Ep. 128 | The Work Beneath the Muscle: A Q&A on Integrity, Identity, and Intensity

Ep. 127 | Sugar Is Killing Your Gains: How Ultra-Processed Sugar Destroys Muscle, Strength, Sleep, and Health

In this powerful episode, Trenton Sweet uncovers how ultra-processed sugar is sabotaging your fitness goals—from your workouts to your waistline. Learn how America went from consuming 40 pounds of sugar per year in 1900 to over 150 pounds by the early 2000s—and why it matters more than ever today.

Trenton breaks down:

• How sugar disrupts muscle growth, testosterone, and strength development

• The link between sugar, poor sleep, elevated cortisol, and reduced recovery

• Why ultra-processed sugar fuels fat gain, chronic stress, and disease

• The addictive nature of sugar and how it rewires your hunger signals

• Simple steps to eliminate hidden sugars and optimize your performance

This episode is for anyone who wants to build real muscle, burn fat, and fuel their body with integrity. Sugar isn’t just empty calories—it’s an enemy to your health, hormones, and hard-earned gains.

Connect with Trenton Sweet:

Instagram: @trentonsweet

Podcast: Awakened Warriors

Studio: Energy Fitness Studio

Citations:

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2021). Per capita sugar consumption in the United States, 1900–2020. USDA Economic Research Service.

2. Lustig, R. H. (2013). Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease. Penguin Books.

3. Bray, G. A., Nielsen, S. J., & Popkin, B. M. (2004). Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79(4), 537–543.

4. Te Morenga, L., Mallard, S., & Mann, J. (2013). Dietary sugars and body weight: Systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ, 346, e7492.

5. DiNicolantonio, J. J., Lucan, S. C., & O’Keefe, J. H. (2018). Added fructose: A principal driver of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its consequences. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(3), 339–347.

6. Walker, R. W., Dumke, K. A., & Goran, M. I. (2014). Fructose content in popular beverages made with and without high-fructose corn syrup. Nutrition, 30(7-8), 928–935.

7. Kandiah, J., & Saiki, D. (2012). Sleep and eating behaviors among college students: A preliminary study. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 10(3), 235–236.

Ep. 126 - Obese by Design - Why Are Americans So Sick? Obesity, Death, and the Hidden Roots of Decline.

In this eye-opening episode, we take a deep dive into the disturbing rise of obesity, chronic disease, and metabolic dysfunction in America—from 1990 to 2025. Despite similar caloric intake and macronutrient ratios, our nation has seen a staggering increase in obesity rates, diabetes, and declining health—especially in our children and teens.

What changed?

We break down the root causes behind this health crisis: ultra-processed foods, disrupted meal timing, sedentary lifestyles, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, poor sleep, too much sitting 🪑, and gut microbiome damage. We also explore how stress, screen time, and cultural shifts have created a perfect storm for metabolic collapse.

But this episode isn’t just about the problem—it’s about the solution.

You’ll learn practical, evidence-backed strategies to reverse these trends: how to eat for metabolic health, build an active lifestyle, reset your sleep, manage stress, and shift toward long-term, sustainable wellness.

If you care about the health of your family, your community, and yourself—this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.

Topics Covered:

• ​U.S. obesity statistics (1900/1990 vs. 2023)
• ​Why children are getting sicker, younger
• ​Top causes of death in 2023: what’s avoidable?
• ​“calories in, calories out”
• ​How processed foods hijack metabolism
• ​The truth about insulin, fat storage, and constant snacking
• ​How sleep, stress, and hormones affect your waistline
• ​The impact of environmental toxins on your body
• ​Why movement is medicine

Resources & Links Mentioned: 🔗

• ​CDC Obesity Data: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/index.html (https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/index.html)
• ​NHANES Health Statistics
• ​Research on Ultra-Processed Foods and Metabolic Dysfunction
• ​Books referenced: Metabolical by Dr. Robert Lustig, Why We Get Sick by Dr. Benjamin Bikman

Connect With Us:

• ​Subscribe to the podcast
• ​Leave a review if this episode impacted you
• ​Share this episode with someone who needs to hear the truth about health today

https://usafacts.org/articles/obesity-rate-nearly-triples-united-states-over-last-50-years/

https://www.who.int/news/item/13-11-2024-urgent-action-needed-as-global-diabetes-cases-increase-four-fold-over-past-decades

https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/newsroom/news-releases/lancet-without-immediate-action-nearly-260-million-people-usa

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/us-foodsupply/nutrient-content-1909-2000

https://idph.illinois.gov/health/bdmd/leadingdeaths90.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_13_14/obesity_adult_13_14.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/diet.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/pdfs/mm7213-h.pdf