Intermittent fasting is a popular diet option for weight loss, with various programs available. It involves switching between fasting and eating on a regular schedule, with some programs helping manage weight. Intermittent fasting has been called “transformative” and “life-changing” by leading researcher Satchin Panda. It is based on research that supports extending natural periods of fasting to promote certain health benefits.
There are several ways to make intermittent fasting a lifestyle, including the 16/8 method, which involves an 8-hour eating period and a 16-hour fasting period. Some people do this by staying hydrated, avoiding thinking about food, resting and relaxing, making every calorie count, eating high-volume foods, and increasing the taste without changing the diet.
The 5:2 diet involves eating as you normally do five days of the week and restricting your calorie intake to 500-600 on the remaining two days. Avoid sugars and refined grains, and let your body burn fat between meals. A simple form of intermittent fasting is to avoid snacking or eating only during specific times.
Intermittent fasting involves intervals of limiting food intake for extended periods of time. This dietary approach may be used for attempts at weight loss. A good option for beginners is to fast for a set number of hours each day, starting with fasting for around 12 hours a day. This can mean anything from avoiding snacking after an early dinner to the 16:8 version, cramming all your eating into eight hours.
In summary, intermittent fasting is a popular and effective diet strategy for weight loss. It involves switching between fasting and eating on a regular schedule, with some programs offering additional benefits. By following these fasting tips, individuals can better incorporate intermittent fasting into their daily routine and experience the potential health benefits of this lifestyle change.
📹 How To Do Intermittent Fasting For SERIOUS Weight Loss Properly | Dr. Mindy Pelz
***** Please note the following medical disclaimer: By viewing this video you understand that this video is for educational …
Why am I not losing weight on 16:8 fasting?
The efficacy of intermittent fasting for weight loss may be limited by factors such as overeating and poor dietary choices. To enhance the efficacy of the aforementioned approach, it is recommended to reduce calorie intake, achieve a more balanced diet, and establish a smaller or larger eating window. A registered dietitian can facilitate the achievement of weight loss objectives in a more expeditious manner, as 90% of Zaya Care patients are exempt from the cost of dietitian consultations.
How do you start intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting can be a challenging and time-consuming method for beginners, as it requires long periods of fasting without eating much or nothing. A good option for beginners is to fast for a set number of hours each day, starting with 12 hours of fasting, most of which is asleep. As you become more comfortable with 12-hour fasts, you can gradually lengthen the time of the fast. A common intermittent fasting schedule is 16:8, where you eat during an 8-hour period and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
However, not everyone can adopt this lifestyle, so it’s important to choose the most realistic and achievable style. Additionally, the quality of food consumed is crucial, and consuming nutritious foods is just as important as adhering to an intermittent fasting schedule.
What happens after 1 month of intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a popular method for weight loss, as it is easier to maintain and adherence to than traditional diets involving calorie restriction or counting. By adopting a 16:8 intermittent fasting approach, individuals can reduce their energy intake by approximately 20-30 calories per day. Within a month, consistent 16:8 fasting can lead to a 2-5 percent body weight loss.
Improved insulin sensitivity is another benefit of 16:8 intermittent fasting. It reduces insulin and blood-glucose levels to a natural baseline during each fast, leading to better insulin sensitivity and potentially lower diabetes and chronic disease risk. Insulin levels were reduced by 3. 1μU/mL in a 4-week trial, indicating that insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction are underlying causes of chronic age-related diseases.
Fat-burning potential varies based on factors like nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress. Regular exercise can enhance fat-burning potential, making it a beneficial method for weight loss.
What is the disadvantage of 16 8 fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) has several drawbacks, including difficulty handling hunger and fatigue, insomnia, irritability, headaches, and nausea, and potential sustainability issues. It may not be sustainable for long-term use due to family and social obligations, such as having a set dinner time or friends inviting you to lunch during the fasting window. Additionally, IF can cause overeating due to increased hunger, potentially leading to weight gain if repeated. It is essential to consider the individual’s lifestyle and goals when implementing IF, as it may not be the most suitable approach for everyone.
How do you promote intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting involves staying hydrated, avoiding food thoughts, resting, making calorie counts, eating high-volume foods, increasing taste without calories, and choosing nutrient-dense foods after the fasting period. There are six different methods of intermittent fasting, with a 12-hour fasting window daily. Researchers suggest that fasting for 10-16 hours can convert fat stores into energy, releasing ketones into the bloodstream, which can encourage weight loss. People may prefer different styles of intermittent fasting.
Is it okay to fast 16 hours everyday?
Fasting may offer health benefits, but there is still much to be known about its potential risks. People who regularly fast more than 16 or 18 hours a day have a higher risk of gallstones and are more likely to need surgery to remove the gallbladder. Eating for 12 hours and then fasting for 12 hours is likely safe for most people, according to Longo. He and his team are also exploring fasting-mimicking diets, which aim to be safer and easier to follow than completely fasting.
A five-day, monthly fasting-mimicking diet that allows some food but is low in calories was tested for three months, showing weight loss and decreased age-related disease risk factors. However, experts caution against trying fasting diets that are not based on research and advise discussing fasting with a healthcare provider.
Can I lose 20 kgs in 2 months with intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss of 2 to 6 kgs a month, with significant improvements in energy levels and brain function. However, it’s crucial to consider factors like age, physical activity, medical conditions, and stress levels when implementing this method. It’s safe to fast 2-3 days a week, with breaks in between, and following the 16:8 rule. It’s essential to align the fast with your mind, body, and soul to achieve optimal results.
Why am I not losing belly fat on intermittent fasting?
The research team identified that visceral fat exhibits resistance to the release of fatty acids during fasting, and it also demonstrates augmented capacity to store energy as fat. This indicates that repeated fasting periods may induce a preservation signaling pathway in visceral fat, thereby enabling it to rapidly rebuild before the next fasting period.
What is the most effective way of intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a popular diet trend that involves restricting the hours of the day when you eat, preferably earlier in the day (between 7 am to 3 pm or 10 am to 6 pm), and avoiding snacking or eating at nighttime. This simple and flexible approach has gained popularity as a potential pathway towards sustainable weight loss in an on-the-go world. Intermittent fasting is a key lever in our dietary pattern, designed to expand the amount of time our body experiences a fasted state by reducing the eating window. Popular time-restricted eating protocols are explained in various articles, such as “Intermittent fasting: The positive news continues” and “Not so fast: Pros and cons of the newest diet trend”.
Why is 16 hours the magic number for fasting?
Fasting for either 12 or 16 hours can promote fat burning by depleting stored glycogen and relying on stored fat for energy. A 16-hour fast may be more effective due to the greater depletion of glycogen stores and higher levels of fat burning. To burn more fat, it is important to give the body more time to shift metabolism towards prioritizing fat as a primary fuel source with fasts greater than 12 hours. Moderate exercise during fasting is another great way to burn more stored fat.
Fasting can have a significant impact on hormone levels, with specific effects varying depending on the duration of the fast and individual factors such as age, sex, and health status. Fasting can decrease insulin levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and increase growth hormone, which is involved in muscle growth, tissue repair, and fat burning. Fasting duration is linked, with 12 hours yielding less metabolic health and hormone benefits than fasting for more than 12 hours. Therefore, if you want to impact hormone levels, fasting for 16 hours or more is recommended.
How do I make intermittent fasting a lifestyle?
Intermittent fasting involves choosing regular time periods to eat and fast, such as eating only during an eight-hour period each day and fasting for the remainder. This process, known as metabolic switching, helps the body exhaust its sugar stores and start burning fat after hours without food. Intermittent fasting contrasts with the normal eating pattern for most Americans, who eat throughout their waking hours. If someone consumes three meals a day, plus snacks, without exercising, they are running on calories and not burning their fat stores.
📹 The COMPLETE GUIDE To Intermittent Fasting For Beginners – Do It CORRECTLY | Dr. Mindy Pelz
***** Please note the following medical disclaimer: By viewing this video you understand that this video is for educational …
Hi Dr Mindy!! I’ve been perusal your awesome and super inspirational articles for several months and you’ve helped me and my Keto and fasting journey more than you can possibly know. In Jan I was 292 lbs, morbidly obese, diagnosed as T2 diabetic with arthritis, acid reflux, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and more. Now, about 5 mos later I have lost 45 lbs, diabetes in remission, and all the rest of my metabolic conditions are gone!! My mental clarity, energy and mood is off the charts as well! My hope is that everyone in this great community teaches their goal weights and achieves similar results as I have been able to do with your coaching, education and inspiration. THANK YOU DR MINDY!!!! 😊
I am now down 30 pounds since March. BUT…this is not about me!! I recently went for a visit to see my sister-in-law. She saw my new look and shared this with me, she had just had a doctor’s appointment where she had been informed, she was pre diabetic. She let her doctor know that she did not want to go on medication. So, her doctor told her to come back in two weeks and they would check her numbers again. Over the next 30 minutes I just poured out all the information I could that I have learned from Dr. Mindy. I told her what she needed to do for the next two weeks before her next appointment and she did just that. She lost 7 pounds and all of her numbers looked great!! So now she is a new Dr. Mindy follower and will have the information she needs to lead a healthy lifestyle. ❤
0:43: Metabolic flexibility involves switching between being a sugar burner and a fat burner to achieve permanent weight loss. 1:58: Fat plays a vital role in storing toxins, hormones, and sugar in the body. 5:42: Walking in a forward direction can calm the amygdala and lower cortisol levels, aiding in weight loss. 6:17: Regular sweating helps mobilize toxins and promotes hormone production, such as testosterone. 6:55: Staying hydrated is important for overall health and can help regulate cortisol levels. Recap by Tammy AI
Started IF a couple of weeks ago. Went with a 20:4 window, which might seem extreme, but my main issue is I’m a chronic grazer! 😅 – The shorter time window has really helped 1) break that habit, and 2) really focus my mind on the types of food I am actually going to eat. Its been a lot easier than I thought it would and I’m not obsessing over finding healthy ‘snacks’ because its no longer an option on the table (literally!). Been perusal all of Mindy’s articles/interviews, and I have to say I think she’s so inspiring and motivating to keep going, with brilliant info and advice! Looking forward to starting occasional longer fasts and mixing it up as I settle into it 😀
Mindy I just want to say that I seriously love and appreciate you ❤️ I’ve been hooked on your articles and have been binge perusal. I see your passion and your genuine love for what you’re teaching us. You’re a beautiful soul. I just bought your book and have been fasting for the last year, but just started fasting like a girl less than a month ago. I’m in the week before my period, I’m 46, having a bit of a hard time training my mind to NOT fast and NOT exercise, I did yoga and walk daily, but miss pushing myself. Yesterday was the first day of Progesterone and following your advice, mid day I wasn’t feeling too good, kind of light headed and Weak. Any suggestions?
Key Points: 🔑 1️⃣ Dr. Mindy explains the importance of metabolic flexibility for weight loss, which involves switching between two energy systems: burning energy from the food we eat and burning body fat. 2️⃣🔄 She stresses that for sustainable weight loss, it’s crucial to regularly switch between these two states, rather than constantly remaining in the fat-burning state. 3️⃣🔍 Two indicators of metabolic flexibility are the ability to fast without difficulty and the hemoglobin A1c level in blood results. 4️⃣ Dr. Mindy suggests varying fasting periods to improve metabolic flexibility, alternating, for example, between 15 hours of fasting one day, 24 hours the next, a break, then a 17-hour fast, and so on. 5️⃣🍔 She advises avoiding three types of food to optimize metabolism: bad oils, foods rich in refined flours and sugars, and foods packed with toxins. 6️⃣🚶♀️ She recommends accelerating weight loss by increasing physical activity, such as walking or running, and sweating regularly. 7️⃣💧 Hydration is essential, especially during fasting, to support the kidneys and gut and facilitate the elimination of toxins. 8️⃣💩 Regular bowel movements are necessary to expel toxins from the body. 9️⃣😴 Finally, good quality sleep is vital for weight loss, as it helps detoxify the brain and reboot the body.
Hey Mindy, new subscriber here! I watched many of your articles & love your attitude!!! I have been intermittent fasting since March 1st ( so about 4 months) I started with 16:8 and I sometimes mix it up with 18-20 hours. I have only gone off the fasting a few times, I use good oils, dont drink pop & I just started taking berberine & Iam a vegan. I first lost around 10 lbs in the fist 2 months I think but im totally stuck. Im trying to un-stuck myself! It’s so annoying. Maybe I need to go a full 36 hours to get there…I may cry but I won’t give up. I plan to IF forever.
You are such a blessing. I suffered a serious spine and foot injury some years back and the weight climbed until it almost killed me. Morbidly obese and almost immobile I gave up. I switched doctor’s and she recommended the Keto diet. My life changed. I watched your articles and a few other great ones. My weight started dropping even without much exercise and now I’m finally able to walk. I mow a three acre yard, tend a large flock of chickens, a disabled senior dog and care for my disabled mother. This may not seem like much to most people but I literally gave up in 2017 after spending 12 days in the hospital getting several surgeries and being pumped with all kinds of meds. Life is much better now thanks to you!
I’ve been OMAD nearly 5 years (Jason Fung got me into it), but have found maintenance of weight sometimes not guaranteed. Taking your advice Dr Mindy, and explanation of needing to switch between fat & sugar burning, makes so much sense and in my case gives what would have been called ‘cheat’ days justification . In fact essential to long term success. If you think about it we do exercise/rest, hot/cold showers, sleep/awake. all ying & yang pairs that the body see as changes to respond to and not just constants. Mentally too,, switching it up and knowing for hard days there are easy days. Not just one long slog. I’ve noticed a big difference for me in a matter of a couple of weeks.. Game changer
Tip #6 ~ GET A SQUATTY POTTY! Oh my word has that made a difference! You almost have to retrain yourself, but I no longer have hem…oids and I feel like it’s way less effort and more complete. The commercials are true! Not a nice topic to let everyone know how things are “going”’for me, but if you’re “struggling” it’s SOOOOOOOO worth it!!
Thank you so much for this article, Dr. Mindy! I love your advice and your enthusiasm because you’ve shown us, on many occasions, that you are walking the walk and enjoying much better health as a result. All I want is to live to be over 100 and still enjoying the outdoors and my animals, so this is great motivation. Thanks again!
I love your articles and books. I have tried fasting before with little success. I got your book and since starting fasting. With your tips i have dropped 28 lbs in in 6 weeks and have just finished a 90 hour water fast. ❤ I feel great and am finally in ketosis for the first time. Thank you for your passion to support women on this journey. I have a long way to go but i feel like i have the keys to permanently lose the weight.
I have known you doctor for three years, since I listened to your words, my life has changed. You are the best doctor, trainer and teacher in the world. My size was fourteen before, but now I wear size four. I did blood tests, I don’t have diabetes or cholesterol, even my doctor said I wish my name was on your blood test sheet instead of yours. I turned sixty-three years old and I am happy that I found you and followed your diet and advice. You are the best person and doctor in the world. God bless you Love and respect 🙏 ❤
Dear Dr Mindy. I owe thanks to you for all that you are doing from the bottom of my heart. QQ- I am not diabetic – my FBS used to be 82 – ish and a1c – 5.4-ish standardly. But now my sugar and A1c are going up and up now which is 97 and 6.7 resp. I’m following Time restricted eating for the last 2.5 months. I’m discouraged and frustrated with fear that I should not invite diabetes when I’m normal. Note that I don’t have any symptoms. I follow TRE to reduce and get better on my hashimotos thyroiditis. Will my a1c eventually come down? Kindly advise and that will help me a lot
I recently read your book, Fast Like a Girl. I am planning to follow the suggested fasting schedule this next month. I already cut out the sugar and processed foods. I have added in the good fats and I have already lost a couple pounds doing 13-15 hour fasts. I have so much more energy from just doing this! Can’t wait for day 1 of my cycle so I can experiment with longer fasts and see what happens. ❤️
I’m 55. I had a Hysterectomy when I was 50. It was a total Hysterectomy but my ovaries were left. I want to know what type of fasting you would recommend for me. I have bad sugar cravings until I eat green vegetables like broccoli and salad’s but I have a tendency to fall off the eating healthy band wagon and I start eating sugary foods again. I weigh 265 lbs but my goal weight is 150. What do you recommend?
Thanks Dr Mndy Pelz for this great information. I had used the below system to lose 14kgs over 11 months by having one meal a day (dinner time) during weekdays and 2 meals on both Saturday and Sunday (as I enjoy cooking yummy dishes on weekends). I didn’t realise that my variation of my fasting was helping so much.
Have been doing IF for 4 months. Some longer fasts thrown in. Always a minimum of 16/8. I am down 25 pounds, off my heart meds and my lipid panel last week was fantastic!! I lowered my total cholesterol by 30 points!!!! All other numbers were awesome! Game changer for me!!! Get A1c done Friday 🤞 Thanks Dr Mindy for being such an inspiration and help!!
I want to encourage people. I’m 54 years old, with a thyroid condition/a.k.a my metabolism is jacked. I’ve only lost 3 pounds in 2 weeks of more focused fasting, which is discouraging BUT eating Whole Foods in my eating window has greatly minimized my bloating, so my clothes fit better. I just ordered Dr. Mindys Fast Like A Girl and can’t wait to read it. I’ve cut out 90% of man made carbs, minus a couple cups of Himalayan chips from Costco which I won’t buy again and I’ve almost finished the bag. No bread, little to no alcohol, lap swimming & walking, and Whole Foods/ healthy fats. I won’t quit. Anything worth while, requires patience and time.
Hi this is my first time posting. I’m 53 and post menopausal 180lbs 5′ 7″. I just did my first 36hr fast on Saturday. Wasnt bad at all. Broke my fast with protein (eggs). I found that i wasnt even hungry when it was time to break my fast. I could have gone longer. Prior to that i have been fasting for 16 hrs most days. I am going to try the 5-1-1. Thank you Dr Mindy. Love perusal your articles. You’re awesome!
I have a question, i do fast according to your book aligned with my cycle, I am not overweight but would like to lose 2-3kg to reach my goal, but I notice that after 24h or 36h fast I am gaining up to 1 kg … ( in estrogen phase)… although I am eating very clean I have been diagnose with candida ( probably hormonal disbalance) so wondering could this be a reason? I do exercise, I do drink water (2l), ….
I would like to see something on fasting while breastfeeding. I had done fasting g before, had awesome results, but I’m nursing my 8mth old baby and planning on doing it for another year, and feel lost! I don’t know what us safe! I also just barely got my period back. But yeah, Thank you for all your articles!
Daily BM’s do not happen on KETO/KETOvore, Carnivore, etc. The cleaner I eat, the less frequent BM’s occur. Having been checked up on by my DR, as well, it’s not constipation. The cleaner you eat, the more efficient your body becomes and literally absorbing everything you eat. Thus the old cliche’, “With great power, comes great responsibility”.
How interesting that people comment solely to try to tear the Dr. down or promote themselves. Take it from an operating room nurse of 37 years: you’ll get yourself into great trouble by not listening to your body. Many, many times over my career my doctor’s orders for my patients are simply bowel rest(fasting) or ambulation (walking). The people that don’t do these things end in the operating room having intestines removed/ostomies placed etc.. Listen for what is applicable to you, implement it. If you don’t understand something, do a little research and educate yourself. You’re holding a device that allows you access to so much information. Use it in a positive way.
I did blood sugar (bs) was 119 at 6:45 am fast 15 hours 9am 122 I had a cup of Ryze mushroom coffee with stevia. Bs 105@9:35 11:00am 118 1:05 pm. 108 Broke fast 2:00pm 109 Fasting This is a first time I’ve followed my BS this much my goal is to determine how the mushrooms and stevia affect BS and fasting state. Thanks for reading. Blessings ❤
I do a daily 16hr fast & sometimes 24 hour fasts because I get so busy at work that I don’t get a lunch break so I don’t eat till dinner. I have not lost any weight. I’m stuck in the 160s & I should weigh around 120. The weekends I eat 2 meals but the rest of the week I fast 16-24 hours & my weight won’t budge. I tried a 36 hour fast & got a bad headache. IDK what else to do.
I’m so curious about home baked bread. I love baking and I regularly bake my own sourdough loaves and sourdough crackers from a sourdough starter. They are a big part of my diet and I don’t want to give them up. I use a regular all purpose and bread flour. I would love for you to talk about this more, because baking from scratch doesn’t have all the additives and preservatives. There’s a lot of confusing and misinformation out there.
Dr Mindy I have a question: I am currently nursing my 15 month old ONLY to sleep for nap and bedtime. Should I still only fast no more than 17hours? Or would longer fasts such as 36hrs be ok since my son is over a year? He eats like a normal toddler, so I am not his ONLY food source. THank you for all your amazing work !
Hi Dr Mindy. I am having no problem going 20 hours without food. Have not been successful with 24 hours yet mostly because my mind is thinking about food not necessarily because I feel hungry but because I love food. My Hbga1c is always normal and because of that my doctor won’t order a fasting insulin test. She says my a1c doesn’t warrant it. I had a horrible diet just until I recently found your utube articles (candy, junk food ect) so I honestly don’t know why I’m not a diabetic ( but I’m thankful that I’m not) any suggestions?
Thanks so much, Mindy. I happened to see your interview with Tom Bilyeu about a week ago, had never hear of you before that. I ordered your Fast Loke a Girl book the next day and have already finished it. It makes SO much sense. I’m going to start my 30 days next week. I’ve been intermittent fasting off an on fasting off and on (mostly on) for a while, but usually 16/8 and the idea of varying the length never came up. A couple years back I tried to do a 24 hour fast and made it to 23, but it was tough. Yesterday I decided to try a longer fast just to see how it felt. I got to 21 hours without really thinking about it. Your electrolyte tip helped a lot. Thank you for so much great information. I saw a article where you talked about a companion guide to Fast Like a Girl. Can I get that? Thank you!! I’ll comment moor about my progress over the next 30 days. 😁😁
How do you fast at all if you get extreme nausea. I am on Samaglutide for two months I am up to 0.75 mg so I thought that would help me with appetite and to start losing weight but it just isn’t happening. I also have lipedema and I have had full body liposuction to open the lips and to get all of that fluid out of the legs and arms. So my lip edema loves fasting helps my lymph nodes work better but I don’t know how to fast when I have such extreme nausea I smoke weed to help it and it does help but do you have any suggestions on how I can get through that
I’m just so thankful for intermittent fasting it literally has saved my life from diabetes and other illnesses. I started this May and I’m also doing caloric deficit and keto diet. I’ve lost a total of 19 pounds! Got 18 more to go. I’ve adopted as a life style! Thank you for all your articles. I can’t stop learning something new each day!!
Just got your book and I’m excited. My question is about sweating. I’ve never ever been a person who sweats. In PE the teachers used to freak because when everyone else was dripping wet, I would just be red and dry. They had watched me work out so they knew I wasn’t slacking. I did have a dr once put me in thyroid for about 3 years but he took me off (weird right) during that time I did start sweating under my arms but I barely have to use deodorant. I only have one side of my thyroid but they say I’m normal. My ferratin is also between 8-14, 12 is normal so my dr doesn’t care. I have no problem going w/o food but I’m getting heavier and heavier!
Your fasting didn’t make me loose any more weight than usual. We already fast 6:30 pm Dinner completed until 8 am next morning. I eat Hard boiled eggs Whole milk Greek yogurt Berries Salad’s Walk 20 miles a week Lunge’s Squat’s I Lost 20 lbs in less than 3 months a little quicker then I anticipated … oh did I mention I’m a 67 year young female 😊❤
I was doing this and getting great results. Then saw I should fast differently since I have hypothyroidism caused by radio iodine. I’m not doing well on this plan…not enough fasting, too many carbs (or maybe I lose control too easily with so many carb days and no fasting combined) and I don’t feel well
Hi Dr Mindy I have been low carb for 22 months and IF for 18 months I started because I had become house bound I have followed your advice and to date have lost 126lbs my Hba1c has gone from 9.2 to 5.9 I am off all diabetic medication and as of today am off all hypertensive medication. I walk 5 k a day down by the river and my quality of sleep is unrecognizable to what it was. Thank you for giving me the tools to save my life.
Hi, wondered if any one could help x?x I’ve got my holy grail, fast like a girl. And have started with the 15hr fast for 5 days. But I’m on day 4 and I’m not hungry although I’ve gone 18 hrs. Should I eat at 15 hrs regardless or just eat when I get hungry? Don’t want to ruin the “F.L.A.G” protocol x TIA
I’ve read Fast Like A Girl but I don’t know how to apply it. I’m 42, and had a hysterectomy 5 years ago for large uterine fibroid tumors and pain. Both of my ovaries were left intact. I’ve definitely begun to have peri menopausal symptoms. (Waking at night, hot flashes, weight gain, palpitations.) How should I cycle my fasting? Do I just do 16:8 most days with occasional days that I don’t fast. Just getting into the IF lifestyle, and really want to lose the 25lbs I’ve gained in the last 4 years.
Dr. Mindy, I’m new to your articles. I’ve found them very informative. You may have covered this before, but I haven’t been able to locate it. If you have an IUD and haven’t had a period in years, it’s so difficult to follow the fasting instructions. Im also 46. From bloodwork and scans im still ovulating. I have no Idea about my cycles though. Can I somehow test them at home to know what phase I’m on?
Just getting into this but I have a question. Here in Canada, Diabetics aren’t supposed to drive when our sugar level is under 5 yet you’re saying to get our A1C under 5? So I’m caught in the middle, please, what are your thoughts? Also, you’re offering a free guide to master fasting but I can’t find the link? Thankyou so much, these explanations for Serious Wt Loss are fantastic, my hand is getting sore from taking so many notes, lol. 😂
After a year on Keto with a loss of 40 lbs. my A1C went from 7.7 to 5.5. I have been in a weight loss stall for just over 8 months. I started fasting yesterday with an 18 hr fast. At 54 do I follow your menopause guidelines for fasting or do I follow this article for weight loss? I still have 70 lbs to lose. ❤
I have Multiple Sclerosis. Being hot and over heating are triggers for a flare up. I can’t imagine sweating not leading to at least a migraine if not something worse. Im trying to figure out how to stay hydrated with the right electrolytes because I’ve had to end my longer fasting attempts because of a headache that I didn’t want to progress to a migraine. I have lost some weight, so even if I can’t manage more than 24 hours at a time, I still count it as progress.
Hello. I have been having problems of ingestion, constipation and obesity. I started fasting in 2021 and the problems went away and lost about 25 kgs. My fasting ranges from 18 : 6 to one meal a day (OMAD). I also do long fasts of up 4 days at times. Unfortunately I am having problems of constipation and indigestion again and no longer losing weight
Please help! All great info – but after perusal several of her interviews, I’ve yet to hear her talk about what people (esp. women) who take daily meds need to do. I have several chronic illnesses for which i take over 20 pills/day at up to 5 different times a day. Some of these meds need to be combined with food, and all are made with fillers that contain starches, lactose, gelatin, etc. And unfortunately, none of my current Drs know anything about fasting and are all confused when I talk about it. Clearly taking meds affects one’s ability to fast, but I have no idea how to gauge these effects – incl. how to deal with the fact that the fillers certainly affect my blood sugar in some way (I can’t afford to purchase a glucose monitor so I can’t test it.) I also live in Germany (am American) and so I have access to different resources. I also have a ton of food allergies – esp. against so many of the “good” proteins and veggies (which I developed at about age 23 – I’m 38). It’s a nightmare, and I have no idea where to find helpful information for my situation, and my doctors are so overwhelmed with me, they’ve just given up.
Thank you Dr Mindy! I don’t have much to lose, i’m a ‘health nut’ and like the size I am, and exercise daily – there is almost nothing I could do to eat less/more healthy or workout more (within my time constraints) but i’ve noticed brain fog, and an unrelenting mommy tummy. I discovered your website and recently devoured your book. This week I fasted 16 hours, 17 hours, 19 hours and 21 hours (and now i’m pre-cycle so back to 12 a night for a week) and I’ve lost 5 pounds this week. Ate tons of protein and more fat than usual in my eating phases. I woke up feeling like a million dollars today and my ‘Mommy tummy’ is down considerably (the only area i’m really hoping to lose). Also fasting to avoid the autoimmune disorders and obesity that plagues my Mother and other loved ones. Thank you for ALL of your information!
Hi Mindy, how do You deal with bad breath while fasting? I would love to start with fasting according to Your book Fast like a girl. But I am afraid of the side effect of having a bad breath. I am used to take a fishermen mint drop or chewing gum after every meal to prevent bad breath. I am kinda adiccted to always use mint drops/chewing gums. It is hard for me to imagine not using while fasting since I am scared that I will have a bad breath. My friend used to fast and always when he did, his breath was horrible …
I tried my first 24 hour fast today….I got to 23 hours and went very pale and felt very odd. I tested my blood sugar levels and they were 3.8 and the monitor said I was having a hypo. Is this normal?! I broke my fast at that point as the monitor said my sugar levels were too low. Any advice? Anyone else had this issue?
Intermittent fasting all boils down to skipping breakfast and eating very little else during the day. No matter how you dress it up, fasting means abstaining from food, pure and simple. One doctor on the internet has even said repeatedly that the best meal you can give yourself is nothing. Skipping breakfast is fine, but starving yourself of nutrition or depriving yourself of food for several days is an eating disorder!
Can you point me to any information you have on how to care for your body during intermittent fasting and getting sick and taking antibiotics? I hate that I have to be on antibiotics, but it is necessary . I still want to support my body, feed the good bacteria in my gut etc…. Any info you can point me to would be very helpful. Thanks
HELP!!! This has been my routine for 5 months and have lost nothing!! Sunday into Monday a 24 hr fast. Tuesday-Friday 17/7. Saturday coffee in the am with a light lunch and normal dinner. Sunday coffee with normal lunch and no dinner because I am starting the week over with a 24 hr fast. Repeats every week. I WAS walking daily. I am in full menopause too. Am I not varying enough? I seem to be gaining. I’m thinking my body is storing up whatever it can for later. I’m a size 16. So maybe at the very least it’s keeping me from getting larger?
I’m reading “Fast like a girl” and my biggest question is in terms of coffee. I have endometriosis and one of the first things I was told was that I should NEVER drink coffee on an empty stomach bc it would wreak havoc on my hormones. So I’m a bit lost here. Can I have coffee with MCT oil while on my fasts and my hormones will be happy? Thank you!
So when I found Dr. Mindy Pelz … was thrilled as I had been searching for a doctor who made sense. FINALLY! Fast forward 2 months: using intermittent fasting as a primary tool, I do stop when it’s best to do so, then I load up on lean foods, take a break, but move into dry fasting carefully as my body prompts. In the 2 months I have been following Dr. Mindy’s articles, I have resolved: 1) foggy brain, 2) bone loss (reversal), 3) a sore scalp, 4) the negative HPA axis pathways …, 5) diabetes …, 6) fibromyalgia, 7) & deep fatigue brought forth by oxalates. Next goals will involve: healing joints (through the 5-day water fast) & skin (through dry fasting). Dr. Mindy, you’re a tremendous blessing! Best regards!
No Matter what I try I always return to Fasting. Fasting gives you power over food. You feel so much more energised when you are on a fast. I always try to stay consistent with it. My hardest time of day is right after dinner around 1830. Snacking can commence after 1830. I have taken Dr Mindy’s advice though and I make sure I leave the kitchen and do something energetic straight after I eat diner. Even if I am having a poor day in terms of eating bad food but if I follow fasting rules I still do not gain any weight and many times I lose weight
Dr. Mindy, thanks for this article. For me, it was right on time. Yesterday, I just viewed your interview on the The Model Health Show and gleaned more helpful information. Last night (EST) my last meal of the day ended at 7pm and I didn’t eat my next meal until 12 today. I woke up feeling better, more alert and focused. I’m 63 yo post menopause and I want to lose weight, be healthy and be the best version of myself. Again thanks ❤❤
…love the articles, the information and insights. I know these are based for women (and some times men), but the information is still all relevant and is helping me, so thank you. I did want to ask – is grapefruit and raspberry herbal tea, caffeine free okay to drink during a fast? I know your thinking behind drinks during fast, but this combination I am interested in. Thank you
First of all I would like to say thank you for all of your information, I can clearly see that you really want to help out people and that’s wonderful! Secondly I was wondering what you think would be a great system to burn fat but still building muscle, I am training almost daily and also on a empty stomach in the morning, usually my day consists of fasts of at least 16-8, yesterday I did 43-5 and today it’s 19-5 is. My personal problem is that I’ve always had a bit of a belly and now also everything is pretty slim but that belly is still there. Should I just do a full week of 36-12? I am curious of your opinion and what you recommend, for guys working out like me I am 91kg 1.85m and around 12% of body fat.
After being stuck and unable to lose weight, I’m simply amazed. One month of doing 16:8 and I’m down 12 pounds 🙂 This just makes sense, and is a very sustainable lifestyle, I Simply, do not eat after dinner and I start my day with black coffee and MCT. I’m Not starving, and after about two days, I no longer miss the sweets or snacks. Only had a few evenings of wanting to munch on something, but that was only due to bad habits. This make so much sense, I eat healthy food and I no longer eat sweets or snacks. Thanks Dr, Mindy.
Mindy! I have a question: how is someone that doesnt want to lose weight, but instead build strength and lose a liitle bit of lower belly fat supposed to go about fasting? I mostly want to do it for spiritual and health benefits, but I’ve noticed a lack of strength the day after fasting. That, and I have such a hard time eating enough whenever i fast (i have done fasts of 22 hours, beginning after dinner and ending with dinner the day after). I eat less than half of my goal calories and after that I cannot bring myself to eat more. Got any tips?
Can you please talk about fasting for 17 hours and how to incorporate weight training? Should women over 40 who are attempting the 4/2/1 fasting method and who fast for 17 hours for days a week exercise in a fasted state or is that too taxing for the adrenals? How would you incorporate strength training?
Just got your book Fast Like A Girl Dr Mindy. I found your articles a few days ago and could not stop binging on all the wonderful content. I googled and could not find the answer to my question so here goes. Is it safe to go beyond the 72 hour fast if I’m feeling good? 43 year old female with 50 lbs to lose. Currently at 62 hours fasting on day 18 of 28 day cycle. Thank you so much for the much needed education.
Hi Doc I been doing I F for over 2 weeks now and I’m glad I did I lost nearly 2 kilos and 2 inches on my waist, I’m doing 16.8 for two weeks and this week in doing 18.6, I do yoga 4x week and walking every day, my question is am I allowed to eat fruits on the time that I’m not supposed to eat? And can I drink herbal tea in the evening, I even stop using milk on my coffee, I was diagnosed with borderline diabetes for about 8 years and last year I managed to reverse it, thank you 🙏
Is there a protein/amino powder you can suggest for people based in the UK? Some supplements in your other articles are not available here. Ive tried a few different protein powders that just didn’t agree with me. I am struggling to get enough protein through food when I break my fast. Any advice would be great
Hey Dr.Mindy, my mum is a 60 year old women and she wants to lose weight, shes not obsese but she wants to lose around 5kg. As of now, she has been walking and swimming for around 3 weeks and eating less. She has lost around 3kg but she wants to lose more, I want to get her into fasting but idk what type of fast. Also, you have mentioned in steven’s podcast that we should be doing weight lifting but I dont know if this is convenient for my mum as to her age. In terms of fasting, she has done fasting in the past, she has fasted for around 10 days which she did once a year but only drinking syrup with lemon, does this fasting work? She did it like this because she got really hungry and water wouldnt take hunger away. Love your content and you are in the process of changing my families life, thank you!
Dr. Mindy, I just discovered your website and I am very interested in the information you have to offer us women. Thank you for all the information. It is greatly appreciated. I started doing the 16:8 about a month ago and feeling great. I would like to do the OMAD fast for two weeks to get all benefits of healing, but I’m a little scared. I started having stomach pains about 5 months ago ( gastritis / ulcer) and I’m hoping doing the OMAD will help me heal my gut. I’m just scared because some say fasting is not good when you have gastritis/ulcers. What’s your take on this issue? Please advise .
Dr. Mindy, I am a nurse and I absolutely love your website, found you on YouTube searching for a solution not necessarily for weight loss but joint and menopause issues, I started peri menopause 2 years ago, going into my 3rd year now and as soon as it appeared, everything went crazy, I am an exercise fanatic, I do it all at 61, but I feel like I have out sourced all my avenues, do you do one on one consolidations? How can i talk with you?
Hi Dr. Mindy, I’m a menopausal women. Intermittent fasting for three months now. Losing weight, feeling great. Just had annual checkup. Trying to understand why my LDL and HDL are elevated. Triglycerides and VLDL are fine. I thought fasting would lower my LDL? I need to better understand this. Thank you.
HELP! Going by the fasting cycles in Fast Like a Girl, if my cycle is 24 days should I just shorten each phase a couple of days? Example being instead of day 1-10 power phase should I maybe be more like day 1-8 power and then instead of day 11-15 manifestation phase maybe like day 9-13 for me? Just delete a day or two from each phase to go with my own cycle? Is this making sense? I just finished devouring Dr. Mindys book I received a week ago. The fasting cycle chart goes by 28-30days. I just want to make sure I’ve got this right so I do it correctly, so if Dr Mindy or any women who got it down can help my brain process. I’m on day 5 of my cycle and have just hit the 25hr fasting mark, going for the 36+.
I find fasting really works for me and since Ive started following you its been so informative. So sometimes when Im fasting on a work day Im up at 5:30 in the mornings and I will have water and magnesium and sometimes I will have a fitTea energy drink which says its 0 calories is this breaking my fast????
So did I understand correctly from the article? If I am one of the people who has a difficult time doing extended/long fast then I need to vary my fast in order to train my body to switch from sugar burning to fat burning and back again? Or is there something additional I need to do? I have been trying for so long to do an extended fast and I fail over and over again.
Hi Dr Mindy, I really want to be healthy again but the more research I did, the more I get confused. I had Hypothalamic Amenorrhea before for a year and I got told that fasting is not good for us, cardio is not good and literally everything is stressful for us. I’ve now gained my cycle back but very inconsistency but stopped exercising, eat 3 times more than I used to eat and I’ve gained weight, ruined my digestive system and now struggling to lose weight. Would you mind filming a article talk about this, please?
I’m at my heaviest. I went from a size 4 to a 12 in 3-4 years. I was fit best shape of my life. I didn’t do it the right way. Job switch was the shift. I went from a 27,000 steps a day 12 hour job to a steady low stress intermittent sitting 8 hour job. More balance. More time to eat. I am hoping this helps me. I felt so much better about myself. I felt good in a swimsuit. I was 125 I am now 184
Hello Dr.Mindy. I want to extend my gratitude for your brilliant website! Hopefully you can answer my question regarding the 5:1:1 method. Instead of a carb fuel up day is it beneficial/ suitable to do 5 day intermittent (18:6) and 2 day water fast? Thank you for your time and valuable information ✌️💜
Hi!! I have been doing keto for a year with no results. Finally got a blood checking device and I’m finally in it! Problem is I’m now going into the nurture phase of my cycle and it kind of freaks me out to even eat sweet potatoes. I feel like I’m failing if my blood sugar raises or ketones drop. I am concerned I’m going to have to do another long fast to get into it once the power phase starts again. Thoughts?
Hi Dr Mindy. I was told im insulin resistant a month ago as i was struggling to lose weight even though i exercised and are properly I was also never getting full so I kept eating all the time. Now that i know im insulin resistant I started taking berberine and it has helped with appetite control. Im on my second day of fasting . Yesterday I did 12 hours and now im on 13 hours today and i really want to eat now but im pushing it. Someone told me 12 hours isnt going to do anything for me but that is a big deal for me. I was a late snacker and coffee early morning and eating at 8/9am
Dr Mindy I just wanted to say thank you so much. I have brought ‘fast like a girl’ and it has motivated me to fast better and fast ‘the right way’ when I watch your articles I feel like I am learning and healing. I am training this week for a 36 hour fast. It will be my longest fast yet but for some reason I feel like I have you by my side, whenever I’m struggling I read your book and remember why I want to do this. I just want to say a BIIIIG thank you and I advise anybody who wants to lose weight to purchase this book as well as watch these articles it really helps. I am trying to cure a few diseases as well as lose weight. Nothing has worked for me in the past but this time I’m already seeing changes ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I havnt started any of Mindys stuff, however i know without doubt her advice is priceless and really love reading everyone’s comments who has and is doing this and to read her replies is just brilliant what a lovely soul! Ps I only just watched Mindy on Diary of a CEO so cannot wait to start following her plan after learning so much from the podcast where alot of light bulb moments happened listening to her on it. thank you in advance for the tools and now its time to get to work❣
I’m very discouraged. Been fasting since April 20th. My blood sugars will not come down!! Im type 2 insulin dependent. Been doing mostly OMAD . Ex… Haven’t eaten sin e 645pm last night. Woke up with bs of 206! HAD to take 18 units of Humalog 730am. Finally came down to 115 at 12:03 pm. At 2pm its back up to 142!! Ive had nothing to eat and only water so far today. Suggestions??
Hi Dr. Mindy, I spent months fasting 16 hours daily as a 40+ woman and nothing happened. I wasn’t sleeping well at the time, I was walking an hour a day and so no results makes sense now. . I just started your171324, walking an hour a day, back to paleo and dropped weight/ water – 6 lbs in 7 days. Thank you speaking directly to women at various stages. I spent the month prior downloading all types of vitamins and I think that helped me get into fasting after eating poorly all year. Thanks for your work !
I have watched your articles and have your first book. Is there a diet that helps women with induced menopause due to chemotherapy. I’ve gained 25lbs 8 months after finishing chemotherapy and have been fasting 16 to 18 hours. I have tried keto and it’s not working. Please do a article on this subject. Thank you for educating us.
You are AMAZING Dr Pelz. I feel so blessed to have found you as I’ve been struggling with weight, putting on weight despite having read both of your books and practice fasting for the last 4 years. But obviously, there was something I was missing!!! Something was doing wrong! Now after your last few articles, SOOO WELL EXPLAINED I’ve managed to see a change and now weight is starting to move!! Down!! Not up as in the past!!! You are simply Great!! And my Angel during this phase in my life. Turning 49 in September and soooo happy to have found your guidance to keep persevering with fasting such an amazing tool!! I have already started recommending to family and friends. Most of of family is in Argentina and was wondering if you were going to translate any of your books into Spanish!! God bless you for all your hard work that you share with us.
I am a junk food addict, volume eater and think about food constantly. I jumped straight in and did a 72 hour fast. Felt great but stopped when I got vertigo. Its BPPV in ear and I wonder if fasting dislodged the “crystals”? Anyway the fast killed my junk food obsession better than any appetite suppressant out there. I continue with OMAD eating keto type food and after 72 hour fast it’s a breeze. Im going to keep going.
Hi, I started my keto journey in July. In July I did a 10 day liver cleanse. I’ve been practicing intermittent fasting mixed with 3-5 days of fasting. I use a Keto Mojo meter to track my ketosis and Glucose levels. The best autophagy number I’ve seen is 43.7(glucose/ketone). Does autophagy stop when you transition the fast or does it continue for some time? Also, is there a way to measure the success of autophagy? Thanks Dr. Pelz for all you do and the content you provide!
I’ve just completed my first 72 hour fast and have been doing Intermittent fasting since May 2023. Since that time I’ve dropped almost 63 lbs having started this journey at 330 lbs. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2015 and have been taking metformin since that time however once I had lost 40 lbs, I was seeing my blood glucose stay pretty much in the double-digit territory where it had been consistently in triple digits prior, normally between 108 and 210 even on metformin. With my doctor’s approval, I’ve stopped that medication and I’m ecstatic to be off of it now that I have been able to reset my metabolism. Thank you Dr Mindy for all of the awesome information that has helped me so very much. I should add that I also got a head start using the Gundry MCT Wellness, which really made the difference overcoming a sweet tooth.
Hi all! I’m loving her energy and way of explaining how fasting works! I m reading “Fast like a Girl ” and loving it. Recommend this book to all of you. It’s very easy and understandable! Fact that I love about Dr Mindy is that she is way too good in explaining fasting even in her articles and not hold any important information to herself!
Hi Dr Mindy, I’m a 54 year old female from South Africa who had a full hysterectomy 9 years ago, and have been on HRT for the past 4 & a half years I’m very new to your website and to IF I’ve been considering doing 16:8 IF for a while now, but have only made the decision of committing to it over the weekend when a family member shared her experience with IF with me HOWEVER, in July I hurt my back late August and a MRI revealed disk desiccation with loss of disc height and disk bulge between L4-L5, as well as L5-S1 SUBSEQUENTLY, I have also been diagnosed with osteoporosis of the lumbar spine and both hips I have done a lot of research on the internet regarding IF and osteoporosis and have read articles that say stay away from IF if you have osteoporosis, and others say IF can improve/developed healthy bones What is your take on this, and would you recommend it for me? Thanks
I have started and paused my IF journey many times. Thank you for this information and guidance! It was so hard to go through fasting just a few months ago, but I did really wall this week, and have so much more energy! I suppose it varies week to week. I’m 48, 5’4, and weight fluctuated last year 135-140 lbs, and past month it’s been around 135 lbs. I am very happy with the results! I will keep going! I love nus and avocados, and oils and butter. I have not been able to give up sugar entirely, sweet snacks keep my cravings under control. I do try to eat homemade and raw that is not processed. No perfect and human.
QUESTION : doesn’t fasting past 24 hrs cause muscle loss? I am a new subscriber and so excited about all e things I’m learning from Dr P. I shared those things with my (scientist) husband and he brought up the muscle loss. Very curious what Dr Pelz rebuttal is to that? Because I am 49 and would love to try the 3 day water fast to reset my gut health but can’t afford the muscle loss
What about eating vegetables to break the fast? I heard in the interview with jessie inchauspe that it’s best to eat vegetables first before anything else because it creates some sort of barrier and decrease the sugar spikes that you get from most of other food we eat. I usually blend carrot, celery, beet root, paprika and that’s my first thing I eat (drink), then 15 minutes later I eat oats with some nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, cocoanut, raspberries or blueberries. Is that really good? or should I do something differently?
Ok, I have just started perusal your articles past 2 weeks. I started intermitting fasting. 4 days this week 16-20 fast with 4-8 eating window. Was shocked how I wasn’t as hungry as I thought. BUT my question is, if I break my fast with a coffee with MCT Oil and cream. How long after this break do I have my first healthy meal? one hour? Two hours? Just trying to maximize the benefits you explain. Thanks