The InsideOut Manifesto: Why Real Health Starts with YOU (and What Intermittent Fasting Has to Do With It)
- Dr. Zachary Laboube
- Sep 15
- 8 min read
There was a time when some very progressive nutritional advice was: “Eat 15–20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up.” In fact, those were my printed words in the first edition of HCG 2.0 - A Modern Adaptation of the Traditional HCG Diet.
Do I regret writing that? NO!
At the time, way back in 2013, it was very contemporary.
Furthermore, it wasn't wrong. My book has helped thousands of people lose weight without gimmicks or tricks or diuretics that show you results on the scale but result in ZERO fat loss. If you want to make the scale move - if that is your goal - go sit in a sauna for an hour. You'll get instant "results." Sit in the sauna for two hours and you'll get massive results - you'll likely pass out and your blood pressure will drop to zero, but the scale will move.
And sure, that's a trick used by MMA fighters to make weight and by women prior to their 25th high school reunion, but we all know it's not real weight loss. HCG 2.0 is real and targeted weight loss. EWellness Magazine Online called HCG 2.0 "the best diet you've never heard of."
The point is, the gimmicks stay the same, but legitimate weight loss and the science that affirms it will change. Science evolves. We learn. We grow.
That is ALWAYS a good thing and that’s what this blog is really about - Growth. Preferably not in the waistline but in the head - between the ears.
What Changed? (A Chiropractor’s Accidental Discovery in Bogotá)
When I was practicing in Bogotá, Colombia, I was so slammed with patients that I literally didn’t have time to eat until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. As a chiropractor, lunch breaks don’t exist—you work while everyone else has time to hustle into your office.
To keep up with the grind, I started putting a tablespoon of coconut oil in my coffee before heading to the office. It gave me clean, sustained energy without the crash. The hunger never came. I wasn’t starving—I was sharp, present, and productive. And by the time I had a chance to eat, it was well past noon. That’s when it hit me: I was accidentally and unintentionally intermittent fasting.
And guess what? I loved it.
I felt fantastic. That's when I realized that I might have been wrong with my original publication of HCG 2.0. So I continued with that schedule and I continued to research intermittent fasting and documenting my own personal results.
I’ve kept that practice ever since. It’s no longer a “diet hack” or a “protocol.”It’s just how I live. And I’ve seen it work wonders for others too.
Does that mean I deprive myself of a greasy spoon breakfast once in awhile? Does that mean I refuse to eat beautiful and colorful fruit when I stay at a nice hotel?
NO!!!
"When you know how to get this right, it makes indulgences really, really fun and absolutely guilt free. You're allowed!"
Why I Added a Chapter on Intermittent Fasting to HCG 2.0
When I revised HCG 2.0 for the second edition, I knew I had to add a chapter on intermittent fasting. Why?
Because so many people were already experimenting with it, as was I, albeit unintentionally. As a result, I experienced the benefits firsthand.
What Are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
Enhanced fat burning
Greater insulin sensitivity
Reduced inflammation
Better cognitive clarity
Freedom from obsessive meal timing
That’s not to say IF is better than early protein. There’s no one-size-fits-all.
But I want you to have options. Informed options. That’s what InsideOut Wellness is all about. That said, I'm supposed to be the expert. So I need to act like one.
An expert is decisive. Experts don't leave questions unanswered and/or open-ended. That's why I'm comfortably able to say you... Experiment and see what works for you.
Is that a little heavy on the b^ll$hit?? Oh yeah! But it's not wrong. The choices I'm presenting you with are all right. They all involve healthy whole food option which means they are NOT wrong.
Personally, I have fallen in love with Intermittent Fasting. In fact, I have taken it a step further with real fasting. No food, no beverages outside of lemon juice in my tea. My schedule is this...
🕒 Dr. Zach’s Fasting Schedule (Simple + Sustainable)
✅ Once per week: 24-hour fast (e.g., dinner-to-dinner or lunch-to-lunch), but I often extend it to 30-36 hours because it's not miserable.
✅ Once per month: 3-day (72-hour) fast — great for promoting deep autophagy, insulin sensitivity, and mental clarity
I have so much to say on fasting. You're well aware that CURB is my favorite product in my store. That said, my goal isn't weight loss. It's cellular health which is facilitated by autophagy - it's like your very own internal composting system.
Autophagy is the body’s natural method of cleaning house at the cellular level. During this process, old or malfunctioning parts of the cell—like damaged proteins or worn-out organelles—are broken down and repurposed into usable energy and raw materials. The term comes from Greek, meaning “self-eating,” and it plays a crucial role in cellular maintenance, defense against disease, and overall longevity. Autophagy can be stimulated by stressors like fasting, caloric restriction, or nutrient scarcity, helping to clear out harmful invaders and reduce the risk of conditions such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
Long story short (you know how long-winded I am), instead of pushing everyone toward egg whites at 7:00 AM, let's experiment with a tablespoon of coconut oil (or MCT oil) in your coffee. It will keep you in a fat-burning state while supporting energy and focus. And if fruit sounds good mid-morning? Go for it. Eat it with joy and without guilt. When you can do that, that's when you know you've got it!
Because once you get your metabolism humming, YOU are in control—not your cravings.
Taste is an Acquired Sense… So Is Health
Your body will crave what you feed it most. Period.
If you feed it hyper-processed garbage, it will want more garbage.
But if you fuel it with clean protein, vibrant veggies, and real, whole foods, something magical happens:
You start to crave what makes you feel good.
And that... is how you break the cycle.
Taste is an acquired sense. Health is too. Change your inputs, and your preferences will follow. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. And when it does, you’ll realize how little you miss the foods you used to “need.”
Ask Yourself This - Who Does Your Health Belong To?
It isn’t just for you to be reckless and cavalier. I can say this, because I've done it. I've been the reckless cavalier guy. I've never been married and I have only one son. That sounds like and excuse, right? I only have one son, so I can spend all my time at the bar and eat whatever I want? NO!!
You don’t just owe it to yourself to eat well—you owe it to them. You owe it to your kids to make meals joyful, not stressful. To make eating something they look forward to, not something they fear. I don't have girls, but I can't imagine how hard it would be to raise a girls in the age of social media when they are perpetually judged. As I said earlier in regard to being the expert, be the expert. Tell them how they're going to eat.
You owe it to your family to model what it means to enjoy vegetables, not endure them.
You can’t hate your way into a healthy lifestyle. You can’t shame yourself into long-term results. My private Facebook group, which has always been very supportive, is a perfect example of that. See for yourself. There are over 21,000 success stories. If you're new to HCG 2.0, you should certainly take advantage of it.
And if you're familiar with the group, you can love your way into a new identity - a fresh start. And it starts by deciding who your health belongs. Motivate! Maybe even use social media to work for you. Eating healthy is actually kind of cool. Use that and make it work for you.
Your Body, Your Rules (But Do the Work)
I’m fortunate. I grew up in a house where my mom was decades ahead of her time. She didn’t settle for convenience. She didn’t use “busy” as an excuse. She shopped smart, cooked real meals, and made nutrition a family value—not a fad. I didn't always love it, but I love it now.
My son is fortunate, too. He’s growing up with the same philosophy that my mom bestowed up me.
But if that wasn’t your story, I get it. Change is hard. But it’s worth it.
If you’ve spent years stuck in the cycle of calorie counting, emotional eating, or restrictive plans that never stick…Start small. Focus on one vegetable a day. Cook one new recipe a week. Replace one sugary snack with something your body actually recognizes as food.
You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to participate and MAKE the time to eat healthy.
Where to Start? Try This:
✅ Stop eating after dinner
✅ Fast until noon or 1pm if you feel good doing so
✅ If you need something in the morning, try coconut oil or MCT oil in coffee
✅ Eat slowly, mindfully, and enjoy your meals
✅ Load up on cruciferous veggies, greens, colorful produce
✅ Ditch the seed oils, fake “low-fat” foods, and anything that comes in a foil wrapper
✅ Move your body every day—even a walk counts
✅ Repeat until it becomes who you are
Final Thoughts: From the Inside Out
I’ve been helping people lose weight for over 15 years. But more importantly, I’ve helped people change their relationship with food—and with themselves.
Yes, HCG 2.0 works.
Yes, intermittent fasting works.
But the real secret? The thing no one wants to admit?
True health starts when you stop treating food like the enemy and start treating it like the fuel for the life you want to live.
You’re not broken. You’re just buried under years of misinformation and emotional baggage around food. It’s time to let that go. It’s time to simplify. It’s time to lead—yourself, your family, your future.
Because real health radiates from the inside out. And that’s what InsideOut Wellness has always been about.
—Dr. Zach,
Author of HCG 2.0 - Don't Starve, Eat Smart and Lose: A Contemporary Version fo the Traditional HCG Diet
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