In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Marion who lives in the southeast of England. 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.  Marion is a Pilates instructor. She first heard of fasting around 2018-2019, but she wasn’t ready and filed the information away. During the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, she heard about it again and was ready to dig in a bit more. The discussion shines a light on Marion's battle with disordered eating, a struggle to break free from the dieting cycle, and her extensive research into the fasting lifestyle, with notable references to books by Jason Fung and Gin's book, Fast Feast Repeat. Marion's intermittent fasting journey is as much about self-discovery and health as it is about weight management. Marion describes the improved clarity of thought and increased productivity that comes with being in a fasted state. Their conversation underscores the personalization and flexibility of fasting schedules, as Marion adjusts her patterns to suit her professional teaching duties and rigorous exercise regimen. Marion has enjoyed improved skin, more muscle tone, an energy surge that fuels her passion for running, and a younger biological age, all while maintaining a naturally intuitive approach to her fasting regimen—a cornerstone of Marion's fasting experience. Gin's message about the importance of not comparing one's fasting experience to another's resonates throughout the episode, endorsing a journey tailored to individual needs and responses. As the episode draws to a close, Marion offers heartfelt advice to newcomers in the fasting community. Her key takeaway encourages individuals to trust their instincts, eschew rigid adherence to fasting schedules, and focus less on the numbers on a scale and more on the transformative journey that lies ahead. Marion's story is a beacon of hope for listeners, evidencing the profound capability of intermittent fasting to revolutionize one's lifestyle when approached with patience and self-compassion. Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon.   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