In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Louisa Bangma who lives in West Melton in New Zealand.

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

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

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

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

Louisa is a business and project manager. She discovered intermittent fasting through a health webinar in 2022 where Gin was a speaker. Already familiar with the concept from Jason Fung's work and with the encouragement of her husband, Louisa was inspired by Gin’s presentation and immediately bought the book Fast Feast Repeat. She began fasting in October of 2022 and fully committed to the clean fast by January 2023 after a period of easing in.

Louisa has an extensive history with being critical of her body’s size and dieting, starting from her teen years. Over the decades, she tried various methods such as Atkins, no-fat, and no-carb diets, and more. Despite early struggles, intermittent fasting brought remarkable changes. Over eight months, Louisa lost 22 pounds and noticed significant health improvements, including a reduction in her IBS symptoms, increased mobility, and a general feeling of wellness. By January of  2023, she had lost a total of 48.4 pounds and consistently felt better in her body.

In addition to weight loss, Louisa experienced numerous non-scale victories, such as better sleep, reduced joint pain, and less reliance on her inhaler for allergies. Louisa’s husband has also adopted intermittent fasting, which made the lifestyle shift easier and more enjoyable for them both.

Louisa advises newcomers to immerse themselves in fasting education and to tailor the approach to their own needs and preferences. She emphasizes the importance of the clean fast, and recommends consuming whole and organic foods when possible, emphasizing vegetables, and also having the patience to let the process unfold. Louisa underscores that wellness is a long-term investment and encourages others not to expect quick fixes. Her final advice encapsulates her story: "It took years to get where you are now; it won't be undone in a month."

Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! 

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

Do you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. 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 

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