Episode 410: Mona Santos

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Mona Santos who lives in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.

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.

Mona is a compounding pharmacist. She grew up in the Philippines and moved to the United States in 2013. She realized the way she grew up mimicked intermittent fasting through her cultural routine of eating at distinct mealtimes with no snacking—a lifestyle that maintained her weight and health without struggle. Growing up with this ingrained discipline, Mona was always conscious and appreciative of her body's well-being. However, the true challenge presented itself after the birth of her daughter.

Mona shares the stress and challenges she faced postpartum, with 2020 bringing the added complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fear of judgment and stigma associated with mental health in her culture led her to seek alternative coping mechanisms to medication and therapy.

Mona began her journey with intermittent fasting after a childhood friend mentioned it to her. She found the Intermittent Fasting Stories podcast and knew that the lifestyle was science-backed.

Despite losing only a small amount of weight on the scale—around five pounds—Mona feels more joyful and content. She shares her experience of body recomposition after childbirth, regaining confidence in her appearance, and the joy of fitting back into her preferred clothing sizes.

To wrap up the episode, Mona emphasizes how her newfound approach to food, self-care, and parenting has enriched her life. She encourages listeners to embrace minimalism, whether in diet, lifestyle, or parenting, and to realize the profound impact that simplicity and gentle approaches can have. Her final advice for anyone starting their intermittent fasting journey is to keep it simple, listen to your body, and trust in the process for a transformative experience.

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/community

Do 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.com

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