Episode 416: Ashley Izzo

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Ashley Izzo from Marietta, GA.Are you ready to take your intermittent fasting lifestyle to the next level? There’s nothing better than community to help with that. In the Delay, Don’t Deny community we all embrace the clean fast, and there’s just the right support for you as you live your intermittent fasting lifestyle. You can connect directly with Gin in the Ask Gin group, and she will answer all of your questions personally. If you’re new to intermittent fasting or recommitting to the IF lifestyle, join the 28-Day FAST Start group. After your fast start, join us for support in The 1st Year group. Need tips for long term maintenance? We have a place for that! There are many more useful spaces beyond these, and you can interact in as many as you like. Visit ginstephens.com/community to join us. An annual membership costs just over a dollar a week when you do the math. If you aren’t ready to fully commit for a year, join for a month and you can cancel at any time. If you know you’ll want to stay forever, we also have a lifetime membership option available.  IF is free. You don’t need to join our community to fast. But if you’re looking for support from a community of like-minded IFers, we are here for you at ginstephens.com/community. Ashley is lead instructor at a Spenga studio and a mom of two boys. Ashley openly shares her turbulent relationship with food and body image that dates back to her childhood, discussing how she navigated weight struggles from middle school into adulthood. After a bout of salmonella poisoning, health remained at the forefront of her concerns. Her journey with food took dramatic turns as she experimented with a variety of diets, including experiences with both the master cleanse protocol and a lengthy juice fast to prepare for her wedding. Despite these programs and diets, Ashley was unable to maintain her weight loss, and her weight always went back up.Ashley's story takes a poignant turn as she delves into her pregnancy loss, highlighting how grief and then motherhood affected her body and her approach to nutrition. Choosing to adopt intermittent fasting, she recounts her initial hesitation and the accidental discovery of its benefits while juggling the demands of a toddler and a newborn.Throughout their conversation, Gin and Ashley bond over their shared experiences with dietary struggles and the realization that the path to well-being is unique for each person. The discussion ventures into the mental and physical benefits both women have observed from intermittent fasting. They also explore the societal pressures around eating and the freedom they have found in making personal food choices without the burden of judgment.Concluding the episode, Ashley emphasizes the importance of pursuing health without attaching guilt to food choices, encouraging listeners to take control of their own well-being journey. She underscores the significance of prioritizing how one feels over a number on the scale and advocates for body recomposition and strength-building as markers of fitness success. Her parting advice for the audience is to drop the shame around past struggles and embrace a flexible, information-empowered approach to intermittent fasting, leading to a healthier and more harmonious lifestyle.Get Gin’s books at: http://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html, including her latest bestseller 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day, the Ultimate Guide to Starting (or Restarting) Your Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle so it Sticks, New York Times Bestseller, Fast. Feast. Repeat., and Cleanish, available wherever you buy books! Delay, Don’t Deny is available on Amazon.  Join Gin’s community! Go to: ginstephens.com/communityDo you enjoy Intermittent Fasting Stories? You’ll probably also like Gin’s other podcast with cohost Sheri Bullock: Fast. Feast. Repeat. Intermittent Fasting for Life. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.  Share your intermittent fasting stories with Gin: gin@intermittentfastingstories.comVisit Gin’s website at: ginstephens.com Check out Gin’s Favorite Things at http://www.ginstephens.com/gins-favorite-things.htmlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.