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Intermittent Fasting Stories

Intermittent Fasting Stories is hosted by New York Times best selling author Gin Stephens, creator of the Delay, Don’t Deny Lifestyle. Tune in each week to hear real-world stories from successful intermittent fasters, including their best tips to help you find success.

Episodes

Episode 473: Julie Troger

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/communityDo 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] Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSubscribe to Gin’s YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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59 min•

26 Jun

Episode 472: Karen Hiebert

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Karen Hiebert from Winnipeg, Canada.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. Karen is a retired director of corporate communications. Karen discusses her journey to intermittent fasting which began last year after an alarming weigh-in at her doctor's appointment revealed she weighed 209 pounds. Prior to this, Karen had always been naturally slim due to a high metabolism, but menopause brought changes to her body that led to significant weight gain over time. Determined to make a change, Karen initiated her own strict diet plan, but soon realized she needed a more sustainable approach, leading her to discover intermittent fasting.Karen highlights the impact of menopause on her weight and shares how she initially attempted calorie counting and low carb eating to tackle her weight gain. However, the turning point came when she discovered Gin's book, Fast Feast Repeat, which opened her eyes to the importance of her body’s insulin response and the hormonal aspects of hunger and satiety. This insight led her to embrace intermittent fasting wholeheartedly, integrating it with a focus on whole, healthy foods, which brought about remarkable changes in her health and well-being.Nine months into her intermittent fasting journey, Karen proudly shares that she has lost a total of 49 pounds and feels rejuvenated. Her eating window is typically from noon or 1 PM to 6 PM, and she follows an 18:6 schedule to maintain her weight. Karen has reintroduced carbs like home baked sourdough bread into her diet, and enjoys the occasional treat, balancing her diet to enjoy both health and indulgence.Karen's advice to listeners is to stay curious and open to learning throughout their intermittent fasting journey. She emphasizes the importance of asking questions, absorbing as much information as possible, and taking progress pictures to capture the remarkable changes. This mindset, alongside her excitement and positive attitude, has been instrumental in her success with intermittent fasting, and she hopes it can inspire others to achieve their own health goals.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/communityDo 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] Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSubscribe to Gin’s YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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59 min•

19 Jun

Episode 471: Judy Cronander

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Judy Cronander from Macomb, MI.Gin has a new YouTube Channel! Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CA and subscribe today so you never miss an intermittent fasting tip, a community coaching session, or an 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. Judy is retired, and she ran accounting departments for most of her career. Judy shares how a health scare in August of 2020 led her to discover intermittent fasting. After a hospitalization, Judy realized that many of her health issues were linked to her weight, prompting her to start intermittent fasting as a lifestyle change rather than just another diet. Initially skeptical about another dieting attempt, she soon found herself embracing intermittent fasting as a lifestyle.Judy's journey with intermittent fasting began with rapid success—she lost 39 pounds in just four months, ultimately shedding 90 pounds in her first year. Her second year of fasting involved significant body recomposition, with her size changes indicating fat loss even when the scale didn't go down. Judy details her struggles with various diets over the years, including Weight Watchers, where she initially found success but eventually regained the weight. This time, intermittent fasting offered a sustainable solution.Throughout her fasting journey, Judy has experienced numerous health benefits, including improved mobility, reduced joint pain, and significant reductions in markers like triglycerides, A1C, and fasting glucose levels. These health improvements, alongside the consistent support from her husband, affirm the effectiveness of intermittent fasting. Judy also speaks candidly about overcoming challenges, such as weight fluctuations after trips and the need to find her fasting "mojo" again with Gin’s 28-day fast start program.For those starting intermittent fasting, Judy advises patience and emphasizes that it is a lifestyle change rather than a diet. She notes the importance of setting behavioral goals rather than focusing solely on the scale. Recognizing and avoiding foods that may hinder progress, like sugary or heavily processed items, and celebrating non-scale victories are key to long-term success. Judy’s story exemplifies the transformative power of intermittent fasting, demonstrating that it’s never too late to start a journey toward 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, 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/communityDo 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] Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSubscribe to Gin’s YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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53 min•

12 Jun

Episode 470: Joanna North

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Joanna North from Devon in the UK.Gin has a new YouTube Channel! Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_frGNiTEoJ88rZOwvuG2CA and subscribe today so you never miss an intermittent fasting tip, a community coaching session, or an an interview with a past IF Stories guest or expert.Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Jo is a psychologist and psychotherapist who specializes in mental health and well-being. She shares her journey with intermittent fasting, which began in earnest about a year ago after listening to Gin's appearance on the Zoe podcast. Before that, she had experimented with 5:2 fasting for several years but found it ineffective and also difficult due to not practicing the clean fast. Jo recounts how learning about clean fasting was transformative, leading to rapid and noticeable changes in how she felt, changes in her body, and changes in her relationship with food.Jo discusses her past struggles with weight, starting from childhood, including how calorie counting and diet culture negatively affected her. She highlights the relief and freedom she felt when she stopped focusing on calories and began listening to her body. This change has improved her relationship with food, allowing her to enjoy meals fully without the guilt and anxiety that used to accompany eating. Jo explains how the clean fast has replaced her former reliance on snacks and emotional eating.The conversation delves into the psychological aspects of dieting and body image, with Jo reflecting on how her identity was tied to being overweight for much of her life. Through intermittent fasting, she has redefined her self-perception and embraced a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Jo also shares insights from her experience with the Zoe program, which complemented her fasting regimen by focusing on personalized nutrition.In closing, Jo offers advice to those new to intermittent fasting. She suggests starting with a broad eating window to ease into the process comfortably and gradually shifting to shorter windows as the body's adaptation improves. This gradual approach allows individuals to find a natural balance that feels right for them, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting in a way that is sustainable.Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure 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/communityDo 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] Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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55 min•

5 Jun

Episode 469: Bridget Mazenkas

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Bridget Mazenkas from Massachusetts.Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Bridget Mazenkas from Massachusetts.Bridget is a social worker for a healthcare system and a mom of two boys. Bridget discusses her tumultuous past, including struggles with addiction that began at 17 and her path to recovery at 24, which marked the start of her health journey. Bridget also recounts her early battles with weight, stemming from childhood insecurities and a series of diets, starting from Weight Watchers at a young age. She explored various diet plans over the years, including keto, Noom, and even a celebrity diet she acquired through a relative, but none provided lasting results.After a second open-heart surgery in 2020, Bridget was advised by a cardiologist to try intermittent fasting, a recommendation that resonated with her after previous unsuccessful attempts. Once she learned about the importance of the clean fast, Bridget found success, losing 30 pounds from June to October 2021 with an initial morning eating window and later adapting to Alternate Day Fasting (ADF). Her schedule evolved as she balanced a demanding life as a mother, wife, and professional, finding ADF the most suitable for her lifestyle.Bridget attributes part of her success to the support of her husband, who also engages in intermittent fasting, as well as the community and resources she discovered along the way, including Gin's books and podcasts. Her taste in food has significantly shifted, and she now enjoys a variety of fruits and vegetables that she didn't appreciate before. Despite the occasional struggle with emotional eating, Bridget focuses on mindful eating and maintaining the balance she has achieved.Bridget's advice to those starting out with intermittent fasting is to find a support system or a "fasting buddy," emphasizing the importance of community and shared experiences. This support mirrors her recovery journey, where having a community made a significant difference. Listening to others' stories on the podcast and connecting with like-minded individuals helped her maintain motivation and perspective. She wants listeners to know that while confronting skepticism from others, what truly matters is the health and well-being that fasting has brought her, a message she feels is both empowering and universal.Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, an easier to 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/communityDo 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] Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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56 min•

29 May

Episode 468: Lisa Evers

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Lisa Evers from Chatham, Ontario in Canada.Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available. IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Lisa is a repeat guest, and she first appeared on episode 384 which came out in February of 2024. Lisa is a retired kindergarten teacher and an intermittent fasting coach. In this episode, Lisa shares how her lifelong struggles with body image and digestive issues led her to discover the fasting lifestyle for health benefits rather than weight loss.As Lisa delves into the transition to intermittent fasting, she emphasizes the relief and freedom from excessive food noise that it provided. This newfound clarity helped her realize a misalignment with her teaching career, prompting her to retire and explore new ventures like writing children's books and starting her coaching business. Lisa shares how intermittent fasting facilitated a major mental shift, helping her release old obsessive tendencies related to food and self-worth. She also discusses overcoming an "all-or-nothing" mindset, which now empowers her to make choices in alignment with her health and life goals.Throughout the conversation, Lisa highlights significant personal victories, including reduced digestive issues and pain, improved thyroid health, and increased mental clarity. She also touches upon the impact of diet culture and how intermittent fasting helped her detach from its toxic grip. Lisa's story emphasizes the importance of adaptation and self-awareness, noting her journey of learning to listen to hunger cues and understand personal body signals over pre-set eating schedules.Lisa concludes with advice for newcomers to intermittent fasting, urging them to practice clean fasting, to be patient and give the lifestyle time to show results, and to surround themselves with supportive, like-minded communities. Journaling is also encouraged to increase self-awareness and document the journey towards a healthier, more authentic self. Her closing words reinforce the idea that intermittent fasting can lead to unexpected and transformative personal growth.Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/communityDo 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] Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.