NEW! Support your strength and muscle goals with PUORI Creatine+ — a clean, effective creatine monohydrate supplement enhanced with taurine. Get 20% off at puori.com/VANESSA In this masterclass episode, Vanessa sits down with Dr. David Church, one of the most exciting young researchers in protein metabolism and a mentee of Dr. Arny Ferrando and Dr. Robert Wolfe. Together, they break down the latest science on protein timing, distribution, and supplementation — and how to apply it to achieve fat ...
Oct 27, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 737
Beat BLOAT & unlock better protein absorption and digestion with MassZymes by BiOptimizers. NOW GET 15% off your order with the code VANESSA at bioptimizers.com/vanessa What separates people who keep fat off from those who regain it? In this episode, Vanessa Spina breaks down the latest research on long-term fat loss maintenance — including insights from one of the world's most respected obesity and metabolism researchers, Dr. James Hill. You'll learn the proven strategies that help preserve...
Oct 23, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 736
NEW! Support your strength and muscle goals with PUORI Creatine+ — a clean, effective creatine monohydrate supplement enhanced with taurine. Get 20% off at puori.com/VANESSA In today's episode, Vanessa sits down with one of the most influential figures in obesity and metabolism research — Dr. James Hill, Professor of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry. Dr. Hill has spent over four decades studying how people succes...
Oct 20, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 735
Beat BLOAT & unlock better protein absorption and digestion with MassZymes by BiOptimizers. NOW GET 15% off your order with the code VANESSA at bioptimizers.com/vanessa In this solo episode, Vanessa breaks down her in-depth conversation with Dr. Emily Lantz, a leading researcher in protein metabolism and muscle physiology. Discover why eating around 30 g of high-quality protein at each meal may be the key to preserving lean muscle, optimizing metabolism, and aging stronger—especially for wom...
Oct 17, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 734
NEW! Support your strength and muscle goals with PUORI Creatine+ — a clean, effective creatine monohydrate supplement enhanced with taurine. Get 20% off at puori.com/VANESSA Can you really lose fat without losing muscle? Vanessa sits down with Dr. Guillermo Escalante, physique competitor and sports nutrition researcher, to reveal the science of doing exactly that. Learn how high-protein diets and refeeds can preserve lean mass, reignite a slowed metabolism, and make fat loss more sustainable. Dr...
Oct 13, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 733
In this powerful educational episode, Vanessa sits down with Oliver Amdrup-Chamby, CEO and Co-Founder of Puori, for an in-depth masterclass on the supplements most overlooked—yet most transformative—for women's health: creatine and omega-3s. Drawing on the latest scientific research and insights from world-leading muscle and metabolism experts, Vanessa and Oliver unpack: ✅ Why creatine is a foundational supplement for women—supporting fat loss, body recomposition, muscle preservation, and cognit...
Oct 10, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 732
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ—clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa. In this episode, Vanessa sits down with Dr. Emily Lantz, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch and mentee of the late Professor Douglas Paddon - Jones , for a deep dive into how protein timing, distribution, and quality infl...
Oct 06, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 731
Beat BLOAT & unlock better protein absorption and digestion with MassZymes by BiOptimizers. NOW GET 15% off your order with the code VANESSA at bioptimizers.com/vanessa In today's solocast, we break down a brand new clinical trial that tested whether a high-protein diet really shuts down autophagy — and what it means for fat loss and body composition. For years, many believed that eating more protein would block the body's cellular clean-up process, and that only low-protein fasting diets co...
Oct 03, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 730
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ—clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa. In this powerful second interview, Dr. Latt Mansor returns to the podcast to share his personal 20+ lb fat loss transformation—and how he used ketones and strategic carb re-feeds to break through stubborn plateaus, curb hunger, and preserve lean mu...
Sep 29, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 729
Beat BLOAT & unlock better protein absorption and digestion with MassZymes by BiOptimizers. NOW GET 15% off your order with the code VANESSA at bioptimizers.com/vanessa Today's solocast is all about Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) days — how I've been using them in my own fat loss journey, how my approach differs from the traditional PSMF, and what the latest research says about PSMF, refeeds, and protein intake for protecting lean mass. IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 2...
Sep 26, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 728
Content Note / Trigger Warning: The first two-thirds of this episode focus on Maria Emmerich's expertise in helping thousands of people who are overweight, obese, or struggling with metabolic health to lose weight and dramatically improve their health and lives. In the last third of the interview, Maria shares her very recent personal experience with struggling with restrictive dieting, and her courageous journey of weight regain. Please listen with care if these topics around disordered eating ...
Sep 22, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 727
Beat BLOAT & unlock better protein absorption and digestion with MassZymes by BiOptimizers. NOW GET 15% off your order with the code VANESSA at bioptimizers.com/vanessa In this special solocast, Vanessa recaps the top highlights from two powerhouse researchers in protein metabolism: Dr. Carlene Starck and Dr. Arny Ferrando. If your goal is fat loss, muscle preservation, and body recomposition—especially in peri and post-menopause—this episode is packed with evidence-based strategies you can ...
Sep 19, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 726
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ — clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa . In this highly requested follow-up, Dr. Arny Ferrando returns to the Optimal Protein Podcast to go even deeper into the science of preserving muscle and optimizing body composition. Dr. Ferrando is one of the world's leading researchers in muscl...
Sep 15, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 725
Unlock better protein absorption and digestion with MassZymes by BiOptimizers. NOW GET 15% off your order with the code VANESSA at bioptimizers.com/vanessa The Bloating Episode! If you've ever struggled with bloating after eating, digestive discomfort, or wondered if your body is really absorbing all the protein and nutrients you consume, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Wade Lightheart, co-founder and president of BiOptimizers, to dive into the science of digestive enzymes and how they ca...
Sep 12, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 724
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ — clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa . Today's episode features Dr. Carlene Starck, a nutrition scientist whose groundbreaking research is changing the way we think about protein and amino acid requirements. Her work suggests that current recommendations for essential amino acids may...
Sep 08, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 723
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this solo recap episode, Vanessa breaks down her in-depth interview with Dr. Andy Galpin, one of the world's leading muscle scientists and performance physiologists. This 60-minute masterclass distills the most important takeaways from their conversation in...
Sep 05, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 722
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ — clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa . In this episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Andy Galpin — world-renowned muscle physiologist, strength coach, and leading expert in human performance optimization. We dive deep into the cutting-edge science of muscle, metab...
Sep 01, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 721
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this Friday episode, I'm diving into my fascinating conversation with Will Nitze, the founder and CEO of IQBAR—a bar formulated to fuel both the brain and the body. This solocast-style recap explores the unique backstory of how Will built IQBAR from the gro...
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 720
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In today's episode, Vanessa sits down with Dr. Samuel Dicken, Research Fellow at University College London's Centre for Obesity Research and lead author of the UPDATE Trial — the longest and most rigorous clinical study to date comparing ultra-processed (UPF) ...
Aug 25, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 719
Discover how Protein-Sparing Modified Fasting PSMF) Days can unlock rapid fat loss without sacrificing muscle. Vanessa shares her own recent results alongside the latest studies on intermittent high-protein fasting in women. Learn more about the TONE LUX Crystal red light therapy mask and the accessory the TONE LUX CONTOUR for the neck and décolleté and get 20% OFF with the code VANESSA Have you ever wondered if you could accelerate fat loss with just a few high-protein, very low-calorie days ea...
Aug 22, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 718
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. This episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast takes a deep dive into the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) — a scientifically designed approach for rapid fat loss that prioritizes lean muscle preservation. Listeners will learn: What defines a PSMF and how it ...
Aug 18, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 717
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Today's episode is a deep-dive recap of my mind-blowing conversation with Dr. Paul Laursen — one of the world's top experts in exercise physiology, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and fat-adapted performance. If you've ever wondered: Why you feel bett...
Aug 15, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 716
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. 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, ...
Aug 11, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 715
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this Part 2 solo recap episode, Vanessa Spina continues breaking down her powerful conversation with protein pioneer Dr. Donald Layman—covering the second half of their in-depth interview on metabolism, insulin resistance, muscle maintenance during menopaus...
Aug 08, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 714
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ—clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa . In Part 2 of this powerful interview, legendary protein researcher Dr. Donald Layman returns to the Optimal Protein Podcast to unpack some of the most misunderstood concepts in nutrition today—and to reveal potential groundbreaking changes to the ...
Aug 04, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 713
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Jump to start of the episode: 13:30 In this Friday solo episode, Vanessa Spina breaks down the first half of her latest interview with Dr. Donald Layman — legendary protein researcher and one of the most featured guests in the history of the Optimal Protein Po...
Aug 01, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 712
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ—clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa . This week on the Optimal Protein Podcast, I'm thrilled to be joined once again by Dr. Don Layman, one of the world's foremost experts in protein metabolism and amino acid science. In this first part of our two-part conversation, we take a deep div...
Jul 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 711
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this solocast episode, Vanessa shares a detailed recap of her interview with Dr. Eduardo de Souza, associate professor at the University of Tampa and one of the world's leading researchers in body recomposition and exercise science. This episode is a master...
Jul 25, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 710
Unlock sharper focus and support long-term brain health with Ketone-IQ—clean brain fuel for deep work, mental clarity, and sustained energy with no crash. Get 30% off your subscription, plus a free gift with your second shipment at Ketone.com/vanessa . In this powerhouse episode, Dr. Eduardo de Souza breaks down the real science of body recomposition—how to lose fat and build muscle simultaneously, even for advanced lifters. He shares the key strategies proven to work: optimal training volume, s...
Jul 21, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 709
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That's VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this solo recap episode, Vanessa breaks down the top takeaways from her interview with one of the world's leading experts in body composition and metabolism — Dr. Mike Ormsbee, Professor at Florida State University and Director of the Institute of Sports Sc...
Jul 18, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 708
