Jay Shetty & Andy Galpin ON 3 Ways to Lose Weight

Are you tired of fitness quick fixes that never stick?

In this On Purpose episode, Jay Shetty sits down with Dr. Andy Galpin, a pioneering performance scientist with a PhD in Human Bioenergetics, who transforms cutting-edge research into real-world strategies for sustainable strength and longevity.

Dr. Galpin explains how to tailor your routine to real-life demands—from flexible cardio to a simple quadrant system that balances diet, hydration, and everyday stress. By focusing on personal factors like time, finances, and lifestyle, the scientist reveals how muscle growth, improved confidence, and sharper focus can fit seamlessly into your life—without the rollercoaster of endless quick fixes. 

The Key to Sustainable Fitness

Dr. Andy Galpin and Jay Shetty discussed how most people chase overly specific fitness guidelines. Yet, he explains, fitness programs depend more on how consistently you stay active rather than on the tiny details of an elaborate plan. If you try to adhere to a very strict program and strive for perfection, you risk burning out within weeks.

The scientist explained that you can achieve more results if you are consistent than if you work out harder for a shorter period of time. For example, if you do short gym sessions three times a week and moderate walking, you may have better results because you keep doing the same routine over an extended period. Yet, doing an intense circuit for a week and then nothing will get you the desired outcome.

Dr. Galpin explained to Jay Shetty that you can achieve results even if you lack financial means - you can do push-ups in a corridor or repurpose water jugs for basic resistance. If you have time constraints, you can carve out some minutes of exercise in the evening instead of going for a 90-minute block of exercise. The important takeaway is to keep going.

A Year-Long Journey to Balanced Health

Dr. Galpin shared with Jay Shetty that long-lasting transformation rarely occurs every month. People may feel motivated by their resolutions in January yet abandon these goals as early as February. The solution he offers is to adjust your workout schedule around your yearly engagements.

If you dedicate specific times to intense exercise and understand that you cannot do the same amount every week, it helps you ease guilt. He suggests designating a "maintenance phase" during your busier times that consists of light strength training and some brisk walking, which can help prevent regression. When you have more time, you can allocate more energy to the gym, possibly increasing the training volume.

Dr. Andy Galpin told Jay Shetty that older athletes or busy professionals rotate training cycles. They might spend part of the year fixing mobility issues, then tackle heavier lifts once they feel structurally sound. This way, they avoid setting unrealistic standards for themselves. The scientist emphasizes that rather than going for a perfect routine, you need to make sure you adjust the intensity according to your needs.

The Quadrant Model: Where Does Your Energy Go?

Dr. Andy Galpin shared with Jay Shetty his quadrant model for allocating life resources. He assigns 10 points that can be spent across four life areas, depending on how much effort you put into each one at the moment. The categories are:

1. Business (or primary work),
2. Social/ Family,
3. Physical health,
4. Recovery (activities that restore well-being).

Depending on how many points you allocate to your Physical Health and recovery, you can adjust your training schedule. If you give it a low score, you can plan a small training plan, but don't expect great results. However, Dr. Galpin warns the listeners to make sure they save points also for rest and recovery.

The scientist explained to Jay Shetty that mapping out these points creates realistic expectations. If you need to allocate seven points to business for a major project, you can arrange a simpler routine to maintain your fitness. Later, if you wish to focus more on your physical goals, you can change the score for business to four or five and allow more time for workouts. Balancing the quadrants is an ongoing dance, constantly adjusting, but it is a good way to keep you from feeling like you've fallen short because you have an overview of how you invest your energy.

Mastering Muscle

Dr. Andy Galpin believes that muscle is more than mere looks but a way to maintain both physical independence and extended longevity. When we age, we start losing muscle at a more rapid rate. The scientist explained to Jay Shetty that people who exercise regularly to maintain their muscle mass maintain their autonomy for longer and can keep traveling, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries without assistance.

Moreover, Galpin illustrated the connection between leg strength and metabolic well-being, explaining that enough muscle helps regulate blood sugar, metabolic rate, and overall resilience. He told Jay Shetty that real muscle growth occurs when we use more strength regularly than what is needed to perform daily tasks. By regularly lifting heavier weights, you can maintain enough muscle to ensure your autonomy, stabilize your posture, and promote vitality for many years.

Cardio vs. Steps: How Movement Matters

Walking or running a mile burns approximately the same amount of calories, Dr. Galpin told Jay Shetty, but at different speeds. Depending on your available time, you may choose to walk or run the same distance. For the scientist, movement can be categorized into three global areas:

1. Human movement - leisure walks, playing with children, gardening, or taking standing breaks.
2. Structured cardiovascular exercise - intentional workouts.
3. Strength training - adding force to the muscles to increase their work more than usual.

Dr. Galpin explained to Jay Shetty that, depending on your daily routine, you may need to focus on different types of exercise - if you walk a lot as part of your active job, you may choose to focus more on brief, targeted exercises, combined with activities that significantly increase your heart rate. On the other hand, if you work a sedentary job, you may want to look into adding movement to your routine throughout the day. It is, however, important to integrate all three types of exercise into your week to improve your physical health.

Protein, Sleep, and The Basics

Dr. Andy Galpin told Jay Shetty that the most important nutritional factor is the total daily protein. He explained that one gram per pound of body weight should suffice, but each person reacts differently to this diet. Studies have shown that consuming 40 grams of protein half an hour before bedtime can benefit those struggling to meet daily targets, as long as it doesn't disrupt sleep or appetite.¹‍

Moreover, the scientist highlighted the need for quality sleep for muscle recovery, cognitive clarity, and overall strength. If you are constantly tired, a fitness program may fail, so Dr. Galpin suggests evaluating your evening routines before taking supplements. For example, late-night scrolling and phone use, along with caffeine consumption, may lead to poorer sleep and make you more tired overall.

Over or Underhydration

The scientist discussed the importance of hydrating yourself throughout the day. Dehydration can impair concentration, trigger headaches, or hinder muscle performance. Conversely, over-hydration can sometimes lower the electrolyte concentrations so drastically that you can feel fatigued or worse. In his experience, Dr. Galpin told Jay Shetty that around 10% of people suffer from brain fog due to dehydration or overhydration.

Men often forget to drink or rely heavily on coffee, while women sometimes overcompensate by drinking too much water, risking hyponatremia by diluting sodium levels. It is, therefore, essential to assess your drinking habits and understand if you drink too much or too little water.

Brain Fog and the Easy Fix

Dr. Galpin shared with Jay Shetty that people often misattribute brain fox to complex medical issues, yet they are usually the result of unhealthy daily habits. You may feel better simply by tracking your steps and water intake, as well as monitoring your sleep quality. Additionally, skipping breakfast can undermine mental clarity. Coupled with mild anxiety, these poor habits can keep the body in a fight-or-flight mode and cloud the mind.

When someone deals with brain fog, Dr. Andy Galpin suggests a two-week reset, focusing on daily movement, a bedtime routine, and proper hydration. In most cases, you will feel better afterward. The scientist also warns that no supplement can replace the benefits of consistent healthy habits. Brain fog is usually the sign our body sends out when our lifestyle and physical body are not in sync.

Women's Strength and the Myth of Different Workouts

Dr. Galpin shared with Jay Shetty that women often don't need different workouts than men. Contrary to popular belief, many women respond positively to increased training volume, recovering from multiple sets more efficiently than men. They also can gain strength or muscle mass at the same rate as men, so the differences are relatively small between genders.

Andy Galpin observed that women often arrive with misperceptions, believing they will bulk up too quickly or should only perform toning exercises. Yet the scientist told Jay Shetty he saw them excel with substantial lifts—squats, deadlifts, rows—and finishing with additional repetitions. For certain phases, a female athlete might do more total sets than a male counterpart at a similar level, leveraging that enhanced recovery ability.

When faced with PCOS or complex cycle phases, there is no universal guideline. Some might need an extra rest day. Others might consider adjusting total caloric intake or slightly lowering intensity during a tough week. If a woman is dealing with various symptoms that drain energy or increase pain, training is adjusted to accommodate those limitations. Yet Dr. Galpin emphasizes that each person is different and that the schedule needs to be adjusted individually.

When Life Shifts: Seasons of Focus

Dr. Andy Galpin told Jay Shetty that personal routines evolve through time. During busy periods, you should focus on maintaining muscle mass while calmer times allow for heavier lifts or weight loss. Trying to do everything simultaneously is a trap because real life seldom grants enough time or mental bandwidth.

The scientist concluded that muscle gain and effective weight management are less about strict formulas and more about adapting to your environment: a gentle approach during hectic times and focused effort during quieter moments. Dr. Galpin and Jay Shetty agree that health thrives best when it fits seamlessly into your schedule, not forced from outside. By prioritizing progress over perfection, small successes can accumulate, leading to a strong and energetic life.

More From Jay Shetty

Listen to the entire On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast episode “Andy Galpin ON 3 Ways to Lose Weight and Gain Muscle (the Fitness Plan You Will ACTUALLY Stick To)” now in the iTunes store or on Spotify. For more inspirational stories and messages like this, check out Jay’s website at jayshetty.me.

¹Snijders T, Trommelen J, Kouw IWK, Holwerda AM, Verdijk LB, van Loon LJC. The Impact of Pre-sleep Protein Ingestion on the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to Exercise in Humans: An Update. Front Nutr. 2019 Mar 6;6:17. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00017. PMID: 30895177; PMCID: PMC6415027.