Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates

#509 Brad Dieter - Lack of Disease Doesn’t Mean You’re Healthy

Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates

Show Notes

Brad Dieter, now CEO of FITTR, returns to the podcast to bring the perspective of his PhD in Exercise Physiology to a wide-ranging conversation about coaching, trust, health, alcohol research, GLP-1 medications, and the future of fitness.

We discuss:

• What the “commoditization of everything” means • Why commoditization can hurt both coaches and consumers • Where lower-cost standardized services can actually be beneficial • Where commoditization starts sacrificing quality • How the music industry offers a useful comparison for fitness coaching • Why high-service coaching may become even more valuable • The “tragedy of the commons” and why trust is a limited resource • How short-term influencer incentives can erode trust across an entire industry • Why real outreach and relationships still matter • How consumers can evaluate coaches and services • Wearables, health data, and information overload • Why good coaching should give people more agency, not less • Are we measuring health—or just measuring the absence of disease? • Why “normal” lab values do not necessarily represent optimal health or function • Functional health metrics and quality of life • Why we may be tracking the wrong markers • How observational research created the impression that light drinking was healthier than abstaining • Why the alcohol “J-curve” became so influential • Why panic around weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications can miss the bigger picture • And much more

Follow Brad:

@brad.dieter

CHAPTERS

01:49 Origins and Conferences 02:37 Commoditization Explained 06:02 The Music Industry Shift 09:21 The Future of Fitness Coaching 14:19 Grifters and High-Service Coaching 20:08 The Tragedy of the Commons 22:45 Rebuilding Through Real Outreach 25:22 Advice for Consumers 27:33 Wearables and Data Overload 30:29 Trust in Real Coaching 31:35 Giving People Agency 35:00 Rethinking Health Markers 36:57 Functional Health Metrics 40:11 Quality of Life Matters 43:18 Beyond “Normal” Labs 44:37 The Alcohol J-Curve Myth 49:26 The GLP-1 Rebound Conversation 54:57 Final Thoughts and Contact Info

SUPPORT THE SHOW

• Subscribe and check out more episodes • Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness • Send this to someone interested in coaching, health, or evidence-based fitness

FOLLOW ANDREW COATES

Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness

https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com

PARTNERS AND RESOURCES

ANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMS

Join my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs.

Choose between:

• Gym Upper/Lower • Home Upper/Lower • Full Body

Get full access to me with prompt responses.

Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%.

www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/

Questions?

https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=en

I would love to coach you.

MACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL

Download MacrosFirst and begin setting up your account.

When asked, “How did you hear about us?” enter:

ANDREW

JUST BITE ME MEALS

Use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off:

https://justbitememeals.com

More from Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates

Oct 22, 2026

James Krieger is one of the most trusted figures in the fitness industry and exercise-science research.

Oct 20, 2026

Luka Hocevar returns to discuss what it takes to build a successful career in fitness as automation, AI, algorithms, and information become increasingly abundant.

Oct 15, 2026

Steven Sahyoun coaches performance and rehabilitation, helping people move from injury back toward the demands of training and sport.

Oct 13, 2026

Stuart McMillan is one of the world’s most respected and decorated sprint coaches.He joins me to share his expertise on speed, sprinting, skipping, movement quality, youth development, coaching, and the balance between complexity and simplicity.We discuss:• Why adults tend to stop moving fast and powerfully• Why speed and intensity variability may matter as we age• Whether everyone actually needs to sprint• How to move fast in ways appropriate for your ability• Why movement variability matters• Why Stuart believes more adults should skip• Hip extension and the fundamentals behind skipping• How to progressively introduce skipping• How beginners can start sprint training• Managing sprint-related injury risk• Why consistency and gradual exposure matter• Coordination as a limiting factor• Why adults need to stop worrying about how movement looks to other people• Sprinting and speed development for young athletes• Why youth training should emphasize coordination and skill• Strength versus skill when thinking about injury risk• Why movement quality deserves more attention• Stuart’s six-part framework for assessing movement quality• Whether movement is effective, efficient, stable, adaptable, authentic, and aesthetic• Balancing art and science in coaching• How Stuart thinks about systems• Complexity versus simplicity• Why good coaching often becomes simpler with experience• “Safe to fail” experiments in coaching• Why mastery often involves subtraction• And much moreFollow Stuart:@fingermashCHAPTERS00:16 Why Adults Stop Sprinting02:10 Intensity Variability and Aging04:45 It’s Never Too Late to Train Speed05:45 Move Fast Your Way07:22 Why Stuart Loves Skipping08:48 Hip Extension Fundamentals12:08 Progressive Skipping Practice15:07 Beginner Sprint Progression18:40 Injury Risk and Consistency20:30 Coordination as a Skill Barrier21:51 Stop Caring How It Looks22:19 Coaching Kids to Move Fast25:07 Youth Coordination Over Strength26:26 Strength vs. Skill and Injuries27:50 Coordination Over Capacity29:49 Defining Movement Quality33:37 The Six-Word Movement Framework35:33 Authentic and Aesthetic Movement39:37 Balancing Art and Science42:33 Systems Thinking Basics48:18 Safe-to-Fail Coaching49:36 Simplicity After Complexity52:28 Mastery Through Subtraction55:18 Final Thoughts and Where to Follow StuartSUPPORT THE SHOW• Subscribe and check out more episodes• Share the episode and tag @andrewcoatesfitness• Send this to someone who hasn’t moved fast in yearsFOLLOW ANDREW COATESInstagram: @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCESANDREW COATES’ 13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMSJoin my Men’s or Women’s 13-Week Online Group Strength Programs.Choose between:• Gym Upper/Lower• Home Upper/Lower• Full BodyGet full access to me with prompt responses.Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%.www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/Questions?https://www.instagram.com/andrewcoatesfitness/?hl=enI would love to coach you.RP STRENGTH APPUse code COATESRP:https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesJUST BITE ME MEALSUse code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off:https://justbitememeals.comMACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIALDownload MacrosFirst and enter ANDREW when asked how you heard about the app.KNKG BAGS — 15% OFFhttps://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676VERSA GRIPPShttps://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoatesTRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIALhttps://www.trainheroic.com/liftfreeReply to the email you receive or email [email protected] and tell them Andrew sent you.L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSEUse code COATES:https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

Oct 8, 2026

Pete Dupuis is an icon of gym ownership, business development, and mentorship within the fitness industry.

See all episodes →