Special AMA #22: Fat Loss, Protein & PSMF: Answering Your Top Questions (Part 1 of 2)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Vanessa Spina
4.6 • 795 Ratings
🗓️ 30 March 2026
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this AMA episode, Vanessa answers your questions on fat loss, protein intake, PSMF, keto, pregnancy nutrition, and muscle preservation.
Topics include perimenopause fat loss, protein timing, ketosis myths, GLP-1 considerations, and how to structure high-protein days for body recomposition.
📩 Join the waitlist for Vanessa's upcoming Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting Library and receive the special LAUNCH DISCOUNT! Join HERE
If you've been struggling with fat loss — especially during perimenopause — or wondering how to structure your protein intake for better results, this episode breaks down the science and gives you practical strategies you can apply right away.
Vanessa covers:
• Why fat loss becomes more difficult during perimenopause — and what actually works
• How to structure PSMF (Protein-Sparing Modified Fast) days for optimal fat loss
• Whether protein kicks you out of ketosis (and why this myth persists)
• If tracking ketones or GKI is necessary for fat loss
• How to approach fat loss before pregnancy
• What her diet looks like during pregnancy
• How to space protein intake to maximize muscle protein synthesis
• How to think about keto vs protein-focused approaches
• Details on the upcoming PSMF Recipe Library
This episode is packed with actionable insights on using protein strategically to burn fat, preserve lean mass, and improve metabolic health.
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🎯 Want to Try This Approach?
Vanessa's PSMF Recipe Library is launching soon!
👉 Join the waitlist for early access + launch discount HERE
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!
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
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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.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Optimal Protein Podcast. I'm Vanessa Spina. |
| 0:04.5 | Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm your host Vanessa and I am so excited for |
| 0:10.4 | today's episode because today we are doing a deep dive into one of the most fascinating and |
| 0:17.7 | controversial conversations that I've had recently on the podcast. This episode is a |
| 0:22.9 | full breakdown of my interview with Dr. Andrew Kootenik, and we are going to mine out the gems |
| 0:28.5 | for you all, the most powerful fat loss insights, the insights about metabolic advantages and |
| 0:34.5 | practical strategies that you can start applying right away because here's the |
| 0:39.5 | truth fat loss is not just about calories hunger is not just about willpower and your metabolism |
| 0:45.5 | is far more adaptable than you've actually been told probably your whole life so today we're going to |
| 0:52.6 | talk about what diet dr and Andrew Kutnik and I |
| 0:56.3 | both follow, why we both had similar fat loss journeys, why protein and ketones may be an incredibly |
| 1:05.1 | powerful fat loss combo, if not the most powerful fat loss combo, what actually controls hunger, and this |
| 1:12.7 | will surprise you. We're going to dive deep into the hormones happening behind the scenes when it |
| 1:18.2 | comes to hunger and fat loss, why protein sparing modified fasting style days may accelerate |
| 1:24.6 | fat loss, and finally, the biggest myth in fitness that you need carbs and carb loading |
| 1:31.1 | to perform at your best. So I can't wait to dive into it. We're going to jump right in after |
| 1:36.6 | this quick break. Friends, I want to share something that I've been working on behind the scenes, |
| 1:42.4 | and I am so excited about this. Now, |
| 1:45.9 | I've mentioned that last summer I used a structured approach doing protein sparing modified |
| 1:51.3 | fasting days strategically implemented, and I lost over 14 pounds of body fat while preserving |
| 1:58.4 | all of my lean mass and muscle. Now, this is the first time in my |
| 2:03.2 | adult life that I tried an approach that was actually incredibly effective. It wasn't extreme. |
... |
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