In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Michelle Williams from St. Louis, MO.

This episode is supported by Beautycounter! ​Gin says, “I fast clean, and so it's become important for me to clean up other areas of my life. But, I don't have time to read labels on every product I want to buy or memorize what's safe and what's not. Honestly, it can get confusing. That's why I rely on Beautycounter. They have done the work for me, and I can be confident that every product I buy is safe for me and the environment.” ​When you shop with Gin at beautycounter.com/ginstephens, you are helping to support the Intermittent Fasting Stories podcast with every purchase.

In today’s episode, Michelle shares that she, "backed into intermittent fasting." As a teenager, she remembers feeling better when she skipped breakfast, because she wasn't ever hungry for it. But her mother always made a huge feast, and Michelle was not allowed to throw away food...so, she ate breakfast anyway. She was a healthy weight in high school and college, and very active in sports. 

After three children and then a divorce, however, Michelle struggled with her weight. She tried countless diets, cleanses and detoxes. By 2013, she asked herself: "What can I do to lose weight?" Recalling how great she felt as teenager by skipping breakfast and only eating dinner, she returned to this way of eating. At the time, Michelle did not know she was doing intermittent fasting. She dropped 40 pounds, but her family worried she was starving herself. Without the scientific knowledge behind IF, Michelle went back to eating all day long, gaining everything back (plus more). Six long years of more diets, cleanses, and detoxes followed.

By January of 2020, Michelle felt hopeless. "I've got to find something," she told herself. While searching online for the next diet, she came across Delay, Don't Deny and ordered it. The book made so much sense to her, and Michelle held tight to three gems of wisdom, referring to these as Gin's Gems.

The health benefits Michelle has experienced are clearer skin, a brightness in her eyes, alertness, and mental clarity. Prior to IF, her blood work showed pre-hypertension and high glucose, both of which are now in the normal range. Her cholesterol is down 30 points and her plantar fasciitis is gone! Michelle has lost 50 pounds, going from 245 pounds to 195 pounds. 

The advice Michelle would give new IFers: "Educate yourself on IF. Know what's happening in your body if you don't see it at first. Trust and enjoy the process! Health is your greatest wealth."

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