In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Karen who lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. 

You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. 

Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available.  

IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. 

Karen is an accountant. Karen opens up about her challenging childhood, marked by her parents' struggle with addiction, and how a supportive teacher offered her stability in a turbulent time. Her weight and eating habits, which were influenced by family dynamics and financial constraints, led to body image issues. This struggle was compounded by Karen's negative experiences with the healthcare system, where she often felt dismissed due to her size, especially when seeking help for her chronic back pain and hormonal imbalances. Karen's turning point came with the discovery of intermittent fasting in the spring of 2018, when her husband suggested that she try IF to help with PCOS.

After initially resisting the idea of fasting, she discovered that contrary to her fears, her hypoglycemia improved and she felt better overall, even before substantial weight loss occurred. Despite concerns about the impact of fasting on women's hormones, Karen found that her menstrual cycle regulated, and her symptoms became better managed over time. She emphasizes that intermittent fasting became progressively more beneficial and speaks candidly about her initial slow weight loss, urging patience and a long-term approach for those new to fasting.

Karen has lost an impressive 70 pounds overall, but also has seen improved hormonal regulation, clearing up of a variety of skin issues, and healing of her lifelong GERD.

As Karen and Gin delve deeper into Karen's story, they highlight the emotional and physical benefits that Karen experienced with intermittent fasting. She recounts how she had to relearn the ability to hear her body’s hunger and satiety cues. Now, she enjoys the flexibility of varying her fasting schedule and focuses on protein-rich meals without obsessing over calories or counting anything. Karen has seen not only weight loss but muscle growth, challenging the misconceptions we sometimes hear about fasting leading to muscle loss.

Ending the episode on an empowering note, Karen shares advice for newcomers to intermittent fasting. She encourages listeners to approach fasting with patience, avoid rigidity, and focus on long-term health. By celebrating non-scale victories and listening to their bodies, individuals can enjoy the gradual, positive shifts that come with this lifestyle change. Karen's parting words resonate with positivity: rather than being disheartened by the scale, one should embrace the journey, trust in the process of intermittent fasting, and look forward to the holistic improvements it brings.

Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon.  

Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/community

Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.com

Visit Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com 

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