About this episode
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: 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 .