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Gin Stephens


Are you ready to be inspired? Tune in each week to hear real-world stories from successful intermittent fasters, including their best tips to help you find success. Intermittent Fasting Stories is hosted by Gin Stephens, author of the New York Times bestseller Fast Feast Repeat, as well as her other books:  Cleanish, Delay, Don't Deny, and Feast Without Fear.  Looking for a community of like-minded intermittent fasters?  Go to ginstephens.com/community for more information and to join. 


Intermittent Fasting Stories

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Julie Troger from Monroe Township, NJ.

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 support session, or 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. 

Julie is retired, and worked as an educational sign language interpreter for 25 years. Julie found intermittent fasting in January of 2024. Initially, Julie was searching for a healthy lifestyle that would help her age well and remain healthy into her later years, especially as she witnessed the severe dementia, heart disease, and diabetes affecting the women in her family. Determined to break this cycle, Julie found intermittent fasting while researching ways to lower her risks for these conditions.

As Julie delves into her past, she recounts her dieting struggles that started from a very young age. She shares how she felt as though she was "on a diet" most of her life, losing and gaining weight repeatedly, even as she was very active as a competitive swimmer in her early years. This lifelong struggle with weight peaked at 272 pounds when she was 48. A health scare at that time served as a turning point, prompting her to take serious action about her weight and health, leading to a successful 100-pound loss over 13 years through traditional dieting methods. Even though she lost 100 pounds, every day was a struggle because she had to think about everything she was eating all day long. It took a lot of mental energy.

The pandemic brought new challenges as Julie gained weight back, but finding intermittent fasting marked a profound change. The approach led her to find balance, effectively losing an additional 45 pounds without the struggle she had experienced before. Julie describes the lifestyle not just as a means to manage weight but as a holistic approach to health, impacting positively her mood, energy, and even her physical reactions, such as allergies and asthma.

Julie's final advice to listeners emphasizes the importance of starting the journey and being persistent. She encourages finding an exercise regimen you enjoy, making it a habit, finding a strong "why," and prioritizing oneself in this lifestyle journey. Whether motivated by a health reason or the more traditional pursuit of weight loss, Julie's approach stands as a testament to the transformative power of adopting intermittent fasting as a sustainable lifestyle—empowering oneself every step of the way.

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

Subscribe to Gin’s YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 473: Julie Troger

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Lucy Marsden from Leicestershire 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. 

Lucy is a repeat guest, and she first appeared on episode 134. She began living the intermittent fasting lifestyle in 2017, after learning about Dr. Michael Moseley’s 5:2 approach. She went to Facebook to find a group about intermittent fasting, and ended up in Gin’s original Facebook group where she soon became an active member and later a moderator. 

Lucy’s preference for a balanced, nutritious diet aligned with her job as a cookery teacher, making it more practical for her to eat less frequently throughout the day. Over time, she adapted to a relaxed one meal a day approach, which is the lifestyle she lives today. Gin and Lucy talk about how they both define “one meal a day” as a multi-course meal that spans several hours, rather than one plate of food in a short period of time. 

Lucy discusses the significant dietary changes she made based on her Zoe test results, eliminating foods like white rice, pasta, and bread that didn't work well for her body. She found delicious swaps such as barley and pulses such as lentils and beans, which she incorporates into weekly meal preparations. Lucy’s meal prep routine involves making weekly pulse mixtures and mega salads composed of various sprouts, herbs, and whatever ingredients she has on hand, optimizing her efficiency in the kitchen. She emphasizes the practical approach of batching and freezing meal components for quick and healthy eating options throughout the week. Her dietary adjustments have not only boosted her nutrition but have also introduced her into the world of easy ferments, leading her to work on a new book that simplifies the fermenting process with recipes like pineapple kraut.

Lucy and Gin reflect on their mutual experiences going through the Zoe program, which encourages you to work with your unique body to find the foods that work best for you. Despite initial disappointing results, Lucy has seen significant improvements in her health and microbiome scores by focusing on probiotic foods and transitioning to healthier fats like olive oil. A particular highlight is Lucy’s fondness for creating versatile, flavorful meals without strict measurements, featuring fresh, nutritious ingredients. Her latest cookbook, I'll Have What Lucy's Having, is designed to be user-friendly, providing tips on batch cooking, freezing, and growing sprouts, targeting everyday convenience rather than complex, time-consuming recipes. 

Throughout the episode, both Gin and Lucy underscore the transformative benefits of intermittent fasting, particularly for gut health and overall well-being. Lucy's personal anecdotes reveal how fasting has become a sustainable lifestyle that doesn’t feel at all like a restrictive diet, allowing her to enjoy foods like cheese and avocados freely. She advises newcomers to gradually delay meals and reduce eating frequencies, insisting the practice will become easier with time and adaptation. Lucy’s final advice is clear: the journey to adopting intermittent fasting should be simplified, emphasizing real, high-quality foods eaten within restricted time windows to enhance health without overcomplicating the process. You can find Lucy at https://fresherbites.co.uk/.

Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, use 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, 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.

Episode 444: Lucy Marsden

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Mara Hallisey from Weathersfield, CT.

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. 

Mara is a licensed marriage and family therapist She first found fasting in 2019, and tried extended fasting, but had limited success. Her frustration eventually led her to try the Galveston diet by Dr. Mary Claire Haver in June of 2019, which not only helped her shed pounds but also introduced her to the benefits of fasting. She started out with macro tracking, which helped her adopt a more balanced approach to eating which has stuck with her. However, the initial weight loss journey had its ups and downs, especially during menopause.

Mara experienced a mental funk by January of 2020 due to the weight gain of menopause, and planned a yoga retreat for self-care, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to cancel the retreat. Despite the challenges, the lockdown brought precious family bonding time as her daughters returned home from college. This period, which Mara describes as "stolen time," allowed for unexpected moments of joy and indulgence. During the lockdown, Mara also explored hypnotherapy for weight loss, unearthing deeper emotional issues related to self-imposed guilt, and learning the importance of forgiveness and implementing personal rules that provided the discipline she needed.

Mara achieved her weight goal of 145 pounds in six months. In 2021, she discovered Gin’s work and delved deeper into intermittent fasting. Initially hesitant to change her habits, Mara eventually embraced a clean fast with positive results. Gin and Mara also discuss Dr. Mary Claire Haver's insights on perimenopause and the importance of proper education in women's health, as well as Mara’s and Gin’s positive experiences with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).

Mara shares her personal triumphs over insomnia, brain fog, and the incredible feeling of restful sleep after starting BHRT. She has also experienced powerful mindset transformations along the way. In closing, Mara emphasizes the importance of finding personal solutions that work for you, highlighting the necessity of balancing discipline with freedom. Her final advice to listeners is to trust the process and also learn to trust your body again.

Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, use 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, 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.

Episode 445: Mara Hallisey

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Noelle Frazier from western Michigan.

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. 

Noelle is a mom of three and she owns a small cleaning company. Initially introduced to intermittent fasting by her sister-in-law in 2016, Noelle's first attempt was unsuccessful because she wasn’t fasting clean and also she was attempting to homeschool her kids, which made it challenging. 

Then, in October of 2022, Noelle decided to try intermittent fasting again, and this time she found Gin’s work and began fasting clean. Her first month was a challenge, as she found herself overeating when her window would open. After her body adapted to fasting, however, she had a renewed sense of peace around food, and the urge to overeat went away. Gin emphasizes that this is a normal part of the body’s adjustment period. 

Noalle has been amazed at how intermittent fasting has calmed her anxiety, and she also feels like the “fog” has lifted. She has endurance for her physically demanding job, and enjoys mental clarity throughout the day. She is currently within a healthy weight range, and is learning to navigate maintenance. 

As they touch on themes of self-acceptance and body image, Noelle and Gin discuss the psychological impact of intermittent fasting. They agree on the importance of positive self-perception and instilling these values in their children. Concluding the episode, Noelle stresses the significance of self-advocacy. Her final advice to listeners is to consider dedicating your fast to someone else, and take the pictures along the way. You will be so happy to have the photos when the scale isn’t moving.

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, 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.

Episode 446: Noelle Frazier

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Dr. Pete Patitsas, an emergency medicine doctor and author of The Athos Diet.

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. 

Dr. Pete is Greek Orthodox, which has many ancient traditions including fasting. From the age of 7, he observed the fasting lifestyle his church follows, and it wasn’t until he was completing a research project in med school that he began to understand the powerful health benefits that are associated with fasting. His findings inspired his book, The Athos Diet, designed to optimize Orthodox Christian fasting for health benefits. The three pillars of his approach include intermittent fasting (with a daily 4-8 hour window), choosing nutritious foods, and gentle exercise. 

Throughout the discussion, Dr. Pete emphasizes the natural health-promoting aspects of cultural practices and ancestral ways of living, such as eating seasonally. He draws analogies between modern intermittent fasting and historical cycles of feast and famine, suggesting that facing natural challenges enhances resilience. Dr. Pete details his routine of eating within a four-hour window and fasting for 36 hours occasionally to boost clarity and health. This regimen is tied to his Orthodox beliefs, which he emphasizes have inherent health benefits that could prevent major diseases.

Gin and Dr. Pete delve into intermittent fasting's role in utilizing stored fat for energy, preserving muscle mass, and boosting growth hormone levels, which impact overall health and longevity. They also address the rising trend of obesity in children and the broader implications of dietary choices on public health.

Dr. Pete advocates for intermittent fasting as a holistic approach to health, going beyond mere weight loss to enhance mental and physical well-being. Dr. Pete underscores the benefits of traditional fasting practices, noting the remarkable longevity and cognitive health of monks following these regimens. As a parting message, Dr. Pete advises listeners to integrate intermittent fasting into their lives to experience its myriad benefits, stressing the importance of consistency and lifestyle changes in achieving long-term health and resilience.

Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, use 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, 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.

Episode 447: Dr. Pete Patitsas

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Deborah Ventrice from Bristol, RI.

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. 

Deborah is an interior designer and a business owner. When she was a child, she suffered from lymphedema, which caused her body to retain lymphatic fluid and made her body unrecognizable. She was teased relentlessly by the other kids, and doctors only offered low calorie diets as a solution. After hospitalization for a severe illness, the lymphedema resolved itself, and when she went back to school, the other kids didn’t recognize her. From that moment, she became aware of the importance of how you looked when it came to social acceptance. She ended up with a focus on body building and athletics, and maintained her muscular body for most of her adult life. 

After witnessing the fall of the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11, Deborah realized that she had PTSD, and her therapist helped her connect her current feelings with the way she felt as a child. Understanding those connections helped her work through those feelings.

After going through surgical menopause, Deborah began gaining weight rapidly. She had maintained around 130-135 for most of her adult life, but suddenly found herself around 165. Out of desperation, she tried a low-calorie high protein program, but she knew that the ultra processed foods were not going to be the best option for her body, even though she lost weight rapidly. She knew it was unsustainable.

Deborah found IF in January of 2021. At first, she wasn’t fasting clean, but when she made the transition to the clean fast, it changed the whole experience for her. Initially, she lost more weight than was right for her body, because she became scale-focused and enjoyed the lower numbers she was seeing. Eventually, she recognized that she was at a lower weight than was sustainable, and she regained enough weight to end up back in a healthy weight range for her body. 

As she approaches semi-retirement, Deborah remains steadfast in her commitment to intermittent fasting and healthy living. Since there is a family history of heart disease, she went through a round of testing and her cardiologist called to give her the good news that her heart is extremely healthy, and she credits it to her healthy lifestyle. Her final advice to listeners is to be honest with yourself about your personal struggles and to start with clean fasting. She encourages listeners to openly share their stories to support and help one another.

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, 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.

Episode 448: Deborah Ventrice

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Pam Merriam from McKinney, 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. 

Pam first heard about intermittent fasting in 2020, in a low carb group. Someone in the group mentioned Gin’s book Delay, Don’t Deny, and Pam was intrigued. She got the book and started immediately. Something just clicked, and Pam knew that she would be an intermittent faster forever.

Pam had lost 50 pounds, but over time she saw slow and steady weight regain. Even though Pam was not seeing weight loss success, she felt so much better as an intermittent faster that she never considered stopping. Throughout the years, she remained curious about the choices she made and the foods she ate. She knew she had a lot of inner work to do in order to shed the figurative and literal layers surrounding her.

In 2024, Pam’s dad went into hospice and passed away, and when she returned home, she didn’t feel good in her body. She had a pair of her dad’s jeans, and made it a goal to fit into those jeans. 

Pam decided it was time for her to begin to feel comfortable in her body again. She started a daily walking practice, and she loves to get out before the sun comes up. She also recognized that she feels better without sugar, and also needs to limit starchy carbs to feel her best. In addition to adding walking and dialing in the food choices that make her feel her best, Pam began ADF, with Monday, Wednesday, and Friday down days. 

Pam has lost 8 inches from around her waist since the spring of 2024, and she was able to comfortably fit into her dad’s jeans when the family got together to celebrate his life in the fall. She also fit into a goal jacket, and she feels powerful, strong, and capable.

Pam encourages new IFers to find a way to be patient with the process. She recommends that you identify yourself as an intermittent faster, making it part of your identity. In addition, we all need to make the choices that are best for us, recognizing that we are all going to be different. Along the way, we are each empowered to figure out what makes us feel our best.

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, 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.

Episode 449: Pam Merriam

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Angela Robinson from Lubbock, TX.

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. 

Angela is a retired elementary math teacher. She first heard of intermittent fasting in September of 2021. She noticed that a Facebook friend of hers looked great, and she messaged her to find out what she was doing. Her friend told her about Delay, Don’t Deny, and Angela not only loved the sound of it, she started the next day.

Like so many guests on the podcast, Angela’s struggles spanned back to childhood. She dieted for decades, getting heavier and heavier over the years. Finally, in 2015, she found herself at a high of 280 pounds. Desperate, she turned to weight loss surgery. She lost 80 pounds in the first year, but gradually began regaining weight, finding herself back up to about 228.

When she begin IF in 2021, she immediately found intermittent fasting to be a sustainable and empowering lifestyle change, reducing guilt and freeing her from constant food struggles. Still, she didn’t lose any weight for the first couple of years of her IF journey. Finally, she began to see weight loss, and she has gotten below her lowest post-surgery weight, settling in the range of around 184-189.

Gin and Angela discuss the numerous benefits of intermittent fasting beyond weight loss. Angela highlights significant improvements in her skin, reduced brain fog, and enhanced mood. Angela's typical routine involves eating between 2 and 6 pm, focusing on fruits and veggies, and enjoying the flexibility and empowerment that come from having control over her food choices. Angela also notes that her journey with intermittent fasting has positively influenced her family, with her sons adopting healthier habits.

Gin and Angela discuss the psychological freedom and lack of restriction that intermittent fasting provides. Angela emphasizes that she continued fasting even during periods when her weight did not decrease simply because of how great she felt overall.

As the episode wraps up, Angela advises newcomers to intermittent fasting to stick with it, stressing that substantial results may take time. She underscores the importance of patience, consistency, and a positive mindset, reminding listeners that intermittent fasting is not just about weight loss but about overall well-being and freedom. Through shared experiences and support, both Gin and Angela encourage listeners to embrace intermittent fasting for its holistic benefits, setting a positive example for those around them.

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, 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.

Episode 450: Angela Robinson

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 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.

Episode 451: Nicki Torossian

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 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.

Episode 452: Tanja Brown

In this episode, Gin talks to Mark and Lori Evans, a couple with two things in common: they are both stand-up comedians and are also both intermittent fasters.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 32: Mark and Lori Evans

Lyssna när som helst, var som helst

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