Support!

Help Make The Intermittent Fasting Podcast Possible!

Hi Friends! We put a ton of time and energy into researching and producing The Intermittent Fasting Podcast. You can help support us on Patreon! Every dollar helps!

Jan 13

Welcome to Episode 404 of The Intermittent Fasting Podcast, hosted by Melanie Avalon, biohacker, founder of AvalonX, and author of What When Wine Diet: Lose Weight And Feel Great With Paleo-Style Meals, Intermittent Fasting, And Wine, and Barry Conrad, actor, singer-songwriter, and creator and host of Banter with BC


ABOUT CO-HOST, BARRY CONROD:

Barry Conrad’s multifaceted career spans screen, stage, and music. He’s worked with an array of artists, clients, and brands both locally and internationally. Landing a role on FOX’s ‘Power Rangers: Ninja Storm,’ his first feature film was the box office hit ‘The Sapphires.’ His theatre debut was in the Australian premiere of Broadway’s ‘Violet,’ followed by an unbroken streak of roles, including the Helpmann Award-winning ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.’
Barry originated the role of Kane Jones on the iconic Aussie TV show ‘Neighbours,’ starred in the Tony Award-winning ‘In The Heights’ (by Lin-Manuel Miranda) at Sydney Opera House, booked the male lead in ‘Destiny’ for Melbourne Theatre Company, and is the creator of series ‘Banter with BC.’
Away from the spotlight, Conrad is an ambassador for Panasonic, Kawai and R U OK?


Website | IG | FB | X | YouTube

Podcast: Banter with BC


SHOW NOTES

SPONSORS & DISCOUNTS


PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL: Transform your relationships through changing your attachment style: the most powerful and influential driving force behind your beliefs and behaviors and the ultimate predictor of success in your relationships! The Personal Development School’s All-Access Pass is an immersive platform that offers tailor-made on-demand courses and programs, daily live webinars and Q&A sessions (with founder and author Thais Gibson herself), study groups, and much more that help you heal your attachment style! Get 50% off a Monthly Membership of the All-Access Pass with code IFPODCAST at ifpodcast.com/development.


LINKS:

Melanie's Podcast: The Melanie Avalon Biohacking Podcast

More on Melanie: MelanieAvalon.com 

Barry's Podcast: Banter with BC

More on Barry: barryconradofficial.com


Barry Conrad's Prior Episodes:

IF Podcast Episode 397

IF Podcast Episode 332
The Great OMAD Debate: IF Podcast Episode 116
AvalonX Supplements


If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving us a review in Apple Podcasts!


Original theme composed by Leland Cox, and recomposed by Steve Saunders.


Our content does not constitute an attempt to practice medicine and does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical advice and answers to personal health questions.


TRANSCRIPT

(Note: This is generated by AI with 98% accuracy. However, any errors may cause unintended changes in meaning.)

Melanie Avalon

Welcome to episode 404 of the Intermittent Fasting Podcast. If you want to burn fat, gain energy, and enhance your health by changing when you eat, not what you eat, with no calorie counting, then this show is for you.  I'm Melanie Avalon, biohacker, founder of AvalonX, and author of What, When, Wine. Lose weight and feel great with paleo-style meals, intermittent fasting, and wine. And I'm joined by my co-host, Barry Conrad, actor, singer-songwriter, and creator and host of Banter with BC. For more on us, check out MelanieAvalon.com and BarryConradOfficial.com. You can submit questions for the show by emailing questions at iapodcast.com or by going to iapodcast.com. We would love to hear from you. Please remember, the thoughts and opinions on this show do not constitute medical advice or treatment. So, pour yourself a mug of black coffee, a cup of tea, or even a glass of wine if it's that time, and get ready for the Intermittent Fasting Podcast. Hi, everybody, and welcome. This is episode number 404 of the Intermittent Fasting Podcast. I'm Melanie Avalon, and I am here with somebody very special. This is the beginning of a new era for this show, and we've been teasing it for quite a while, and nobody knows the answer to what I'm about to say until now, which I am here with the new co-host of the Intermittent Fasting Podcast. Please, everybody, say welcome to Barry Conrad.

Barry Conrad

Hey!

Melanie Avalon

Welcome. I'm giving you like a, I'm the audience for you right now. I'm like, yay.

Barry Conrad

I'm so excited to be here. I'm so, I feel welcomed. I feel excited. It's a new era.

Melanie Avalon

It's so exciting. And I was just thinking, so you've been a guest on this show twice before, right?

Barry Conrad

Yeah, twice.

Melanie Avalon

Third time is the charm that keeps on giving so friends so Barry has been on the show like we just said twice before He is an incredible actor singer songwriter from Australia Who he just does like all the incredible cool things so we will put links in the show notes to the prior episodes He's been on if people want to get a really deep dive into his background and his story Which we are going to briefly touch on as well in today's episode But Barry so highlights from your career.  You were on Australia's longest running soap opera neighbors for how long were you on that show?

Barry Conrad

A couple of years, 2019 to 2021.

Melanie Avalon

pretty awesome. Recently, you were in The Heights at Australia Sydney Opera House, which is like, if somebody were to come up to somebody and be like, name, you know, the top theaters ever in the world.  I mean, that's top five for sure.

Barry Conrad

It's definitely one of the most iconic landmarks in Australia and definitely recognised in the world that's felt incredible to be performing there. It's just such an honour.  You got to come, by the way, Melanie. Where were you during the show? Anyway, more of that later.

Melanie Avalon

where was I? I was here.  No, no, no. True story for listeners, and maybe I mentioned this before, but I did have a brief moment where I was like, I'm gonna go, me and my sister, we're like, we're just gonna show up in Australia and see the show. We didn't do that, but we thought about it.

Barry Conrad

And didn't you say like, you know, because listeners, you know, Melanie travels for like a day, she doesn't like long trips. So she would have come for a day.

Melanie Avalon

I was going to come for a day and my sister was going to like stay on and like see Australia and I was going to head home. So that was going to be the game plan.  Other highlights from your career. So wait, were you on Australia's Got Talent? I was an ex-factor. Ex-factor. I know it's one of those shows. OK, ex-factor. I don't think I've ever talked to you about that. What was that like?

Barry Conrad

It's such a long time ago and there was a period was like x factor but it really gave me. It opened everything up for me the reason why i'm talking to you now as well i could open up all my opportunities gave me such a massive platform i learned so much about the industry made amazing friends was incredible exposure i loved it.

Melanie Avalon

Wait so that when you say like for a moment you are you are not about it for a little bit.

Barry Conrad

Well, I wasn't even going to audition. I was actually coaching and mentoring a group that went on the show.  So I accidentally, so I wasn't even meant to do is here. So it almost didn't happen at the very last minute.

Melanie Avalon

So you went with them and you were there and then what happened? You accidentally auditioned? you

Barry Conrad

So, I went there with the group and then one of my friends who talked to the producers and whatnot, he dealt with them. He was like, this is my friend Barry, he's an amazing singer. I'm like, ah, bro, don't do this. I'm not here for me, I'm here for this group.  And so, I sang live on the spot for the producer and I'm like, you have to audition? I'm like, ah, I don't know if this is for me. And I actually didn't turn up to my first audition, I actually just didn't show up.

Melanie Avalon

And Barry, wait, Barry, you're not a no-show type person.

Barry Conrad

I'm definitely not.

Melanie Avalon

That's a statement.

Barry Conrad

It's a statement and I know we were actually, you'll love this Mel, I was eating steak in Darling Harbour in Sydney with some of my friends and they're like, Barry, isn't your addition now? I'm like, yeah, I'm not doing it. And anyway, long story short, I lost my second mom to cancer at the time. It was a really hard time.  And that inspired me to she pushed me to go she like you have to do this. So that was the turning point for me. I humbled myself, emailed them and I said, is this still a chance that I can still audition? They flew me out to Melbourne on the very last day of auditions of the whole tour. And I got in.  So, you know, it was a one of those moments, definitely a life moment, you know?

Melanie Avalon

I bet everybody wants to know, did the group that you were coaching get in?

Barry Conrad

No, which is which is which is kind of which is kind of not like they kind of went through some preliminary rounds, but then they got axed.

Melanie Avalon

Wow. Okay. Sorry.  I want to touch on the cancer thing because I think we talked about that the first episode you're on. But also before we do that, to wrap up the other highlights from your career, what's been your favorite thing? Or like thing that you're like most proud of? Or

Barry Conrad

I think that I'll have to go with one of the most recent things, which is in the Heights, because it had come at the right time, it was a role that really encompasses everything that I can do. It's at one of the most incredible places in the world. My mom and my brother got to surprise me there as well.  It just allowed me to just really enjoy the moment because I think a lot of the time, I can't speak for everyone, but sometimes you can get in your head as an actor and as a performer. And this moment, particularly for me, I could just enjoy it. I really felt like I could be more present and take it in rather than just overthink everything. So it was such a triumph. And I also had broken my ankle last year. So this was like a return to the stage. So as you know,

Melanie Avalon

I mean, that is absolutely incredible. I forgot about that with the cancer.

Barry Conrad

Yeah, so my second mom, she was the manager of a dance group. I used to be in a singing dance group, and she was the most fit person, vivacious, energetic, and she got cancer really bad.  And during her decline, I would say, she said, Barry, you have to go for this opportunity. So if not for her, I probably would not have gone back to this producer saying, hey, can you guys give me another shot? So it was a huge turning point in my life. Who knows where it would be if I hadn't done that.

Melanie Avalon

Wow, the lung happened right before that.

Barry Conrad

The long situation happened after that actually, that happened in 2017, 2016, 2017.

Melanie Avalon

And how long was that?

Barry Conrad

That as well, wow, Molly, you're really diving. We're really diving in for listeners out there.  I had a blood clot that shot to my right lung and killed off half of my lung. So I've got one and a half lungs. And for, for a second there, I actually couldn't speak without gasping for air, let alone sing, let alone workout, train, dance, act. So I actually thought, you know, my career's got to change now. I have to do something else because I can't even talk. So it was a huge, one of those milestones I had to work through. And it definitely makes you realize that life is unpredictable and that life is a gift because I was this close to dying. Sorry to be morbid, but the doctor said, if you weren't as fit as you are, you would not have survived the episode that I had, which is like an embolism. So I had like a lung equivalent of a heart attack in a cafe and that's how it happened.

Melanie Avalon

My goodness, could you not breathe all of a sudden?

Barry Conrad

I went to stand up and I felt like someone was stabbing me in the back of my right lung with each breath in, and so I thought, I'm going to die, I'm dying. It was just pretty terrifying.

Melanie Avalon

And that is so incredible. Wow, so now you have one and a half lungs and you do all these things. And I mean, listen to you, you sound amazing.

Barry Conrad

Thanks, you know, I think as well the body is pretty resilient, you know, I've definitely improved, as you know, and I think while we're here as well, I definitely believe intermittent fasting has had a massive, it's been a massive contributor towards me recovering as well and healing. So that's been great.

Melanie Avalon

I was literally just going there. I was like, oh, this is a segue. So wait, were you fasting at that time? When did you start fasting?

Barry Conrad

I actually started shortly after that episode.

Melanie Avalon

Okay. I know I've asked you that a lot. I always forget.  Yes. So for listeners who are just now meeting Barry for the first time, there are many reasons that I'm so excited about having him as the co-host on this show. And a huge one, like you just mentioned, is that he is a huge fan of intermittent fasting. He actually found kind of like how Vanessa was a listener of the show first. You are a listener of the show first.

Barry Conrad

I was, it's so again, like five years back, at least it's so crazy and just think that I'm sitting here talking to you right now as the new co-host of the Intimidative Fasting podcast is wild.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, because you were listening when Jen was the co-host. Like, that's when he started.

Barry Conrad

Yeah and listeners you have to realize like i was looking for all the hacks i need all the information when i found this new like this discovery of intimate fasting. How can i find out about it what is it do what am i doing it right and so this is the podcast that.  Tell me everything that i knew to begin with.

Melanie Avalon

Do you remember how you very first discovered it? Like heard about it, thought about doing it, decided to do it.

Barry Conrad

I want to say it was just online because remember you've asked me this before and it's a mystery. It's like a Mandela effect. I don't even know. It's something. I don't know.

Melanie Avalon

It's funny because I so clearly remember my inception, but some people don't.

Barry Conrad

Yeah, I was paleo before, just beforehand, and I'm pretty sure I saw it online if you wait for a period of time and then eat. And I just tried it out. I went straight to 19 hours and tried that.

Melanie Avalon

That's like me, just jump all in, go extreme. Go big or go home.  But understanding, of course, that everybody has their different approach. You might be the most, no, no, no, wait, no, wait. No, because you eat earlier. Everything's running together in my head. I was thinking about my, well, okay, your typical eating window. When is it again?

Barry Conrad

If I'm not on set or doing something where it's on someone else's schedule, if I'm working from home or something like that, I like to open my window maybe around five, six-ish, you know, but if not, it's like later.

Melanie Avalon

Actually, that's very in character with actually a lot of, I think, prior guests or co-hosts. I'm just the one that eats like crazy late at night.  Okay, so I have a lot of things I want to talk to you about in today's episode. One of the things I was thinking was I could get your opinion on some of the most common questions we get on this show. And it doesn't have to be like a massively like long answer, but just so people can get like a feel for what you think about fasting, especially a lot of these questions that we get a lot. Shall I hit you with some of them? Okay, so how do you feel about the Clean Fast?

Barry Conrad

I feel great about the Clean and Fast, and I actually learned about it by listening to this show in particular, because Jen Stevens and Melanie, as I'm talking to right now, really talked about the importance of that and not taking in anything other than black coffee, black tea, sparkling water, and just letting your gut have a moment to breathe, to digest, and just to heal the body as well. So I've never actually diverted from that.  I've always just stuck to that. I don't do any cream in my coffee or anything like that. It's just black coffee. Don't really have to eat water, and when I break my fast, I might have a drink of wine or something like that with my food, but other than that, clean fast for me all the way.

Melanie Avalon

So were you ever a creaming or coffee person in the past?

Barry Conrad

It's not my thing, no. Not yet, no. Are you?

Melanie Avalon

I feel like I was a late bloomer with drinking coffee. Do you remember when you first started drinking coffee?

Barry Conrad

I was a late bloomer too. I think when I started was when I was doing a lot of touring internationally, singing for other bands and whatnot, and we went to Italy and places like that.  I'm like, this does not taste great, but eventually it became one of my favorite things and I have about maybe four a day now.

Melanie Avalon

How about you? Oh my goodness, so many thoughts. It's interesting that you didn't really like the way it tasted and you didn't wean yourself in there with like cream and sugar.

Barry Conrad

No way.

Melanie Avalon

You're like I'm doing this like the real way

Barry Conrad

I'm a purist when it comes to stuff like that.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, that makes sense. I started, actually, when did I first? I just know that people were drinking coffee. I discovered coffee in college. Or that's when I started drinking it. I think so. Like, I don't think I was doing it in high school.

Barry Conrad

Are you like a Starbucks girl? Is that your situation?

Melanie Avalon

I was. I went through that period of time in my life where I was... It's shocking to me now to think how much coffee I drink in college.  I was doing papers and drinking like the... I don't even know what the biggest size is, but the biggest size... The grande. Yeah. Venti? Is Venti bigger than grande? I don't know. I don't speak Starbucks anymore.

Barry Conrad

sound bite of the episode. I don't speak Starbucks.

Melanie Avalon

I don't, I feel like though, had I, okay, here, here are my thoughts about this. You know how there's like all the secret menus with like Starbucks and drinks and stuff and people will like make these seek, do you know what I'm talking about? Like the secret menus, like people come up with their own recipes. I was doing that like at the beginning.  Like I remember I realized that if you put certain syrups together in it, it would taste like a, like a cookie. And I would like do that. So I feel like if I had been like a different, like, I feel like if social media had been a thing back then, and I had had this moment, I could have like helped originate the secret menu concept, but too late now.

Barry Conrad

Well, I do like cookies, just not in my coffee.

Melanie Avalon

Yes. And we should circle back to that, to the food. But to answer your question, I, right now I currently have, we've talked about this, but like just like a sip in the morning of coffee.

Barry Conrad

like a teaspoon.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, like a tablespoon, like, mm-hmm.

Barry Conrad

I just feel like I want to make it last. The experience is so heavenly, you want to just keep drinking it like a mug or two.

Melanie Avalon

It is so good. I think, well, here's the thing. I think coffee is so good. It has so many health benefits. I actually wish that I drank more.  The problem with me is that it's for me, it's a slippery slope. I'm not good at like moderation. So I would, I would like overdrink coffee. Even though, so I wish I, I wish I could like drink like a cup every morning. I actually think that would be the best for health and longevity.

Barry Conrad

I also think it's such and will be such a melony thing because you're so driven you're so focused and coffee with like amp that up even more you don't think.

Melanie Avalon

Oh, it does. It does. That's for sure.  The nice thing about it is if you don't drink coffee and then you have some situation where you are so sleep-deprived and have to have energy and it's just not going to happen and you don't drink coffee normally and then you have a cup of coffee, insane. It just like completely kills the exhaustion and you feel like you can climb out at first. So yeah. Okay. So you are team clean fast. Next one. Can you get enough protein in a one meal a day situation? And also how do you?

Barry Conrad

You can.

Melanie Avalon

and how people want to know how Barry they want to know how to get enough they struggle.

Barry Conrad

I am a volume eater, so for anyone meeting me for the first time, if you don't follow me already on social media or whatnot, you know that I like to eat and a lot at one time. So for example, I'll give you a situation that I do on the daily. I'll have maybe 500 grams of ground beef. I'll have two cups of Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder mixed in there and some frozen berries on top of that. And then I might have six eggs. So that's a lot of protein in one sitting, and that's over 100 grams.  I'm 80 kgs, just under 80 kgs, six foot tall, and I'm having plenty of protein to meet my needs, actually more than the recommended amount. So I'm eating also to build muscle. You don't need to have as much as I am, but you can get enough protein. You just have to be smarter about it and know yourself.

Melanie Avalon

How long does it take you to eat all of that, like how long is your window normally.

Barry Conrad

It's I fast for 20 hours a day on average, but I only eat like maybe within a half an hour I eat pretty quickly as well

Melanie Avalon

Oh, wow. Yeah, you're like, okay. Yeah, we're different that way. I'm like a long take my time feast mode. Read my books. It's a whole thing.

Barry Conrad

Okay, to let me interject, I don't always do that. I like, I do prefer to take my time, but a lot of the time I have other things to do.  So let me just get this done. Let me just smash it and I just, I just love food so much. So good.

Melanie Avalon

Me too. That's why I like having my eating window as the last thing of the day, because then I don't have to wrap it up for anything.  Yeah. I've tried that other approach. It does not work for me. I'm jealous of people who it works for because I actually feel like it's probably more in line with the way we should be eating, but who will?

Barry Conrad

I will say though, Mel, I do find it harder to get back to tasks after that meal, quote unquote meal, because, you know, you start processing the food and you start feeling a bit more lethargic. I go into sort of unwinding mode. So I do find it harder to focus on like admin-y things or if I'm learning lines. So I prefer to get my work done before I have that one big meal. And that's like my prize. Do you know what I mean?

Melanie Avalon

Yes do i do do you remember the great one mill a day debate. From when jen was here i can recap it if not i have one.

Barry Conrad

meal. It's like I actually, I still remember this.

Melanie Avalon

It's one meal and a snack.

Barry Conrad

Listen as i put for the last said one of the most entertaining things and i even re listened to just for that part just to have a laugh.  Was there to buy it so hilarious like they had such different ideas of what that meant and i was like what that would be a snack and it's a meal and snacks no if you're at a restaurant like you have an appetizer and you have to do so funny.

Melanie Avalon

Okay, because Jen's argument was that, okay, my argument against Jen's argument. Jen, from what I remember, it's been a while, but I remember Jen would open her eating window with something and then like not eat. Like there was like a not eating period and then there was the eating. So that's why I was like, you're having a snack, then you're like not eating, then you're having your meal compared to eating continuously ongoing.  So where do you fall on the Great One Mill a Day debate? It's okay, you won't offend me.

Barry Conrad

Shout out to Jen Stevens, you're awesome.  What I will say was, well, how long did you wait between having, let's try to get real technical here. How long did you wait between the snack, quote unquote, snack and then the big.

Melanie Avalon

The thing is, I don't remember knowing me and my logic, it must have been long enough for me to make this argument, you know? It was substantial enough that it wasn't like eat it and then immediately eat, there was like time in between.

Barry Conrad

When I'm at a restaurant, or even if I'm at home, let's not use that 30-minute eating situation that I said before, I'm not going to go straight in. I'll have my little appetizer, maybe have some wine, maybe even pause for a second.  Even at a restaurant, sometimes your manes may take a while to come out. I don't know if you call it. Do you call the manes there?

Melanie Avalon

Listeners. We're gonna have filthy moments where we're gonna learn new words. Australian words. I have learned so much.  And then also, well, okay, it's a two, it's two parts. One, Barry has Australian words that we don't have. Two, Barry also has Barry words that aren't necessarily Australian words.

Barry Conrad

Barriisms.

Melanie Avalon

Yes, exactly, like trinkets, right? That's not like an Australian word.

Barry Conrad

It's not it will it's in the dictionary but not for the way it's supposed to be but for example that's a perfect example what are trinkets or trinkets for me like snacks like chocolate chips could be like a cheeseboard like trinkets you bring some trinkets and wine like trinkets. Yeah trinkets segueing back into the question if i'm having trinkets to start with like a couple trinkets and i wait for maybe.  If i wait for ten minutes before having savory savory would you call that a meal in a snack or would you call that one meal.

Melanie Avalon

10 minutes. I would call still a meal like one meal.  What if it's like half an hour 30 minutes? I Really wish I really wish I could remember how long Jen waited in between the two, but I'll just answer it now Okay, 30 minutes. Let me think about that eating something Waiting half an hour. Okay, so like in this waiting situation. This is why okay. I think this is important in the waiting situation What are you doing like at a restaurant? You're still at the Restaurant you're still like in the eating vibe, but I think if you like eat Something and then you go and like do other things and then you come back and eat I feel like that would be one meal a day and a snack before

Barry Conrad

Okay, let me throw this at you. What if different destinations, different environments, but the same thing.  So if you had a restaurant, you just had your trinket and you, you're talking, talking, talking, talking for half an hour, then eat, and you did exactly the same thing at home, like you ate your trinkets and then you made a phone call for half an hour, then you came and ate. Would that be different because of the environment?

Melanie Avalon

feel like it's important that the environment of the restaurant is the environment is a meal. So it's like you're locked in to a meal experience compared to it's a great, it's a great logical point that you bring up compared to if you're at home and then you go and do like a work call or like talk to other people.  Maybe it matters and depends if you are like having the trinket snack and then if you like go do a work call and then come back versus you're like talking to people in the kitchen making dinner. I mean maybe that could still be a one meal a day situation.

Barry Conrad

Well, what if you called me and you interrupted my meal, so I had my trigger and then I just stopped eating for a second to talk to you, Mel, and then, but I'm still intending that's my meal.

Melanie Avalon

I think it's the intention. Yeah, like the intention.  It's kind of like the observer effect. Like we create our own reality by rendering what we see. So like quantum physics. So like the intention behind what you're doing renders it a meal.

Barry Conrad

This is so funny because we're doing like a two point, like a reloaded, you know, one meal a day, great debate.

Melanie Avalon

I'm going to title this The Great Mule Date, Part 2, or Revisited, Welcoming Barry Codrat, The Great Mule Date Revisited. That's the title. That's the title.

Barry Conrad

Although I don't think that we're debating, I feel like we're more just going, Oh, well, it actually could be depends which way you look at it, I guess.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, I want to know how much time I do think if it's a solid hour between the appetizer trinket snack and the Entree main wait, wait, wait, wait. I forgot is a main the entree or is the main the appetizer?

Barry Conrad

Okay, our main is like the main like meal. So is that what you call the appetizer?

Melanie Avalon

Okay, no, that's our entree. What is your entree?

Barry Conrad

Our entrees are like appetizer or entree.

Melanie Avalon

Okay, that's where it gets confusing. That's confusing.  This is going to be confusing for listeners get excited for next week because we have a new tradition. We're going to start on this show teaser and this term and we're going to have to figure out this terminology situation.

Barry Conrad

We'll have to decide on like, a uniformed, like, yeah, we gotta do it, we gotta do that.

Melanie Avalon

So what's your what's your final like

Barry Conrad

Well, if we actually go by, for example, I do 24, so 20 hours of fasting and meant to eat within a four-hour window. If we went by that, would my meal just be whatever I consume within that quote-unquote four-hour period?  Because now we're getting really into semantics of that too, so do you know what I mean? Like does that still count as my, do you know what I mean?

Melanie Avalon

Yes, that I think that was part of what we were talking about with Jen, I think it's been so long. But yeah, because I for me, I'm I feel like you can eat in a four hour window. And it could be one meal a day or could be two meals in a four hour window, or it could be one meal and a snack in a four hour window. So I don't think like a four hour window automatically means one meal a day for me, that's this is all my perspective.

Barry Conrad

Okay, so I think if it's going to be like an hour or so for me that's you're having like you're having a snack and then you're having a meal, you know.

Melanie Avalon

What about 30 minutes?

Barry Conrad

I feel like that's if I go by restaurant logic I feel like sometimes meals come out that late if it's busy so it's like it's still part of the experience you still there if I'm if I'm taking that as a barometer you know what I mean yeah wow this is this is interesting though what do you think.

Melanie Avalon

Well, I think for me, I think it's one meal a day if it is a continuous eating experience where you are continuously eating and you're not stopping to do something else. I think once you stop to do something else, unless the exception would be, actually I'll finish that first thought, I think if you stop to do something else, then it makes it no longer one meal a day.  Now it's one meal and a snack that you had before and you did something in between. The exception would be something you mentioned, which is if I'm having my one meal a day and then you called and then I go have a call with you for an hour and then I come back, I would still consider it one meal a day because I had the intention of it being one meal. I just got interrupted.

Barry Conrad

Yeah, because there is something to the situation where you're intending to eat, so you start salivating, you start getting hungry, because this is what you're doing right now. You focus on this meal rather than having a snack, going for a ride to the store, doing that, printing things off.  It's different. You're just having a snack and then eating later again.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, I'm so glad I asked about that.

Barry Conrad

That was fun. Also, listeners, tell us what you think. Come to the Instagram, let us know, drop in, comment, let us know what you think.

Melanie Avalon

Yes, we're going to try to start doing more with like Instagram and social media and stuff. So oh, we should post about this like a poll.

Barry Conrad

Definitely that's happening

Melanie Avalon

Yes, okay. Just before we leave the topic of protein, I do have a few more nuanced questions there just because we get so many questions.  And actually what's interesting, and this will relate to a question I'm going to ask you in a bit, I feel like each co-host that has been on the show, which just as like a note to everybody I've had about the time of my life on the show, I'm so grateful for it. And it's been so fun to do it with different people and have different perspectives and focus on different topics. And so it's been really interesting to see based on the co-host kind of the topics we gravitate towards and talk about the most. So I feel like with Jen, well, we talked a lot about the clean fast, so lots of clean fasting, lots of like, I'm having problems with fasting, I'm having a stall, what do I do? Lots of those questions, lots of like practical questions about fasting. And then with Cynthia Thurlow, we talked a lot about women's hormones, which was really great because just as like a fun fact for listeners, when Jen was hosting, we would get a lot of questions about that. And we would answer some of them, but we didn't really feel comfortable. Like, you know, we're not doctors. And so having Cynthia, I was like, yes, I can like go through all these, this backlog of questions. And then Vanessa Spina came on, she's, you know, very much about protein. So, you know, we focus heavily on the importance of protein. And that that's why it's like really heavy on my mind right now, no pun intended, because like, we've been getting so many questions about that recently, I think, because we've been talking about it so much. So all that all that protein that you eat, so like you said, you're a volume eater, the feedback we get from listeners is that they get full too early eating that much protein, like do you get full or

Barry Conrad

What I will definitely say is, first of all, two parts. I like how each of those co-hosts had different focuses and different preferences of what they like to talk about. For me, you'll discover that I'm big on protein. I'm team protein.  Even with my family and friends, I try to slip on in there, you know, you're eating enough protein, if they're feeling tired, if they're feeling weak, and they're like, actually, no, I don't actually eat as much as I should be, because we should be having .8 grams of protein per kg of weight. So for me, that's 64 grams of protein per day. I have over 100, usually, grams of protein a day. So that's the second part. Do I feel full? I have a big appetite, and protein is very satiating. And also, not really. Like, I don't get too full too quickly. I think this is gonna be very specific to people, because not everyone can eat as much as, you know, me in one sitting. So that, for example, might look like two meals within your eating window. But it's so important to have enough protein, because we're declining all the time, and we lose muscle. It's just we can't avoid that, so we need to keep on eating enough protein to meet that.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, and to touch on all of that, I am so excited because clearly you're the first male co-host we've had on the show. And A, I just feel like that's a massive gap in this show throughout the years in that we haven't had the male perspective on things. So this is beyond exciting.  B, to tie into all this protein stuff, there's a lot of skepticism out there that you can build muscle, maintain muscle while doing intermittent fasting. And so what has your experience been? Because friends, check out Barry's Instagram. The muscles are looking good. You look good. So pre-intermittent fasting, what was your experience with building muscle and body composition? And then post-intermittent fasting, what was that experience like?

Barry Conrad

I can honestly say that I feel like I'm in the best shape now than I've ever been, and the only thing that's significantly changed between now and 10 years ago, for example, is intermittent fasting and not intermittent fasting. Before that, I was a lot more stocky, meaning how can I say it in a way that you can understand maybe more puffy or bloated or not as lean, not as much lean muscle definition.  Now, there's just, I think because of having that extended amount of rest where we're able to dip into those fat stores, really burn fat effectively, and also with the human growth hormone and autophagy, it's really my muscle is in the best condition it's been. My experience, I can't speak highly enough of intermittent fasting now.  No one would ever say to me, you're looking gaunt, or you're looking too skinny, or you shouldn't be fasting. Do you know what I mean? It's more like, oh, you look really big. It's like, well, I don't eat for 20 hours a day, and so is it the fasting that's making me look big, or you tell me?

Melanie Avalon

It's exciting because there will be statements out there that you can't build muscle while fasting. And it's like, well, clearly that's not true because people are doing it. And so it's really exciting to hear your experience with all of that.

Barry Conrad

Another thing I'll add is during, for example, when I broke my ankle, I could not go to the gym. So, I did not lose muscle during that six-week period where I was in bed, in bedrest, I could not go to the gym.  If you were to go to a gym bro or personal trainers, some personal trainers out there, you'd be like, well, you're not training enough, you're not doing this, you're not doing that. Well, I actually couldn't even train. The only thing that I could control was my fasting and my protein intake.

Melanie Avalon

Yeah. And to harp again on the protein intake, I think if you're doing the fasting and not having the protein, it would be a very different situation.  Okay. And then something you said reminded me of this. I think we talked about this on the first time you were on. I don't think we revisited it last time, which was how did fasting play into your personal diet history and concerns about your body image and your own body and how you fit in your skin. Another question that we get a lot is, is fasting an eating disorder? Does it encourage disordered eating? Is it unhealthy from a mental perspective in that regard? So how has fasting affected your mental health when it comes to your relationship with your body?

Barry Conrad

That's a really good question. I really want to trade carefully here and say that there are definitely people out there who struggle with body image and I certainly have. I used to have body dysmorphia. I would lie about what I was doing so that I could over train and I saw myself in a completely different way than what I really looked like. I think if I did fasting during that time of my life, it would be very different and have a negative impact on my mental health.  I'm not in that space right now. When I do eat, I'm not having a carrot. I'm definitely, as you can hear, eating enough food. I think it's so important to realize if you are dealing with these issues to please get help. I would not necessarily recommend to someone if I knew that they were struggling. I don't want to give people a hack to, oh, it's another way to not eat. It's a tricky thing to answer, but I feel amazing. I'm in a way better mental state now. I don't struggle with the same things anymore.  It's enriching for my life. I find it really valuable. I feel amazing. I have a lot of energy. I don't feel weak. I don't feel like it magnifies those issues. I think if I did it at that time, though, it might be a very different situation. What do you think?

Melanie Avalon

I feel you nailed it. Like you said it so well.  I do think it can encourage and relate to disordered eating and, you know, be a negative, but it really depends on what your relationship is with it. Like intermittent fasting in and of itself is not that, but it can. If you already are struggling with that, and then like you said, you kind of use it as a way to do that and be okay with it by society's standards by calling it intermittent fasting. That's very different than the way we're talking about it, where you're just choosing this eating window. And like we said, focusing on getting all of your nutrients, all of the protein, all the things. And similar to you, like me, once I started doing intermittent fasting, that was one of the first times I was freed from this obsessive dieting, just obsession that was not fun. And finally, yeah, broke me out of that.

Barry Conrad

It can be a really, and this is something that I think that we'll probably talk about again in the future. And please, if you have any questions about it, please hit us.  I think that people can easily see fasting as, oh, you're just not eating. And that's what a lot of people just think it is. You're just starving yourself. And to that, for someone that maybe has anorexia or bulimia or disordered eating, that is a way to hide behind that disorder, maybe. So I don't, I wouldn't recommend it. But I think if you don't struggle with that, then highly recommend it.

Melanie Avalon

Same. And what I also appreciate, because I feel like we talk about it so much in the female community, but I feel like men don't really talk about it, that they can struggle with, you know, body dysmorphia or body image issues. So thank you for sharing that.  Because I think people don't talk about it. Okay, another thing that we get asked a lot about is, what are your thoughts on supplements while, or I guess while fasting and just in general? Do you, actually, I don't know if I know this answer. Do you take a lot of supplements?

Barry Conrad

I'm going to do a shameless plug right now, and I do take the Melanie Evelon magnesium. But other than that, I don't really, I'm not a big supplementer. If anything, I take protein powder just to help supplement the protein if I'm on the go, just to get that extra boost. But other than that, I don't have a lot of supplements, to be honest.  Maybe I should. I'm definitely open to it. I just have never been really versed in that whole world, just supplements. What's your view on that? Because obviously, you develop supplements as well. Do you supplement a lot on the daily or just sometimes?

Melanie Avalon

Yeah, I think in our dream environment, like dream world, we would get everything we needed from food and we wouldn't need any supplements. So I'm kind of like a maximization, the minimalist supplement person. I like to take the supplements nutritionally that I think people need. So like you mentioned the magnesium, most people are deficient in magnesium. That's why I have two different versions by Avalon X, the 8-blend magnesium 8 and the magnesium NiCAP for the brain. So I think that's like a solid thing that most people can benefit from.  And then a lot of people are deficient in vitamin D. So that's one that people often benefit from supplementing. And then if people have like MTHFR mutations, they might benefit from methyl folate to help with conversion of B vitamins and things like that. And then beyond that, I think there's like different categories. So there's like the nutritionals, there's that. Then there's the like digestion aid. So some people really benefit from digestive support. Like that's, I do. So like they might benefit from HCL or digestive enzymes. So that's another category. And then a third category, I think it's just optimization of things. So like my seropeptase that I take every morning of my life, and that's, you know, proteolytic enzyme that you take it fasted and it breaks down problematic proteins in your body. And it really helps with inflammation and wound healing and cholesterol levels and just so many things in the body. It clears my sinuses. So that's just like, I take that because it just optimizes everything that I'm doing and makes me feel good.  I'll take, I'll do like NAD or, you know, in the past, like NMN. So there's different supplements I'll take for longevity purposes. But I'm not, like I said, in the dream world, I think we would just get what we need from food. But we're not in a dream world.

Barry Conrad

When you shared that, I would say one thing that I do know based on feedback before is, if anything, I need more vitamin D because I try to avoid this on where I can. The sun's pretty harsh and I'm mindful of that.  So when I have gotten checked up before, doctors are like, everything's great. You could probably just use a bit more vitamin D.  So that's something that maybe I should look into then, getting a supplement for that, if you can recommend something.

Melanie Avalon

If you're testing your levels and it's low, I would definitely suggest a supplement and or, yeah, because I don't even know.  So in Australia, is it just like blazing sun like intensity? I'm thinking of all the cliches of Australia.

Barry Conrad

That's a cliche. You know, that's very true.  It's that it's very harsh. It's very intense here. So it's important to, as we like to say, slip, slop, slap, put that sunscreen on. But that's not enough to protect you from the harsh effects of the sun. So yeah, it's it's crazy here. Really, really bad.

Melanie Avalon

Was that an Australian phrase that you guys use? You're like, as we say, we slip. Is that a thing? Slip. What is that? Slip, what slip, slop, slap.

Barry Conrad

Slap, slap, there you go.

Melanie Avalon

That's a thing, like you guys say that.

Barry Conrad

That's the thing.

Melanie Avalon

Oh, see?

Barry Conrad

You can start saying that now.

Melanie Avalon

Do I never say that? I guess, wait, I feel like, do I never say things and you're like, I've never heard that before?

Barry Conrad

I did. Yeah, you definitely do.

Melanie Avalon

I do. Yeah. Well, I was going to say, so vitamin, yeah, I would look at supplements or like in the winter here, I will do, it's a little bit controversial, but I'll do like a minute in a UVB tanning bed, which is basically the, the ray that gives you the vitamin D production. I do think the vitamin D creation from like naturally if your body creates it is probably more beneficial, but yeah, I do take a supplement every day.  I want to make one in the future. AMD logic has a great vitamin DK too. That's awesome. Check it out. And friends can use the code I have podcast for a discount on that. Oh, so how do you feel about extended fasting? Do you ever fast longer than what's the longest that you fast?

Barry Conrad

The longest that I have fasted is probably maybe 36 hours, but that was intentional just to see if I could do it. But that's not something that I'd often do.  I will, though, and I'm really busy sometimes, easily go over 24 hours sometimes. And I'm just so focused in the fasted state. I'm alert. I've got all this energy. I don't even know. But yeah, generally, it's 20 to 22 hours.

Melanie Avalon

Okay. Yeah. So do you ever set out, you know, so it sounds like you don't really set out to do like a longer multi-day fast.

Barry Conrad

I mean, maybe I will for its benefits later on down the track, but I feel like I just I like eating. I don't want to go a day or too many days without eating.

Melanie Avalon

You know? Same. That is how I feel. That's how I feel. In general. Okay. Wait. Actually, here's some really quick rapid fire questions. Ready? What's your favorite meal?

Barry Conrad

If I had one last meal ever, it would be soul food. So fried chicken, candied yams, waffles, collard greens, mac and cheese, if I had to choose one ever.

Melanie Avalon

Barry, I've been trying to get you to move to Atlanta. That's basically like all they eat here. You'd be in heaven.  Okay, what's your favorite guilty pleasure snacker meal that you eat like on the regular or would eat on the regular?

Barry Conrad

Okay, if I've just finished filming something, or I've done like a shoot, whatever, I'll always treat myself to a massive block of chocolate, and it's gotta be like a caramelo or like a top deck, milk chocolate. I'll have that, I'll smash that.

Melanie Avalon

Chocolate has a lot of health benefits. So that's in your favor. Are those brands?

Barry Conrad

Yeah, like Cadbury and Whittaker's. Guys, you have to look this up. Whittaker's in New Zealand. Best chocolate you'll ever have. It's gonna change your life. This is not an ad. It's really good.

Melanie Avalon

Oh my goodness. Here's my new rapid fire, so I already know the answer. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate all day. Yeah, I like vanilla. Really? Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's like so clean and pure.

Barry Conrad

Okay let me I'm not gonna change my answer but what I will say is when I have like a cake like a chocolate cake I have a scoop of vanilla ice cream with that I can't have chocolate ice cream with chocolate cake.

Melanie Avalon

Okay, yeah, I actually, I want to do a poll so bad. I've been wanting to do this for so long, but I'm like, nobody cares except me. I want to know between the four options, like rank them in order, chocolate cake, chocolate icing, vanilla cake, chocolate icing, vanilla cake, vanilla icing, vanilla cake, chocolate icing.

Barry Conrad

chocolate cake chocolate icing all the way.

Melanie Avalon

How would you order those those four in order?

Barry Conrad

chocolate cake, chocolate icing first, vanilla cake, chocolate ice cream second, chocolate cake, vanilla icing. And what's the last one? Vanilla and vanilla. Yeah, that's my least favorite.

Melanie Avalon

Okay, we might be reversed. I would be, well, I would be, I'm not sure. Too much for me to think at one time.  I would be vanilla cake, vanilla icing, vanilla cake, chocolate icing, chocolate cake, vanilla icing, chocolate cake, chocolate icing. There you go. I think that might've been the reverse, possibly. Are you an early bird or night owl?

Barry Conrad

early bird we've talked about this too like i wish i could stay up super late and i can but i just feel like amazing first thing in the morning.

Melanie Avalon

Yep, and I want to be an early bird, and I can't. So grass is always greener on the other side. What's your favorite workout?

Barry Conrad

I do a full body situation, so I get in for 35 minutes, chest, bias, tries, glutes, hammies, calves. I know it sounds like a lot to cram in, but it works for me. Do that three times a week. Done.

Melanie Avalon

I am so excited to start answering more workout-related questions on this show because I feel like we've been not doing those questions. They're due diligence, and I feel like you're going to help out there.  Important. Taylor Swift, how do you feel?

Barry Conrad

It's really sunny outside today here in Sydney.

Melanie Avalon

Are we not answering?

Barry Conrad

No, no, no, no, I have it answered.

Melanie Avalon

Are we avoiding?

Barry Conrad

No, I was just doing that to be cheeky. I think she's an incredible businesswoman. She really knows that I connect with her fans. She's a great songwriter. Yeah, she's dominating. I think she's great.  What's her head about her? I agree. Favorite drink? It's got to be a whiskey sour or a margarita. Spicy margarita. And if it's wine, a Pinot Grigio is first and then a Tempranillo when it comes to red.

Melanie Avalon

I was going to say, how do you feel about red wine? And do you believe in its health benefits?

Barry Conrad

Absolutely. It's definitely got a ton of health benefits and I do love my red wine.  I love having it with a steak that I base in butter and season real well with salt and pepper. Bon appetit. Delicious.

Melanie Avalon

Yes, I can't wait to... Something I'm excited about, again, having you here, is you are a big foodie. Oh, shout out to your banter with BC. Barry has an entire show where he eats meals with awesome people and interviews them. And yeah, so people should check it out.  Yeah, what I'm excited about, one of the many things, is I think with fasting, like we're both such fans of fasting and we get to talk all about fasting. And also one of the biggest benefits, at least for me, for fasting is it's like you get to enjoy food because you're not in this restrictive mindset and you get to finally really enjoy it. And I think a lot of people see fasting and they think it's restriction and deprivation. And so I'm excited for us to explore all the benefits of food in the eating window while fasting. It's going to be a good vibe.

Barry Conrad

100%. I don't think it gets talked about enough. We love food. We want to celebrate eating when we eat. We're not deprived. We're enjoying life, people.

Melanie Avalon

that we are. So, well, this has been amazing. To wrap things up, what are you most excited about being the new co-host of the Intermittent Fasting Podcast?

Barry Conrad

I, first of all, just feel super honored, really excited to be here to bring a new perspective, bring a fresh perspective. And as you said, even for people that are interested in exercise and working out and protein, even the guys out there, let's get them on board too.  So I'm really excited to open things up and just, yeah, I'm something fresh. And to be here with you, Mel, just talking about fasting and everything and talking about food and connecting with you guys listening. So yeah.

Melanie Avalon

I am literally, I am so thrilled. I am so grateful.  And little insider story for listeners. So when Vanessa and I realized that it wasn't going to work out anymore with her new child and homeschooling and everything, I was like, you know what, maybe I'll just go solo for a little bit, like bring on guest hosts and all the things. And so I talked to Barry and I was like, do you want to be like a guest host every now and then with this new transition? He was like, I should just be the co-host. I mean, it didn't exactly go down that way. But basically, before that, literally, I was not. I was going to pause. I was going to not pause the show, but I was going to do it on my own and interview people and have guest co-hosts. And then talking to you, I was like, oh, A, you're just perfect for this. I'm so excited that you're here. And B, I was like, he's really passionate about this. He's so perfect for this. So I'm really excited. It's a whole new era.

Barry Conrad

It's a whole new era, and you know what, Melanie was on the fence, guys, and she just needed a bit of push. She was like, no, we're just like, do you want to guess?  No, I'll just do it. It's like, okay.

Melanie Avalon

Okay, I know, then I was all in, once you, I was like, okay, I'm sold. I'm like very much, I think we're both very similar this way. I'm very intuitive with things and I just go all in. Like once I decide to do something, I just do it. And I don't really second guess myself.  I just kind of go on with the vibe. So friends, hope you enjoyed this new adventure journey that we're on with Barry Conrad. The show notes for today's episode will be at iapodcast.com slash episode 404. That link will have a full transcript as well as links to everything that we talked about. So definitely check that out and definitely submit your questions for the show. You can email questions at iapodcast.com or you can go to iapodcast.com and you can submit questions there. And then you can follow us on Instagram. I'm Melanie Avalon. Barry, what, are you just Barry Conrad?

Barry Conrad

and Barry underscore Conrad. Are we talking about the website? Are we talking about Instagram?

Melanie Avalon

Cynthia with Cynthia underscore, Thurlow underscore. She had two underscores. You've got one.

Barry Conrad

Yeah, just one. Parry on Discord, Conrad.

Melanie Avalon

Barry underscore Conrad and follow us on Instagram. I have podcast, which like I said, we're going to start doing more content with that. Thanks mostly in part to Barry being here.  So well, anything else from you before we go? How are you feeling? First one in the can.

Barry Conrad

I'm feeling excited. Let's go. We got the first one in the can and only upwards from here. I'm so excited.

Melanie Avalon

I know. Me too. Well, I will talk to you next week.

Barry Conrad

Talk to you next week, bye!

Melanie Avalon

Hi! Thank you so much for listening to the Intermittent Fasting Podcast. Please remember, everything we discussed on this show does not constitute medical advice, and no patient-doctor relationship is formed.  If you enjoyed the show, please consider writing a review on iTunes. We couldn't do this without our amazing team. Editing by podcast doctors, show notes and artwork by Brianna Joyner, and original theme composed by Leland Cox and recomposed by Steve Saunders.  See you next week!