If fat loss has ever felt harder than it should, this episode will completely change how you think about dieting.

After years of coaching women through fat loss, I’ve learned that success isn’t about magic foods or extreme plans. It’s about creating the right physiological and psychological environment with food.

In this episode, I break down a simple, repeatable food framework that makes fat loss easier to stick to and faster to achieve.

You’ll learn why hunger management is the real key to consistency and how the right food choices naturally keep calories lower without feeling restrictive.

I explain how micronutrient-dense foods support your thyroid, hormones, training performance, and energy so your body actually responds to a calorie deficit.

We’ll walk through the best carbohydrate sources for fat loss, including why potatoes, berries, oats, and non-starchy vegetables work so well.
 

I’ll cover the most effective lean protein options to stay full, preserve muscle, and keep your metabolism strong.

You’ll also learn how to use fats strategically without blowing your calorie target.

I share a full sample day of eating so you can see exactly how this framework looks in real life.

We’ll talk through easy swaps and shortcuts for busy schedules so this plan is realistic, not perfect.

This approach makes your diet simpler, more measurable, and far less stressful.

It keeps your body healthy, responsive, and primed for fat loss instead of fighting it.

If you want a meal plan that actually works with your body and your life, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:

(2:06) How Should We Eat For Fat Loss?

(4:36) Keeping Hunger Manageable

(9:22) Remember SHREDS For Biofeedback

(12:13) Macro Sources

(14:42) Metabolic Flexibility

(17:52) Berries and Antioxidants

(23:42) Protein Sources

(29:10) Sample Meal Plan

(32:32) Making Fat Loss Easier

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

You want change more than anything, yet somehow you keep finding yourself back in the same frustrating patterns... and this episode explains why. 

If you have ever wondered why motivation fades, follow-through slips, and 2026 feels like it has to be different, this conversation is for you. We break down the hidden loop so many women live in: setting goals with hope, only to fall back into old habits and self-doubt. 

You will learn why this is not a discipline problem or a personal failure, but a very human pattern rooted in both nervous system protection and brain wiring. We explore the ancient concept of akrasia, the science of time inconsistency, and why resistance often shows up strongest when you want change the most. 

You will see how past experiences, especially control or criticism, can quietly fuel self-sabotage today. This episode walks you through clear signs you may be stuck in this cycle and why nothing is “wrong” with you. More importantly, we outline a new way forward that does not rely on willpower, pressure, or punishment. 

You will learn how to shift from control-based change to self-leadership rooted in care and alignment. We cover practical tools like reducing friction, designing your environment, and using implementation intentions so action becomes easier. This is about moving from self-sabotage into enkrateia — calm, grounded power over yourself. 

If you are ready for 2026 to be the year things finally stick, this episode is your turning point.

Time Stamps:

(2:00) Jumping Into 2026 With This Topic

(4:17) Omar and Doomscrolling

(7:37) Competing Motivations and Resistance

(10:33) How To Break The Cycle

(11:32) Notice The Awareness

(13:04) Acknowledge The Consequences

(17:02) Shifting From Control To Love

(20:16) Setting Our Environment Up For Success

(22:03) Reducing Friction

(24:22) Implementation Intentions

(28:02) Power Over Yourself Through Leadership

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In Episode 205, I had some health hacks I was excited about and now it's time to review them...

This year brought us so much in terms of family, a new home, new coaches, and a baby girl (surprise!) on the way! I wanted to take this episode to review some of the hacks I had talked about at the beginning of the year, see what stuck, what I actually enjoyed and didn't, and what's going to make the cut in 2026.

Since this is my first pregnancy, some things like cold plunging will have to go on the back burner but I'm excited to share what I'm excited about and what I will be taking with me into 2026. 

Some topics like private healthcare and peptides are topics I want to cover more extensively in later episodes but wanted to mention them in today's episode because I think they are two big topics. 

DM me and let me know if there's any health hacks that you are ditching or including in your 2026 and Happy New Year from all of us at Vital Spark!

Time Stamps:

(1:11) Surrounded By Boxes

(2:34) Gender Reveal

(4:57) What I’m Bringing Into 2026

(5:52) What I Covered Last Year

(19:02) Leaving Yoga Classes in 2025

(21:46) Caffeine Limits

(24:27) Cold Plunges

(26:42) Sober Periods

(29:42) Health Optimization

(31:37) Let Them Mentality

(34:56) Private Healthcare

(37:16) Peptides

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

Social anxiety is not a personality flaw, it is your nervous system doing its job a little too loudly. 

In this episode, we reframe awkwardness and self-consciousness as signals of alert, not evidence that something is wrong with you. If holiday parties, crowded rooms, or feeling “on” leave you tense and overthinking, this conversation will help you understand what is actually happening in your body. 

I walk you through seven gentle, practical tools designed to give your nervous system cues of safety so you can stay grounded and present. These are not mindset tricks or confidence hacks, they are body-based resets you can use in real time. You will learn how to quickly orient to the present moment, regulate your breath, and take micro breaks without disappearing. 

We talk about why food or drinks often become a coping tool in social settings and how to expand your options without judgment or restriction. You will also learn how to prepare simple connection cues so conversations feel less draining. 

This episode emphasizes choice, permission, and self-trust rather than forcing yourself to push through discomfort. Even using one of these tools can shift how safe your body feels. Confidence is not about being calm all the time, it is about knowing how to support yourself when you are activated. 

If you want to feel more at ease socially without changing who you are, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:

(3:07) Social Anxiety and Awkwardness

(8:03) #1: The Name and Notice Reset

(9:03) #2: The Anger Breath

(9:55) #3: The Micro-Step Away

(10:48) #4: The Connection Cue

(13:30) #5: The Pocket Script

(15:51) #6: The Sensory Grounder

(19:58) #7: The Permission Slip

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

In today’s episode, I’m talking honestly about body image and not from a place of perfection, but from my real everyday experience. 

We’ll  unpack how constant exposure to food content, fitness trends, and curated lifestyles subtly shapes the way we think about our bodies. I share what intrusive thoughts around appearance can sound like and why they tend to show up when life slows down or feels uncertain. 

We talk about the arrival fallacy and the belief that once our body looks a certain way, we’ll finally feel at peace and why that promise almost never delivers. I reflect on how comparison creeps in quietly and how it disconnects us from actually enjoying the lives we’re building. 

This episode isn’t about fixing your body; it’s about understanding the mental patterns that keep you feeling dissatisfied even when things are objectively good. I also share perspective shifts that have helped me soften my relationship with my body without forcing positivity. 

We explore what it looks like to hold ambition and self-acceptance at the same time. If you’ve ever thought, “I should feel happier than this,” you’re not alone. 

This conversation is an invitation to notice, not judge, the stories you’re telling yourself. Body image isn’t just about how you look. It’s about how present you’re able to be in your own life. And sometimes, the work isn’t changing anything externally, but learning to arrive where you already are.

Time Stamps:

(1:32) Instagram Food Algorithms

(7:26) The Intrusive Thoughts

(9:02) Binging Landman

(15:52) The Arrival Fallacy

(20:49) Arthur Brooks Quote

(23:12) Our New Home

 

(31:32) Let Us Know If You Enjoyed Today’s Episode

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Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If you’ve ever been told your gut is “fine” but you still feel bloated, inflamed, exhausted, or stuck, this episode will change the way you look at your health.

In today’s episode, I break down what a GI Map actually is and why I use it as the starting point for almost every woman I work with. I explain the critical difference between what a traditional GI doctor looks for and what a GI Map is designed to uncover. 

While medical doctors are trained to find disease, this type of testing looks for dysfunction, the subtle imbalances that quietly sabotage your energy, hormones, digestion, and metabolism. I walk you through what the test measures, including bacteria, yeast, parasites, inflammation, leaky gut markers, and detox capacity. 

You’ll learn why so many women get “normal” test results at the doctor’s office but still feel anything but normal in their bodies. I share why skipping the gut and jumping straight into hormone work often leads to stalled progress and frustration. I also break down how we use GI Map results to create custom gut-healing protocols that go far beyond random supplements. 

We talk through the real-life signs that your gut might be your missing piece even if you don’t have obvious digestive issues. I explain why this test alone isn’t enough and how coaching and real-time adjustments are what make the process actually work. 

If you’ve been doing “all the right things” and still feel off, this episode will connect the dots for you. By the end, you’ll understand whether a GI Map might be the next step in your healing journey and why guessing is no longer necessary. If you’re ready for clarity instead of trial and error, this episode is for you.

Time Stamps:

(1:21) Home Ownership

(4:40) GI Map’s

(6:32) Disease vs Dysfunction

(9:50) What Is A GI Map?

(12:27) Where We Start Our Vital Spark Clients

(15:40) Your House Is On Fire

(20:07) Episode 206 and 207

(21:58) Would You Benefit From A GI Map?

(29:47) What Happens After The GI Map

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If you woke up extra puffy, bloated, or sluggish after Thanksgiving, you’re not alone.

Today I’m walking you through the exact protocol I’d use to feel normal again fast. In this episode, I break down a simple A.M., P.M. routine designed to calm inflammation, support lymphatic flow, reset your circadian rhythm, and get your digestion back on track. 

We start with a morning lineup that helps your body de-bloat naturally: dandelion and peppermint tea, sunrise exposure, gentle lymphatic drainage, and a cold plunge or face dunk to clear the fog. I’ll share why “easy-to-digest” meals like eggs, fruit, ground turkey, and white rice speed up recovery after a heavier holiday meal. 

You’ll also learn how hydration, electrolytes, sauna sessions, and strategic walking across the day work together to flush excess water retention.

I walk you through small daytime habits that make a huge difference including stress management tools that actually matter when you’re feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable in your body. 

Then we close with a powerful P.M. routine designed to optimize digestion, calm cortisol, improve sleep quality, and support your lymphatic system while you rest. From early dinners to legs-up-the-wall breathing, these are the tools that help you feel lighter, clearer, and more grounded within 24–48 hours.

If you want a gentle, supportive, and science-backed plan to ditch bloat and puffiness quickly, without punishing yourself, this episode is your reset guide. Let’s get you feeling like you again.

Time Stamps:

(2:20) Gender Prediction

(5:22) Waking Up Feeling Thick

(8:37) The Big 6 For Lymphatic Drainage

(13:02) Meals Across The Day

(17:30) Sauna Usage

(22:12) Early Dinner

(25:06) Something Is Better Than Nothing

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If your energy, mood, weight, or cycle feels off, your hormones are already trying to tell you why.

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down something that feels confusing for so many women: hormones. 

Most of us only hear about hormones when something starts going wrong — our energy crashes, our cycles change, our thyroid acts up, or our weight stops responding the way it used to. And because it feels overwhelming, we try to fix the surface symptoms without ever understanding the deeper systems underneath. 

So today, I want to simplify things and give you a clear, foundational understanding of how your hormones actually work. I’m walking you through the four major hormone categories that control your metabolism, your mood, your energy, your cycle, and so much of how your body feels day-to-day. 

You’ll learn what each category does, how they interact, and why an imbalance in one usually creates a domino effect in the others. I’m also going to show you what it looks like when each system is out of sync, so you can start recognizing your body’s signals instead of feeling confused by them. 

Most importantly, I’ll give you practical places to start if you want to support your hormones in a realistic, sustainable way. No complicated protocols — just simple patterns that immediately reduce stress on your system. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand your hormones on a deeper level and feel more equipped to advocate for your own health. 

This is your crash course in hormone health.

Time Stamps:

(2:12) Gratitude

(4:42) Strong Foundation For Hormone Knowledge

(9:42) Disease vs Dysfunction with Labwork

(12:52) The 4 Categories of Hormones

(17:32) Sex Hormones

(22:52) Energy Hormones

(27:58) Stress Hormones

(31:32) How Hormone Systems Affect One Another

(39:02) Morning Sunlight

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

If slowing down feels wrong but your body is begging for rest, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m talking to the woman who has always been the go-hard achiever — the early workouts, the hustle, the I-don’t-need-rest mindset. 

But now your body feels like it’s pushing back, and slowing down feels uncomfortable or even scary. I’ve been there, and I want to help you make sense of what your body is trying to say. Instead of guessing or feeling guilty, 

I’m giving you a simple, practical five-question check-in to help you know whether your body needs rest or whether gentle movement will actually make you feel better. Because in a healing season, both rest and movement are powerful — it’s just about choosing the right one for the day you’re in. 

You’ll learn why the signals you’re feeling are a sign of recovery, not failure. I’ll walk you through what this looks like in different phases of healing — from burnout, to rebuilding, to thriving again. We’ll also talk about the mental side of this: letting go of the belief that discipline only counts when you push harder. 

Resting doesn’t make you weak. It makes you wiser. And the more you listen to your body, the faster your energy, hormones, and confidence return. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a tool you can use anytime you’re unsure of what your body needs. This is how you build trust with yourself again — one decision at a time. So take a breath, tune in, and let’s help your body feel safe and strong again.

Time Stamps:

(1:17) Mood Lighting

(2:02) Pulling Back From Exercise

(5:47) Movement and Discipline

(8:14) Your Hormones Are Recalibrating

(9:59) #1: How Did I Sleep Last Night?

(11:57) If You’re Averaging 5-6 Hours of Sleep A Night

(13:12) #2: My Stress Level From 1-10

(14:32) #3: How Does My Body Feel Physically?

(16:00) #4: What’s My Emotional State?

(17:41) #5: How Do I Think I’ll Feel After?

(21:56) Save This One For The Future

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!

We all want the dream body, but almost none of us want to slow down long enough to build the base it actually requires.

In today's episode, I’m sharing one of the most important lessons I’ve learned as both a coach and a client: you can’t build a strong, sustainable body without a strong foundation. 

I use the analogy of building a dream home because just like a house needs a solid foundation before the walls go up, your body needs metabolic stability and healthy habits before you layer on intense training or dieting. 

Most of us try to skip this part because we’re in a hurry to see results. 

I get it. I used to be the impatient one who wanted the plan, the strategy, and the visible progress right away. But rushing your transformation is the fastest way to end up starting over again and again. 

In this episode, I break down what the “foundation phase” actually looks like, including how we assess metabolism using SHREDS and why stabilizing sleep, hunger cues, digestion, energy, stress, and recovery is non-negotiable. 

I share why this phase can feel slow and why that slow work is what makes everything that comes after actually stick. I also walk through the three phases of a healthy nutrition journey and how to know which phase you’re truly ready for. 

This is about building a body that can handle real life. Vacations, busy seasons, holidays, stress, and everything in between. When your foundation is strong, you don’t fall apart when your routine changes. You adapt and you bounce back.

 If you’ve been feeling frustrated with slow progress, this episode may be the reframe you needed. Take a breath — you might just be pouring the concrete.

Time Stamps:

(2:57) Next Stage of Homeownership

(4:34) Building The Foundation

(7:27) When I First Started My Fitness Journey

(12:42) The Metabolic Assessment

(19:42) Building The Walls Next

(20:27) Vital Spark’s 3 Phases

(28:02) Please Share and Review

---------------------

Find Out More Information on Vital Spark Coaching

---------------------

Follow @vanessagfitness on Instagram for daily fitness tips & motivation. 

---------------------

Download Our FREE Metabolism-Boosting Workout Program

---------------------

Join the Women’s Metabolism Secrets Facebook Community for 25+ videos teaching you how to start losing fat without hating your life!

---------------------

Click here to send me a message on Facebook and we’ll see how I can help or what best free resources I can share!

---------------------

Interested in 1-on-1 Coaching with my team of Metabolism & Hormone Experts? Apply Here!

---------------------

Check out our Youtube Channel!

---------------------

Enjoyed the podcast? Let us know what you think and leave a 5⭐️ rating and review on iTunes!