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 there, my fabulous fasting friends.

Today, we'll be chatting about books and not just any books, but what I

believe are the three absolute best intermittent fasting books out there.

These three books completely changed my life when I read them in 2021.

They are the books that guided me through my 46 pound weight loss, and

since then, in the last few years, I have revisited each of them often,

pulling out helpful tips and strategies and nuggets of information that keep

me moving in the right direction along my intermittent fasting health

and weight maintenance journey.

Spoiler alert!

The three books I'm talking about are Delay Don't Deny by Jen

Stevens, Fast Feast Repeat by Jen Stevens, and The Obesity Cold by Dr.

Jason Fung.

So in this short but sweet episode today, I'm going to share the main

takeaways from each of these science backed, information packed books.

I'm also going to share my recommendation for the order in which

I believe you should read these.

So let's dive in and discover the power of the only three books I believe you

need to read to achieve sustainable weight loss and incredible health

results with intermittent fasting.

Alright, book number one is Delay Don't Deny by Jen Stevens.

This is the very first book that I read and the book that I believe

you should also start with too.

Um, I read this book back when I was completely clueless

about intermittent fasting.

It's basically what started it all for me.

This book is such a simple, easy read.

I read it in just under four hours.

Um, and this truly groundbreaking intermittent fasting book.

Gin does an awesome job of introducing intermittent fasting as a flexible

lifestyle choice that emphasizes when you eat rather than what you eat.

Um, the book highlights the simplicity of intermittent fasting

and it presents IF as a simple approach to weight loss and health.

As opposed to complex diet plans with unsustainable restrictions

that so many of us have tried and failed at over the years.

Jin shares her personal success story with Intermittent Fasting supported

by thorough research and she also includes several motivating Intermittent

Fasting success stories of others that are such an inspiration to read.

In this book, Jin shares how one can break free from restrictive diets and

enjoy food without the guilt while still achieving many health benefits, as well

as reaching their weight loss goals.

The book addresses how fasting can help with appetite correction.

She also emphasizes how intermittent fasting is a lifestyle.

and not your traditional fad diet.

The book promotes freedom in what works individually for

each person without judgment or one size fits all expectations.

I love that the book is written in a very friendly, conversational tone.

She is very friendly and she's relatable and she makes the concepts

of intermittent fasting really easy to understand and engaging for readers.

Again, this is the very first book that I read about

intermittent fasting, and it did.

It completely changed my life.

Since reading this book and adopting an intermittent fasting

lifestyle, my life has been forever transformed for the better.

I definitely recommend reading this book first, as I believe it is best

for people who are just getting started with intermittent fasting.

Next up, book recommendation number two, Fast Feast Repeat.

Also by Gin Stevens.

Fast Feast Repeat by Gin Stevens is a comprehensive guide to

mastering intermittent fasting and achieving optimal health.

In this intermittent fasting book, Gin dives a bit deeper into the inner workings

and the science of intermittent fasting.

This book explains the science behind fasting, including how it affects

blood glucose, insulin, and fat storage.

Gin discusses how IF helps with intuitive eating and how to allow

yourself to enjoy special occasions without guilt, as well as how to foster

a healthy relationship with food.

This book introduces the very important concept of clean fasting,

which I which I have discussed in several previous podcast episodes.

She goes a lot deeper into the definition of clean fasting, um, in this book.

In Fast Feast Repeat, Jin highlights the non scale victories connected to

fasting as well, um, including the many health benefits of fasting that go

beyond weight loss, including improved metabolic health and potential longevity.

Finally, Fast Feast Repeat provides practical guidance for implementing

intermittent fasting and it even includes a 28 day fast start plan to help readers

begin their intermittent fasting journey.

This intermittent fasting diet guide is designed to ease individuals into

fasting gradually, allowing them to adapt to the new eating pattern comfortably.

I loved this book and I found tons of helpful tips and information in it,

stuff that I still refer back to today.

I did not 28 day fast start plan, um, that is in the book.

However, I know several people.

in my So What If With Jen fasting Facebook group, who did follow

that 28 plan from the book and they did have success with it.

So the book emphasizes the importance of finding the fasting

approach that works best for each individual and various fasting

protocols are explored in the book.

So Jen also emphasizes the flexibility of intermittent fasting, allowing readers to

customize their fasting schedule in many different ways to fit their lifestyle.

Um, throughout the book, she addresses common questions and

concerns about fasting, providing evidence based information and

thoughtful science backed answers.

Um, It really does offer a wealth of knowledge and support for those embarking

on an intermittent fasting lifestyle.

My personal recommendation is to read this intermittent fasting book second.

After you've read Delay Don't Deny and you have a basic understanding of

fasting, and you've been following an intermittent fasting plan for a few

weeks, it's definitely packed with incredible information and way more of

the science behind intermittent fasting.

Um, it moves past the basic overall concept of intermittent fasting that is

covered in Delay Don't Deny and it really starts to dive into the details, uh,

the routines and like I said, the actual science behind intermittent fasting.

Many people skip reading Delay, Don't Deny, and they go right

to Fast, Peace, Repeat, and, and that's definitely an option.

I just think for me, uh, starting with Delay, Don't Deny was perfect.

It was so easy to understand, not complicated at all, and it got me

excited about the possibilities of fasting, um, and how it could really

change my life for the better.

And then once I started getting the hang of fasting after a few weeks, After I was

a few weeks in, I decided to read Fast Feast Repeat, and was really able to

take in all of the detailed information without getting too overwhelmed.

All right, book number three is The Obesity Code by Dr.

Jason Fung.

And oh man, if you are a nonfiction loving information junkie like I am,

you are going to love this book just as much as I do, but you are not going

to finish this book in four hours like you can do with Delay Don't Deny.

Um, it's so jam packed with awesome information.

You'll probably need to digest it in small pieces, which is why I absolutely

recommend reading this book third.

And only after you are a few months into your IF journey.

It's an incredible read and I believe that it will absolutely cement your

belief in intermittent fasting after you read it, but be prepared to work through

it and maybe read it in small chunks.

or doses.

Here are just a few of the awesome topics covered in this book.

First, Dr.

Fung addresses hormonal imbalance and how obesity is tied to insulin

resistance and hormonal imbalances.

He discusses insulin's role in obesity and weight gain and fat storage.

So in the book, Dr.

Fung calls out conventional dieting and challenges traditional dieting advice,

focused on calorie counting and exercise that we've all heard over and over.

for many, many decades and instead Dr.

Fung zeroes in on the role of insulin in regulating fat storage.

He lays out the science behind intermittent fasting and how it

can be a fantastic method to use to successfully reduce insulin levels

and promote sustainable weight loss.

He explores how intermittent fasting is a great option because the fasting

method can reset our metabolism some.

burn stored fat and regulate hunger hormones.

Additionally, Dr.

Fung focuses on the importance of eating quality food and how following a low

carbohydrate, moderate protein diet.

can be extremely effective for weight loss as it minimizes insulin spikes.

And finally, he addresses common misconceptions about calories.

He challenges the notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the

day, and he even discusses the role of the food industry and how he

believes the industry is Contributing to obesity in big time ways, which

was probably the most eye opening and interesting part of the book for me.

Backed by scientific research and real life case studies,

the Obesity Code has it all.

And the information inside just makes so much sense.

It really will blow you away.

And if you are serious, Really serious about getting healthy for good.

I believe that this is a definite must read.

Alright, so there you have it.

The only three intermittent fasting books you need to read to achieve

sustainable health and weight loss success with intermittent fasting.

Delay don't deny.

Fast Feast Repeat and the Obesity Code.

Again, I recommend reading Delay Don't Deny first when you are

just getting started on your intermittent fasting journey.

It's a super easy and quick read.

Uh, you can snag the paperback version on Amazon.

You can also listen to the audio version of it if you would like.

Then, once you are a few weeks into your IF journey and you've gotten the hang of

fasting, you Grab a copy of Fast Feast Repeat, which can also be purchased on

Amazon, paperback, or the audio version.

Finally, once you are a few months into fasting, you're moving and

grooving, but you're hungry for more knowledge, and you're ready to

take your journey to the next level, absolutely read the obesity code.

Now, I have paperback versions of all three of these books

because I'm old school and I like to hold a book when I read it.

Also, I like to have it so I can highlight and mark up important parts

in the book so I can easily refer to it.

But, with the obesity code, since it is so heavy and information

rich, I found that listening to this book on Audible first was much

more enjoyable and time effective.

It gave me a really good overview of the book and then I went back

and I read the paperback version, marking it up as I went along.

And for me, it really helped the knowledge sink in.

And I felt like that was a really good strategy for me to

take in all of that information without getting too overwhelmed.

So, as we wrap up this episode today, I want to give a special thank you

and a shout out to our November Intermittent Fasting Success Story

podcast guest, Amy O'Rourke Smith.

Amy gave us so many IF takeaways and tips for success in her November 10th episode.

And here is a quick recap of her helpful tips.

Amy used OMAD, or One Meal a Day, to help her lose 25 pounds, several inches

all over her body, drop several jean sizes, and more importantly, improve her

blood pressure, heart, and brain health.

She learned through trial and error that OMAD does not have to be a strict one

large meal and a tight one hour window.

Instead, she's found success with the 20 and 4, and the 19 and 5

intermittent fasting schedule where she still considers that OMAD, but

she allows herself to enjoy eating foods that she loves, and that make

her feel good within a 4 to 5 hour window, instead of just 1 hour.

That also seems to be her sweet spot for weight maintenance too.

Amy is a big proponent of fasting clean.

She noticed a huge difference with her success once she took the creamer

out of her coffee and switched from the dirty fast to the clean fast.

And she couldn't believe that she could feel that much better

once she actually made coffee.

the switch.

Amy uses the protein sandwich approach during her designated daily eating window,

meaning she eats a high quality protein food at the very beginning and then again

at the very end of her eating period.

Her favorites include cheese, hard boiled eggs, and mixed nuts.

She's found that using this strategy really does help her to be able

to fast easier, to and much longer into her next fasting period.

And finally, Amy's shiniest intermittent fasting gem.

She believes that intuitive eating is key when it comes to

success with intermittent fasting.

Before you dive into the cookie jar and break your fast, ask

yourself, am I really hungry?

If you answer yes to wanting to eat a big, slimy bowl of spinach,

then you're probably truly hungry.

Otherwise, emotional eating might be getting the best of you.

Grab some sparkling water, distract yourself, and try to

push through your fasting window.

And remember, intermittent fasting is like a muscle.

It gets easier and easier the longer you commit and just stick to it.

Hey everybody, thank you so much for tuning in today to the Intermittent

Fasting Gems with Jen podcast.

Be sure to catch the next episode next week.

that will be released on the 10th of December, where we'll hear from

Mary, a college student who's achieved incredible health and weight loss

success with intermittent fasting.

And if you're ready to share your IF success story, please reach out

to me at sowhatifwithjen at gmail.

com I'd love to connect with you and share your story with all

of our awesome listeners here.

Happy holidays.

Have a blessed and beautiful day.

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.

And if you really enjoyed the show, taking a minute or two to leave a positive review

Would be so appreciated 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 program.

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.