In this episode of "Intermittent Fasting Stories," Gin talks to Melissa Nishimoto from Orting, WA.

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 a stay-at-home mom of four, and her kids range in age from 1 ½ to 10 ½.  Melissa started intermittent fasting in May of 2020. She was 14 months postpartum, and needed to tackle pregnancy weight gain. A friend of hers had just learned about the 5:2 approach, which Melissa thought sounded hard, but they soon learned about the daily eating window approach and decided to give it a try. When Melissa had questions about the fast, she searched and found Gin's book, Delay, Don't Deny. She began with a 16:8 fasting pattern but quickly moved to 20:4, which felt natural despite needing to make meals and snacks for her kids throughout the day. Melissa saw her weight drop from 135 pounds to a low of 109 pounds.

Then, in December of 2021, Melissa became pregnant with her 4th child. She stopped intermittent fasting until she was done with both pregnancy and nursing and found that her weight didn’t go down as quickly this time, but she eventually got back down to the weight range that feels good, and is currently maintaining somewhere around 113 pounds. She feels good in her body, she is actively building muscle, and she models living a healthy and active lifestyle for her kids. She balances fasting with morning workouts and a diet rich in vegetables and protein while also enjoying sweets. Melissa emphasizes the non-scale victories of fasting, such as improved sleep, energy, and overall health, underscoring the larger benefits of metabolic flexibility and a stronger immune system.

Toward the end of their discussion, Melissa reflects on how her parents' balanced diet practices influenced her. Closing the episode, Melissa offers advice to new intermittent fasters: persevere and stick with fasting despite initial challenges. She stresses the importance of focusing on overall health rather than solely on weight loss, finding joy in small victories, and being patient with oneself in the journey towards better 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 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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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. Together, they underscore the strength found in community and learning from others' experiences.

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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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 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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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: 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: [email protected]

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 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 ongoing journey and encourage listeners to give intermittent fasting a try, with an emphasis on its transformative potential beyond the scale.

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, but has not yet been recorded, 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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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 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 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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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 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. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: [email protected]

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 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: [email protected]

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 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 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: [email protected]

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 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: [email protected]

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.