The Ben Azadi Show

If you’ve followed every belly fat protocol perfectly and still can’t lose weight, the missing piece may have very little to do with food. It may be that your body doesn’t feel safe enough to let go.

In this episode, Ben Azadi sits down with Josh Trent, host of the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast and creator of the Liberated Life Tribe, to explore the emotional side of stubborn weight and why so many people stall even when they do everything “right.” Josh went from 280 pounds to a decade as a personal trainer. He explains how a reverse breathing pattern can keep the nervous system braced for threat, and why he believes chronic stress makes it so hard to release old weight. He also shares what happened to his own HRV and resting heart rate during three months on retatrutide. Then he introduces emotional epigenetics, the idea that unconscious beliefs and emotional patterns can carry through families. If you know what to do but can’t seem to do it, Josh’s simple four-step model may show you exactly where you’re getting stuck.



About the Guest

Josh Trent is the host of the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast, which has published more than 850 episodes over 11 years, and creator of the Liberated Life Tribe. A former personal trainer who once weighed 280 pounds, Josh teaches breathwork, emotional intelligence and what he calls emotional epigenetics.

Website: https://wellnessandwisdom.com

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Instagram: Josh Trent (REAL) (@joshtrentofficial) • Instagram profile

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Health DisclaimerThis podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health, diet, or medication.

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Why does losing belly fat become more challenging after 40, even with consistent exercise and calorie restriction?

In this episode of The Ben Azadi Show, Ben Azadi welcomes fitness expert, author, and podcast host Doug Bopst for an in-depth conversation about the factors influencing fat loss, metabolic health, and body composition as we age.

Together, they challenge conventional weight-loss strategies, exploring why simply eating less and exercising more may not always deliver sustainable results. The discussion examines the roles of insulin resistance, metabolic flexibility, muscle preservation, and hormonal responses in the body's ability to manage energy and stored fat.

Ben and Doug also explore how fasting, meal timing, sleep quality, and stress management can influence metabolic health, emphasizing the importance of developing sustainable habits rather than relying exclusively on calorie restriction or intense exercise.

Throughout the conversation, they offer practical insights into optimizing health after 40, highlighting the value of understanding individual metabolic needs and building a long-term approach to fat loss, physical performance, and overall well-being.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Doug Bopst is a fitness expert, author, motivational speaker, and host of The Adversity Advantage podcast, where he interviews leading experts and thought leaders on health, fitness, personal development, and overcoming adversity.

Recognized for his personal transformation and commitment to helping others improve their lives, Doug combines his experience in fitness and coaching with a strong emphasis on discipline, resilience, and sustainable lifestyle changes.

Through his work, Doug encourages individuals to overcome personal challenges, develop healthier habits, and pursue lasting improvements in physical and mental well-being.

In this episode, he joins Ben Azadi to share his perspective on metabolic health, stubborn fat loss, nutrition, fasting, and the importance of adapting health strategies with age. Their discussion connects practical experience with emerging research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable weight management and long-term health.

HEALTH DISCLAIMER

The information shared in this episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

FOLLOW DOUG BOPST

Website: Doug Bopst | Official Website

About Doug | Personal Trainer, Author & Podcast Host

Instagram: Doug Bopst (@dougbopst)

YouTube: Doug Bopst (@dougbopst1)

Podcast: The Adversity Advantage with Doug Bopst

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My friend Chris was doing one meal a day in a calorie deficit for years and still carried over 100 pounds of extra fat. I tripled his calories, stopped his fasting, and he lost 70 pounds in a few months. In this episode, Dr. David Jockers and I explain why your metabolism responds to signals, not math, and how to use keto and fasting without letting them backfire.

Keto works. Fasting works. That's exactly why so many people end up overdoing them.

There are two kinds of metabolic inflexibility. The first is the one 93% of Americans are stuck in: they can only burn sugar. But there's a second kind that hides inside the keto and fasting world. It's the person who's been in ketosis so long their body forgot how to handle carbs, and their hormones start paying the price.

In this conversation, Dr. David Jockers and I break down how to get the benefits of ketosis without the drawbacks: why higher ketones aren't better, why the timing of your meals may matter more than you think, and why the most important fat-loss window happens while you're asleep.

What if you've been doing keto "right," and that's exactly the problem?

In this episode, Dr. David Jockers and I dig into ketosis as a metabolic process, not just a diet, and why most people never learned how to use it properly. We cover how to test ketones the right way, why chasing the highest number can be a mistake, and the blood ketone range I consider the sweet spot for fat loss and longevity.

I explain the core idea behind Keto Flex: getting fat adapted first, then intentionally flexing in and out of ketosis. We get into what long-term strict keto may do to thyroid markers, testosterone, and cortisol, and what a proper flex day looks like (hint: it's not high carb and high fat at the same time).

Then we get into fasting and meal timing. I share a study that changed my mind about breakfast, the one rule I'd make everyone follow if they took only one thing from this episode, and why the hours right after you fall asleep may matter more for fat loss than your time in the gym.

Plus: the two biggest keto mistakes I see, why your liver might be the real reason fat "doesn't agree with you," a client who lost about 70 pounds after pausing his 5 AM workouts, and why tripling someone's calories helped him lose weight.

If you've tried keto or fasting and hit a wall, this one will change how you approach them.

FOLLOW DR. DAVID JOCKERSWebsite: Dr. Jockers | Functional Nutrition & Natural HealthHomeAbout Dr. Jockers: About Dr. David JockersAbout Dr. JockersInstagram: Dr. David Jockers (@drjockers)Dr David Jockers DC, DNM, MS (@drjockers) • Instagram profileYouTube: Dr. David JockersDr David Jockers

Health Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, fasting routine, exercise, or health routine, especially if you have diabetes or take medication.

FOLLOW BEN AZADIInstagram: Ben Azadi (@thebenazadi) • Instagram profileFacebook: Ben Azadi, FDN-PTikTok: Ben Azadi - Metabolic Freedom on TikTokLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benazadiYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenAzadiWebsite: Ben Azadi

📚 GET BEN'S BOOKS:Metabolic Freedom: Metabolic FreedomKeto Flex: Get KetoFlex + Bonuses

Get 10% off Lineage Provisions with code FREEDOM10 at ⁠https://bit.ly/4hM7tQ6⁠

Eat less, move more. It's what almost every doctor tells you, and research suggests most people who rely on it regain the weight within a few years. Dr. Paul Saladino and I tier rank exercise, nutrition, supplements, sleep, and biohacks to show what actually moves the needle on visceral fat, and why your hunger may be the real problem.

Eat less. Move more.

It's the advice almost everyone gets when the doctor says their waistline is too big. And it can work, for a while. Then the weight comes back, often with extra.

Dr. Paul Saladino argues that's because calorie counting ignores the real question: why are you so hungry in the first place? His answer starts in a small part of your brain that controls whether you feel full, and what the modern food supply may be doing to it.

In this episode, Paul and I build a 30-day plan for losing visceral fat, the hard, round belly fat wrapped around your organs. We rank exercise, foods, supplements, sleep habits, and biohacks from S tier to D tier. Some of the rankings surprised even me.

You can't pinch visceral fat. It sits around your organs, drains straight to your liver, and Dr. Paul Saladino calls it the center of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.

In this episode, Paul and I break down what visceral fat is, how it forms when your body runs out of room to store fat safely, and the simple, inexpensive lab test both of us think everyone should get, even if your blood sugar looks normal.

Then we put everything to the test with a tier list. We rank exercise for visceral fat, from post-meal walks to marathon running, and Paul shares why he used to run ultramarathons and wouldn't recommend chronic cardio now. We also respectfully disagree on fasted training.

On nutrition, Paul explains how he went from carnivore to animal-based to what he calls "Food For Humans," why he believes calories are a psyop, and how processed foods may disrupt the part of your brain that tells you you're full. He also shares his view on GLP-1 medications: what they do well, and the side effect that worries him most.

Plus, Paul ranks creatine, magnesium, vitamin D, fish oil, and berberine, explains why light flicker at night may be hurting your sleep, and tells us why he won't eat at restaurants with LED lighting.

If you want to lose stubborn belly fat without white-knuckling your way through another diet, this is one to watch.

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Code: FREEDOM10

About the Guest

Dr. Paul Saladino is a board-certified medical doctor who worked as a physician assistant in cardiology before medical school and completed his residency at the University of Washington. After using a carnivore diet to address his own eczema, he became one of the most recognized voices in the carnivore and animal-based nutrition space and wrote The Carnivore Code. He left formal medical practice to focus on asking "why" about chronic disease, and is behind Lineage Provisions, the upcoming book Food For Humans, and Mr. Tallow's, a healthy fast food restaurant coming to Austin, Texas.

FOLLOW DR. PAUL SALADINO

Instagram: Dr. Paul Saladino (@paulsaladinomd)

YouTube: Paul Saladino MD • YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@Paulsaladinomd

Health Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, exercise, supplements, or medications.

FOLLOW BEN AZADIInstagram: Ben Azadi (@thebenazadi) • Instagram profileFacebook: Ben Azadi, FDN-PTikTok: Ben Azadi - Metabolic Freedom on TikTokLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benazadiYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenAzadiWebsite: Ben Azadi

📚 GET BEN'S BOOKS:Metabolic Freedom: Metabolic FreedomKeto Flex: Get KetoFlex + Bonuses

Would you rather be 90 with a billion dollars, or 20 with your health, your relationships, and your whole life ahead of you? Most people answer that instantly. Then they spend their lives living the opposite way. Alex and I break down the five types of wealth and why chasing only one of them could leave you rich and empty at the same time.

When you hear the word wealth, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

Money. For almost everyone.

But money is just one of five types of wealth, and it's not the biggest one. You can hit your financial goals and still be broke in time, health, relationships, and peace of mind. Alex knows this firsthand. He was building a business, traveling across the country, and working nonstop "for the family." Then his marriage ended.

In this episode, we talk about what real wealth looks like, why reaching your goal can still feel empty, and how to stop climbing a mountain you never really wanted to be on.

What if you're chasing the wrong kind of rich?

In this episode, Alex and I break down the five types of wealth from Sahil Bloom's book: time, social, mental, physical, and financial wealth. Most people only measure one of them. And when money becomes the only scoreboard, everything else quietly starts to fall apart.

Alex opens up about the moment he realized he'd prioritized business so hard that his marriage paid the price, and what he does differently now. We get into why money is like a magnifying glass, why reaching a big goal can feel strangely empty, and the definition of success that completely changed how I think about goals.

We also talk about the question that makes everything clear: would you trade places with a 90-year-old billionaire? Plus, why I believe in dying with zero, the biggest regret people are likely to have at 80, and the story of a single conversation that almost stopped Bob Proctor before he ever started.

Alex also shares how he got turned down by 30 to 40 investors before raising $1.45 million, and why the next wedding photo, business milestone, or number in your bank account isn't where the wealth actually lives.

If you're an entrepreneur, a high achiever, or someone who's hit the goal and still feels like something is missing, this one's for you.

FOLLOW BEN AZADIInstagram: Ben Azadi (@thebenazadi) • Instagram profileFacebook: Ben Azadi, FDN-PTikTok: Ben Azadi - Metabolic Freedom on TikTokLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benazadiYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenAzadiWebsite: Ben Azadi

📚 GET BEN'S BOOKS:Metabolic Freedom: Metabolic FreedomKeto Flex: Get KetoFlex + Bonuses