Hello and welcome to the intermittent fasting gems with Jen podcast.

I'm your host Jen, a middle aged Michigan mama, wife and teacher who

in 2021 stumbled upon this crazy cool thing called intermittent fasting.

And before I knew it, I'd lost 46 pounds in four months and

gained an incredible lifestyle filled with complete food freedom.

If you're hungry for unique, no nonsense fasting tips that actually

work, you're in the right place.

So whether you're walking the dog, folding that last load of laundry, or

cruising to your nine to five, let's start fasting our way to freedom together.

Hello, my fasting friends.

Today we are chatting with Jen Mopaw from Flint, Michigan, and she

is a sales director, uh, at Mara Technology and Kaysen Home Loans.

So Jen and I go way back.

Jen, how long has it been?

When?

Did we first become friends?

Do you remember?

grade, I

I thought so, too, because we didn't go to the same elementary school,

Yeah.

No, right.

but we were friends in middle school, didn't know each other real well, but then

we hit high school and we became friends.

Fast, fast friends.

So, Oh, Jen, I'm super excited.

I've been trying to get you on this podcast for a while now,

I know.

I'm glad that we are making it happen today.

So, um, if you are ready, absolutely.

All right.

So, um, Oh, and one more thing is, are you going to be 50 this year with me?

You're gonna be 52 as well,

I know.

Oh,

are.

is our 50 year.

Uh, oh my gosh.

I can't even believe it.

Okay.

So.

Now that we got that out of the way.

you do so.

Yeah,

Yeah, a few months.

So, okay.

Okay.

So, Jen, let's get started with what have been your top three

wins with intermittent fasting?

So, I mean, like most people, right?

To start doing this, they, they're probably doing it to lose weight.

And that was really one of the things of that's always been a struggle in my entire

life, up, down, up, down my entire life

I hear ya.

in my entire life.

No,

it

same here, girlfriend.

just, oh my goodness.

And then of course, getting older makes it probably even harder than it

Mm hmm.

been easy for me in my entire life.

Um, so during COVID is actually when I started doing this and I, as I

mentioned to you before, I didn't really know what I was doing, to be honest.

I really had no intentions.

It was really just, I'd read about it a little bit here and there.

And then COVID was such a crazy time in our world, I was

working insane amount of hours.

would really just fast forward.

pretty much all day and then eat later in the, in like late afternoon, early

evening, and that's all I would eat.

And

And you were doing that on purpose or?

It

Oh, okay.

busy.

Right.

I

Gotcha.

And

or do something during the day or tea, you know, some tea, something like that.

But really, that was what I was doing.

And then you really kind of started getting into the intermittent fasting

and like really talking more about it.

And I was like, oh.

I see what I'm doing now.

I Okay.

And didn't really, to be honest, and then I started reading more into it.

I, I got the book that you had recommended and then I started Really,

you're one of the first ones to join the Facebook, the So

What If Facebook group, right?

Okay.

You're one of the original members.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Yes.

Yes.

was really interesting to hear about all the different things

that I didn't know were out there.

Right.

So then I kind of changed it a little bit.

So really like losing weight, I think.

I wanna say I've lost.

Let's just say 50 pounds probably.

Oh my gosh.

That is.

And I, I

like,

that this is a, uh, you know, a listening thing and you can't see

Jen out there, but Jen is beautiful.

I have to say it, Jen, you are my most beautiful friend.

You really are.

are so sweet.

mean, you have always been beautiful to me, um, on the inside and

the outside, but I just can't.

First of all, we all have our talents, Jen's talent, and I hate to interrupt,

but this is very, very important.

If you need to know how to take the most perfect selfie,

Jen is the one to call like.

I, I'm not even kidding, you could, you know, create your own course

on how to take a perfect selfie for all us old women out there.

Oh,

And because you, you, I have never seen a picture where you look bad.

Like, I haven't even seen a picture where you look okay.

Like every picture you take, you look like a supermodel.

So, um, you still haven't taught me that, but, um, yeah.

work on it, Jen.

Okay, so all right, I didn't mean to interrupt, but that is important.

So,

Oh, so

50 pounds.

Oh my gosh, and You do you look incredible

Thank you.

How do you feel

it's been, yeah, I mean, you know, honestly feeling so much better.

I didn't realize this until afterwards, but I'd had like some pain in my knee,

like just, you know, walking up two little stairs to my house and not even really

thinking too, uh, things about it, you know, and that's gone away completely.

And it's

the knee pain?

yeah,

Wow?

it wasn't anything like it didn't hurt it.

I didn't do anything to it.

So I think it was really just the extra weight that was on there

Absolutely.

when I gain weight, I gain it everywhere.

I don't necessarily just gain it like in one area,

Yeah,

is not good, right?

Because it's good, but it's not good because

right.

it.

You do notice it, but you don't notice it.

If that

I see what you're saying.

Absolutely

so it really did help that, um, it just made me feel better to be honest.

And it, it still makes, it's more, I've never really had an issue with confidence,

no matter what, what weight I'm at, but it really does make you feel more confident.

Like just being, um, feeling good in your own skin, I guess is

probably the right way to say that.

I love that.

I love that.

And that is, it's, it is so important to just, um, you know, for that

mental health and, um, mindset.

issue, I think, a lot.

At least for me, um, it's always been a mental thing and like I said, it's not,

still did all the things and was okay with everything, but I just knew deep down I

needed to change and I needed to figure myself out because it was not healthy.

Right.

that, you know, have had issues entire life, you know.

I have, you know, cousins that are very big, um, and just, I

didn't want to go down that path.

And, um, you know, family that just have had heart issues, um,

things that they can't control now.

And I don't want to get into that situation.

So,

Awesome.

So, so many health benefits to intermittent fasting.

50 pounds.

That's incredible, Jen.

Your knee pain is gone.

Um, and I love the part that you talked about the, the confidence.

Really, really awesome.

It's 100 percent true.

Yeah.

Anything else about, um, what do you think are the, I know confidence,

uh, knee pain, any other, non scale victories that you just really

appreciate intermittent fasting for?

you know, it's really nice to see, you know, going down and, you

know, in your pant sizes, right.

You

Sure.

Isn't

gosh, I could buy a small and I still sometimes think of myself in that

Mindset of like being a 12 or a 14 and I'm like, oh I get to buy like

a size 6 Actually bought a size 2 one day and I was like, oh my god.

I was so excited

it?

something just

yes, same with me.

I was always a medium or, you know, back in the day we love to wear our

sweatshirts and everything large.

Um, and being a small, I don't, it does, it does something

that really does boost your

in your mindset.

It does.

It does.

So,

it really does kind of play, uh, it's kind of weird how your mind works, like that

you automa these eyes still automatically go to, like, the mediums and larges.

right.

used to that or

Sure.

right?

You're just like, oh, yeah And it's like you turn it you put it on you're

like, oh, that's not gonna work anymore just funny, but it's it's a good it's

a good it's a good thing to have know and honestly, maybe even my you know

going back to like the knee Situation, you know the joint pain probably that's

been helpful I do have fewer headaches I feel and that's kind of a and I don't

know that I can really say that it's due to Losing weight, but it may be

Well, I, I think it does probably, it is definitely probably connected

to the fasting because that, uh, is definitely one of my top three, because

I know the headaches for me were brutal before I started intermittent fasting.

I mean, we're talking three, four a week.

And, um, the improvement with that was, you It's been huge.

So yeah, I definitely, and I mean, headaches, that's a huge win in my, in my

eyes, because when you have a headache, you don't feel like doing anything.

So

and yeah,

absolutely.

So.

Love it.

I it's definitely been helpful and I, I definitely think that that does has

had a impact on it, you know, and for

Sure.

for sure.

All right, girlfriend.

So what is your what would you say is your main or your preferred

intermittent fasting method or general schedule that you you tend

to kind of stick to or follow?

I saw what, where I started with OMAD, um, Um, I, I kind of do a

little bit, like I mentioned before, I, I, I call it a dirty fasting

Uh huh.

you know, dirty intermittent fasting.

So I do typically do probably, I would say this, the, the 18 6 probably is

Okay.

what I stick with on the most part.

But then I do throw in a couple of OMADs in there as well, just because,

My schedule, whatever's going on in the

Sure.

Um, some days I will say that I, I will be completely honest and I kind

of blow it out of the water some days.

It just happens,

I think

It

I love that.

It's kind of crazy because at work, um, a lot of times when I'm walking

around school and everybody knows I, I am the fasting person now.

Um, and sometimes, you know, yeah, sometimes, you know, they'll be

carrying, you know, a piece of cake from the teacher's lounge or whatever.

And then they pass me and they look at me and like, oh my gosh, they're like,

no, and they start talking and I'm like, Listen, I am not the fasting police.

You know, I, I have cake too.

I make plenty of mistakes.

Well, I don't even want to call them mistakes because

that's why I love fasting.

It's flexible.

So, you know what?

I love that.

Like I said, you're mixing things up, you know, some's dirty,

some's clean, but you know what?

It's working for you.

Clearly it's working for you.

So.

It really is doing.

I'm thankful that I, you know, haven't reverted back to, you know, old ways.

And sometimes you get into those habits.

Right.

Sure,

tried to figure out what's working for me at the time.

Instead of going, Oh my God, I'm not doing this today, or I'm not doing that today.

I'm like, okay, I screwed up today and go back to it tomorrow.

And it, you know, there's, you know, that five pounds that

fluctuates here and there,

right.

um, it's all good.

So your fasting hours that you say, generally, let's say when you're

doing a typical 18, six, what would be the hours that you're?

to six is

Okay,

window

that's, that's nice.

Yeah, because that's easy.

I don't, I'm not, I like breakfast.

Don't get me wrong, but I'm don't, I get up and I don't, I'm not hungry right away.

Yeah,

I kind of use that to my advantage.

no, I love that.

Yeah, for sure.

So you can probably start.

Go ahead.

No, yeah, it just it just makes it easier for me like to say okay now I'm not

really hungry until around lunchtime So it just I you know, maybe a lot on 11

I start to get a little bit hungry and then I just kind of like, you know, maybe

I'll have a carbonated water Something like that just to kind of get me a

little full and then I'm good until and honestly we eat by like 6 6 30 Anyway,

so it really tend to Lee works out.

Perfect

Yeah.

So you are doing, um, so with your 12, uh, or noon to 6,

you're able to get in a lunch

Yeah.

at,

Mm

a dinner.

That's, that's awesome.

And maybe a few snacks in between, or, I mean, you,

a really big snacker.

okay,

just depends on the day.

To be honest,

okay,

really does depend.

Like, if I have a really light lunch, then I might have a snack.

sure, okay, Mm hmm, right.

super, super starving at those times.

Like, so once I eat because my stomach is probably shrink and like different things,

like I don't eat as much as I used to.

Um, not that I don't want to some days, but you

have our, have our moments for sure and times when we're hungrier than

others and, but I do love that.

eat.

Yeah, for sure.

We've got tricks now to help, you know, kind of push that if we need to a

little bit and make it more comfortable and so Jen, do you use a Fasting

tracking app or anything like that?

How do you keep track?

Or do you just you're just good and you keep track of it in your head?

Okay, perfect,

I did start trying to do that and I just didn't do it very

well, like keeping track of it.

And I just decided that that was stressing me out more than it wasn't like, you know

right?

I'm like, oh, my God, I didn't keep track of that today.

It's like,

Nope, I think

it's working.

So it's okay.

Oh,

you know, we already have enough stuff jumbled up in our head.

And sometimes one more thing, you know, some people, they need

that for the accountability.

accountability.

and also it's kind of like a competitive game that they play with themselves

as far as, Hey, can I make it, you know, this far, whatever they, um.

do with that and, and track it.

But yeah, other people, there's already too much stuff up there.

Uh, and one last thing, and if you can keep, you know, keep on track without

having to use that, that's great.

it up a little bit, you know, occasionally, like if I know I'm going

somewhere or doing something and I'm not going to eat until later that day, then

maybe I do as an OMAD version, right?

So then I know like my one big meal is going to be at seven o'clock that night.

Um, and I just kind of watch it from there.

So I, if I know what's going to happen in my day, I mean, I try

Sure.

work, but I try to do that

Well, again,

on myself.

the flexibility is an, is such a beautiful thing about intermittent fasting.

And I am a firm believer that the.

The switching it up is so fabulous for, um, kind of stoking your metabolism

and keeping things, you know, humming and moving in the right direction

and so that your body doesn't get too used to one, uh, one thing.

And, and then you, you know, when that happens, then you're hitting those really

stubborn, you know, weight loss plateaus and nobody wants to be dealing with that.

So, um, all right.

So,

it is when you go on vacation, right?

I mean, you have

oh yes.

Oh, I absolutely do that.

Yeah.

Um, I have my own little vacation intermittent fasting system.

It works for me.

And yeah, usually, uh, actually I don't weigh when I get back from vacation

just because I know I'm going to be up a few pounds, but every single

time I've gone on a vacation, since I've hit my, my goal weight a few

years ago, um, I just come back, I get right back to my regular schedule.

And then within two weeks, I'll weigh and I know that I'm right back.

So I don't, I don't even worry about it anymore.

So the freedom of that mind, you know, all of that worrying is gone.

So I do absolutely love that, but all right, Jen.

So let's say, um, let's talk about what do you think is your, your biggest

challenge with intermittent fasting?

Probably the social aspect, to

A lot of people say that.

Sure.

I think it is for me too.

Yeah.

I mean, I'm, as you know, very social person.

I, you know, obviously getting married this last year and, um, all the

things that were leading up to that.

And, you know, just life is busy.

I have a few jobs.

I do a lot of things.

I'm gone a lot.

Um, so sometimes that makes it easier.

And sometimes that makes it harder to be honest.

Cause

Yeah,

I said earlier, if I know that I'm going somewhere and I'm doing something

later that might involve having a couple of cocktails or something like that.

And I know I can fit that into my small window.

You know what I mean?

sure.

then that's what we're going to do.

Um, sometimes things come up out of the blue and it's like, Oh crap.

Okay.

So then you kind of got to, Step back and like take a real big thought

in it like okay Well, I'm gonna get something very small or I'm going

to like have to extend my window or it Just depends on the day right

Yes.

yeah I find out this out in the morning that I have something or if

I find it up at four o'clock in the afternoon Like maybe I might have

screwed something up and I'm just gonna have to realize what I have to do

Yeah.

And it's definitely a struggle, but at least it sounds like you have

strategies to help, you know, help you get, get it, get through that.

So,

in Detroit, yeah, I mean, am I perfect in it?

No,

well, no, nobody is.

it definitely not perfect, but I do think it, you know, it does

help to kind of have a game plan.

If you have

A hundred percent.

it's definitely helpful for

Yeah.

And I, I, I do have to say, not only are you my most beautiful

friend, but you are definitely my,

Ehehehehehe.

friend.

So, I mean, Jen knows everybody.

So, um, yeah, I know.

I love it.

So, all right.

So, let's talk about your, your eating and your fasting, uh, windows.

Let's talk fasting first.

So, we already kind of talked about the, the clean and dirty fast.

So, that's kind of, you know, sometimes clean, sometimes dirty.

And again, I love that because Uh, this podcast is about how everybody makes

intermittent fasting work for them.

And so that is working for you.

And I love that.

Um, when you are, let's say clean fasting and you're in your fasting window, which

of the four, you know, best fast cleaning drinks, coffee, tea, uh, do you enjoy?

drinker, not a coffee drinker at all.

All right.

which is, could be good and bad depends, but I

I knew you'd ask.

yeah, exactly.

I do like a hot tea, right?

Like a

Okay.

something like that.

So that does help.

And just having something warm, I think it just helps like a little bit, even if it's

a hot water with just, you know, something

It's like a total comfort thing, for sure.

Yes.

Mm hmm.

Um, but I really do like the La Croix waters, like the, the blue can very

just nothing, you know, on plane.

Um, I actually became very much a big fan of those in Germany, honestly.

Really?

so Germany, well, because they have carbonated water in Europe.

And so you

Oh.

it.

Sure.

for them.

So they always ask with gas or without gas.

Ha ha

it, that seriously, I was

ha.

That's the question.

That is the question.

Yeah, and it's like a big deal to like have have like to get water

That's like basically you just ask for tap water at the end of the day

like because it was just like They don't drink that on the regular.

I

Wow.

just not as is common

Okay.

So I got to actually liking that there which was good And then I like and then

I realized that that was a really good thing for the intermittent fasting So

I've just kind of become hooked on it.

Now.

I actually enjoy it and Um, and then when I even do have a drink or something like

that with it, I put a vodka soda in it.

Like, you know,

Yep.

soda with it and it, it tastes really great.

And, um, it just, it's good to me.

That is always my go to as well.

Like, you know, something simple, it's light, refreshing.

correct.

what, so let's see, what are your favorite, this is not an alcoholic,

um, podcast, but, but if you're mixing up a sparkling, uh, mineral water

and, uh, and vodka So if you're a cocktail, I guess you would say.

What flavors are your favorite?

What flavors of sparkling water do you prefer?

honestly do a lot of the, just the basic, um, I like the,

well, I like the white grape.

The white

Oh, I've never tried that.

Do you know the brand?

good.

Um, I'll look at the, I can't

Okay.

it is.

All right.

Yeah, send that to me.

That sounds yummy.

It's really good.

Um, it's just got a good little bit of a,

Like a bite.

exactly.

But I

Okay.

like just to do the natural one with so vodka soda with like a lime and an

orange, just a light, something that

so you mean just the plain one with the vodka and then with the vodka and

then you just squeeze in some orange, fresh orange or fresh lemon or do

you do lime as well or sometimes?

and orange are my favorite

Okay.

Yeah.

it just kind of

Ooh.

Yeah.

it.

Um, so it's very simple.

It's not overwhelming.

It's very, you know, it's very clean, really.

Yes.

really getting just a little bit of the juice.

And

hmm.

it's good.

And it's satisfying, to be honest.

That's a really great tip.

Thank you.

Yeah, yeah, no,

Yeah.

honestly, it's one of my favorites because then I don't

have to buy a bunch of different

I know.

It keeps it simple and um, it's not such like you're not dealing with

a sugary drink that sits in your stomach and makes you feel gross for,

as I like all of those, too.

Don't

especially when you're on the beach.

Bye.

I do like those as well.

Well, of course.

don't, I can't do those as much anymore just because they make my stomach upset.

Because I'm not used to it.

For sure.

For sure.

so even when I do go out, and I'm not necessarily, you know,

within my windows or whatever,

Yeah.

do a vodka soda, you know, I do a seltzer.

Okay.

you know,

Love that.

a White Claw or High Noon or something, just to

Okay.

you know, it's pretty, it's pretty low, it's not sugary,

Yeah.

it's a lot of seltzer as

Right.

it's kind

Okay.

soda on its own.

And obviously that's during your, um.

You're eating window, right?

oh yeah, for sure.

Okay

yeah,

Sounds good.

Whoo.

All right, and also I've found out the hard way do not fast for 21 hours and then

let the Alcoholic drink be the first thing that oh, you talk about a cheap date.

Oh my goodness.

Yeah.

Oh My gosh.

Yeah, um, that is a that is a big no no Um Yeah, so, wow,

learned on that

sure you, you have someone ready to drive you.

Oh,

definitely

So, hey Jen, how about electrolyte supplements?

Like, do you use element or any electrolyte supplements at any time to

kind of help you a power through or?

um, I don't, to be honest, I do do some electrolytes during

my, um, non fasting windows.

So like

Okay.

window, so like the body armor, something that had like the high electrolytes in it.

Like it's like zero, it's sugar free, zero

Oh, I've body armor.

That's the name brand.

yeah, so it's a

Hmm.

you can get them at Sam's.

Okay.

Never heard of that, but I'll check it out.

yeah, my, um, my trainer that I work out with, um, started me on

those and they're really good.

And he's like, you know, you need your electrolytes, you need to make sure

that your body's, you know, replenishing yourself and blah, blah, blah, blah.

And, um, I really like them there, you know, it's, uh, they have

like blueberry, pomegranates,

Okay.

And you said there.

Low in sugar?

yeah.

Yep.

I'll have to tell Barry, uh, my husband about those.

Yeah, they're

he's always looking.

different sizes.

There's a couple that are big and they have like lime, which is really good.

Lime, orange, and fruit punch.

Okay.

ones.

And then they have the other ones that are smaller, that are just a

little bit smaller, that have the

Oh,

variations.

But yeah, they're all the sugar free.

awesome.

If you send me, uh, the info on that, I'll leave the link in the

show notes, uh, for everybody.

So,

for fasting necessarily.

You know, you

okay.

Yeah, absolutely.

During your, during your eating window though, because yeah, electrolytes, it's

a huge thing trying to balance those.

And, um, you know, with, in, in, in knockout, uh, you know,

feelings of fatigue and cramping and, you know, making sure you can

power through with your workouts.

Like you said, you, uh, it was recommended by your trainer.

So, yeah.

Yeah.

All right, that sounds cool.

I want to check that out.

Yeah.

Um, hey, Jen, how about your longest fast?

Do you, most people say, I don't know, and it just happened by accident.

Have you done an intentional, like, longer fast or what's,

what's been the longest for you?

I have done, um, a 24 hour

Okay,

fast just to kind of, kind of break through that plateau to see kind

of what I could get to, right?

More before the wedding.

Yeah,

out, you know,

well, that helps.

Yeah, so that did help a little, um, get through it.

I don't do those that often, to

Okay.

um, just depends on what's going on in the world, but I have tried to, uh,

do one of those every Six months or so just to kind of, it's almost kind of a,

It's a nice reset.

Yeah.

Like just to know that I can do it.

Yes.

and so, yeah, I don't do them often, but I do do them.

Uh, like I said, I think I want to say my longest was actually like 32 hours, I

Okay.

All right.

Very good.

And yes, it's, they are, yeah, definitely something you don't want to be doing all

the time, you know, it's not a healthy thing to be doing it too often, but it

can definitely help push you through, like you said, a weight loss plateau that

can be very frustrating and kind of give your body a reset, uh, that it needs.

So, yeah.

Very good.

All right.

So, Oh,

into mine as well, um, doing the same thing.

So in my window, in my six hour window of eating or whatever,

I may have like three juices.

Like, so I do like the homemade, you know, juices.

It's like apple, spinach, uh, ginger, lemon, um, things of that nature.

And I

that sounds yummy.

Oh,

just to kind of, uh, give my body a little bit of break from

digesting all the food itself,

okay.

Yeah.

let myself do the juicing.

So I still do that within those, that hour, those hours, I'm sorry.

Um, just, I don't eat food at those, you know, six

I see.

am

Okay.

all the juicing and that

that's,

it's just, it makes you feel better.

It makes

it does.

processing all that food.

Absolutely.

And those are all really healthy ingredients too.

And

Yeah, I get them from, uh, Jack and Diane's in, um, Fenton.

Oh, okay.

It's a, I, I've heard of it, but,

it's

um,

if you are, but they're completely, like, vegan, organic.

really?

she's, she's amazing.

Jackie, um, her husband know that they run that, uh, little place.

But they are, like, I've done, they've, she's gone and done, like, 50 days

Wow.

And she looks unbelievable.

Really?

I mean, she kind of goes in her highs and lows too, like

Yeah.

Yeah.

but, uh, her juices are awesome.

They're great pricing.

Like you can get, uh, like a week or well, I do like two or three

days at a time and it's like 50 bucks a day, which is super cheap

Do they, do you know if they have products that you can purchase online

or is it all just in the store?

I don't

Okay

you can call or like, you know, call and like order the juices

Yeah

Have them ready

Okay.

Well, I will definitely check that out.

Great.

Great tip.

Thank you

Yeah.

So,

my next question.

Um, kind of what you enjoy during your eating window.

So you're doing some juicing.

What about like solid foods?

What are your, what are your favorites?

Are your kind of go to's during your eating period or?

um, during, you know, during my OMAD, when I'm doing OMAD, if I'm

Mm hmm.

only eating once a day, I kind of tend to let myself go a little bit, not

crazy, but just, I'll have a little bit of whatever I really want at that time.

Okay,

a, just smaller portions, making sure I'm keeping it within range.

But, um, Maybe something I wouldn't eat normally.

I might, you know, um, I'm trying to think of what it would be.

Um, like my typical, I try to, I really try to focus on my protein.

good, good.

Me too.

Yeah.

with my, all the protein I need to

Mm hmm.

Um,

Well, and especially as us being almost 50 year old women, like, you know, as

far as losing muscle and all of that, I

Yeah.

think the protein intake is so, so important.

I know that helps me.

eggs and like meat and you know doing all of that the proteins,

I really try to try to do that.

It's super hard sometimes

it is.

because you don't want to I mean that protein makes you full it makes you

full and you're not hungry and that's kind of it's It's difficult sometimes.

I do make a really good Mexican chili.

Ooh,

Um,

yummy.

kind of like your, uh, white chicken chili you

Oh yeah, with the pepper jack, yeah.

yeah, I do a Mexican chili that, um, Greg loves.

I love, um, and I just put a lot of extra protein in there.

Ooh,

know, it's got corn in it, which isn't a protein, but it's good.

It just, it, it, especially when you're doing like one meal a day, like it's

yes.

hearty, something on your, um, On your stomach.

And it's, it's good.

So you send me that recipe and then I'll throw that in, in my blog post that

I'll write up about, uh, this episode.

That would be awesome.

Perfect.

Yeah, I'll have to

Yeah.

all in my head.

I don't

Well, yeah, I know how that goes.

We'll call it Jen's Special Mexican

ago, I, where I actually, I got it from originally was, um, I did a,

um, workout challenge at Genesis.

So, um, yeah,

Oh,

Genesis

Okay.

Sure.

And they did like a whole transformation challenge kind of thing.

And they gave you a booklet that had like different recipes and stuff and

Oh, nice.

them in there and just kind of I added a little extra in it.

Oh, yeah, so just kind of made it your own.

So I love doing that, like taking a simple recipe and then adding

in my favorites and just making it, you know, your own kind of,

good, I'm not the cook, so

well, neither one of us are.

yeah.

That is definitely not my forte, never has been.

Oh, if it weren't for me doing the meal delivery with Green Chef

and it's teaching, it's taught me,

Yeah.

taught me so many different like little, like cooking techniques and all of that.

Um, but yes, which is good because I think Barry was starting to

get like, Oh my gosh, you know, we've been married for 25 years.

You need to start figuring this cooking thing out now.

I am much better, much better.

he knows, he knows.

He does.

Um, all right.

Very good.

So how about, do you do any, uh, do you use any apple cider vinegar, uh, bone

broth, like how do you break your, what do you usually break your fast with that

makes your stomach feel pretty good?

specific to

Okay.

fast.

Um, it's really just water to be honest

Oh,

I might do just, I really, when I get up in the morning,

I'm really not that thirsty.

Like, or, you know, I mean, I'm in thirsty, but I'm

not, I guess you could say

Okay.

will have whatever, but, um, since I don't like coffee, I don't like

any of that stuff to begin with.

It really wasn't a struggle.

So I really just kind of break it with water.

And before I eat something specifically, um, or maybe I have like, even I

might even do a carbonated water,

Okay.

to kind of break it.

And then obviously, then I'll eat or

Like you mean like a flavored one to break it?

Okay, flavored carbonated water or sparkling water.

Okay.

Awesome.

that's, you know, definitely not on or maybe even one of my

electrolyte drinks, to be honest.

I like that idea.

Yeah, and just kind of let your stomach settle and get ready for the food.

Yeah, because it's it's you know, and it doesn't take me that long like within

a half an hour usually I'm pretty good

Okay.

And I might nibble on something.

I might not necessarily eat.

Yeah.

on what the situation is

Okay.

All right.

So I know the answer to this, but, um, I would like you to talk

to our listeners a little bit about, um, your exercise routine.

So what are your kind of favorite ways to exercise or stay active?

So I that was one of my big struggles to be

Okay.

so um I love working out.

It's great.

It's I love the adrenaline rush afterwards and the feeling of

Sure.

It is.

Yeah.

Okay.

me.

So during covid I, um, I, I, I started, um, you know, you couldn't

work out of the gym, the gym draw clothes, things like that.

So, um, I do started to do the body project.

It's online so you can, YouTube has some free, um, exercises that you can try out.

It's, um, a couple that does it out of, I think they're the UK.

Okay.

Super fun.

I don't, my friend Jenna had like recommended it to me.

She's like, you know, it's just something online you can do.

There's 20 minute, there's 10 minute workouts.

There's 30 minute workouts.

There's 40 minute workouts at all levels.

they have a little bit of everything.

So it can be weights.

It can be boxing.

It can be, um, they even have a walking one.

They have a chair seated one that

Wow.

you're, like if you're hurt.

Um, there's always a modified version and, uh, you know, uh,

uh, uh, intensified version, I

or okay.

Mm hmm

And I really, really, really liked it.

I was like addicted.

I would feel bad for that first year that I was really doing it.

Like if I missed a day, it was really weird.

Wow

just got into that.

Like, I don't

Yeah, it's well it is it just really is such a big pick me up and when

you find something that you love You know, that is the key right there

would take weights with me and do it in the driveway.

Like, I would get up and they were like, you are insane.

I'm like,

So is it like Is it like a subscription type

So you can do, you can pull them up on YouTube.

You can

Okay on youtube.

Okay.

little bit of, like a variety of different ones.

But if you want to have the full gamut,

Sure Okay

a year.

It's cheap.

kind of like a beach body or okay.

So it's called the body project.

Okay.

Awesome.

it's like I said, a husband and wife and they have a couple other

people that they incorporate it.

I follow them on Facebook and Instagram too.

Mm hmm.

they've really even added some more things in this last year that it's just a great,

that was really my start to doing it.

into really getting into working out.

And then I hired a trainer,

Okay.

Chandra and I actually go to the same trainer

Oh, nice.

just, yeah, he's in Davison.

He's been great.

Um, that really helped me get ready for the wedding and, um,

just, you know, making myself feel

hmm.

best self.

I still go once or twice, than more than once a week with him.

And then I kind of do my own thing when I,

I prefer to do my workouts in the morning if

Okay.

Uh, I absolutely love exercising when I, and I do think results are

way, way better, at least for me.

Yeah, no,

the, and the weight loss and yeah, a hundred and the, the mental clarity to,

there are some days when I have to go, you know, when I'm going to

Davidson or something for to work out with him that it doesn't really

fit in my window in the morning.

So then I need to obviously do it in between.

But I would prefer if I have my way, if I have my preferred way,

it's definitely in the morning.

yeah, absolutely.

Yeah.

I mean, life gets in the way and you have to kind of, I mean, it's

better to exercise during your eating window than not exercise at all.

And sometimes your schedule just doesn't, um, you know, lend itself to.

Mm

I'm in more of my control before I get into anything in the day.

Right?

So

Absolutely.

have no excuses not to work out or not to

Right.

Right.

Love that.

Love that.

Yeah.

right.

Oh my goodness.

We are almost ready to wrap things up, Jen.

So I would like to end this episode with your very shiniest gem.

So what is your very best intermittent fasting tip for success that you

can leave our listeners with today?

Just don't quit.

Honestly, just keep going.

That's really the best way to do it, is just, even if it's not perfect, like we

talked about today, just keep doing it.

Keep doing it.

It will, it does take a little bit to, you know, you're not gonna lose that you

want to lose in the first couple weeks.

It's not a get rich quick or sorry,

nope,

not a get skinny quick definitely not

not, but it does work.

Um, it just takes a while.

And like I said, if you don't be mad at yourself.

If something you, you fall off the wagon a little bit, you have a day, you just get

back on the next day and just keep it up.

have, sometimes it's a mental thing with me that I'm like, God, I just screwed

that up today and I just went completely off my boat, whatever, and okay, well.

Tomorrow you start a new day and you just get back on the

horse and you just keep going.

So just don't give up.

That's I think my best words of advice.

yeah I love that you do you have to give yourself grace and just keep

moving forward and It's I don't know.

It's just like I said, it's just so freeing and It's a lifestyle.

I love that.

It's something that I know I can, uh, do for the rest of my life and,

you know, I, I wanted to ask you one more thing I wanted to ask you.

Do you count calories?

I don't,

Yeah, I, isn't that like,

idea.

Yeah, that's me too.

And to me, that, that is definitely one of my biggest, uh, loves about intermittent

fasting is to be free from that.

I mean, I just think for so many years with the, you know, the fad

diets and that both of us, you know, struggled up and down the weight loss

rollercoaster and I can only have a thousand or 1200 calories or to me that.

Little, you know, nugget or gem alone of not having to, uh, yeah, it stresses

you out not having the mental heaviness of having to count calories and knowing

that everything's going to work itself out, um, is just, again, so, so freeing.

So

it really is.

And it's,

it is

it's, it's something nice to not have to worry about.

And especially

hundred percent.

right?

Yeah.

going to, unless you're downing like two or three Big Macs

in a, in a, you know, in your

Or a Whopper with cheese from Burger King, which is my favorite, but,

Exactly.

Yeah.

Though, that's one of my favorites too.

I don't

oh

um,

I know.

but like, you know, you can, you understand you can do some of those

things in moderation if you, if that's what you want to do, um, it just, you

gotta, you just gotta learn the balance.

Love it.

Love it.

Well, Jen, this has been so fun and fun.

fun.

who has been my friend for 40 years.

Um, I love that intermittent fasting kind of brought us back together

and is keeping our friendship alive.

And, um, it's just a really, really cool thing.

I, I love you so much too.

And, um, thank you so much for spending your day, uh, hanging out with me.

So absolutely.

uh, somebody learned something good.

Hopefully.

You've given us so many awesome tips today, and, um, you're such, you're my

most beautiful friend, and I love ya.

love you.

Thank you so

Aw,

for

you're welcome.

Hey, thank you so much for choosing to spend part of your day listening

to this episode of the intermittent fasting gems with Jen podcast.

If you think these tips could help a friend or a family member, please

consider sharing this episode with them.

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Tune in for new 15 to 25 minute episodes released on the 10th,

20th, and 30th of each month.

Episodes will feature solo shows filled with IF hacks that have worked for me, as

well as episodes where I get to chat with.

fun folks of all ages who've experienced incredible success

with intermittent fasting.

If you have questions or want more unique intermittent fasting health

and weight loss tips, tricks, and recipes, please visit my website

and blog at sowhatifwithjen.

com.

Finally, we'd love to welcome you into our free intermittent

Fasting Facebook support group.

So what if with Jen, find all of these links in the show notes below.

And as always, I hope you spend your day loving without fear and

laughing until your cheeks hurt.