I’ll never forget the first time I picked up a kettlebell. It was January 16, 2006. I was out of college and for the first time wasn’t on a sports or dance team and had a job that required a lot of sitting. What was I to do? So I started going to the local LA Fitness 12 hours a week – running on the treadmill and doing lightweight dumbbell exercises. But none of it made sense. I never lifted like that in real life and the ground sure didn’t move underneath me on the off chance I ever ran outside. What gives?

Then I read all the books like “Fitness for Dummies” and they contradicted each other. The more I read, the less I understood until I moved to San Diego and stumbled upon a kettlebell gym. During my first intro class the heavens opened up and non-sports exercise made sense for the first time. Pick up heavy things and you get strong. Who knew?

I wanted to tell everyone. All I talked about was kettlebell training. I moved across the country and opened a kettlebell only gym that I ran for 8 years. I got TWO kettlebell tattoos. I was (and still am) passionate about how full body training can empower people by making them strong and help them reach body composition goals. The kettlebell is not the only tool to do full body training with, but it’s my preferred method and I still spend a good portion of my life helping others get strong through kettlebell training.

Two weeks ago – for the first time in 12 years – I had another moment like that….

There are certain truths that I have always known about nutrition. One is you can’t out exercise a bad diet. I am certified in Precision Nutrition, but have never marketed this part of my expertise because I didn’t think people wanted to hear it. My advice – although solid – seemed too unconventional and “Fad-like” although I knew it to work. I have been writing distance coaching programs for years to prepare people for the StrongFirst Kettlebell Certification, help them reach strength goals, or help them cross train for endurance sports. But I have never marketed weight loss. I have said (and will still) that I can help you improve body composition through strength training but I have never in my life said I help with weight loss…. until now.

Two weeks ago I read two books by Dr Jason Fung and they tied together all the truths to one simple fact: Insulin is the culprit in weight gain. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you MUST reduce insulin.

There are MANY ways to lower your insulin set point and the quickest, most powerful, and least expensive is through periods of fasting – even short ones where you never go even an entire day without eating a real, filling meal. Here is an infographic on different types of fasting: