Fat Loss & the Fat-Burning Advantage: Boost VO₂ Max, Build Metabolic Fitness & Stay Lean for Life: Dr. Paul Laursen
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Vanessa Spina
4.5 • 758 Ratings
🗓️ 11 August 2025
⏱️ 75 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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Today’s guest is Dr. Paul Laursen — exercise physiologist, endurance coach, co-author of HIIT Science: The Science and Application of High-Intensity Interval Training, and co-founder of Athletica.ai. Dr. Laursen has coached athletes to 17 world championships, and his research on HIIT, metabolic flexibility, and low-carb nutrition has shaped how athletes and everyday people train for health and performance.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why diet—not exercise—is the key driver of fat loss (and the clinical study that proved it)
- How being fat-fueled is actually a proxy for VO₂ max, a key marker of cardiovascular fitness and longevity
- The difference between burning carbs vs. burning fat during exercise — and why metabolic flexibility matters for performance and health
- How to use HIIT protocols strategically for fat loss, insulin sensitivity, and body recomposition without overtraining
- Why low-carb and very low-carb high-fat diets can supercharge fat oxidation, recovery, and cognitive clarity
- The role of ketones in appetite control, recovery, and brain performance
- Dr. Laursen’s top recommendations for training, nutrition, and recovery to optimize body composition and metabolic health
Whether you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior, or someone looking to improve body composition and metabolic resilience, this conversation is packed with actionable strategies to help you get leaner, stronger, and more metabolically fit.
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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.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Optimal Protein Podcast. I'm Vanessa Spina. |
| 0:05.4 | Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm your host, Vanessa, and I am so excited |
| 0:10.8 | for today's episode. I am joined by one of the most legendary figures in exercise physiology and |
| 0:17.7 | low carb diets, Dr. Paul Larson. So he is a world-renowned endurance coach, |
| 0:23.8 | sports scientists, and co-author of Hit Science, the science and application of high-intensity |
| 0:29.3 | interval training. He's also the founder of an AI-based platform called Athletica.a.i |
| 0:34.9 | that personalizes endurance training using your physiological data. |
| 0:39.1 | What makes today's conversation so powerful is we break down the real science behind body |
| 0:45.0 | recomposition, fat loss, and what true metabolic flexibility is. |
| 0:49.8 | So in this episode, you'll learn why ketones and fat adaptation may have to do with a lot more than |
| 0:57.3 | just being fuel and are actually a proxy for VO2 max yes you heard that right your fat burning |
| 1:04.4 | your degree of fat burning which you can actually measure through your breath like your breath |
| 1:09.0 | ketones measuring your acetone, are actually a proxy |
| 1:12.7 | for VO2 Max, one of the most popular new health markers for longevity. |
| 1:19.8 | Why Dr. Larson believes that being fat-fueled is the real unlock for peak performance |
| 1:24.7 | and overall health. |
| 1:26.4 | His clinical study showing that diet, not exercise, is what really drives fat loss, |
| 1:32.7 | but combining hit with a very low carb diet can really improve body recomposition. |
| 1:37.9 | How hit, when programmed correctly, supports metabolic health, that metabolic switching, insulin sensitivity, |
| 1:46.6 | and fat oxidation or fat burning, as well as his top practical recommendations for training |
| 1:52.6 | and eating to achieve body recomposition, losing fat mass and maintaining or gaining lean body |
| 1:59.5 | mass, especially for those who are stuck in a fat loss |
... |
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