Fast. Feast. Repeat.
The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don't Deny® Intermittent Fasting
Book Edition Details
Summary
"Fast. Feast. Repeat. (2020) takes readers on a whistle-stop tour of the theory and practice of intermittent fasting (IF), drawing on cutting-edge research and the author's "Delay, Don’t Deny®" approach. It lays out the whys and hows of various IF methods, offering a 28-Day FAST Start for beginners and advanced tips for experienced fasters to make IF a sustainable lifestyle for health and weight loss."
Introduction
Have you ever wondered why every diet you've tried eventually failed, leaving you heavier and more frustrated than before? For decades, we've been trapped in a cycle of restriction and rebellion, counting calories and fighting our own bodies. The traditional approach of eating less and moving more has failed millions of people, not because they lack willpower, but because it fights against our body's natural biology. What if there was a way to work with your body's natural rhythms instead of against them? What if the secret to lasting health and effortless weight management wasn't found in complicated meal plans or expensive supplements, but in the simple act of giving your body time to rest, repair, and reset? This revolutionary approach doesn't just transform your relationship with food—it transforms your entire life, offering freedom from the diet mentality that has held you captive for far too long. The science is clear, the results are remarkable, and the lifestyle is surprisingly sustainable.
Master the Clean Fast: Your Fat-Burning Foundation
The clean fast is the cornerstone that separates true intermittent fasting from simply skipping meals. It's the difference between struggling through hunger pangs and experiencing effortless energy, between white-knuckling your way to your eating window and feeling genuinely satisfied during your fasting hours. When you fast clean, you consume only water, black coffee, and plain tea—nothing that triggers insulin release or breaks your body's fat-burning state. Gin Stephens discovered this truth through her own painful trial and error. For years, she added stevia to her coffee, thinking zero calories meant zero impact. She chewed sugar-free gum and sipped diet sodas, believing these wouldn't interfere with her fasting. But despite following intermittent fasting protocols, she remained constantly hungry, watching the clock until her eating window opened, and worse—she began gaining weight again even while "fasting." The transformation came when she eliminated every artificial sweetener, every flavored beverage, every seemingly innocent addition to her fast. Within days, the gnawing hunger disappeared. Her energy soared. The weight that had been creeping back began melting away again, and she dropped two more jean sizes over the following year. Her body had finally been allowed to access its fat stores for fuel, creating the steady energy and mental clarity that make fasting feel effortless. To implement a clean fast, start each fasting period by removing all artificial sweeteners, flavored waters, gums, and mints from your routine. When cravings hit, remind yourself that your body is learning to burn its own fat for fuel—a process that requires the pristine environment only a clean fast provides. Remember that the first few weeks may feel challenging as your taste buds adjust, but this temporary discomfort paves the way for a lifetime of food freedom.
Find Your Perfect Fasting Window and Protocol
Intermittent fasting isn't a one-size-fits-all prescription but a flexible framework you can customize to fit your unique life, schedule, and goals. The beauty lies in discovering which approach feels most natural and sustainable for your body, whether that's a daily eating window or an up-and-down pattern of feast and fast days. Dr. Bert Herring, creator of the Fast-5 protocol, exemplifies this personalized approach. He settled into a five-hour eating window from 5 PM to 10 PM, finding this schedule perfectly aligned with his family dinners and social life. Meanwhile, other successful intermittent fasters thrive on completely different patterns—some prefer morning eating windows, others do alternate-day fasting, and many switch between approaches as their lives and needs evolve. When Gin tried to force herself into rigid schedules that conflicted with her natural rhythms and social obligations, she struggled. But when she allowed herself to experiment and adjust, finding her sweet spot with an evening eating window that accommodated family dinners and social events, intermittent fasting became effortless and sustainable. This flexibility transformed her approach from another restrictive diet into a natural way of living. Begin by honestly assessing your current lifestyle and natural hunger patterns. Are you naturally hungry in the morning or do you prefer larger evening meals? Start with a gentle 12:12 or 14:10 approach, gradually extending your fasting window as your body adapts. Pay attention to your energy levels, mood, and hunger signals, adjusting your timing and window length accordingly. Most importantly, give yourself permission to evolve your approach as your life circumstances change.
Feast Without Fear: Appetite Correction and Food Quality
The revolutionary "Delay, Don't Deny" philosophy liberates you from the prison of forbidden foods while still achieving your health and weight goals. This approach recognizes that true food freedom comes not from restriction lists but from timing your eating and trusting your body's natural satiety signals to guide your choices. When Gin reached a weight-loss plateau, she could have turned to extreme restrictions or complicated meal plans. Instead, she chose to temporarily delay certain foods—alcohol and highly processed items—while continuing to eat satisfying, delicious meals. Her typical dinner might include a large baked potato loaded with butter and sour cream, vegetables sautéed in butter, and fresh berries with cream for dessert. This wasn't deprivation; it was strategic delay that honored both her goals and her desire for truly satisfying food. The results were remarkable. She lost the final twenty pounds at a rate of two pounds per week, faster than she'd ever lost weight before. More importantly, she never felt deprived or restricted. When she reached her goal, she gradually reintroduced the delayed foods, maintaining her weight loss effortlessly because intermittent fasting had reset her appetite control systems and taught her body to naturally regulate hunger and satiety. Practice this approach by distinguishing between "delay" and "deny." When you see a coworker's delicious-looking pizza, you're not denying yourself pizza forever—you're delaying it until your eating window, when you can truly enjoy it without guilt. Focus on adding nourishing, satisfying foods to your eating windows rather than subtracting foods from your life. When you're well-nourished and satisfied, the appeal of less healthy options naturally diminishes through appetite correction in action.
Track Progress and Maintain Your IF Lifestyle
Your thoughts about intermittent fasting will determine whether it becomes a sustainable lifestyle or another failed diet attempt. The difference between success and failure often lies not in perfect execution but in how you frame the experience in your mind and track meaningful progress beyond the scale. Gin's initial attempts at intermittent fasting failed spectacularly because she approached it with a dieter's mindset. She expected instant results, viewed fasting as something to endure rather than embrace, and constantly focused on what she "couldn't" do. She'd watch coworkers eat lunch with resentment, thinking "Why can't I eat like everyone else?" This victim mentality made every fasting hour feel like torture, leading her to quit repeatedly over five years. The breakthrough came when she shifted from "can't" to "choose." Instead of "I can't eat until 5 PM," she began thinking "I choose to fast until 5 PM because I deserve to be healthy and vibrant." She started appreciating the mental clarity and sustained energy of the fasted state, viewing it as her body's time for healing and repair rather than something to simply endure. This mindset shift transformed fasting from a struggle into a gift she gave herself daily. Begin each day by setting a positive intention for your fast. Instead of counting down hours until you can eat, celebrate the hours your body spends in repair mode. Take initial measurements of your waist, hips, and arms, then reassess every two weeks alongside progress photos. Focus on non-scale victories like improved mental clarity, better sleep quality, increased energy, or how your clothes fit. These improvements often appear weeks before significant weight changes and indicate that your body is healing at the cellular level.
Summary
Intermittent fasting offers something no diet ever could: complete freedom from the restrict-binge cycle that has dominated your relationship with food for far too long. As one successful faster put it, "I never want to eat any other way again"—and this sentiment echoes through the community of people who have discovered this life-changing approach. When you align your eating patterns with your body's natural rhythms, when you learn to trust your appetite signals again, and when you discover that the magic happens not in what you eat but when you eat, you unlock a level of food freedom you never thought possible. This isn't another temporary diet but a sustainable lifestyle that honors your body's innate wisdom while providing the structure needed for optimal health. Start today with a simple twelve-hour fast, embrace the clean fast principles, and begin your journey toward the vibrant, energetic, and peaceful relationship with food that is your birthright.
By Gin Stephens
