October 31, 2025 • 37 mins
Intermittent fasting — it’s one of those topics that lights up every group chat. Is it healthy? Is it safe? Does it even work for women in midlife? In this episode, Cheryl sits down with Integrative Health Practitioner Adrian Mamikonian to get real about what intermittent fasting is and what it isn’t.
Spoiler: it’s not about deprivation or starving yourself — it’s about understanding how to support your hormones, gut health, and metabolism during this season of life.
Adrian shares how fasting can help regulate blood sugar, reduce bloating, and improve energy — when done the right way. She explains why your body needs both feasting and fasting, how to find the right eating window for your lifestyle, and why nutrition (especially protein!) has to come first.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What intermittent fasting really means — and why it’s not a diet.
- How fasting supports gut health, insulin sensitivity, and hormone balance.
- Why sleep, stress, and nutrition must come before fasting.
- How to break your fast for optimal energy and digestion.
- The truth about protein needs for women in midlife.
- Why lifting heavier weights (and eating more food) might actually boost your metabolism.
OMG Moment
Adrian reminds us that change doesn’t have to be drastic. Whether it’s fasting, lifting, or improving your nutrition, lasting progress comes from small, consistent steps — not all-or-nothing overhauls.
Take Action
- Join us in Mind Your Midlife on Patreon or Substack for Adrian’s 5-day meal plan and our bonus conversation about what to actually eat in a fasting window.
- Connect with Adrian on Instagram: @livingwellwithadrian or on her website
- Continue on this theme with Mind Your Midlife episodes on sleep and on hormone balance!
If you’ve ever tried intermittent fasting and felt awful, or if you’ve wondered whether it’s even safe for women over 40, this conversation will help you understand the nuances — and give you permission to take
Text me to ask a question - I'll answer on the podcast!
Subscribe to receive bonus episodes at cherylpfischer.com/bonusepisodes.
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Let’s talk midlife body positivity, self-talk, and redefining aging for women — without the “midlife crisis” narrative. Every week I'm adding new success strategies for midlife women.
Connect with Cheryl, Midlife Coach: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Cheryl Fischer (00:00):
Intermittent fasting.
I feel like I need to say thatslowly to be careful.
What a hot topic.
Oh my goodness, when Imentioned to some friends that I
was gonna be doing an episodeabout this, whew! Everything
blew up.
We all want to know.
So today you're gonna find out.
Let's talk about it.
Welcome to Mind Your Midlife,your go-to resource for
(00:25):
confidence and success, onethought at a time.
Unlike most advice out there,we believe that simply telling
you to believe in yourself orchange your habits isn't enough
to wake up excited about life orfeel truly confident in your
body.
Each week, you'll gainactionable strategies and oh my
(00:45):
goodness, powerful insights tostop feeling stuck and start
loving your midlife.
This is the Mind Your Midlifepodcast.
I've known for some time thatin order to have really ideal
gut health, we need to give ourgut, our digestive system, time,
(01:08):
probably at night, to not onlyfinish digesting whatever we've
eaten that day, but also do areset.
And we're not really going togo into exactly what that reset
is in this particular episode.
I need to do one about thattoo, but it needs to be a
certain amount of time.
And what I had heard was 12hours was ideal.
(01:30):
Now, unfortunately, I am a latedinner eater, and that happened
because of going to the gymafter work, kids' sports, all
that stuff just over time.
So my husband and I tend to eatdinner a little bit late.
That being said, we could wecould certainly have a certain
window, whatever we want, and wecould then eat breakfast at
(01:52):
whatever time made sense forwhatever this window was that we
want.
So I know we can handle it.
And is that what intermittentfasting means?
Because I feel like there'sthere's research out there,
there's people talking about it,making it sound very
complicated, and you have to doit this way or you have to do it
(02:13):
that way.
So even though I knew a certainwindow of time, not eating was
probably good, I really wantedto know a lot more.
And I know that's the case foryou too.
So my guest today is AdrienneMamakonian, and she specializes
in empowering us, women over 40,to reclaim our vitality, to
(02:38):
live life to the fullest.
I'm on board with that,absolutely.
She gives personalized guidanceabout living healthy, and a
piece of that is intermittentfasting.
And so, welcome, Adrian.
Adrian Mamikonian (02:53):
Thank you.
It's so nice to be here.
And I just I love this, all theconversations about midlife.
And um, I'm so excited to chattoday.
I'm excited too.
Cheryl Fischer (03:03):
And as if you're listening, as you'll hear in a
few minutes, I got so manypeople asking me questions about
this topic.
So I know we're gonna have agood conversation.
We are diving into intermittentfasting today.
And so initially, I think I'mjust gonna say, first of all,
tell us what that means, becauseI feel like it's a buzzword
(03:25):
that we hear.
Maybe we don't really know whatit means, and then what's your
experience with it?
Adrian Mamikonian (03:30):
Yeah, absolutely.
And it is, I feel like,controversial right now in the
market.
You can kind of hear both ends,you know, of the spectrum in
terms of opinions, and you mightwatch something and form an
opinion just based on you knowthat one person.
So I do think it's important tojust like let's look at the
research and and talk about whatintermittent fasting really is.
(03:51):
It's not something that is, youknow, you have to be afraid of,
it's not something that has tobe extreme.
Um, it's certainly not starvingyourself or dieting.
I think when people think offasting, they think of really
something very, veryrestrictive.
And really all it is is aneating schedule.
(04:11):
So you're just picking a periodof time in which you are
consuming food.
That doesn't even necessarilymean that you are reducing your
calories.
You're just picking a window inwhich you're eating them
because I have many clients who,you know, have met their goal
weight, are at their goalweight, and they want to
maintain and they can stillpractice intermittent fasting as
(04:33):
long as, and I tell all of myclients this, you get your
nutrition in within that window.
Because if you can't, then weneed to extend it.
So nutrition always comesfirst.
We're not fasting, you know, atall costs, even if we feel
horrible and our heart's racingand all of the other things,
right?
We really take a strategicapproach to fasting.
(04:55):
And the purpose is really tohave periods of digestive rest.
And that's where all of thebenefits come in with fasting.
We want periods of feastingwhere we're eating and we're
really building up thosecarbohydrates and fats and
proteins, and periods where weare fasting to give our bodies
that digestive rest.
(05:16):
It's good for our gut, it'sgood for our brain, it's good
for so many things, um,especially I'm, you know, in my
opinion, in midlife.
Cheryl Fischer (05:25):
So I I am thinking that maybe the whole
time this should have beencalled feasting and fasting, and
then maybe people would be somuch more excited about it.
So the fasting is the windowwhen you're not eating.
And is there is there a certainamount of time that that needs
(05:47):
to be?
Uh or is there kind of asliding scale?
Adrian Mamikonian (05:50):
Definitely a sliding scale, and there's
different ways to do fastingdepending on your goals,
depending on your lifestyle.
For many people, doing a16-hour uh fast and an
eight-hour eating window worksvery well for just your typical
sort of American lifestyle.
Um, but for some people itworks better to not fast at all
(06:12):
and then do a longer fast oneday a week or two days a week.
So it just depends what you're,you know, what you're looking
to do, what your lifestyle is,you know, if you're doing shift
work, if you get up at fouro'clock in the morning to, you
know, work out and then go towork, like you're not going to
be able to last until 12 noon,you know, before you have
something to eat.
(06:33):
So we really have to considerall of those factors when we
come up with, which I do, youknow, with my clients and come
up with a window that reallyworks for you.
And just, you know, juststarting off slow.
I mean, if you're I mean, Iwhen I started fasting, I was
someone who I have to have my,you know, oatmeal or whatever,
as soon as my feet hit the floorin the morning.
(06:53):
I could not, you know, so forme it was a very gradual process
and um in terms of introducingthe fasting.
Cheryl Fischer (07:01):
Yeah.
Okay, that makes sense to me.
And it it seems like, and I Imean, I knew this a little bit
before, but I'm gonna ask thequestion anyway.
It seems like one of the reallykey benefits besides
potentially losing weight is guthealth.
So tell us a little bit moreabout why that is and how that
(07:22):
works.
Adrian Mamikonian (07:23):
Absolutely, yes.
I mean, you know, I wasexperiencing bloating.
I was on prescription acidreflux medication ever since I
had for years and years andyears after I was I had it when
I was pregnant, and then I justnever went away and I was never
able to get rid of it.
So that's one thing that just,I mean, it makes sense, right?
If you're having periods whereyou're not eating, you're not
(07:44):
having that constant acid, um,acid reflux, the the bloating
dissipates because you're havingthose periods of digestive rest
where your body is able to restand repair those cells.
It also causes our insulin tobe more sensitive, which is what
you know, we don't want insulinresistance, which leads to
diabetes, which is those up anddown and up and down of the
(08:06):
blood sugar cycle.
So when we have, when ourinsulin is more sensitive, when
we're more sensitive to insulin,I should say, we can absorb
that, those carbohydrates, theglucose that's in our food more
easily and keeping our bloodsugar stable.
So that's very helpful in termsof fat loss, but also, of
course, gut health and umhormone health and you know, all
(08:30):
of the other things.
Cheryl Fischer (08:32):
So that my brain is trying to understand it.
So that's interesting becauseit feels to me like blood sugar
would be less stable if we wereeating less often, but you're
kind of saying the opposite.
Adrian Mamikonian (08:45):
Right.
And I mean, not only that, butit it regulates our our hunger
hormones, right?
The hormones that tell us we'rehungry and the other hormone
that tells us we're full, thoseare more regulated when you're
just eating in that period oftime because you're not having
the constant up and down of yourblood sugar.
You're giving yourself thatthat time for repair and really
(09:07):
almost mimicking it, although Imean, I'm no expert in ketosis
or keto.
I've never been successful at aketo diet ever in my life.
But when we're intermittentfasting, we can sort of mimic
that effect where it has a verycalming effect on the nervous
system.
As long as, I feel like I needto put this big disclaimer, as
long as you are, you know, notunder a major stress.
(09:32):
You're sleeping okay, you haveyour nutrition in check.
So those are very importantthings to consider when you know
we're trying to get the thebenefits of fasting, is it's
it's not helpful if you are in atailspin, you know.
So that's one of the thingsthat people talk about.
(09:53):
Oh, midlife, it's fasting isreally harmful because our
cortisol goes up when we'refasting, and we don't want, you
know, we don't want thatcortisol spike.
But I mean, our cortisol spikesevery morning, right?
Our cortisol spikes every day.
To wake us up.
Yeah, that's what gets us upand gets us moving in the
morning.
Um, and so that's okay.
Now, exercise is also astressor, also increases
(10:16):
cortisol.
So there's lots of things inour day that increase cortisol,
and fasting is one of them.
So we don't want to be addingthat on top of eating a lot of
processed foods, not getting theproper macronutrients, not
sleeping well, you know, ifyou're in the middle of a major,
you know, life event, that isnot the time really to introduce
(10:39):
fasting.
However, when you do it for aperiod of time, you really train
your body to go into thatfat-burning mode, which is
relatively stable in terms ofblood sugar.
But if your body is in fight orflight and your nervous system
is revved up, then yes, youryour blood sugar and your
cortisol are going to beaffected by that.
Cheryl Fischer (11:03):
Wow, that's really interesting.
And and certainly in midlife,there's all this stuff going on.
You're absolutely right aboutthat.
And in fact, today, on the daywe're recording this, the
episode that just came out ofMind Your Midlife is about
sleep.
And so I will link that in theshow notes because that plus an
episode from June or July withDee Davidson about hot flashes
(11:25):
and blood sugar.
Both of them would be reallywell related to this
conversation if you'relistening.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
So interesting.
Maybe we need to fix the sleepand the stress initially, or at
least be on that path.
And then maybe this becomes ana good option.
Adrian Mamikonian (11:43):
Right.
And I mean, it doesn't have tobe one or the other, it can be
together, right?
So I mean, we want to be eatingthe right macronutrients and we
can do that whilesimultaneously fasting and
starting at the 12-12 fastbecause we all fast at night,
right?
We all fast while we'resleeping.
So if, you know, but if youstart with a 12-12 fast.
(12:05):
So let's say you stop eating at8 o'clock at night and you push
your breakfast until eighto'clock in the morning.
That's doable for most, youknow, for most people.
And that's still a fast.
So let's start there.
Let's really make sure you'regetting your nutrients in.
And I tell all of my newclients this when we start
fasting in in my program, is Iwant to see your macros because
(12:27):
I'm not going to permit like anextended fast until I see that
you're getting in all of thosenutrients because um we've got
to have that, that's got to be apriority, you know.
And you know, the flip side isalso true.
So if people are like, oh,fasting is, you know, it's not
working for me, it's making mefeel horrible, and I can't, you
(12:47):
know, we shouldn't be doing thisand all this stuff.
Well, like, let's look at theseother lifestyle factors.
Maybe it's not the fastingthat's the issue.
Maybe it's some of the otherthings, you know, about your
overall health journey that weneed to tweak some to make it
doable and effective for you.
Cheryl Fischer (13:04):
Yeah, that really makes sense.
That really makes sense.
And there's a reason to have tobe working with someone to
figure it out for sure.
Yes, absolutely.
Actually, one clarifyingquestion for uh whoever is
listening right now, when we sayfasting, we're meaning that uh
water is fine, but we're noteating actual food or uh is
(13:27):
there anything else besideswater that's okay?
Adrian Mamikonian (13:29):
Yes.
So what I tell my clients isless than 50 calories and no
fiber.
So you're not eating like halfan apple.
So for the purposes of fat lossand really most of the benefits
that we want, the, you know,the brain function, you know, uh
the digestive issues, thebloating, like all of those
things.
(13:49):
We we don't have to be soextreme.
If you're fasting for a medicalcondition, you know, that
you're trying to improve, thenyou might have to be more
strict.
So I can have coffee in themorning, I can have a little
something in my coffee.
It's not gonna be coffee, mate.
I'm sorry, to report if you ifit has sugar, it will break your
(14:10):
fast and that will send yourblood sugar, you know.
Uh you don't want to have thesugar and the caffeine and and
do that while fasting.
That's that is really gonnamake you feel bad.
So, you know, I have just Ihave either half and half.
I we live in Europe, so ourdairy is very, very good
quality, so we can have thedairy here.
Um, so I have a little bit ofwhole milk or half and half, and
(14:34):
you can put that in yourcoffee, or you know, there's all
kinds of things out there thator or black if that's how you
like it too.
Right.
Okay, okay.
Green tea or something likethat would probably work.
Okay.
Those are all fine, yes.
And you can even, you know, inin my program, you know, once
you've been my client for a longtime, we might experience or
(14:55):
experiment with some longerfasts, like maybe we do a
24-hour fast.
And in that time, if you'restarting to really feel like,
oh, okay, like I really needsome food, you can have a little
bone broth.
And that kind of helps too ifyou're really struggling to get
through your fasting window andeverything, you know, you've
eaten enough the day before, youhaven't had foods high in
sugar, salt, and alcohol, youknow, all those things.
(15:17):
Um, then you can kind of dothat as you're easing into the
fasting, your fasting program.
It's giving me colonoscopyvibes, but I know that's not
what we're talking about.
Cheryl Fischer (15:28):
The bone broth.
But that's helpful actually.
Maybe uh because I know thatpeople have said to me, I've
tried it and I I didn't have agreat experience.
I wonder if they were being toostrict or they were going too
hard at first or something likethat.
So I like your approach fromthat sense.
Adrian Mamikonian (15:45):
Yeah, and I I think just again, it can't just
be fasting.
It's like I tried it and what?
I tried it and I ate just saladand I didn't have enough
protein, or I tried it and I hadthree margaritas.
And maybe I was like, what?
I tried it and and what?
Like tell me what your whole,you know, I need to know what
does your whole day, what doesyour whole day look like?
(16:07):
And that, and then I can kindof, you know, determine like,
did you fast?
So what happens sometimes ispeople will tell me, like, I
fast, and then once I break myfast, I'm like, you know, I'm
just inhaling the food becauseI'm so hungry.
And what that tells me issomething happened the day
before that you were not set upfor your fast today.
(16:27):
You know, you didn't, you, youdidn't eat enough yesterday,
there wasn't enough protein,there wasn't enough healthy
fats, you didn't sleep well, youdidn't get enough hydration,
you know, there's so manyfactors at play.
And it's not about beingperfect, but if it's really, if
you're really feeling like thisis not something that I can do,
there's something else that youknow that we need to tweak.
(16:48):
Okay.
Okay.
I like that perspective.
Cheryl Fischer (16:50):
Yeah.
Okay.
So I, as I often do, I put theword out to my Patreon community
and ask them, what would youask if you were interviewing
Adrian?
And so we're we're headed intosome questions that I know they
really want to know the answerto.
So Karen and Jill askedquestions both about protein.
(17:10):
And the idea being, is it truethat you should break your fast
with protein?
And if so, then what would be agood choice?
And then also, I think this wasJill was saying, don't they
look more at men for thesestudies about intermittent
fasting?
And and women then end up notgetting enough protein if they
do this.
(17:31):
So it seems like there's somekind of misinformation out
there.
But what do you think?
Adrian Mamikonian (17:35):
Yes, for sure.
So the first question aboutbreaking your fast with protein,
yes, absolutely.
We want to be breaking our fastwith really a combination of
healthy proteins, fats, andcarbs, right?
Um, so we really want a varietyof those macronutrients, um,
but protein being the mostimportant.
(17:56):
And I would suggest I typicallybreak my fast with a some sort
of smoothie.
So I like to do some berriesbecause they're very low
glycemic index.
I do some coconut water becauseit's a natural electrolyte.
And when we're fasting, youknow, we're we want to make sure
we keep our hydration up.
And then I add a little bit ofalmond butter and then my
(18:18):
supplements, you know, thecreatine, the protein powder.
And that's a great,well-rounded, easy to digest.
That's also key.
You want something easy todigest, kind of first breakfast
meal.
And then a couple hours later,it's like, okay, I've had my
first meal.
I've, you know, my blood sugarfeels stable.
Then I'm gonna have, you know,either a salad with protein or I
(18:40):
might just have a big, I'm I'ma big, like, I love a big snack.
So I might just make a platewith some, you know, turkey or
chicken and hummus and veggiesand and things like that.
And then I have dinner, ofcourse, with my family.
So that's kind of you know howI like to plan my day, but it's
really, you know, it's really upto you.
I can't eat eggs, but eggs is agreat way to break your fast
(19:01):
too.
That's another really kind ofwell-rounded protein.
And then the other questionabout the I couldn't tell if
that was about the the fastingor the um protein, but the the
protein for women, the amount isreally the minimum minimum for
women should be 100 grams a day.
And then of course it dependson your weight, but it's about
(19:22):
0.8 to one gram per pound ofbody weight, is how much protein
that we're wanting to get inper day.
Cheryl Fischer (19:32):
So that's a lot, yeah.
And and so her Jill's questionkind of makes me think that
maybe intermittent fasting hasbeen presented a little bit
differently, like you have toyou have to eat less, you have
to you know take things out ofyour diet and that sort of
thing, because otherwise, I meanit just seemed like she was
(19:55):
saying, I feel like I'm notgonna get enough protein.
I feel like women doing thiswouldn't get enough protein.
Yes.
And so that's kind ofinteresting.
Adrian Mamikonian (20:02):
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
And I think again, it's you wehave to make nutrition the
priority.
So, I mean, when I'm eating inthis eight-hour window, it's
like I'm I've got to get it allin.
So that's why a smoothie is agreat addition.
We've got to be conscious ofthe types of proteins that we're
eating.
And when I teach my clientsabout macronutrients, like
(20:25):
protein or sorry, peanut butteris not a protein, right?
People often think like peanutbutter and cheese are really
good protein sources, butactually they're more of a fat.
Fat has twice the calories asprotein and carbs per gram.
So when you're you'd have toeat a lot of peanut butter,
right, to get the amount ofprotein that you need, and
(20:46):
you're going to be way over onyour calories.
So we've got to be reallystrategic in what types of foods
that we're eating within thatwindow.
Because if we're just like notlooking at anything but the
protein, you could be way in aum in a calorie surplus because
it could be more fat.
So, like if you eat a flanksteak, that's way different than
(21:06):
a ribeye, right?
It's gonna a ribeye is gonnahave less protein and more fat
because that's what it's uhconsists of.
But a flank steak is gonna bemore lean.
So we want to be thinking aboutthose things when we're, you
know, when we're choosing ournutrition for the day and and
just being, you know, very, veryconscious of it.
So it takes a while, you know.
(21:27):
It's not, I mean, if you're notgonna, you know, build up your
protein that much on day one,but when you're combining these
strategies with strengthtraining, with high intensity
interval workouts, and we'rewe're not just focused on the
fasting.
It's like, okay, today we'refasting and we're doing a low
(21:50):
carb macro day, still gettingour protein in, and we're
combining that withhigh-intensity interval training
for 15 to 20 minutes maximum.
And then we are reducing ourglycogen stores.
So then the next day we can dothe same thing, but add in those
carbohydrates back and reducethe fats, and all of that is
(22:10):
going to build up your muscle,which is what determines your
metabolism.
It is the number one thing.
So, aging, I mean, agingcontributes, of course, but one
of the reasons aging contributesto your metabolism reducing is
because we lose muscle when weage.
So we've got to keep up thatmuscle strength.
And once we get the muscle, Imean, you're gonna have the
appetite.
(22:31):
I mean, my client's eight, youknow, your metabolism is gonna
raise, you can afford morecalories, and then you're gonna
be able to get that protein inand really have a lot more
energy.
Cheryl Fischer (22:43):
I I appreciate you saying this about aging
because I have a family memberwho's going through a chronic
disease where she was toldyou're gonna lose even more
muscle and you better keepexercising, even just to
maintain.
But even for those of us thatare healthy, it does get more
difficult to build and maintainmuscle as we get older.
(23:05):
And while I hate to makestatements like that, it's just
true.
And so we need to be a littlebit more focused on that.
Adrian Mamikonian (23:12):
Absolutely, more diligent, lifting heavy,
not five pounds, you know, untilyou fatigue.
I would say you should be doing10 reps, 10 reps maximum until
you're fatigued.
And if you can do 15 to 20 repsof a certain exercise, it's too
light.
You need to go heavier.
(23:32):
So, which is kind of nicebecause it's it doesn't take so
much time.
You know, you don't have to sitthere for half an hour, you
know, doing the bicep curls.
You need three to four sets,eight to ten reps, do it till
you know, to fatigue, and youknow, you can be in and out of
the gym or your you know, homegym or whatever.
And I mean, it should not takeyou more than 30 minutes,
(23:55):
really.
That's a great point.
I like that.
Yeah.
Because we're all busy.
We quick is good.
Quick is good, and multitaskingis good too.
If I can do if I can listen toa podcast or do something at the
same time, even better.
I agree.
I agree.
We can listen to this podcast.
Okay.
Pick up some weights.
(24:17):
Exactly, exactly.
Cheryl Fischer (24:19):
Okay, so let's see.
Lisa also had a question, andshe was asking, are there
certain types of bodycompositions who would be better
suited to doing intermittentfasting, or certain people who
maybe shouldn't try it?
Adrian Mamikonian (24:33):
Yeah, that's a great question.
I would say, um, well, ofcourse, as we mentioned earlier,
we've got to make sure we haveit's the whole package, the
nutrition, the exercise.
So if you're right now likeeating fast food or eating a lot
of processed foods and you wantto introduce fasting, I would
not recommend that.
You have to do it incombination with diet, you know,
(24:56):
nutrition, macronutrients.
I can't say it enough.
If you have a likehypothyroidism, some sort of
immune condition, those arethings that we can talk about
together.
I also have my integrativehealth practitioner
certification, so I can help youthrough some of those things.
Maybe it's a good fit for you,maybe it's not, maybe we don't
try that at first, maybe weintroduce it later or do a um a
(25:20):
fasting window that's a littlebit longer or a eating window
that's a little bit longer,maybe a 12-12 or something like
that.
And then if you are a if youare an athlete like really
training for, you know,something big, you just want to
be sure that you're getting allof your nutrition in and having
time to get all of yournutrition in.
So, and then of course, I mean,if you're growing, my child, I
(25:44):
have teenagers, and I'm like,you're, you know, I am skipping
breakfast, but you're growingand you know, you need to be
eating in the morning.
And so um, we talk about that alot in my family because you
know, they see me fasting in themorning, and I don't want them
to think it's a diet.
And so I talk to them about whyI fast and how it helps me and
why it's important that they eatbreakfast because they're
(26:07):
growing and they need, you know,they need that that support.
Cheryl Fischer (26:10):
So I'm glad you're saying this because I'm
gonna call out some listenersright now because over the past
few weeks, for some reason, Ihave had conversations with
multiple people in multipledifferent situations about how
they just I'm doing air quotes,don't do breakfast.
It's so kind, and I'm likecoming across all these people
(26:31):
all at once, and I guess this iswhy, so that we could talk
about this.
The problem is, what I'mhearing from you is they usually
do do coffee or whatever.
So I need if I'm gonna havecoffee, which I don't have every
morning, I need to eatsomething, otherwise, it bothers
my stomach.
And I suspect that that'sprobably true of a lot of
(26:51):
people.
So this whole I don't dobreakfast thing strikes me as
not a great habit.
Adrian Mamikonian (26:57):
Yeah, I mean, I think I, you know, I I don't
skip breakfast, I just delay it,right?
I mean, we have it later in themorning.
There's nothing wrong withbreakfast.
I mean, that's what it means,right?
Break fast.
So there's nothing, you know,there's nothing wrong with but
saying I don't do breakfast andthen you're like drinking Diet
Coke all day until three in theafternoon when you, you know,
(27:19):
crash into you know the cookiebowl or whatever, you know, it's
not it's not the answer.
So um it's you know, it'stempting to say, like, oh well,
if I fast for 16 hours, maybe Ishould fast for why don't I fast
for 20 hours, you know.
We've we have to have thatfeasting and fasting the
balance.
Cheryl Fischer (27:40):
Yeah.
Adrian Mamikonian (27:40):
And if we don't give our bodies enough
calories, that becomes aproblem, doesn't it?
Yes.
So if we're not, if you'reconsistently, and which is why
I'm so passionate, I should say,with my clients about getting
enough nutrition, because it'ssuch a different mindset for
women, right?
We're like we always want to beeating less, like the least
amount possible.
I mean, it seems like,especially if you're trying to
(28:01):
lose weight, or you know, you'vemaybe been trying for a long
time and you just think youshould just be eating the least
amount possible.
But the problem with that isone, you're not gonna be moving
as much.
So this is something people Ifeel like is not talked about
really enough, is that if we'renot, if you're not eating
enough, you're going tonaturally be moving a lot less.
It might not, you might noteven notice it, but food is
(28:24):
energy.
And if you don't have energy,you're not gonna be just
naturally moving, fidgeting,moving around the house, doing
things because you're not gonnahave the energy.
So it it kind of cancels itselfout there.
But the other thing thathappens if you do that for a
long period of time is well,one, you're gonna lose muscle,
your metabolism's gonna go down,right?
So metabolism is just thatnumber that of calories that you
(28:46):
can eat and maintain yourweight, right?
So if it's 15, let's just sayfor mass sake, it's 1500.
So if you are, you know, say,okay, I'm gonna eat at 1300
because I want to lose weight,and then you do that for weeks
and weeks and weeks, then 1300is your new set point.
Ah I mean, how low can how lowcan you go?
(29:09):
I mean, you know, it's likethen it's like, oh my gosh, I
want to lose more weight.
Now I've got to eat a thousandcalories, and you can't even
hardly, you know, keep your headup during the day because
you're exhausted.
So my goal is always we want, Iwant my clients eating the
most.
I want you eating the most youpossibly can because I want you
to have the energy to serve allthese people, right?
(29:29):
I mean, teenagers who've gotkids going to college, maybe
they're even older than that.
Um, and you're we're all, youknow, these new phases of life.
We've got parents that areaging, we've got, you know, it's
a it's a lot going on duringthis stage of life, and we need
the energy to be there for thepeople around us.
And we can't do that on 1200calories.
(29:51):
It's like it's such a mindsetshift for my clients who come in
just saying, like, tell me howmuch, you know, if I have to eat
1200 calories, I'll eat it.
I'm like, actually.
And want you to eat even more,and then we're going to build up
muscle to support thatmetabolism.
Cheryl Fischer (30:06):
I really love that.
It's you explain that reallysimply and clearly.
And I think that's probablygoing to hit some people because
we do try to diet and we try todeprive ourselves.
And I don't because I get wackyin the head when I try to
deprive myself.
But I know people do.
And it doesn't generally end upworking, or or we kind of yo-yo
(30:30):
back the other way or somethinglike that.
Yeah.
Adrian Mamikonian (30:32):
Yes.
It never you will, I mean, youcan white knuckle it through,
you know, whatever diet.
I mean, you know, there's amillion out there for a few
days, but it it will never worklong term.
Like the happy hour, the girls'night, the vacation, it will
always come at some point.
And then it's like, then whatdo you do?
(30:53):
You have to find a way whereall foods that you enjoy and
that make you feel good fit.
We can't have this where youcan't have this.
Okay, on this program you canhave this, but you can't have
this.
Everything has to be allowedall the time.
And I'm the same way when Ifeed my kids.
Everything is allowed all thetime.
We can't be like, you can'thave this, you can't have this,
(31:14):
because then what do they do?
They, you know, or at least mydaughter will, you know, find
her way into the into the closetand and you know, eat it all
because it's like the forbidden,the forbidden thing.
Cheryl Fischer (31:24):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I I like that we've taken kindof a holistic perspective with
this.
I think this is really going tobe helpful.
So uh while I am making surenot to forget, tell us where can
people connect with you or findout more about what you do.
Adrian Mamikonian (31:42):
Yeah, so Instagram is really the best.
I have tried, I've had a couplewebsites, but really Instagram
is where I'm the most active.
You can message me.
I always respond.
It's always me responding.
Um, you can kind of see what Ihave to offer there.
You can go to my link, and thenI can, and then I can give you
the link also to, you know, tothe program that I coach, and we
(32:04):
can start there.
So I do a group program where Iteach you intermittent fasting.
I teach you, um, I'll set upyour personalized macros for
you, your protein, fats, andcarbs, how much you need to be
eating every day.
And so I can coach you throughall that.
That really is the foundationof any health program, right?
I mean, the supplements, allthat stuff comes later, but
(32:24):
really I want all of my clientsto have that foundation.
And then if it's like, okay,I'm really still experiencing
this or that, then we can go onto some of the integrative
health things and I can workwith you individually on that.
Okay, that's great.
Cheryl Fischer (32:37):
Yeah, and I will put that information in the
show notes so that it's easy tofind.
And then let's wrap up withkind of honestly my favorite
question because I am alwaysexcited to see what people say.
Yeah.
Somebody is exercising withtheir heavy weights, or they're
driving the car and they'relistening to this and they're
thinking this is all good, buthow am I going to remember it
(32:58):
all?
What's the one thing that ismost important for somebody
listening to remember about thisdiscussion?
Adrian Mamikonian (33:06):
I think the most important thing is just
take one small step at a time.
It's we don't have toimplement, it's like I can hear
people listening, especially ifyou're like a little type A and
you're like, okay, now I'm gonnabe fasting and I'm gonna eat
all my protein and I'm gonnalift weights, and it's like zero
to, you know, no, which iswhat's one thing that you can do
(33:29):
today?
If you're feeling overwhelmedwith everything that we've
talked about, um, what's onething that you can do today to
move yourself towards yourgoals, right?
And all our goals aredifferent.
We all, but we all want to feelgood, right?
So in order to get you feelingreally your best, what's one
thing that you can do?
It's about small stepsconsistently, not something
(33:51):
drastic.
Cheryl Fischer (33:52):
I really, really appreciate that and definitely
agree because oftentimes we trythe drastic stuff and we don't
stick with it long anyway.
Adrian Mamikonian (34:00):
I'm I'm a testament to that.
I was thinking I was like wholewhole 30, like whole 24 hours,
I think is how much how long Ilasted.
Cheryl Fischer (34:10):
Yeah, it's tough.
It's tough to throw it all atthe wall at the same time.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, Adrian, thank you somuch.
This has really been helpful.
And I know that uh if you'relistening, I know you learned a
lot.
So thanks.
Adrian Mamikonian (34:23):
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Cheryl Fischer (34:26):
I really, really, really appreciate
Adrian's answer that we need tomake a change kind of one piece
at a time because it's socommon, isn't it, that we find
out about this new theory, thisnew great thing, it's gonna be
the solution.
You have to change everything.
You have to start 10 new thingsevery morning and 27 new things
(34:48):
every night, and you only eatin this window, and you only eat
those things.
And then we do that for a dayor five days or whatever, and
then we kind of freak out.
So I do take 30 days every nowand then, and I am a bit more
careful about what I eat in thatperiod, and I make sure that I
eat things that give me energyand that aren't hard for my body
(35:12):
to digest.
And then most of the time,outside of those windows, I am
eating what I know gives meenergy.
For example, I don't usuallyeat gluten because it makes me
tired, but I make the decisionat the time, right?
If somebody's gonna give me acookie or something, I'm
probably gonna eat it.
I'm digressing.
My point is, I agree with herthat if we try to revamp
(35:36):
everything all at once in a verystrict or complex way, we're
we're likely kind of shootingourselves in the foot.
So try something.
Certainly go find Adrian onInstagram, get the link in the
show notes, find out more, askher questions, and then guess
what?
She gave our Patreon communitya five-day meal plan.
(36:00):
And we had an extra interviewtalking about what exactly would
we eat during the day.
So make sure that you come hangout with us in MindYour Midlife
Patreon.
That's patreon.com slashmindyourmidlife in the
collective, and you will be ableto grab that.
And we we really had a greatdiscussion there as well.
(36:23):
I hope this episode really gaveyou some clarity on a really
hot topic.
If you are listening on Apple,if you would take just a minute
and go to Mind Your Midlife andscroll down and hit the five
stars and write a little review.
It doesn't have to be anythingfancy, a couple sentences is
(36:45):
great.
It makes such a difference intelling the app to share these
episodes with more people.
And if you're on Spotify orsomething else, if you tap the
five stars, that would beamazing.
And I will see you again soon.
In the meantime, slow down,notice what's going on around
you, what's going on in yourhead.
(37:06):
Let's create something amazing.
Intermittent fasting.
I feel like I need to say thatslowly to be careful.
What a hot topic.
Oh my goodness, when Imentioned to some friends that I
was gonna be doing an episodeabout this, whew! Everything
blew up.
We all want to know.
So today you're gonna find out.
Let's talk about it.
Welcome to Mind Your Midlife,your go-to resource for
(00:25):
confidence and success, onethought at a time.
Unlike most advice out there,we believe that simply telling
you to believe in yourself orchange your habits isn't enough
to wake up excited about life orfeel truly confident in your
body.
Each week, you'll gainactionable strategies and oh my
(00:45):
goodness, powerful insights tostop feeling stuck and start
loving your midlife.
This is the Mind Your Midlifepodcast.
I've known for some time thatin order to have really ideal
gut health, we need to give ourgut, our digestive system, time,
(01:08):
probably at night, to not onlyfinish digesting whatever we've
eaten that day, but also do areset.
And we're not really going togo into exactly what that reset
is in this particular episode.
I need to do one about thattoo, but it needs to be a
certain amount of time.
And what I had heard was 12hours was ideal.
(01:30):
Now, unfortunately, I am a latedinner eater, and that happened
because of going to the gymafter work, kids' sports, all
that stuff just over time.
So my husband and I tend to eatdinner a little bit late.
That being said, we could wecould certainly have a certain
window, whatever we want, and wecould then eat breakfast at
(01:52):
whatever time made sense forwhatever this window was that we
want.
So I know we can handle it.
And is that what intermittentfasting means?
Because I feel like there'sthere's research out there,
there's people talking about it,making it sound very
complicated, and you have to doit this way or you have to do it
(02:13):
that way.
So even though I knew a certainwindow of time, not eating was
probably good, I really wantedto know a lot more.
And I know that's the case foryou too.
So my guest today is AdrienneMamakonian, and she specializes
in empowering us, women over 40,to reclaim our vitality, to
(02:38):
live life to the fullest.
I'm on board with that,absolutely.
She gives personalized guidanceabout living healthy, and a
piece of that is intermittentfasting.
And so, welcome, Adrian.
Adrian Mamikonian (02:53):
Thank you.
It's so nice to be here.
And I just I love this, all theconversations about midlife.
And um, I'm so excited to chattoday.
I'm excited too.
Cheryl Fischer (03:03):
And as if you're listening, as you'll hear in a
few minutes, I got so manypeople asking me questions about
this topic.
So I know we're gonna have agood conversation.
We are diving into intermittentfasting today.
And so initially, I think I'mjust gonna say, first of all,
tell us what that means, becauseI feel like it's a buzzword
(03:25):
that we hear.
Maybe we don't really know whatit means, and then what's your
experience with it?
Adrian Mamikonian (03:30):
Yeah, absolutely.
And it is, I feel like,controversial right now in the
market.
You can kind of hear both ends,you know, of the spectrum in
terms of opinions, and you mightwatch something and form an
opinion just based on you knowthat one person.
So I do think it's important tojust like let's look at the
research and and talk about whatintermittent fasting really is.
(03:51):
It's not something that is, youknow, you have to be afraid of,
it's not something that has tobe extreme.
Um, it's certainly not starvingyourself or dieting.
I think when people think offasting, they think of really
something very, veryrestrictive.
And really all it is is aneating schedule.
(04:11):
So you're just picking a periodof time in which you are
consuming food.
That doesn't even necessarilymean that you are reducing your
calories.
You're just picking a window inwhich you're eating them
because I have many clients who,you know, have met their goal
weight, are at their goalweight, and they want to
maintain and they can stillpractice intermittent fasting as
(04:33):
long as, and I tell all of myclients this, you get your
nutrition in within that window.
Because if you can't, then weneed to extend it.
So nutrition always comesfirst.
We're not fasting, you know, atall costs, even if we feel
horrible and our heart's racingand all of the other things,
right?
We really take a strategicapproach to fasting.
(04:55):
And the purpose is really tohave periods of digestive rest.
And that's where all of thebenefits come in with fasting.
We want periods of feastingwhere we're eating and we're
really building up thosecarbohydrates and fats and
proteins, and periods where weare fasting to give our bodies
that digestive rest.
(05:16):
It's good for our gut, it'sgood for our brain, it's good
for so many things, um,especially I'm, you know, in my
opinion, in midlife.
Cheryl Fischer (05:25):
So I I am thinking that maybe the whole
time this should have beencalled feasting and fasting, and
then maybe people would be somuch more excited about it.
So the fasting is the windowwhen you're not eating.
And is there is there a certainamount of time that that needs
(05:47):
to be?
Uh or is there kind of asliding scale?
Adrian Mamikonian (05:50):
Definitely a sliding scale, and there's
different ways to do fastingdepending on your goals,
depending on your lifestyle.
For many people, doing a16-hour uh fast and an
eight-hour eating window worksvery well for just your typical
sort of American lifestyle.
Um, but for some people itworks better to not fast at all
(06:12):
and then do a longer fast oneday a week or two days a week.
So it just depends what you're,you know, what you're looking
to do, what your lifestyle is,you know, if you're doing shift
work, if you get up at fouro'clock in the morning to, you
know, work out and then go towork, like you're not going to
be able to last until 12 noon,you know, before you have
something to eat.
(06:33):
So we really have to considerall of those factors when we
come up with, which I do, youknow, with my clients and come
up with a window that reallyworks for you.
And just, you know, juststarting off slow.
I mean, if you're I mean, Iwhen I started fasting, I was
someone who I have to have my,you know, oatmeal or whatever,
as soon as my feet hit the floorin the morning.
(06:53):
I could not, you know, so forme it was a very gradual process
and um in terms of introducingthe fasting.
Cheryl Fischer (07:01):
Yeah.
Okay, that makes sense to me.
And it it seems like, and I Imean, I knew this a little bit
before, but I'm gonna ask thequestion anyway.
It seems like one of the reallykey benefits besides
potentially losing weight is guthealth.
So tell us a little bit moreabout why that is and how that
(07:22):
works.
Adrian Mamikonian (07:23):
Absolutely, yes.
I mean, you know, I wasexperiencing bloating.
I was on prescription acidreflux medication ever since I
had for years and years andyears after I was I had it when
I was pregnant, and then I justnever went away and I was never
able to get rid of it.
So that's one thing that just,I mean, it makes sense, right?
If you're having periods whereyou're not eating, you're not
(07:44):
having that constant acid, um,acid reflux, the the bloating
dissipates because you're havingthose periods of digestive rest
where your body is able to restand repair those cells.
It also causes our insulin tobe more sensitive, which is what
you know, we don't want insulinresistance, which leads to
diabetes, which is those up anddown and up and down of the
(08:06):
blood sugar cycle.
So when we have, when ourinsulin is more sensitive, when
we're more sensitive to insulin,I should say, we can absorb
that, those carbohydrates, theglucose that's in our food more
easily and keeping our bloodsugar stable.
So that's very helpful in termsof fat loss, but also, of
course, gut health and umhormone health and you know, all
(08:30):
of the other things.
Cheryl Fischer (08:32):
So that my brain is trying to understand it.
So that's interesting becauseit feels to me like blood sugar
would be less stable if we wereeating less often, but you're
kind of saying the opposite.
Adrian Mamikonian (08:45):
Right.
And I mean, not only that, butit it regulates our our hunger
hormones, right?
The hormones that tell us we'rehungry and the other hormone
that tells us we're full, thoseare more regulated when you're
just eating in that period oftime because you're not having
the constant up and down of yourblood sugar.
You're giving yourself thatthat time for repair and really
(09:07):
almost mimicking it, although Imean, I'm no expert in ketosis
or keto.
I've never been successful at aketo diet ever in my life.
But when we're intermittentfasting, we can sort of mimic
that effect where it has a verycalming effect on the nervous
system.
As long as, I feel like I needto put this big disclaimer, as
long as you are, you know, notunder a major stress.
(09:32):
You're sleeping okay, you haveyour nutrition in check.
So those are very importantthings to consider when you know
we're trying to get the thebenefits of fasting, is it's
it's not helpful if you are in atailspin, you know.
So that's one of the thingsthat people talk about.
(09:53):
Oh, midlife, it's fasting isreally harmful because our
cortisol goes up when we'refasting, and we don't want, you
know, we don't want thatcortisol spike.
But I mean, our cortisol spikesevery morning, right?
Our cortisol spikes every day.
To wake us up.
Yeah, that's what gets us upand gets us moving in the
morning.
Um, and so that's okay.
Now, exercise is also astressor, also increases
(10:16):
cortisol.
So there's lots of things inour day that increase cortisol,
and fasting is one of them.
So we don't want to be addingthat on top of eating a lot of
processed foods, not getting theproper macronutrients, not
sleeping well, you know, ifyou're in the middle of a major,
you know, life event, that isnot the time really to introduce
(10:39):
fasting.
However, when you do it for aperiod of time, you really train
your body to go into thatfat-burning mode, which is
relatively stable in terms ofblood sugar.
But if your body is in fight orflight and your nervous system
is revved up, then yes, youryour blood sugar and your
cortisol are going to beaffected by that.
Cheryl Fischer (11:03):
Wow, that's really interesting.
And and certainly in midlife,there's all this stuff going on.
You're absolutely right aboutthat.
And in fact, today, on the daywe're recording this, the
episode that just came out ofMind Your Midlife is about
sleep.
And so I will link that in theshow notes because that plus an
episode from June or July withDee Davidson about hot flashes
(11:25):
and blood sugar.
Both of them would be reallywell related to this
conversation if you'relistening.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
So interesting.
Maybe we need to fix the sleepand the stress initially, or at
least be on that path.
And then maybe this becomes ana good option.
Adrian Mamikonian (11:43):
Right.
And I mean, it doesn't have tobe one or the other, it can be
together, right?
So I mean, we want to be eatingthe right macronutrients and we
can do that whilesimultaneously fasting and
starting at the 12-12 fastbecause we all fast at night,
right?
We all fast while we'resleeping.
So if, you know, but if youstart with a 12-12 fast.
(12:05):
So let's say you stop eating at8 o'clock at night and you push
your breakfast until eighto'clock in the morning.
That's doable for most, youknow, for most people.
And that's still a fast.
So let's start there.
Let's really make sure you'regetting your nutrients in.
And I tell all of my newclients this when we start
fasting in in my program, is Iwant to see your macros because
(12:27):
I'm not going to permit like anextended fast until I see that
you're getting in all of thosenutrients because um we've got
to have that, that's got to be apriority, you know.
And you know, the flip side isalso true.
So if people are like, oh,fasting is, you know, it's not
working for me, it's making mefeel horrible, and I can't, you
(12:47):
know, we shouldn't be doing thisand all this stuff.
Well, like, let's look at theseother lifestyle factors.
Maybe it's not the fastingthat's the issue.
Maybe it's some of the otherthings, you know, about your
overall health journey that weneed to tweak some to make it
doable and effective for you.
Cheryl Fischer (13:04):
Yeah, that really makes sense.
That really makes sense.
And there's a reason to have tobe working with someone to
figure it out for sure.
Yes, absolutely.
Actually, one clarifyingquestion for uh whoever is
listening right now, when we sayfasting, we're meaning that uh
water is fine, but we're noteating actual food or uh is
(13:27):
there anything else besideswater that's okay?
Adrian Mamikonian (13:29):
Yes.
So what I tell my clients isless than 50 calories and no
fiber.
So you're not eating like halfan apple.
So for the purposes of fat lossand really most of the benefits
that we want, the, you know,the brain function, you know, uh
the digestive issues, thebloating, like all of those
things.
(13:49):
We we don't have to be soextreme.
If you're fasting for a medicalcondition, you know, that
you're trying to improve, thenyou might have to be more
strict.
So I can have coffee in themorning, I can have a little
something in my coffee.
It's not gonna be coffee, mate.
I'm sorry, to report if you ifit has sugar, it will break your
(14:10):
fast and that will send yourblood sugar, you know.
Uh you don't want to have thesugar and the caffeine and and
do that while fasting.
That's that is really gonnamake you feel bad.
So, you know, I have just Ihave either half and half.
I we live in Europe, so ourdairy is very, very good
quality, so we can have thedairy here.
Um, so I have a little bit ofwhole milk or half and half, and
(14:34):
you can put that in yourcoffee, or you know, there's all
kinds of things out there thator or black if that's how you
like it too.
Right.
Okay, okay.
Green tea or something likethat would probably work.
Okay.
Those are all fine, yes.
And you can even, you know, inin my program, you know, once
you've been my client for a longtime, we might experience or
(14:55):
experiment with some longerfasts, like maybe we do a
24-hour fast.
And in that time, if you'restarting to really feel like,
oh, okay, like I really needsome food, you can have a little
bone broth.
And that kind of helps too ifyou're really struggling to get
through your fasting window andeverything, you know, you've
eaten enough the day before, youhaven't had foods high in
sugar, salt, and alcohol, youknow, all those things.
(15:17):
Um, then you can kind of dothat as you're easing into the
fasting, your fasting program.
It's giving me colonoscopyvibes, but I know that's not
what we're talking about.
Cheryl Fischer (15:28):
The bone broth.
But that's helpful actually.
Maybe uh because I know thatpeople have said to me, I've
tried it and I I didn't have agreat experience.
I wonder if they were being toostrict or they were going too
hard at first or something likethat.
So I like your approach fromthat sense.
Adrian Mamikonian (15:45):
Yeah, and I I think just again, it can't just
be fasting.
It's like I tried it and what?
I tried it and I ate just saladand I didn't have enough
protein, or I tried it and I hadthree margaritas.
And maybe I was like, what?
I tried it and and what?
Like tell me what your whole,you know, I need to know what
does your whole day, what doesyour whole day look like?
(16:07):
And that, and then I can kindof, you know, determine like,
did you fast?
So what happens sometimes ispeople will tell me, like, I
fast, and then once I break myfast, I'm like, you know, I'm
just inhaling the food becauseI'm so hungry.
And what that tells me issomething happened the day
before that you were not set upfor your fast today.
(16:27):
You know, you didn't, you, youdidn't eat enough yesterday,
there wasn't enough protein,there wasn't enough healthy
fats, you didn't sleep well, youdidn't get enough hydration,
you know, there's so manyfactors at play.
And it's not about beingperfect, but if it's really, if
you're really feeling like thisis not something that I can do,
there's something else that youknow that we need to tweak.
(16:48):
Okay.
Okay.
I like that perspective.
Cheryl Fischer (16:50):
Yeah.
Okay.
So I, as I often do, I put theword out to my Patreon community
and ask them, what would youask if you were interviewing
Adrian?
And so we're we're headed intosome questions that I know they
really want to know the answerto.
So Karen and Jill askedquestions both about protein.
(17:10):
And the idea being, is it truethat you should break your fast
with protein?
And if so, then what would be agood choice?
And then also, I think this wasJill was saying, don't they
look more at men for thesestudies about intermittent
fasting?
And and women then end up notgetting enough protein if they
do this.
(17:31):
So it seems like there's somekind of misinformation out
there.
But what do you think?
Adrian Mamikonian (17:35):
Yes, for sure.
So the first question aboutbreaking your fast with protein,
yes, absolutely.
We want to be breaking our fastwith really a combination of
healthy proteins, fats, andcarbs, right?
Um, so we really want a varietyof those macronutrients, um,
but protein being the mostimportant.
(17:56):
And I would suggest I typicallybreak my fast with a some sort
of smoothie.
So I like to do some berriesbecause they're very low
glycemic index.
I do some coconut water becauseit's a natural electrolyte.
And when we're fasting, youknow, we're we want to make sure
we keep our hydration up.
And then I add a little bit ofalmond butter and then my
(18:18):
supplements, you know, thecreatine, the protein powder.
And that's a great,well-rounded, easy to digest.
That's also key.
You want something easy todigest, kind of first breakfast
meal.
And then a couple hours later,it's like, okay, I've had my
first meal.
I've, you know, my blood sugarfeels stable.
Then I'm gonna have, you know,either a salad with protein or I
(18:40):
might just have a big, I'm I'ma big, like, I love a big snack.
So I might just make a platewith some, you know, turkey or
chicken and hummus and veggiesand and things like that.
And then I have dinner, ofcourse, with my family.
So that's kind of you know howI like to plan my day, but it's
really, you know, it's really upto you.
I can't eat eggs, but eggs is agreat way to break your fast
(19:01):
too.
That's another really kind ofwell-rounded protein.
And then the other questionabout the I couldn't tell if
that was about the the fastingor the um protein, but the the
protein for women, the amount isreally the minimum minimum for
women should be 100 grams a day.
And then of course it dependson your weight, but it's about
(19:22):
0.8 to one gram per pound ofbody weight, is how much protein
that we're wanting to get inper day.
Cheryl Fischer (19:32):
So that's a lot, yeah.
And and so her Jill's questionkind of makes me think that
maybe intermittent fasting hasbeen presented a little bit
differently, like you have toyou have to eat less, you have
to you know take things out ofyour diet and that sort of
thing, because otherwise, I meanit just seemed like she was
(19:55):
saying, I feel like I'm notgonna get enough protein.
I feel like women doing thiswouldn't get enough protein.
Yes.
And so that's kind ofinteresting.
Adrian Mamikonian (20:02):
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
And I think again, it's you wehave to make nutrition the
priority.
So, I mean, when I'm eating inthis eight-hour window, it's
like I'm I've got to get it allin.
So that's why a smoothie is agreat addition.
We've got to be conscious ofthe types of proteins that we're
eating.
And when I teach my clientsabout macronutrients, like
(20:25):
protein or sorry, peanut butteris not a protein, right?
People often think like peanutbutter and cheese are really
good protein sources, butactually they're more of a fat.
Fat has twice the calories asprotein and carbs per gram.
So when you're you'd have toeat a lot of peanut butter,
right, to get the amount ofprotein that you need, and
(20:46):
you're going to be way over onyour calories.
So we've got to be reallystrategic in what types of foods
that we're eating within thatwindow.
Because if we're just like notlooking at anything but the
protein, you could be way in aum in a calorie surplus because
it could be more fat.
So, like if you eat a flanksteak, that's way different than
(21:06):
a ribeye, right?
It's gonna a ribeye is gonnahave less protein and more fat
because that's what it's uhconsists of.
But a flank steak is gonna bemore lean.
So we want to be thinking aboutthose things when we're, you
know, when we're choosing ournutrition for the day and and
just being, you know, very, veryconscious of it.
So it takes a while, you know.
(21:27):
It's not, I mean, if you're notgonna, you know, build up your
protein that much on day one,but when you're combining these
strategies with strengthtraining, with high intensity
interval workouts, and we'rewe're not just focused on the
fasting.
It's like, okay, today we'refasting and we're doing a low
(21:50):
carb macro day, still gettingour protein in, and we're
combining that withhigh-intensity interval training
for 15 to 20 minutes maximum.
And then we are reducing ourglycogen stores.
So then the next day we can dothe same thing, but add in those
carbohydrates back and reducethe fats, and all of that is
(22:10):
going to build up your muscle,which is what determines your
metabolism.
It is the number one thing.
So, aging, I mean, agingcontributes, of course, but one
of the reasons aging contributesto your metabolism reducing is
because we lose muscle when weage.
So we've got to keep up thatmuscle strength.
And once we get the muscle, Imean, you're gonna have the
appetite.
(22:31):
I mean, my client's eight, youknow, your metabolism is gonna
raise, you can afford morecalories, and then you're gonna
be able to get that protein inand really have a lot more
energy.
Cheryl Fischer (22:43):
I I appreciate you saying this about aging
because I have a family memberwho's going through a chronic
disease where she was toldyou're gonna lose even more
muscle and you better keepexercising, even just to
maintain.
But even for those of us thatare healthy, it does get more
difficult to build and maintainmuscle as we get older.
(23:05):
And while I hate to makestatements like that, it's just
true.
And so we need to be a littlebit more focused on that.
Adrian Mamikonian (23:12):
Absolutely, more diligent, lifting heavy,
not five pounds, you know, untilyou fatigue.
I would say you should be doing10 reps, 10 reps maximum until
you're fatigued.
And if you can do 15 to 20 repsof a certain exercise, it's too
light.
You need to go heavier.
(23:32):
So, which is kind of nicebecause it's it doesn't take so
much time.
You know, you don't have to sitthere for half an hour, you
know, doing the bicep curls.
You need three to four sets,eight to ten reps, do it till
you know, to fatigue, and youknow, you can be in and out of
the gym or your you know, homegym or whatever.
And I mean, it should not takeyou more than 30 minutes,
(23:55):
really.
That's a great point.
I like that.
Yeah.
Because we're all busy.
We quick is good.
Quick is good, and multitaskingis good too.
If I can do if I can listen toa podcast or do something at the
same time, even better.
I agree.
I agree.
We can listen to this podcast.
Okay.
Pick up some weights.
(24:17):
Exactly, exactly.
Cheryl Fischer (24:19):
Okay, so let's see.
Lisa also had a question, andshe was asking, are there
certain types of bodycompositions who would be better
suited to doing intermittentfasting, or certain people who
maybe shouldn't try it?
Adrian Mamikonian (24:33):
Yeah, that's a great question.
I would say, um, well, ofcourse, as we mentioned earlier,
we've got to make sure we haveit's the whole package, the
nutrition, the exercise.
So if you're right now likeeating fast food or eating a lot
of processed foods and you wantto introduce fasting, I would
not recommend that.
You have to do it incombination with diet, you know,
(24:56):
nutrition, macronutrients.
I can't say it enough.
If you have a likehypothyroidism, some sort of
immune condition, those arethings that we can talk about
together.
I also have my integrativehealth practitioner
certification, so I can help youthrough some of those things.
Maybe it's a good fit for you,maybe it's not, maybe we don't
try that at first, maybe weintroduce it later or do a um a
(25:20):
fasting window that's a littlebit longer or a eating window
that's a little bit longer,maybe a 12-12 or something like
that.
And then if you are a if youare an athlete like really
training for, you know,something big, you just want to
be sure that you're getting allof your nutrition in and having
time to get all of yournutrition in.
So, and then of course, I mean,if you're growing, my child, I
(25:44):
have teenagers, and I'm like,you're, you know, I am skipping
breakfast, but you're growingand you know, you need to be
eating in the morning.
And so um, we talk about that alot in my family because you
know, they see me fasting in themorning, and I don't want them
to think it's a diet.
And so I talk to them about whyI fast and how it helps me and
why it's important that they eatbreakfast because they're
(26:07):
growing and they need, you know,they need that that support.
Cheryl Fischer (26:10):
So I'm glad you're saying this because I'm
gonna call out some listenersright now because over the past
few weeks, for some reason, Ihave had conversations with
multiple people in multipledifferent situations about how
they just I'm doing air quotes,don't do breakfast.
It's so kind, and I'm likecoming across all these people
(26:31):
all at once, and I guess this iswhy, so that we could talk
about this.
The problem is, what I'mhearing from you is they usually
do do coffee or whatever.
So I need if I'm gonna havecoffee, which I don't have every
morning, I need to eatsomething, otherwise, it bothers
my stomach.
And I suspect that that'sprobably true of a lot of
(26:51):
people.
So this whole I don't dobreakfast thing strikes me as
not a great habit.
Adrian Mamikonian (26:57):
Yeah, I mean, I think I, you know, I I don't
skip breakfast, I just delay it,right?
I mean, we have it later in themorning.
There's nothing wrong withbreakfast.
I mean, that's what it means,right?
Break fast.
So there's nothing, you know,there's nothing wrong with but
saying I don't do breakfast andthen you're like drinking Diet
Coke all day until three in theafternoon when you, you know,
(27:19):
crash into you know the cookiebowl or whatever, you know, it's
not it's not the answer.
So um it's you know, it'stempting to say, like, oh well,
if I fast for 16 hours, maybe Ishould fast for why don't I fast
for 20 hours, you know.
We've we have to have thatfeasting and fasting the
balance.
Cheryl Fischer (27:40):
Yeah.
Adrian Mamikonian (27:40):
And if we don't give our bodies enough
calories, that becomes aproblem, doesn't it?
Yes.
So if we're not, if you'reconsistently, and which is why
I'm so passionate, I should say,with my clients about getting
enough nutrition, because it'ssuch a different mindset for
women, right?
We're like we always want to beeating less, like the least
amount possible.
I mean, it seems like,especially if you're trying to
(28:01):
lose weight, or you know, you'vemaybe been trying for a long
time and you just think youshould just be eating the least
amount possible.
But the problem with that isone, you're not gonna be moving
as much.
So this is something people Ifeel like is not talked about
really enough, is that if we'renot, if you're not eating
enough, you're going tonaturally be moving a lot less.
It might not, you might noteven notice it, but food is
(28:24):
energy.
And if you don't have energy,you're not gonna be just
naturally moving, fidgeting,moving around the house, doing
things because you're not gonnahave the energy.
So it it kind of cancels itselfout there.
But the other thing thathappens if you do that for a
long period of time is well,one, you're gonna lose muscle,
your metabolism's gonna go down,right?
So metabolism is just thatnumber that of calories that you
(28:46):
can eat and maintain yourweight, right?
So if it's 15, let's just sayfor mass sake, it's 1500.
So if you are, you know, say,okay, I'm gonna eat at 1300
because I want to lose weight,and then you do that for weeks
and weeks and weeks, then 1300is your new set point.
Ah I mean, how low can how lowcan you go?
(29:09):
I mean, you know, it's likethen it's like, oh my gosh, I
want to lose more weight.
Now I've got to eat a thousandcalories, and you can't even
hardly, you know, keep your headup during the day because
you're exhausted.
So my goal is always we want, Iwant my clients eating the
most.
I want you eating the most youpossibly can because I want you
to have the energy to serve allthese people, right?
(29:29):
I mean, teenagers who've gotkids going to college, maybe
they're even older than that.
Um, and you're we're all, youknow, these new phases of life.
We've got parents that areaging, we've got, you know, it's
a it's a lot going on duringthis stage of life, and we need
the energy to be there for thepeople around us.
And we can't do that on 1200calories.
(29:51):
It's like it's such a mindsetshift for my clients who come in
just saying, like, tell me howmuch, you know, if I have to eat
1200 calories, I'll eat it.
I'm like, actually.
And want you to eat even more,and then we're going to build up
muscle to support thatmetabolism.
Cheryl Fischer (30:06):
I really love that.
It's you explain that reallysimply and clearly.
And I think that's probablygoing to hit some people because
we do try to diet and we try todeprive ourselves.
And I don't because I get wackyin the head when I try to
deprive myself.
But I know people do.
And it doesn't generally end upworking, or or we kind of yo-yo
(30:30):
back the other way or somethinglike that.
Yeah.
Adrian Mamikonian (30:32):
Yes.
It never you will, I mean, youcan white knuckle it through,
you know, whatever diet.
I mean, you know, there's amillion out there for a few
days, but it it will never worklong term.
Like the happy hour, the girls'night, the vacation, it will
always come at some point.
And then it's like, then whatdo you do?
(30:53):
You have to find a way whereall foods that you enjoy and
that make you feel good fit.
We can't have this where youcan't have this.
Okay, on this program you canhave this, but you can't have
this.
Everything has to be allowedall the time.
And I'm the same way when Ifeed my kids.
Everything is allowed all thetime.
We can't be like, you can'thave this, you can't have this,
(31:14):
because then what do they do?
They, you know, or at least mydaughter will, you know, find
her way into the into the closetand and you know, eat it all
because it's like the forbidden,the forbidden thing.
Cheryl Fischer (31:24):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I I like that we've taken kindof a holistic perspective with
this.
I think this is really going tobe helpful.
So uh while I am making surenot to forget, tell us where can
people connect with you or findout more about what you do.
Adrian Mamikonian (31:42):
Yeah, so Instagram is really the best.
I have tried, I've had a couplewebsites, but really Instagram
is where I'm the most active.
You can message me.
I always respond.
It's always me responding.
Um, you can kind of see what Ihave to offer there.
You can go to my link, and thenI can, and then I can give you
the link also to, you know, tothe program that I coach, and we
(32:04):
can start there.
So I do a group program where Iteach you intermittent fasting.
I teach you, um, I'll set upyour personalized macros for
you, your protein, fats, andcarbs, how much you need to be
eating every day.
And so I can coach you throughall that.
That really is the foundationof any health program, right?
I mean, the supplements, allthat stuff comes later, but
(32:24):
really I want all of my clientsto have that foundation.
And then if it's like, okay,I'm really still experiencing
this or that, then we can go onto some of the integrative
health things and I can workwith you individually on that.
Okay, that's great.
Cheryl Fischer (32:37):
Yeah, and I will put that information in the
show notes so that it's easy tofind.
And then let's wrap up withkind of honestly my favorite
question because I am alwaysexcited to see what people say.
Yeah.
Somebody is exercising withtheir heavy weights, or they're
driving the car and they'relistening to this and they're
thinking this is all good, buthow am I going to remember it
(32:58):
all?
What's the one thing that ismost important for somebody
listening to remember about thisdiscussion?
Adrian Mamikonian (33:06):
I think the most important thing is just
take one small step at a time.
It's we don't have toimplement, it's like I can hear
people listening, especially ifyou're like a little type A and
you're like, okay, now I'm gonnabe fasting and I'm gonna eat
all my protein and I'm gonnalift weights, and it's like zero
to, you know, no, which iswhat's one thing that you can do
(33:29):
today?
If you're feeling overwhelmedwith everything that we've
talked about, um, what's onething that you can do today to
move yourself towards yourgoals, right?
And all our goals aredifferent.
We all, but we all want to feelgood, right?
So in order to get you feelingreally your best, what's one
thing that you can do?
It's about small stepsconsistently, not something
(33:51):
drastic.
Cheryl Fischer (33:52):
I really, really appreciate that and definitely
agree because oftentimes we trythe drastic stuff and we don't
stick with it long anyway.
Adrian Mamikonian (34:00):
I'm I'm a testament to that.
I was thinking I was like wholewhole 30, like whole 24 hours,
I think is how much how long Ilasted.
Cheryl Fischer (34:10):
Yeah, it's tough.
It's tough to throw it all atthe wall at the same time.
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, Adrian, thank you somuch.
This has really been helpful.
And I know that uh if you'relistening, I know you learned a
lot.
So thanks.
Adrian Mamikonian (34:23):
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Cheryl Fischer (34:26):
I really, really, really appreciate
Adrian's answer that we need tomake a change kind of one piece
at a time because it's socommon, isn't it, that we find
out about this new theory, thisnew great thing, it's gonna be
the solution.
You have to change everything.
You have to start 10 new thingsevery morning and 27 new things
(34:48):
every night, and you only eatin this window, and you only eat
those things.
And then we do that for a dayor five days or whatever, and
then we kind of freak out.
So I do take 30 days every nowand then, and I am a bit more
careful about what I eat in thatperiod, and I make sure that I
eat things that give me energyand that aren't hard for my body
(35:12):
to digest.
And then most of the time,outside of those windows, I am
eating what I know gives meenergy.
For example, I don't usuallyeat gluten because it makes me
tired, but I make the decisionat the time, right?
If somebody's gonna give me acookie or something, I'm
probably gonna eat it.
I'm digressing.
My point is, I agree with herthat if we try to revamp
(35:36):
everything all at once in a verystrict or complex way, we're
we're likely kind of shootingourselves in the foot.
So try something.
Certainly go find Adrian onInstagram, get the link in the
show notes, find out more, askher questions, and then guess
what?
She gave our Patreon communitya five-day meal plan.
(36:00):
And we had an extra interviewtalking about what exactly would
we eat during the day.
So make sure that you come hangout with us in MindYour Midlife
Patreon.
That's patreon.com slashmindyourmidlife in the
collective, and you will be ableto grab that.
And we we really had a greatdiscussion there as well.
(36:23):
I hope this episode really gaveyou some clarity on a really
hot topic.
If you are listening on Apple,if you would take just a minute
and go to Mind Your Midlife andscroll down and hit the five
stars and write a little review.
It doesn't have to be anythingfancy, a couple sentences is
(36:45):
great.
It makes such a difference intelling the app to share these
episodes with more people.
And if you're on Spotify orsomething else, if you tap the
five stars, that would beamazing.
And I will see you again soon.
In the meantime, slow down,notice what's going on around
you, what's going on in yourhead.
(37:06):
Let's create something amazing.
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