Hello and welcome to the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen Podcast.

I'm your host Jen, a middle-aged Michigan mama, wife, and teacher who

in 2021 stumbled upon this crazy cool thing called intermittent fasting.

And before I knew it.

I've lost 46 pounds in four months and gained an incredible lifestyle

filled with complete food freedom.

If you're hungry for unique, no nonsense fasting tips that actually

work, you're in the right place.

So whether you're walking the dog, folding that last load of laundry or cruising to

your nine to five, let's start fasting.

Our way to freedom together.

welcome, my fabulous fasting friends.

Thanks so much for tuning in.

Today we are diving into the eight best ways to save your muscle

during intermittent fasting.

And I know that this was a very big concern of mine when I started fasting.

I had heard that fasting could.

Lead to muscle loss.

And I'm not gonna lie, that kind of freaked me out a bit.

But I did my research and my trial and error, and I've been very happy

with my IF results, especially when it comes to keeping muscle as a

woman who is almost 50 years old.

So today I'm gonna give you eight easy strategies to help you save that valuable

muscle tone along your if f journey.

So maintaining muscle mass during intermittent fasting, especially

as we age, is crucial because muscle tissue plays a key role

in supporting our metabolism.

Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, and that makes

it easier to lose weight.

And keep it off.

Preserving muscle also helps maintain strength, physical function, and

long-term metabolic health, which is especially important as you age

or pursue sustained weight loss, which we are all trying to do.

So let's dive in and learn how to balance fasting with muscle preservation.

These eight effective strategies won't just help you preserve

muscle while intermittent fasting.

They will improve body composition, increase energy levels, and.

Turbocharge your metabolism, helping to optimize your intermittent fasting

journey for long-term success.

First up, you have got to prioritize protein.

Protein is truly your muscles.

BFF protein is like the bodyguard that keeps your muscles safe during fasting,

because protein serves as the building block for muscle tissue aiding in repair.

Growth.

So prioritizing protein helps preserve your lean muscle mass, which can

otherwise be broken down for energy during periods of calorie restriction.

Protein also promotes satiety.

Making it easier to manage hunger and stick to your

fasting plan while it's higher.

Thermic effects boost metabolism and supports fat loss.

Getting enough quality protein during your eating window

helps maximize muscle repair.

Maintain metabolic health and basically just achieve better weight loss results.

So prioritizing protein.

What exactly does that mean?

Well, it means being intentional about including lean meats like chicken, breast,

Turkey, and lean beef in your meals for high quality, easily absorbed protein.

It means eating fish and seafood such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

Which provide both protein and healthy Omega-3 fats.

These are also so awesome because, uh, being high in both protein and healthy

fats really helps to keep you satiated and on track with your fasting goals.

It means enjoying eggs, which are versatile, nutrient dense, and packed

with essential amino acids for muscle maintenance and adding dairy products

like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.

That are great protein boosters.

They're also delicious and they can be used to make healthy desserts too.

Now, if you're a vegan or a vegetarian, you can still get enough protein

to save your muscles while fasting.

It might be a little bit trickier.

But you can really focus in on eating plant-based proteins like

tofu and tempeh and edamame.

Uh, also I love to use protein powders to make protein smoothies as

a great way to get enough protein.

Try to find a protein powder that is high quality, possibly

plant-based with very little sugar.

I love, love, love.

Quest protein powder.

It's high in protein, low in carbs and sugar.

It's a nice blend of whey enc Cain, meaning it combines fast absorbing whey

protein isolate with slow digesting.

Um, Cain in that.

Helps it to deliver both immediate and sustained amino acid release

for muscle recovery and satiety.

So Quest contains all nine essential amino acids too, which means, uh, it

makes it a complete protein source.

For optimal muscle support.

Plus it's very affordable and it's so easy to bake with too.

I make healthy Mason jar protein ice cream with it.

That is so, so good.

Um, anyways, I will leave the link in the show notes if you wanna check.

Quest protein powder out.

I am not sponsored by them.

Maybe someday they'll realize how much I love them and they will reach out to

me and they'll wanna partner with me because I really do just love their stuff.

I actually, I don't really love their bars.

I don't like the Quest bars that much, but the protein powder is the bomb.

Uh, they have a bunch of great flavors.

No gross aftertaste.

My absolute favorite is the salted caramel flavor, and I use it all the time.

I have tons of protein powder recipes on my website.

Uh, so what if with jen.com in my recipe library, and also I have a

protein powder recipe blog post.

I'll link in the show notes for you too.

Alright, moving on to more really great protein sources

that you can add into your diet.

Don't forget about snacking on nuts and seeds like almonds, chia seeds, pumpkin

seeds, and walnuts for a very powerful combo of protein, fiber, and healthy.

Fats.

You can add legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and black

beans to salads and soups.

Choose protein rich vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and Brussels

sprouts to your lunch and dinner meals.

So many delicious ways to up your protein game and support muscle maintenance

and maximize the benefits of fasting.

Alright, moving on to strategy number two for saving your muscle while fasting.

Stay hydrated.

You do not want your muscles to shrivel up like a raisin.

Staying hydrated is.

Really it is.

It's another very critical muscle saving strategy because getting enough

water is absolutely essential for muscle function, cellular processes,

and overall physical performance.

Drinking water throughout the day, especially during your

eating window, is one of the.

Best ways to ensure that your muscles receive the oxygen and the

nutrients they need to function at their best during time, restricted

eating during fasting periods.

The risk of dehydration definitely increases, which can negatively

impact muscle strength and endurance, which is another reason

why hydration is so important.

It supports nutrient transport, waste removal, and electrolyte

balance, all of which.

Crucial for optimal muscle health.

So keep a water bottle handy and make sure that you are

sipping, uh, throughout the day.

Next on the list, make sure to get enough sleep.

I've heard that muscles are like teenagers.

They grow the most when you let them sleep in.

So getting sufficient sleep is an extremely effective

way to maintain muscle.

While practicing intermittent fasting, and I think sometimes we kind of brush that to

the side and think, oh, how can that even be related to weight loss in our health?

And it really does make a giant difference.

So sleep plays a really important role in muscle recovery growth

and just our overall health.

During sleep, the body releases human growth hormone.

It repairs tissue, and it restores energy levels.

Not getting enough sleep can most definitely disrupt these processes

affecting muscle protein synthesis and potentially leading to muscle loss.

So you should aim for about seven to nine hours of quality sleep each

night to give your muscles time to recover and repair themselves.

Strategy number four, avoid extreme calorie deficits.

And in my notes here, I have that in giant bull faced letters.

Avoiding extreme calorie deficits is so important when you're trying to

maintain muscle while practicing fasting.

And I, I wanna just, uh, go on a tangent for a minute here on this one, because.

I know that this is something that I had to be very careful of, um, especially

because I would realize, okay, I would throw like an extended fast in there, 36

to 42 hours, and, , I would definitely see the numbers on the scale go down.

Well, it's very easily to get caught up in that and for, for

a while there, I'll be honest.

Um.

I thought, okay, well, I'm just gonna do a 72 hour fast every week.

Um, and I did that for about two or three weeks, and I, not only

did I feel horrible, I did notice actually the scales start to plateau.

So you have to remember that too much can be a big problem extreme

calorie deficits are a definite no-no.

Sure you wanna lose fat.

And consuming fewer calories is often a key component of fat loss.

But slashing calories too much can most definitely trigger muscle loss as the

body turns to muscle tissue for energy.

It's kind of like trying to drive your car with no gas.

You need to eat enough to fuel your body.

Think gentle calorie deficit, not crash Diet and aim to strike a good

balance between creating a calorie deficit for weight loss and providing

your body with enough calories from a nutrient dense balance diet that will

support muscle maintenance and lean.

Body mass.

Alright, next up.

This one is also super important and it kind of goes along with the last strategy.

So strategy number five is.

Do not over fast.

It's important to realize that more fasting isn't always better

overdoing it can stress your body can, lemme say that again.

Overdoing it can and will stress your body and start to eat away

at your heart earned muscle.

So find a fasting window in an intermittent fasting routine

and schedule that works for you.

If you're struggling with where to start, head back to some of the earlier

episodes of this podcast for guidance.

Specifically.

If you go back to episode number four, I discuss seven of the

most popular intermittent fasting methods and schedules, the benefits

of each, and I help you to.

Try to find one or two that works best for you.

So while fasting offers benefits, many benefits, for weight loss and metabolic

health, really excessive long-term fasting periods can lead to muscle breakdown due

to prolonged periods of reduced nutrient.

So you've gotta be careful.

Too much fasting can trigger the body to utilize protein for energy,

potentially compromising muscle mass.

And we definitely don't want that.

So you've gotta work to strike a good balance between reaping the rewards

of fasting and preserving muscle.

And the more you get into a fasting routine that works for you, the easier.

It gets, I promise.

Okay.

We have made it to number six, and that is to strength train, and

I've talked about this in previous episodes, but if you wanna keep your

muscles, you have got to use them.

Plain and simple.

It doesn't have to be anything over the top crazy, but you need to hit

the weights or do some body weight.

Exercises at least a few times a week.

Strength training stimulates muscle fibers and triggers adaptations that enhance

muscle growth and preservation by engaging in regular strength training sessions,

you provide a clear signal to your body.

Muscle tissue is essential and it should be retained even during

periods of reduced calorie intake.

Strength and weight training also boosts metabolism, improves bone density and

enhances overall functional fitness.

Alright, next up.

Strategy number seven, monitor your progress.

Monitoring your progress while doing intermittent fasting is important for

maintaining and saving your muscles because it helps you catch early

signs of muscle loss and adjust your plan before it becomes a problem.

By tracking your weight, body measurements, strength levels, and

how your clothes fit, you can make sure you're losing mostly fat.

Not muscle while also ensuring you're eating enough protein and staying

active with strength training.

Regular check-ins keep you motivated, help you spot what's working, and give

you the chance to tweak your routine when needed so you protect your muscles

and reach your goals in a healthy way.

And finally, last but not least, muscle saving.

Strategy number eight is to listen closely to your body.

Your body is smarter than any fitness tracker if you're feeling weak.

Dizzy or just off.

It's okay to adjust your fasting window, eat a little

bit more, or take a day of rest.

Flexibility is key for long-term success.

Listening to your body helps you recognize when you need more food,

more rest, or adjustments to your routine to protect your muscle mass.

If you notice signs like feeling unusually weak.

Tired or losing strength, it could mean you're not getting enough protein

or enough calories or recovery time, which again, are all essential for

keeping your muscles healthy by paying close attention to these signals and

making changes like eating a bit more, adding more protein, or tweaking your

workouts, you can better support your muscles, avoid unnecessary loss, and make

intermittent fasting work for your unique and individual needs and personal goals.

Alright, let's do a quick recap of the eight great strategies for saving your

muscle while intermittent fasting.

Number one, prioritize protein and aim to include high quality

protein in every single meal.

Number two, hydrate like a champ.

Three, get enough sleep.

Seven to nine hours is a great goal to shoot for.

Number four, avoid extreme calorie deficits.

Five.

Do not over fast.

Remember, more is not always better.

Number six, add strength training to your routine a few times a week is great.

My preferred way to strength train is through the use of.

Kettlebells.

If you want more exercise and intermittent fasting tips, head back

to episodes 40 and 41 of this podcast.

Number seven, monitor your progress and strategy.

Number eight, listen closely to your body.

Thank you so much for being here with me today.

I really appreciate it.

If you are enjoying, uh, my podcast, if you wouldn't mind taking a minute

or two to head over to Apple Podcast or Spotify and leave me a quick five star

review, that would be so appreciated.

It really helps me to grow my show.

And remember to head to my website.

So what if with jen.com and click on the recipes tab.

At the top, you'll find a ton of muscle saving high protein recipes.

I have over 150 recipes and growing every week, so be sure to check that out.

Also, if you're interested in my Intermittent Vesting and Weight Loss

Masterclass video course, you can get it for just $39 when you use the

discount code GEMS 10 at checkout.

That's lowercase GEMS 10, and finally.

I am on summer break from teaching, so I am wanting to use my time off to interview

those of you who have found success with fasting in whatever form that may be.

If you wanna chat with me and share your story, I would love to highlight

you in an upcoming podcast episode.

Just send a quick email to me at so what if with jen@gmail.com and I'll get

back to you and we will make it happen.

All right, my fasting friends get out there and have yourself an absolutely

incredible day, and I hope to connect with you again very, very soon.

Hey, thank you so much for choosing to spend part of your day listening

to this episode of the Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen podcast.

If you think these tips could help a friend or a family member, please

consider sharing this episode with them.

And if you really enjoyed the show, taking a minute or two

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Would be so appreciated.

Tune in for new 15 to 25 minute episodes released on the 10th,

20th, and 30th of each month.

Episodes will feature solo shows filled with if F hacks that

have worked for me, as well as episodes where I get to chat with.

Fun folks of all ages who've experienced incredible success

with intermittent fasting.

If you have questions or want more unique intermittent fasting health and

weight loss tips, tricks and recipes, please visit my website and blog at.

So what if with jen.com?

Finally, we'd love to welcome you into our free intermittent.

Fasting Facebook support group.

So what if with Jen?

Find all of these links in the show notes below.

And as always, I hope you spend your day loving without fear and

laughing until your cheeks hurt.