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.

Today we're chatting with Mark from Olympia, Washington, and

Mark is actually Uncle Mark to me.

Uh, and you will notice he has a bit of a southern accent

because he's lived many years.

How many years have you lived in Alabama, Uncle Mark?

38

Oh

Yeah,

once or once he got home, he joined my Facebook group and, uh, he got after it.

So tell us a little bit about, um, how you kind of got started

with intermittent fasting.

Okay, well, um, like you said, after I visited, I, I, it kind of got

me thinking about doing something.

I, I've never been overweight, but I've always had a little bit of a belly that

I've always wished I could get rid of.

And, um, so I thought, oh, what the heck, I'll try something different.

So I started going, uh, started out, I was just not eating until 11 and, and,

um, eating between like 11 and six.

um, I didn't see a whole lot of change right off the bat.

Okay.

after talking with you, I just, I realized that I probably needed

to do like 18 hours of fasting.

So I switched.

12, 12 o'clock and basically I eat between 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock and

then the rest of the time I don't.

it didn't take too long to get used to that, um,

How long would you say about how long to get used to it?

Oh, I'm going to say probably weeks,

Okay.

Yeah.

But my, the biggest thing, you know, that helps me is being

active, is, uh, doing something.

If I'm around all morning, thinking about eating.

Do that, you know, as a rule.

I generally, um, get up and we, we sit around and drink coffee for a while.

Uh, usually every day I walk at least three miles a day.

when I do that, it basically kills my appetite.

So it, you know, it takes up an hour of my time and clears my head.

I don't think about eating until I'm done walking and I come home.

Generally, I'll take a shower.

By that time it's close to noon then I, then I start eating.

So.

Staying, staying busy is such a great, uh, tip.

You don't even think about it.

I know when I was, losing weight, I was teaching at the time.

And so I was super duper busy.

I did not even think about eating throughout the whole day.

So, um, So if you could really pull out three of the biggest wins that you've had

with intermittent fasting, what would you say those three biggest wins would be?

Oh, let's see, well, Definitely the losing the belly fat.

That was awesome.

I, um, know, I, I didn't think I'd ever be able to do that cause I just

thought that was part of my DNA.

Well, let me ask you, and I know you're not supposed to ask these questions,

but you're my uncle, so I can.

How old are you, Uncle Mark?

I'm 66.

66.

Okay.

So yeah, and, and I just wanted to stop you there because a lot of people think,

you know, once you hit 40, you know, 50, losing that belly fat, and it is

really hard to do for many, many people.

So I think that's pretty impressive that you were able to do that.

So, um, yeah, I'd say that was definitely be win number one at 66 years old.

That's awesome.

Yeah, I, uh, and I do, just feel better.

I mean, I feel less sluggish.

I know that I used to be in the habit of eating in the evenings and I would go

to bed and I'd feel, I just, I noticed I don't feel as sluggish as I used to feel.

Uh, I, if I do, um, Break my fast.

If we're out with company or we're on vacation or something, and I

do something out of the norm, I usually can tell the difference.

I

Yeah,

you

absolutely.

so.

Could

Yeah, I do think the energy and not, uh, having to, I was, you

know, especially being a teacher and

going to

home and I mean, you're just exhausted by the end of the day and 2, 3, 4

o'clock and you feel like, you know, when I was at school, I wanted to

crawl under my desk and take a nap.

But,

in

uh, when I started fasting, I could not believe within 2 to 3 weeks,

going

did not have the urge to do that.

And at the time, I was teaching P.

E., so I had six 54 minute P.

E.

classes, and I, I had no problem, not even to a nap or anything like that,

and ready to go until I went to bed, so.

Alright, I think that was two.

Do you have one more?

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Well, you know, I guess in a way, it's what's been a benefit to me is

the fact that I drink a whole lot more water than I used to drink,

And, you know, this, this stays by my side most of the time.

I'm always, uh, in the mornings, like I say, I drink coffee and I drink water.

And, uh, the, the evenings after six.

I feel like I'm hungry, I, a lot of times it's just, it's habit more than

Sure.

I get a tall glass of water and it's good enough.

Yeah, that's awesome.

So you said that you, when you started, you started with a 16, 8 schedule.

So 16 hours of fasting, eight hours of eating and noticed, that you

weren't really losing much weight.

So I think that's when I kind of said, maybe you need to bump it up to 18.

And so, so 18 and.

It is really true.

I, I didn't see any weight loss until I, uh, started fasting

for a minimum of 18 hours, too.

Um, I don't know if that has to do with age or, or what it is,

but, um, they say the magical fat burning hour happens around hour 18.

And so I did notice a huge difference once I, when I started fasting.

I was fasting for longer too.

So if you're doing 18 six generally, like what is your timeframe?

So you said you get up, you have your black coffee around.

What time do you take that first bite of food?

It's usually right around noon.

Yeah,

Okay.

or a little later.

It depends on, you know, what I'm doing.

If I'm, um.

Busy with something.

Mm hmm.

it's 12, 31 o'clock before I eat, but as a rule, it's, it's right around 12 o'clock.

I'm ready to eat at 12.

Yeah, I bet.

I bet.

So then you try to wrap it up around, I'm guessing like around six o'clock then.

I do.

We,

Okay.

of, you know, Claire has been good about working with me, helping, you

know, we just try to eat at like 5.

30,

Aw.

Ha ha

done, you know, for the night.

So she still snacks, but you know, she

ha.

so.

She's, yeah.

Absolutely.

Good.

Hi Aunt Claire.

You don't, do you just, um, do anything fancy like with the fasting tracker?

You just keep the hours straight in your head and

I

just go from there.

Perfect.

kind of a, I'm kind of a routine type person.

I love routines.

And so that's my routine.

You know, I get up, I drink coffee, I, I walk and I play music.

I've got a studio upstairs that I go in and play my guitar for usually an hour

in the morning between walking and.

And eating, so that takes care of another hour and then, you know, then

Yeah.

Another great way to, to stay busy.

Um, so, all right.

So what would you say, Uncle Mark, um, what's your biggest challenge, uh, that

you've had with intermittent fasting?

Uh, probably the biggest challenge is, is just being on vacation.

Yeah.

you know, being out of my element and having to adapt, you know, cause

a lot of people don't understand.

Or don't want to understand what you're doing,

Yeah, you can, you can get into a little bit of a, a judge y zone there.

I, I totally get that.

Yeah.

you're right.

They just, Don't understand.

Yeah.

So that's probably the biggest thing.

Um, when it's, when I'm home, it's not a problem at all for

me to, to stay on schedule,

Okay.

Mm

I mean, I've, I've, I've lost down to my goal and

hmm.

Okay.

if we're sitting around watching TV and I want a bowl of

popcorn at seven 30, a bowl of

But that's, that's the beauty of intermittent fasting, you know,

because I love it because it isn't restrictive and you feel like you can

have those treats and you shouldn't, um, deny yourself or deprive yourself.

And, uh, like I said, I love it because I don't feel, um, you know,

like I'm missing out on anything.

And same thing here.

If I, I love that air popped popcorn, uh,

Yeah.

going to get, not going to miss out on that.

So, um, but all right.

So how about, I think you kind of talked about this already, so when

you are fasting, uh, you're just doing, you said just black coffee.

Are you fasting clean as far as you're not putting any cream

or anything in your coffee?

Right.

Okay.

uh, I used to for years and years and years I drank my coffee with cream in it

Okay.

Yeah.

so that was the first thing I did.

I just switched, to black coffee and that really wasn't

as hard as I thought it'd be.

It just, you know, you, you get used to something pretty quickly if you just

You're right.

It just, yeah, yeah.

long

know that was probably one of the hardest things for me when I started,

cause I was very much a hazelnut creamer kind of girl and that was really hard.

But I don't know on the recommendation of, something that I read or something,

I was sprinkling in some pink Himalayan salt and it, it just, I don't know

what it does, but it just kind of, Cuts that bitterness and you can

Yep.

until I got used to drinking it black and now it doesn't bother me at all.

I, I love it.

So, um, so black coffee.

And did you say, is it just regular water?

Do you do any, um, like sparkling water or green tea or anything?

No, it's pretty much just ice water.

I, I just, keep my, uh, my little cup full and carry it around with me, or

if I'm in the car, it's with me and you know, it just, it seems to satisfy my

Good.

to,

So have you ever done, uh, an extended fast?

Meaning have you ever pushed past that 18 hours?

um, not on purpose.

Okay.

Yeah, that's usually the answer.

People, yeah, you just get so busy and then you're like, Oh, I forgot to eat.

Yeah.

okay.

know, if I'm a lot of times, if I go out and play music with some guys, we

play a lot of times in the mornings.

And so it's like 11 o'clock on a Saturday.

We

And so it might be 1 o'clock or 1 30 before I get home.

So, you know, I go a little longer on those days, but.

Right.

And you said you, uh, you hit your goal, your goal weight.

I think you told me when I saw you, you'd lost 12 pounds.

Is that right?

That's right, yeah.

I started out, um, when I saw you, I think it was last fall in September was when I

Yeah

and, uh, at the time I weighed 175.

Um, so when I came home, I thought, I'm going to see if I can lose 10

pounds because what really irritated me was the fact that I had gone to

the doctor you know how you always get the results of your visit

Oh, sure.

Yeah.

they, they put on her that I was overweight and I thought, I am

Oh, what?

Oh,

yeah, that stuck with me.

And, but.

You know, in hindsight, that may have been even earlier because

I, I did weigh more than 175.

I was looking back at my, my driver's license that I got a few years prior.

yeah.

I actually had my weight listed as a 185 there.

Oh, really?

been heavier

Okay.

Anyhow.

So, uh, when I got back, then I started shooting for 165.

So that was 10 pounds from where I was when I got home from, from work.

Michigan in September.

the first five pounds came off pretty quickly.

Yeah.

Yeah.

it was like, Oh, I don't know.

It's just, I'm not getting anywhere.

And then boom, just out of nowhere, I dropped down.

So now as a rule, I weigh like right at 163, between 163, 165.

So

Okay.

to 12 pounds equally.

and that is, man, that is a huge difference.

I've never thought of you as, as heavy, but, uh, you know, you were getting, I

can say this cause I'm your niece, but you were getting a little belly like my dad.

Sure,

Love you, dad.

But I was blown away when I saw you, uh, just recently a few weeks ago.

And I thought, wow, that's really incredible.

And in a short amount of time too.

And you know, my mom's fasted.

too.

She's, she's lost, uh, at 71.

She's 73 now, but at 71 years old, she lost, 31 pounds and, she's kept it off.

And so, yeah, it's,

yep.

love it because there's hope for people at any age, uh, who are looking to just get a

little healthier and find a lifestyle that You know, you really can stick to that.

Like, like we said before, isn't, depriving.

So, and you're, you're, you're satisfied.

So, um, yeah, very good.

I think one thing it does is it kind of points out to me how often

I eat out of habit and how often I eat because I'm really hungry.

You know,

Uh huh.

you just eating because that's what you're expected to do at that time of day.

I love that.

I absolutely know that I have been a hundred times better with

really recognizing hunger cues.

And that is something that intermittent fasting has absolutely taught me.

It's taught me to be much more of a mindful eater.

But like you said, to slow down and really ask yourself, okay, am

I actually hungry or am I bored?

Um, and you know, and it, it really does give you, I, I feel like my relationship

with food has improved immensely, um, just by listening to my body.

And like you said, listening to those actual, like, hunger.

cues and recognizing being able to teach yourself and recognize, you know, the

difference between whether you're and, and there are times when, you know,

I'm like, Ooh, I'm a lot hungrier.

You know, I usually don't break my fast until about four o'clock and sometimes,

you know, it can be two, three o'clock.

Most of the time I'm good to go, but sometimes my stomach is grumbling and

I think I'm like starving, but usually I will go get a sparkling mineral water

plain, of course, so it doesn't break my fast and I say, okay, I'm going to

drink this over the next half an hour.

And if after 30 minutes, if I am still starving, then that means I'm hungry.

And I'm going to go get something to eat and I'm going to break my fast early.

But nine times out of 10, um, it, that does the trick and then I'm good to go.

And, and I'm not going to open my window until four o'clock when I normally do.

So, um, what do you like to sort of end your.

eating window with?

Like, what's the last thing that you enjoy, eating before

you, start into your next fasting period or fasting window?

Well, you know, I'll just kind of go through what I generally,

Sure.

in a day.

my, my big thing is oatmeal.

I love oatmeal.

So at, at noon, I make a large bowl of oatmeal

Okay.

I put walnuts, put raisins, I put, You know, whatever I

Yeah.

uh, raspberries, strawberries, bananas.

I don't put sugar in it.

Okay.

I'll have that, and I'll have a piece of wheat toast, and that

really fills me up for quite a while.

Between twelve thirty, one o'clock, and five, when, five

thirty, when we eat supper, um, kind of snack on just, um, nuts.

Um, I love those.

They're salted.

I can't help it.

I like them.

I love them too.

and so I eat quite a few of those.

I, and I found that I eat a lot more fruit than I used to eat.

I

Oh, that's good.

apples or, you know,

Yep.

Um, eating nectarines we've been getting lately.

Um, and all that stuff just tastes so good and fills me up.

I mean,

Yeah, it's

me guys.

They're so it's such water filled, you know foods too Like the fruit is so

good for that and the nuts they fill you up and are so good for you, too.

And then at supper time, you know, we just eat like normal.

I mean,

What we normally would eat.

Um, we had enchiladas last night, um, you know, and chips and salsa.

So I know for me, uh when I started fasting three and a half years ago

one of the best things about it was I absolutely quit counting calories.

For years, I had counted calories.

You know, if every stupid diet I was on, it was, you know, oh,

I can only have 1200 calories.

But once I found this way of eating, it was so freeing because I have not counted

Calories in three and a half years.

And so I know like, you know, like if you're going to have enchiladas

or whatever, it is very freeing to just be able to have whatever

you're normally going to have for dinner, which is what we do too.

You know, we choose fairly healthy things, um, naturally, but.

I am not going to spend my time figuring out how many calories are in the dinner.

And, and, and I love that I don't have to, and I'm able to still maintain my

weight without having to have that, you know, kind of diet mentality where

I have to go in and worry that I just know that I can eat what I want to eat.

I'm going to, and so.

Stop and I'll, I'm good to go and I'm, I'm not going to, um, to gain the weight.

So yeah,

I think that's what I like about this, this thing is, it's just easy to do.

It's

absolutely.

personally, it's, it's,

It's very simple.

big sacrifice and I don't

No.

track of a whole bunch of stuff.

I just know when I can eat, and then, and I eat, and when it's

not time to eat, I don't eat, so

Yeah, I agree.

It's, it's very simple.

So, I think you kind of, uh, answered this next question I have for you.

I was just going to ask you about exercise and, um, the ways that

you like to stay active and move.

But you said, uh, you walk with Aunt Claire.

Is that right?

Yeah, we try to walk every day.

In

How far do you guys usually walk?

we walk just over three miles every day.

Okay.

So,

And, uh, do you do, did you say you do that in the morning

before you break your fast?

Right.

Okay.

Usually it's, yeah, usually it's like nine ish that we go and walk.

Oh, that's perfect.

general routine is we go and walk for an hour.

I come home and play my guitar for an hour and then it's take a

shower and now it's time to eat.

So

Yeah.

Oh, that's, that's good.

And I, I don't know, but I found that Exercising, whether it's walking or,

lifting weights, exercising when you're still in that fasted state, um, uh, you

would think you would get tired and, but the mental clarity and the energy

that you get when you're in that state, for me, uh, It's amazing, like, how

good I feel during my workout and I, you know, I tracked my weight loss and

I absolutely believe that it, it helps, uh, kind of move things along, uh, in

the weight loss category if you do get your exercise in, uh, during, you know,

those hours that you're still fasting.

So, cause your, your body's still in fat burning mode.

So, it's kind of like.

And bonus.

a new exercise I was doing playing pickleball a lot and,

Oh, fun.

so unfortunately I kind of got, uh, tendinitis and I

haven't been able to play for

Oh.

Oh.

Ha

uh, a typical, uh, Thompson trait is you, you

ha ha.

Right, exactly.

like four and five times a week, couple hours a day.

And I

Oh gosh.

morning

Okay.

before I broke my fast.

And, um, so yeah,

Yeah.

haven't, haven't been up to play in a while, but I am able

to get out and walk again now.

So.

Oh good.

Good.

Um, all right.

Well, Uncle Mark, we are almost ready to wrap things up.

So since this is Intermittent Fasting Gems with Jen, I would like you, Uncle

Mark, to leave us with your shiniest gems.

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

can leave our listeners with today?

I guess I would have to say to get up and move and be active because that really

makes everything else that much easier.

don't think about being hungry, you're busy.

It just, uh, it's, it's what helps me.

That's an awesome tip.

Yeah, I, and I 100 percent agree with that.

So, uh, I have had so much fun talking with you today, Uncle Mark.

Thank you so much for, uh, hanging out and talking with us.

And I'm super proud of you.

I love you so much.

And, uh, yeah, this was, this was really fun.

So keep doing that fasting thing, Uncle Mark.

You're amazing.

Oh, thanks.

You too.

Bye bye.

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