In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin to Richard Flores from Abilene, TX.

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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.

Richard is an architect. He shares how a Christmas trip and a growing awareness of his health concerns pushed him to make a change at the start of 2024. What began as a few days of fasting in solidarity with his daughter’s medical prep eventually led him to Gin Stephens’ books, then into intermittent fasting. He began on Labor Day of 2024 with the 28-day Fast Start Day by Day book. He explains that the early days were hard, but having a day-by-day roadmap helped him stay committed when his old habits and fears about hunger tried to pull him back.

As Richard kept going, he lost weight, moved through plateaus, and started uncovering the deeper reasons he had used food for comfort, celebration, and convenience. He talks openly about a lifelong pattern of oversized portions, family food traditions, and the mental tug of wanting to “finish what’s on the plate,” and how fasting has helped him break that cycle. A CGM also gave him a powerful wake-up call, showing him how certain breads, buns, and sugary drinks spiked his glucose and left him crashing, while simpler meals with protein and vegetables kept him satisfied much longer.

Richard’s story becomes especially encouraging in the way fasting has changed how he lives, not just how he eats. He’s stronger, walking more, running in short bursts again, and even planning hikes and more joyful movement like dancing, because he wants fitness to feel fun rather than punishing. He closes with the advice that new intermittent fasters should jump in and start now, because waiting for the “perfect” time only delays the change they want.

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!

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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.

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