Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina

In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Dr. Jason Fung, author of The Hunger Code, to unpack the hormonal science behind fat loss — and how fasting may be entering a new era.
They start with the three types of hunger and why obesity is not simply about willpower, but disrupted hormonal signaling. We break down insulin's role in fat storage, obesity, and how ultra-processed foods blunt satiety hormones.
Vanessa and Dr. Fung also discuss how protein, fiber, and fat affect hunger very differently than refined carbohydrates — and why a calorie is not metabolically neutral.
Then they shift to fasting. Dr. Fung shares his current protocols and comments on emerging research supporting Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) as a more practical, muscle-conscious alternative to prolonged water fasting.
They cover:
• PSMF vs water fasting
• Protecting lean mass during fat loss
• GLP-1 medications — risks and unintended consequences
• Appetite suppression vs true metabolic health
• Fat loss considerations for women in peri- and post-menopause
This conversation challenges the idea that all fasting approaches are created equal — and reframes modern fat loss through a hormonal lens.
Timeline Mitopure Gummies — The #1 Urolithin A supplement for energy and healthy aging, now in delicious strawberry gummies. Get 20% off at timeline.com/vanessa
Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library (Coming Soon)
Vanessa shares her behind-the-scenes system built from the approach she used to lose 14+ lbs of body fat while preserving lean mass.
Join the waitlist: Sign up HERE to be the first to know when it has been released!
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review the Optimal Protein Podcast to support the show and help bring you more evidence-based conversations on fat loss, protein, and muscle-centric nutrition.
Get 20% off the Tone Device to try on a PSMF Day! Shop the collection HERE and use the code VANESSA
Get delicious high protein meal recipes! Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @ketogenicgirl
🔴 Tone LUX Red Light Therapy Get 20% off the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy collection including the Crystal Mask and accessories the with the code VANESSA HERE
Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.
Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast
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.

What do elite athletes do differently when it comes to fat loss?
In this episode, Vanessa breaks down the most surprising takeaways from her conversation with sports dietitian Emily Mitchell, who has worked with professional teams including UCLA Athletics, the LA Galaxy, the Clippers, and the Buccaneers.
While many people think getting lean requires constant dieting, eliminating carbohydrates, and pushing through hunger, elite athletes often take a completely different approach.
Vanessa explores six of the most powerful fat loss strategies used by elite performers — including why many athletes don't diet during their competitive season, why protein intake is far higher than most people realize, and how strategic carbohydrate timing can actually support fat loss and performance.
🧠 IQBAR – Try the Ultimate Sampler Pack: IQBARs, IQMIX, and IQJOE! Text VANESSA to 64000 for a 20% off discount code
In This Episode:
• The surprising reason many elite athletes don't diet during their competitive season
• The protein strategy athletes rely on to stay lean while preserving muscle
• How athletes use carbohydrate timing in a way most people never consider
• The unexpected truth about how big a calorie deficit really needs to be
• One simple nutrition shift athletes use to stay full and avoid cravings
• The metric elite athletes track that matters far more than the number on the scale
NEW! Vanessa's structured PSMF Library. Sign up HERE to be the first to know when the new PSMF Library has been released and receive the special LAUNCH DISCOUNT!
BOOST YOUR COLLAGEN & ELASTIN with RED LIGHT THERAPY! Save 20% on all Tone Lux Red Light therapy with the code VANESSA! Learn more about the  TONE LUX Crystal red light therapy mask and the brand new accessory the TONE LUX CONTOUR for the neck and décollete
Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE
Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization
📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates
💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community
🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.

What do elite athletes do differently when it comes to fat loss and body composition?
In this episode, Vanessa sits down with Emily Mitchell, RD, CSSD, CDCES — former Director of Sports Nutrition at UCLA Athletics, Sports Performance Dietitian for the LA Galaxy, and current Registered Dietitian at Love.Life — to unpack the real nutrition strategies used at the highest levels of sport.
You'll learn:
The core principles elite athletes use to stay lean while maximizing performance

How protein intake supports fat loss and lean muscle retention

Why recovery nutrition is a hidden driver of metabolic efficiency

How to structure nutrition for sustainable body recomposition

The mindset shift from restriction to strategic fueling

How to optimize nutrition through fertility, pregnancy, perimenopause, and postmenopause

Timeline Mitopure Gummies — The #1 Urolithin A supplement for energy and healthy aging, now in delicious strawberry gummies. Get 20% off at timeline.com/vanessa
You'll learn how protein, recovery, and strategic fueling drive fat loss while preserving lean muscle — and how to apply these same principles to fertility, pregnancy, perimenopause, and postmenopause.
Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library (Coming Soon)
Vanessa shares her behind-the-scenes system built from the approach she used to lose 14+ lbs of body fat while preserving lean mass.
Join the waitlist: Sign up HERE to be the first to know when it has been released!
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review the Optimal Protein Podcast to support the show and help bring you more evidence-based conversations on fat loss, protein, and muscle-centric nutrition.
Get 20% off the Tone Device to try on a PSMF Day! Shop the collection HERE and use the code VANESSA
Get delicious high protein meal recipes! Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @ketogenicgirl
🔴 Tone LUX Red Light Therapy Get 20% off the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy collection including the Crystal Mask and accessories the with the code VANESSA HERE
Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.
Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast
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.

Is fasted cardio really better for fat loss?
Or could eating protein before your workout actually improve fat burning, muscle retention, and long-term metabolic health — especially for women?
In this deep-dive masterclass recap, Vanessa breaks down the science from her interview with exercise physiologist Dr. Katie Hirsch and unpacks the research on:
Fasted vs fed training
Essential amino acids before HIIT
Muscle quality vs muscle size
Intramuscular fat and metabolic dysfunction
Perimenopause and anabolic resistance
Protein timing for body recomposition
This episode reframes the fat loss conversation away from "burning fat during workouts" and toward what truly matters:
Preserving muscle, improving protein turnover, and protecting metabolic capacity.
NEW! Vanessa's structured PSMF Library. Sign up HERE to be the first to know when the new PSMF Library has been released!
BOOST YOUR COLLAGEN & ELASTIN with RED LIGHT THERAPY! Save 20% on all Tone Lux Red Light therapy with the code VANESSA! Learn more about the  TONE LUX Crystal red light therapy mask and the brand new accessory the TONE LUX CONTOUR for the neck and décollete
Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE
Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization
📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates
💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community
🧠 IQBAR – Try the Ultimate Sampler Pack: IQBARs, IQMIX, and IQJOE! Text VANESSA to 64000 for a 20% off discount code
🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.

Fasted training is one of the most persistent fat-loss myths—and in this episode, Dr. Katie Hirsch breaks down what actually matters for women: training quality, muscle preservation, and metabolic health.
We unpack why "burning more fat during a workout" is often the wrong target, and how a small amount of protein (or EAAs) before training can change perceived exertion, improve workout output, and potentially increase post-workout energy expenditure—especially in women who are prone to under-fueling.
We also dive into muscle quality (not just muscle size), why it matters for insulin sensitivity and body composition, and what changes in peri/post-menopause can mean for amino acid delivery to muscle—and how to train and eat to stay lean, strong, and metabolically resilient.
Timeline Mitopure Gummies — The #1 Urolithin A supplement for energy and healthy aging, now in delicious strawberry gummies. Get 20% off at timeline.com/vanessa
Episode Topics Covered
Fasted vs. fed training for fat loss

Protein vs. carbs pre-workout

Energy availability and women's physiology

Essential amino acids + HIIT

Muscle turnover, energy expenditure, and fat oxidation

Protein timing, dosing, and distribution

Muscle quality (echo intensity), intramuscular fat, and metabolic health

Adiposity spillover, visceral fat, and muscle infiltration

Perimenopause/postmenopause, estrogen, vascular function, and anabolic resistance

Simple strategies for sustainable body recomposition

Dr. Katie Hirsch is an exercise physiologist and sports nutrition researcher focused on protein metabolism, body composition, energy expenditure, HIIT, muscle quality, and female-specific physiology, including changes across perimenopause and postmenopause.
(As mentioned in the episode: she's wrapping up publications on improved methods to characterize hormone profiles and exploring new ways to use bioelectrical impedance outcomes like phase angle to better capture muscle quality and related physiology.)
Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library (Coming Soon)
Vanessa shares her behind-the-scenes system built from the approach she used to lose 14+ lbs of body fat while preserving lean mass.
Join the waitlist: Sign up HERE to be the first to know when it has been released!
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review the Optimal Protein Podcast to support the show and help bring you more evidence-based conversations on fat loss, protein, and muscle-centric nutrition.
Get 20% off the Tone Device to try on a PSMF Day! Shop the collection HERE and use the code VANESSA
Get delicious high protein meal recipes! Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @ketogenicgirl
🔴 Tone LUX Red Light Therapy Get 20% off the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy collection including the Crystal Mask and accessories the with the code VANESSA HERE
Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.
Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast
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.