The Intermittent Fasting Expertease

Clare Sera Welcome back to the podcast, ladies and gentlemen, not welcome back as in this is the midpoint of the podcast, but this is a brand new podcast, ladies and gentlemen, and you are welcome to it. Danno Sullivan, since you are the acknowledged expert in intermittent fasting, I thought we could probe your area naturally. Oh my gosh, Danno Sullivan, thank you so much for joining us today. There's a little bit of an echo in your actual voice behind my voice. Yes, that's one of the side effects of intermittent fasting, Clare, in the same way that the food stops and begins again, so do the words sometimes start and begin like a fast, like a meal, like a fast meal, like fast food.

Okay, now this is very interesting because I noticed in some of the purported proportions that you have been purporting. Yes, it's all about proportions, Clare. Even more important than the timing of your dining is the purported portions of your dining. Now that's not a stutter, that's just starting a word and restarting a word in the same way that you start and restart your fasting. This must be so much fun for your wife. Oh, between the food needs and the vocabulary requirements, it is hard times around the old Sullivan household. So this is part of the controversy of your specific take on intermittent fasting. You're less about the amount of hours that you eat and don't eat, and you're more about the amounts.

Right, right, because you can't eat continuously, Clare, that's the thing. Right. You know, a lot of these diet plans, they'll give you something absurd like, you know, get a lot of kale and just eat it. And they never mention stopping. Sure, kale on its own is healthy, but anything done in overabundance is ridiculous. And anything done needs to be done. And by intermittent fasting, there is a stopping point built in. But in your particular brand of intermittent fasting, you yourself, I mean, it's no news that you are a large man. That's part of my intermittent fasting. You see, I haven't stopped eating, Clare, since 1973.

So when do you plan on the fasting part of your intermittent? So you've been eating nonstop since... Nonstop. I'm eating right now, Clare, and so... I can see. Yeah, yeah. I find that it's important to keep the body active while the jaws are active. If you only chew, if that's your only exercise, Clare, you're just going to wind up with these monstrous jaws and jowls. You do have quite a jawline. I would like to invite you to my Wednesday afternoon showcase, Clare, where I actually pull a locomotive by a rope clenched between my jaws. That's how mighty these biters are.

You know what? Looking at you, I believe it. I mean, ladies and gentlemen, this is a podcast that you are listening to, but I have the privilege of looking into the gaping maw of our guest today, and it is really something. I just have to ask the obvious question. If you're pulling a train by a rope, how are you eating while that's happening? Is that okay? Oh, Clare, I'm actually ingesting fibers from the rope. Of course. I can only pull the train for up to 20 minutes at a time. For example, you could get from Chicago to Lancaster, Illinois, by me pulling the train.

Right. And there's no charge for a ticket. It's just a charge for the show. Right. Sure. But for that 20-minute time, I'm actually chewing through the rope like a pony. Clare, speaking of staring into the gaping maw. Yes. I know you meant that literally, but I want to invite you to stop and reflect for a moment and think about the gaping maw of your own future. If you don't mind me being blunt, why are you evangelical about intermittent fasting? I think it really just boils down to the fact that because I'm always eating, I am covered by fatty juices rolling down my face. My coat is covered with crumbs from meals some decades old, Clare. I am unappealing at almost every level. That's why I'm so grateful to be invited onto an Audible-only podcast like this one.

Right. In hopes that my voice, despite the continuous munching sounds that you hear. Yeah. I will edit those out for the love of my viewers and listeners. I feel like so many people in my position, it just comes down to feeling like a monster. Well, and your position for those at home is almost flat on your back. That's gravity at work, Clare. That food goes in and it goes right down. Thank you, Isaac Newton. Speaking of which, I'll have an apple. You know, you blame me. You know, you blame me for proselytizing, but a person cannot pick up a newspaper or a magazine without there being some article about what you should be eating.

Yes. And Clare, for God's sake, simplify, simplify, simplify. Stop worrying and just eat everything. That's the simple solution. That is one solution. I wonder, have you ever considered maybe changing up the pattern where you are maybe not eating all the time, but fasting part of the... Because intermittent, it feels like when a decade has gone by without a pause, can it really be called intermittent? It doesn't seem fair for you to randomly choose decade as the unit of time. I would choose decades because we only last eight or nine of them at most. Well, with a typical diet plan, I think you're probably right.

What I'm working on, Clare, is the supposition that life is based on energy, energy is based on food, and by keeping a constant stream of food, just loosen through the system, those eight or nine decades might easily become 18 or 19. Is that living though? You're either lying flat or pulling a train from Chicago to Lancaster. Clare, if we're talking about longevity, let's talk about the oldest people in the world today that we know of. There's the French lady in France who's 118. And what's her secret? We don't know. She explains it in French. There's a man in Greece who's 119, they say.

We do know his secret because he was able to write it down, have it translated, and he claims that he eats Greek strained yogurt. I don't know which Greek he uses to strain his yogurt, but it's the food that is providing the longevity. And these people don't eat continuously. They only eat occasionally. But you still have not answered, when do you stop? Are you afraid to stop is the question that most of my listeners want answered. That is a heartbreaking question, Clare, and I don't know that I've ever seriously pondered it. Oh, well, while you ponder it, would you mind if I probed your area?

What? Of expertise. You're listening to Expertise, spelled wrong. The podcast where the world's most expert experts discuss their areas of expertise expertly. Expert comedy writer Clare Sarah and expert comedy writer Dan O'Sullivan bring their expertise to other unrelated expertises. Would you mind if we ventured into, and I'm only going here because you mentioned in the book. I have to say, I was intrigued when I read Intermittent Relationships, a fascinating chapter. Oh, in the book that I wrote? Yes. I was going to ask you who wrote that book because it sounds so interesting.

You know, see, there is a brain fog that is associated with constant eating. Sometimes I forget what I ate just a few minutes ago and I have to eat it again. I don't like to have a guest on and then... Berate, belittle, besmirch, bewitched, be bothered, bewildered. Expose any negativity in their, you know, what they are bringing as expertise. I just, I want to carry a warning with this podcast for my listeners, because you come across very confident about your way of life. And most of our listeners at expertise are highly influential, easily manipulated. We've made so much money off of these guys. I don't even know how to, it's like, you know, talk about an open spout.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just close my mouth and cover up that open spout. Thank you. Thanks. But I want them to know the dangers of intermittent fasting that is decades long. I guess, Claire, when you put it that way, what it boils down to is I started on this diet regimen 35 years ago, really basically because I just felt hungry. Right. I got that fulfilling sensation of being fulfilled, which I got by being full and filled. And somewhere along the way, I feel like I did get what I wanted. I wanted to feel sated. But at that point, it had become a habit to keep eating. And I guess I felt like I had won, but I paid a heavy price for winning.

Oh, well, I admire you for admitting that. I wonder if at some point you will consider stopping eating for a little while, giving your body and your break, perhaps, a needed rest. That's lovely. And my concern, I'll be honest with you, is my livelihood. You know, it's is pulling these trains. Well, you know, I just want to tell you that you've got a great voice. Podcasts are easy money. I mean, you find the right listeners. It is just- What would I talk about, Claire? I don't feel like there'd be a big audience for a train pulling podcast. And, you know, certainly no one wants to tune in and listen to me eat.

Listen, you've made up a lifestyle. You've made up a way of life. You could start a podcast where you're just acting as if you know things. Oh, so even though I wouldn't be an expert on a particular topic. Right. I could use the experience that I've had as a train puller, for example, and apply that to other unrelated expertises. Exactly. And listen, you just you just babble on the first thing that comes into your mind for 20 minutes. And I'll admit that any just a pause between bites, you know, and my mind just begins to wander. Yeah. I feel like I really could probably do that.

I'm telling you, open a Swiss bank account first. What are your revenue streams, though? That's what would concern me is I don't see where the money comes in. Well, you do have to get a little creative with revenue streams. You know, you can do office museums, bespoke cocktails, live shows. Well, that circles back around to my train pulling exhibitions. You know, if I'm going to do live shows, why go to all the bother of setting up a podcast? I just feel like if I can keep my 22 stone of manly physique and these powerful incisors, you know, my exhibitions have all been free up to this point.

People would just toss scraps to me over the protective fencing. And for me, that was enough. But I sort of like what I'm getting from you, which is why not turn this into an expert field? I'm just suggesting it to you. You know, your body's not going to hold out. I mean, you've got maybe one with your intermittent fasting, maybe another 60, 70 years of peak physical condition. Yep. But, you know, you want to have something in your back pocket that's really going to be your retirement fund. Well, Claire, this really helps. As I mentioned, I felt like I kind of paid a heavy price for living life on my terms.

Right. As has your furniture. I do feel like in the end, though. Yeah. You have helped me change today. You've helped me grow and you've helped me become more true to my true self than I would have thought to be true. Well. As you asked me about proselytizing to others. Yeah. And shamed me for it. I want to do the opposite. And thank you for proselytizing to me. You proselytized me right back to where I belong. You're welcome. You know, that's one of the gifts we offer here at Expertise. Oh, speaking of gifts. Yes. This tray of snack items is stupendous. Great. Happy for you.

Just filtering through the cookie dough balls. Yes. Which was my nickname for grades 7 through 12. I can see it. Yeah. Well, this has definitely been an interesting journey down the path of long term intermittent fasting. Thank you so much for joining us today, Mr. Dan O'Sullivan. Oh, you've got a little something. Oh, sorry. Yeah. Oh, that's permanent. Sorry. Oh, OK. Listeners, I hope you enjoyed and maybe took away a little bite of knowledge.