Intermittent Fasting Stories

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Adam and Katie Bergdahl from New Richmond, WI. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Adam is in the lawn care industry and Katie is a scheduler at a clinic. Adam always felt he was “too small” as an athlete in high school and couldn’t seem to gain weight, but all of that reversed after he played football in college and gained weight over time, ending up at an uncomfortable 270 pounds. He dabbled with various weight loss approaches such as keto, but didn’t enjoy eating feeling like a math problem. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get below 250 and would yo-yo back up to 270. Then, in 2022, he heard a jiu-jitsu martial artist on the Joe Rogan podcast who explained intermittent fasting. Intrigued, Adam began researching, and was even more excited when he discovered some IFers in the crossfit community who shared how IF helped them gain muscle. He started that day, with a gentle 12:12 that he gradually increased to 16:8. Now, he flexes his IF approach from day to day as it fits his schedule. His wife Katie watched what he was doing for a few weeks and then joined him. She started with 14:10, which she gradually expanded to 16:8 and then 18:6. She finally began to see weight loss at 18:6, and now has settled into a 20:4 pattern most days. She talks about the psychological challenge of focusing on numbers and the importance of shifting the mindset to celebrating non-scale victories, such as reduced inflammation and transitioning to black coffee. They both find themselves gravitating towards healthier options like fruits and vegetables, while still allowing themselves occasional sweets without guilt. The discussion addresses the societal shame associated with certain foods and how intermittent fasting has shifted their perspective, promoting a healthier relationship with food. Adam admits to his ongoing struggle with temptation but finds reassurance in ultimately making healthier choices. As the episode continues, they discuss the significant psychological and emotional aspects of weight management. Katie shares her eventual decision to stop daily weigh-ins, finding both freedom and trust in her body through intermittent fasting. Adam and Katie also talk about how fasting has positively impacted their relationship and self-confidence, and Katie opens up about the difficulties of finding wholesome food during hectic times. Wrapping up, Adam emphasizes the importance of flexibility in intermittent fasting, discussing how rigid approaches can lead to plateaus. They both encourage beginners to start slow, enjoy the journey, and focus on non-scale victories. Adam advises paying attention to body composition, while Katie recommends taking before-and-after pictures and seeking educational resources....

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Danielle Doyle from the Outback of Australia. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Danielle is a cook on a cattle station. She is also a cookbook author and podcaster, and you can find her by going to https://misschardy.com. Danielle shares her journey with intermittent fasting, which she began in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Growing up, she was active in gymnastics and jazz ballet, but Danielle’s lifestyle changed after leaving school, leading to weight gain. She experimented with various weight loss methods, such as Weight Watchers, keto, and even the cabbage soup diet, but found these approaches unsustainable. Danielle discovered the concept of intermittent fasting through Michael Mosley's "Fast 800" and then transitioned to the clean fast with the daily eating window approach, which she found more manageable. Danielle finds that fasting gives her energy to get through her busy day, and helps her feel more comfortable in her body. Both Gin and Danielle agree on the importance of understanding and listening to their bodies, emphasizing that sustainable weight and overall well-being are more important than the numbers on the scale. Danielle attributes her success to the clean fast, which has helped regulate her hunger waves and maintain her energy throughout the day. She also incorporates alternate day fasting from time to time, such as when she has been on a trip and her honesty jeans are a bit tight. Danielle concludes with advice for listeners: focus on finding a fasting routine that fits your lifestyle and makes you feel good. She stresses the importance of not obsessing over the scale but rather embracing a healthier, sustainable approach to eating and weight management. Intermittent fasting, she notes, should enhance your life, providing increased energy and comfort rather than being a source of stress. Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardback. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, a thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has an August of 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is coming soon, so if you listen to the first edition audiobook, you’ll also want a copy of the ebook or a paper copy to see the updates. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat....

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Tangie Callahan from Virginia Beach, VA. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Tangie is a pastor, a pastor’s wife, a life coach, a mother of four, and a new grandmother. Despite enduring past trauma, including sexual violation and disordered eating in her youth, which led to decades of yo-yo dieting, Tangie has managed to find peace and contentment through fasting, choosing foods that work well for her body, and listening to her body when it comes to both food and exercise approaches. Tangie's intermittent fasting journey began in 2022. The director of her gym explained intermittent fasting to her when she came in desperate, seven weeks before her daughter’s wedding. Tangie started right away, and felt amazing by the wedding. Over time, Tangie has found the schedule that works best for her, and she stresses the importance of tailoring your fasting schedules to your individual needs, pointing out that more fasting isn’t always better. The conversation then delves into the broader topic of personalized nutrition and how our bodies uniquely respond to various foods. Tangie recounts her negative experiences with the keto diet and how going through the Zoe program and switching to a diet of one-ingredient foods dramatically improved her health. She also shared her struggles with body dysphoria and negative self-talk, highlighting a pivotal moment of spiritual and physical healing when she began practicing positive affirmations. Gin and Tangie discuss the significant impacts that thoughts and words can have on our bodies, supported by scientific evidence. As the episode concludes, Tangie shares her weight loss progress, and the discussion switches to practical advice for others on similar journeys. Gin suggests using goal clothing instead of scales to measure success and focusing on a healthy lifestyle rather than just weight loss. Tangie’s final advice: customize your food choices and fasting windows based on what feels right for your body, incorporate positive affirmations into your daily routine, and always make conscious decisions to improve your physical and mental health. Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardback. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, a thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has an August of 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is coming soon, so if you listen to the first edition audiobook, you’ll...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Hjørdis Marie Jenshaug, also known as Marie, from Norway,. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Marie is a teacher, and she teaches English and Norwegian to students in 1st-4th grade. Marie first learned about intermittent fasting in the spring of 2022, and she was first interested for the potential health benefits, as she had been experiencing aches and pains related to a chronic health condition. Marie was a skinny child, and didn’t worry about her weight as she was growing up. That changed when she moved to England and started gaining weight slowly. She recounts dealing with multiple health issues, including a diagnosis of epilepsy and a discouraging prognosis about having more children, which led to depression, and further weight gain. She shares how these experiences motivated her to explore intermittent fasting, inspired by a fit and healthy couple she met during her travels. The discussion turns to the practical aspects of intermittent fasting, with Marie emphasizing the benefits of clean fasting and the positive impact it had on her health, including reduced aches, fewer headaches, and an overall better relationship with food. Gin and Marie also talk about societal misconceptions about fasting, the importance of whole foods, and non-scale victories. Marie describes how intermittent fasting has brought her freedom and adaptability in her eating habits, helping her manage social events and special occasions without guilt. Towards the end of the episode, Marie offers valuable advice for those new to intermittent fasting. She encourages beginners to take photos and measurements to track their progress, focus on clean fasting, and avoid pushing the lifestyle on others. Instead, she suggests planting seeds and waiting for the right time when individuals are open to listening. Marie's journey is a testament to the transformative power of intermittent fasting, reinforcing that it's a sustainable lifestyle choice rather than a temporary or short-term fix. Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardback. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, a thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has an August of 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is coming soon, so if you listen to the first edition audiobook, you’ll also want a copy of the ebook or a paper copy to see the updates. Join Gin’s community! Go to:...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Chelsea and Ros, two friends from Dalby which is in Queensland, Australia. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Ros is a teacher aid, and Chelsea and her brother run a building company. Ros found intermittent fasting first, after a long struggle with her weight. She got to her highest weight of 153 kg, which is 337 pounds, and her doctor suggested that she have bariatric surgery. She knew that she didn’t want to have surgery, and looked for another option. She was able to use Ozempic, losing 20 kg. But then there was an Ozempic shortage, and Ros told herself that there was no way she was going to allow herself to regain the weight she lost, so she started walking. She ran into a friend of hers who looked great, and her friend told her about intermittent fasting. Ros started immediately. Thanks to IF, she not only didn’t regain the weight she had lost, but she kept losing, going from an Australian size 26 to a size 16, which is similar to a US size 12. Ros shares that the appetite correction she feels as an IFer is a similar way to shut off the “food noise”, just as Ozempic does, but without the side effects she experienced while taking Ozempic. Eventually, Chelsea decided to begin IF herself. She describes herself as a former sugar addict, and Ros’s results inspired her. Chelsea discusses her struggle with weight-related shame and her complex relationship with food, particularly her tendency toward sweets which has often hindered her progress. She also touches upon her battle with gestational diabetes and the mental health struggles following an ectopic pregnancy. Her personal challenges underline the importance of finding a balance that goes beyond mere weight loss. Ros and Chelsea discuss the cultural pressures around food and the significance of supporting each other through their health journeys. They share insights into the physical and psychological benefits they've experienced, including improved skin health and energy levels, highlighting that intermittent fasting has much more to offer beyond weight loss. They each also experienced unexpected healing: Ros healed quickly after major surgery, and Chelsea had a skin issue clear up without needing intervention, amazing her dermatologist. Ending the episode, Ros and Chelsea offer advice to listeners considering intermittent fasting. Ros underscores the effectiveness of having a strong motivation and the importance of understanding the science behind fasting. Chelsea advises on the mental shift needed to make intermittent fasting a sustainable part of life rather than a quick fix. Both stress the importance of patience, support, and personal adaptability in making any health-driven lifestyle change. They express enthusiasm about their...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Tracey Mack from Taylor, MI. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Tracey is a return guest, and she first appeared on episode 300 which aired in April of 2023. She works for the federal government and is the author of a book called Intermittent Fasting for Life: Experiment of One. Tracey shares that she found intermittent fasting in January of 2022 when she was feeling desperate to lose weight after years of yo-yo dieting. She didn’t struggle with her weight until after she had her kids, but at that point the cycle of losing weight every January only to regain it by the following year had begun. She tried many diets along the way, and after one more attempt at a popular diet plan, she only lost 13 pounds in 18 months, and knew there had to be a better way. After finding a book about intermittent fasting in a bookstore one day, Tracey realized that this was something she could do, and she started immediately with a 16:8 approach. Over time, she gradually moved to a 4-hour eating window most days, leading to steady weight loss and a more sustainable lifestyle. She reached her goal of a wearing a size 8 and settled into a comfortable weight range. Tracey continued her personal study of one as she experimented with carnivore, which she was following when Gin interviewed her for episode 300. Over time, her digestion suffered, and she knew she needed to make a change. In 2023, she had a dietary transition that includes prioritizing plant-based meals and eliminating processed foods and sugars. This shift led to her dropping twenty more pounds effortlessly, and she feels amazing. Tracey and Gin explore the impact of dietary choice on both our weight and how we feel, highlighting Tracey’s daily routine that begins with a nutrient-rich green smoothie and includes high-quality animal products alongside her plant-focused meals. Ending the episode, Tracey provides advice for anyone new to intermittent fasting or looking to redefine their relationship with food and health: educate yourself thoroughly, start gradually, and treat the process as a lifestyle change rather than a temporary diet. She advocates for immersing oneself in the intermittent fasting community and consistently stresses the importance of listening to one’s body, finding what personally works best, and embracing the journey. Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardback. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, a thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Aleena Urbas from Ohio. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Aleena is a stay-at-home mom of two teenage girls. Her struggle with body image began at the age of 14 when a high school boyfriend told her that she was “fat”. That led her down a challenging path of eating disorders that began with anorexia and developed into bingeing and purging. She carried the shame of her disordered eating for decades. Aleena thought she found the answer to her struggles when she joined a religious-based diet program and began attending their church. Despite achieving her lowest weight in 2011, Aleena discusses the emotional trauma and pressure she faced, which ultimately led her to leave what she refers to as a diet “cult”. This marked a positive turning point in her life, bolstered by the strong support system she found in intermittent fasting groups where she formed meaningful friendships that helped her through her most challenging times. Both Aleena and Gin share the mental shifts they have experienced through their fasting practices. Aleena emphasizes how fasting helped her not only in understanding which foods worked best for her body but also in healing her relationship with food. She describes moving away from viewing fasting as a form of punishment to seeing it as a means of connection and self-care. Furthermore, Aleena and Gin discuss the pitfalls of ‘revenge fasting’ and the importance of approaching fasting with a mindset focused on gratitude and empowerment, rather than restriction and control. To conclude, Aleena offers advice to those new to or struggling with intermittent fasting. She stresses the importance of letting go of fear, embracing faith in oneself, and being present in the moment. She encourages listeners to avoid keeping secrets that could hinder progress, to seek support from a community or inner circle, and to see each day as an opportunity for a fresh start. Aleena’s parting message is one of encouragement to connect to either a higher power or your own inner strength, finding joy and liberation in the journey towards a healthier relationship with food and oneself. Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, and hardback. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, a thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has an August of 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition has not yet been recorded, so if you listen to the first edition...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Paula Johnson from Sanibel Island, FL. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Paula is a recently retired occupational therapist, and currently works as a naturopath and a health coach. She is also the author of a book called Nature’s Child. Paula first heard about intermittent fasting from a friend on a girls’ trip in July of 2022. While Paula only had about 15 pounds to lose, she had been unable to lose those pounds no matter what she tried along the way, so she was immediately intrigued with the concept of intermittent fasting. Early in her journey, she found Gin’s books and learned about the clean fast. She said the clean fast was an immediate game changer, and she was able to fast with ease, settling into her current protocol of a daily 3-5 hour window, with an occasional meal-less day followed by an up day. That approach led to Paula losing the 15 pounds she wanted to lose and has allowed her to settle into a goal lifestyle that feels sustainable. Paula has always been interested in food and nutrition, and has seen the impact that foods have on the kids she worked with as an occupational therapist. That led her to go back to school to become a naturopath so she could better guide parents through the challenges of finding what their kids need to heal, and it was also the inspiration for her book, Nature’s Child. Paula shares her non-scale victories since starting intermittent fasting, which include reduced hip pain, softer skin, and better overall energy levels. Ending the episode, Paula offers valuable advice for anyone looking to start intermittent fasting. She emphasizes the importance of taking initial measurements, adhering to a clean fasting protocol, and viewing the entire process as a holistic health journey rather than just a weight loss plan. Paula encourages listeners to listen to their bodies and adjust their fasting and dietary strategies accordingly, ensuring that they are mindful of both physical health and overall well-being. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com Visit Gin’s website at:...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Sandra Sexton from Texas. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Sandra is the technology director for a school district. Sandra's fasting journey began in January of 2022 when she experienced unexplained stomach pain. Her Pubmed search led her to fasting as a therapeutic approach, and she researched fasting and decided to give it a try. Prior to IF, she experienced weight gain and a series of serious diagnoses including fibroids, a goiter, and Hashimoto's, which led to multiple surgeries. Despite these challenges, her shift to what she considers to be a “Paleo-ish” diet led to improvements in her migraines and weight management, but the real turning point came after the painful episode initially suspected to be a gallbladder issue in 2022. Instead of opting for surgery, Sandra delved into research and discovered the potential benefits of intermittent fasting for her specific ailments. Sandra explains how intermittent fasting not only helped alleviate her stomach pain but also brought noticeable improvements in her overall health. She recalls how adopting a fasting schedule contributed significantly to her intestinal and eczema issues disappearing, with her Hashimoto's thyroiditis even going into remission. Throughout the conversation, Sandra emphasizes the importance of personal health research and adjusting dietary plans to align with one's specific needs, particularly highlighting her approach to eating real, whole foods. Discussing the psychological and practical aspects of intermittent fasting, Gin and Sandra note the importance of adjusting fasting and eating patterns to suit different lifestyles and situations, such as stress, dining out, and celebrations, underscoring the need to remain flexible and mindful of one's body responses. Ending on a note of empowerment, Sandra encourages listeners to embrace the concept of "n equals one," where individuals are urged to experiment and find what uniquely works for their bodies. She advises against the one-size-fits-all approach in diet and medicine, advocating instead for mindfulness in fasting, eating clean-ish, and focusing on how foods interact with personal health. For anyone embarking on a similar journey, Sandra underscores the significance of understanding and listening to one’s body, making adjustments as necessary to pave the way for a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Kaitlyn from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Kaitlyn is a medical device reprocessing technician. Kaitlyn shares her journey with intermittent fasting that began on August 11, 2021, highlighting both the challenges and positive transformations she has encountered along the way. Despite a struggle with weight that began in her early childhood, Kaitlyn's path took a turn when she decided against buying larger clothes and instead found intermittent fasting. Beginning with a 16:8 fasting schedule, she gradually experimented with longer fasting windows such as 24-hour fasts and 18:6 schedules, while dealing with the ups and downs of fluctuating progress and the seduction of old eating habits. Kaitlyn has gravitated over time towards whole foods and she highlighting her family's appreciation for gardening. However, beyond her diet and fasting schedules, Kaitlyn opens up about the other side of weight loss—the emotional struggles that many of us can relate to. As the episode comes to a close, Kaitlyn reflects on her overall 58-pound weight loss to date, and the profound ways in which it has enhanced her life—from reducing physical discomforts to emboldening her to embrace activities like paddleboarding and hiking. Ultimately, her story is one of perseverance, learning, and self-discovery. Kaitlyn's parting advice to the audience reiterates the value of patience and persistence. She emphasizes not to rush the process or to be too hard on oneself when progress seems slow, advocating for the significance of understanding one’s body and finding balance between fasting, eating, and living a full, healthy life. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com Visit Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.html See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Karen who lives in the Pacific Northwest. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Karen is an accountant. Karen opens up about her challenging childhood, marked by her parents' struggle with addiction, and how a supportive teacher offered her stability in a turbulent time. Her weight and eating habits, which were influenced by family dynamics and financial constraints, led to body image issues. This struggle was compounded by Karen's negative experiences with the healthcare system, where she often felt dismissed due to her size, especially when seeking help for her chronic back pain and hormonal imbalances. Karen's turning point came with the discovery of intermittent fasting in the spring of 2018, when her husband suggested that she try IF to help with PCOS. After initially resisting the idea of fasting, she discovered that contrary to her fears, her hypoglycemia improved and she felt better overall, even before substantial weight loss occurred. Despite concerns about the impact of fasting on women's hormones, Karen found that her menstrual cycle regulated, and her symptoms became better managed over time. She emphasizes that intermittent fasting became progressively more beneficial and speaks candidly about her initial slow weight loss, urging patience and a long-term approach for those new to fasting. Karen has lost an impressive 70 pounds overall, but also has seen improved hormonal regulation, clearing up of a variety of skin issues, and healing of her lifelong GERD. As Karen and Gin delve deeper into Karen's story, they highlight the emotional and physical benefits that Karen experienced with intermittent fasting. She recounts how she had to relearn the ability to hear her body’s hunger and satiety cues. Now, she enjoys the flexibility of varying her fasting schedule and focuses on protein-rich meals without obsessing over calories or counting anything. Karen has seen not only weight loss but muscle growth, challenging the misconceptions we sometimes hear about fasting leading to muscle loss. Ending the episode on an empowering note, Karen shares advice for newcomers to intermittent fasting. She encourages listeners to approach fasting with patience, avoid rigidity, and focus on long-term health. By celebrating non-scale victories and listening to their bodies, individuals can enjoy the gradual, positive shifts that come with this lifestyle change. Karen's parting words resonate with positivity: rather than being disheartened by the scale, one should embrace the journey, trust in the process of intermittent fasting, and look forward to the holistic improvements it brings. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Kate Weakley from the southern coast of New South Wales in Australia. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Kate is a homeschooling mom of 4, a new teacher, and she also helps her husband run his chiropractic business. Kate's personal journey with intermittent fasting began after reaching her highest weight of 231 pounds. Following the challenges of motherhood that led her to put self-care on hold, Kate found a path to sustainable change through IF. She delves into her experience of trying the "Fast 800" diet, and her shift to the Delay, Don't Deny approach to fasting in 2020, detailing how COVID-19 was both a setback due to a return to regular eating and a blessing in disguise that provided her family with more quality time together and improved sleep for her. Kate and Gin candidly share their past battles with extreme diets such as the Fast 800 for Kate and the HCG diet for Gin, acknowledging the difficulties and potential negative impacts of these types of diets that call for severe calorie restriction. They contrast those experiences with the benefits of intermittent fasting, celebrating the freedom and ease it provides compared to the constant restriction they had previously endured. Kate recounts her remarkable weight loss journey, dropping from 220 to 158 pounds at her lowest, and how she experienced body recomposition, resulting in a significant reduction in her clothing size, while her overall health, including her hair, nails, skin, vision, and mental clarity, improved noticeably. Both reflect on finding the right balance in protein intake, with Gin discussing the protein leverage hypothesis, and how they've learned to listen to their bodies to determine individual nutritional needs, rather than adhering to generic dietary advice. Kate's narrative extends beyond her own transformation to include her family's wellness journey. With intuitive eating at its core, Kate's children benefit from the opportunity to eat according to their hunger while her husband practices a 16:8 fasting method. Drawing from her weight loss experience, Kate relays how she embraced a more fulfilling and active lifestyle, recently completing a 54 km hike in New Zealand, and how at 50, she pursued a master's degree in teaching, attributing her renewed focus and clarity to her fasting regimen. Both Kate and her husband advocate for intermittent fasting within his chiropractic practice, suggesting resources such as the book Fast. Feast. Repeat. to those curious about the lifestyle. The episode concludes with Kate offering heartfelt advice to newcomers to intermittent fasting. She suggests that a successful start consists of prioritizing restful sleep, tracking the eating window honestly, and delighting in...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Cheryl Beckerich from Indianapolis, IN. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Cheryl loves to knit, she writes knitting patterns, and she works as marketing and communications manager for a church. She recounts how a podcast by Joanna Penn led her to explore intermittent fasting after hearing Gin as a guest. Despite her religious familiarity with fasting, its connection with weight loss was a novel concept for her. Cheryl lost around 20 pounds over the first six months of her intermittent fasting journey, typically fasting between 18 and 20 hours a day. She enjoys traditional foods without guilt and stays active. Her body has settled into a healthy weight range for her height, and she doesn’t have to think about what she does from day to day—the lifestyle feels natural, and it’s simply what she does. In her final advice to newcomers to intermittent fasting, Cheryl stresses the importance of easing in and maintaining a clean fast by avoiding any consumables that mimic the taste of food, like gum or diet beverages. Her parting words encourage beginners to stick with it and trust the process, highlighting the significance of perseverance for long-term success and overall wellbeing. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com Visit Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.html See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Rivka from Los Angeles, CA. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Rivka works in business banking. She candidly shares her battle with health issues such as frequent migraines, depression, PMDD, and anxiety, along with her experiments with multiple diet regimens including bulletproof coffee, raw veganism, and the gluten-free diet. These experiments brought some relief but often came with their own set of problems, like new food intolerances. Rivka's backstory is interwoven with her experience of immigration, a difficult work permit situation, and the transition to motherhood, illustrating her resilience amidst adversity. Throughout the conversation, Rivka delves into her professional life, from the early days in business banking to the high-pressure environment of financial trading in England. Her work experiences, coupled with her dietary trials such as the 5:2 diet, offered little in terms of sustainable health improvements. Rivka describes how the simplicity of clean fasting led to a significant improvement in her health, eliminating migraines, improving her mood, and contributing to hormonal balance. The discussion touches upon the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza and the importance of mindfulness in choosing an eating window along with food choices that work for your body. Concluding the episode, Rivka reflects on the lifestyle changes that have brought the most positive impact on her life. She offers advice to listeners, stressing the importance of personalizing one's diet based on individual health needs, rather than blindly following trends. Rivka highlights the transformative effect of intermittent fasting on her mental health and recommends finding an eating pattern that feels natural, advising listeners to nourish their bodies thoughtfully. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com Visit Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.html See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Cyrus Khambatta who lives in Florida. Cyrus is the co-author of New York Times bestseller Mastering Diabetes, cohost of the Mastering Diabetes podcast, and also manages a coaching community that helps people reverse insulin resistance permanently through dietary and lifestyle changes, including intermittent fasting. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Cyrus has an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and worked for NASA before returning to school to earn a PhD in nutritional biochemistry. Cyrus shares his personal journey that led him from battling multiple autoimmune disorders—including a type 1 diabetes diagnosis— to exploring the science of nutrition, ultimately achieving a remarkable tenfold increase in insulin sensitivity through dietary changes. In Cyrus’s first year of managing his diabetes, he found that his insulin needs kept going up, even though he was following the low carb approach his doctors had recommended. He was introduced to the concept of a whole food plant-based diet, and since he was frustrated by his experiences managing his blood glucose, he was willing to try anything. He was shocked to discover that within one week, he went from requiring 42 units of insulin per day to only 24 units per day. He knew he wanted to understand what was happening in his own body, and was inspired to go back to school to learn more. Cyrus explains the science of how whole food, low-fat plant-based diets are conducive to both improved blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity, despite common misconceptions to the contrary. Cyrus delves into the scientific research, which underscores the negative impact of high-fat diets on insulin sensitivity. Diving deeper into the science, Cyrus and Gin discuss Cyrus's experiments on calorie restriction and intermittent fasting with laboratory animals, showcasing the significant reversal of insulin resistance. Cyrus wraps up the episode with advice for listeners who may be grappling with similar health issues or seeking healthier lifestyles. He underscores the essentials: belief in the process, openness to new information, and embracing the robust scientific evidence supporting plant-based diets combined with intermittent fasting. Encouraging personal research and understanding, Cyrus leaves listeners with a powerful parting message – to approach one’s health journey with curiosity, to avoid being swayed by prevalent dietary myths, and to seek empowerment through knowledge, concluding with an invitation to explore the wealth of resources available, such as his Mastering Diabetes program, for anyone ready to take control of their health and well-being. You can connect with Cyrus and his team through...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Becca who lives in Dorset in England. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Becca works for a local company that makes candles and other lifestyle products. She first heard of fasting about 10 years ago from a friend, as she was interested in losing a little weight before her wedding. The original 5:2 program by Dr. Michael Moseley was popular at that time, and she gave it a try, but it was very difficult for her to stick to. A few years later, Becca found herself with a bit of weight to lose, and she found Dr. Moseley’s new program, which was marketed as “fasting” but actually was a very low-calorie diet where you eat 800 calories a day for up to 12 weeks, followed by a switch to the Mediterranean diet. Becca lost weight very quickly, but found herself caught up in a cycle of over restricting, binging in response to the over restriction, and then regaining the weight just as quickly. This cycle lasted for about a year. In 2021, Becca faced mysterious pelvic pain that her doctors couldn’t diagnose. The pain was intense and in desperation, she searched for a way to heal her body naturally. She learned that fasting could help with excess inflammation, and she found Fast Feast Repeat and read it, beginning her intermittent fasting lifestyle the next day. Becca’s family has a history of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so she is motivated to live an intermittent fasting lifestyle for her health. She has settled into an intermittent fasting routine that feels easy, and she knows this will be her forever lifestyle. With a long-term, sustainable approach, Becca opts for an adaptable fasting schedule with a 18-19 hour fast most days, and does not confine herself to strict eating windows. As the conversation draws to a close, Becca shares the lessons she's learned on her fasting journey. She advises newcomers to intermittent fasting to approach it steadily and avoid overdoing it. Becca emphasizes the importance of integrating weight-bearing exercises and Gin and Becca emphasize self-kindness in both self-talk and dietary choices. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Suzanne from Howard County, MD. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Suzanne is a management consultant. She learned about IF through a random ad that popped up on Facebook, and she found Fast Feast Repeat two weeks later, at which time she implemented the clean fast. She immediately felt less bloating, and knew that fasting was going to be right for her as a lifestyle. Suzanne struggled with hormonal balance after several traumatic pregnancy losses, and she was able to find a functional medicine practitioner near her to help her get her hormones back in balance. She also learned that she has a dairy allergy, and changing the foods she eats, coupled with intermittent fasting, has made a great deal of difference in how her digestive system functions. Suzanne shares her genetic risk of type two diabetes and is relieved that she has both excellent blood work and weight loss as tangible evidence of her health improvements since starting fasting. Both Gin and Suzanne share their experiences with the impacts of both food choices and alcohol on sleep quality and how their bodies feel, emphasizing the importance of listening to one's body, especially through life’s hormonal changes. As the episode draws to a close, Suzanne shares impactful non-scale victories, like her waist size reduction and enhanced flexibility, and talks proudly of her daughter, who has also adopted intermittent fasting for maintaining her health and simplicity as she goes off to college. In her final advice to the listeners, Suzanne tells listeners to just start. She suggests beginning with a simple twelve-hour fast if you need to, urging listeners to engage with the wealth of resources available on intermittent fasting, especially Gin’s book, Fast Feast Repeat. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com Visit Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.html See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Stefanie Hartung from Santa Clarita, CA. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Stefanie is a homemaker and a mom of seven. She shares the turning point that led to her embracing the intermittent fasting lifestyle after her weight crept up in her 40s, including unsuccessful attempts with other dieting strategies like Weight Watchers and the 21-day fix program. Inspired by her cousin's Facebook post and armed with resources her cousin shared with her, such as Gin’s book Fast. Feast. Repeat., Stefanie began her fasting journey on November 14, 2022. Throughout the conversation, Stefanie highlights the significant emotional and physical changes she has experienced since adopting intermittent fasting as a lifestyle. From experiencing an “appetite reset” that led to a healthier relationship with food, to enjoying softer skin and reduced discomfort from sore lymph nodes and sciatic nerve pain, she enthusiastically describes the multitude of benefits IF has brought to her. The discussion delves deep into the emotional empowerment and sense of life simplification Stefanie has gained, contrasting her life now to the times when other diets left her feeling restricted and less confident. Gin and Stefanie connect over their similar intermittent fasting schedules and the flexibility IF offers, revealing how their eating windows of four and five hours respectively have become a natural part of their lifestyle. They touch on the broader discussions around aging, societal pressures for women, and the balance between looking good and feeling good as they mature. Not shying away from the challenging aspects of intermittent fasting, they share personal insights into past dieting experiences, highlighting the need to pay attention to hunger and satiety cues. Ending the episode with sound advice for newcomers, Stefanie encourages listeners to treat intermittent fasting as an adventure rather than a chore. Emphasizing patience and the importance of tuning into one’s body, she reflects on her own fasting journey and how it has led to a more intuitive relationship with food and her well-being. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Ashley Izzo from Marietta, GA. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Ashley is lead instructor at a Spenga studio and a mom of two boys. Ashley openly shares her turbulent relationship with food and body image that dates back to her childhood, discussing how she navigated weight struggles from middle school into adulthood. After a bout of salmonella poisoning, health remained at the forefront of her concerns. Her journey with food took dramatic turns as she experimented with a variety of diets, including experiences with both the master cleanse protocol and a lengthy juice fast to prepare for her wedding. Despite these programs and diets, Ashley was unable to maintain her weight loss, and her weight always went back up. Ashley's story takes a poignant turn as she delves into her pregnancy loss, highlighting how grief and then motherhood affected her body and her approach to nutrition. Choosing to adopt intermittent fasting, she recounts her initial hesitation and the accidental discovery of its benefits while juggling the demands of a toddler and a newborn. Throughout their conversation, Gin and Ashley bond over their shared experiences with dietary struggles and the realization that the path to well-being is unique for each person. The discussion ventures into the mental and physical benefits both women have observed from intermittent fasting. They also explore the societal pressures around eating and the freedom they have found in making personal food choices without the burden of judgment. Concluding the episode, Ashley emphasizes the importance of pursuing health without attaching guilt to food choices, encouraging listeners to take control of their own well-being journey. She underscores the significance of prioritizing how one feels over a number on the scale and advocates for body recomposition and strength-building as markers of fitness success. Her parting advice for the audience is to drop the shame around past struggles and embrace a flexible, information-empowered approach to intermittent fasting, leading to a healthier and more harmonious lifestyle. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Christina Murphy. Christina is from Marietta, GA and now lives in Wicklow, Ireland. Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Christina is a zookeeper, and she also appears on a TV show called The Zoo. In 2022, Christina discovered she had hip dysplasia, and she could no longer run. Doctors told her that she would probably need a hip replacement in about 10 years, and that was hard for a 36-year-old to hear. They also let her know that if she lost weight, she would find some relief. So, Christina started searching, and found intermittent fasting. Christina decided to start with 16:8, and she shares the challenges of her very first day fasting, which involved the physical task of catching 100 flamingos for bird flu vaccines. During the conversation, the pair delve into the differences in animal and human eating habits, with Christina drawing parallels from her job as a zookeeper, culminating in humorous stories about her work with animals, including penguins, and her previous experience at the Georgia Aquarium. Christina and Gin discuss the importance of finding an eating schedule compatible with one's lifestyle and discuss how Christina and her husband, who also adopted intermittent fasting, have gained freedom and time for personal development. They touch on the significance of not obsessing over the scale, utilizing "honesty pants" as a gauge instead, and engaging in new physical activities like sea swimming, which also contributes to Christina's well-being. Christina concludes with valuable advice for listeners, urging them not to get lost in the extremities of dieting and to maintain a sustainable and flexible approach to intermittent fasting. She emphasizes the importance of being gentle with oneself, embracing a fasting method that adapts to life events, and not being overly restrictive. Christina's parting wisdom encapsulates the spirit of her story—fast clean, and find a balance that allows you to maintain a healthy weight and active lifestyle without compromising life's joys. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon. Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts. Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com Visit...