Fast Like a Girl summary

Let’s review the biology of a woman’s hormonal cycle before jumping into how it interacts with fasting. A cycle is measured between menstrual periods; it starts on day one of bleeding and ends when the next period begins. On average, this takes 28 days – but it’s normal for a cycle to be a bit longer or shorter.

Estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone are low on day one of the cycle, when bleeding begins. As the uterus sheds its lining, the body slowly builds up its estrogen stores to prepare for a new round of ovulation. This causes the uterine lining to grow and thicken.

A fast is a fast is a fast, right? Well, not quite. In fact, Pelz covers six different lengths of fasting. Intermittent fasting refers to fasts that last from 12 to 16 hours a day. Autophagy fasting – when your cells start healing themselves – begins once you hit 17 hours of fasting. A gut reset is a 24-hour fast. A fat-burner fast is 36 hours, and a dopamine-reset fast lasts 48 hours. And finally, a fast that’s 72 hours or longer resets your immune system.

That’s right, 72 hours – three straight days of fasting! If it seems impossible, that’s OK – it’s highly inadvisable to jump right into such an intense fast without any preparation or practice. If you wanted to start running, you wouldn’t immediately do a marathon, would you? Of course not. It’s the same for fasting – you should begin slowly and build strength and ability over time.

So far in this Blink, we’ve explored why and how fasting can help you unlock your body’s natural power. We’ve outlined a general fasting schedule according to your cycle. And we’ve summarized the 30-day reset. Now let’s take a closer look at an important detail of fasting – the food you pair it with.

There are two different ways of eating while you fast: a ketobiotic diet and hormone feasting. 

Fasting isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan – but it can fit any lifestyle. Ultimately, understanding how fasting affects your body and interacts with your hormone levels gives you a springboard for tailoring a schedule and food plan that works for you.

As you begin fasting, remember to talk with your primary physician and listen to your body. Everyone is unique, so something that works for your best friend might not work for you. That’s totally OK! Be open to experimenting, and be gentle with yourself. If you’ve got a big vacation planned, maybe don’t start your 30-day reset that month. Or, if you enjoy a wonderful holiday meal with your family, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back into your fasting lifestyle the next day. Remember: it might take some time, but you will see results. After all, our bodies are built for this!