The Fasting Method Podcast

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.