Logo

Episode 451: Nicki Torossian

en

January 30, 2025

TLDR: Nicki Torossian, a sales representative from London, Ontario, shares her lifelong struggle with weight and how she found success with intermittent fasting (IF) after trying various diets like Nutrisystem, gastric bypass surgery, and plant-based diet. She regained weight but lost 35 pounds through IF for a year and continues to maintain her goal range over the past 6 years. Nicki credits IF for transforming her relationship with food.

1Ask AI

In Episode 451 of the Intermittent Fasting Stories podcast, host Gin Stevens welcomes Nicki Torossian, a sales representative from London, Ontario, Canada. This episode captures Nicki's inspiring journey through the challenges of weight management, revealing the transformative power of intermittent fasting (IF) and community support.

From Struggle to Success: A Personal Journey

Nicki opens up about her early struggles with weight, starting as a child when she attended Weight Watchers meetings with her mother at just 10 years old. By age 13, she weighed 175 pounds, marking the beginning of her tumultuous relationship with food:

  • Nutrisystem Success: Nicki found temporary relief after losing 50 pounds at age 16 through Nutrisystem.
  • Gastric Bypass Surgery: After a series of failed diets and reaching a weight of 272 pounds, she underwent gastric bypass surgery, resulting in a quick drop to 135 pounds, but this was followed by regaining some weight after personal challenges, including a divorce.

Discovering Intermittent Fasting

In March 2019, Nicki stumbled upon intermittent fasting after learning about its principles, particularly the importance of timing meals to allow the body to access stored fat. Key concepts that resonated with her included:

  • Hunger Hormones: Understanding how hormones affect appetite transformed her relationship with food, allowing her to see food not just as a necessity but as something to enjoy without guilt.
  • Clean Fasting: Doing it the right way allowed for genuine control over cravings and ensured sustainable weight loss.

Achievements and Non-Scale Victories

After starting intermittent fasting, Nicki achieved remarkable weight loss results, reclaiming her health and lifestyle:

  • Weight Maintenance: She's maintained a weight in the goal range for six years, feeling freer than she ever has before.
  • Hormonal Balance: Notable improvements in mood, energy levels, and skin conditions helped her realize the positive effects of intermittent fasting on her body.
  • Food Freedom: Nicki mentions that her taste preferences have shifted to enjoy whole, real foods rather than processed ones, emphasizing that one indulgence does not derail her progress.

Living a Balanced Life

Nicki credits her success not just to the mechanics of IF but also to the community aspect. Being part of the Delay, Don't Deny community has provided:

  • Supportive Environment: Engaging with fellow intermittent fasters helped reinforce her commitment and provided guidance during challenges.
  • Focus on Long-Term Health: By embracing a plant-based diet alongside intermittent fasting, Nicki emphasizes healthy eating without calories being the sole focus.

Advice for New Intermittent Fasters

Nicki's journey highlights vital lessons for those starting their intermittent fasting path:

  • Patience: Transformation takes time and effort. Intermittent fasting made her realize that hunger can be managed, ultimately leading to sustainable weight loss.
  • Enjoying Food: The enjoyment of food returns when it isn’t categorized as the enemy, allowing for a more balanced lifestyle.
  • Community Support: Connecting with others in the fasting community offers motivation, resources, and shared experiences.

Conclusion

Nicki’s story illustrates the profound impact intermittent fasting can have on one’s life, ranging from physical health to emotional well-being. Her transition from struggling with weight and food addiction to finding joy in both fasting and real food is empowering. For anyone considering intermittent fasting, Nicki encourages: "If I can do it, anyone can do it!"
Her journey showcases the power of understanding your body, the significance of community, and finding a joyful relationship with food.

In the world of intermittent fasting, while the endeavor may appear daunting at first, the rewards of discipline, community, and self-acceptance lead to a more vibrant and fulfilling life.

Was this summary helpful?

Recent Episodes

Episode 452: Tanja Brown

Episode 452: Tanja Brown

Intermittent Fasting Stories

In this episode of Intermittent Fasting Stories, Gin talks to Tanja Brown from Waldorf, MD.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. Tanja is the Chief People Officer for Tactical Air Support, a defense contractor. She never had a weight issue growing up, but suddenly started gaining weight in her mid to late 20s. She did her first diet when she was 26, and lost 75 pounds with Weight Watchers. Over the years, she would yo-yo back up, and then take the weight back off with Weight Watchers. After her daughter was born, she tried WW one more time, but was tired of counting and tracking.In 2021, Tanja began struggling with intense shoulder pain. All her doctors could suggest was to take anti-inflammatory medication to alleviate the pain. She remembered that she had heard somewhere that intermittent fasting helped with inflammation. So, on February 28th, she decided that she would begin immediately. On March 1st she got started, and she began researching intermittent fasting.Her research led her to Gin’s podcasts, and it wasn’t long before Tanja was fasting clean. She started with a 16:8, but shifted quickly to a 20:4, which is the protocol she uses most days, even in maintenance.Tanja had remarkable results—dropping 30 pounds in her first month, which isn’t typical, but reflects her body letting go of a lot of inflammation. Her shoulder pain was 50% resolved after just two weeks. She went on to lose over 100 pounds, going from 260 to her current maintenance range of 150-155 pounds. At 5’ 11”, Tanja feels great in her body. Tonja's transition from structured diet plans like Weight Watchers to finding freedom with fasting highlights a significant shift, enabling her to focus on wellness without the need for special products or extensive tracking.Tonja emphasizes consistency and persistence, employing the hashtag "Consistency is Key" to inspire others. Her journey showcases significant lifestyle changes, with her orthopedic surgeon noting her impressive progress and advocating for fasting as an alternative to surgical interventions.Towards the end, Tonja discusses the balance between maintaining a healthy lifestyle and enjoying life's pleasures without striving for the lowest possible weight. She encourages listeners to focus on feeling better and to remain consistent with intermittent fasting. Tonja’s final advice is to persist in the journey, emphasizing that small, consistent steps lead to transformative results, and to remember that celebrating health is more important than adhering to rigid dietary rules.Check out our sponsor Zoe at ZOE.com, and use the promo code IFSTORIES10 to get 10% off your membership.Get Gin’s books at: https://www.ginstephens.com/get-the-books.html. Good news! The second edition of Delay, Don’t Deny is now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook. This is the book that you’ll want to start with or share with others, as it is a simple introduction to IF. It’s been updated to include the clean fast, an easier to understand and more thorough description of ADF and all of your ADF options, and an all new success stories section. When shopping, make sure to get the second edition, which has a 2024 publication date. The audiobook for the second edition is available now! 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.

February 06, 2025

Episode 450: Angela Robinson

Episode 450: Angela Robinson

Intermittent Fasting Stories

Angela Robinson shares her intermittent fasting journey from dieting struggles and weight issues to a sustainable lifestyle change in 2021. She discusses the benefits of IF beyond weight loss including improved skin, reduced brain fog, and enhanced mood. She stresses patience and consistency for substantial results. Angela encourages fellow listeners to embrace IF for holistic benefits.

January 23, 2025

Episode 449: Pam Merriam

Episode 449: Pam Merriam

Intermittent Fasting Stories

In this episode, Gin speaks to Pam Merriam from McKinney, Texas, who shares her IF journey. After learning about IF in a low-carb group in 2020, she lost 50 lbs but later experienced weight regain. Despite this, she continued using IF as it improved her overall health. Faced with personal loss, Pam decided to focus on fitness and healthy eating, incorporating ADF and daily walking into her routine. Since spring 2024, she has lost 8 inches around her waist.

January 16, 2025

Episode 448: Deborah Ventrice

Episode 448: Deborah Ventrice

Intermittent Fasting Stories

Gin interviews Deborah Ventrice, an interior designer and business owner who struggled with lymphedema as a child and turned to bodybuilding as a means of social acceptance. After 9/11, she experienced PTSD which she eventually recognized and worked through. In her later years, she gained weight due to menopause and adopted intermittent fasting in January 2021. Deborah found success when she switched to clean fasting and regained a healthy weight.

January 09, 2025

AI

Ask this episodeAI Anything

Intermittent Fasting Stories

Hi! You're chatting with Intermittent Fasting Stories AI.

I can answer your questions from this episode and play episode clips relevant to your question.

You can ask a direct question or get started with below questions -

Sign In to save message history