Download my FREE macros guide: Nutrition 101 for Body Composition. Learn exactly how to set your protein, carbs, and fats for muscle building and fat loss using a flexible approach that works long-term: witsandweights.com/macros--Do carbs make you fat?Are spikes in blood sugar and insulin a problem for health or weight loss?Maybe you've been cutting carbs or tried keto or carnivore, yet your strength training progress has stalled, your recovery feels sluggish, and you're still not seeing the body composition results you want. The problem isn't your discipline. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of what insulin actually does (especially if you lift weights).Insulin is not a "fat-storage hormone" but a nutrient-partitioning hormone whose effects depend entirely on context: your training status, muscle mass, and energy balance. Learn how resistance training changes the way your body handles carbs, why lifters over 40 actually benefit from strategic insulin spikes, and how muscle tissue acts as a "sink" for glucose that determines where your nutrients go. It's not about eating unlimited carbs but understanding why carb tolerance is built through strength training and how to use that to your advantage, and to stop fearing spikes in blood sugar.Whether you want body recomp, trying to build muscle while losing fat, or wondering why your low-carb diet isn't working despite consistent strength training, this episode gives you an evidence-based framework to rethink your nutrition strategy. Plus, get a simple post-workout protocol that can improve your next-day training performance.Timestamps0:00 - Why carbs and insulin don't automatically cause fat gain3:20 - How training context changes what insulin does with your food7:25 - The real reason lifters fear carbs (and why it's misguided)11:55 - What insulin actually does (nutrient partitioning explained)18:40 - How carbs support muscle building, recovery, and strength training performance24:20 - Fat loss and insulin (why energy balance matters more than spikes)29:20 - Acute insulin spikes vs. chronic dysfunction (the critical difference for body recomp)📱 Get Fitness Lab (now 20% off) - Science-based coaching app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without the stress. 🎓 Join Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support + accountability (FREE custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance.👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram