Real Stories: How Intermittent Fasting Changed My Life

Sarah stared at her tracking spreadsheet in January 2016, shocked by what she saw. When she stuck with intermittent fasting, she lost about a pound a week. The problem was that she thought that was a failure.

People try diet after diet. Nothing sticks. They want proof that intermittent fasting works for regular people, not just fitness influencers. These real stories show how intermittent fasting transformed lives, backed by science that confirms the results.

The Mom Who Lost 100 Pounds in One Year

Sarah weighed over 200 pounds and couldn’t keep up with her kids. Going to the grocery store felt tiring. She couldn’t lie flat on her back without trouble breathing. Something had to change.

In 2015, she heard about intermittent fasting and lost about 20 pounds. But she kept quitting because the results weren’t fast enough. She’d lose weight, then gain it back. By the end of the year, she’d only lost 15 pounds total.

Then she sat down with her spreadsheet. When she was consistent with intermittent fasting, she lost about a pound a week. She was obese and thought she should lose five pounds a week. So she’d quit for a few days, try something else, and her weight loss would stall.

She did the math. If she’d been happy with one pound per week and stuck with it, she could have lost 50 pounds that year.

In January 2016, she made a decision. Quit quitting. Be happy with slow and steady progress.

She committed to practicing intermittent fasting six days a week, walking six miles a day, and taking one day off from fasting on Sunday. Simple. Sustainable. Consistent.

The weight came off. She reached 142 pounds and found the diminishing point of returns for weight loss; she didn’t feel any difference between 158 pounds and 142 pounds. So she maintained her weight within a 10-pound range, which she’s done since October 2018.

Losing weight made her daily life physically easier. She could keep up with her kids and husband. Daily tasks like going to the grocery store no longer felt tiring. She could lie down flat on her back without trouble breathing.

Best of all was that she became comfortable in her own skin. She found more energy to live life.

Her biggest lesson: Intermittent fasting taught her the simplicity of weight loss; it’s not about what foods she was eating, but how much. She also learned that working out really hard isn’t necessary for weight loss.

Want to track progress like Sarah did? Check our fasting tracker to see patterns in results.

The 42-Year-Old Who Dropped 80 Pounds With Two Kids at Home

Martine’s Story

Martine Etienne-Mesubi was 42 years old in January 2019. She weighed 225 pounds and couldn’t play outdoors with her 6-year-old daughter without stopping to catch her breath.

“When we went to the park I’d say, ‘Hold on Zoe, let’s take a break, let’s wait for mom, let’s sit down.’ I hated that,” she said.

Her second daughter had been born a few months earlier. With two young children, long runs and strict dieting weren’t going to work. At 10 at night she would pull out a bowl of cereal or make toast, then go to bed right after.

Martine has a PhD in epidemiology. She put her research skills to work. She discovered people had been fasting intermittently for years who said they were losing weight, feeling better, and reversing diabetes and hypertension.

But she was nervous. “I love to eat, I love food, and I love to cook. My favorite store is Costco because they’re always giving you something to taste. I didn’t know if I could manage not eating for however long,” she admitted.

She decided to start the new year fresh anyway.

Martine started with 18 hours of fasting and a six-hour eating window. In the beginning it was challenging, but within two weeks it became very normal.

She learned that hunger often comes in waves. If she drank some water or tea, or read to get her mind off the hunger, the wave would pass.

The results spoke for themselves. She lost 80 pounds in one year.

Over the holidays, she gave herself flexibility. She expanded her eating window to six or eight hours during celebrations. No regret. No guilt. “Even though I allowed myself extended time to eat, I didn’t go crazy. It was so freeing to know if I want to eat longer I can, and if I don’t feel like eating anymore I’m going to stop,” she explained.

After seven years staying home to care for her daughters, Martine returned to work as a public health epidemiologist. Her weight loss success helped give her the confidence to do it.

Struggling with hunger waves? Use our AI assistant to get personalized tips for fasting schedules.

The 55-Year-Old Man Who Beat Aging Fears

David’s Story

David started intermittent fasting at 55, worried about getting older. Cognitive decline scared him. His energy was dropping. Aging felt daunting.

He approached intermittent fasting gradually, letting his body adjust to the new eating pattern.

Over a year, David experienced multiple benefits. He lost 25 pounds, improved his cognitive function, and felt more energetic.

His perspective shifted completely. “Intermittent fasting has made aging feel less daunting. I feel like I’m adding quality years to my life,” David said.

For him, it wasn’t just about the weight. The mental clarity mattered. The energy boost mattered. Feeling like he had control over his health as he aged mattered most.

What the Science Says About These Results

These stories aren’t isolated cases. The research backs them up.

Around 40 studies have demonstrated significant weight loss of around 10 pounds over a period of 10 weeks. That matches what Sarah, Martine, and David experienced.

Research shows intermittent fasting produces clinically significant weight loss of 1-8% from baseline weight. Both alternate-day fasting and time-restricted eating produce similar results to traditional calorie-restrictive diets.

But here’s what makes it different: people love intermittent fasting because it’s easy; no special foods or apps necessary.

Dr. Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago, has studied intermittent fasting extensively. Her research confirms that people lose an average of 3-8% of their body weight, depending on the type of fast they follow.

The health benefits go beyond weight loss. Compared with regular diet in adults with overweight or obesity, intermittent fasting reduced waist circumference, fat mass, fasting insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Studies show intermittent fasting can decrease blood pressure and insulin resistance. In some cases, cholesterol and triglyceride levels are also lowered.

How popular has it become? Around 24% of adults in the United States have tried intermittent fasting, making it one of the most followed dietary strategies today.

The research confirms what Sarah, Martine, and David experienced firsthand.

Why It Works When Other Diets Don’t

Intermittent fasting focuses on WHEN to eat, not WHAT to eat. That’s the key difference.

No calorie counting. No forbidden foods. No complicated meal plans.

It makes eating the right amount of food for weight loss easier by teaching the simplicity of weight management; it’s about how much food is consumed, not which specific foods.

People naturally eat less during their eating window. As Dr. Varady explains, “You’re fooling your body into eating a little bit less and that’s why people are losing weight.”

It fits into real life. Martine adjusted her window during holidays. Sarah took Sundays off. David went gradually.

The flexibility makes it sustainable long-term. Traditional diets fail because they’re too rigid. Intermittent fasting adapts to life, not the other way around.

Most importantly, it doesn’t require extreme exercise. Sarah learned that working out really hard isn’t necessary for weight loss. She walked. That was enough.

Common Challenges (And How Real People Overcame Them)

It wasn’t always smooth.

Challenge: Expecting Too-Fast Results

Sarah thought a pound a week was a failure. That mindset kept her quitting and starting over. When she accepted that slow progress was still progress, everything changed. One pound per week adds up to 52 pounds in a year.

Challenge: Hunger Waves

Martine discovered that hunger comes in waves. If she drank water or tea, or read to distract herself, the wave would pass. Hunger isn’t constant. It peaks and fades. Knowing that makes it manageable.

Challenge: Social Situations

Holiday meals. Family dinners. Work lunches. Martine gave herself permission to expand her eating window during celebrations. No guilt. The next day, she went back to her schedule.

Challenge: Staying Consistent

Success comes from starting slow and gradually easing into fasting to allow the body to adjust. David didn’t jump into a 20-hour fast. He built up gradually.

Every challenge has a solution. Track patterns. Adjust the schedule. Stay hydrated. Be patient.

Check our fasting tracker to monitor progress and identify what’s working best.

The Bottom Line

Three people. Three different lives. One approach that worked.

Sarah lost 100 pounds as a busy mom with kids. Martine dropped 80 pounds while caring for two young children. David, at 55, gained energy and mental clarity while losing 25 pounds.

The science backs what these stories show. Research across 40 studies demonstrates an average weight loss of 10 pounds over 10 weeks. Intermittent fasting produces results similar to traditional calorie restriction, but people find it easier to follow.

It works because it’s simple. No counting. No forbidden foods. Just a window of time to eat.

Not overnight. Not with magic. With consistency.

Ready to start? Choose a fasting window. Most people start with 16:8; fast for 16 hours, eat during an 8-hour window. Track progress. Remember that one pound per week equals 52 pounds in a year.

You can check fasting methods and how to choose the right plan by checking this article here. 

Use our Fasting Assistant to create a personalized fasting plan based on schedule and goals.

These intermittent fasting success stories prove that regular people get real results. The next success story could be anyone’s.