The Fasting Method Podcast

When stress is already high, pushing harder may be exactly the wrong response.

Episode #282

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance and Megan Ramos explore how chronic stress affects the body, hunger and fasting, and why a demanding season may call for dialing fasting down rather than turning the intensity up.

Megan explains what happens physiologically when cortisol remains elevated and why trying to force an aggressive fasting schedule during a highly stressful period can feel like climbing Mount Everest against your own hormones. Instead, she and Terri look at ways to keep moving forward with shorter, more flexible fasts, movement, meal structure and other behaviors that offer a meaningful return without adding another major stressor.

They also discuss the difference between intentional flexibility and simply drifting away from supportive habits, why "good enough" can be a powerful long-term strategy, and how to navigate busy periods without arriving at January feeling that you need to compensate for the previous two months.

👉 What you'll learn • How prolonged stress and elevated cortisol can affect glucose, insulin and hunger • Why intense fasting can become harder when your body is already under stress • Why struggling to fast during stressful periods isn't simply a willpower problem • When dialing fasting down may be more useful than pushing harder • Why 24-hour fasts can offer useful flexibility during busy periods • How movement after meals can support both metabolic health and stress management • Why "good enough" behaviors can have a surprisingly large return • How time-restricted eating can help create structure without demanding perfection • Why being intentionally flexible is different from drifting back into old habits • How to keep making conscious choices without postponing self-care until January

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

🎁 Holiday Workshop Bundle Three practical, coach-led workshops, six live sessions and two months inside the TFM Community for $99 USD.

The bundle includes:

• Enjoy the Holidays, Maintain Your Progress with Coach Amy Medling • Fat Fasting Made Simple with Coach Heather Shuker • Making Sense of Your CGM with Coach Lisa Chance

Each workshop includes two live sessions, giving you time to learn, experiment and return with your experiences and questions. Community access begins as soon as you purchase, and the workshops begin Monday, November 16.

Explore the Holiday Workshop Bundle: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/workshops/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheFastingMethod

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Make sure your body is up for the plan 00:16 When life gets busy and stressful 01:16 Why this isn't the time for diet panic 02:22 What prolonged stress does physiologically 03:07 Cortisol, glucose and insulin 04:02 When positive stress still affects the body 05:16 What can you do when the stress won't disappear? 06:12 Supporting your body during a stressful season 06:39 Don't demand 40 pounds of weight loss by January 07:38 When fasting becomes the one thing you try to control 08:03 Why this isn't a willpower problem 08:36 The five-day fast versus climbing Mount Everest 09:23 Why a 24-hour fast may make more sense 09:52 Does your body agree with the plan in your head? 10:06 Dial down the fasting instead of intensifying it 10:52 Movement as another high-return tool 11:36 Movement doesn't need to be intense 13:17 When dinner is simply what works for your family 14:25 Finding what is "good enough" 15:18 Time-restricted eating during stressful periods 16:01 Why 24-hour fasts are underestimated 17:16 Consistency matters more than rigid fasting patterns 18:17 Keep food to meals during the holiday season 18:40 Is cream in your coffee becoming a bigger factor than you realize? 20:29 Terri's heavy-cream confession 21:54 Finding comfort without automatically adding more food 24:37 Intentional flexibility versus drifting 25:47 Support inside the TFM Community 26:40 Holiday workshops with Amy, Lisa and Heather 27:47 The goal isn't a perfect holiday season 28:31 Enjoying food without abandoning your goals

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The holidays don't have to become a choice between perfect restriction and giving up until January.

Episode #281

🎙️ In this solo episode, Coach Amy Medling looks at what happens when "sugar season" begins and food, celebrations, traditions and expectations start showing up everywhere.

Rather than offering another set of holiday food rules, Amy explores a more discerning approach. How do you tell the difference between something you genuinely want and something you're eating simply because it's there? What have you already learned about the foods that are difficult for you to negotiate with? And which traditions really are worth your yes?

Through stories about Halloween candy, Christmas fudge and her grandmother's Thanksgiving dressing, Amy explores how to enjoy meaningful foods without turning the entire holiday season into an all-or-nothing struggle. She also widens the conversation beyond food, asking what else deserves your time, energy and attention during a season that can easily become overloaded.

👉 What you'll learn • Why sugar season often begins long before the big holiday meals • How to distinguish between "I want this" and "it's just here" • Why you don't need to keep testing something you already know about yourself • How one thoughtful decision can reduce repeated battles with willpower • Why making something less available can feel different from restriction • How the "good" versus "bad" mindset can turn one choice into weeks of shame • What Amy means by having "discriminating tastes" • Why some meaningful holiday foods may genuinely be worth your yes • How to think about whether a choice is bringing you closer to what actually matters • Why food can be part of a rich holiday season without being responsible for making the season rich

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheFastingMethod

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Not everything deserves your yes 00:19 Welcome and why Amy calls it "sugar season" 01:39 How sugar season quietly begins 02:43 This is not a sugar-free challenge 03:20 Finding the middle between restriction and giving up 03:41 Do I actually want this, or is it just here? 04:34 Amy's Christmas fudge problem 06:25 Why keep asking yourself to do something that isn't working? 07:10 Changing the method without losing the meaning 07:25 When you already have enough data about yourself 08:13 Knowing which foods are difficult for you to negotiate with 09:27 Letting something special stay special 10:24 The trap of trying to "be good" through the holidays 11:18 How good becomes bad, shame and "I'll start again in January" 12:00 Discerning instead of being good 12:38 Why Amy's grandmother's Thanksgiving dressing gets a yes 14:12 Meaningful food versus food that happens to be there 14:33 Is this worth my yes? 14:47 Is this choice bringing me closer to my goal? 15:32 Sugar season is about more than sugar 16:27 Arriving at January with something left for yourself 16:52 What else is worth your yes this season? 17:55 What are you really hungry for? 18:11 Food doesn't have to make the season rich 18:33 Three questions to carry into sugar season 19:27 There's no failure, only feedback 20:18 Creating a plan for the holiday season you'll actually live 21:19 Maintaining your progress is progress too 21:48 Thanksgiving isn't the test, it's the practice 22:22 Learning from what happened and adjusting 22:51 Participate in the holidays without abandoning yourself

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

When experts disagree, how do you decide what information deserves your trust?

Episode #280

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance joins Dr. Jason Fung for a conversation about health information, expertise and the challenge of making decisions when credible-sounding sources tell us completely different things.

Dr. Fung explains why changing evidence is part of medicine, why even established advice can later turn out to be wrong, and why he tries to stay open-minded rather than becoming overly attached to one position. He also shares the lens he uses when considering new treatments, supplements and health claims: what are the potential benefits, and what are the risks?

The conversation explores online health information, unlicensed peptides, emerging drugs, conflicting medical opinions, podcast claims and what it means to be an informed participant in your own healthcare without assuming you need to become your own doctor.

👉 What you'll learn • Why access to more health information can make decisions harder, not easier • Why expert advice can change dramatically over time • How Dr. Fung thinks about evidence without becoming overly dogmatic • Why risk versus benefit is central when evaluating a new treatment or supplement • Why unlicensed injectable peptides raise very different safety concerns • What to consider when your own research conflicts with your doctor's advice • Why the source of a health claim matters • How financial incentives can complicate health information • Why repeating a claim widely doesn't necessarily make the evidence stronger • What it means to stay curious and involved in your own healthcare decisions

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheFastingMethod

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 When even the experts don't know 00:14 How do you know which health advice to trust? 01:39 Dr. Google, AI and becoming an informed patient 02:37 When experts completely disagree 03:26 Why accepted medical advice changes over time 04:01 Why Dr. Fung tries to keep an open mind 06:28 Looking at risk versus benefit 06:33 The problem with unlicensed peptides 08:44 Could legalization make peptides safer? 09:15 What we still don't know about emerging drugs 12:30 What happens when your research conflicts with your doctor? 14:22 Why you ultimately have to make your own decisions 14:42 Can you trust the source of the information? 15:52 Dogmatism, cholesterol and conflicting medical opinions 17:10 Can patients bring useful information to their doctors? 18:14 Creatine and claims that outpace the evidence 19:24 Health podcasts, Lp(a) and the echo-chamber problem 20:15 Staying informed without outsourcing your thinking

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How you lose the weight has to prepare you to keep it off.

Episode #279

🎙️ Coaches Terri Lance and Heather Shuker explore what sustainable weight loss actually asks of us, and why reaching a goal weight is not the point where the work ends.

Heather explains why maintenance begins with the first pound lost. The behaviors that help you lose weight also need to become part of how you live, even though their intensity may change over time. Terri and Heather discuss the difference between an on/off approach and learning to adjust the dial, why consistency matters more than perfection, and what happens when we keep waiting for the point where we can finally "relax."

They also explore identity, vacations, food rules, setbacks and experimentation, including Heather's own experience of learning over several years which choices genuinely make her feel better.

👉 What you'll learn • Why reaching your goal weight doesn't mean you're finished • What it means for maintenance to begin with the first pound lost • Why sustainable change needs a dial rather than an on/off switch • How the behaviors used for weight loss may change in intensity during maintenance • Why self-care continues long after active weight loss • What perfectionism can do to consistency • Why the scale shouldn't be your only measure of success • What people often really mean when they say they need a "break" • Why lasting change involves identity as well as behavior • How experimentation helps you discover what works for you over time

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

📌 Make It Stick with Coach Heather Shuker If losing weight is only part of the challenge, Make It Stick is about what comes next: building the consistency, habits and skills that help you protect your progress and reduce the risk of regain.

Make It Stick starts Thursday, October 22.

Heather's free webinar, Avoiding Regain: Why the Weight Comes Back and How to Prevent It, takes place Thursday, October 15.

Register for the live webinar here: https://thefastingmethod.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MrBihTaNTryeOdfbx65cHA

Can't make it live? The replay will be available afterward via the Make It Stick website page.

Learn more and join Make It Stick: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/make-it-stick/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 There is no on/off switch 00:22 Terri and Heather introduce sustainable weight loss 01:29 Why we fixate on reaching a goal weight 03:05 What happens after you reach the number? 04:10 Maintenance begins with the first pound lost 06:20 When rapid weight loss creates unrealistic expectations 07:29 Think of intensity as a dial, not a switch 09:15 The self-care journey lasts forever 11:29 Weight loss is about how you live 12:36 When healthy behaviors stop feeling new and exciting 15:00 Why healthy living doesn't need to be entertaining 18:55 What matters when you don't follow the plan perfectly 20:26 If you're white-knuckling your way to goal, what happens next? 21:09 What does "taking a break" really mean? 23:14 Why permanent change involves identity 24:44 You're not starting over, you're continuing 25:35 Using experiments and food rules to learn what works 27:24 Why experience teaches what information alone cannot 29:00 Becoming a healthy person who makes healthy choices

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Knowing what to do doesn't always make an old pattern disappear.

Episode #278

🎙️ In this solo episode, Coach Terri Lance explores why old eating and coping patterns can return even when we understand them, dislike their consequences and genuinely want to change.

Terri explains why behaviors that now feel frustrating may once have helped us manage stress, seek comfort, feel safe or create a sense of control. Rather than simply asking, "Why am I still doing this?", she offers a more useful question: what is this pattern still helping me manage, avoid or obtain?

She also looks at the difference between self-compassion and excusing a behavior, why removing an old coping strategy without replacing its function can leave us struggling, and how new patterns become stronger through repetition.

👉 What you'll learn • Why old patterns can persist even when you know better • How problematic behaviors may still be meeting an immediate need • Why our brains favor immediate rewards over long-term consequences • How shame and self-criticism can reinforce the very pattern we want to stop • Why self-compassion still needs to include accountability • What can happen when you remove a coping strategy without replacing it • The question Terri uses to uncover what a behavior is really doing for you • How to build a more supportive response to the same underlying need • Why old patterns often reappear during stress, exhaustion or social pressure • How repetition helps strengthen newer, more useful patterns

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

🧠 Ready to Go Beyond Knowing? Beyond Knowing is for people who already know how to fast and what nutrition choices support them, but still struggle to follow through consistently.

Led by Coach Terri Lance, the program digs deeper into patterns, emotional eating, self-sabotage, shame, identity and the internal work that can help knowledge translate into lasting change. Starts October 13 Learn more and join: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/beyond-knowing/

Want to hear more first? Watch Terri's webinar: I Know What to Do, So Why Can't I Stick With It? https://youtu.be/_XzjvaDgqF8

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Why our behaviors make sense 00:35 Terri introduces Beyond Knowing and today's topic 02:35 Why old patterns are so hard to let go 03:19 Stop judging the pattern and understand its purpose 03:46 Why behaviors persist even when they cause problems 05:14 Where old eating patterns may have started 06:21 When an old solution starts creating new problems 07:42 The immediate reward we often overlook 09:00 How self-criticism can reinforce the cycle 09:37 Self-compassion without excusing the behavior 10:35 Why coping strategies need replacing, not simply removing 12:03 What need is the behavior still meeting? 13:02 A better question than "Why am I still doing this?" 14:05 The 3pm vending-machine example 17:16 Why old patterns return under stress 19:10 Using setbacks to strengthen new coping strategies 20:37 How to examine the patterns you're struggling to release 21:31 Beyond Knowing and the webinar replay

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Just because something can be measured doesn't mean it deserves equal weight when you're thinking about your health. Episode #277

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance continues her conversation with Dr. Jason Fung about how to interpret health markers in context rather than focusing too heavily on a single test or number.

Dr. Fung discusses CRP and inflammation, why he believes metabolic markers such as triglycerides, HDL, glucose and insulin deserve more attention than LDL alone, and how different markers can answer very different questions.

They also explore coronary calcium, emerging research around vitamin K2, and the challenge of deciding what to do with interesting new evidence before the science is fully settled.

👉 What you'll learn • Why not every measurable health marker is equally useful • What CRP can—and can't—tell you about inflammation • Why Dr. Fung places more emphasis on triglycerides and HDL than LDL alone • How triglycerides, HDL and insulin connect with metabolic syndrome • Why metabolic health is important when thinking about cardiovascular risk • What a coronary artery calcium score can tell you • Why emerging evidence doesn't always mean immediate action is warranted • How Dr. Fung thinks about risk versus potential benefit when evidence is still developing • Which metabolic markers he considers most useful to follow • Why health information is most useful when it helps guide practical next steps

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Coronary calcium and cardiovascular risk 00:24 Why no single health marker tells the whole story 02:50 What CRP tells us about inflammation 04:32 Why a high CRP can be difficult to act on 05:10 Triglycerides, HDL and metabolic syndrome 05:32 Why Dr. Fung looks beyond LDL 08:00 Comparing cardiovascular risk factors 10:00 How triglycerides and HDL connect with insulin 12:00 Why metabolic health matters more than a single cholesterol number 14:39 Catching metabolic dysfunction earlier 14:57 Coronary artery calcium and emerging evidence 17:00 Vitamin K2 and the challenge of evolving research 18:45 Which health markers Dr. Fung prioritizes 21:07 Looking at risk in context 24:06 Terri reflects on how to use health information without becoming overwhelmed

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Rob lost 205 pounds—but the biggest change was learning to stop blaming himself and start trusting the process.

Episode #276

🎙️ In this Community Voices episode, Coach Amy Medling talks with TFM member Rob about the physical and psychological transformation that took him from 434 pounds to a very different way of living.

Rob shares the wake-up call that started his journey, his experience with a GLP-1 medication, discovering Dr. Jason Fung and intermittent fasting, and how rolling 42-hour fasts became part of his path forward.

But this story goes well beyond weight loss. Rob explains how he moved away from decades of shame and self-blame, learned to work with his body rather than fight it, and used the TFM Community to help build the identity, flexibility and trust he now brings into maintenance.

👉 What you'll learn • How a serious health scare became Rob's turning point • What changed when food noise disappeared on a GLP-1 medication • Why discovering Dr. Fung's work changed how Rob understood his weight • The difference between releasing blame and giving up responsibility • How Rob used fasting as an exit strategy rather than a temporary diet • Why rolling 42-hour fasts worked so well for him • How Rob lost 205 pounds and 22 inches from his waist • Why mindset and identity became just as important as the fasting itself • What "trust the process" means when life knocks you off course • How Rob approaches fasting, food and maintenance now • Why learning to listen to his body has given him more freedom

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ It's Not Too Late to Join What It Takes What It Takes has started, but there's still time to join Coach Heather Shuker for this six-month intermittent fasting and weight loss program designed to help you stop starting over and build the habits, skills and confidence to make change last. Weekly live sessions at 6pm ET Replays are available, so it's easy to catch up if you join late or miss a live session. Learn more and join: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/what-it-takes/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Rob on willpower and finding what finally worked 00:25 Meet Rob and hear about his 205-pound transformation 01:07 Decades of weight struggles and conventional dieting 04:15 The cardiac wake-up call that changed everything 05:50 Stopping alcohol and searching for another answer 07:00 Rob's experience with a GLP-1 medication 09:00 Discovering Dr. Fung and a different explanation for weight gain 10:59 Letting go of shame without giving up responsibility 13:00 Finding fasting and building an exit strategy 15:00 Why rolling 42-hour fasts worked for Rob 17:30 Coming off medication and continuing to lose weight 20:49 Seeing the physical transformation 22:34 Identity change and why Rob joined the TFM Community 27:30 Replacing alcohol as a way to manage stress 31:27 What happened when Rob stopped the GLP-1 medication 34:39 Building flexibility into fasting and maintenance 37:39 Learning to see himself differently 39:06 Trusting the process when life goes off course 41:42 Food noise, fullness and learning to trust his body 42:40 Amy reflects on what made Rob's transformation last

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

If the fasting is solid but progress has stalled, the answer may be hiding in what happens between your fasts.

Episode #275

🎙️ In this Metabolic Troubleshooting episode, Coach Heather Shuker looks at a common frustration for experienced fasters: completing solid therapeutic fasts but still not seeing the progress they expect.

Heather explains why the fasting protocol itself may not be the issue. Food quality, eating frequency, grazing, under-eating and compensating for difficult eating days by fasting longer can all make it harder to understand what is actually working.

She also explores why eating days need to be nourishing as well as structured, how they become practice for eventual weight maintenance, and why erratic eating sometimes reflects stress, boredom, loneliness or overwhelm rather than a lack of nutritional knowledge.

👉 What you'll learn • Why fasting can work extremely well at first even when food isn't ideal • What "eating normally" can actually mean in practice • How grazing through an eating window can undermine the benefits of fasting • Why extending a fast after difficult eating days can become compensatory • Why eating days should be nourishing rather than another form of restriction • How chronic under-eating can increase hunger and contribute to later overeating • Why eating days are important practice for eventual weight maintenance • How stress and emotional eating can sit upstream of inconsistent food choices • What to stabilize before increasing the length or frequency of your fasts

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ Ready to Stop Starting Over? What It Takes is a six-month intermittent fasting and weight loss program led by Coach Heather Shuker, designed to help you build the habits, skills and confidence needed to make change last. Weekly live sessions at 6pm ET Starts Monday, September 21 Learn more about What It Takes: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/what-it-takes/

Want to hear more first? Join Heather for a free webinar exploring what actually drives sustainable weight loss—and why so many people get caught in a stop-start cycle. Weight Loss Blueprint: What It Takes to Lose Weight Monday • September 14 • 6pm ET Register here: https://thefastingmethod.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XrJDBuywSQ-HfA57r9_bxQ

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 When the fasting isn't the hard part 00:20 Heather introduces the eating-day problem 00:31 When fasting works like a "magic eraser" 02:46 Why solid fasting may still not produce progress 03:38 What does "eating normally" actually mean? 04:42 Eating windows, snacking and grazing 05:13 Why fasting longer can become compensation 06:43 Are you eating enough on your eating days? 08:30 Eating days as practice for maintenance 09:55 When restriction leads to hunger and overeating 10:29 Stress, emotions and erratic eating 12:39 What to stabilize before increasing your fasting 14:45 Which feels more stable: your fasts or your eating days? 15:38 Why support can matter when you already know what to do

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Normal blood sugar doesn't always mean everything is metabolically normal.

Episode #274

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance is joined by Dr. Jason Fung for a conversation about what routine lab results can—and can't—tell us about metabolic health.

Dr. Fung explains why blood glucose and A1C can remain within normal ranges even while insulin levels are rising, why "normal" and "optimal" aren't always the same thing, and why looking at a single number without context can miss important changes happening underneath.

They also discuss fasting insulin, C-peptide, why these markers can be useful when assessing hyperinsulinemia, and why trends over time often tell us more than one isolated result.

👉 What you'll learn • Why normal lab results don't necessarily explain how you feel • The five criteria used to define metabolic syndrome • Why hyperinsulinemia can develop before blood glucose becomes abnormal • How A1C can remain normal while insulin levels are rising • The difference between a laboratory "normal range" and an optimal result • Why fasting insulin can be difficult to interpret from a single measurement • What C-peptide can tell us about insulin production • Why C-peptide may be more stable than fasting insulin • Why repeated measurements can provide more useful context than one result • How better information can support more useful conversations with your healthcare practitioner

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 How A1C can look normal while insulin rises 00:31 Terri and Dr. Fung introduce the lab conversation 01:25 What does "normal" actually mean? 02:56 Why normal bloodwork doesn't explain everything 04:36 Looking at metabolic health more closely 05:13 The five markers of metabolic syndrome 05:47 Hyperinsulinemia versus insulin resistance 06:52 Why measure insulin at all? 07:32 How insulin can rise while glucose stays normal 08:37 Normal range versus optimal range 10:42 Why insulin measurements can fluctuate 11:55 What C-peptide tells us 13:05 Why one result isn't enough 15:50 What can you do with the information? 19:37 Why tracking results over time can matter 21:13 Why A1C may miss early metabolic dysfunction 23:42 Using lab information to ask better questions 25:14 Understanding what your doctor is—and isn't—testing

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Michele lost 120 pounds—but the deeper transformation was learning to live without the food noise, social pressure and old identity that had shaped her relationship with sugar for decades.

Episode #273

🎙️ Coach Amy Medling talks with TFM member Michele about losing 120 pounds, reversing diabetes and building a way of living that feels sustainable rather than temporary.

Michele shares how a one-year sugar-free commitment changed her relationship with food, why the social side of giving up sugar was harder than the physical side, and how she learned to celebrate, connect and care for herself without relying on sweets.

She also reflects on people pleasing, identity change, navigating comments about her body and continuing to move forward through ordinary wobbles rather than expecting perfection.

👉 What you'll learn • How Michele lost 120 pounds after decades of obesity and 12 years with diabetes • Why she originally planned to join The Fasting Method Community for only one month • What happened when she reintroduced sugar after a sugar-free period • Why removing sugar eventually felt freeing rather than restrictive for Michele • How social expectations became harder to navigate than the food itself • Why celebration and connection don't have to revolve around sweets • What it felt like to no longer be the largest woman in the room • How repeated choices gradually became part of Michele's identity • The practical strategies she uses in social situations and during difficult moments • Why wobbles don't erase genuine transformation • How Michele thinks about slow progress, maintenance and every pound she doesn't regain • Why different seasons of life can call for different fasting tools

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ There's Still Time to Join the Intermittent Fasting Masterclass The Intermittent Fasting Masterclass started Monday, August 31—but there's still time to join before the first live Q&A with Megan Ramos on Saturday, September 5.

Across four weeks, you'll get 14 recorded lessons and four live Q&A sessions with Megan, helping you understand how intermittent fasting works, how the main strategies fit together and what you may need to adjust in your own fasting practice.

New to fasting? Unsure whether your current approach fits? Wondering how fasting, nutrition and eating days work together—or what to change when progress stalls? The Masterclass is designed to help you build a clearer foundation and make more informed decisions about your next step.

And if you can't attend every session live, you won't miss out: replay access and TLDR summaries are included.

Learn more and join: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/intermittent-fasting-masterclass-summer-2026/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 When your body changes faster than your identity 00:32 Amy introduces Michele's Town Hall conversation 02:35 Decades of obesity, diabetes and starting again at 55 06:41 Michele's evolving relationship with sugar 09:05 Why giving up sugar was socially harder than physically 12:50 Learning to celebrate without sweets 20:32 Losing 120 pounds changes more than your body 22:33 No longer being the largest woman in the room 25:39 People pleasing, self-care and honoring your own needs 30:26 Navigating social situations without sugar 37:10 "Every pound I don't gain is a pound of loss" 40:10 What Michele would say to someone still caught in old patterns 42:16 Different seasons need different fasting tools 45:58 The 120 pounds were only part of the change 47:52 "Washed from the inside out"

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Conflicting fasting advice can make it difficult to know whether intermittent fasting is actually appropriate for you—and the answer is often more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

Episode #272

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance is joined by Megan Ramos to look at five situations that frequently raise questions about intermittent fasting: women and hormonal changes, people who are lean but metabolically unhealthy, stress and cortisol, concerns about muscle and bone health, and the use of GLP-1 medications.

Megan explains why broad rules such as "women shouldn't fast" or "fasting is bad when you're stressed" miss important context. Health history, body composition, life stage, current stress and the way fasting is applied all matter.

Terri and Megan also discuss why someone can appear lean while still having significant metabolic dysfunction, how fasting can be adapted during periods of stress, and what people using GLP-1 medications may need to consider around appetite, protein and lean mass.

👉 What you'll learn • Why fasting advice often needs more nuance than a simple yes or no • What women should consider across different hormonal stages • Why perimenopause and menopause don't automatically rule out fasting • How someone can be lean while still having metabolic syndrome • Why body composition matters more than scale weight alone • How the type and severity of stress can change the fasting approach • What fasting means for muscle and bone health • What to consider when fasting while using a GLP-1 medication • Why different circumstances may call for modifying rather than abandoning fasting

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ Go Deeper With the Intermittent Fasting Masterclass Megan's Intermittent Fasting Masterclass starts August 31 and is designed for people who are new to fasting as well as those who have been fasting for a while but aren't getting the results they expected.

Across four weeks, you'll get 14 recorded lessons, four live Q&A sessions with Megan, concise lesson summaries and one month of access to The Fasting Method Community for non-members.

The Masterclass covers what fasting actually is, what you can have during a fast, how to approach eating days, how to navigate social situations and how to adapt the principles to your own fasting journey.

Learn more and join: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/intermittent-fasting-masterclass-summer-2026/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Fasting while using GLP-1 medications 00:13 Terri introduces the Intermittent Fasting Masterclass 01:47 Who is intermittent fasting really for? 02:32 Why fasting advice has become so confusing 05:47 Women and fasting across different life stages 13:20 Can lean people with metabolic issues fast? 16:56 Fasting, stress responses and resilience 20:13 Stress, cortisol and when to modify fasting 24:01 Fasting, muscle mass and bone health 26:18 Fasting while taking GLP-1 medications 29:06 Megan introduces the Intermittent Fasting Masterclass 32:06 Who should share this episode

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Getting back on track doesn't mean switching every healthy habit back on at full throttle.

Episode #271

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance and Coach Heather Shuker explore how to rebuild movement, nutrition and fasting habits after a disrupted period without creating another cycle of overwhelm and burnout.

When routines have slipped, it's tempting to compensate by doing everything at once: exercise every day, clean up every meal, tighten the eating window and jump straight back into longer fasts. But previous experience doesn't make you immune to burnout—and being capable of doing something doesn't necessarily mean it's the right place to start.

Terri and Heather examine the diet mentality behind the belief that progress should feel difficult. If a plan feels manageable and is producing results, making it harder simply to feel as though you're working hard enough may be exactly what keeps the all-or-nothing cycle going.

Heather shares one way she approaches rebuilding with clients: start with movement to support stress regulation and create more mental bandwidth, then improve food quality, introduce time-restricted eating and build toward more advanced fasting when the foundations are ready. It isn't a rigid prescription, but an example of putting the pieces back in deliberately rather than pulling every lever at once.

They also discuss why using an extended fast as an emergency response to feeling out of control can backfire, why overwhelm is often a sign that the task needs to become smaller, and why maintenance doesn't begin when weight loss ends—it starts with the very first changes you make.

The goal isn't to stay at low intensity forever. It's to establish behaviors you can repeat, then build and optimize from there.

👉 What you'll learn • Why trying to restart everything at once can create another round of burnout • How diet mentality can make manageable progress feel somehow inadequate • Why "no pain, no gain" thinking can undermine sustainable change • How language such as "cheat day" can reveal an all-or-nothing relationship with food • Why Heather may start rebuilding with movement rather than fasting • How food quality, time-restricted eating and longer fasting can be layered progressively • Why an extended fast may be the wrong response when hunger and cravings are already high • How overwhelm can tell you that the next step needs to become smaller • Why maintenance begins during weight loss rather than afterward • Why establishing a habit comes before optimizing it

📝 Read the Transcript You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ Build a Fasting Approach That Fits Whether you're new to fasting or already have experience, understanding how the different pieces fit together can make it much easier to know what to adjust—and when.

The Intermittent Fasting Masterclass gives you four weeks of expert teaching with Megan Ramos, including 14 recorded lessons and four live Q&A sessions.

You'll leave with a clearer understanding of how intermittent fasting works, how the main strategies fit together, and what you may need to adjust in your own fasting practice.

Learn more: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/intermittent-fasting-masterclass-summer-2026/

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Join our free Facebook group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Why all-or-nothing thinking ends in nothing 00:19 Terri and Heather: how to rebuild your rhythm 01:36 The "rookie mistake" of restarting everything at once 03:47 When full throttle is really diet mentality 06:02 Why progress doesn't have to hurt 07:30 What "cheat day" language can reveal 09:03 Why Heather starts with movement 09:33 Improving food quality before adding more fasting 09:50 Bringing in time-restricted eating 11:44 The overloaded-barbell problem 13:43 Why a five-day fast may not be the right reset 14:52 If you feel overwhelmed, make the task smaller 16:36 Maintenance starts during weight loss 17:34 How repeated actions create identity change 22:34 Why all-or-nothing thinking keeps repeating 25:50 Establish the habit before you optimize it 28:19 Treating August as the first building block

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Knowing what to do isn't always the problem. Lasting change gets easier when who you're becoming and the systems around you begin working together.

Episode #270

🎙️ In this solo Turbo Talk episode, Coach Terri Lance explores why more knowledge, stricter rules and greater motivation often aren't what's missing when you know how to fast and eat well but still struggle to follow through consistently.

Most people begin by trying to change their behavior: fast for a certain number of hours, eat the right foods, attend more meetings or simply try harder. Terri explains why following a plan can produce temporary behavior without necessarily creating the deeper transformation needed to sustain it.

She starts with identity: instead of only asking what you should do, what changes when you ask, "Who am I becoming?" From there, Terri explores the shift from treating your body as something to control or make smaller to becoming someone who supports it, works with it and creates the conditions for better health.

The final piece is systems. Goals matter, but the routines, environment and structures surrounding you determine how much friction you face when life gets busy, stressful or tiring. Good systems don't remove personal responsibility—they reduce the number of difficult decisions your future self has to keep making.

Together, identity, your relationship with your body and supportive systems can turn consistency from a constant test of willpower into something that fits more naturally into the life you're building.

👉 What you'll learn

• Why knowing more doesn't necessarily lead to lasting change • The difference between performing healthy behaviors and changing your identity • How asking "Who am I becoming?" can change the way you approach fasting and nutrition • Why each choice can reinforce the person you're becoming • How to shift from forcing weight loss to supporting your body's health and function • Why treating your body as a partner can change the goals you set • How systems and environmental design reduce unnecessary friction • Why structure can be an act of self-compassion rather than restriction • How to build support for the tired, stressed or busy version of yourself

📝 Read the Transcript

You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ Ready to Change Gears?

If you know what you should be doing but keep finding yourself caught between pushing harder and losing momentum, Terri's upcoming workshop takes this conversation into practical application.

Changing Gears: What Pace Do You Need as Summer Ends? Coach Terri Lance

Terri will help you identify the gear you're currently in, recognize the emotional or practical friction affecting you, and decide what pace, support and intentional adjustment genuinely make sense next—without turning the end of summer into another all-or-nothing reset.

Also available in our August Workshop Collection:

What Is Your Gut Trying to Tell You? Coach Lisa Chance

Explore the workshops: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/workshops/

📣 Connect With Us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod

Join our free Facebook group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community

Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 When consistency stops feeling like a constant fight 00:32 Terri introduces the three connected pieces of lasting change 01:55 Why trying harder isn't solving the problem 02:47 Information versus transformation 03:00 Why changing behavior alone isn't enough 04:48 Healthy change starts with identity 05:14 Ask "Who am I becoming?" 07:09 Casting votes for the person you want to become 08:32 How identity begins changing your goals 09:38 Moving beyond "I need my body to get smaller" 11:35 What if the goal is helping your body function better? 12:51 Treating your body as a partner 14:17 How different goals create different choices 14:55 Why goals aren't enough without systems 16:45 Building structure around real life 17:27 Using your environment to make choices easier 18:04 What supportive systems can look like 20:43 Reducing friction instead of relying on willpower 21:25 The Thursday-night test of your system 22:32 Stop making your future self fight the same battle 23:04 Why structure can be self-compassion 25:00 Identity first, then behavior 26:00 Becoming someone who lives differently 27:01 Bringing identity, systems and results together

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Your digestive symptoms may feel random—but recurring patterns can give you useful clues about what to do next.

Bonus Episode

🎙️ Coach Lisa Chance explains how to observe digestive symptoms, identify meaningful patterns and choose a proportionate next step without trying to diagnose yourself or fix everything at once.

Bloating, reflux, constipation, urgency and changes in stool can feel unpredictable. But digestion sits downstream of many interacting factors, including food, meal size, eating pace, stress, sleep, hydration, travel and the menstrual cycle. The same meal can affect you differently on different days because the wider context has changed.

Lisa explains the difference between a single symptom and a recurring pattern, what you can reasonably observe without laboratory testing and why writing things down is more useful than relying on memory alone.

She also shares how to run a fair self-experiment by changing one variable, allowing enough time and deciding in advance what improvement would look like. The goal isn't to make the biggest possible change—it's to match the response to the size of the signal.

Lisa also outlines the warning signs that shouldn't be tracked or self-managed, including blood in the stool, black tarry stools, unexplained weight loss, painful or difficult swallowing, symptoms that interrupt sleep, severe or persistent pain and symptoms that are steadily worsening.

👉 What you'll learn

• Why digestive symptoms can feel random even when they aren't • The difference between an isolated symptom and a meaningful pattern • What to observe about timing, stool changes, bloating and how you feel after eating • Why changing everything at once prevents you from learning what helped • How to create a fair, proportionate self-experiment • Why the first step is usually attention rather than testing, supplements or broad food restriction • Which digestive warning signs should be taken directly to a clinician • How Lisa's gut-health workshop will help you identify your own pattern and choose a next step

📝 Read the Transcript

You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ Find the Right Next Step With Our August Workshops

As summer ends, you may be noticing both the patterns that affected your progress and the physical signals your body has been sending. Our August Workshop Collection offers two focused ways to assess what's happening and decide what you genuinely need next.

Changing Gears: What Pace Do You Need as Summer Ends? Coach Terri Lance

What Is Your Gut Trying to Tell You? Coach Lisa Chance

Learn more: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/workshops/

📣 Connect With Us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod

Join our free Facebook group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community

Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Become a good observer, not your own diagnostician 00:19 What is your gut trying to tell you? 01:07 Why digestive symptoms can feel random 01:57 The difference between a symptom and a pattern 02:40 What you can reasonably observe yourself 03:41 Why timing and context carry useful information 04:20 When you change everything, you learn nothing 05:08 Observe before buying tests or supplements 05:44 How to run a fair self-experiment 06:26 When to stop experimenting and speak to a clinician 07:37 What Lisa's gut-health workshop adds 08:29 Your gut is giving you clues, not a diagnosis

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Summer isn't evidence that you failed—it's information that can help you choose what you genuinely need next.

Episode #269

🎙️ Coach Terri Lance and Megan Ramos open the month with a seasonal conversation about moving from summer into fall without defaulting to guilt, urgency or another all-or-nothing reset.

As summer winds down, it can feel as though the Tuesday after Labor Day is another January 1—a date when everything must suddenly become stricter, faster and more intense. But moving from one extreme to another rarely addresses the patterns that made summer difficult in the first place.

Terri and Megan explain why this transition is better used as an opportunity to reflect. What continued to work? Where did you struggle? Do you need more structure, a period of recovery, a focused intervention or simply one repeatable adjustment?

They also explore why sustainable progress depends on more than fasting and nutrition alone. Social pressure, food availability, familiar comfort behaviors and all-or-nothing thinking don't disappear when summer ends. Identifying those foundations can make moderate fasting and nutrition strategies far more effective—and help prevent another cycle of intensity, burnout and starting over.

The episode closes with a practical challenge: use summer as information, assess the gear you're currently in and choose one or two proportionate changes that can carry you forward.

👉 What you'll learn

• Why September can trigger the same all-or-nothing thinking as January 1 • How extreme resets can recreate the cycle you're trying to escape • Why different people need different next steps after summer • When greater fasting intensity may be strategic—and when it may be a reaction to guilt • How social pressure, food availability and comfort habits affect progress • Why repeatable 24- or 36-hour fasts may achieve more than unsustainable bursts of extended fasting • How to use summer as information rather than evidence of failure • Why choosing one or two gear changes can be more effective than changing everything at once

📝 Read the Transcript

You can read the transcript and explore more episodes of The Fasting Method Podcast here:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

⚙️ Find the Right Next Step With Our August Workshops

As summer ends, you may be noticing both the patterns that affected your progress and the physical signals your body has been sending. Our August Workshop Collection offers two focused ways to assess what's happening and decide what you genuinely need next.

In Changing Gears: What Pace Do You Need as Summer Ends?, Coach Terri will help you identify the gear you're currently in, recognize the emotional or practical friction affecting you, and choose the pace, support and intentional adjustment you need for fall.

In What Is Your Gut Trying to Tell You?, Coach Lisa will help you recognize key digestive signals, identify recurring patterns and decide whether the right response is a simple adjustment, a fair self-experiment, coaching support or medical input.

Learn more:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/workshops/

📣 Connect With Us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod

Join our free Facebook group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

🤝 Join The Fasting Method Community

Build your fasting knowledge, learn from experienced coaches and connect with people who understand the journey:

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 One gear change instead of seven new things 00:37 Terri and Megan return to the podcast together 01:35 Breaking up with the September reset 02:30 Why the Tuesday after Labor Day feels like January 1 03:00 Progress as personal transformation, not seasonal correction 04:44 The behavioral foundations behind sustainable change 05:29 "How can I fix this fast?" versus "What would help me move forward?" 06:52 Why motivation and extreme plans lead to burnout 08:17 Finding power in smaller fasting and nutrition changes 09:24 What summer can reveal about your recurring patterns 11:42 Why everyone doesn't need the same September plan 13:00 Halloween candy, comfort behaviors and familiar excuses 15:01 Terri's Changing Gears workshop and the manual-transmission lesson 18:13 Choosing one or two changes that can actually stick 19:56 Why repeatable fasting can outperform occasional extremes 21:59 Moving into fall with smarter, more sustainable decisions 22:12 Why gut health matters for metabolic progress 23:27 Lisa's gut-health workshop and what it will help participants assess 25:13 What did summer teach you?

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only, and it is not to substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before doing any fasting, changing your diet in any way, taking or adjusting any medications or supplements, or adopting any treatment plan for a health problem.

The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Any information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Sometimes the support that helped you get started isn't the support you need a year later.

Episode #268

🎙️ In this special revisit, Coach Terri Lance reintroduces one of our favorite member conversations after a recent Facebook comment from Kirsten Hopkinson reminded us why this story still matters.

When Kirsten first joined The Fasting Method, she had a clear goal: improve her health and lose weight. But what unfolded became something much deeper. As her journey evolved, so did the support she needed. Alongside weight loss and improved health markers, she discovered the power of community, coaching, education, and a mindset shift that helped her stop chasing quick fixes and start building a life she truly wanted to live.

If you've ever wondered whether your own support needs have changed over time, this conversation is a powerful reminder that lasting transformation isn't about finding one perfect plan—it's about having the right support for the season you're in.

👉 What you'll learn:

• Why lasting transformation is about more than weight loss
• How shifting your identity can change your health journey
• The role coaching, community, and education played in Kirsten's success
• Why there's no single "magic formula" for lasting change
• How your support needs naturally evolve over time
• Why building habits for your future self matters more than chasing perfection
• How mindset changes create lasting lifestyle changes
• What it really means to invest in yourself

📝 Transcript

The transcript for this episode is available on our website: 👉 https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

💙 Find the Support That's Right for You

One of the biggest themes in Kirsten's story is that the support you need today may not be the same support you'll need a year from now.

Through July 31, we're opening a special support window to help you choose the next step that's right for you.

If you're looking for a long-term home for your health journey, Lifetime Membership gives you ongoing access to The Fasting Method Community, live coaching sessions, resources, and a place to reconnect whenever life changes.

If you need more personalized support, anyone who books a qualifying 1:1 Coaching package by July 31 will also receive an additional private 45-minute planning session to help you make the most of your coaching journey.

✨ Lifetime Membership: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/register/lifetime-community-subscription/

✨ 1:1 Coaching: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/coaching/

📣 Connect With Us

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod

💬 Free Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 — A special reintroduction from Coach Terri 04:48 — Meet Kirsten and her health journey 06:19 — Why this attempt felt different 08:07 — From chasing skinny to building a life 11:14 — Community changed everything 15:11 — There is no magic formula 18:22 — Letting go of old coping habits 23:41 — Success is more than the scale 25:54 — Advice for someone just starting 28:25 — Giving yourself time to change 30:07 — Your future starts with today's choices 31:28 — Why this is really a self-care journey

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.

The use of any products or services purchased does not create a healthcare provider–patient relationship.

Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

A flat CGM line isn't always good news.

Episode #267 🎙️ In this Metabolic Troubleshooting episode, Coach Lisa Chance explains what really happens when alcohol and carbohydrates collide—and why your CGM may not be telling the whole story.

Using practical examples like pizza and wine, Lisa explores how alcohol changes the way your liver regulates blood sugar, why glucose readings can appear deceptively stable, and what that means for anyone using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to better understand their metabolic health.

Whether you're experimenting with different foods, wearing a CGM for the first time, or simply curious about how alcohol affects your metabolism, this episode will help you interpret your glucose data with greater confidence.

👉 What you'll learn:

• Why alcohol can make your CGM readings misleading
• What a "flat" glucose line really means after drinking
• How alcohol affects blood sugar, insulin, and liver function
• Why food experiments should be done on alcohol-free nights
• How carbs and alcohol interact metabolically
• Which types of alcohol are the least disruptive to glucose regulation
• Why beer, wine, and spirits affect your metabolism differently
• How to use your CGM as a feedback tool—not a moral scorecard

📝 Transcript

The transcript for this episode is available on our website: 👉 https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

💙 Ready for More Personalised Support?

Through July 31, anyone who books a The Fasting Method 1:1 Coaching package will receive an additional private 45-minute planning session to help you think strategically about your coaching journey and get the most from your time with your coach.

Looking for long-term support instead? Lifetime Membership is also open during this special support window, giving you ongoing access to coaching, community, and resources to help you build lasting metabolic health.

Current TFM Community members also receive preferred pricing on eligible 1:1 coaching options.

✨ Lifetime Membership: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/register/lifetime-community-subscription/

✨ 1:1 Coaching: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/coaching/

📣 Connect With Us

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/

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💬 Free Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 — Pizza, wine, and the misleading flat CGM line 00:24 — Why alcohol changes how to interpret CGM data 02:40 — Blood glucose basics and understanding your CGM 05:57 — How alcohol affects liver glucose production 09:23 — Why alcohol can disrupt blood sugar for up to 24 hours 12:27 — Alcohol, insulin, and hidden metabolic effects 14:37 — Why carbs and alcohol create misleading CGM data 18:01 — Beer, wine, and spirits: what's the metabolic difference? 21:24 — Choosing lower-impact alcoholic drinks 24:00 — What metabolic healing looks like on a CGM 27:00 — Key takeaways for interpreting your glucose data

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.

The use of any products or services purchased does not create a healthcare provider–patient relationship.

Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

You don't need a perfect summer. You just need to stay connected.

Episode #266 🎙️ In this Turbo Talk, Coach Terri Lance explores how to navigate summer without falling into the all-or-nothing mindset that so often derails progress.

Terri explains why summer isn't an interruption to your health journey—it's the perfect practice field for real life. She introduces the idea of "future self bargaining," explores the difference between intensity and commitment, and shares practical strategies for staying connected to your goals even when routines change.

Rather than striving for perfection, this episode is an invitation to build flexible habits that support lasting metabolic health through vacations, family gatherings, travel, and everything else summer brings.

👉 What you'll learn: • Why you don't need a perfect summer to make progress • How all-or-nothing thinking keeps people stuck • What "future self bargaining" is and why it's so common • Why summer is the perfect practice field for long-term success • How to identify your baseline habits and non-negotiables • The difference between commitment and intensity • Why reconnecting matters more than perfection • How compassion and commitment work together to create lasting change

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 — You don't need a perfect summer 00:19 — Introduction: staying connected through summer 01:40 — The two common summer traps 03:00 — Summer is practice for real life 04:19 — Stay connected, not perfect 05:14 — Why reconnection matters more than perfection 06:00 — Future self bargaining: why waiting until September keeps you stuck 08:02 — Summer is the practice field for long-term success 09:37 — Becoming the person you want to be 11:09 — Your baseline habits are your anchor 12:20 — Choosing your non-negotiables 13:18 — Intentional choices instead of drifting 14:22 — Most summer memories aren't about food 15:24 — Shorten the recovery time after setbacks 16:17 — Commitment vs intensity 18:21 — Why consistency always beats intensity 20:13 — Summer Steady: support through the summer months 21:20 — Commitment and compassion work together 22:29 — Final thoughts: connection over perfection

📝 Transcript The transcript for this episode is available on our website: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

☀️ Summer Steady

Ready to enjoy your summer without losing your momentum?

Summer Steady starts Wednesday, 15 July and is designed to help you stay connected to your health through travel, holidays, family gatherings, and changing routines.

You'll learn practical tools and strategies from Megan Ramos, Coach Terri Lance, and The Fasting Method coaching team to help you build metabolic resilience—not perfection—all summer long.

👉 Learn more and join us here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/summer-steady/

💛 Community Support Join The Fasting Method Community for guidance, accountability, and coaching support: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

✨ Partner Offer 🧪 Curious about Aeira? Learn more at drinkaeira.com and use the discount code podcast10 for 10% off Aeira products.

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.

The use of any products or services purchased does not create a healthcare provider–patient relationship.

Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Summer doesn't have to be a season you recover from.

Episode #265 🎙️ In this episode, Megan Ramos returns to the podcast to join Coach Terri Lance for a practical conversation about staying connected to your health through summer travel, vacations, family visits, social events, and disrupted routines.

Together they explore how to avoid the all-or-nothing trap, why a few simple personal rules can create more freedom than restriction, and how summer can become one of the best opportunities to build long-term metabolic resilience rather than pressing pause on your progress.

They also discuss using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) with curiosity instead of judgment, practical strategies for carbohydrates and alcohol while travelling, and why consistency—not perfection—is what carries you through every season.

👉 What you'll learn: • Why summer doesn't have to derail your health goals • How to create simple rules that make travel easier • Practical strategies for navigating restaurants, vacations, and social events • How to enjoy seasonal foods without abandoning your goals • Why CGMs should be used with curiosity, not judgment • How to experiment with your body's responses instead of chasing perfection • Why resilience matters more than restriction • How Summer Steady helps build long-term metabolic health

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 — Why we shouldn't write off half the year 00:12 — Introduction: staying steady through summer 00:26 — Megan's return and a new season of life 01:40 — Why summer isn't a write-off 02:38 — Use summer as a learning opportunity 03:04 — Transformation, not dieting 04:22 — Strategy beats perfection 05:38 — Megan's Italy rules for staying on track 07:57 — Why simple rules create freedom 09:02 — Looking beyond the scale and CGM numbers 11:24 — Why strategy creates better outcomes 11:50 — Megan's postpartum journey and rebuilding healthy habits 13:47 — Using CGMs to understand cravings and hunger 15:07 — Protective strategies for carbohydrates 16:57 — Curiosity instead of judgment with CGMs 18:43 — Why CGMs are about trends, not perfect numbers 20:59 — The value of experimentation over perfection 23:10 — Have a summer you don't need to recover from 24:44 — Introducing the Summer Steady toolkit 26:16 — Real-life examples of building metabolic resilience 26:43 — GLP-1s, natural strategies, and creating your summer toolbox 28:54 — Final thoughts and Summer Steady invitation

📝 Transcript The transcript for this episode is available on our website: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

☀️ Summer Steady Ready to enjoy your summer without losing your momentum?

Join Summer Steady and learn the practical tools, strategies, and coaching support that will help you navigate vacations, travel, celebrations, and everyday life while continuing to improve your metabolic health.

Learn more and join us here: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/summer-steady/

💛 Community Support Join The Fasting Method Community for guidance, accountability, and coaching support: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

✨ Partner Offer 🧪 Curious about Aeira? Learn more at drinkaeira.com and use the discount code podcast10 for 10% off Aeira products.

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.

The use of any products or services purchased does not create a healthcare provider–patient relationship.

Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Starting a fasting practice can feel uncomfortable—and sometimes even a little scary. The good news is that many of those early challenges are completely normal.

Episode #264 🎙️ In this episode, Coach Terri Lance explains what to expect when you first begin fasting and why those early experiences don't necessarily mean something is wrong.

Terri explores the difference between normal hunger and genuine warning signs, explains how your body adapts to using stored body fat for fuel, and shares practical advice for building a sustainable fasting practice without rushing the process.

Whether you're just getting started or supporting someone who is, this episode offers reassurance, practical guidance, and the confidence to trust the learning process.

👉 What you'll learn: • Why fasting feels difficult when you first begin • The difference between hunger and danger signals • What fat adaptation really means • Why fasting is not the same as starvation • Common beginner mistakes that make fasting harder • How electrolytes can support your fasting practice • Why slowing down often leads to better long-term results • How to build your fasting habit gradually and sustainably

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 — Why fasting takes practice and self-compassion 00:53 — Introduction: what to expect when you first start fasting 01:40 — Why does fasting feel so difficult at first? 03:48 — Why your body resists fasting in the beginning 05:06 — What happens when hunger signals appear? 06:14 — Physical hunger vs habitual eating 07:44 — Is this uncomfortable... or unsafe? 08:07 — What does normal hunger actually feel like? 08:57 — When should you stop a fast? Warning signs to watch for 10:15 — How your body adapts to fasting over time 11:16 — What does becoming fat adapted mean? 12:02 — Why your energy may fluctuate early on 13:26 — Fasting vs starvation: what's the difference? 15:46 — Does fasting get easier over time? 16:56 — Common beginner mindset traps 17:03 — Why longer isn't always better 18:12 — The mistake of eating continuously during your eating window 18:59 — Learning to become comfortable with hunger 20:00 — What if you're really struggling to fast? 21:11 — Why electrolytes matter 21:48 — Slow down and give yourself grace 23:10 — Why nutrition and fasting work together 24:59 — Final thoughts: what surprised you most when you started fasting?

📝 Transcript The transcript for this episode is available on our website: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/podcasts/

💛 Community Support Join The Fasting Method Community for guidance, accountability, and coaching support: https://www.thefastingmethod.com/community/

✨ Partner Offer 🧪 Curious about Aeira? Learn more at drinkaeira.com and use the discount code podcast10 for 10% off Aeira products.

📣 Connect With Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastingmethod/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheFastingMethod Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/obesitycodenetwork

⚠️ Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.

The use of any products or services purchased does not create a healthcare provider–patient relationship.

Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.