Build Muscle to Burn Fat & Age Better with Dr. Antonella Schwarz
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Vanessa Spina
4.6 • 795 Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2026
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Dr. Antonella Schwarz returns to the Optimal Protein Podcast to discuss her latest study restuls and why building muscle—not simply losing weight—is one of the most powerful things we can do for longevity, metabolic health, and body composition.
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In this episode, Vanessa and Dr. Schwarz dive into why the scale can be misleading, why fat loss is not the same as weight loss, and how resistance training helps preserve lean mass, support metabolism, and improve long-term health and independence.
They also explore Dr. Schwarz's latest research on high-protein intake and muscle adaptation, including why consistently hitting higher protein targets may support greater muscle size and strength gains—especially for active individuals and women as they age.
The conversation also covers resistance training during perimenopause, menopause, and pregnancy, including how lifting weights may support mood, confidence, bone density, body composition, and overall resilience. Dr. Schwarz also shares how she adapted her own training and nutrition while exercising throughout pregnancy.
In this episode:
- Why the scale may be misleading you about your true body composition
- The hidden downside of fat loss without resistance training
- What Dr. Schwarz's newest research revealed about higher protein intake and muscle growth
- Why strength may be one of the most important predictors of longevity and independence
- How resistance training may support women through perimenopause, menopause, and pregnancy
- Why a muscle-first approach could completely change the way you think about fat loss and aging
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The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Optimal Protein Podcast. I'm Vanessa Spina. Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the Optimal |
| 0:07.5 | Protein podcast. I'm your host Vanessa and I am so excited for today's episode. Today we're |
| 0:13.5 | welcoming back a returning guest, Dr. Antonella Schwartz, who you all absolutely love the first time |
| 0:20.0 | she was on the podcast. If you heard our |
| 0:23.0 | previous episode together, you'll remember that we had a powerful conversation around skeletal muscle, |
| 0:30.0 | why it matters so much for longevity, metabolic health, and body composition, and really |
| 0:35.2 | shifting the focus away from just fat loss and towards building muscle. |
| 0:39.9 | Now, since that episode, Dr. Schwartz has been doing even more incredible research in this space. |
| 0:45.4 | She's been diving deeper into how we actually measure strength and muscle in practical ways, |
| 0:51.5 | how protein intake influences muscle growth and performance, and also |
| 0:56.9 | exploring the different ways that exercise, resistance training, and nutrition impact women |
| 1:02.9 | at different stages of life, especially towards parimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. |
| 1:09.3 | We get into these very important topics for women, including resistance training and body |
| 1:14.6 | composition during premenopause, how building muscle can really change the trajectory of metabolic |
| 1:21.8 | health as we age. |
| 1:23.6 | And we finally touch on what it's like to be nine months pregnant and what kind of |
| 1:30.2 | exercise and training she is doing and how she has adapted to being pregnant. And it was great to |
| 1:38.3 | hear her perspective on the importance of staying active during the pregnant months. What I love so much about Dr. |
| 1:46.7 | Schwartz's work is that she bridges the gap between science and real life. So not just what |
| 1:51.0 | works in theory, but what actually works for real people who are trying to improve their |
| 1:55.8 | body composition, metabolic health, get stronger, and ultimately live longer and better. |
| 2:02.5 | So in today's episode, we're really building on our last conversation and going deeper |
... |
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