Ep. #106: Bret Contreras on understanding nutrition & exercise science

In this podcast I interview Bret Contreras, who’s a scientist, author, coach, and one of the leaders of the evidence-based fitness movement AND an all-around cool dude to boot. If you’ve heard of him already, you probably know him as the “glute guy” that can teach you everything you need to know about building a great butt, and while that’s true, that’s not what I wanted to talk to him about because, well, I figured he might enjoy a change of pace. So, in this interview, I chat with Bret about nutrition and exercise science and get his thoughts on all kinds of things ranging from what makes for good and bad science, how to become more scientific in your thinking, his favorite researchers and labs, how to reconcile conflicting studies, and more. I wanted to do this interview because more and more fitness “gurus” are appealing to science to sell their ideas and wares these days, and it’s getting harder and harder for everyday people to distinguish the hucksters from the genuine articles. So, I hope you find Bret’s thoughts insightful. Here’s the interview... 5:01 - What science is good and what is bad? How do we improve scientific literacy? 17:39 - What is the process of trying to become more scientific? 27:17 - What have you learned over the years about getting in shape? What have you been wrong about? 32:44 - How do you become more scientific? 36:29 - Who are the best researchers, the best labs, and the best journals? 43:57 - What do you do when studies are conflicting? What's involved in study design? 49:44 - Where does knowledge in strength and conditioning come from? 1:00:52 - Where can we find your work? Want to get my best advice on how to gain muscle and strength and lose fat faster? Sign up for my free newsletter! Click here: https://www.muscleforlife.com/signup/