Jason Fung 1 source tracked
Canadian nephrologist and bestselling author known for advocating intermittent fasting and low-carb diets to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
About Jason Fung →
Jason Fung is a Canadian nephrologist based in Toronto known for promoting intermittent and extended fasting alongside low-carbohydrate diets as approaches to managing obesity and reversing type 2 diabetes. He completed his medical degree at the University of Toronto and his residency and fellowship in nephrology at UCLA. He is the author of bestselling books including The Obesity Code, The Complete Guide to Fasting (co-authored with Jimmy Moore), and The Diabetes Code, and has also written The Cancer Code and The PCOS Plan. He co-founded The Fasting Method, a program that supports patients using fasting protocols for weight loss and metabolic health.
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Treat food addictions (sugar, ultra-processed carbs) with abstinence, not moderation — like alcoholism, one bite triggers more.
“you don't say to an alcoholic, everything in moderation
BW▶ 43:00DosageComplete abstinence from the addictive food; treat like alcohol/drug addictionCaveatsDoesn't mean avoiding all food—only the specific ultra-processed/sugar items one is addicted to.Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
In a protocol
Redesign your physical and social environment to break conditioned hunger cues — change routines, friends, or settings that pair non-food activities with eating.
“redesigning your social and friends physical environment
BW▶ 1:03:20DosageIdentify pairings (e.g., TV+snacks); replace with alternative activities like knitting, tea, hobbiesCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
In a protocol
Incorporate a natural fasting period each day so insulin drops between meals, rebalancing the storage-vs-burn signal.
“incorporate a natural fasting period
BW▶ 1:02:40DosageDaily window of not eating; longer fasts if more fat-burning is desiredCaveatsDoesn't need to be extreme (not 40 days and 40 nights)Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Use mobile ordering apps to avoid in-store temptation triggered by conditioned hunger cues at coffee shops.
“use the app... you won't be tempted
BW▶ 48:00DosageOrder ahead via app to avoid in-store cuesCertaintyexplicitoffhand mention -
Organic (prompted)
Choose whole, unprocessed carbohydrate sources like squash, beans, whole apples, and steel-cut oats — they slow gastric transit and blunt insulin spikes.
“the apples don't [spike insulin]
BW▶ 28:00Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Stop focusing on calorie counting — it ignores hormonal drivers of weight, creates a perfectionistic win/lose mindset, and often worsens eating problems.
“this whole calories in, calories out fallacy
BW▶ 5:00Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Avoid refined carbohydrates because they spike insulin sharply, raising the body fat thermostat and driving fat storage.
“refined carbohydrates, which are really the worst of the worst
BW▶ 12:00Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Avoid frequent snacking — it's almost always ultra-processed, creates conditioned hunger, and prevents insulin from falling between meals.
“The problem with snacks is that they are almost all ultra processed
BW▶ 55:00CaveatsNot saying you can't eat multiple times—the issue is processed snack foods specifically.Certaintyexplicitmild caution -
Don't give kids sugary snacks at sports games — exercise naturally suppresses appetite and the practice conditions kids to expect food rewards for play.
“they don't need snacks. They need some water
BW▶ 52:00Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
In a protocol
Avoid ultra-processed foods because they're pre-digested, spike insulin, blunt satiety, and drive food addiction across all three hunger types.
“avoid ultra processed foods
BW▶ 1:02:00Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
GLP-1 agonist drugs are effective for weight loss by suppressing hunger hormonally, but users must still address underlying sources of hunger or weight returns when stopped.
“I'm not against Ozempic and those drugs
BW▶ 48:00CaveatsIf you stop without addressing root cause of hunger, weight returns; understand source of hunger before/while using.Certaintyhedgedrecommendation