Fitness Confidential With Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 2681- Vinnie Tortorich welcomes dietitian Michelle Hurn, and they discuss disrupting Big Food, lobbying for truth, and the downsides of shortcuts. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/08/downsides-of-shortcuts-michelle-hurn-episode-2681 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - Lobbying for Truth Michelle Hurn has been a Registered Dietitian for years, but she challenges the current nutrition guidelines. (2:00) Early nutrition guidelines were established by Seventh-day Adventists to eliminate the eating of meat. The facts are lined up and vetted in FAT: a documentary. (6:30) Vinnie curates knowledge of other experts on his show. (11:30) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has caused some disruption to the messaging; however, as long as Big Pharma and Big Food are allowed to lobby, there won’t likely be much change. Lobbying affects both sides of the aisle, and changes have not been made. (18:00) It’s part of what has been driving the decrease in metabolic health of our society.

Episode 2680 - Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss Parkinson's disease, purpose, the marketing of sugar, and making the most of your time. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/08/making-the-most-of-your-time-episode-2680 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS   YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - Making the Most of Your Time Vinnie had a long-term relationship with a woman who struggled with Parkinson’s disease. (2:00) He also shares a story about Ozzy Osbourne, who was always very considerate. (5:00) Parkinson’s has its challenges that appear to be less influenced by lifestyle. It can be early-onset and be diagnosed as early as age 35. This launches a conversation about leaving a legacy. (15:20) Vinnie’s main interest has been to help people with their health. Coke made a big announcement that they are bringing “real sugar Coke” back into the U.S. (29:00) This is not a better option—it’s still filled with sugar! Fruit juices are nothing but sugar. (36:00) Chris shares some trivia about the marke

Episode 2679 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino discuss goals while aging, working with what you have, NSNG® as a baseline, and fitness in schools. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/08/working-with-what-you-have-episode-2679 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - Working With What You Have Vinnie discusses his acquaintance Joe, who began following NSNG®. (6:00) Joe has lost approximately 100 lbs over the past year! Vinnie’s recent goal has been prioritizing strength training over aerobics. (12:00) If you’re older, it’s never too late; it’s even more important to get moving! Anna always works with her doctor on multiple regular blood tests. (27:00) She discusses getting an advanced lipid panel. She has discussed it before on the podcast, but she has recently gotten some prickly comments from followers. (31:00) She is genetically predisposed to some things, and NSNG® keeps her at a great baseline. (33:00) So many people want a magic pill that they forge

Episode 2678 - Vinnie Tortorich welcomes ultrarunner Laura Watts and discusses ordinary people trying extraordinary things, like running ultramarathons and Badwater. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/08/trying-extraordinary-things-laura-watts-episode-2678 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS   YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - Trying Extraordinary Things Laura is an Ultra athlete. (2:00) People think they can’t relate to Ultra athletes, but athletes such as Mike McKnight started out obese. Ultra athletes like Laura are ordinary people trying extraordinary things. (3:15) They swap stories of how they met their spouses. Vinnie describes how he eased into ultra-cycling. (13:00) Laura shares how she fits in her Ultra training and how she even got into marathons and Ultras. (21:30) Athletics have come a long way, especially with women’s advancement. (28:00) Badwater is one of the most grueling races on the planet. (32:00) Despite its difficulty, Laura loved the challenge and experience of it! She has par

Episode 2677- Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss questioning the reasons behind slower weight loss for women, lab-grown meat, and fitness trackers. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/questioning-the-reasons-episode-2677 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS   YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - Questioning the Reasons Vinnie is learning a lot about making kombucha. (3:00) He has discovered that he can reduce the sugar in it and still maintain great flavor. Reasons for women losing weight slower than men, even on a ketogenic diet. (9:00) Frontiers in Nutrition gathered the metadata, and this is what they found. Testosterone makes it easier to mobilize fat. Variations in the hormonal biochemistry occur in most women, making losing weight a larger challenge. (15:00) Low-carb/keto still works for women, but can be at a different rate, so consistency is key. Lab-grown meat. (21:00) They discuss the difference between lab-grown and fake meat (like Impossible Burger). They discuss the marketin

Episode 2676 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino discuss recent traveling adventures, the risk of side effects with some medications, and more. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/the-risk-of-side-effects-episode-2676 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - The Risk of Side Effects Several of Vinnie’s most recent expert guests want to discuss GLP-1s. Vinnie has said from the beginning that he didn’t trust the long-term effects of using GLP-1s. (6:45) Studies show that up to 50% of the weight lost from use of GLP-1 can be muscle loss! Your body needs muscle mass to thrive! (15:00) People need to move to stay strong and agile. (16:00) The Western world is spoiled because of modern-day conveniences. Anna has been traveling and has found it hard to find clean food. (22:30) She shares her experience and how she’s noticed that her taste buds have changed. Vinnie plays a commercial for Jardiance, and they deconstruct the side effects. (40:00) The drug doesn’t t

Episode 2675 - Vinnie Tortorich welcomes Dr. Tro Kalayjian and they discuss metabolic matters related to GLP-1s, hormones, the keto lifestyle, and more. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/metabolic-matters-dr-tro-kalayjian-episode-2675 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS   YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - Metabolic Matters Dr. Tro is an early contributor and guest on the show. (3:00) Dr. Eric Westman’s work influenced him, and he has since collaborated with Dr. Westman. Vinnie refers people to Dr. Tro all the time. Dr. Tro is licensed in almost all states for telehealth services. More than one-third of Americans are on a medication; the average for people over age 50 is on at least 4 medications. (10:30) Many medications are helpful, but other ones are overprescribed. (12:00) GLP-1s are an example of being overly prescribed. People are often not counseled properly about lifestyle and just handed out the drug. Most people can’t tolerate the side effects and are off of the drug within a year. (18:

Episode 2674: Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss a study about metabolism and the relationship between caloric intake and exercise. https://vinnietortorich.com/caloric-intake-and-exercise-episode-2674 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  Clearing Up Business The origin of the NSNG VIP Accountability Group. (2:00) It’s a cost-effective way to get regular check-ins. For those unfamiliar, Vinnie shares some backstory of how Fitness Confidential came to be. (9:00) NSNG® Foods is being put on pause until shipping issues are ironed out. (19:30) Production of UltraFat will stop for a time until issues with USPS have been remedied. The company is *not* closing, only pausing production for a time. Orders made up to July 1 will still be fulfilled. (32:00) Caloric Intake and Exercise Vinnie has always said that exercise is a poor way to lose weight. (33:00) A huge study that was just released used DLW (Doubly Labeled Water) methods to measure metabolis

Episode 2673 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino discuss recent traveling adventures and the importance of continuing fitness for life. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/fitness-for-life-episode-2673 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - Fitness For Life The reality is that you need to be consistent. (3:00) You don’t eat right until you hit your goal, then think you can stop. Even people known for their great bodies need to stay consistent. Vinnie has a VIP accountability group where members can be a part of group consultations with Vinnie twice a month, sometimes more. Vinnie says he will pause production on UltraFat at NSNG Foods until he resolves shipping issues with USPS. (12:00) Vinnie and two friends just got back from their Mt. Whitney climb. (12:30) He took Anna’s cheese bites with them, and they were the perfect snack! Vinnie shares some of what he eats while on the mountain and during his stay in Lone Pine. (19:00) He sometimes uses a sugar

Episode 2672 - BEST OF: Vinnie Tortorich welcomes Dr. Thomas Seyfried and they discuss metabolic dysfunction, glucose, glutamine, and cancer therapies. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/glucose-glutamine-cancer-dr-thomas-seyfried-episode-2672 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS   YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - Glucose, Glutamine, and Cancer Vinnie explains why he recommends listening to Dr. Thomas Seyfried. (2:00) Vinnie has been in remission and avoided chemo for 17 years by leading a ketogenic lifestyle. There are all kinds of side effects from chemotherapy, even though it can save people. There have been several theories of disease. (8:00) NCI states that cancer is a genetic disease of dysregulated cell growth, called the somatic mutation theory. Another theory suggests that damage to organelles can cause mutations in cells, or that mutations may have a mitochondrial metabolic origin. The treatment of cancer as a metabolic disease also allows people to participate in the management of thei

Episode 2671: Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss the need to put up and show up for your goals and see them through to success, and more. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/put-up-and-show-up-episode-2671 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  Put Up and Show Up Vinnie shares his near-drink experience with a Pina Colada. (2:00) They discuss beverages and a plan to visit Barbados. Vinnie plans to age backwards (in a way). (17:00) Elaine LaLanne is still active in her 90s, and Vinnie plans to do the same. He wants to try rollerblading again! When Vinnie decides to try something, he goes all in. Commit, put up, and show up. He shares a story about a Porsche and building his kayak. The example is a message that can be applied to losing weight: decide what you want and commit to the steps! Decision fatigue can be real, and finding your “why,” or motivation, is helpful. (37:50) Going back to bad eating habits is like going back to a bad, toxic

Episode 2670 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino discuss exploring fermented foods while Anna entices us with a delicious cooking demo! https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/exploring-fermented-foods-episode-2670 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - Exploring Fermented Foods Anna is cooking, so it's encouraged that you watch on YouTube if you're able—but not while driving! (2:00) She is making meatballs along with some spaghetti squash and “balsamic pearls.” Vinnie just got his Eat Happy Kitchen Cheese Crisps! (5:00) Vinnie has been exploring fermented foods, particularly kefir and kombucha. (14:30) Anna explains what she knows about sugar, fermenting, and how a good winemaker ferments wine. (24:00) “My Mother Jayne” is a documentary about Jane Mansfield. (29:30) Mickey Haritgay (Jayne’s husband) was a friend of Vinnie; he was also a big influence on Vinnie and his healthy lifestyle. More News If you are interested in the NSNG® VIP group, register here

Episode 2669 - BEST OF: Vinnie Tortorich welcomes Dr. Mary Newport back to the show, and they discuss brain health and coconut oil, ketones, and her upcoming book. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/brain-health-coconut-oil-dr-mary-newport-episode-2669 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  BRAIN HEALTH AND COCONUT OIL Vinnie welcomes Dr. Mary Newport back to the show, and they start the show by discussing Mary's husband's early-onset dementia. (1:20) At age 56, her husband was experiencing a rapid decline in brain health. After some challenges, he became eligible for a clinical trial for Alzheimer's treatment. (9:00) She had heard about the benefits of ketones and coconut oil and started experimenting. (12:15) It's amazing the improvements they saw in a short amount of time! Vinnie mentions his battle with leukemia and how staying in ketosis has kept him in remission. (16:40) Mary mentions that people with epilepsy who have been on a ketogenic diet will

Episode 2668: Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss the MIND diet and how healthy fats for a healthy mind happen with the right whole foods, and more. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/healthy-fats-for-a-healthy-mind-episode-2668 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  Healthy Fats for A Healthy Mind The MIND Diet (2:30) The Mediterranean Intervention Neurodegeneration Diet, intended to slow cognitive decline. They discuss the suggested protocol, which still includes grains and almost no red meat, only fatty fish and chicken. It recommends avoiding saturated fat. The protocol is erratic and contradicts itself. (8:30) Epidemiological studies are not always accurate. Dr. Mary Newport has been on the show and specifically studies cognitive decline. (16:00) Studies demonstrate that saturated fats from coconut oil (MCT oil) and a ketogenic diet can slow cognitive decline and even reduce symptoms. (17:00) Here are links to some of Dr. Mary Newport's books:

Episode 2667 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino are clearing up fitness confusion and sharing a list of handy items from kitchen gadgets to pens. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/clearing-up-fitness-confusion-episode-2667 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - Clearing Up Fitness Confusion Anna’s Cheese bites are now out! Head over to Eat Happy Kitchen and order yours! (3:00) Answering questions from X to clear up fitness confusion: Where does the 220 come from in the heart rate equation of “220 minus your age”? (9:00) Vinnie explains the origin of the “220”. (11:00) It’s an average heart rate, and the Zones are a breakdown from there. Zone 2 is 180- your age. He also explains why there may be some variations. Zone 2 is the most important because it allows you to be the most aerobically fit. (18:30) HIIT training is important, too, but after weeks of training in Zone 2. You have to build a base. Vinnie suggests HIIT once a week. VO2 Max is the volum

Episode 2666 - In this BEST OF show from January 2014, Anna and Vinnie chat with fan Andrew Weaver, and then discuss Fruitarian claims with Michael Arnstein. https://vinnietortorich.com/best-of-fruitarian-claims-with-michael-arnstein-episode-2666 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS ANDREW WEAVER & PODCASTS Vinnie and Anna start the show with Andrew Weaver and some comedy fun about Twitter accounts. (1:15) Andrew also talks about how his podcast came about and that he is a fanboy of Vinnie's. Vinnie mentions Michael Arnstein and what he plans to ask him. (11:00) They also chat about other well-known podcast personalities. FRUITARIAN CLAIMS Vinnie and Anna welcome fruitarian Michael Arnstein to the conversation and ask him questions about his lifestyle. (29:00) His claims about his daily fruit intake have Anna and Vinnie asking plenty of questions. (32:15) They also chat about how he got into Ultra running and why he became a fruitarian. (46:25) Michael challenges Vinnie to a competition. (52:00) A

Episode 2665: Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss an intro to Vitamins 101, and the what and whys of taking supplements. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/07/vitamins-101-episode-2665 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  All the Feels Humans have an emotional recall with music and food. (2:00) An example is pumpkin spice around Thanksgiving. It can work in reverse, too: people can have an aversion to junk food after being NSNG® for a while. They discuss other methods that are used to enable or modify behavior, from marketing tactics to “people movers” in Vegas. Chris doesn’t miss air conditioning since he’s been living out of the country. (12:00) They switch to discussing the importance of getting a proper vitamin intake. Vitamins 101 Why electrolytes? Almost everyone is at some level of hydration. (16:00) But there is such a thing as over-hydration, which can cause hyponatremia, or low sodium levels in the blood. (18:00) So many people are afra

Episode 2664 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino discuss dining while on vacation, avoiding a slippery slope, and running with weighted vests. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/06/avoiding-a-slippery-slope-episode-2664 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE - Avoiding A Slippery Slope After a lesson in poetry and haiku, the topic of Summer vacation begins. (2:00) People want to indulge on their summer vacations, mostly at theme parks and on cruise ships. Vinnie had a lavish experience on a cruise once, but there was barely a gym! (11:00) He made do with what he had to work with. He also gets seriously seasick. The only thing to do on the cruise was gamble or overeat, neither of which he was interested in. Lately, many of Vinnie’s consults have been centered around what a person, or family, eats on a cruise or at theme parks. (17:00) Make up your mind before you leave on how you are going to handle the event. (18:30) It’s the key to avoiding a slippery slope!

Episode 2663: Vinnie Tortorich speaks to Mike Feldstein of Jaspr air scrubbers about health, how much air quality matters, and what you can do about it. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/06/air-quality-matters-mike-feldstein-episode-2663 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  Air Quality Matters  Mike is the founder of Jaspr, which makes air scrubbers. (3:00) He has been in the remediation business for over ten years, including fire and mold. Vinnie has a question regarding radon gas: Is it a real thing? (6:00) Radon gas is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. (9:00) Vinnie asked about outdoor air quality and fire remediation issues. (12:30) The recent fires in Southern California, in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, are challenging. The amount of toxins in the air and soil is dangerous and may not be fully removed, at least not easily. The fight with insurance companies to get proper remediation and rebuilding is a long, frustrating proc

Episode 2662: Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss how you are being lied to about the Sugar Diet, the need for fat and protein, and more. https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/06/being-lied-to-and-the-sugar-diet-episode-2662 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS YOU CAN WATCH ALL THE PODCAST EPISODES ON YOUTUBE -  Being Lied To and The Sugar Diet After a bit of discussion about cartoon musicians and bubblegum pop, they switch to being lied to. (8:45) It’s been around before, but in a different form: The Sugar Diet. It’s similar to an All-rice diet or a Fruitarian diet. Vinnie reviews his interview with Michael Arnstein. (10:30) They talk about Cole Robinson and the “Snake Diet.” (22:00) He should be ignored simply for the fact that he fat-shames. He has recommended OMAD, high fat before, but seems to have added “sugar fasting.” Chris gives the details of “sugar fasting.” (24:00) You are being lied to: there is no nutritional value to sugar, and it causes damage to how your body functions. (26:00)