Community Class Review #361 January 21, 2026

Summary

Jerry Christensen, Julie Marie, and Elizabeth began by discussing meal preparation, focusing on methods for preserving tomatoes and the benefits of freezing versus canning them. Michelle updated Julie Marie on a persistent cough and confirmed plans to install an Invisa Cook cooktop, which Julie Marie detailed, mentioning their four burners and recommending an “instant hot” faucet for Michelle. The feature presentation was Lesson 361, “Scale games. One meal a day, day fasting, sustainability coaching,” outlining the rules for day fasters to use the scale for accountability before their single Protective Diet meal to achieve “dopamine excitement” and eliminate “chef’s treats,” which she credited for her own success going from a size 22 to a size two. Vicky shared a health update about high blood pressure and ongoing pain, which Julie Marie suggested was muscle-related and advised Vicky to focus on dietary diligence, hydration, and sleep.

Details

• Pre-Meeting Conversation: Meals and Produce Julie Marie and Elizabeth discussed their dinners, with Julie Marie describing a hybrid of ricotta tomato and “dirty martini pasta” made with tomatoes and broccoli. Elizabeth mentioned eating leftovers of ricotta tomato pasta and brownies. They also discussed freezing homegrown cherry and grape tomatoes for use throughout the winter in various dishes like salsa and pasta sauce. Elizabeth noted that their spouse handles the canning of their tomatoes, including Sun Golds, which are less acidic and more sweet, because Elizabeth is “terrified of the pressure caner.”
• Freezing and Canning Tomatoes Julie Marie preferred freezing and then broiling or roasting their tomatoes, finding them to have more flavor than canned tomatoes. Elizabeth explained that their spouse roasts the tomatoes with onions and garlic before processing and pressure canning them, meaning they do not need to add anything like lemon juice. She also shared an anecdote about a child leaving a new deep freeze open overnight.
• Health Updates and Invisa Cook Michelle updated Jerry and Julie Marie on their persistent cough, noting that cold air seems to worsen it. Michelle confirmed she is “pretty sure” she will be installing an Invisa Cook cooktop, with her spouse on board. Julie Marie shared that she and Jerry had an in-person meeting with a local gentleman named Roland, who sells the cooktops and came to see their finished kitchen, which Julie Marie had seen on Instagram.
• Cooktop and Kitchen Appliances Julie Marie described their four in-line Invisa Cook burners, mentioning that the two outside burners are high and the two inside are medium. Michelle is considering only doing three burners. Julie Marie explained that she wanted four burners primarily for the two medium ones in a row to accommodate a longer griddle. Julie Marie suggested that Michelle consider an “instant hot” faucet for boiling water instantly, which she and Jerry use instead of a tea kettle.
• Health Monitoring Devices and Sleep Julie Marie discussed using a non-Oura branded ring to track their sleep, mentioning that she is “not fond of these devices” but wore it to track her sleep. The ring reported that Julie Marie is an “excellent sleeper”. Jerry uses a Garmin device, and he has stopped listening to its sleep scores.
• Pet Companionship and Security Julie Marie described their dogs, Lucky and Cooper, as professional sleeping partners, noting that Lucky “does not move for a full eight hours”. Michelle shared that their 50-pound standard poodle sleeps between them and their spouse’s pillows, and Michelle considers the dogs “great coaches on how to relax.” Julie Marie views their dogs as an “alarm system” for things like neighbors putting the trash cans away early. Michelle described their dog, Duchess, who is “obnoxious” and runs and spins when people come down their long driveway on their six-acre lot.
• Future Land Purchase and Goals Michelle is purchasing 20 acres and plans to have fruit trees. The new location is about 15 miles from their current residence, closer to Columbia, Missouri. Jerry and Julie Marie expressed enthusiasm, suggesting they would be “fruiting that land up” and planting orchards.
• Introduction to Day Fasting and Scale Games Julie Marie introduced the lesson on day fasting and “scale games” as an accountability tool to avoid eating “chef’s treats” and to keep the eating window to an hour or less. Julie Marie finds that this practice enhances meal satisfaction and excitement. she noted that a person’s lowest weight is typically right before she breaks her fast in the evening, which is more rewarding than morning weigh-ins.
• The Protective Diet Philosophy Jerry Christensen reflected on starting to like hard things, comparing the challenge of Protective Diet to learning how to walk. He emphasized that Protective Diet is a difficult choice in society, but Julie Marie added “hard things produce outstanding results”. Elizabeth agreed that people find it too hard and want others to prepare their food, often not understanding the importance of nutrition. Julie Marie’s brother Jason attributes his weight loss success to being “willing to learn to cook,” calling meal preparation the “golden ticket.”
• Vicky’s Health Update Vicky reported that she still has pain but confirmed it is not cardiac. Vicky had visited the doctor, who noted their blood pressure was over 200 and wanted to put them back on medication. After questioning the doctor about the efficacy of the medication, the doctor agreed to re-take the blood pressure, which came down significantly to 144/80, though still high. Julie Marie suggested that Vicky focus on sleeping well, deep nasal breathing for nitric oxide, eating leafy greens, and trying to relax, potentially by spending time with their dog.
• Feature Presentation: Scale Games for Day Fasting Lesson #361, “Scale games. One meal a day, day fasting, sustainability coaching,” to help day fasters recharge and get excited about the practice. Julie Marie shared that she historically had a negative relationship with the scale but devised a new practice to use it for accountability without being “totally wreck[ed]” by a high morning weight. This practice is exclusive to day fasters.
• Benefits of Day Fasting In Lesson #361, Julie Marie shared that she and Jerry have been day fasting for seven years and two months, initially starting to improve their “health food excitement” and dopamine production. The practice led to the “massive dramatic bonus” of slimming down, reduced cancer regrowth risk, increased focus, and higher energy by avoiding insulin production. Day fasting, eating one protective meal at the end of the day, makes the diet easier because only one meal needs preparation, while protective beverages are consumed throughout the day.
• Scale Games Rules and Process The goal of the scale games is to use the scale to the day fasters’ advantage to hold them accountable and raise “dopamine excitement” by eliminating chef’s treats. The rules include sticking to one meal a day and weighing in only at the end of the day, right before the first bite of the plated feast. Before weighing in, a person should relieve themself of urine, which will be easier due to staying hydrated. Julie Marie observed that members with excess body fat lost between zero and one pound every day following this practice.
• Importance of Compliance and Consistency Day fasting should be held to a one-hour window to prevent overeating and to allow for metabolic switching where the liver metabolizes stored body fat, provided the diet is clean and free of additives like alcohol and stevia/erythritol, which can initiate insulin production. Julie Marie emphasized that the meal should be eaten at sundown or after all responsibilities are done to wind down. A person’s goal must be “so outrageously exciting” to keep them on point; for example, Julie Marie’s brother Jason is motivated by fitting into his rock-climbing jeans.
• Dietary and Hydration Recommendations Julie Marie emphasized the importance of protective organic herbal beverages, which are calorie-free protective phytochemicals that the microbiome loves. Hydration is crucial, as dehydration can signal “grehlin hunger hormones” to prompt eating. The recommended meal order is eating fiber-rich food like salad or beauty broth hot pot first to ensure protective vegetables are consumed before starches like buns. If weight increases, Julie Marie recommends re-examining the day for changes, such as early eating or lack of hydration.
• Physiological Benefits of Day Fasting Lesson #361 highlighted the physiological advantages of day fasting, explaining that when insulin production is reduced, the body taps into body fat for clean-burning, high-energy fuel, which is associated with feeling good and reduces systemic inflammation, thereby lowering the risk of cancer growth. She also explained that when reaching an ideal weight, the body stores away caloric energy when food is consumed in the feast window for use the next day.
• Protective Beverages and Scale Accountability Lesson #361 advised keeping protective beverages clean, limiting additions to spices, herbs, or flowers in the water to avoid triggering insulin. Julie Marie strongly recommended against weighing in during the morning while day fasting, as it can be discouraging and lead to eating off-plan, suggesting instead to weigh in after plating up the healthful meal to “earn your thrill” and experience a “scale thrill.”
• Day Fasting for Slimming Down and Consistency Lesson #361 asserted that weight loss and achieving one’s leanest body happens through consistent day fasting, especially when maintaining a consistent eating time. She explained that hormones signal ghrelin at the same time one eats every day, making a consistent feast time, such as around sunset, helpful for making the approach mindless and easier to adhere to.
• Evening Meal Preparation: Beauty Broth and Meaty Salad Lesson #361 detailed the preparation of their evening meal, which included a “beauty broth hot pot” with carrots, celery, onions, ginger, and broth mix, plus pickled jalapenos. She described adding broiled cabbage for flavor, and preparing a substantial “meaty salad” that incorporated mixed greens, apples, orange zest, chopped orange, roasted Brussels sprouts, onions, frozen broiled cranberries, and fire-roasted corn for a satisfying texture.
• Meal Components and Recipe Details: Lesson #361 discussed adding probiotic pickled onions, rosemary crispies (tableside), and air-fried mushrooms to the meal, noting that Jerry particularly enjoys the mushrooms and the juice from them, which is added to the hot pot. Julie Marie also mentioned serving the meal with smaller, mini soft burger buns, referencing a preference for roasted vegetables in the salad and the importance of thoroughly tossing the salad.
• Dessert and Preserving Lemons Julie Marie shared their dessert plan, which consisted of “yogi bowls” made with plant-based yogurt and frozen fruit (blueberries, cherries, and pineapple), enhanced with protective lemon zest. She credited Jackie for the tip to zest a frozen lemon. Lesson #361 also detailed techniques for preserving lemons by freezing them and defrosting them in the fridge when lemon juice is needed for recipes.
• “Refried Julie’s Beans” and Jamaican Inspiration Lesson #361 made “reffried Julie’s beans” from leftover beans using the pot-in-pot reheating method. Julie Marie shared the dish’s inspiration from a restaurant in Negril, Jamaica called The Pickled Parrot, which served “beans and buns” that were reminiscent of the beans and the soft burger buns Julie Marie prepared.
• Scale Games, Accountability, and Day Fasting Success Julie Marie stressed the importance of playing “scale games”—weighing in before eating—as a way to hold themself accountable and avoid “chef’s treats,” which contributed to them going from a size 22 to a size two. They emphasized that day fasting rules and recipes build the microbiome, which acts as “internal health directive cheerleaders,” and encouraged others to share their testimonials within the Protective Diet community.
• Group Discussion on Day Fasting Motivation and Sleep Following the presentation, participants shared their motivations for day fasting: Vicky cited “health improvement,” while Michelle listed “longevity, feeling better, health, weight loss.” Julie Marie mentioned that the one-meal-a-day approach simplifies cleanup and allows for meal planning throughout the day, and also noted the benefit of “sleeping excellence” she achieved, which is confirmed by a sleep monitoring ring.
• Challenges and Benefits of the “75 Hard” Program Julie Marie discussed Jerry’s participation in the “75 hard” program, describing its rigorous requirements, such as two 45-minute workouts (one outdoor, one indoor, not consecutive), reading 20 minutes, and not drinking alcohol. He found that for someone already following a Protective Diet and abstaining from alcohol, the challenge primarily added structured exercise and reading, which was motivating.
• Health and Dietary Diligence Support Julie Marie offered encouragement to Vicky regarding her heart health concerns, suggesting she maintain “dietary diligence,” stay hydrated, and prioritize sleep. She emphasized that recovery from heart issues is possible by remaining steadfast to a protective diet and advised against stressing or worrying.
• Tuber Tonic and Spousal Support Michelle shared a positive update, stating that their husband made the tuber tonic and eats all the Protective Diet foods without complaint, which Julie Marie recognized as a blessing. Jason Sterner, Julie Marie’s brother, briefly joined and commented on the plant-based “Taco Bell meat,” which Vicky also enjoyed.
• Addressing Muscle Pain and Inflammation Julie Marie affirmed that Vicky’s chest pain was likely due to developing muscles from push-ups and explained that the plant fiber in the diet helps the body’s microbes produce short-chain fatty acids, reducing inflammation and repairing muscle tears faster. She also shared their own progress with a shoulder issue, noting that it is improving with push-ups.
• Soy Milk Shortage and Recipe Testing Julie Marie acknowledged that Vicky and Faith were experiencing difficulty finding soy milk in stores, citing a possible soy milk shortage. She announced that she is testing a new recipe idea using ice water to soak the soybeans, which resulted in a homemade soy milk that tastes like the boxed version, and are testing it for yogurt making, noting that current homemade yogurt lacks the desirable tang.