In this week’s podcast, JJ explores the popular trend of fasting. She covers everything from the types and benefits of fasting, as well as differences between men and women, between sugar burning and fat burning, and the preparation pitfalls that could lead you to disaster. If you are struggling to reach your weight loss goals or have plateaued, some form of fasting might be just the breakthrough you’ve been looking for. JJ will help you “dial in the basics” so you can get started right away with a successful and healthy fasting program.   Key takeaways [1:54] Males and females are significantly different when talking about health. [2:47] Eating “by the plate” and “by the clock.” [3:05] What does it mean to be a fat burner? You should be able to go 4-6 hours in between meals and not need to snack, not freak out, and lose body fat from your waist! [4:38] 3 keys: stop snacking; stop eating at least 3 hours before bed; DO eat within an hour or two of waking up. [5:01] Get a 12-14 hour overnight fast. Insulin comes down, plus you are healing and resting and giving your growth hormones a chance to come up more. [5:50] Breakfast isn’t the same for everyone. Most women tend to need to be more regimented than men, but there is research that shows a range of healthy morning routines. [7:05] What is fasting? [7:23] Fasting with bone broth (mini-fasting). [7:44] Intermittent fasting – short periods of fasting in a single day. [8:16] The benefits of fasting: neuro-protection, anti-aging, insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial efficiency, and immune health are all benefits associated with fasting. [10:52] Before a serious attempt at fasting, go through the Sugar Impact Diet Program and make sure you know how carbs impact your body. That information will help you make the shift from being a sugar burner to a fat burner. [12:16] Make sure your adrenals are awesome before fasting. [13:12] Tapping can lower your stress, stress hormones, and even cortisol levels. [13:44] Dial in the basics! Watch your sleep, manage your stress, and get your exercise with burst training (HIIT) or resistance training. [15:40] First fast to try: the 12 to 14 hour overnight fast. From there, make adjustments that work for you. [17:21] Journaling is a critical strategy to achieve the results you want. Keeping track of what you’ve tried – and whether or not you’ve been covering the basics – is the key to making  adjustments that work. [19:18] Are you digesting protein well? Watch which enzyme product you are taking!  [20:14] Listeners question: What to do with sugar cravings? [22:12] Chronic sugar addicts with cravings can get rid of their sweet tooth in 2 weeks or less going through JJ’s program. [23:12] Going “cold turkey” sets you up for failure.   Mentioned in this episode www.jjvirgin.com/products Facebook page Facebook.com/JVirginOfficial.