Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

Episode 2768 – The Surprising Benefits of Gaining Body Fat

Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
Date: January 9, 2026

Overview

This episode of Mind Pump flips conventional fitness wisdom on its head by exploring the surprising benefits of gaining body fat, especially for fitness enthusiasts stuck on the perpetual quest to stay lean. The hosts challenge fat-loss dogma, explain why some people (even diehard fitness fanatics) might need to gain fat, and discuss the physiological, hormonal, and psychological benefits of carrying a bit more body fat. They also answer listener questions on squat technique, rest periods, creatine/caffeine, and hip mobility.

Main Discussion: Why Gaining Body Fat Might Be Healthy

[03:28–18:00]

Challenging "Fat-phobia"

• Sal opens by questioning the universal drive to lose fat:

  “All right, everybody says lose body fat, right? Body fat's bad for you. Got to get rid of it. But did you know that for some people, they need to gain body fat?... For a lot of you fitness fanatics…this is exactly what you need to do.” (Sal, 03:28)

• Adam and Sal discuss athlete body fat percentiles:

  • Athletes performing at their best often carry more fat than social media ideals.
  • Male athletes: Often perform best at ~15% body fat.
  • Going too low (below 10% for men, below 18% for women) can wreck hormones — lower testosterone for men, impaired fertility and lost periods for women.
  • Being slightly overweight and strong often yields better health outcomes than being underweight and weak. (Sal, 09:28)

The Physiology Behind Gaining Some Fat

• Adam observes “rebound” gains from moving from a calorie deficit to surplus:

  “Coming out of a show where I’m feeding the body consistently…man, I just, I felt like I was growing and building.” (Adam, 06:24)

• Sal explains the link between caloric surplus and muscle gain:

  • Very lean individuals may hover at maintenance or a deficit.
  • Simply eating more and allowing some fat gain can prompt muscle and strength increases even before massive body fat changes.
  • For most, pushing beyond chronic leanness (up to 11–12% for men, low 20s for women) boosts gym progress and subjective wellbeing. (Sal, 12:12)

Real-Life Effects: Hormones, Libido, and Wellbeing

• Hormonal effects:

  • Testosterone drops in men at low body fat.
  • Estrogen/progesterone wane in women, leading to lost periods and even bone density issues.
  • Examples: Female athletes developing osteopenia despite heavy training.

• Physical and mental benefits of higher body fat:

  "Your joints don't hurt. Like suddenly your joints feel better." (Sal, 11:06)
  "Hair and libido too... when they run low calorie like that ... crushes that libido." (Adam, 11:14)

  • Even bodybuilders on steroids get zero libido when shredded for competition:

    “You talk to a male bodybuilder on anabolic steroids, they got high testosterone. That’s right. And they're pre-contest. No libido.” (Sal, 11:31)

  • Improved sleep, skin/nails, mood also cited as immediate benefits.

• Reframing fitness goals:

  • Most people benefit from a short “season” (e.g., 2 months) spent gaining, tracking body fat and monitoring how they feel rather than chasing visibility of a six-pack.

  “Try going through a season, a 60 day season... let me track all the other stuff... You’ll be blown away and it may just change your relationship with fitness.” (Sal, 17:10)

The Social & Psychological Dimension

• Perceptions of attractiveness:
  • Both men and women tend to overestimate the level of leanness the opposite sex finds attractive.

    “Men try to achieve this look that women don’t even think are very attractive. And women do the same thing.” (Adam, 16:08)

  • Surveys show women prefer men at 12–15%, men prefer women ~22–26%.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I want to be clear... Even if my testosterone is high from steroids, if body fat is too low, libido is toast.” (Sal, 11:31)
• “When women chase a six pack... you're pretty much guaranteed to screw up your hormones.” (Sal, 14:07)
• “It’s only recently that we attributed being shredded to being healthy. This was almost never the case in human history.” (Sal, 14:25)
• “If you want to get all four [MAPS programs], go for it!” (Sal, promotional energy, 02:17)

Listener Q&A Highlights

On Butt Wink in Squats

[60:40–65:00]

• Explained: Tailbone tucks under at the bottom of a squat.
• For high-level lifters, butt wink at very bottom is almost unavoidable but not usually risky.
• For average clients, excessive lumbar movement is a problem—focus on core bracing, mobility, and limiting ROM until stable.

“There is a version of the butt wink that I think can be dangerous and bad. And then there’s a version that’s totally safe.” (Adam, 60:49)

Rest Periods: Should Heart Rate or Time Dictate?

[66:01–68:15]

• Both matter, but rest periods are especially important for replenishing ATP/energy, not just bringing heart rate down.
• Super-fit clients may feel ready to go sooner, but should wait 2–3 minutes to optimize strength and muscle gains.

“The rest periods are what make it strength training. More than almost anything else.” (Sal, 67:52)

Creatine + Caffeine: Do They Cancel Each Other Out?

[68:16–71:20]

• No significant evidence that caffeine negates creatine benefits.
• Don’t stress about taking them together; minor old studies are inconclusive.

“Even if there was a slight interference, it’s not enough for you to worry…” (Sal, 68:39)

Chronic Front Hip Soreness

[71:21–73:52]

• If stretching/foam rolling fails, weak hip flexors could be the culprit.
• Recommended: Strengthen with single-leg leg raises and 90/90 mobility exercises.

“If foam rolling and stretching isn't really impacting it…there’s probably a strength issue.” (Justin, 72:33)

Other Notable Segments

Real-World Coaching

[25:13–28:13]

• Sal and Adam discuss periodizing intensity:
  • One hard week a month, otherwise cruise.
  • “Better results” from backing off and not always “chasing the pump.”
• Emphasize the importance of “off-seasons” for fitness fanatics.

On Gut Health & Water Retention

[32:19–36:36]

• Sal reveals gut health transformation after treating parasites allowed him to eat more food, gain health, and bounce back from water retention and inflammation more quickly.
• Water retention can mask true leanness:

  "I could fluctuate 10 pounds of water. No problem... I've held water to the point where I was 8% body fat but didn’t have abs." (Sal, 35:32)

Humor & Group Dynamic

Running Thread/Various Timestamps

• Jokes about the group maintaining the same “combined weight” over years, ribbing each other about DEXA scans, and childhood games (pencil fighting, paper football).

Key Takeaways

• Low body fat isn’t always better: Very lean isn't healthier for most; moderate body fat percentages optimize hormones, libido, sleep, and resilience.
• Muscle and strength improve with adequate body fat and calories: Chronic dieting or living in a deficit impairs progress and overall health.
• Performance, health, and attractiveness often align with body fat levels higher than “Instagram lean”.
• Periodizing training (with “off-seasons”) leads to better results, especially for advanced lifters.
• Coaches should be alert to the risks of chronic leanness, especially for women.
• Gut health can greatly affect your physique, performance, and how much food you can tolerate.
• Technique and client individuality matter in assessing squat form, rest intervals, and mobility issues.

Recommended Experiments

• If you’re chronically lean, consider gaining a few percent body fat and closely track how you feel, sleep, recover, and perform over 30–60 days.
• Try periodizing your training—alternate periods of pushing hard with deloads or easier weeks.

Notable Quotes (With Timestamps)

• “You need body fat on your body. And it’s not just the extreme lows… if you're a dude and you like always walk around 9, 10%... Start eating more until you see your body fat go up to 11 and 12%. And tell me you don’t see crazy strength gains in the gym.” — Sal, 12:12
• “When women chase a six pack, you’re pretty much guaranteed to screw up your hormones.” — Sal, 14:07
• “Men try to achieve this look that women don’t even think are very attractive.” — Adam, 16:08
• “Being overweight but strong is better than being a little underweight and weak. Far better.” — Sal, 09:28
• “The rest periods are what make it strength training… More than almost anything else.” — Sal, 67:52

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:28 – 18:00: Main body fat discussion, myths, and benefits
• 11:06 – 12:45: Joint health, libido, muscle gains with higher body fat
• 17:10: Advice for chronic “fitness fanatics”
• 32:19 – 36:36: Gut health’s impact
• 60:40 – 65:00: Butt wink in squats Q&A
• 66:01 – 68:15: Rest periods: heart rate vs. time Q&A
• 68:16 – 71:20: Creatine with caffeine Q&A
• 71:21 – 73:52: Front hip soreness Q&A

This episode challenges fitness myths, highlights the tradeoffs of extreme leanness, and promotes a more sustainable, holistic view of health and performance—delivered in Mind Pump’s signature raw, witty style, with expert nuance and coach-to-coach honesty.