Advanced Fat Loss & Muscle Gain Strategies from the Body Recomp King – Christopher Barakat (Solo Recap)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Release Date: 06/20/2025
Protein, Breaking News & Fat Loss: Dr. Don Layman’s Breaking Insights (Recap Part 1)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 Podcast. They cover game-changing updates to U.S. dietary guidelines, red meat’s misunderstood...
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Breaking News: Big Changes to the Dietary Guidelines Coming & What It Means for Fat Loss, Muscle & Metabolism: Dr. Don Layman (Part 1 of 2)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 dive into the true definition of protein quality, the flaws of current scoring systems, and the...
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The New Science of Body Recomposition: Fat Loss & Lean Gains for Everyone (Dr. Eduardo De Souza Recap)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 masterclass on building muscle and losing fat at the same time—even for trained individuals. ➡️...
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Smarter Training for Fat Loss: Science-Backed Body Recomp with Dr. de Souza
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 . 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, smart calorie deficits, high protein intake, and the underrated role of sleep. If you’ve hit a plateau or want to...
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Change Your Shape, Not Just Your Weight: What Most Diets Miss: Dr. Mike Ormsbee Recap!
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 Sciences and Medicine. Dr. Ormsbee has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers and is...
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Change Your Shape, Not Just Your Weight — Dr. Mike Ormsbee on Protein Timing, Fat Loss & Muscle
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 . In this episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, Vanessa Spina sits down with one of the world’s leading experts in sports nutrition and metabolism — Dr. Mike Ormsbee. With over 200 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Ormsbee brings unmatched insight into how to optimize fat loss, preserve muscle, and transform your body composition through nutrition, protein...
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Burn Fat, Preserve Muscle, Dr. Arny Ferrando Recap!
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 powerful solo episode recaps the most jaw-dropping insights from Vanessa’s recent conversation with Dr. Arny Ferrando—one of the world’s leading experts on human muscle metabolism, amino acids, and aging. Vanessa breaks down how muscle protein synthesis actually works on a physiological level, the surprising role of blood flow in getting...
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Eat More Protein, Lose More Fat: Muscle Science Demystified with Dr. Arny Ferrando
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 . In this powerhouse episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, Vanessa Spina sits down with legendary muscle metabolism researcher Dr. Arny Ferrando for an in-depth masterclass on essential amino acids, protein timing, aging, anabolic resistance, and how to optimize muscle retention and fat loss—especially during menopause. Dr. Ferrando shares the latest research...
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'Biggest Loser' Researcher Explains: How to Burn Fat Without Slowing Your Metabolism (Dr. Ravussin Recap)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
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 episode, Vanessa recaps her conversation with Dr. Eric Ravussin—one of the world’s foremost experts in metabolism, fat loss, and caloric restriction, author of the Biggest Loser and CALERIE studies. You’ll learn the truth about metabolic adaptation and why fat loss becomes harder over time, especially when using GLP-1 medications....
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Preserve Muscle, Burn Fat: How to Outsmart Your Metabolism with Dr. Eric Ravussin
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to . Today’s episode features world-renowned metabolism expert Dr. Eric Ravussin, whose groundbreaking work has transformed our understanding of energy balance, calorie restriction, and long-term fat loss. Dr. Ravussin shares key insights from decades of clinical research on how the body adapts to weight loss—including why your metabolism slows, how to preserve lean muscle, and the critical role of mitochondrial health and metabolic flexibility. Visit for 30% OFF your subscription order PLUS receive a free gift...
info_outlineIn this solo episode, Vanessa breaks down her incredible interview with Christopher Barakat—researcher, physique coach, and educator—whose work is redefining what we know about body recomposition, resistance training, and maximizing hypertrophy.
Christopher was the first to publish a scientific paper using the term body recomposition, and his evidence-based approach is helping people break free from outdated beliefs around calories, bulking, and fat loss. In this recap, Vanessa shares the top takeaways from their conversation, including how to finally train and eat in a way that builds muscle and burns fat—at the same time.
What You’ll Learn:
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What the science actually says about building muscle in a deficit
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How to calculate your ideal protein intake using lean body mass
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Why most people are undertraining (and how to fix it fast)
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The power of Myo-reps for hypertrophy and fat loss
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Chris’s high-protein lean bulking strategies (without the fat gain)
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What to do if you’ve been stuck or plateaued for years
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His tips for women and beginners who want to successfully recomp
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Why fasting might hinder your physique goals
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The surprising role of mold, hormones, and internal health in fat loss
Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your strength training journey, this episode will help you unlock smarter strategies for long-term body recomposition.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Tone Collagen - Get 15% off with a subscription (pause or cancel anytime!)
- •🔗 Learn more about the TONE LUX Red Light Therapy line and get 20% OFF with the code VANESSA
- 🎁 Get 10% off Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers, using the code VANESSA at https://bioptimizers.com/Vanessa
Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
Follow @ketogenicgirl for updates on the latest studies and strategies to optimize protein intake and metabolic health.
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👥 Join the community: Optimal Protein Podcast Facebook Group
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.
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Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
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