Ep. 316 - Putting Insulin First in 2026 | Why Fasting Works Beyond Calories | Fat Cells Become Insulin Resistant First | Saturated Fat Myth Busted | Dr. Ben Bikman Insights | New Fasting Persona Quiz!

In this foundational January episode, Dr. Scott Watier and Tommy Welling put insulin at the forefront of 2026 by unpacking five surprising metabolic insights from Dr. Ben Bikman, the world's leading insulin researcher, revealing why standard blood work misses early insulin resistance for years before glucose finally rises. They expose the hidden metabolic crisis where normal labs mask the slow march of insulin resistance that begins in overfilled fat cells—which become insulin resistant first as a protective mechanism to prevent rupture—then cascades to the liver, muscle, endothelium, and brain, explaining why seemingly unrelated conditions like PCOS, erectile dysfunction, brain fog, and cardiovascular disease all stem from the same insulin dysfunction. The hosts debunk the saturated fat myth by revealing that most saturated fat in your bloodstream comes from your liver converting excess carbohydrates through de novo lipogenesis, not from butter or steak, making late-night carbs particularly devastating since insulin sensitivity drops 30% at night, sabotaging sleep and activating fight-or-flight responses. This episode delivers the science-backed framework for why fasting isn't about restriction but about asking less of your insulin so cells can finally hear the signal to burn fat, providing actionable strategies including earlier meal timing, resistance training for glucose utilization, and specific lab markers like fasting insulin and HOMA-IR that flag metabolic dysfunction long before standard tests catch it. ⁠Take the NEW FASTING PERSONA QUIZ! - The Key to Unlocking Sustainable Weight Loss With Fasting!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Resources and Downloads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SIGN UP FOR THE DROP OF THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GRAB THE OPTIMAL RANGES FOR LAB WORK HERE! - NEW RESOURCE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE RESOURCE - DOWNLOAD THE NEW BLUEPRINT TO FASTING FOR FAT LOSS!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SLEEP GUIDE DIRECT DOWNLOAD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DOWNLOAD THE FASTING TRANSFORMATION JOURNAL HERE!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Partner Links: Get your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FREE BOX OF LMNT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ hydration support for the perfect electrolyte balance for your fasting lifestyle with your first purchase⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠25% off a Keto-Mojo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ blood glucose and ketone monitor (discount shown at checkout)! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our Community: Let’s continue the conversation. Click the link below to JOIN the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fasting For Life Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a group of like-minded, new, and experienced fasters! The first two rules of fasting need not apply! If you enjoy the podcast, please tap the stars below and consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than 60 seconds, and it helps bring you the best original content each week. We also enjoy reading them! Relevant Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PROANAQkwA