Welcome to Episode 413 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.
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Intermittent fasting influences immunity and metabolism
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TRANSCRIPT
(Note: This is generated by AI with 98% accuracy. However, any errors may cause unintended changes in meaning.)
Melanie Avalon
Welcome to episode 413 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 Avalon X 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-hosts, 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 iofpodcast.com or by going to iofpodcast.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 413 of the intermittent fasting podcast. I'm Melanie Avalon. I'm here with Barry Conrad. Barry, how are you today?
Barry Conrad
Hey, everyone. How's it going? I am doing great today. I'm having a really, really good day productive. Feeling good. How are you feeling, Mel? I'm feeling good.
Melanie Avalon
I'm feeling really good too. I'm really excited because I know I keep talking about it, but we're finalizing the design. And by the time this airs, it might even be out, but we're finalizing the design of my coffee line bags. And I love creative design. Like, do you like creative design?
Barry Conrad
I actually do as well, I really do, I'm working on something, some level which I'll share at a later date, so I'm totally in the zone with you, I get it.
Melanie Avalon
We've had so many work calls about it and people keep making comments about once we get through the bag design and like, you know, like, you know, how it's like, so they're all like dreading the design process. I'm like, this is like the best part. I love it. It's so fun. Honestly, it probably will be out by this time. This comes out because this will be in March, but either sign up for updates or get my glow coffee because it is going to be a coffee that basically has the highest CGA content possible in coffee and CGA is the primary antioxidant in coffee. So for all of the health benefits of coffee, this is the coffee that you want. So we source beans to be high in CGA content and then we specifically roast it to be high in that content. And then we test it for purity. It's free of toxins free of mold that uses organic beans. And I just found out more about the actual farms the coffee comes from and it's led by all women. They're very supportive of the environment and like the goodness of both the environment and people and humans. And it's just so, so incredible. And the coffee tastes amazing. So I'm, I'm excited go coffee, but I'm just so happy because the colors that we're doing on the bag are just beautiful, like glowing.
Barry Conrad
Can you say what colors they are? Do you want it to be a surprise?
Melanie Avalon
Well, I really honestly do think it will be out by the time this comes out. Either way, though, yeah, I'm happy to say it's like it's like it's an ombre effect. So the top is yellow, then it goes to orange and then to like magenta and then to brown. It's just I think it's stunning.
Barry Conrad
And you know what, Mel, I'm ordering some.
Melanie Avalon
Oh, yes. Well, actually, I think Barry, I'm going to have to send it to you in Australia because I don't think we'll be shipping to Australia. Oh, really? I doubt it. I'll be sending you some, though.
Barry Conrad
Okay, well, I'm all for that because I love my coffee. So let's go.
Melanie Avalon
I know. I can't wait to get your thoughts on it.
Barry Conrad
I'll tell you my honest opinion.
Melanie Avalon
Oh, no. Yeah, please do. Please do. Do you know, have I told you what I do with coffee topically? Like, not drinking it? Have I told you what I do?
Barry Conrad
No, you know, this is a first what would you do?
Melanie Avalon
Okay, so every time I wash my face, like after a shower or after a sauna and then I take a shower or in the morning, I splash my face with coffee.
Barry Conrad
Why? Don't try to get the visuals so that you have a bowl of cold coffee on the sink. How does it work?
Melanie Avalon
So, okay, so basically I actually, okay, it's a little bit ironic that I'm creating a coffee line because I don't, I love coffee, but I don't, I don't drink a ton. I'm not a, I used to, I went through phases, but now I just have like a little bit every morning, but I have to have it, but it's like a little bit. So basically I cold brew coffee, I keep it in my fridge and then I just like have a little bit every morning and I also use it for my face. So I wash my face and then I like pour some coffee into my hands and I just splash it on my face kind of like a toner. And the reason I do this is because way in the past I was using some products and they were like features like coffee bean and caffeine. And I was like, wait, what if I just put coffee straight on my face? I love it because it tightens my skin. I feel like some of the caffeine gets into me. Like I feel like it wakes me up. The antioxidants are there in coffee. So wow. Yeah, it really makes my skin glow, which is perfect because glow coffee is what I'm making. I didn't plan that.
Barry Conrad
Are you gonna, are you gonna do like a blog about it when glow coffee is out, which is probably now you're gonna say, by the way, here's a hack. You can put this in your face and da da da da.
Melanie Avalon
Oh my goodness, thank you for asking, can I actually get your, okay, Barry, this conversation we're having right now is probably going to affect the glow coffee bag. So this is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders right now. Are you ready? Take this very seriously. So we're coming up with on the back, the instructions, like how to use, you know, like how to brew. And I was thinking, because I want to have my name, I want to be associated with it, but I don't want to, I don't, I don't want to be it. Like I don't want it to be like Melanie Avalon's glow coffee, but I do want people to know that it's my brand because then they'll associate with my standards and you know, everything that I'm about. So I was thinking, what if I have like under the, like by the instructions or somewhere, I have like Melanie Avalon's, like how Melanie Avalon brews her, like does glow, like, like basically like what I do. And then it could be like instructions for how to cold brew. And then it could be something about how to put it on your face.
Barry Conrad
I think that's a really good idea. I think not having it on the front, but having it on the back where all the instructions and things are, having those tips there and then underneath how Melanie Evelyn does it, and then in brackets, founder or creator. I think that's a really smart way to still have you there. Some people know it's yours, but it's not like Glow by Melanie Evelyn. Do you know what I mean?
Melanie Avalon
Yes. Would you put in like, so basically like the basic instructions and I can make it all look nice on the template, but like the basic instructions, but then like Melanie's, you know, thing and it's like how to cold brew and then the how to like splash it on your face.
Barry Conrad
I think it personalizes what you created. I think it's a really good idea.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, I really want to do it. I just got to, I got to work with like chat GPT and help it help me figure out how to like put this on the bed, you know, like what to say exactly. But
Barry Conrad
Because I'm guessing you don't want it to be like, because how big is the the package like the bag? Is it like a one kg bag? Is it like a 500 grams bag? It is 12 ounces. Do you know how this always gets me? What is the equivalent? Do you know that in grams? Hold it, I'll find out.
Melanie Avalon
Barry, making me do the hard work here.
Barry Conrad
Hold on, 12 ounces is how many grams.
Melanie Avalon
It is 340 grams.
Barry Conrad
You beat me to it, my internet's slower. All right, that's good. That's a good bag. Good size. I think it's just like normal size, right? The reason why I asked that was, I guess it depends how much you want, how much info you want to put, how much copy you want in the back of the packaging. Right? That's a great idea.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, it can fit a lot of stuff. What I'm actually figuring out right now, if people are curious about the production process, I'm curious. I'm trying to figure out if our bags are going to have side panels or not, because if so, then I will have even more real estate to put stuff on. Yeah, so go coffee.
Barry Conrad
Super exciting and that's such a good idea, that's my vote, put it on there.
Melanie Avalon
it on? Okay, I'm doing it. That's you. So when it comes out and you see it, be like, that was me.
Barry Conrad
That was me, everyone.
Melanie Avalon
So, what is new in your world?
Barry Conrad
You know what? I've actually started taking Salsa classes again.
Melanie Avalon
salsa classes, again, wait, you just like hit me with two big things, salsa classes and again.
Barry Conrad
Yeah, so listen, this might seem random, but last year, I did a show called In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, one of the shows and in the preparation, well, actually, it wasn't preparation, I was I wanted to learn salsa anyway. And then I booked the show whilst doing classes like every every Monday, I go it's like local and it's it's such a good workout. It's such a sexy fun dance to do and I'd stopped doing it because the show did most of the work for me and once I was doing that, but now that's, you know, we're well and truly into the year, I am picking it up again, got to do it. So I've started doing salsa again. And it's every every, do you know how to salsa?
Melanie Avalon
Well, first of all, I just want to say if you lived in Atlanta, I would do salsa classes with you.
Barry Conrad
Would you really? Uh-huh. Are you just saying that because like, you know, would you be like, okay.
Melanie Avalon
I'm serious. Sign me up. What do you wear? Can you wear anything?
Barry Conrad
Have you done it before now how funny that that's like one of the first question listeners are you surprised that she's like what do you wear can you wear anything.
Melanie Avalon
Well, I need to know what I can wear.
Barry Conrad
You can wear one of your awesome dresses that you wear and you can wear that if you want because I mean it's it's that kind of thing or some people just wear like active wear gym clothes it just depends it's wear whatever you like but there's salsa shoes that you can buy like the specific heels which I feel like you'd you'd like that that's a Melanie thing and then there's there we have like a social so like every few weeks is like a salsa social where like a whole bunch of people from the school we just like dance and like this food and it's like you know more just to hang which it's which is so good it's like dating but you're not really dating but you just like dancing with random strangers like going from one person to the next person to the next person you'd like that it's really fun.
Melanie Avalon
There's, well, she's my friend too, but Stephanie Rupper and Noelle Tarr, they have the Wellhead Women podcast, showed up, and Stephanie was always doing dancing and talking about it. I think it was salsa, and it just sounded like such a culture, and once you know how to do it, they just go salsa dancing, and like you just said, you dance with all these other partners, and it just sounds really cool.
Barry Conrad
It's really, it's so cool and it just feels, I don't know. It's just, it's hard to explain, it's a lot of fun. You have to kind of just put yourself out there, be willing to look foolish, and everyone's just learning at the same time, but man, I've always wanted to do it, and I'm so glad that I've finally bit the bullet and I'm back at Salsa class, so that's an update of mine.
Melanie Avalon
can you drink while learning? I feel like I'm a better dancer when I have some drinks on me. Or do you have to be like memorizing things? But it's muscle memory, right? It's like body memory.
Barry Conrad
Well, I mean, technically, you could probably come to the class having had a few beverages, but you can't, it's like a dad's studio. So you can't like have a bottle open and, you know, I could just picture you waltzing around, hold on guys, just having a drink.
Melanie Avalon
Like just wait for me. I'm going to open a salsa studio and we're going to, it's going to be called what I'm I have nothing. I'm just trying to come up with like some great like salsa wine pun. Oh, oh wait that wait salsa, like, like chips and salsa, salsa and what choose salsa, wine and salsa, wine and salsa.
Barry Conrad
That's a good name.
Melanie Avalon
it took care of itself. The puns took care of themselves. To answer your question, I took ballroom dancing classes and okay, wait, wait, let's go back farther than that. I did cotillion when I was little. Do you have cotillion in Australia? What is that? Oh.
Barry Conrad
the reaction. I'm not sure if that's bad or good.
Melanie Avalon
might have it. You might just call it something else. It's like at country clubs and it's like you're like a little kid and they teach you manners and how to set a table and how to ballroom dance. And it was really stressful because I have this memory of being, how old was I? It's like fourth grade, fifth grade. I had this memory of being there. And this is the fourth grade. Boys are like, you're not really into boys. And to learn to dance, they made us do this exercise, which I don't think they should be doing to fourth graders and third graders. We had a snowball, like a snowball, like a fake snowball. You know, like those fake snowballs made of like cotton. Okay. So like the size, it was like the size of like a baseball, but like soft. And we had to hold it between our heads. Like with the boy, that's like so close to their face. And you have to hold it there. It was like a lot to take in.
Barry Conrad
Did you like that?
Melanie Avalon
No, I did not like it. Do you like Italian or holding the ball with a boy?
Barry Conrad
We're both maybe the first questions the ball and then the second is cotillion.
Melanie Avalon
Ball with the boy, no, cotillion, meh. I liked learning how to, you had to like memorize how to set a table. I liked it, yeah, it was fun. Yeah, so that was my first dancing experience and then I did ballroom dancing for a little bit in college and peace out.
Barry Conrad
Wow, so basically we could go dancing when I'm in Atlanta.
Melanie Avalon
Basically not. No, it's it's funny. What up because I don't really oh and I and I used to I did a little bit of swing Dancing lessons. I don't think it retained any of it. I need to take lessons
Barry Conrad
There's one way to find out when I'm in Atlanta next, let's just go out like a spot and then just hit the floor. Do you know how to swing dance? I don't, but I could probably learn. I'm a quick study.
Melanie Avalon
Okay, you should come here and we'll take swing dancing lessons and salsa dancing lessons.
Barry Conrad
Deal and speaking of Italian does that cover like this is the color you use you know that are as well as the table setting cuz i'm i'm going through that again just trying to we learn the etiquette you know because it's different in different places yeah.
Melanie Avalon
Yes, they don't have this in Australia, this thing I just described to you.
Barry Conrad
They probably do, so I'm not going to quote and say they don't, so don't get at me, everyone. They probably do, but maybe it's called something else. I'll just say that.
Melanie Avalon
That's cool that you're trying to relearn the way you're trying to learn it for like Australia or like what are you trying to learn exactly?
Barry Conrad
I love to travel, so I just want to be versed in that so that when I go to different places, I'm not being disrespectful, you know, to the, you know, I mean, table manners.
Melanie Avalon
trying to learn all countries or like places you might go.
Barry Conrad
Places are my go.
Melanie Avalon
Okay, that's cool. Apparently there's a lot of rules, speaking of fasting and food and such, about like some like whether or not to finish all the food or not. Like some places it's like an insult if you eat all of it. Some places it's an insult if you don't eat all of it. Like you just can't win. Like my takeaway is everybody's offended by everything.
Barry Conrad
I've got some friends who are Samoan, and in their culture, it's a sign of respect to have more. I remember going over to a Sunday lunch with some of my friends, and the mother was like, Barry, have some more. But my plate was already like, picture this, like a heaped, like a mountain, a mountainous, massive plate. She's like, have some more, have some more, because it's offensive if you don't keep eating.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, some places it's like you can't if you say no, it's offensive, but then some places if you eat everything, it's offensive because it means they didn't give you enough.
Barry Conrad
That's not really my style but i can i can respect that when i'm there.
Melanie Avalon
my style is I do like the idea of I like the idea of like dressing up and like having respect and like you I like the idea of like the cutlery being in a certain order and play settings I think it's great I think when it comes to actual food though people should be able to eat whatever they want
Barry Conrad
Obviously. Or not eat whatever they want as well. Yes, yes. Speaking of meals, before we go any further, actually, a couple of episodes ago, listeners, you may remember we talked about, you know, what is one meal a day, like, you know, we revisited the great... The great one meal a day debate? Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I stay right there because I actually did a poll on... We did a poll on the Instagram, and I'm gonna let you know, which is really interesting.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, so friends, follow us on Instagram at if podcast to engage with the polls.
Barry Conrad
engage in the polls. I love a poll. So here we go. So these are the options, Melanie. Okay, so you've got to eat the meal within one hour max. That's one. The second one is it can be spread across two to four hours. And the third one is just eating once a day in brackets timing doesn't matter. Which one do you think had the most votes out of those three?
Melanie Avalon
Wait, so did you include though, we need to do it and include like where it's okay if you eat and then stop and then eat again.
Barry Conrad
Might have to do that again.
Melanie Avalon
Because that's like the crux of the debate. Wait, so what options did you put?
Barry Conrad
You've got to eat the meal within one hour max. The second one is it can be spread across two to four hours. And the third one's just eating once a day. Timing doesn't matter, which is quite ambiguous.
Melanie Avalon
And the question was,
Barry Conrad
In the latest episode, we revisit the great one meal a day debate. We're curious what's your definition of one meal a day.
Melanie Avalon
Okay, I would say that it doesn't matter the timing.
Barry Conrad
Okay, so 62% of the followers said it can be spread across two to four hours. 10% said you've got to eat it within an hour, and 29% guessed your one, which is just eating it once a day. Timing doesn't matter. How interesting is that?
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, that is interesting. I would have done the same, but just switched the first two.
Barry Conrad
So there you go. So that's what people are at the moment. How about you? I think probably the second one, probably not within just one hour, because, you know,
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, no, me neither.
Barry Conrad
And eating once a day timing doesn't matter. That could be like spread across like eight hours. I don't know. Like eating once a day. You know what I mean?
Melanie Avalon
That's how I define it though, honestly. I, yeah, I didn't think about that, that you could be taking into account, like a long, a really long window.
Barry Conrad
But in any case, I think listeners definitely, if you don't follow us at our podcast on Instagram, please do, and there'll be lots more interactive polls for you to weigh in on what you think about all these conversations.
Melanie Avalon
Can you post if you have a snack and then stop and then eat, is that one meal a day?
Barry Conrad
You know what? I'm going to. I'll do it. I'll do part two if you, so what is it? If you start.
Melanie Avalon
Okay, like the great one meal a day debate part two. If you have a snack slash appetizer, then have a break, then eat your main meal. Is that still one meal a day?
Barry Conrad
Okay. We'll share those results first and then I'll put up the top part too. If you have a snack slash appetizer, then a break, then eat your main meal. Is that still one meal a day?
Melanie Avalon
Love it!
Barry Conrad
It's so good just to hear what people's different perspectives are, don't you think?
Melanie Avalon
Yes. Okay. So, Barry, do you have a study to start us off with?
Barry Conrad
I actually do. This study is called intermittent fasting influences immunity and metabolism. It's from Science Direct. All right, so let's just dive in. This title, intermittent fasting influences immunity and metabolism, we've all heard about IF as if you're new to the podcast, maybe you haven't, this is your first time. But a lot of people have heard of IF in the context of weight loss, but there's a lot more going on beneath the surface. One of the key things this study reveals is how intermittent fasting can improve something called the metabolic flexibility. So I know that term, it sort of sounds technical, but it's actually pretty straightforward. Essentially, metabolic flexibility is your body's ability to switch between different energy sources, like whether that's carbs or fat, and depending on what's available. And for people dealing with obesity, this is like a game changer, because their bodies often get stuck using just one type of fuel, usually carbs, which makes it pretty hard to burn fat efficiently. So it's like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on, you're not really going to go anywhere quick, but fasting helps to break that cycle. So in a way, fasting helps your body get back into that groove, using the fuel properly. But here's where it gets even better in the study, it shows that intermittent fasting can reduce inflammation, which is a big, huge problem for people with obesity, especially. And I'm sure that you've heard of inflammation. But what's important here is chronic low grade inflammation, which is also known as metaflamation. This kind of inflammation like messes with your insulin. What was the word that it used?
Melanie Avalon
Interesting, I've not heard that before.
Barry Conrad
And basically, this kind of inflammation messes with your insulin signaling and metabolism, which makes it way harder for your body to process your food and to use it for energy. But then when you fast, your body actually calms that inflammation down, allowing your metabolism to function better. It's like sort of hitting the reset button and clearing away all that stuff that's been slowing you down. But Melanie, this is the part that really blew me away because it went on to say that intermittent fasting can improve gut health. I know we were talking about that last week. And you know how much I'm into gut health as well lately? It turns out that fasting can actually help reset the balance of gut bacteria. And that is huge because gut health is linked to so many aspects of our health overall. So like a balanced gut microbiome listeners, it helps reduce inflammation and supports our immune system basically. So while our metabolism is getting like a boost from fasting, our gut health is also improving at the same time, creating like a ripple effect of benefits, like a domino effect of health. Like when one thing gets better, everything else can follow suit. But here is the kicker. Like intermittent fasting can improve your blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity even without dramatic weight loss. And that is really key about this study because it's basically saying even if we're not seeing massive changes on the scale, and I know a lot of people do come to IF4 weight loss first, but just to know that even if you're not seeing huge changes on the scale, your body still improves how it handles sugar and insulin. And that's so massive when it comes to preventing metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes or whatnot. So even if the weight's not falling off right away, everyone, fasting is making a huge impact on your body's ability to manage sugar and to manage insulin levels, which can have long-term health benefits. So long story short, when you really think about it, IF is it's not just about the weight or focusing on the number and the scale. It's about the body being more efficient overall. It's about reducing that inflammation, improving your metabolism, supporting our gut health, and giving your immune system a boost. So friends, whether your goal is to lose weight or just to optimize your health like intermittent fasting, based on the study, offers a whole range of powerful benefits to help you function at your best. That's my takeaway from the study. So yeah.
Melanie Avalon
Oh my goodness, good find, that's an awesome study, it literally touches on all the things. It's so cool, we know inflammation is so involved in all of these disease processes. It's really interesting how just the absence of doing something, so just like letting the body rest and being in the facet state, because I think with the immune system we often think it's about whether or not we're exposed to sickness and whether or not there's disease and how are the immune cells functioning, but just by fasting and stopping having these inflammatory inputs, the body can pull it together, you know? It can take care of itself. That's so cool about how it can help reset the gut microbiome, that's cool.
Barry Conrad
It's so cool. And I think, you know, like we know this, but a lot of people that don't know by intermittent fasting might not know that take away of, you know, even when there's not massive changes on the scale, like a lot is happening. That's like, you know, a huge thing to remember. There's a lot happening within the body about handling the sugar and insulin. And that's really key. Long term. We're thinking about the long game people. We're not thinking about two weeks or a month, you know, so massive win. I have.
Melanie Avalon
Immunity and metabolism, those are like the two, I don't know, if you had a list of all the things you really want to affect in your body, your metabolism, you know, creating your energy, burning fat, and then immunity, your actual state of health.
Barry Conrad
And do you remember when people used to say, the trainer thought it was really popular where they'd be like, ah, you need to have six meals a day to keep your metabolism spiked. Yeah. It's just not true. At all.
Melanie Avalon
That is definitely a myth. Basically, yes, you do, quote, burn more because there's a thermogenic effect to food, but you burn more calories at that meal, but then you took in more. It doesn't make up for the calories that are burned from eating are a percentage of what you ate, but you still ate all that food. And the metabolism doesn't undo it. It's just no with the fasted state. It really doesn't, like you just talked about with this study, it really does support a state of metabolic health and metabolism and using fuel substrates appropriately and not getting locked into this sugar mode where you're just waiting for your next sugar meal, which is a limited, we have limited sugar glucose stores. So then we're just like waiting for our next snack rather than tapping into body fat.
Barry Conrad
You know what? One of the biggest misconceptions that I've heard from people coming to me who know that I do intermittent fasting is you're really damaging your metabolism. You're slowing it down by not eating. Why do you do that? Why wouldn't you just keep eating? It's healthier to keep eating throughout the day. It's interesting trying to get into it with people if it's a general conversation because they've already made a lot of people make their minds up about it's the same thing breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So getting those three square meals in there and it's just not the case with IF. What do you think, Mel?
Melanie Avalon
Well, the breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Did you and I talk about this on the show? Or is that when Vanessa was here? About that came from, that was literally created by the breakfast cereal industry. Kellogg's. Like, yes, yes. So there are these ideas that are just saturated in society and it's really, really hard to have a paradigm shift with things. And especially when it's things that people think is just common knowledge. Like eat constantly to fuel your metabolism. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Barry Conrad
So basically yeah is proving that wrong and i think as well it's you tell me what you think no but i just tried to live by example and if you do it long enough and it's quote unquote sticking people usually come around saying okay okay time but this thing. For real what is this i think you've been doing it for a while now and it's working so yeah.
Melanie Avalon
You know? Exactly. It's ironic because I'm talking about it all the time on this show and in my social media and things like that, but in real life, I really just want people to do whatever they want to do. I never try to convince people of things. I have zero, zero energy or interest in that. So I just do me and I'll answer questions if people have questions, but I don't try to convince people of anything.
Barry Conrad
Convert people yeah
Melanie Avalon
or yeah, or convert. Awesome. Well, thank you. We will put a link to that study in the show notes and the show notes will be at ifodcast.com slash episode 413. Okay. Shall we jump into some listener questions?
Barry Conrad
I think we should. So Benoit on Facebook asks, let's say I have a couple hundred bucks to spend on my health. Should I go Lumen or CGM? I have no major health issues aside from being overweight. I've been doing IF for 14 months, 22 to protocol, evening meal, 7-7 and occasional ADF. Choosing healthy foods, home cooked, grew lots of veggies in our home, garden the summer, etc. The objective is to better understand my metabolism so I can tweak my food choices to improve my weight loss and break plateaus more easily.
Melanie Avalon
All right, Benoit, thank you for your question and it works well with what we just talked about with metabolism and everything with fasting. So, lumen versus a CGM. I will, well, first of all, tell you what those are. So, a CGM is a continuous glucose monitor. Have you worn one of these, Barry?
Barry Conrad
I actually haven't worn one of these. You recommend it? You would love it.
Melanie Avalon
it. You would love it. So it is a so it's a a sensor that you put onto your arm and it measures your blood glucose levels 24 seven. It sinks to an app and you can see how your blood sugar is responding to everything to what you eat to how you fast your exercise to your sleep your stress. It is so enlightening because you will actually see like it's very powerful to eat a food and see what it's doing to your blood sugar like actually see. I honestly think if everybody wore a cgm at some point like in like in the US for example that it would just change the metabolic health of the country it's it's that helpful. The one I love I love Nutrisense so listeners can go to Nutrisense.com slash if podcast and use the code I have podcasts that will get you a discount and one free month of nutritionist support so Nutrisense.com slash I have podcast with the code I have podcast so that's a continuous glucose monitor. It actually technically measures the interstitial fluid around your cells which blood sugar seeps into so there's slight a slight delay like when you when you get the number that is actually probably what your blood sugar was like 10 minutes prior but it's a pretty accurate gauge and then a lumen is a a device which actually measures the levels of co2 in your breath to tell you if you are burning fat or carbs like literally what are you burning which is so cool depending on whether or not you're burning carbs or fat it changes the co2 ratios in your in your breath.
Melanie Avalon
Its purpose and I should go back to what a cgm's purpose is but its purpose is to help you achieve metabolic flexibility help you learn to what Barry was talking about earlier with metabolic flexibility help you learn how to you know burn carbs when you want burn fat when you want and you know switch back and forth burn more fat and the app that it comes with uses you know AI to analyze what's happening to make recommendations to adjust your food and your fasting to help you burn fat more also with with the cgm with Nutrisense they also have like I said you know nutritionist support and things like that so that you can really optimize your blood sugar levels so for Benoit both of these are going to be incredible for you I would do with weight loss being your goal so how are these both going to affect weight loss and plateaus the cgm is going to really open your eyes to the food choices that you're making so you can see are you locking yourself into a high blood sugar state because if you're in a high blood blood sugar state all the time you're not going to be burning fat so it's really going to help you see how is your food affecting you you know how's your fasting affecting you so that you can make better choices to regulate your blood sugar levels and burn fat the lumen it's also going to help you learn how to burn more fat because it's going to show you again with your fasting and your food choices are you actually getting into fat burning mode and then it's going to also make suggestions and recommendations to you know help you get there so I want to say both like honestly I would do a cgm at least once to get a picture of everything and then ongoing to really move towards you know weight loss I think a lumen would be great that I know I like kind of took the easy way out by saying both of them but that's how they're going to function essentially do you have thoughts Barry?
Barry Conrad
Well, I think, as Melanie said, it's super interesting that you're able to track your blood glucose levels in real time. And I think that is really helpful to see how different foods affect your blood sugar, which is key for weight loss as well. So in my thoughts would be, if your goal is to break a plateau and improve weight loss, CGM is going to be helpful because of those insights. But if you're more interested in understanding how your body shifts between the carbs and fat, lumen's great. But I mean, again, it's both a solid. Both are solid tools. But yeah.
Melanie Avalon
Ironically, I might, okay, they're both going to help so much that the thing is with Lumen is it's going to be an ongoing journey with the CGM. It's a two week thing. It'll open your eyes. You'll see all these things. You'll learn a lot of information and you'll be empowered to make better choices to move towards weight loss. Lumen you can keep using for like, I mean, the rest of your life and it's actually going to, it's going to guide you to weight loss. So again, I want to say both because they're just so powerful. The goal of Lumen is more geared towards weight loss, if that makes sense. Awesome.
Barry Conrad
Well, it's a weird win then for you, Benoit. Yeah.
Melanie Avalon
So you can get 10% off with the code Melanie Avalon. I'm going to put both codes because I'm always, I'm not sure if this one still works. You can try to get $100 off with the code IF Podcast at lumen.me. I don't know if that one's active, so you probably will need to try my code, which will be Melanie Avalon.com slash lumen and use the coupon code Melanie Avalon and that should give you a discount as well. Okay, shall we move on to our next question? Let's move on. Let's do it. Okay, so our next question is from Dawn and this is from Facebook as well. So listeners join our Facebook group. It's called IF Biohackers, Intermittent Fasting plus Real Foods plus Life. You can ask questions in there. We're both members in there, even though Barry just joined.
Barry Conrad
Don't bloke my spotlight.
Melanie Avalon
I like that. It's a great place to be. Don't let.
Barry Conrad
Blow up my spot, I've just joined.
Melanie Avalon
Is that an Australian phrase, blow out your spot?
Barry Conrad
blow up my spot.
Melanie Avalon
Blow up your spot.
Barry Conrad
Do you say that over there?
Melanie Avalon
No. What does that mean? Blow up your spot?
Barry Conrad
It's like put me on blast kind of thing.
Melanie Avalon
Oh, I love how there's all these little like, little things, you know, blow up your spot.
Barry Conrad
So if I said something like, and listeners Melanie said this, but Barry, don't blow up my spot. That was not for everyone.
Melanie Avalon
don't blow up my spot. Okay. So this question, this question is from Dawn and she says, I'm a long haul flight attendant and struggle to cope with fasting and long days and time zone changes. Any advice would be gratefully received XX. And we've talked about this a lot on the show, but we haven't talked about it since Barry's been here. And I don't think Barry, you are so much more skilled at traveling. I am so curious how you adjust your fasting and food and such when you're traveling.
Barry Conrad
Yeah, I do fly a lot. And, hey, Dawn, thank you for the question. We appreciate you having a go and asking. Being on those long-haul flights and being a flight attendant dealing with the time zone changes, it's definitely going to make... It can make fasting a bit trickier, but it's doable. It's going to be doable with the right strategy. So my thoughts, I'd suggest starting with a flexible fasting window that works best for your schedule. So for example, on a flight day, it might be easier to do a shorter fasting window, especially if you're already dealing with things like jet lag and long hours, because that can really be tough even as a traveler. So you can adjust based on how you're feeling and then on the ground. So just say you're flying from the US to London, for example. Once you get on the ground, then you could go on for that longer fasting window when you have more control over your schedule and your body's rhythms. I'm going to say here, hydration is key, speaking from experience. So really make sure you're drinking plenty of water, especially on those long flights. And I'd even consider adding electrolytes to your water just to keep it balanced and to avoid that drained feeling. And you can just get off a plane feeling like you've been hit by a train. So you don't want that feeling. Another thing to consider is like your meal timing. So if you're in a different time zone, it's about gradually shifting your eating window to match the new time zone. That's what I find is helpful because that way, you're easing into the rhythm rather than forcing your body into a new pattern all at once, just because this is what my protocol is. So I need to just stick to it. It's about listening to your body, easing into the rhythm. And then I would say, last but not least, probably focus on nutrient dense, easy to carry meals. Because as you know, more than anyone being a flight attendant, the meals on planes is often just not nutrient dense. So making sure you have protein, healthy fats, some carbs in there, stuff like nuts, seeds, some protein bars, good quality protein bars, keeping it simple, but satisfying enough to fuel your body properly. And with a bit of tweaking, dawn and listening to your body, you'll find a rhythm that works. But don't be out on yourself. I mean, it's about, as we say as well, it's about consistency, not being perfect about it. And keep doing what you're doing. You'll figure it out. You got this. Melanie, what do you think?
Melanie Avalon
So I love the flexibility. I love not being hard on yourself. And to be using it to a point, this is interesting because we actually have opposite advice here.
Barry Conrad
Okay, there we go.
Melanie Avalon
So another approach. So that's one approach where you ease into it gradually with time zone changes. And I'm coming from this more from just like traveling for a day. So this is a little bit different than constantly changing time zones because of being a flight attendant, which I could not be a flight attendant. Could you be a flight attendant?
Barry Conrad
I think on paper it sounds really fun, but I think my body would just be messed up. My internal clock and everything. Yeah. I don't know. Probably not.
Melanie Avalon
I cannot. There have been studies on jet lag and actually using fasting to deal with jet lag. And the approach that you do is you fast longer. So basically, you go into the travel, you approach the travel situation, you have your like normal meals, and then you go into the travel, you fast, you fast through the traveling. And then what's really important, you continue to fast in the new location. And what's important is that you eat a meal in sync with the new location's time. So that's what I mean by it's the opposite, you don't go based on what you were doing or like ease in, you literally just immediately adapt the new culture. If you've been consistently doing a fasting window, where your there's something called zeitgeibers, which are essentially environmental cues that signal that affect your circadian rhythm. So our circadian rhythm, our sleep-wake cycle is severely influenced by our environment. So light exposure, eating exposure, even social cues can affect it. And so eating is so intensely connected to our circadian rhythm. If you are fasting, and in general, fasting and eating on a consistent basis, then your body associates different times of the day with different meals. So for example, I always eat one meal a day dinner, and then I go to bed after. So when I have my one meal a day, it signals to my body like this is evening and we're going to bed. And so the way I can use that as a hack for traveling is when I'm traveling somewhere, I just do my normal fasting, my normal everything, and then I eat dinner in the time zone of the new location. So if that requires fasting more, or I think it would always, I'm trying to think if it could ever require eating earlier.
Barry Conrad
Thank you.
Melanie Avalon
Probably not.
Barry Conrad
Because what if there's a time like it's usually like a time zone change when what not and then what if it's maybe like 1 p.m.
Melanie Avalon
Well, like one hour time zone change. Yeah.
Barry Conrad
OK, yeah.
Melanie Avalon
Well, yeah, yeah, so because basically the flight would have to account because because if you're flying from like you're flying from Atlanta to LA and let's say it's like a four-hour flight So you've you went four hours, but then you jumped back three hours. Oh wait No doubt that would be massively expanding it. Oh, sorry. That's like the opposite. You have to go the other direction You have to go when it's like speeding ahead, but there's nowhere I can fly. Okay, so reverse So from LA to Atlanta, I'm like thinking of myself in Atlanta. I can't fly because it's like the ocean. Okay, so if I'm in LA And I fly from LA to Atlanta It takes like four hours, but then okay, that's where but that's where it would um jump forward So it'd be super late when I get there I don't know. This is too much math and too much time zone for me to figure out the point is if I Eat my one meal a day in the new time zone In alignment with that new time zone then I can pretty much Like just immediately adopt that new time zone So like when I flew not this past thanksgiving, but prior to that I went to London London for just like a day
Barry Conrad
I still can't get over that.
Melanie Avalon
And you know what, Barry? I didn't really have barely any jet lag at all because what I did was I flew to London. I got there. So I left for London in the evening here. I was on the plane. I might have slept a little bit. I'm not sure. I got to London in the morning or after morning or early afternoon. And then I just didn't eat until dinner. And so then at dinner, I ate my meal. And then it was like, time to go to bed. And that pretty much synced me up with like the eating schedule. And then the next day I went to the Thanksgiving thing. And then I flew home the day after that. So that works that I mean, that works really well. I mean, I guess it depends on what dietary pattern you're doing. But it works really well for like one meal a day before dinner. So what I was thinking when I first read her question was if she is the type that because here's the thing. So for Dawn, Dawn is going to quote be awake every day and sleep every day, but it might be changing crazily hours because of the flight. But it's still a pattern of like being awake, going to bed, being awake, going to bed. So if Dawn if depending on what works for you, but if a one meal a day type situation works for you, you could for example, always eat before you go to bed. So then you would like just you wouldn't even like think about it, you would just like do your traveling, do your life and then eat your one meal a day for dinner. Remember, it doesn't have to be right for bed, but have your one meal a day for dinner and then go to bed and you I think not a flight attendant. So it might be more complicated than that. I don't really know how your schedules work. But I think you could do that. Like I think you could do that ongoing. So you would never be eating during a flight or anything. You would just unless you're sleeping, I guess if you're sleeping on the flight for your like sleep, sleep, but I don't see I need to know more about flight attendants. I don't understand like, I don't know if did you say international or not.
Barry Conrad
Yeah, well, long haul to me is international, because to me, like, when people say long haul, it means, like, they go, they're leaving the country, they're not going to, like, interstate, which is like, you know, four hours, five hours, or, you know, long haul flats. So that's, you know, it's changing time zones. Yeah.
Melanie Avalon
long days and time zone changes. So I mean, again, I don't know a lot about flight attendantness. So maybe this is being like, do this. And it's like, not even remotely possible. But I would consider trying up an approach like that where you, your pattern is that you, when you get to your city, you eat, it would change so much based on where you're going.
Barry Conrad
It would change so much.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, okay, if I was a flight attendant, I would probably do that.
Barry Conrad
Well, Melody, you're a very unique person. You're just like, this is what I'm doing. I'm flying for one day. I'm sticking to this protocol. This is it.
Melanie Avalon
I do think though, there could be a map. I think you could find a system that works for you where you are using meals and this like Zeitgeiber approach. Say that again, Zeit. Zeitgeiber.
Barry Conrad
I've never heard that word before.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, it's Z-E-I-T-G-E-B-E-R. The definition is a rhythmically occurring natural phenomenon which acts as a cue and the regulation of the body circadian rhythm. Isn't that amazing? That's amazing, actually. Again, it's like something in your environment. So something you're doing or exposed to that affects your circadian rhythm. So I think you could, I really think you could use fasting and eating to create like a zeitgeiber for your circadian rhythm to help with the jet lag and stuff.
Barry Conrad
We hope that's helpful, Dawn, a couple of different, different thoughts there, but you know, I feel I'm confident that you're going to figure it out.
Melanie Avalon
Me too.
Barry Conrad
But please keep us updated, let us know.
Melanie Avalon
us know. Shall we end with our restaurant? Time to break our fast? Do it. So speaking of food, we are all about eating around here. And we love breaking our fast, and our heads and our minds and in real life. Okay, so Barry, the restaurant I chose, which have have you been to Disneyland or Disney World? Wait, wait, have you been to Disney? Wait, wait, I know we've talked about this.
Barry Conrad
Disney okay i've been to the one in florida that is because the world of the world of it is new world and you have been to the international i've also been to disneyland i've been to both. I have been to both yeah the California.
Melanie Avalon
Have you been to any international ones? No. I have. Are you impressed?
Barry Conrad
Yeah, there's also like a lot of kids around. Did I surprise you? You did surprise me and this is not what I was expecting, a Disneyland restaurant.
Melanie Avalon
I have been to Disneyland, Disney World, Disney Land,
Barry Conrad
Disney Places, Disneyland, Disney World, Disneyville.
Melanie Avalon
I think it's Disneyland. I have been to Disneyland Paris.
Barry Conrad
Wow, what's that like compared to the ones in the US?
Melanie Avalon
It was lovely. It was interesting because the Main Street had much more of a covered experience. I feel like there was indoor walkways because of the rain and such, but it rains in Florida. Main Street was a little bit different. Oh, I felt so validated. They had their version of Space Mountain. This is when I was young and resilient. I wrote it and it was literally the most painful experience of my life. I got off and I was like, that was horrible. I'm never doing that again. Then I talked to a friend who also went and she said that she was recovering from that ride for days. So it's not just me. They need to get rid of their Space Mountain. It's horrible. But yes, Disneyland, I went to USC in LA. I used to go to Disneyland all the time. My favorite restaurant in Disneyland slash California Adventure is the Blue Bayou restaurant. Last week we had a New Orleans restaurant. Have you been to the Blue Bayou restaurant?
Barry Conrad
I have not been but blue is my favorite color so i'm sure it's gonna be really good tell me about it.
Melanie Avalon
It is, you know, Pirates of the Caribbean. Yeah. So in Disneyland, there's a restaurant like in the ride. Like when you what? Yeah. So like the beginning of the ride, when you're like in the bayou of the Pirates of the Caribbean before you go into the Caribbean or Caribbean, it goes by there's like a indoor restaurant that looks like you're in New Orleans, like outside at night. I am all about restaurants that make it look like you're outside, but indoors at night, all about it kind of like the Mexican restaurant and Epcot. So yeah, Blue Bayou restaurant, it's my and it's like a fine dining, steakhouse, New Orleans, steakhouse type experience. It's wonderful. I love it. It's a vibe.
Barry Conrad
highly wreck. Okay, cool. You know what, all these restaurants, we've got to check them out. IRL for sure.
Melanie Avalon
I know. I know. So let us look at dinner. Okay. So right now they have a, okay, they have like a set. I'm confused. They have a set price meal. Oh, that's a question for you. How do you feel about set price meals?
Barry Conrad
Okay, so sometimes, and I don't know if you feel the same way, when you're out with like a big group of people, sometimes I get invites for, hey, we're going to this restaurant, they have like a set menu for X amount of dollars, and it's just easy, then I'm happy to try it. But if I don't love what's on the set menu, I'll just order a la carte. What about you?
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, I don't like set price menus
Barry Conrad
You don't? Actually, why am I asking you that? Because I know that you want to change it, yeah.
Melanie Avalon
unless it's like the perfect set price menu like everything I would order, which I have never seen that in my life. And normally they're not like about substitutions, you know, it's so yeah, usually stay away from especially on like Valentine's Day, I feel like all the restaurants turn into set price menus and I'll just be like, nope, nope, I got to have my freedom of choice.
Barry Conrad
I agree. I mean, I get what I get. They're trying to like, you know, it's easy for them to like, you know, quantify, we're going to make this amount of money. These people buy it. But it's not, it's not ideal for people like us who want to have what we want to have.
Melanie Avalon
Exactly. And having been a fine dining server for like five years and being on the flip side, I know why they're doing those set price menus. Like they, yeah, like you just said, it makes it seem like, oh, I get so much and like, it's like happy and I pay, but no, it's because they can like make, it's like easy. They can like, they can make more money and they it's like all set up and they just like turn it out. Maybe they're not all like that, but I like a la carte is the point. So we're not going to do take away. Barry and I will not be doing the Mardi Gras celebration meal.
Barry Conrad
No. And also it doesn't seem like there's, I don't know, I'm going to skip past that. We love Disneyland. I'm not, we're not hating on it. We're just saying we're going to do, we're going to do a la carte. So let's do that.
Melanie Avalon
Okay, so then they're using the word that you like. What would you get for your starter?
Barry Conrad
Finally, someone's using the correct terminology. Oh, no. We say starters because it's very confusing listeners. You've probably heard us talking about what is an entree? What is the main meal? What is the starters? What's the appetizer? It's so different everywhere.
Melanie Avalon
I forget every single time, and for you an entree is, wait, an entree is an appetizer?
Barry Conrad
Yeah, like a starter kind of thing.
Melanie Avalon
And entree is a starter. That is so confusing. Who came up with that?
Barry Conrad
somebody awesome.
Melanie Avalon
We should we should research like what is the original.
Barry Conrad
I feel like if we did that then Melanie will be like Seabury I told you this is the right way to do it.
Melanie Avalon
No, but no, here's the thing. Well, a a I don't put I don't I wouldn't put it in your face like that, but B
Barry Conrad
You blow up my spot, you would.
Melanie Avalon
I would not blow up your spot. B, the US is like, we're very new, relatively speaking. So if it's ever like the original, it's probably more likely that it's not us. You know, like that's in your favor. OK. Like the US is a relatively new country compared to the rest of the world.
Barry Conrad
Of course.
Melanie Avalon
So I feel like it's unlikely that we originated things.
Barry Conrad
The terms for menu.
Melanie Avalon
Except for the Constitution. Oh my gosh. OK, so starters, what would you get?
Barry Conrad
Okay, so I'm looking at the dinner menu, and I already know I'm going to go the chicken gumbo and the brioche because a bit of bread there is going to be good, and the chicken gumbo has tassel, ham, and dulce sausage and peppers with stew.
Melanie Avalon
I knew you were going to pronounce it that way. I was waiting.
Barry Conrad
Okay, it's wrong. So tell me again, Melanie, because listen, if you listen to last week's episode, I got a word wrong too. But anyway, maybe that got taken out.
Melanie Avalon
Wait, what was last week's episode?
Barry Conrad
I'm not going to say it because of someone's name. I don't want to offend anyone, but how do you say it?
Melanie Avalon
Melody? Well, now I'm on the spot. Oh, wait, putting me on the spot. I think it's, isn't it, andouille, andouille? I don't think there's an, I don't think you pronounce the L.
Barry Conrad
We're keeping it in the edit is please be not because we want because that way we can have it out there is this how you say it is the size.
Melanie Avalon
I'm pretty sure the L is not like an L.
Barry Conrad
Okay, stand corrected, and I'll put it to the I have podcast followers. Okay, I'll get the chicken gumbo and the rosemary and sea salt brioche, which is butter and seasonal jam, comes with butter and seasonal jam, the bread. What about you? Awesome.
Melanie Avalon
I think I'm gonna tap out of this round.
Barry Conrad
You don't want to take anything from the other sections to substitute. You just want to move on to the.
Melanie Avalon
Oh, yeah, I think I don't think they I don't see other options really like the kids meal. Maybe I get like
Barry Conrad
is roasted chicken, which you could have planned.
Melanie Avalon
No, because I was named Shrimp. Oh my gosh, wait, this is what I'm doing here. And we're like, okay, I'm going to be like, okay, because you want me to do it in character, right? So this is what I'm going to say.
Barry Conrad
Yeah, here we go. Okay, so I'll be the server. Here we go. Hi, you ready to order?
Melanie Avalon
Yes. Okay. And then you're going to order, like Barry's going to order. What would you like? So for the starter, okay. I completely understand if you can't do this. It is literally no problem at all. I see that you have sauteed shrimp on the kids menu. Is there any possibility I could get, it doesn't have to be like a fancy shrimp cocktail type thing, but can I get just like shrimp, like in the cocktail type vibe as my appetizer? Again, zero worries if you can't do that, but I would love like shrimp as an appetizer. Is that possible? We can.
Barry Conrad
definitely accommodate that for you Madam, so we'll make sure that's taken care of.
Melanie Avalon
Thank you so, so much. And nothing complicated, like no sauces or anything, or like you can put that on the side if you want. Thank you. Like, thank you. You're the best.
Barry Conrad
not to worry thank you there we go you did it how was that that was really really polite really good really easy not a big deal
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, okay. We got our starters and nice job with the waiter.
Barry Conrad
I don't know what kind of way to get out to that. It was a change three times, what I was saying. Uh, entrees, I would get a, oh, wow. Definitely two of them.
Melanie Avalon
And you've got, you've got two options. You've got entrees and there's a whole, there's a plant-based section as well. There is. Which I find it difficult to get enough protein and plant-based options.
Barry Conrad
So, listeners, as you may have caught and done already, I love my protein. So I'm not gonna say I don't do plant-based because I think there's a lot of nutritional value in it. I love it, but I'm going to stick with the animal protein heavy entrees. So I'm gonna go with the prime rib and the roasted chicken. So the prime rib comes with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, horseradish cream, and peppercorn demi glaze. And the roasted chicken is, as Melanie Avelin would say, andouille sausage, sounds really funny. Shrimp, Creole rice, and Creole, that sounds really good. Creole sauce, that sounds like it's gonna slap. It's really good.
Melanie Avalon
It is Andouille. It's Ann Andouille. Oh, one is a...
Barry Conrad
put it on the poll, but that's okay. You've already corrected me.
Melanie Avalon
validated by Google.
Barry Conrad
Okay, validated. And do we did you do the thing where they say it?
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, and Dewey and Dewey the little mouth is like was moving. Okay
Barry Conrad
So those two for me.
Melanie Avalon
Okay, the chicken and the prime rib. Okay, this is okay, this is great because I love there's not it's kind of a limited menu. There are four options. I love all of them. Also, I love that we both just get two entrees. So I am going to get two entrees right now. And then I'm going to reserve one for dessert since the appetizers were like a little suspect. I will get the oh wait but I don't want hmm was this difficult actually? Can I have a bite of your prime rib? Yes. How are you getting it prepared?
Barry Conrad
Well, all okay, just rule of thumb for Barry Conrad's rule of thumb for any red meat is going to be medium rare for me. It's just my vibe.
Melanie Avalon
So I think I am going to get the, okay, I know I've got it. I'm going to get the filet mignon. It comes with mashed potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and crispy shallots. I'm going to ask if I can get it with just steamed spinach. Do you need a reenactment to, or? Yeah, I'll do it. It's like, actually, I'm going to order everything right now. So I'm ready. And your desserts? Are you ready to?
Barry Conrad
to order your entrees.
Melanie Avalon
Yes. Thank you so much. Okay, so I'm actually going to get two entrees. May I please have the filet mignon? And can I get it completely plain? So like no, no oil, no sauce, just like completely plain, and I will have it blue, like as rare as possible. And for the sides, can you just mix all the sides and I'll just, the spinach, can I get just steamed spinach with the filet?
Barry Conrad
And again, I'll speak to the kitchen, but I'm sure that should be fine.
Melanie Avalon
Awesome, thank you so, so much. And then similar vibe, I'm also gonna get the market. Oh wait, what is the market fish today?
Barry Conrad
It's a snapper.
Melanie Avalon
Okay.
Barry Conrad
Can out-broke character!
Melanie Avalon
Hmm. No, no, no, no, that's still in character. That's how I would have. Okay, so we're not okay. So basically for listeners, I'm very concerned. This is how this is educational. I'm very concerned with mercury content. So for market fish, I would only get the fish if it were a salmon or a tilapia or cod, maybe. Otherwise, or a trout, a farm trout. Otherwise, probably not. And I would Google the fish and I would look up the the mercury levels, but usually fish is a little bit problematic with mercury.
Barry Conrad
So, it still stands. If it was snapper, would you pivot to another choice or would you just stick with the...
Melanie Avalon
Yeah. So if it was snapper, I would not get that. And I would, I would say, okay. Yeah. So thank you. So I will actually, I'll just get the filet. Are you sure you just want the filet? Yes. And also heads up, I'm probably going to get another filet for dessert. So can you, can you have the kitchen reserve one? And also for dessert, if I get it for dessert, they don't like, I literally, they don't have to like cook it long. They don't have to like hold the, it's not going to be like a long thing. They can just like really, really quickly sear it basically. You can even bring it raw. It's fine. I'll do that too. If you want.
Barry Conrad
So you want us to understand, you want a filet for dessert as well.
Melanie Avalon
So basically, I'm having a filet right now in the way that you so amazingly, kindly accepted. And then I'm probably going to order a second one when we order dessert, but it's not... I promise you, you don't have to cook it long, you don't have to keep the kitchen going. You can just literally put it on the thing for a second. A second. Just sear it.
Barry Conrad
You sure? For dessert? You don't want to try one of our cakes or sundaes? Very popular.
Melanie Avalon
Barry will be having that for sure. So we'll have it. It's going to be great.
Barry Conrad
I'll have it Did you like that off mic moment
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, I love yeah. That was so immersive. I felt like I was like there.
Barry Conrad
Don't worry. I'll just it's fine. Like she does this all the time. I'll have it. Thanks. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, we're good. We're yeah. So if that's possible, that'd be amazing. Yeah, perfect. Thank you so much. And I really appreciate it. Like, thank you. Thank you so much. And also no rush like we're like super chill. You don't have to stress about us or anything like we're just happy to be here. So thank you.
Barry Conrad
You're welcome.
Melanie Avalon
How was that? That was good. That felt... Oscar nomination? That was actually really funny. That was amazing when you did it, okay, when you did it, like, oh, that's brilliant.
Barry Conrad
But try to create an experience for the listeners here. There we go. That's so funny.
Melanie Avalon
Should we do it in character every time? That'd be really fun. We should do it in character every time and I'll be the server for you.
Barry Conrad
Actually, that's really funny and that way we get to use our acting. Let's do it.
Melanie Avalon
Yes, and I can be like the way I used to be a server because I was like a lot. I was a lot.
Barry Conrad
Okay, let's do it. That's so fun. Yes.
Melanie Avalon
Okay. Listeners.
Barry Conrad
You're getting a performance, you're getting fasting, you're getting science, you're getting everything.
Melanie Avalon
This is all the things you wait. So question though, cause that was the first time doing that. So how do you feel like about if I do this?
Barry Conrad
No, I'm all about it.
Melanie Avalon
You just gotta be nice, you know?
Barry Conrad
You can use have to ask in a way that's respectful i don't think it's only a big deal when people you know get snobby or entitled but if you just ask politely you can't really go wrong.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah. Yeah. And I find most restaurants are very accommodating. Can't even tell you how many birthday, like birthday steaks with candles I've had. Two of those.
Barry Conrad
Okay, that's hilarious.
Melanie Avalon
They do that. That's happened twice, and they bring out a candle every time. They think they're really smart, but I'm like, no. It is smart, and it's really cute. I'm just saying people do it, though.
Barry Conrad
You should post a photo of that sometime because it's so funny, like it's just unusual.
Melanie Avalon
I will share my last birthday in November. They did that. So I will share it. Actually, no, no, no, that's not true. Last birthday, what? Wait. Oh, last birthday, I actually just went to a bar with friends. Birthday before that, they brought out a steak with candles. That's hilarious. So dessert time. I already pre-ordered my dessert. What are you getting?
Barry Conrad
I'm going to get, because the petite sundae, why do you think I saw it? I don't like the petite pot when it comes to any kind of food, so. I'm going to have three petite sundaes. I'll get two, I'll say to them, like we're not doing it now, but I'll say I'll get two petite sundaes, one for myself, one for Melanie, and then I'm going to eat it.
Melanie Avalon
No, you know what? I will take one for the team. I'll order one for you. I'll order a petite.
Barry Conrad
And then I'll order the brown butter banana upside down cake, which is soaked in bananas, a foster sauce garnished with candied walnuts. Okay. Here's another one of these. Okay. Okay. You have to read it out. What is it?
Melanie Avalon
tulle, I think it pronounced the L there, fleur, delise, I think those Ls get pronounced, and vanilla.
Barry Conrad
All fleur de lis, de lis, and vanilla ice cream. You'll see if you look at the menu, listen as it's, I cannot, I failed French. There we go. Yeah, so that's that. But yeah, those two desserts, well, three desserts is gonna have to do me because one petite sundae is not gonna do. Two petite sundaes and a brown butter banana upside down cake could do.
Melanie Avalon
they're gonna be so confused because I will have ordered all this like really crazy stuff and then I'm like oh and I'll have a petite sundae no modifications just as is
Barry Conrad
You know, it's the actual truth is I would probably just order two and they'd be like, Oh, one.
Melanie Avalon
for. Well, I already have the state coming, so.
Barry Conrad
No, it's both of me. And I'll also get the, yeah, I'll just say it. Oh, there's also beverages, so you're up. What would you like to drink?
Melanie Avalon
So the thing about Disney is I don't feel good at all about their choices of the champagne. I don't like champagne.
Barry Conrad
Sparkling wine.
Melanie Avalon
I think this is I have to look at the by the bottle list, which hopefully they have. I don't know if they do have because it's Disney. Because they only have a few options for wine and it's not looking good. It's all California. That's what I've noticed because I've I for fun, I sort of maybe read the Disney food blog where they like review restaurants at Disney and the food at Disney because I just love Disney and I love like reading about all the places and all the food. And I the thing I've noticed is that they tend to feature a lot of California wine.
Barry Conrad
But don't you see, you know my favorite white wine is Pinot Grigio.
Melanie Avalon
Oh, they have Frank family chardonnay, which is organic not idea
Barry Conrad
What about the Italian Pinagugio?
Melanie Avalon
Oh, the Italian Pinot Grigio? I could look that up. I'm on the struggle bus, though, with the wine, but what would you get?
Barry Conrad
Okay, so always for me, 90% of the time, I'll always get Pinot Grigio with something else. So Pinot Grigio, I probably love that for the table and then I'm gonna go because I also love my margaritas. I'm gonna try the Milograno melon margarita. I'll try it. Yeah. Oh, hey. So you're not gonna have anything to drink. You're gonna have water or there's like non-alcoholic.
Melanie Avalon
So here's the thing, if we were going to this restaurant, I would have dealt with this issue. I would look up every single wine. So for listeners I drink when I'm out, I try to find low alcohol, organic, low sugar European wines, hopefully on the menu. I would have looked at the menu, probably not found that many options. I would have inquired if they have a bottle list, which they probably don't. So then I would inquire, oh, you know what? At Disney, you probably can't bring in wine because you can't bring wine into the park.
Barry Conrad
Probably not, no. I'm guessing.
Melanie Avalon
We would implement plan C.
Barry Conrad
Have a drink beforehand, before going, or after, or what?
Melanie Avalon
Yes, actually, I can't even I don't know. No, it would be okay, I'm not I don't do that. This is like me just saying like, this could happen in a story somewhere. I'm not saying I do this, but I might depending if I pre researched and I knew the situation, I might like, you know, make sure I have my organic wine with me like with my person somehow, because of my means, and then I would order a wine.
Barry Conrad
And then I'll quickly swig it and then you can throw it in there.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, which a rue situation? Yeah.
Barry Conrad
That's so funny.
Melanie Avalon
Because my health comes first.
Barry Conrad
It's like spy vibes.
Melanie Avalon
Yeah, I'm actually very good at this such a real situation.
Barry Conrad
I'd love to see that actually, see you do it. Yeah, that was fun. Do you want to go? That was very eventful, eventful ordering experience, restaurant experience.
Melanie Avalon
So friends, let us know your favorite restaurants and how you break your fast and how you deal and order and all the things. Are you a berry or are you a Melanie? Like where are you on the berry Melanie spectrum?
Barry Conrad
That's that's actually a really good question. That's good. Yeah
Melanie Avalon
So, well, this was so, so amazing. So listeners, you can submit your own questions for the show. Just email questions at ifepodcast.com or you can go to ifepodcast.com and you can submit questions there. These show notes will be at ifepodcast.com slash episode 413. They will have a full transcript and they will have links to everything that we talked about. So definitely check that out. And you can follow us on Instagram. I am Melanie Avalon. Barry is Barry underscore Conrad. And we are, I have podcast. I think that is all the things. Anything from you before we go?
Barry Conrad
Listeners, thank you so much for tuning in. Have an awesome rest of your day or night and we'll catch you next week. Awesome.
Melanie Avalon
I will talk to you next week.
Barry Conrad
See you later.
Melanie Avalon
Bye. Bye. 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.