The Fasting Method Podcast

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.