Is fasted cardio really better for fat loss?

Or could eating protein before your workout actually improve fat burning, muscle retention, and long-term metabolic health — especially for women?

In this deep-dive masterclass recap, Vanessa breaks down the science from her interview with exercise physiologist Dr. Katie Hirsch and unpacks the research on:

• Fasted vs fed training
• Essential amino acids before HIIT
• Muscle quality vs muscle size
• Intramuscular fat and metabolic dysfunction
• Perimenopause and anabolic resistance
• Protein timing for body recomposition

This episode reframes the fat loss conversation away from "burning fat during workouts" and toward what truly matters:

Preserving muscle, improving protein turnover, and protecting metabolic capacity.

NEW! Vanessa's structured PSMF Library. Sign up HERE to be the first to know when the new PSMF Library has been released!

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Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE

Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook

Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook

👤 Connect with Vanessa:

• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl

📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization

📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates

💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community

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🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.

Fasted training is one of the most persistent fat-loss myths—and in this episode, Dr. Katie Hirsch breaks down what actually matters for women: training quality, muscle preservation, and metabolic health.

We unpack why "burning more fat during a workout" is often the wrong target, and how a small amount of protein (or EAAs) before training can change perceived exertion, improve workout output, and potentially increase post-workout energy expenditure—especially in women who are prone to under-fueling.

We also dive into muscle quality (not just muscle size), why it matters for insulin sensitivity and body composition, and what changes in peri/post-menopause can mean for amino acid delivery to muscle—and how to train and eat to stay lean, strong, and metabolically resilient.

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Episode Topics Covered

• Fasted vs. fed training for fat loss

• Protein vs. carbs pre-workout

• Energy availability and women's physiology

• Essential amino acids + HIIT

• Muscle turnover, energy expenditure, and fat oxidation

• Protein timing, dosing, and distribution

• Muscle quality (echo intensity), intramuscular fat, and metabolic health

• Adiposity spillover, visceral fat, and muscle infiltration

• Perimenopause/postmenopause, estrogen, vascular function, and anabolic resistance

• Simple strategies for sustainable body recomposition

Dr. Katie Hirsch is an exercise physiologist and sports nutrition researcher focused on protein metabolism, body composition, energy expenditure, HIIT, muscle quality, and female-specific physiology, including changes across perimenopause and postmenopause.

(As mentioned in the episode: she's wrapping up publications on improved methods to characterize hormone profiles and exploring new ways to use bioelectrical impedance outcomes like phase angle to better capture muscle quality and related physiology.)

Vanessa shares her behind-the-scenes system built from the approach she used to lose 14+ lbs of body fat while preserving lean mass.

Join the waitlist: Sign up HERE to be the first to know when it has been released!

👉 Subscribe, rate, and review the Optimal Protein Podcast to support the show and help bring you more evidence-based conversations on fat loss, protein, and muscle-centric nutrition.

Get 20% off the Tone Device to try on a PSMF Day! Shop the collection HERE and use the code VANESSA

Get delicious high protein meal recipes! Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @ketogenicgirl

🔴 Tone LUX Red Light Therapy Get 20% off the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy collection including the Crystal Mask and accessories the with the code VANESSA HERE

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.

Is fasting really the best way to lose fat — or is there a smarter, more strategic approach?

In this masterclass episode, Vanessa introduces a powerful new concept: Protein Fasting — a structured approach using PSMF (Protein-Sparing Modified Fast) days to optimize fat loss, suppress appetite naturally, protect muscle, and potentially tap into fasting-like cellular signaling.

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

You'll learn:

• Why alternate day fasting isn't superior for fat loss

• How ketones directly suppress hunger hormones

• Why protein is the most powerful appetite-regulating macronutrient

• The optimal protein intake range for protecting muscle during fat loss

• What a new human autophagy study actually reveals

• Why 1–3 strategic PSMF days per week may outperform traditional fasting

If you've ever struggled with hunger while dieting — this episode will change how you think about strategenic fat loss periods without dealing with hunger adn cravings.

This episode also serves as a scientific primer for Vanessa's structured PSMF Library. Sign up HERE to be the first to know when the new PSMF Library has been released!

BOOST YOUR COLLAGEN & ELASTIN with RED LIGHT THERAPY! Save 20% on all Tone Lux Red Light therapy with the code VANESSA! Learn more about the TONE LUX Crystal red light therapy mask and the brand new accessory the TONE LUX CONTOUR for the neck and décollete

Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE

Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook

Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook

👤 Connect with Vanessa:

• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl

📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization

📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates

💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community

🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.

As always: prioritize protein.

📚 SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES

1. Trepanowski JF, et al. (2017). Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting vs Daily Calorie Restriction on Weight Loss and Cardioprotection. JAMA Internal Medicine.

2. Stubbs BJ, et al. (2018). On the metabolism of exogenous ketones and their effects on appetite. Obesity.

3. Sumithran P, et al. (2013). Ketosis and appetite-mediating nutrients after weight loss. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

4. Arciero PJ, et al. (2016). Protein pacing caloric restriction improves body composition and metabolic parameters. Nutrients.

5. Hector AJ & Phillips SM. (2018). Protein recommendations for weight loss in athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

6. Jäger R, et al. (2017). ISSN Position Stand: Protein and Exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

7. Burns L, et al. (2025). Effects of low- vs higher-protein fasting-mimicking diets on autophagy and body composition. Clinical Nutrition.