November 11, 2025
Ep. 306 - Debunking the Muscle Loss Myth During Fasting | Growth Hormone Protection & Ketone Benefits | Why Extended Fasts Work for Fat Loss | Strategic Fasting for Different Body Types | Join Our Next Fasting Challenge!
Fasting For LifeAbout this episode
***JOIN THE NEXT MASTER YOUR FASTING CHALLENGE THAT STARTS November 19th, 2025!*** We’ll GUIDE you on how to FAST to LOSE FAT for good, and use ‘fast cycling’ to achieve uncommon results! REGISTER HERE! Click the link for DATES, DETAILS, and FAQs! In today's episode, Dr. Scott Watier and Tommy Welling tackle the pervasive fear around muscle loss during fasting by examining recent research and clarifying why concerns about extended fasts are largely unfounded for people with significant fat to lose, addressing the context behind why lean individuals like Dr. Peter Attia and Thomas DeLauer have adjusted their fasting approaches differently. They break down groundbreaking 2025 research from Nature showing that maximal leg muscle strength was completely preserved during seven-day fasts despite measured lean body mass loss, explaining how DEXA scans measure water, glycogen, and other non-muscle components rather than actual contractile muscle tissue that takes months and years to build. The hosts reveal how fasting actually protects muscle through elevated growth hormone (your body's "muscle guardian") and how ketones directly decrease leucine oxidation while promoting protein synthesis even at low ketone concentrations between 0.5-1.5. They emphasize that 75% of the population with substantial fat stores has a completely different fasting application than ultra-lean athletes, and that combining consistent fasting with protein prioritization and resistance training 2-3 times weekly creates optimal body composition changes while accelerating fat loss. This episode delivers a confidence-boosting perspective for anyone who's been hesitant to embrace fasting due to muscle loss fears, reframing extended fasts as a powerful tool for those with weight to lose while providing clear guidelines on when and how to transition fasting strategies as you approach your maintenance weight. Take the NEW FASTING PERSONA QUIZ! - The Key to Unlocking Sustainable Weight Loss With Fasting! Resources and Downloads: SIGN UP FOR THE DROP OF THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL GRAB THE OPTIMAL RANGES FOR LAB WORK HERE! - NEW RESOURCE! FREE RESOURCE - DOWNLOAD THE NEW BLUEPRINT TO FASTING FOR FAT LOSS! SLEEP GUIDE DIRECT DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD THE FASTING TRANSFORMATION JOURNAL HERE! Partner Links: Get your FREE BOX OF LMNT hydration support for the perfect electrolyte balance for your fasting lifestyle with your first purchase here! Get 25% off a Keto-Mojo blood glucose and ketone monitor (discount shown at checkout)! Click here! Our Community: Let’s continue the conversation. Click the link below to JOIN the Fasting For Life Community , a group of like-minded, new, and experienced fasters! The first two rules of fasting need not apply! If you enjoy the podcast, please tap the stars below and consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it helps bring you the best original content each week. We also enjoy reading them! Article Links: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413109003106 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900723001594 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55418-0 https://diabetesjournals.org/diabetes/article/50/1/96/10905/The-Protein-Retaining-Effects-of-Growth-Hormone https://www.levels.com/blog/are-long-term-fasts-or-water-fasts-good-for-you