Intermittent fasting has gained popularity for its potential to support weight loss, mental clarity, and metabolic health. And while it can be a powerful wellness tool, it’s not always the right approach—especially for women navigating hormonal imbalances.
Let’s explore how fasting can benefit the female body—and when it might backfire.
What Is Fasting, Really?
Fasting is simply the practice of pausing between meals to allow the body to reset, repair, and regulate. Research from Dr. Jason Fung, a trusted expert in therapeutic fasting, highlights that fasting improves insulin sensitivity, supports cellular repair, and can help with inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.
But—as Dr. Anna Cabeca often reminds us—fasting should be seen as a tool, not a one-size-fits-all rule.
Why Women Need to Fast Differently
Hormonal health is more delicate than most people realize, especially in women. If your body is already stressed, underfed, or overworked, intermittent fasting could add fuel to the fire.
Experts like Dr. Cabeca, Dr. Tyna Moore, and Dr. Danielle Lyons agree: women with hormone imbalance, adrenal dysfunction, or thyroid issues must tread carefully with fasting.
Potential problems when fasting without balance:
- Elevated cortisol (stress hormone)
- Irregular cycles or worsened PMS
- Increased cravings or energy crashes
- Slowed metabolism if protein intake is too low
Fast With the Sun: Circadian-Aligned Eating
Instead of jumping into rigid fasting windows, consider a more intuitive approach: eating in alignment with your circadian rhythm.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Eat during daylight hours
- Avoid late-night snacking
- Begin your overnight fast as the sun sets
- Aim for 12–14 hours of fasting overnight, not extreme 16- or 18-hour fasts
This rhythm respects your body’s natural hormone cycles and supports cortisol, insulin, melatonin, and more.
As Dr. Moore and Dr. Lyons emphasize, women do best when fasting supports—not disrupts—their body’s internal clock.
Prioritize Protein Every Time You Eat
If there’s one fasting mistake I see often—it’s women skipping meals and then not eating enough when they do break their fast.
That’s a fast track to hormone chaos.
When you do eat, make it count. Clean, high-quality animal protein is essential. As Dr. Anna Cabeca teaches, protein helps regulate insulin, stabilize blood sugar, build lean muscle, and support neurotransmitter function—all critical for balanced hormones.
Think: grass-fed beef, pasture-raised eggs, wild-caught fish, and organ meats.
These are your hormone-building blocks. Don’t skip them.
Listen to Your Body First, Not the Clock
One of the most important parts of fasting is knowing when not to fast.
Here’s your permission to stop white-knuckling your way through hunger.
Instead, ask:
- Am I truly hungry right now?
- Did I get enough sleep?
- Is my body asking for nourishment—not restriction?
- Am I getting adequate protein, or am I undereating out of habit?
Fasting is not about ignoring your body. It’s about learning your body.
Final Thoughts
Fasting can be a beautiful practice—but only when it supports your healing, not adds more stress to an already overwhelmed system.
Start small.
Align with the sun.
Fuel your body with clean protein.
And above all—listen to what your body is telling you.
If you’re curious about whether fasting is right for you—or how to implement it in a hormone-safe, protein-forward way—I’d love to guide you.
