Intermittent Fasting Stories

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Joanna North from Devon in the UK. Gin has a new YouTube Channel! Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CA and subscribe today so you never miss an intermittent fasting tip, a community coaching session, or an an interview with a past IF Stories guest or expert. 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. Jo is a psychologist and psychotherapist who specializes in mental health and well-being. She shares her journey with intermittent fasting, which began in earnest about a year ago after listening to Gin's appearance on the Zoe podcast. Before that, she had experimented with 5:2 fasting for several years but found it ineffective and also difficult due to not practicing the clean fast. Jo recounts how learning about clean fasting was transformative, leading to rapid and noticeable changes in how she felt, changes in her body, and changes in her relationship with food. Jo discusses her past struggles with weight, starting from childhood, including how calorie counting and diet culture negatively affected her. She highlights the relief and freedom she felt when she stopped focusing on calories and began listening to her body. This change has improved her relationship with food, allowing her to enjoy meals fully without the guilt and anxiety that used to accompany eating. Jo explains how the clean fast has replaced her former reliance on snacks and emotional eating. The conversation delves into the psychological aspects of dieting and body image, with Jo reflecting on how her identity was tied to being overweight for much of her life. Through intermittent fasting, she has redefined her self-perception and embraced a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Jo also shares insights from her experience with the Zoe program, which complemented her fasting regimen by focusing on personalized nutrition. In closing, Jo offers advice to those new to intermittent fasting. She suggests starting with a broad eating window to ease into the process comfortably and gradually shifting to shorter windows as the body's adaptation improves. This gradual approach allows individuals to find a natural balance that feels right for them, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting in a way that is sustainable. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Bridget Mazenkas from Massachusetts. 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. In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Bridget Mazenkas from Massachusetts. Bridget is a social worker for a healthcare system and a mom of two boys. Bridget discusses her tumultuous past, including struggles with addiction that began at 17 and her path to recovery at 24, which marked the start of her health journey. Bridget also recounts her early battles with weight, stemming from childhood insecurities and a series of diets, starting from Weight Watchers at a young age. She explored various diet plans over the years, including keto, Noom, and even a celebrity diet she acquired through a relative, but none provided lasting results. After a second open-heart surgery in 2020, Bridget was advised by a cardiologist to try intermittent fasting, a recommendation that resonated with her after previous unsuccessful attempts. Once she learned about the importance of the clean fast, Bridget found success, losing 30 pounds from June to October 2021 with an initial morning eating window and later adapting to Alternate Day Fasting (ADF). Her schedule evolved as she balanced a demanding life as a mother, wife, and professional, finding ADF the most suitable for her lifestyle. Bridget attributes part of her success to the support of her husband, who also engages in intermittent fasting, as well as the community and resources she discovered along the way, including Gin's books and podcasts. Her taste in food has significantly shifted, and she now enjoys a variety of fruits and vegetables that she didn't appreciate before. Despite the occasional struggle with emotional eating, Bridget focuses on mindful eating and maintaining the balance she has achieved. Bridget's advice to those starting out with intermittent fasting is to find a support system or a "fasting buddy," emphasizing the importance of community and shared experiences. This support mirrors her recovery journey, where having a community made a significant difference. Listening to others' stories on the podcast and connecting with like-minded individuals helped her maintain motivation and perspective. She wants listeners to know that while confronting skepticism from others, what truly matters is the health and well-being that fasting has brought her, a message she feels is both empowering and universal. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Lisa Evers from Chatham, Ontario in Canada. 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. Lisa is a repeat guest, and she first appeared on episode 384 which came out in February of 2024. Lisa is a retired kindergarten teacher and an intermittent fasting coach. In this episode, Lisa shares how her lifelong struggles with body image and digestive issues led her to discover the fasting lifestyle for health benefits rather than weight loss. As Lisa delves into the transition to intermittent fasting, she emphasizes the relief and freedom from excessive food noise that it provided. This newfound clarity helped her realize a misalignment with her teaching career, prompting her to retire and explore new ventures like writing children's books and starting her coaching business. Lisa shares how intermittent fasting facilitated a major mental shift, helping her release old obsessive tendencies related to food and self-worth. She also discusses overcoming an "all-or-nothing" mindset, which now empowers her to make choices in alignment with her health and life goals. Throughout the conversation, Lisa highlights significant personal victories, including reduced digestive issues and pain, improved thyroid health, and increased mental clarity. She also touches upon the impact of diet culture and how intermittent fasting helped her detach from its toxic grip. Lisa's story emphasizes the importance of adaptation and self-awareness, noting her journey of learning to listen to hunger cues and understand personal body signals over pre-set eating schedules. Lisa concludes with advice for newcomers to intermittent fasting, urging them to practice clean fasting, to be patient and give the lifestyle time to show results, and to surround themselves with supportive, like-minded communities. Journaling is also encouraged to increase self-awareness and document the journey towards a healthier, more authentic self. Her closing words reinforce the idea that intermittent fasting can lead to unexpected and transformative personal growth. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories?...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Dana Hardy Bingham from Pittsburgh, PA. 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. Dana, a retired teacher turned actor, director, wedding officiant, and part-time nanny, embarked on her fasting journey in September of 2023. Her primary motivation? The potential neuroprotective benefits against Alzheimer’s and dementia, after witnessing the challenges firsthand through her in-laws' battles with these diseases. Dana highlights her transition to clean fasting, the shift from sugar-laden treats to healthier choices, and her remarkable non-scale victories, including increased energy and improved mental clarity. She candidly shares how intermittent fasting has transformed her relationship with food and her overall well-being. As the episode concludes, Dana offers advice for those new to intermittent fasting. She stresses the importance of consuming podcasts as a motivational resource to maintain dedication to the process. These shared experiences and solutions from others can help fasters feel less isolated and bolster their resolve. Dana wishes she had discovered intermittent fasting sooner, expressing gratitude for the transformative impact it has had on her life. Ending with a note of hope, she underscores that even if one starts later in life, it's never too late to reap the benefits of this lifestyle shift. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! 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 Enid Bush from Manalapan, NJ. 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. Enid is a retired teacher, currently teaching theater to young children, and she also works as a health coach. Enid shares her journey with intermittent fasting, which began when she discovered a health coach named Dr. Livingood, who introduced her to the health benefits of fasting. Inspired by his insights about autophagy, and encouraged by a nutritionist to work out on an empty stomach, Enid began fasting. However, it wasn't until she stumbled upon Gin's book, Fast Feast Repeat, that she realized she wasn't fasting clean, leading her to a deeper understanding and better implementation of the lifestyle. Enid discusses her struggles with diets in the past, detailing how she spent years trying various diets like Fit for Life, Herbalife, Weight Watchers, and different nutrition programs, only to find them restrictive and unsustainable. After beginning the clean fast on January 10, 2023, Enid noticed improvements in her well-being and recently celebrated two years in the lifestyle. Throughout the conversation, Enid emphasizes the transformation in her relationship with food. She highlights the joy of enjoying meals more thoroughly and describes how her tastes have naturally shifted towards healthier options, allowing herself to be more selective with what she eats. The episode also touches on her experiences with social expectations and perceptions about fasting, how she responds to skepticism from others, and the importance of understanding one's own body through personalized nutrition and fasting practices. Enid concludes by sharing her ultimate advice to those new to intermittent fasting: recognize the advantages of fasting beyond weight loss, particularly its healing potential. She advises newcomers to have patience, give their bodies time to adjust, focus on a clean fast, and believe in themselves. Emphasizing the freedom that comes with trusting one's own hunger signals and preferences, Enid advocates for a shift away from societal diet pressures and towards a more intuitive, satisfying eating experience. You can find Enid at embhealthcoach.com. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Tracey Mullin from Channahon, IL. 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 owns her own cake decorating business. Tracey shares her journey to intermittent fasting, which began in March of 2017. Her lifelong experiences with different diets started in her childhood when she watched her mother experiment with various weight loss programs like Richard Simmons’ Deal-a-Meal and Jenny Craig. Tracey recounts her own experiments with multiple diets and workout regimens in the 90s and early 2000s, leading to weight fluctuations that prompted her interest in more sustainable weight management methods. Tracey discusses a pivotal moment inspired by an Oprah episode featuring Michael Pollan, which led her to rethink her consumption of processed foods. She later embarked on an elimination diet under her doctor's guidance due to stage 1 liver damage. During this time, Tracey now realizes that she was inadvertently practicing a form of intermittent fasting, resembling a 19:5 pattern, which resulted in significant weight loss at the time, though she didn’t maintain that loss long term when she reverted to her prior eating schedule. In 2017, Tracey found out about intermittent fasting through a beta program she enrolled in, and she started exploring other resources in the intermittent fasting community. When Tracey stumbled upon Gin's Delay, Don’t Deny Facebook group, her relationship with intermittent fasting continued to evolve, particularly when she met her husband, who was also practicing intermittent fasting. Despite gaining some weight during 2020 amid the stress of the pandemic and major life changes, she prioritized returning to a protocol that balanced fasting with enjoying her meals. Tracey appreciates the flexibility of intermittent fasting and integrates a combination of exercise routines including running, walking, and strength training to maintain her wellbeing. Toward the end of the episode, Tracey reflects on the personal nature of the intermittent fasting journey and the importance of removing obstacles to allow the body to naturally heal and regulate itself. Her final advice to listeners is about being patient with the process, not getting discouraged by fluctuations, and staying motivated by learning from other people's stories. She underscores the value of allowing enough time for the body to adapt to fasting and suggests that listening to related podcasts can provide constant encouragement and insight. 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, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Jalene Weigand from Anaheim, 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. Jalene is a preschool teacher, a nanny, and she owns a small soapmaking business. Jalene previously appeared on episode 350 almost two years ago, and she has been happily living the intermittent fasting lifestyle since the last time she came on the podcast. Her journey with intermittent fasting began in November of 2021. She describes her previous struggles with weight gain during menopause and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected her lifestyle and weight. Upon hearing a podcast with Laurie Lewis speaking about menopausal weight gain and how intermittent fasting helped her lose the weight, Jalene found hope and started immediately. The episode highlights her transformation and how intermittent fasting became the answer. Jalene’s weight loss journey was not only about losing pounds but also about regaining her health, as she dealt with hormone issues and Hashimoto's. By incorporating a clean fast and prioritizing whole foods, Jalene found significant improvements in both her physical and mental health. Through it all, Jalene recounts her journey towards finding balance and control over her lifestyle. A 4 to 5-hour eating window and activities such as moving around actively with preschool children are part of her routine. She emphasizes the importance of finding a personalized approach that works for one's unique body and lifestyle. Jalene's experience is a testament to the power of listening to your body and adapting as necessary, whether through tweaking fasting schedules or incorporating different types of foods and activities that fit in with your individual needs. As a final piece of advice, Jalene encourages listeners, especially those new to intermittent fasting, to take pictures and measurements from the start, as it is a great way to track progress beyond the scale. She has learned to focus on how she feels rather than the number on the scale, reminding everyone of the importance of living life to the fullest and embracing the journey with intermittent fasting as a sustainable lifestyle change. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! Join Gin’s community! Go to:...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Natalie Willis from Devon 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. Natalie works within the probation services. In September of 2019, after gaining weight when she stopped a previous method that wasn't working for her any longer, she discovered Gin’s podcast, started intermittent fasting, and read Gin’s books Fast Feast Repeat and Delay, Don’t Deny. Even though she had heard about IF from a friend who lost weight using the 5:2 approach, Natalie favored the daily eating window approach and found immense satisfaction and success, losing around 30 pounds in a year and experiencing various health benefits. Natalie’s preferred routine typically involves a four-hour eating window, though she explains that she moves her eating window around as necessary with her schedule. The conversation weaves through Natalie’s past struggles with body image and a tumultuous relationship with food that started in her teenage years. She describes how joining Herbalife in 2014 set her on a positive path of health and wellness, although it became stressful with time. Transitioning to intermittent fasting brought a more natural and liberating approach to weight management for her. Natalie talks about the positive changes she noticed, such as improved mental focus, reduced joint pain, and overall better well-being. Growing her own food in an allotment has helped her pivot to a diet rich in vegetables and real foods. In sharing her non-scale victories, Natalie highlights rapid hair growth, improved dental health, and increased confidence. Her parting advice to newcomers is to embrace black coffee, exercise kindness towards oneself, and understand that intermittent fasting is a lifelong journey filled with seasons of change. Every day is a new opportunity to start fresh and find one’s sweet spot in this sustainable lifestyle. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! 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...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Melody Fields from Hamilton, OH. 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. Melody is retired, and works part time in a jewelry store. She embarked on her intermittent fasting journey at the end of August 2022, using September 1st as her fastiversary. After struggling with her weight for many years and experiencing significant weight swings, losing 80-100 pounds several times over her life, Melody decided to give intermittent fasting a try. She started with a 16:8 fasting schedule, quickly transitioning to a 20:4 approach, which she found to be comfortable and effective. During the discussion, Melody shared how intermittent fasting has not only helped her lose weight but also significantly improved her health and overall quality of life. Before starting intermittent fasting, Melody faced numerous physical challenges such as knee pain, difficulty walking, and the need for multiple medications, including those for acid reflux and allergies. Remarkably, she has been able to stop taking these medications and is no longer restricted by her previous health issues. One motivation for Melody was her desire to be an active and energetic grandmother to her two young grandsons, which intermittent fasting has allowed her to achieve. Melody also spoke about joining a supportive intermittent fasting community and how it bolstered her knowledge and commitment to the lifestyle. Alongside intermittent fasting, Melody incorporated walking into her daily routine, which began as simple as walking around a grocery store with a shopping cart for support and has now progressed to using a treadmill regularly. Her husband also joined her in intermittent fasting, which led to his own significant health improvements, including weight loss and normalized blood pressure. As the episode closed, Melody offered insightful advice to those just starting their intermittent fasting journey. She emphasized the importance of trusting the process, being patient with oneself, and not getting discouraged by the scale. Melody advised intermittent fasters to stay flexible, adjust as needed, and live their lives without forgoing fun experiences. Finally, she encouraged newcomers to seek community support and reliable resources, such as Gin’s books, to stay informed and motivated. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Karen Gaul from Norwich in the UK. 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, a retired professional whose career was spent working with people, shares her lifelong journey with weight management and how she discovered intermittent fasting. She begins by recounting how she was placed on her first diet at the age of 9 due to her mother's fear of her becoming overweight. This set her on a tumultuous path of weight fluctuations that continued into adulthood. Despite these early struggles, Karen always maintained an active lifestyle, which included dancing, swimming, and various sports activities. Her first introduction to intermittent fasting came in 2019, inspired partially by her nephew who practiced it. Karen's pivotal change came in 2020 when she seriously began intermittent fasting after reading Dr. Chatterjee's books and Gin's book Delay, Don't Deny. She initially incorporated intermittent fasting by delaying breakfast and quickly found that her satisfaction increased, reducing the need to eat three meals a day. By first making changes in what she was eating and then adhering to an 18:6 or 16:8 fasting protocol, she managed to lose weight steadily, going from 174 pounds to 123 pounds by the end of 2020. Her daily routine settled into having brunch around 11 am and dinner by 6 pm. Karen also shares her health setbacks, particularly a diagnosis of stage 1A endometrial cancer just before her 70th birthday. Despite the shock, Karen's overall fitness and health put her in a good position for recovery. She underwent a total hysterectomy followed by 27 radiotherapy treatments. Throughout this trying period, Karen continued her fasting and credits it for helping her maintain focus and a healthy lifestyle. Two years later, she is cancer-free and attributes her successful recovery to her well-established fasting and wellness routines which include good sleep, moderate exercise, and a balanced diet. In concluding her story, Karen emphasizes the importance of patience for anyone starting with intermittent fasting. She advises learning what protocol suits you through your own study of one, and reminds listeners that achieving your health goals is a journey unique to each individual. Karen encourages new fasters to utilize available resources, ask questions, and find a supportive community, stressing that persistence and self-discovery are key to long-term success. Her outlook remains optimistic as she continues to evolve her practices, always looking forward to what comes next in her wellness 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, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Louisa Bangma who lives in West Melton in New Zealand. 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. Louisa is a business and project manager. She discovered intermittent fasting through a health webinar in 2022 where Gin was a speaker. Already familiar with the concept from Jason Fung's work and with the encouragement of her husband, Louisa was inspired by Gin’s presentation and immediately bought the book Fast Feast Repeat. She began fasting in October of 2022 and fully committed to the clean fast by January 2023 after a period of easing in. Louisa has an extensive history with being critical of her body’s size and dieting, starting from her teen years. Over the decades, she tried various methods such as Atkins, no-fat, and no-carb diets, and more. Despite early struggles, intermittent fasting brought remarkable changes. Over eight months, Louisa lost 22 pounds and noticed significant health improvements, including a reduction in her IBS symptoms, increased mobility, and a general feeling of wellness. By January of 2023, she had lost a total of 48.4 pounds and consistently felt better in her body. In addition to weight loss, Louisa experienced numerous non-scale victories, such as better sleep, reduced joint pain, and less reliance on her inhaler for allergies. Louisa’s husband has also adopted intermittent fasting, which made the lifestyle shift easier and more enjoyable for them both. Louisa advises newcomers to immerse themselves in fasting education and to tailor the approach to their own needs and preferences. She emphasizes the importance of the clean fast, and recommends consuming whole and organic foods when possible, emphasizing vegetables, and also having the patience to let the process unfold. Louisa underscores that wellness is a long-term investment and encourages others not to expect quick fixes. Her final advice encapsulates her story: "It took years to get where you are now; it won't be undone in a month." 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! 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....

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Melissa Allison from Jerseyville, IL. 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. Melissa is senior director of managed care operations. She struggled with her weight from childhood, and learned about intermittent fasting when her doctor introduced the concept to her in 2019. Despite only losing 12 pounds over 18 months, she felt better. Gin highlights that not everyone experiences rapid weight loss. Melissa recounts significant life events, including pregnancy loss and the loss of her parents, and how these experiences impacted both her weight and health journey. She speaks candidly about her body's struggles with weight gain. During challenging periods, such as the loss of her parents, she found intermittent fasting to be a stabilizing force in her life. It provided her not just with physical benefits but also with a sense of control amidst chaos. Discussing her current fasting practices, Melissa explains how she's recently experienced a 30-pound weight loss and continues to aim for improved health and strength rather than a specific number on the scale. Melissa shares that her intermittent fasting journey helped alleviate both inflammation and arthritis pain. She highlights the importance of adjusting the eating window rather than solely focusing on the fasting duration. This approach has made intermittent fasting a sustainable lifestyle that she plans to continue indefinitely. Her story also touches on overcoming the desire to "break the rules" and finding what works best for her individual needs. Melissa leaves listeners with this essential advice: focus on the length of your eating window rather than the length of your fast to find greater flexibility. She emphasizes the value of listening to your body and adjusting accordingly while remembering that the goal is to feel healthy and strong, not just to meet a specific weight target. Despite life's difficulties, intermittent fasting can be a lifelong, beneficial practice that helps bring clarity, control, and improved well-being. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! 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....

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Shoshana Grinstein from Israel. 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. Shoshana teaches English to kindergarteners. She grew up in Canada, and remembers being an emotional eater and having a negative relationship with her body image due to comments that were made about her size. She grew up without her mother, and took comfort in eating. She moved to Israel when she was 19, joining other family members there. Then, she started her own family. After having her third child, she had a miscarriage and went through a difficult grieving process. Fortunately, she found a counselor who helped her learn a lot about herself, and she also learned to speak to herself with love, which changed everything. Shoshana and her husband joyfully welcomed their fourth child in December of 2019, and then the world shut down for Covid. She recognized that amidst negativity, she wanted to raise her family in a positive home, and she began to listen to parenting podcasts, which led her to other uplifting podcasts. She heard intermittent fasting mentioned over and over, and it also began popping up on her Instagram feed, so she searched for a fasting podcast and found Intermittent Fasting Stories. She began immediately, and found herself easily doing a 16:8 in her first week. Eventually, she settled into a 20:4 as her sweet spot, though she is not overly strict about it and has learned to listen to her body. Shoshana lost 20 kg, or 44 pounds, in her first year, and even though she is not yet at her goal weight, she knows she will continue with intermittent fasting forever because of how great she feels. The conversation concludes with Shoshana sharing the joy and confidence that come from feeling great in her body, reflecting on how this has positively impacted her personal relationships. Shoshana’s final advice is to be mentally prepared for intermittent fasting or any lifestyle change and to approach such transitions with a relaxed attitude. She stresses the importance of having the right tools and support, thereby ensuring a journey to better health and important self-discovery. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! Join Gin’s community! Go to:...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Lisa Pinchback from Charlottesville, VA. Lisa is a solo real estate attorney. Lisa shares her journey with intermittent fasting, which began in April 2023 after a recommendation from a friend during a real estate closing. She downloaded the podcast and bought Fast Feast Repeat immediately and decided to give fasting a try. Despite her lifelong struggle with weight and previous attempts with various diets and weight-loss methods, she found that intermittent fasting brought a sense of control and balance to her life, ultimately helping her reduce her weight from 157 to 137 pounds by November 2023. Lisa's story is filled with emotional highs and lows. She reflects on how her weight impacted her self-image from a young age, influencing her emotional eating habits and weight gain. Lisa also expresses regret about body shaming herself in front of her daughters and the potential impact it had on them. Throughout the conversation, Gin and Lisa touch on the broader implications of diet culture and societal pressures. They discuss Lisa's various weight-loss attempts over the decades, ranging from the Susan Powter low-fat diet to Weight Watchers and even medically supervised programs. Despite spending significant money—approximately $15,000 over the years—on consultations, exercise equipment, and various diets, Lisa found intermittent fasting to be the most sustainable approach she every tried. Both Gin and Lisa highlight the concept of "delay, don't deny," allowing occasional treats within moderation, and the empowerment and confidence that intermittent fasting brings. Towards the end of the episode, Lisa reflects on finding joy in new activities. Lisa’s final advice to listeners is to embrace self-awareness and responsibility in food choices, be patient during periods of struggle, and enjoy the feeling of fitting into your clothes comfortably. She emphasizes the importance of having a supportive community and the benefits of intermittent fasting, which extends beyond weight loss to overall well-being, empowerment, and confidence. 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 Erika Delco from Charlotte, NC. 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. Erika is a therapist and health coach. When Erika first heard about intermittent fasting, she was skeptical. Her skepticism shifted in 2018 after reading Gin’s book, Delay, Don't Deny, and Dr. Jason Fung's The Obesity Code. She shares her long history with dieting, starting from Weight Watchers in the ninth grade, and her eventual freedom from food obsession through adopting intermittent fasting. Erika initially experienced about 5 pounds of weight loss but hit a plateau and didn’t lose any more weight for three years, despite still having weight to lose. She loved the freedom IF brought to her, but her weight was stuck. She began incorporating berberine, which led to a dramatic weight loss of 30 pounds between March and October of 2021. Throughout the conversation, Erika highlights the importance of listening to your body and finding a fasting routine that fits one’s lifestyle. She emphasizes the health benefits she’s experienced over the years, noting how intermittent fasting helped her reduce instances of illness and manage her weight despite frequent travel. Gin and Erika discuss the mental aspects of fasting and food freedom, stressing the need for empowered choices over restrictive eating. The discussion transitions to Erika's work as a health coach. She has developed a program called Finding Food Freedom Fast, combining fasting principles with strategies for building habits and managing emotional eating. Erika concludes with final advice for new IFers: start gradually and be patient. She encourages them to find a routine that fits their lifestyle and to stay motivated by hearing others' stories and struggles. Importantly, Erika stresses that intermittent fasting should be approached as a long-term lifestyle change with an emphasis on the health benefits rather than just weight loss. She underscores the importance of consistency in one’s health regimen, listening to the body’s needs, and finding food freedom through empowered choices. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more 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 a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community Do you enjoy Intermittent...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Shanna Baritot from Rochester, NY. 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. Shanna is a national account manager for a pharmaceutical company, an author, and a repeat guest. She first came on the podcast for episode 298 in April of 2023. Shanna and her husband realized they needed to work on their personal finances when they stumbled upon a book about money. That book totally changed their lives. Shanna wished she could come across a book that would change her relationship with food the same way that she had changed her relationship with finances. Then, in October of 2020, she found Delay, Don’t Deny. While she was listening to the audiobook, she became excited about what she was learning and she started intermittent fasting that very day. In the years since, she has not missed on day of fasting and is an intermittent faster for life. Intermittent fasting allowed Shanna to go from 170 pounds to around 135-139, and she is now living her goal lifestyle. Still, she recognizes that she has a bit more fat on her body that she would like to lose, so in her own personal study of one, she is doing some ADF. She is also paying attention to her food quality. Both Gin and Shanna talk about the power of making food swaps that are enjoyable, but more likely to help you reach your health and wellness goals. Throughout the episode, Gin and Shanna delve into the significance of listening to one’s body and tweaking meal timing and strategies over time. They touch on Shanna’s use of different fasting strategies like the two different types of down days that you can choose with an ADF protocol, and Shanna shares that she dislikes the calorie counting that goes along with the 500-calorie down day option. Gin suggests creating set down day meal options that are satisfying and that you enjoy to simplify the process. Both Gin and Shanna encourage listeners to embrace flexibility and make practical adjustments in their fasting routines. Shanna’s final advice to listeners is to stay open to different strategies, listen to their bodies, and make small, sustainable adjustments for long-term success. Look for Shanna’s book The Debt Diet if you want to learn more about how she got completely out of debt and changed her financial life forever. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Bonnie Henderson from Pueblo, CO. 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. Bonnie is a licensed clinical social worker. She unintentionally started skipping dinner five years ago while her spouse was away, which a medical professional later identified to her as intermittent fasting. Excited to learn that it came with health benefits, she began researching. Bonnie found Gin's book Fast Feast Repeat and adopted the clean fast, which resulted in gradual but sustainable weight loss. Bonnie discusses the challenges and adjustments she faced when her husband retired and began preparing dinners each night, and she stopped fasting for two years. This led to weight regain, finding her at her highest weight of 165. Resuming an intentional intermittent fasting regimen, she committed to a 19:5 schedule from Monday to Thursday, and a more flexible eating pattern on weekends. This approach allowed her to regain control over her weight and enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting, such as reduced inflammation and relief from various other symptoms. The conversation delves into the broader health benefits of intermittent fasting and touches on various lifestyle factors contributing to overall wellness, including sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Bonnie also shares how she integrates insights about the benefits of intermittent fasting into her therapy sessions. Gin and Bonnie underscore the significance of individualized fasting plans and the unpredictability of weight loss rates, emphasizing patience and persistence. Bonnie concludes the episode by reflecting on how intermittent fasting has given her a renewed lease on life, initially adopting the lifestyle without the goal of weight loss, but experiencing numerous unexpected health benefits. She advises listeners to maintain patience and perseverance, understanding that individualized approaches are crucial. Gin encourages leveraging resources like podcasts and books to deepen understanding and confidently share the lifestyle's benefits, even if faced with skepticism. Through her own experience, Bonnie's final advice is to embrace intermittent fasting as a sustainable, healthy lifestyle choice that can positively impact overall well-being. Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, and use the promo code IFSTORIES10 to get 10% off your membership. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options,...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Jaimie Lawson from Greenwood, 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. Jaimie works in corporate finance for a large company. On the day that Gin and Jaimie recorded the episode, it was 18 months to the day from when Jaimie began IF, and also the day that Jaimie hit one-derland (weighing below 200 pounds) for the first time in over 40 years. Jamie candidly discusses her past experiences, including her weight loss journey, the personal losses that shaped her, and her commitment to intermittent fasting. She recounts struggling with weight issues since childhood, going to Weight Watchers with her mom at age 12, and experiencing significant weight fluctuations over the years. Jamie shares the emotional and psychological challenges she faced, including divorce, and the grief after the loss of a partner and two sisters. Despite these hurdles, she felt a spiritual presence guiding her through hard times. She speaks fondly of reconnecting with her now-husband, David, drawing strength from their shared past and mutual support. Jamie recounts her life-changing experiences working with disabled children in India, which deepened her understanding of love and care, further influencing her approach to family and health. Throughout the episode, Jamie emphasizes the importance of a supportive community and the small, achievable goals that helped her stay motivated. She discusses her dietary habits, focusing on incorporating a variety of plant foods to improve her health. Jamie also highlights her positive health outcomes, including stopping multiple medications, enhanced mobility, and emotional well-being. She attributes much of her success to the knowledge gained from the intermittent fasting community, podcasts, and books, and recounts sharing these practices with friends and family, many of whom have also embraced intermittent fasting with positive results. As the episode concludes, Jamie offers heartfelt advice to listeners: stay motivated, be patient with oneself, and celebrate the small victories along the way. She encourages everyone to view intermittent fasting not just as a weight loss tool but as a lifestyle that brings holistic benefits. Jamie's journey underscores the importance of adjusting goals to make them achievable and finding joy in the process of personal growth and health improvement. Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, and use the promo code IFSTORIES10 to get 10% off your membership. 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, hardback, and audiobook. 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...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Tanja Brown from Waldorf, 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. Tanja is the Chief People Officer for Tactical Air Support, a defense contractor. She never had a weight issue growing up, but suddenly started gaining weight in her mid to late 20s. She did her first diet when she was 26, and lost 75 pounds with Weight Watchers. Over the years, she would yo-yo back up, and then take the weight back off with Weight Watchers. After her daughter was born, she tried WW one more time, but was tired of counting and tracking. In 2021, Tanja began struggling with intense shoulder pain. All her doctors could suggest was to take anti-inflammatory medication to alleviate the pain. She remembered that she had heard somewhere that intermittent fasting helped with inflammation. So, on February 28th, she decided that she would begin immediately. On March 1st she got started, and she began researching intermittent fasting. Her research led her to Gin’s podcasts, and it wasn’t long before Tanja was fasting clean. She started with a 16:8, but shifted quickly to a 20:4, which is the protocol she uses most days, even in maintenance. Tanja had remarkable results—dropping 30 pounds in her first month, which isn’t typical, but reflects her body letting go of a lot of inflammation. Her shoulder pain was 50% resolved after just two weeks. She went on to lose over 100 pounds, going from 260 to her current maintenance range of 150-155 pounds. At 5’ 11”, Tanja feels great in her body. Tonja's transition from structured diet plans like Weight Watchers to finding freedom with fasting highlights a significant shift, enabling her to focus on wellness without the need for special products or extensive tracking. Tonja emphasizes consistency and persistence, employing the hashtag "Consistency is Key" to inspire others. Her journey showcases significant lifestyle changes, with her orthopedic surgeon noting her impressive progress and advocating for fasting as an alternative to surgical interventions. Towards the end, Tonja discusses the balance between maintaining a healthy lifestyle and enjoying life's pleasures without striving for the lowest possible weight. She encourages listeners to focus on feeling better and to remain consistent with intermittent fasting. Tonja’s final advice is to persist in the journey, emphasizing that small, consistent steps lead to transformative results, and to remember that celebrating health is more important than adhering to rigid dietary rules. Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, and use the promo code IFSTORIES10 to get 10% off your membership. 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...

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Nicki Torossian from London, Ontario in Canada. 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. Nicki is a sales representative for a Belgian bra and swimwear company. She remembers always struggling with her weight as a child, and she accompanied her mother to Weight Watchers meetings at the age of 10. By the time she was 13, she was 175 pounds, and at 5’ 4”, she was overweight and felt self-conscious about her size. At the age of 16, she went on Nutrisystem and found success, losing 50 pounds and getting down to 133. She recalls taking one of their diet pizza meals to Christmas dinner, because she was afraid to eat real food. Nicki’s family moved before her senior year of high school, and she started school at her new weight. No one knew she had been overweight, and she felt amazing. Unfortunately, she slowly began regaining the weight, and when she went to college, she got up to 185. She gave up trying to lose weight, and after college she found herself over 200 pounds for the first time That is when the real struggles began. She married a chef, and continued to gain weight, ending up at her highest weight of 272 pounds. Desperate, she crossed the border into the US and had gastric bypass surgery. Her surgeon explained that the surgery was just one tool, and that it was going to be up to her to change how she ate long term to see success. After the surgery, Nicki got down to 135 pounds and felt amazing. She and her husband divorced, and she found herself in a new relationship. That began a period of slow regain, where she regained about 40 pounds. Around that time, she began exploring a plant based diet. While she didn’t lose any weight, she ended up finding intermittent fasting in March of 2019. She got started, and after about a year, she was able to re-lose 35 pounds. She has maintained in her goal range for the past 6 years. Even better, she surpassed her size goal. She hoped to be a size 14 for life, but she finds herself wearing clothing sizes she never dreamed of, and is happiest in a comfortable size 8. Nicki’s relationship with food and eating has been transformed, and she credits that to her changed hormones and also her understanding of the power of real food. She has soft skin, an improved mood and a sense of calm, and she doesn’t get sick. She also loves the energy she has while fasting. At the end of the episode, Nicki tells listeners that it’s physically possible to go for longer periods without hunger, something she would not have believed before starting IF. Thanks to IF, she is living a life where she can enjoy food without guilt, and it doesn’t get any better than that. Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, and use the promo code IFSTORIES10 to get 10% off your membership. Get...