DON'T listen to your body!

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Summary

Mind Pump Ep 2736: DON'T Listen to Your Body!

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem with “Listen to Your Body” (04:48-13:01)

2. Identifying Your True Challenges & Fears (13:01-16:38)

3. The Role of Trust, Coaching, and Structure (16:38-20:28)

4. Social and Environmental Factors (21:52-22:51)

5. The Dangers and Downsides of Social Media Fame (27:59-41:16)

Live Coaching Calls & Q&A

Dawn – Addicted to CrossFit, Injury, and GLP-1 (57:46-69:17)

Caller Profile

Key Moments & Advice

Joe – 20-Year-Old Trainer, Factory Worker, Overworked & Underslept (71:12-77:48)

Caller Profile

Key Points

Kevin – New Dad, Former Trainer, Misses His Old Routine (78:43-90:02)

Caller Profile

Guidance

Jasmine – Hypothyroid, Massive Weight Loss, GLP-1 Concerns (90:48-106:48)

Caller Profile

Host Approach

Notable Quotes & Moments

Highlighted Segment Timestamps

Tone and Takeaways

Final Words

Summary

Mind Pump Ep 2736: DON'T Listen to Your Body!

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem with “Listen to Your Body” (04:48-13:01)

2. Identifying Your True Challenges & Fears (13:01-16:38)

3. The Role of Trust, Coaching, and Structure (16:38-20:28)

4. Social and Environmental Factors (21:52-22:51)

5. The Dangers and Downsides of Social Media Fame (27:59-41:16)

Live Coaching Calls & Q&A

Dawn – Addicted to CrossFit, Injury, and GLP-1 (57:46-69:17)

Caller Profile

Key Moments & Advice

Joe – 20-Year-Old Trainer, Factory Worker, Overworked & Underslept (71:12-77:48)

Caller Profile

Key Points

Kevin – New Dad, Former Trainer, Misses His Old Routine (78:43-90:02)

Caller Profile

Guidance

Jasmine – Hypothyroid, Massive Weight Loss, GLP-1 Concerns (90:48-106:48)

Caller Profile

Host Approach

Notable Quotes & Moments

Highlighted Segment Timestamps

Tone and Takeaways

Final Words