Dr. Cassandra Evans joins Vanessa to break down the science of protein, body recomposition, fat loss, muscle preservation, genetics, caffeine, and women's iron health.

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

They discuss how much protein may be optimal during body recomposition and fat loss, including research showing that higher-protein diets can help preserve lean mass, improve satiety, and in some cases even support muscle gain while losing body fat.

Cassandra also shares fascinating protein-overfeeding research suggesting that increasing calories from protein may affect body composition very differently than overfeeding on fat or carbohydrates.

They break down the myth that high-protein diets are harmful to bone health, including research in resistance-trained women, and explore the FTO "obesity gene," how it may influence hunger and food intake, and why exercise appears to reduce some of the differences associated with genetic risk.

Try my favorite new electrolytes Cure Hydration! Head to curehydration.com/VANESSA and use code VANESSA to save 20% on your order. 💙 Now available on Amazon!

Vanessa and Cassandra also discuss caffeine and energy drinks, why caffeine appears to be doing most of the heavy lifting for performance and cognition, and common myths around caffeine and hydration.

They finish with Cassandra's emerging research on lactoferrin and iron status in women, including how lactoferrin may influence hepcidin, iron utilization, gut health, pregnancy, postpartum health, and menopause.

In this episode:

• How much protein do you need for body recomposition?
• Can you gain muscle while losing fat?
• How protein helps preserve lean mass during a calorie deficit
• Why higher protein may support greater fat loss
• What protein-overfeeding studies reveal
• Why resistance training is critical during fat loss
• Are high-protein diets bad for bone health?
• The FTO "obesity gene" explained
• How exercise may reduce genetic risk
• Energy drinks versus caffeine
• Does caffeine dehydrate you?
• Dr. Evans' evidence-based supplement routine
• Iron deficiency in active, pregnant, and postpartum women
• What lactoferrin is and how it affects iron metabolism
• Why more iron is not always better
• Emerging lactoferrin research in women's health and menopause

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Follow @ketogenicgirl and @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast

The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, supplements, or exercise regimen.

Vanessa breaks down the biggest takeaways from her conversation with Dr. Sara Oikawa, including what the research says about losing body fat while preserving—or even gaining—lean mass.

A major focus is a tightly controlled body recomposition study in which young men followed a 40% calorie deficit while completing intensive resistance and interval training.

The group consuming 2.4 g/kg of protein per day actually gained lean mass while losing fat, while the lower-protein group maintained lean mass.

Vanessa explains why resistance training was likely the most important signal, how higher protein intake may support muscle preservation during a deficit, and why body recomposition depends on much more than calories alone.

Back-to-School Sale!

Save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia:

Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during our warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Vanessa also recaps Dr. Oikawa's step-reduction research, where older adults reduced their activity to just 750 steps per day.

Even while consuming a high-protein diet, participants still lost lean mass—highlighting why protein cannot completely replace the stimulus of muscle contraction.

Another major focus is protein quality.

Vanessa breaks down research comparing whey protein isolate and collagen peptides, why they do not produce the same muscle protein synthetic response, and why simply counting total grams of "protein" may not tell you whether you are getting enough essential amino acids to support muscle.

They also explore how aging, energy availability, periods of inactivity, illness, surgery, and aggressive calorie restriction can influence muscle loss and recovery.

🥤 True Nutrition

Create your own custom protein blend at truenutrition.com/vanessa and use code VANESSA for 20% off your first order.

Let Vanessa know what your custom blend is! Now shipping internationally.

In This Episode

• Can you gain muscle while losing body fat?
• The 40% calorie-deficit body recomposition study
• Why the 2.4 g/kg protein group gained lean mass
• Why the 1.2 g/kg group maintained lean mass
• Why resistance training may be the most important muscle-preserving signal
• Why protein cannot fully "out-nutrition" inactivity
• What happened when participants dropped to 750 steps per day
• How quickly skeletal muscle responds to reduced activity
• Why muscle contraction matters during fat loss
• High protein during a calorie deficit
• Protein quality versus total protein intake
• Whey protein isolate vs. collagen peptides
• Why collagen does not stimulate muscle protein synthesis like whey
• Essential amino acids and leucine
• Why a protein label does not tell the whole story
• Why aging changes the muscle protein synthetic response
• Anabolic resistance and older adults
• Why energy availability matters for preserving muscle
• When aggressive calorie restriction may work against your goals
• Muscle loss during illness, injury and inactivity
• Why recovery is an especially important time to prioritize protein
• How resistance training helps preserve lean mass during weight loss
• Why scale weight does not tell you the quality of your weight loss
• Fat loss versus lean mass loss
• Why body composition matters more than simply becoming lighter
• How to protect hard-earned muscle while dieting
• Why muscle is one of the most valuable tissues to preserve as we age
• How nutrition and exercise can support recovery from surgery
• Why protein, training and total energy all work together⸻

🔥 Limited-Time Offers

Save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia:

Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

📲 Follow Vanessa

Follow Vanessa's postpartum body recomposition journey on Instagram @ketogenicgirl.

📚 Free Resource

Get your free high-protein keto guide:

👉 The Keto Reset eBook

👤 Connect with Vanessa

Instagram: @ketogenicgirl

📱 Follow for:

Latest fat loss research

Protein optimization strategies

Body recomposition science

🎙 @optimalproteinpodcast for episode updates

💬 Join the Optimal Protein Podcast Community on Facebook

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary or lifestyle changes.

Dr. Sara Oikawa joins Vanessa to break down the science of protein, body recomposition, muscle preservation, and protein quality.

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

They discuss a fascinating study in which young men followed a 40% calorie deficit while completing intensive resistance and interval training. The group consuming 2.4 g/kg of protein actually gained lean mass while losing fat, while the lower-protein group maintained lean mass.

Sara also shares research showing how quickly muscle can be lost during severe inactivity, why protein cannot fully replace the stimulus of muscle contraction, and why high-quality protein becomes especially important during recovery.

Try my favorite new electrolytes Cure Hydration! Head to curehydration.com/VANESSA and use code VANESSA to save 20% on your order. 💙 Now available on Amazon!

They also compare whey protein isolate versus collagen, including research showing that collagen does not stimulate muscle protein synthesis like a complete, high-quality protein source.

In this episode:

• Can you build muscle while losing fat?
• How much protein helps preserve lean mass in a calorie deficit?
• Why resistance training is critical during fat loss
• What happens to muscle during periods of inactivity
• Whey protein versus collagen for muscle protein synthesis
• Why protein quality and essential amino acids matter
• Aging, energy availability, and muscle loss
• How protein and exercise can support recovery from surgery

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Follow @ketogenicgirl and @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast

The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

Vanessa is joined by Craig Emmerich, co-author with Maria Emmerich of The Art of Metabolic Health, for a deep dive into how to lose body fat while protecting lean mass and hard-earned muscle.

Back-to-School Sale!

Save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia:

Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during our warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Craig explains why fat loss is about more than simply lowering calories, including the role of fuel partitioning, protein, dietary fat, carbohydrate intake, and the Randle cycle.

They also explore why traditional high-fat keto or carnivore approaches can initially work well yet eventually lead to plateaus—or even weight gain—for some people, and why shifting toward a higher-protein, lower-energy approach may help.

A major focus is protein-sparing modified fasting (PSMF): how Craig and Maria structure PSMF days, who may benefit most, how often they recommend using them, and why strategic maintenance days may help support long-term results.

-

🥤 True Nutrition

Create your own custom protein blend at truenutrition.com/vanessa and use code VANESSA for 20% off your first order.

Let Vanessa know what your custom blend is! Now shipping internationally.

-

Vanessa also shares her experience using alternating PSMF and maintenance days to lose approximately 14 pounds of body fat while preserving muscle, and why body composition became more important to her than chasing an old goal weight.

They also discuss the personal fat threshold, metabolic flexibility, insulin resistance, autophagy, protein leverage, maintenance nutrition, and why different diets can be used as tools rather than permanent identities.

In This Episode

• Why fat loss can stall even when calories are low

• What fuel partitioning means

• The role of the Randle cycle

• Why high-fat + high-carb intake can promote fat storage

• Why very high-fat keto or carnivore can stall fat loss

• Protein as a floor, not a limit

• Protein, satiety and the thermic effect

• How repeated dieting can contribute to muscle loss

• Why preserving muscle matters for metabolism

• Water fasting vs. PSMF

• How PSMF helps create a targeted calorie deficit

• How Craig structures 1–3 PSMF days per week

• Vanessa's alternating PSMF + maintenance-day approach

• How Vanessa created an approximately 25% weekly calorie deficit

• Why strategic maintenance days may improve adherence

• Strength training and autophagy-related pathways

• Why carbs can sometimes be protein-sparing

• Keto, carnivore, low-carb and PSMF as a nutrition spectrum

• Why you do not have to stay on the diet you used to lose weight

• The personal fat threshold

• Why some lean people can still develop insulin resistance

• HOMA-IR, fasting insulin and triglycerides

• Who may benefit most from PSMF

• When PSMF may not be appropriate

• Why pregnancy is not a time for PSMF

• Why breastfeeding requires caution with aggressive calorie restriction

• Why body composition matters more than an arbitrary scale number

• Vanessa's experience realizing she looked leaner at a higher weight because of muscle

• Protecting facial fullness while getting leaner
• Maria Emmerich's intentional weight-regain strategy

⸻

About Craig Emmerich

Craig Emmerich is an author and metabolic health educator who has co-authored numerous books with Maria Emmerich focused on ketogenic nutrition, protein, metabolic health and body composition.

Their newest book, The Art of Metabolic Health, explores nutrition as a spectrum—from low-carb and keto to carnivore and protein-sparing modified fasting.

Learn more: ketomaria.com

🔥 Limited-Time Offers

Save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

📲 Follow Vanessa

Follow Vanessa's postpartum body recomposition journey on Instagram @ketogenicgirl.

📚 Free Resource

Get your free high-protein keto guide: 👉 The Keto Reset eBook

👤 Connect with Vanessa

Instagram: @ketogenicgirl

📱 Follow for:

• Latest fat loss research
• Protein optimization strategies

🎙 @optimalproteinpodcast for episode updates

💬 Join the Optimal Protein Podcast Community on Facebook

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary or lifestyle changes.

Can you build and preserve muscle while spending dramatically less time training?

In this episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, Vanessa sits down with Børge Fagerli, creator of the Myo-Reps training method, to break down one of the most time-efficient approaches to hypertrophy and body recomposition.

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Børge explains why many people are actually stopping their sets much farther from failure than they realize—and how Myo-Reps can help you recruit more muscle fibers, accumulate highly stimulating reps, and achieve comparable muscle growth to traditional training in significantly less time.

They also dive into how to use Myo-Reps during a calorie deficit to help preserve lean mass, why training volume may naturally decrease as you get deeper into a fat-loss phase, and why more training is not always better.

Vanessa also shares how incorporating Myo-Reps completely changed her own training, allowing her to make better progress while completing her workouts in under 45 minutes.

Try my favorite new electrolytes Cure Hydration! Head to curehydration.com/VANESSA and use code VANESSA to save 20% on your order. 💙 Now available on Amazon!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What Myo-Reps are and why Børge created the method
• How Myo-Reps may produce similar hypertrophy results in dramatically less training time
• Why the final reps of a set are often the most stimulating for muscle growth
• Why most people underestimate how many repetitions they truly have left before failure
• How close to failure you actually need to train
• Why going to absolute failure can sometimes create more fatigue than additional muscle stimulus
• How to structure an activation set and Myo-Reps mini-sets
• Why Børge recommends approximately 8–15 reps for most activation sets
• How to use auto-regulation instead of forcing a predetermined number of sets
• When to increase weight using progressive overload
• How Myo-Reps can be adapted during a calorie deficit
• Why training volume often needs to decrease as dieting becomes more aggressive
• How to preserve muscle while losing body fat
• Heavy vs. moderate vs. higher-repetition training
• Why women may tolerate more training volume and repetitions than men
• Why machines and isolation exercises can sometimes be better choices for hypertrophy
• The limitations of using Myo-Reps with squats, deadlifts and other highly fatiguing compound movements
• How to build an effective full-body workout in just 20–30 minutes
• The biggest Myo-Reps mistakes that can sabotage recovery and progress

Børge's central message: manage fatigue rather than chasing it.

The goal is not to leave every workout completely exhausted. The goal is to provide enough stimulus to build or preserve muscle, recover from that training, and come back stronger the next time.

For anyone focused on fat loss and body recomposition—especially women who want to protect metabolically active lean mass while dieting—this episode offers an incredibly practical framework for getting more from every minute you spend strength training.

Resources: Learn more about Børge Fagerli and Myo-Reps at MyoReps.com.

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Follow @ketogenicgirl and @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast

The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

Vanessa is back with her first solocast since welcoming baby Taylor! In this episode, she breaks down the seven biggest takeaways from her recent conversation with world-renowned muscle hypertrophy and body composition researcher Dr. Brad Schoenfeld—and shares how she's applying them to her own postpartum body recomposition journey.

Back-to-School Sale! For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com—including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer—with code BACKTOSCHOOL40.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during our warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Vanessa is back with her first solocast since welcoming baby Taylor! In this episode, she breaks down the seven biggest takeaways from her recent conversation with world-renowned muscle hypertrophy and body composition researcher Dr. Brad Schoenfeld—and shares how she's applying them to her own postpartum body recomposition journey.

Create your own custom protein blend at truenutrition.com/vanessa and use code VANESSA for 20% off your first order! Let me know what your custom blend is! Now shipping internationally!

In this episode:

• Why you can build muscle while losing fat—even if you're already resistance trained
• Why protein becomes even more important during a calorie deficit
• How much protein may help maximize lean-mass preservation during fat loss
• Protein targets and per-meal dosing as we get older
• Whether to calculate protein from current weight, goal weight, or lean mass
• The surprisingly low minimum effective dose of resistance training
• Why you don't need to train to failure—but may not be training hard enough
• How 1–3 reps in reserve can support muscle growth without unnecessary fatigue
• Why muscle can come back surprisingly quickly after a training break
• How Vanessa is approaching postpartum fat loss and body recomposition without rushing the process

The goal isn't simply to make the number on the scale smaller. It's to improve what that weight is made of—preserving and building metabolically active muscle while losing body fat and becoming stronger, leaner, and more metabolically resilient.

For a limited time, save 40% sitewide at ketogenicgirl.com with code BACKTOSCHOOL40, including the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library, ToneLUX Red Light Therapy Collection, and Tone Breath Ketone Analyzer.

Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia: Save 75% on available ToneLUX and Tone products during the warehouse moving sale with code WAREHOUSE75, while supplies last.

Follow Vanessa's postpartum body recomposition journey on Instagram @ketogenicgirl.

📚 Free Resource

Get your free high-protein keto guide: 👉 The Keto Reset eBook

👤 Connect with Vanessa

Instagram: @ketogenicgirl

📱 Follow for:

• Latest fat loss research
• Protein optimization strategies

🎙 @optimalproteinpodcast for episode updates

💬 Join the Optimal Protein Podcast Community on Facebook

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary or lifestyle changes.

Today I'm joined by Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, one of the world's leading researchers in muscle hypertrophy and resistance training, to break down the latest science on body recomposition, protein intake, fat loss and training.

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

Can you actually build muscle while losing fat — even if you're already resistance trained?

We discuss whether aggressive calorie deficits make it harder to preserve lean mass, why higher protein intakes may be especially helpful during dieting, and how much protein women may need as they get older.

Dr. Schoenfeld also explains why body recomposition is absolutely possible, including in trained individuals, and when it may make more sense to pursue a dedicated fat-loss or muscle-gain phase instead.

Try my favorite new electrolytes Cure Hydration 💙 Now available at Amazon! If you'd like to try Cure for yourself, head to curehydration.com/VANESSA and use code VANESSA to save 20% on your order.

We also cover:

• Protein needs during fat loss • Protein targets for perimenopause and menopause • How much protein to eat per meal • Goal weight vs. current weight for calculating protein • Plant vs. animal protein • The minimum effective dose of resistance training • Training to failure vs. stopping 1–3 reps short • Why many people aren't training hard enough • Muscle memory after time away from training • Range of motion, tempo, load and training effort • Why women do not need to fear getting "too bulky"

This episode is packed with practical strategies for getting leaner and stronger while preserving hard-earned muscle.

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

This is the exact structured, high-protein approach Vanessa used for fat loss and body recomposition — without restricting calories every single day.

Instead of guessing what to eat or starting over each week, you'll follow a clear, repeatable system combining high-protein, lower-energy days with maintenance days.

✨ What's Included

📘 Premium printed PSMF Library ⚡ Instant digital access 🥩 High-protein, low-carb recipe library 🧠 Tiered system (PSMF + maintenance days) 🛒 Grocery lists + planning tools 👥 3 months of community support

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

🔴 Tone Lux Red Light Therapy

Boost collagen, elastin, and recovery

✨ Save 20% with code VANESSA

Discover:

• Tone Lux Crystal Face Mask
• Tone Lux Contour (neck & décolletage)

🔬 Tone Device

Vanessa uses the Tone Device as a proxy for fat loss + autophagy on PSMF days

Check it out HERE 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off

Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast

The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

Why does fat loss suddenly feel harder during perimenopause and menopause—even when you're still exercising and watching what you eat?

In today's Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Series episode, I'm joined once again by bestselling author and nutrition expert Maria Emmerich for a fascinating conversation about hormones, metabolism, protein, muscle and body composition in midlife.

Check out the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library at ketogenicgirl.com and use code VANESSA for 20% off.

We discuss how changes in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone may influence insulin sensitivity, sleep, motivation, muscle retention and fat distribution, and why preserving lean mass becomes increasingly important as we age.

Maria also shares why she believes prioritizing protein, resistance training and a lower-fat approach can be especially helpful for women struggling with body composition during menopause.

Create your own custom protein blend at truenutrition.com/vanessa and use code VANESSA for 20% off your first order! Let me know what your custom blend is! Now shipping internationally!

In this episode:

• Why fat loss and body composition can change during menopause • The connection between estrogen, insulin sensitivity and visceral fat • Why declining muscle mass can make glucose regulation more difficult • The role of testosterone in muscle, motivation and body composition • How progesterone may influence sleep quality • Why protein becomes even more important as we age • Higher-protein, lower-fat approaches for keto and carnivore fat-loss stalls • Why resistance training is essential for preserving muscle and bone • Maria's perspective on hormone replacement therapy • Hormone testing and markers to discuss with your physician • Peptides, mitochondrial health and emerging biohacking strategies • The importance of protecting lean mass during fat loss after 40

Learn more about Maria and her newest book at KetoMaria.com.

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

This is the exact structured, high-protein approach Vanessa used for fat loss and body recomposition — without restricting calories every single day.

Instead of guessing what to eat or starting over each week, you'll follow a clear, repeatable system combining high-protein, lower-energy days with maintenance days.

✨ What's Included

📘 Premium printed PSMF Library ⚡ Instant digital access 🥩 High-protein, low-carb recipe library 🧠 Tiered system (PSMF + maintenance days) 🛒 Grocery lists + planning tools 👥 3 months of community support

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

IQBAR – Try the Ultimate Sampler Pack: IQBARs, IQMIX, and IQJOE! Text VANESSA to 64000 for a 20% off discount code

🔴 Tone Lux Red Light Therapy

Boost collagen, elastin, and recovery

✨ Save 20% with code VANESSA

Discover:

• Tone Lux Crystal Face Mask
• Tone Lux Contour (neck & décolletage)

🔬 Tone Device

Vanessa uses the Tone Device as a proxy for fat loss + autophagy on PSMF days

Check it out HERE 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off

📚 Free Resource

Get your free high-protein keto guide: 👉 The Keto Reset eBook

👤 Connect with Vanessa

Instagram: @ketogenicgirl

📱 Follow for:

• Latest fat loss research
• Protein optimization strategies

🎙 @optimalproteinpodcast for episode updates

💬 Join the Optimal Protein Podcast Community on Facebook

⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary or lifestyle changes.

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, Vanessa sits down with Dr. Ty Beal, a global nutrition scientist and research advisor at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), to explore the widespread problem of "hidden hunger"—getting enough or even too many calories while still falling short on essential vitamins and minerals.

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

Dr. Beal explains why micronutrient deficiencies are not limited to lower-income countries. Women, children, older adults, people consuming a high proportion of ultra-processed foods, and those eating very low-calorie diets may also be especially vulnerable.

Vanessa and Dr. Beal discuss how nutrient density, protein quality, and the natural food matrix influence satiety, metabolic health, muscle retention, and body composition. They examine why protein-rich whole foods are difficult to reproduce with isolated nutrients or supplements, and why animal- and plant-sourced foods can provide complementary nutritional benefits.

Try my favorite new electrolytes Cure Hydration 💙 Now available at Amazon! If you'd like to try Cure for yourself, head to curehydration.com/VANESSA and use code VANESSA to save 20% on your order.

They also explore the nutrients women need throughout different stages of life, including the importance of iron during the reproductive years and protein, calcium, and greater nutrient density as women age. Dr. Beal shares practical ways families can improve diet quality affordably, along with situations in which targeted supplementation may be helpful.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What "hidden hunger" means and why it can occur alongside overeating • How ultra-processed foods crowd out protein and essential micronutrients • Why protein quality and the whole-food matrix matter • How protein supports satiety, muscle retention, and healthier fat loss • Whether micronutrient deficiencies can influence hunger and food intake • Why women and young children are especially vulnerable to iron inadequacy • The nutrients women should prioritize during pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and older age • Which foods provide the greatest concentrations of priority micronutrients • Why organs, seafood, eggs, dairy, meat, leafy greens, and legumes can play complementary roles • The nutritional challenges of fully plant-based diets, particularly for children • How GLP-1 medications and aggressive calorie restriction may increase the importance of protein and micronutrient intake • Affordable ways to build a more nourishing, protein-rich diet • When supplements may be useful—and why more is not always better

About Dr. Ty Beal

Ty Beal, PhD, is a global nutrition scientist whose research focuses on nutrient density, micronutrient deficiencies, diet quality, and food systems. He is a research advisor at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and the host of The Ty Beal Show, where he explores nutrition science through evidence-based conversations with leading researchers and health experts.

Connect with Dr. Ty Beal:

Website: https://www.tybeal.com The Ty Beal Show: https://tybeal.podbean.com

Research mentioned:

Nutrient-Dense Foods and Diverse Diets Are Important for Ensuring Adequate Nutrition Across the Life Course https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2319007121

Priority Micronutrient Density in Foods https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8936507/

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

This is the exact structured, high-protein approach Vanessa used for fat loss and body recomposition — without restricting calories every single day.

Instead of guessing what to eat or starting over each week, you'll follow a clear, repeatable system combining high-protein, lower-energy days with maintenance days.

✨ What's Included

📘 Premium printed PSMF Library ⚡ Instant digital access 🥩 High-protein, low-carb recipe library 🧠 Tiered system (PSMF + maintenance days) 🛒 Grocery lists + planning tools 👥 3 months of community support

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

🔴 Tone Lux Red Light Therapy

Boost collagen, elastin, and recovery

✨ Save 20% with code VANESSA

Discover:

• Tone Lux Crystal Face Mask
• Tone Lux Contour (neck & décolletage)

🔬 Tone Device

Vanessa uses the Tone Device as a proxy for fat loss + autophagy on PSMF days

Check it out HERE 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off

Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast

The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

PSMF 101: How to Burn Body Fat While Protecting Muscle with Craig Emmerich

What exactly is a protein-sparing modified fast—and how can it accelerate fat loss without sacrificing precious lean mass?

Check out the Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library at ketogenicgirl.com and use code VANESSA for 20% off.

In this episode of the PSMF series, Vanessa is joined by Craig Emmerich, co-author of The Art of Fat Loss, for a step-by-step guide to protein-sparing modified fasting. They break down how a PSMF differs from a traditional fast, how to determine your protein target, why dietary fat is kept low and how to incorporate PSMF days into a sustainable weekly plan.

Craig explains why protein's powerful thermic effect and satiating properties make it uniquely valuable during fat loss. He also challenges the idea that higher blood ketones automatically mean greater fat loss—and explains why adding more dietary fat to "increase ketosis" can sometimes work against body-composition goals.

They also discuss what happens to dietary fat after we eat it, why calories and hormones both matter, how dairy and nuts may contribute to a fat-loss plateau and why PSMF can be an effective short-term tool for breaking a stall.

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In this episode, you'll learn:

• What a protein-sparing modified fast is—and what "protein sparing" actually means

• How PSMF differs from water-only fasting

• How protein helps preserve lean mass during an energy deficit

• How to estimate your daily protein target using lean body mass

• Why PSMF days typically keep carbohydrates and dietary fat very low

• How often Craig recommends incorporating PSMF days

• What to eat on the days between protein-sparing fasts

• The role of strategic higher-energy days

• Why dairy and nuts can make fat loss more difficult for some people

• How protein's thermic effect influences net energy intake

• Why a very high-protein day can be surprisingly satiating

• Why low blood ketones do not mean a PSMF—or ketogenic diet—isn't working

• The difference between producing ketones and efficiently using them

• Why free fatty acids provide much of the body's energy during ketosis

• What happens to dietary fat after it enters the bloodstream

• Why dietary fat can be treated as an adjustable "energy lever"

• How high-fat keto can stall fat loss even when carbohydrates and insulin remain low

• Why calories, food quality, satiety and hormonal health all matter

• How PSMF may help break through a stubborn fat-loss plateau

Whether you're new to protein-sparing modified fasting or want to refine your current approach, this conversation provides a practical foundation for using higher protein and lower dietary energy to support fat loss while protecting metabolically active lean tissue.

About Craig Emmerich

Craig Emmerich is an author and nutrition educator who works alongside his wife, Maria Emmerich, to help people implement ketogenic and protein-focused nutrition. Together, they are the authors of The Art of Fat Loss and numerous books and resources on ketogenic living.

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This is the exact structured, high-protein approach Vanessa used for fat loss and body recomposition — without restricting calories every single day.

Instead of guessing what to eat or starting over each week, you'll follow a clear, repeatable system combining high-protein, lower-energy days with maintenance days.

✨ What's Included

📘 Premium printed PSMF Library ⚡ Instant digital access 🥩 High-protein, low-carb recipe library 🧠 Tiered system (PSMF + maintenance days) 🛒 Grocery lists + planning tools 👥 3 months of community support

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⚠️ Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary or lifestyle changes.

What happens inside skeletal muscle during obesity—and how can we protect lean mass while losing fat?

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

In this episode, Vanessa speaks with Dr. Paul Morgan about the hidden effects of obesity on muscle metabolism, including anabolic resistance, fat infiltration, inflammation, and changes in muscle protein turnover.

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They explore the paradox that carrying more body mass can increase the loading stimulus on muscle, while obesity may simultaneously reduce the muscle-building response to protein and exercise.

Dr. Morgan also explains why preserving lean mass is so important during weight loss, including during aggressive calorie restriction and GLP-1 use, and how resistance training, adequate protein, and regular activity can help improve the quality of weight loss.

They also discuss protein needs with aging, per-meal protein targets, mTOR, autophagy, and why animal research should not always be translated directly into human nutrition advice.

In this episode, you'll learn

• What anabolic resistance is and why it matters
• How obesity may affect muscle protein synthesis and breakdown
• Why fat infiltration and inflammation can reduce muscle quality
• How to better preserve muscle during fat loss
• How GLP-1 use may affect lean mass
• Why protein needs may increase with age and calorie restriction
• The difference between temporary and chronic mTOR activation
• Why animal findings do not always translate directly to humans

Dr. Paul Morgan is a Research Fellow in the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Birmingham, UK. His research focuses on skeletal muscle metabolism, obesity, aging, anabolic resistance, and the effects of nutrition and exercise on muscle health and function.

The PSMF Library is officially live 🎉

This is the exact structured, high-protein approach Vanessa used for fat loss and body recomposition — without restricting calories every single day.

Instead of guessing what to eat or starting over each week, you'll follow a clear, repeatable system combining high-protein, lower-energy days with maintenance days.

✨ What's Included

📘 Premium printed PSMF Library ⚡ Instant digital access 🥩 High-protein, low-carb recipe library 🧠 Tiered system (PSMF + maintenance days) 🛒 Grocery lists + planning tools 👥 3 months of community support

👉 Check it out here + get 20% off with code VANESSA

🔴 Tone Lux Red Light Therapy

Boost collagen, elastin, and recovery

✨ Save 20% with code VANESSA

Discover:

• Tone Lux Crystal Face Mask
• Tone Lux Contour (neck & décolletage)

🔬 Tone Device

Vanessa uses the Tone Device as a proxy for fat loss + autophagy on PSMF days

Check it out HERE 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off

Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

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The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.