Burn Fat, Keep Muscle: Inside the Science of the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Vanessa Spina
4.5 • 758 Ratings
🗓️ 7 November 2025
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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In this solo episode, Vanessa Spina breaks down the science and strategy behind one of the most effective tools for rapid fat loss and muscle preservation — the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF).
Following her in-depth interview with Dr. David Jockers, Vanessa explains exactly how this approach works, why it's so powerful for resetting metabolism, and how to implement it safely for optimal results.
If you've ever wondered how to burn fat quickly without losing muscle, how to overcome plateaus, or how to use short, strategic fasting phases for body recomposition, this episode is your ultimate guide.
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💪 Key Takeaways
- You can burn fat without losing muscle by keeping protein high and calories low.
- Autophagy occurs from calorie restriction — not protein restriction.
- Ketones created during PSMF provide mental clarity, calm, and focus.
- Strategic refeeds help lock in fat loss and prevent rebound weight gain.
- When combined with strength training, PSMF becomes a powerful metabolic reset tool.
🧠 Mentioned in This Episode
- Effect of fasting-mimicking diets with low and high protein content on cardiometabolic health and autophagy (Burns et al., 2024)
- Dr. Eric Helms & Dr. Martin Rufalo meta-analysis on protein intake during energy restriction
- Dr. David Jockers, The Dr. Jockers Functional Nutrition Podcast
- Historical PSMF research by Dr. George Blackburn
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👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
• 🔗 Learn more about the TONE Breath Ketone Analyzer — 20% OFF with code VANESSA
📱 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.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Optimal Protein Podcast. I'm Vanessa Spina. Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm your host |
| 0:08.0 | Vanessa and I am so excited for today's episode because we are doing a deep dive recap of one of the |
| 0:14.7 | most exciting and practical episodes that we've had recently, which was my conversation all about |
| 0:20.7 | protein sparing modified fasting |
| 0:23.0 | or PSMF with Dr. David Jockers. If you've ever wondered how to safely accelerate fat loss |
| 0:31.5 | without losing muscle, how to overcome a stubborn plateau, or how to use short phases of caloric restriction to reset your |
| 0:39.9 | metabolism. This episode is for you. We're going to break down the exact macros of a protein |
| 0:46.5 | sparing modified fast, how to preserve lean mass while burning stored body fat, the science of |
| 0:52.7 | autophagy and why new research shows that protein may not |
| 0:57.3 | be blocking atopagy. On the other hand, it may be supporting it and how to transition out of |
| 1:03.4 | a fat loss phase safely with refeeds. We're also talking about how to pair this protocol |
| 1:08.4 | with resistance training for the ultimate body |
| 1:11.1 | recomposition. I can't wait to get into today's episode and we are going to jump right in after |
| 1:16.6 | this quick break. Hi friends. If you have ever felt bloated after eating a big meal or a high |
| 1:24.1 | protein meal or maybe wondering why you're not making the progress that you think |
| 1:28.6 | you should be making in the gym despite optimizing your protein. It could be that you are low on |
| 1:34.2 | digestive enzymes, which is an issue that many run into and studies have confirmed happens as we get |
| 1:41.0 | more and more mature. Masszzymes biobomimizers is the most advanced protein |
| 1:46.2 | digesting enzyme formula available today. It's packed with high potency proteases that help |
| 1:52.8 | break down the protein in your meals into absorbable amino acids, the actual building blocks |
| 1:57.9 | your body uses to support muscle growth, fat loss, body recomposition, |
| 2:02.2 | and recovery. In fact, research has shown that supplemental proteases can significantly increase |
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