I started intermittent fasting around the 15th June. Like so many people my weight has yo-yoed over the years up, down then up again plus some, down a little then back up plus some more. Before we get right into it I would just like to share some of the many health benefits of Intermittent Fasting…
Growing up I was a super skinny kid, I could eat anything I wanted, all of the food and never gain weight, I guess that is why when I did actually start to put on weight it felt like such a shock – so when I was 56kg I thought I was fat… I mean what is with that? I think I was around the 50kg mark when I finished year 12 so I guess that was my benchmark, the weight I “thought” I should be… do you wish you were as fat as you thought you were when you were 25? I sure do because I think I was 58kg! It was also a big shock when I cracked into the 60kg territory… and it has all been downhill from there.
Of course after having each baby I put on some weight and after 3 babies it just kept going up. I am sure the discovery of wine and cheese didn’t help one bit or the daily cappuccino and raisin toast slathered in butter that I used to buy each morning when I worked in the City in Sydney! I have tried many things over the past 15 years… Weight Watchers, fat blaster tablets, shakes, the cabbage soup diet, Keto, no carbs, those special magical weight loss pills that you see on Dr Oz (what a sucker I am!!!) and probably so many more schemes, I was always after the quick fix.
When we arrived home from holidays at the beginning of 2020 I had reached my all time personal best weight and something had to change. I felt yuck, my clothes didn’t fit and I just wanted to wear loose baggy clothes that you couldn’t see my bloated tummy in – it was so bloated, sometimes, that I looked bigger than I was when I was pregnant. It isn’t a great feeling. So of course it was back to a quick fix… reducing my calories, limiting my carbs and then onto The Lady Shakes. Denying myself of all the yummy foods (that I cook daily, because, well I am the cook here) and then beating myself up if I did sneak the bad food – it doesn’t count if no-one saw you eat it…right? I had a very unhealthy relationship with food. I know this is the story of so many people. The struggle is real. I was always falling off the wagon and trying to get back on. When the shakes weren’t really working for me I downloaded The Fast 800 by Michael Mosely – again, I was after a quick loss. I wanted results and I wanted them now so I was going to just eat 800 calories for 2 weeks. He also spoke about “intermittent fasting” and after 2 days or so of trying to starve myself to 800 calories I thought enough is enough, this can’t be good for my body and metabolism.
That is when I thought – there must be some podcasts about intermittent fasting. So I typed it into the magnifying glass in my podcast app and that is where I found Gin Stephens – my new hero! I started listening to The Intermittent Fasting Podcast with Gin Stephens and Melanie Avalon. I went back and started with episode #2 “How to do intermittent fasting, IF life benefits, Keeping the body guessing”… and I kept listening to quite a few episodes… this gave me the basics I needed and taught me from day one about the CLEAN FAST – I will be forever grateful that I found Gin Stephens! This is the number 1 key to IF – the Clean Fast!
So the next morning I ditched the milk in my coffee and have been drinking black coffee and black tea ever since. I was definitely in the right headspace, it was like a switch was flicked and I was good to go, fully on board. It all made so much sense and I felt so silly for all the ridiculous diets I had tried in the past. I think this podcast is a great place to start.
After a while I started to listen to Gin’s other podcast “Intermittent Fasting Stories with Gin Stephens”. Again, I went right back to episode #1 and I was hooked. In this podcast Gin interviews real people to find out their IF journey. It is so interesting and each person is so different. You need find what works for you and your body when it comes to IF. What works for one person may not work for you. So I was on board and clean fasting.
I started with a 16:8 approach. This means 16 hours of fasting and an 8 hour eating window. I decided to have my eating window in the afternoon/evening. I was still in the diet mindset though so when I would break my fast I had a Lady Shake, then a small dinner, still limiting my calories and carbs. It wasn’t long before I ditched the shakes and my fasting extended bit by bit each day. I remember one day realising it was 4:30pm and I had not eaten and wasn’t even hungry. Then next day I pushed it back to 5pm then 5:30pm. Now I do “one meal a day” – OMAD and I do more of a 20:4 approach. I might break my fast around 3:30-4:00pm with a light snack, maybe some avocado, feta and cherry tomatoes on some crackers and I then have a full meal at 7pm. Nothing is off limits, I eat all of the food at dinner, no limiting carbs or worrying that I shouldn’t be eating something.
I really look forward to this meal and enjoy every single mouthful. It might be a roast dinner with all of the trimmings, or maybe steak & salad with smashed potatoes (guilt free), or burgers & fries – let me tell you, homemade burgers and fries have NEVER tasted so good when there is zero guilt attached and you can eat IT ALL! Usually I would think – no I can’t eat that, but now I really look forward to it. I love cooking and now I really love to make every dinner especially yummy. On Sunday I made gourmet pizza’s – homemade pizza base, salami, chicken, roast pumpkin, onion, olives, mushrooms, feta, baby spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and aioli – YUM! Totally guilt free, and guess what – I won’t even be bloated afterwards. It really is amazing.
So what has happened to my body in the 8 weeks that I have been doing Intermittent Fasting? I have dropped 4.8kg, I have lost 9cm from my waist, 3cm from my bust, 4cm from my thigh and 7cm from my bum! There was 1 week where my weight didn’t change but the cm’s still dropped. So my number 1 suggestion is that you measure as well as weigh, sometimes the magic is happening on the inside and you may not see it on the outside until your body heals what needs healing on the inside. Some weeks I have lost 800g, some weeks it has only been 200g or 400g. In my first week I dropped 1.6kg, then it slowed down and I am very happy with my gradual loss. It has been SO EASY, I can’t believe it has been 8 weeks, this is definitely my new normal.
I came to intermittent fasting for the weight loss but I am definitely sticking around for the health benefits. I still have 3.7kgs to go until I reach my goal weight but this is it for me. This is my lifestyle now and it is SO EASY! I can’t even tell you how easy it is. Most people will say “oh I could never go that long without eating” but let me tell you, you definitely can and it all comes down to the clean fast. You may think “but I already just have a cup of coffee in the morning and don’t really eat until lunch but if you are putting milk and stevia in your coffee you are not doing a clean fast. The milk with spike your insulin levels and make your body think it is time to eat, this tiny bit of milk will make you really hungry. Chewing gum or artificial sweeteners will also cause your insulin to spike and make you hungry. The power of the clean fast cannot be stressed enough.
Even though I still have a few kg’s to go until I reach my happy weight I feel so good and I know I will eventually reach my goal. I have never had so much energy or been more productive. I am not hungry and sometimes go for a walk or a jog after 20 hours of fasting, I feel happy, calm and focused when I am in the fasted state. It is such a great feeling. I also use an app to track my fast called Zero. I don’t pay for it, I use the free version.
So many peoples health problems could be solved through intermittent fasting and I think that is why I am so passionate about sharing it. When I hear someone talk about their type 2 diabetes and all the allergies they have I just think how amazing it would be for them to try IF, I have no doubt it would help improve, if not reverse, their problems. It is so easy, free and there are no gimmicks or programs to sign up to, it will actually save you money.
As for Gin Stephens… I am so glad that she is the first person I stumbled across when I started to research Intermittent Fasting because she has done the hard yards. Gin is a regular 50 year old woman who has tried every single diet out there, her weight has yo-yoed and at her all time heaviest she was around 96kg. Gin has been Intermittent Fasting (IF) for around 5 years now. She dropped to around 58kg and has maintained this weight for the past 3 years no trouble at all. The thing I love about Gin is that she is real, she wants to live her life and not deny herself. She loves to go on holidays, drink the wine and enjoy herself. She is all about making IF fit in with her life. I love that it is so adaptable.
If you think this is something you would like to investigate further there plenty more books to read on the subject, these are just a few:
The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung
The Diabetes Code by Dr Jason Fung
The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr Jason Fung
AC: The Power of Appetite Correction by Dr Bert Herring
The Fast-5 Diet by Dr Bert Herring
So how about it? What do you think? Are you joining us on the Intermittent Fasting way of life? You will not be sorry? What is the worst that can happen… your blood pressure, arthritis, cholesterol all improve? Maybe your sore joints won’t be sore anymore. Maybe you will reverse that Type 2 Diabetes and notice an improvement in your allergies. Maybe you will help balance your hormones or feel more energetic. Gin also has a few private Facebook support groups you can join to ask further questions.
Happy IF-ing my friends! See you on the skinny, healthy side!
Of course, I am by no means a medical expert so if you have any concerns about starting IF please consult your doctor.
I’m happy for you that you are feeling you have a better relationship with food Danielle. It’s interesting to read your thoughts about IF and I agree, there is good science to back up the benefits of IF. I think I would struggle to fit in at least 5 serves of veg, 2 serves of fruit, some wholegrains, legumes, a small amount of protein, nuts and seeds and heathy fats, all of which are important to long term health and longevity, if I had only a 4-6 hour window for eating. Nutrition trumps calories for me and not all calories are equal for good health and longevity. I would encourage anyone thinking about IF (or just looking to improve their health) to see a registered dietitian – unfortunately most GPs have very little training in nutrition.
Hi Emma, thanks for your message. We are all very different and what works for one definitely doesn’t work for the other. I also agree that all calories are most certainly not equal. Wholefoods are what is important and eating the good stuff. I am definitely eating better than I ever have and loving my healthy relationship with food, it is so freeing. Have a fab day.
This will be so helpful to so many women. Most important takeaway…and this is what I tell everyone too…listen to your body. No matter how great something sounds, it may not be great for you. Yes, there are some basic guidelines that are true for everyone…eat whole food, stay hydrated, etc. But I don’t believe there is one set of “rules” that works for everyone. Also love how you set your phone alarm. I use mine for so many little things throughout the day to keep me on track.
Fantastic post. Thank you.
We do get by on eating a whole lot less than we think, and that food we do eat must be the best in flavour and nutrition.
Love what you do AND you are an inspiration to many.
Love your posts! Have to ask…does a chardy or two fit into intermittent fasting?
Absolutely, I have been enjoying a glass of wine before dinner each night, maybe a couple more on Friday with Netflix.
I became very disenchanted trying to lose weight because the people who were telling me how to all seemed to be 25 year old stick insects. One of the biggest things I have found is that cooking for men I very quickly slipped into the habit of dishing up and all the plates were the same size…including mine! Well I started!…WOW 1.8kgs in the first week and I feel terrific. Also I have noticed my evening meal isn’t quite as big as it was….(but the size of the glass of vino is the same!) Thanks Miss Chardy
OMG, I am so excited to read this!!!! Well done. It is honestly the easiest thing I have ever done and I love doing it. I just arrived home after a week in town and still managed to lose weight – first time ever, I would normally come home feeling fat, bloated and yuck. I seriously can’t believe it. I have been going for 13 weeks now and have reached the point where I am shocked when I see myself in the mirror. I feel so good and can’t even remember the last time I was this size or felt so good. One day at a time – just keep on going. There is no cheating or falling off a wagon, it is just making it fit in with your life.
At last something I can do that works! Was sceptical but after 1 week have lost 1.8kgs and feel terrific. I piled on the weight after babies and when I started cooking for men I quickly slipped into the habit of plating up the same for me and they did. So pleased with what has happened and the fact it is so easy. I am a convert. Thansk Miss Chardy…only 18.2 kgs to go!!
Sorry for posting twice. Ultra slow and only intermittent internet led me to believe the first post failed.
I am totally hearing you – so easy!!! I have officially lost over 10kg’s!!!!! You’ve got this!!!
I have been intermittent fasting for five years and it just comes so naturally. It works better for me to fast from mid afternoon to morning with a 16/8. But it is such an adaptable way to eat that if we plan on eating out at night I simply adjust my eating the next day. I never really started IF for diet it was more about health and I feel so much better for going down this path.
I agree Judi, finally we have found something that is actually sustainable and easy! I am the same, I feel so great. Thanks for the message.
Thanks Dan for this terrific introduction to IF and the links to the podcasts. I listened to Episode 2 immediately upon receiving your newsletter, and started straight away. I’m a rebel which means that no diet would ever work for me because no-one is going to tell me to never eat certain foods or limit calories! So the flexibility of this style of eating suits me really well. It’s so much more sustainable in the long term.
OMG I am totally hearing you Jo. This in honestly the easiest thing I have ever done and will do it for life. I absolutely love it. I have never felt better. Just so sustainable and you can eat all of the foods with zero guilt – that is my favourite part. I just love it. So happy to have you on board.
Hi Miss Chardy, I came across this webpage when I was doing a general search for some intermittent fasting terms on a search engine tonight.
[Until I read the reader comments above mine here, I had assumed the chard in your website name was in reference to the vegetable called chard, not to chardonnay wine (which I am now guessing it is!), ha ha.]
I have known about (and done) IF for about 5 years, and I am well-acquainted with Dr. Mosley’s version of it (which you mentioned above), and am familiar with some of the other main types of it that are discussed in the US and UK (where I have lived) by proponents such as:
– Dr. Jason Fung (whom you mentioned above – as well as his books, he has several different websites, and has branched out in the last few months into self-publishing his own informative YouTube videos)
– Brad Pilon
– Dr. Valter Longo (more of an academic researcher, but has done some TED talks and other podcasts, might have published a book recently)
– Dr. Krista Varady (more of an academic researcher)
– the “Warrior Diet”
– OMAD (one meal a day)
– Dr. Bret Scher and DietDoctor.com (lots of informative YouTube videos, a very informative website with many videos and recipes on it)
– Dr. Peter Attia (lots of informative YouTube videos… and, possibly, he may be the resident expert of your Zero app since his photo appears on the phone screen in the image of the Zero app that you published in your post above)
– Dr. Stephen Gundry (many books, lots of informative YouTube videos)
– Dr. Sten Ekberg (lots of informative YouTube videos)
– Dr. Eric Berg (lots of informative YouTube videos)
– Dr. Mark Hyman (many books, a website, lots of informative YouTube videos, esp. in the past 2 years under the moniker “the doctors farmacy”)
– Naomi Whittel (a book and a website, some YouTube videos)
– Dr. Rhonda Patrick (YouTube videos, a website)
– Dr. Mindy Pelz (a book, a website, lots of informative YouTube videos)
The reason I was directed to your webpage here from my search engine is that, until tonight (when I saw his books mentioned on the Reddit website’s discussion forum for “intermittent fasting”), I had not heard of the “Fast-5” and “Appetite Correction” plans of Dr. Herring, so I was looking for more information on him and his books, just to round out my knowledge.
I also had not known much about Gin Stephens’ work until tonight. It appears that people who are enthusiastic about Dr. Herring’s work also rave about Gin Stephens (as you have done here!) It seems that they inhabit a strand of IF that appears to be very popular, but which hasn’t been mentioned much at all on the collection of health-related websites and YouTube channels that I have tended to pay attention to over the years. I am always glad to expand my knowledge, and I have the Amazon pages of a few of Gin Stephens’ books open in some browser tabs and I’ll take a look at the overviews of and reader comments on her books there in a moment.
The reason I am leaving a comment on your site is to recommend to you (based on your description of your life stage and health interests in the post above) Dr. Mindy Pelz’s YouTube videos, which are from the perspective of a late-40s female and which provide interesting information about various types of fasting. She promotes the idea of “metabolic flexibility” which is about “switching up” the types of fasting one does, to gain different benefits. She has an interest in women’s hormonal health (both pre- and post-menopausal) and in “autophagy fasting”. Her videos are relatively brief and she has done about 5 a week for the past several years, so there are many to choose from.
I would also recommend checking out the YouTube videos of many of the other experts in this area whose names I listed above – so much good information is out there these days!
Hi Marcy, thanks so much for your message. Yes the Chardy is for Chardonnay although I do prefer Pinot Gris or Rosé these days. Hope you managed to listen to some of Gin’s podcasts or read her books. Thanks again for your recommendations I will check them out.