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: [email protected]

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