What happens when you stop chasing weight loss and start listening to your body?

In this episode of the Pause and Fast podcast, host Erika Barnhart sits down with Michelle Montone, a trainer from the Orlando, Florida area, mom of two, and longtime intermittent faster, to share her deeply honest and transformative journey with clean fasting.

Michelle began intermittent fasting in January 2020 after decades of yo-yo dieting, diet culture burnout, emotional eating, and unresolved health issues. Over the next ten months, she released 50 pounds — but more importantly, she gained food freedom, mental clarity, and a sense of trust in her body she had never experienced before.

Now 44, Michelle opens up about how fasting has supported her through hormonal shifts, mood changes, sleep disruptions, and changes in body composition. She explains how her fasting practice has evolved over time, why flexibility matters and how focusing on quality over quantity transformed her relationship with food.

This conversation goes far beyond weight loss. Together, Erika and Michelle explore:

• Why fasting is a discipline — not a punishment
• How clean fasting supports hormonal and metabolic health
• Letting go of the scale and diet mentality
• Movement, strength training, and fasting in midlife
• Why fasting isn’t linear — and why that’s okay
• How to start slow and build a sustainable fasting lifestyle

Michelle also shares her current fasting rhythm, her “qualitarian” approach to eating, and why she believes intermittent fasting offers flexibility, empowerment, and long-term wellness — especially for women in midlife.

If you’re curious about fasting, struggling through perimenopause, or ready to break free from diet culture once and for all, this episode offers both inspiration and practical wisdom.

🎧 Listen in for an honest conversation about resilience, discipline, and thriving at any age.

www.tiktok,com/@mrsshelle0?

In this episode, Rebecca shares her personal journey with intermittent fasting, emphasizing the importance of clean fasting and how it transformed her mindset, emotional well-being, and relationship with stress.

In this thoughtful conversation, we explore what motivated her to begin intermittent fasting, how clean fasting and food choices support metabolic flexibility, and why mindset plays such a powerful role in sustainable health. Rebecca also shares insights on eating seasonally, exploring new foods, balancing carbohydrates, exercise, and the unexpected parallels between fasting and learning a new language.

This episode is a reminder that intermittent fasting isn’t just about weight loss—it’s about creating space, building awareness, and embracing the power of a pause.

✨ In this episode, we discuss:

• Why clean fasting is essential for effective intermittent fasting
• The impact of fasting on mindset, emotional well-being, and stress
• Metabolic flexibility and long-term health benefits
• Eating seasonally and expanding food choices
• Motivation, weight loss, and starting intermittent fasting
• Exercise, balance, and sustainable habits

Whether you’re new to intermittent fasting or looking to deepen your understanding, this conversation offers grounded insights and encouragement for a healthier, more intentional approach to wellness.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this episode resonates with you.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Comfort Zone
• 11:01 Clean Fasting and Food Choices
• 19:13 Mindset and Emotional Well-being
• 27:59 Exploring New Foods and Eating Seasonally
• 34:10 Balancing Carbs and Snacking Habits
• 39:42 Motivation for Fasting and Learning a New Language
• 46:17 Bar Classes and Short, Effective Workouts
• 51:28 Starting Intermittent Fasting and the Power of a Pause

In this Pause and Fast episode, Erika Barnhart sits down with Lisa Glick—certified intermittent fasting coach, long-distance runner, and fitness instructor—to talk about fasting beyond weight loss.

Lisa shares her 10+ year journey with intermittent fasting and the keto diet, and how fasting supported her health, emotional well-being, and mindset through menopause. As someone who teaches fitness classes and prefers to exercise while fasted, Lisa explains why fasted workouts work for her and how movement and fasting can support metabolic health.

Together, Erika and Lisa address common misconceptions around intermittent fasting, cholesterol, and exercise, while highlighting the importance of self-advocacy in women’s health. Lisa also offers practical, beginner-friendly tips for starting intermittent fasting, reminding listeners to start small, give themselves grace, and focus on mindset over perfection.

Whether you’re navigating menopause, curious about fasted workouts, or looking for a more empowering approach to wellness, this episode will leave you informed, encouraged, and confident in your Pause and Fast journey.

https://youtu.be/QvT6r4haJks

Lisa reccomended Dr. Georgit Ede https://a.co/d/co8WsBe