Ep. 218 - Our Top 5 Non-Negotiables For Fasting For Fat Loss
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In today’s episode, Dr. Scott and Tommy explore extended fasting, emphasizing its benefits beyond weight loss. The discussion covers personal experiences, planning, and tracking during a fast, including factors like sodium intake and ketone levels. They stress the strength in choosing to fast and maintaining routine activities.
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Fasting For Life Ep. 218 Transcript
[00:00:03] Did I record the last one? [00:00:05] Nah. Definitely not. [00:00:07] Don't say that. Yeah, yeah I did. 321 record. Hey everyone, welcome to the Fasting for life podcast. My name is Doctor Scott Watier and I'm here as always. I'm a good friend and colleague. Tommy Welling, good afternoon to you, sir. [00:00:26] Hey, Scott. How are. [00:00:27] You? Fantastic my friend. We are going to be diving into a fun topic today that we are going to call the top five non-negotiables for fasting for Fat loss. I, in real time, reserve the right to maybe make it 6 or 5 and a half or eight, but we have five and then we'll see where it goes. So before we get into that, uh, I just want to welcome in. If you're new to the podcast, thank you for giving us a shot. Thank you for adding us to your fasting, uh, framework and your fasting journey. Um, like subscribe, review. We'd love to hear from you. And if you want to hear more about our journey and how fasting has transformed our lives, then head back to episode one. Give it a listen. Uh, give you more perspective onto who we are and why we do what we do, and why we are now 215, 17, 20 episodes into bringing you an episode each and every week. Um, because we really, truly are on a mission to help people once and for all lose the weight, adopt a fasting lifestyle, and gain control, um, like we have. And it's really just giving our lives back. So preach it! If you are excited about that, head back to episode one. If you're an OG listener, thank you again for being a part of the Fasting for life fam. We appreciate you. Uh, appreciate you continuing to show up and continuing, uh, to be a part of this movement. So, Tommy, five non-negotiables for fasting for fat loss. Let's get into it. Um. [00:02:10] Yeah. You know, it's almost like, uh, I can I can see myself a few years back going, I don't why why do we even need to be talking about non-negotiables? Fasting is so simple, right? Like it's such an easy thing to do. Uh, don't you just have to just stop eating for a while? Like, that's that's. Isn't it pretty cut and dry, right. But when we when we get into the nitty gritty and when we actually see where the results happen, how the habits stick, how they how we habit stack things on top of each other to actually build a sustainable lifestyle that's actually going to work to, you know, reverse whatever's going on the blood sugar issues, take the weight off whatever, whatever the case might be or what what part of your reason is for, for, you know, wanting to adopt a fasting lifestyle, um, or use fasting for a certain purpose, um, success leaves clues. So, you know, we go through and we take a look at where do results come from. And, you know, one of the places where they come from that we've talked recently about, um, from some of the research that started to break down how to actually optimize, um, insulin and blood sugar, um, post meals, which is a very, very important part of gaining control of the physiological processes that dictate what's happening on the scale, how you're feeling, your cravings, your energy level, uh, your level of inflammation, all these kind of things. And it happens to be the simple act of walking. But we talked more about like the nitty gritty of that and how to optimize it too. Right? Yeah. [00:03:43] So principle number one, rule number one, what do we call it. Five non-negotiables. Non-negotiable. Number one I'll probably call it seven different things before we're over here. Um, it'll probably have some alliteration in it as well. Um, is movement right. Like we try to eat less, move more. Right. Fasting is the simplest way to. Eat less, right? Like it really is. There's so many more layers to it, right when it comes to hunger cues and hormones and all that kind of stuff. And like you had mentioned previous episodes, but. Movement. Well, what kind of mood should I exercise? Fasted or fed? Should I? Well, no, just literally it should I do like eat less, move more is the smallest percentage of your total caloric burn is eat exercise activity thermogenesis. Mhm. So the non-exercise activity thermogenesis the activities of daily living things like walking movement can be such a game changer in a fat loss phase. Yes. Dozens and dozens of testimonials of people like yeah I don't really work out. I got a £80 to lose. It kind of hurts, like thinking about going, running or going to the gym. Literally walk. And it doesn't have to be 10,000 steps a day. We've done this some some of the that that was just a marketing thing that came out of I believe it was Japan. [00:05:05] If I recall, we had an episode 10,000 Steps to Nowhere, where it wasn't actually like a like a research backed number. Sure. But the walking component is that movement component. Now you can do other workouts. You can add in some resistance training. We definitely recommend that some zone two training, we recommend that, um, you know, we're doing stuff this year like dead hang farmer carry bodyweight deadlift like some longevity metrics, some functional stuff right after two bicep tendon surgeries and a shoulder avoidance of a shoulder surgery. I've had lots of tendon issues. Yeah, um, lately and ligament issues over the last few years. Uh, you know, powerlifting not not in my not of my thing anymore. Not really needed. Didn't get me healthy in the first place. Sure. Just one metric. But, um, getting, you know, your joints moving. And the easiest way to do that is walking. Never mind. Does it help? Like you mentioned, Tommy, the post-meal blood sugar decrease, right? The, um, the ability to get the biggest bang for your buck in terms of a fat loss phase. And it won't be that gnawing hunger increase if you go do a 60 minute bootcamp at the local gym. [00:06:13] Yeah, yeah, do a spin class and see if you're not hungry afterwards, you know, but if you if you take a walk and, and like, uh, so 10,000 steps, I mean, that's a, that's a big number that we see pointed out a lot of times. Oh, I never. [00:06:25] Landed the plane with the actual good target to aim for. Well, yeah. [00:06:27] Like a, like a great optimal target that we saw in the research and we've talked about it before was actually around 7000 steps. So if you do want to set a step goal that's a good one to to set for yourself. And then if, if you have the flexibility to be able to to break that up or kind of choose when you do that during the day, break it up into into maybe three different walks, about 2 or 3000 steps each. That would kind of be your optimal, um, you know, going throughout the day and kind of staying within a tight blood sugar and insulin range all throughout the day. [00:06:58] Love it. Absolutely love it. And that applies to because that episode that we did on this was cool because you could break it up, right, for the total time, and then you'll get the blood sugar benefit. Post-meal like, let's say you're waiting into fasting. Yeah. Or you've hit a plateau and you're kind of backing off or life's been crazy or stressful and you're like, ah, man, thought omad right now who? Sheesh. Well, let me do a two. Matt. Right. So we're gonna apply a couple of things to the two mad lifestyle here because we want to begin with the end in mind. Talk about maintenance. What does maintenance look it for me most days, two meals a day. Okay. Yeah, right. That's good. Some days, not some days less. Some days. It's omad. Right now I'm doing a 30 hour fast once a week. So nice. Making sure I'm breaking through that insulin sensitivity window. [00:07:41] So is it ever more quick question for the couch? Is it ever more is it ever like like a three meals a day for me? Yeah. [00:07:49] For you? No. Okay. Never. [00:07:51] You just not. No, no, I can't remember the last three meals I had in one day. I would feel awful. [00:07:59] Yeah. I don't know if I want to do that. Yeah. Even eating good food, like, I just. I eat my two meals now and I'm like, mm. Pound of ground beef, some raw cheese, some eggs, maybe a ribeye. Nice. It's like I'm kind of full. I feel good. Satiated? Yeah. Blood sugar. Stable. [00:08:18] I need three of those. [00:08:19] Yeah, yeah. Area under the curve on my CGM. Looks good. All right, let's go. So, yeah. No, for me, it's not. Yeah. Um, but the cool thing is you can break this up. So this is. We want to as last week's episode, we talked about I want to remove the threshold, the activation energy threshold, the motivation necessary. Like we want we want to make these these actions that we do on a daily basis, like simple and not difficult to achieve. It's like that whole old school adage of lay your workout clothes out before you get up in the morning, because literally making the decision of what I'm going to wear to the gym can be the one thing that your monkey brain goes, I'm not going to go, yeah, right. So saying you're going to work out five days a week after work versus, hey, I'm going to go for a walk once a day or for 15 minute walk twice a day. You can do that any time you can be at work. Yeah, you can go for a walk. Yep. [00:09:11] And then you find yourself with a little extra time. Yeah. Extra motivation. Then upgrade it if you want to, you know, go into a class or go to the gym or something like that. But it gives you the ability to check that box much more consistently. Which means now I have now I have, uh, stability. Right. [00:09:26] And not saying don't do CrossFit workouts or bootcamps or any of that kind of stuff today, but this is the simplest form of a non-negotiable for, uh, for fasting, for fat loss is movement, right? Move your body because we are literally sitting ourselves, myself included, like, yeah, we're. [00:09:40] Sitting right now. [00:09:41] All the time, right? So we record three, four podcasts at a time. It's ours. Like, well, I got to get up and move, right? So that's why the workout was done. Early this morning. The Peloton Ride Zone two was in the cold. Plunge is going to take place right after this. Um, I'm going to go get my kids. We're going to be outside in the cul de sac moving around later. Right. Nice. Yeah. The thought of going for a walk with my little terrorist is just not my thing. If you've heard about the walking episode in the past, um, working on the walking. All right. Non-negotiable. Number two for fasting, for fat loss. We've never said this the second half of this before, okay? Because there's this thing in fasting. What breaks a fast? Well, is it kind of put lemon in my water? Oh, can I use a lmnt can I element I always spell element because no one knows what they are. But if you want a free sample pack, head to the show notes. Click the link. Place an order, you get a free sample pack. Okay, I vote for. [00:10:37] Grapefruit if you haven't tried them. If you like grapefruit. [00:10:39] Yeah. It is no longer seasonal, sir. I know the secret's out. Right. Thank you. Element. Good call for making that part of my life year round. That is an absolute level up and I am grateful for that. So if hold on. [00:10:55] If you don't like grapefruit, because I know a lot of people don't. Raspberry is is my number two. Yep. [00:11:00] Raspberry is good. There's no whole chocolate line like blowing my mind. Yep, I. [00:11:05] Like it in coffee. [00:11:05] Some of y'all are going, what's an element? It's an electrolyte packet. It's just welcome. Welcome to the club. Go to the link. Get a sample box. Give us a shout out when you have the same euphoria that we do. Not something every day I use, but it has become part of. But we get a lot of questions about this kind of stuff. What brakes can I put? Creamer in my coffee. You know, at some point in The Doctor Fung Reading and Journey and podcasts and all the stuff of us learning about fasting years ago, standing on the shoulder of giants. Right? Right. There was this thing, oh, a couple tablespoons of creamer in your coffee. Not a big deal, but. The non-negotiable number two is no loss. [00:11:49] Fasting for. [00:11:50] Fat loss. Yeah. For weight, for fat. [00:11:54] Fat loss. [00:11:55] I knew. Stop it. Top five non-negotiables for fasting for fat loss. Yeah. Messing with me? Yep. Non-negotiable. Number two. No liquid calories. Ooh! [00:12:11] Well, what about gauntlet? [00:12:14] We'll let you have coffee. [00:12:16] Coffee? Yeah. Five calories per serving. Coffee's like five calories. [00:12:19] Yeah, yeah, I know, that's why I said it, because. Where's your line? Okay, where is your line? In the sand. [00:12:25] Where's your perfection line? Yeah, right. [00:12:27] So fizzy drinks, sugary iced coffees. You know, all of we know that the the Frappuccino or whatever from dunk Dunkin. Oh man. They call it is Dunkin Donuts anymore is it dad now whatever they call it I don't know Starbucks. Yeah that was a big thing back in New England. There's just millions of donuts everywhere. Where I grew up, I. [00:12:47] Only used to see them like when I would be on road trips, but now they're everywhere. [00:12:51] Right? So a lot of the times we know when we've eaten a piece of cake, right, that we should probably do something about it. Yeah. In the, in the, in the dieting mindset. Right. Okay. Whoops. Shouldn't have done that. I guess I'll go work it off. Right. Well no. Yeah. But with drinks we kind of forget about it. So we want to prioritize water coffee. Sure. If you can't do black try a different type of coffee. Mhm. Right. Um, if you're doing protein shakes or, or collagen stuff put them in inside of your, um, you know, nutrition windows. Yeah. Green tea is great. Peak tea is great. But here's the thing we've never said. [00:13:36] Okay. [00:13:37] No liquid calories. This isn't just during your fasting windows. This is also during your nutrition opportunities. And where? It's Waldo. This pops up. During a fat loss phase. Avoid the fizzy sugary stuff like we mentioned and alcohol. [00:13:59] Ooh. [00:14:03] That's not forever. [00:14:04] Yeah. For how long? [00:14:14] How long is your goal? [00:14:17] Yeah. [00:14:18] What is your goal? Right? What is your goal? Why are you in this fat loss phase? [00:14:21] Right. So the problem with alcohol is that it just it it completely clamps down your fat burning. And I'm not saying you can't have it. Right. But for a lot of people, this doesn't fall into the category of category of something that should be, um, limited in the short terme or strategically planned because it will make fasting more difficult as well, for sure to close your window and to start the next day fasting 100% 100% of the time. And that's why we're saying it. [00:14:54] And to make good food choices or better food choices. Oh, my. [00:14:57] Inhibitions go up. I don't even like cake. I'll eat cake if I've been drinking right. [00:15:02] All of a sudden, like, I need the cake and the blood sugar and the insulin spike and the calorie load to go with it, and let alone the cravings during my, you know, during tomorrow, during my next fast. So it's quite the vicious cycle. And I've never really thought about this either as like compartmentalizing or pausing any alcohol consumption during a fat loss phase. Um, I certainly didn't, although I kind of naturally, uh, kind of shied away from it or or definitely decreased my intake, um, as I got better and more consistent with my fasting. So that was kind of a positive byproduct. But I think that this is this is helpful to look at as, as, as a really as a really, um, as a good pillar for a fasting to fat loss, like a fasting for fat loss phase, if you will. Um, because. Yeah, right. Because there are so many calories, there's so much of a, of a physiological response where it has to do something with the alcohol, it becomes an urgent matter, and there's always a temptation for more. And then there's always the temptation of the next day, or maybe a few days later, or looking forward to the next opportunity to where, I mean, you stack up enough days like that or evenings like that, it it can become really it can put you into a plateau very, very quickly or a frustrating lack of results. And again, this is specifically we're focused on a fat loss phase here. Right. And we want to optimize that process. And so if we can think about alcohol as liquid calories and just push those aside, put them in a separate bucket, that's really going to help. [00:16:40] Yep. Absolutely. Okay. Non-negotiable. Number three for fasting for fat loss. I nailed it that time. Prioritize protein. We hear a ton about how much protein should I eat this? I'm doing keto. I'm doing this. I'm prioritize it. If you're a vegetarian, prioritize it. If you're a vegan, prioritize it. If you're doing carnivore, you don't have to prioritize it pretty much. Probably going to be eating it right. But you get my point. So prioritizing protein. Um. Minimum standard 0.7 or 0.8. Right. Grams per pound of body gold. Body weight. Mm. It's also the most satiating of the macronutrients carbs, fats, and proteins. Yeah, right. It's great for your blood sugar. It's going to help your body composition. If you prioritize protein. When you lose the weight, you're not going to lose the lean muscle tissue. You're also going to get the growth hormone, which is lean muscle protective, not anabolic, but gross growth hormone protective. And the noradrenaline that spikes, right. You're going to you're going to get the increased metabolic burn. You're going to get that protective lean muscle tissue protectiveness of the fast. But then the protein is going to stimulate muscle growth, which is lean muscle tissue, which is what we want. We want to be in a better position to decrease the chance of regain right when we lose the weight. So if you're in a fat loss phase, we want to prioritize protein and you want to make sure you're doing that. In a way that you can consume it in a reasonable time frame, right? And you feel satiated, not stuffed during your, um, during your eating or nutrition opportunities. [00:18:20] Yeah. [00:18:20] And the one reason why I like this as an underlying foundational non-negotiable is because protein doesn't happen by accident. It's more expensive. It takes time to prepare. I have to put some thought into it. I might have to. [00:18:34] Almond butter protein. Right? [00:18:35] Oh, yeah. [00:18:36] Almond butter. There's a lot of. [00:18:38] Mislabeled foods out there that are protein sources that are not for sure. [00:18:42] Yeah. For sure. Like even like good, even good fats can happen relatively by accident. Because like, if you like peanut butter or almond butter, um, it's it's it's loaded with fat. It does have some protein, but much, much higher proportion of the calories are coming from fat, which means that, um, again, if protein is not being deliberately prioritized, it just doesn't happen by accident. So putting that in a, in a prioritized, um, you know, spot in your macronutrients or whenever you make food decisions means that you're, you're doing one of the most helpful things that you can whenever you're making food choices, and you're lowering the likelihood that you're going to feel snacky and craving and need carbohydrates and, you know, and more and empty calories and less likely to snack or break your fast, um, you know, faster than you wanted to. [00:19:30] So things like nuts, right? They're great sources of fiber, healthy fats, but you'd have to eat 600 700 calories of peanuts to get a decent amount of protein. Right? Nut butters, we already mentioned that protein snacks, right? Like all the protein chips and all that stuff out of there. Or the protein, the high protein breads, right. Like, uh, probably not as rich as protein as you're thinking. Yeah. Um, so we're gonna be better. [00:19:59] Than the normal one, you know? Right. But. [00:20:02] Right. Not for sure. So that's why we want to prioritize protein in any way. Just when you build your plate, when you break your fast, prioritize protein, healthy fats. And then if you're going to be doing carbs, natural and refined process of carbs to fill in the gaps. Um, okay. Number four. Non-negotiable for fasting, for fat loss. Is clean lines. [00:20:30] Ooh. [00:20:30] What do you mean? So? Two applications here. One is. Closing your window. Not extending it to fit the chips after dinner, but literally eat the chips with your dinner. Okay, put it in the window. Compartmentalize. And then the second scenario is, let's say a team ad. You're on a 16 eight. Right. You're having a hormone building day. Okay. Right. Your. Making sure you're getting enough quality nutrition in. Well, let's say you're doing a two man. Don't graze that whole window and snack the whole time. Yeah, but make it two distinct eating opportunities. So Clean lines is number four on the list of non-negotiables for fasting for fat loss. [00:21:19] Wow. Um, I really like that one, because I feel like that when you're, like I asked you earlier, do you ever do three meals in a day? He said, no, I don't need that. I don't want that. So when you're doing two meals, a lot of times that's kind of a almost a misunderstanding or a misnomer that we hear about a lot where somebody is using two meals, but also since they already completed the fast, quote unquote before that, then it's kind of an open season. So maybe some days are better than others, but that that eight hour or that six hour, maybe if it's even a four hour turns into like an unlimited graze fest or just kind of constantly walking through the kitchen or I got whatever snacks, it's kind of stick. [00:22:01] Here a little, you know, leftover breakfast sausage from my kids plate, a little, um, little snacky poo after the breakfast. Right after the meal. Right. If maybe you stop and get a coffee or. Yeah, yeah. Limit, limit that. Right. Yeah. [00:22:15] Because it's because it's on, you know, because my fast is done at this point. [00:22:18] But the thing is, I'm sorry. I meant during the window. Yeah. Right. Like in between, like, say you have breakfast to leave the house, you grab a coffee, you're like, I got a little, little, little eggy bake that looks good or, I don't know, a protein bagel or whatever the heck we were just talking about, right? Oh, yeah, that looks nice. [00:22:32] But those lines matter. They matter for your blood sugar. They matter for your insulin. They matter for your results. And also for me. [00:22:38] Right? Yeah. [00:22:39] For your consistency and your discipline going into the next fast. So, um, think about think about that as like two meals is, you know, compartmentalised with clean lines. And those boundaries are going to matter. Am I going to see today's boundaries on the scale tomorrow? Probably not. But with the consistency. And they will add up over time for sure. [00:22:58] So I would just say try to prioritize protein too during your snacks, right? Make your make your snacks enjoyable. Yeah. Um, like if you're gonna snack like don't put it in between like don't don't have it as a have it as like an like okay, I just had my meal. I'm going to have some fruit for dessert. Like maybe fruit was your go to snack or I'm going to have the, the salty cravy. Uh, HPA axis, high cortisol. High stress. So I'm speaking from experience after dinner, you know, salty snacky crunchy thing. Mhm. Bring it into your window. [00:23:35] Let's have it with dinner. [00:23:36] Just have it with dinner. [00:23:37] Yeah. [00:23:38] All right, put it, plan it, compartmentalize it. All right. Rule number five. Of the non-negotiables for fasting for fat loss. This is an easy one to say. Sometimes it's hard to do. Just like fasting is simple, but sometimes it's not easy. True, due to life and spouses and friends and family and hallmark calendars and cookouts and sporting events and Super Bowls and, you know, you just keep the list. Just keeps going on. Right. Rule number five, Tommy, start. Now. [00:24:18] That's my favorite. [00:24:19] One. Like right now. Yeah. [00:24:21] Number one. Yeah. [00:24:23] Not Monday. [00:24:24] Not after the bag of chips is gone. Not after the last piece of cake. Now. It's a mindset shift, but we need to break that pattern, right? Because this dieting mindset. We want a lifestyle. We don't want a diet. We want a lifestyle. Right. [00:24:44] Mhm. [00:24:45] Know your behaviors. But when you decide in the moment and vote yes for you. You start to build trust. That when those situations that have failed you in the past come up again, that you'll have the ability to vote yes for you and stick to the plan. Mm. [00:25:04] And like, why deny yourself any of those votes or any of that confidence and trust building? Why push it off any longer. You don't have to push it off. You could literally make make a decision. Start your next fast right now. Not tomorrow or not next week or not on Monday. I mean, you know, we're we're we're just a few weeks into the year, you know, at this point. And so we don't we don't have another opportunity for, for like a big break in the calendar. Right. You don't have to wait till the first of the month or next quarter or anything else like that. You get the. [00:25:33] Opportunity with this episode. New Year's resolutions are gone, right? Either you didn't make them or you made them and they're gone. [00:25:40] Hmm. [00:25:40] Let's revisit them. Let's change them. Let's move forward. But you got to start now. You got to make that decision now, not wait for January 1st next year, right? [00:25:49] Absolutely. And like there's no reason to and you know this this applies to to also like if you felt like you've been stuck lately which happens a lot, you know, like there are fasting plateaus, there's times when you're kind of like adjusting to the new me a little bit or getting the habits right, or maybe adjusting your plate, or you're working on relationship with food, whatever it might be. There's a lot of times where maybe the scale kind of stalls, so maybe you feel like you've just kind of been maintaining. Well, if if it's if there's another fat loss phase that you need or that's in your future, why not start it now? Like, like we laid out all the pieces for it. There's there's not really any reason to wait. Like I would say, if you feel tempted to, to continue to wait for it, like, really ask yourself like, let me justify that. How would how would I justify that? How would I make a good argument that now is not the best time to start my next fast fat loss phase? [00:26:43] Yep yep yep, I love it, I love it, I love it. So to recap, movement right doesn't have to be 10-K steps but add walking in. Super simple right? But move every single day. No liquid calories right? Prioritize protein. No snacking. We want clean lines, clean lines in our fasting, in the closing of our windows and now is the time to start. Those are the top five non-negotiables for fasting or fat loss. You want more support? What to do next Tommy? They can head to the show notes. They can click the link for the blueprint to fasting for fat loss. Gives you some science, give you some physiology, some application, and some fasting windows. Head over to its free 20-page PDF. Um. It will zoom it over into your inbox. It's yours. You want to join the community? The Facebook community we have as well. Fasting for Life community where we break the first two rules of fasting 24 over seven, which is we talk about fasting 24 over seven 365 and you can get some encouragement and some certainty that you are making the right choices and you're on the right path. So, Tommy, as we wrap up today's episode, I appreciate everybody listening in. If you're new, welcome. If you're an OG, thanks for being part of the fasting fam. [00:28:00] Yes. [00:28:01] Set those timers. [00:28:03] Set them. Yep. [00:28:03] Thank you sir. We'll talk soon. [00:28:04] Start now. All right. Thanks. Bye.