Last week we talked about intermittent fasting and whether it actually leads to more weight loss.

Short version: the research suggests it’s not better than simply improving diet quality or reducing calories.

But there’s another layer to the fasting conversation that rarely gets discussed - how fasting affects women specifically.

And this is where things start to get more interesting!

One important point before we dive in: much of the fasting research has been done in populations who are overweight or obese and trying to lose weight. In those situations, calorie restriction is part of the goal.

But many of the women I work with are in a different category - they exercise regularly, are at a healthy weight (or just want to lose a bit of weight), and are trying to support energy, metabolism, hormones, and long-term health.

In those situations, the conversation around fasting can look VERY different.

Women are not small men

A large portion of nutrition and exercise research has historically been done on men. When women were included, results were often grouped together instead of analyzed separately.

The problem is that female physiology responds differently to energy restriction.

Women’s bodies are designed to be more sensitive to low energy availability. From a biological perspective, this makes sense - reproduction requires sufficient energy and nutrients, so the body is more protective when it perceives scarcity.

When energy intake drops too low (or meals are delayed for long periods), we see several changes:

• cortisol can increase
• thyroid signaling can slow
• reproductive hormones can downregulate
• metabolic rate can adapt to conserve energy

Researchers often refer to this as low energy availability, and it has been studied extensively in athletes. When energy intake consistently falls short of what the body needs, hormonal and metabolic adaptations occur to protect survival.

Why morning fasting can be particularly detrimental

One of the most common fasting patterns is skipping breakfast and pushing the first meal later into the day.

This is the most convenient method in our culture (skip breakfast but still eat dinner with family), but from a physiological perspective, this is not always the easiest strategy for the female body.

Here’s why:

Cortisol - our primary stress hormone - naturally peaks in the morning as part of the circadian rhythm. This rise helps mobilize energy and wake the body up for the day.

When food intake is delayed for many hours after waking, especially if exercise is added on top of that, the body can interpret the situation as a stress signal rather than a metabolic advantage.

In some cases this can contribute to:

• blood sugar swings
• increased fatigue later in the day
• difficulty recovering from workouts
• stalled weight loss despite calorie restriction

Some women also notice that fasting longer in the morning makes them more likely to overeat later in the day.

​Here’s a great short video why exercising without eating first is so stressful to the body.​

Who tends to to notice this the most

These effects are not universal, but certain groups of women tend to be more sensitive to longer fasting windows.

This often includes:

• women over 35-40
• women in perimenopause or menopause
• women who exercise regularly (especially endurance or high-intensity training)
• women who are already under a fair amount of stress (um, isn’t this everyone?!)

This is why I often see issues with fasting show up in very health-conscious women - the ones who are exercising regularly, trying to eat well, and doing many things “right.” (and, are also high-achievers, Type-A, juggling 10 million things, and wanting the perfect body)

When fasting is layered on top of training, busy schedules, and sleep disruption, the body may perceive the overall situation as more stress than benefit.

What works better for many women

For many women, metabolic health is supported better by consistent fueling rather than prolonged fasting.

This doesn’t mean eating constantly throughout the day. But it often means:

• eating within about 30-60 minutes of waking
• prioritizing protein at meals
• fueling around workouts rather than training fasted
• keeping overnight fasting windows closer to ~12 hours instead of 16–18 hours

These strategies tend to support blood sugar stability, recovery from exercise and hormonal signaling.

The big picture

The internet LOVES simple rules like “don’t eat for 16 hours.”

But metabolism - especially female metabolism - isn’t that simple.

For women who are exercising regularly and trying to support energy, hormones, and metabolic health, the foundations tend to matter far more than the timing of meals.

Things like:

• adequate calories
• sufficient protein
• strength training
• good sleep
• stress management

Those factors usually have a much larger impact than whether someone eats breakfast or pushes their first meal later in the day.

TL;DR

Intermittent fasting can absolutely work for some people. But it’s not a universal strategy, and it’s not the only path to metabolic health.

If fasting makes you feel energized, stable, and strong, that’s useful information.

But if skipping breakfast leaves you feeling exhausted, shaky, or ravenous by mid-afternoon… that’s important to pay attention to.

Your body tends to give pretty good feedback when we listen to it.

In health,

-Daina

P.S. If you’re local to New Mexico, I’ll be speaking at a One-Day Holistic Wellness Retreat at Chelenzo Farms on Saturday, April 11. The day includes movement, learning, and time in nature - with sessions like Tai Chi, wellness talks, and community meals on a beautiful regenerative farm in the high desert. If you want a day to unplug and learn more about holistic health, I hope you join!

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