Intermittent Fasting: My Thoughts

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I’m usually not a fan of extremes. I’ve been in the fitness industry for 46 years and have heard about way too many plans that claim to be the answer. "Do this and lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks!"

This is especially true when it comes to nutrition. Low fat. Keto. Paleo. Juice cleanses. High protein. And now there’s so much buzz about intermittent fasting.

Before I start sharing my thoughts on whether women over 40 should be doing it, I want to clarify that I don’t know your story. There may be very valid reasons why intermittent fasting is the right choice for you because of a medical condition or under the guidance of your healthcare provider. But I want to share what I’ve learned through interacting with thousands of women over the past four decades.

There are definitely women who absolutely love it and feel great. They’ve lost weight, have less brain fog, their joints feel better, and they’ve experienced other benefits.

Research does show these benefits can be very real for some women. A landmark review published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that time-restricted eating may improve metabolic health, insulin sensitivity, and help some people naturally reduce calorie intake. The authors also noted that much of the research is still evolving, especially when it comes to women, and more long-term studies are needed.

Another review published in Nutrients found that intermittent fasting may improve blood sugar control and support metabolic health, particularly when eating aligns with our body’s natural circadian rhythms.

So yes, there is science behind some aspects of fasting.

What I do, I wouldn’t call "intermittent fasting," but I do try not to eat after dinner and instead give my digestive system an overnight break.

If we finish eating around 7:00 p.m., I probably won’t eat again until breakfast around 7:00 a.m. That gives my body about a 12-hour break without making it feel like I have strict rules to follow. Now hear me—I also love a popcorn and movie night and feel absolutely no guilt when I have some popcorn! (I have a popcorn maker that uses avocado oil, organic white popcorn, and just a little salt. Click here to see the popcorn maker I love.)

There are benefits to avoiding late-night eating. One of the biggest is that the food we eat after dinner usually isn’t our healthiest food. So by avoiding late-night snacking, we naturally eliminate many of those less healthy choices. Eating late at night can also contribute to acid reflux and disrupted sleep.

Unfortunately, I think so many women struggle in their relationship with food. Some think of food as the enemy, while others think of it as their best friend and comforter. When we put too many strict rules in place around our eating, we may actually be setting ourselves up for failure.

An all-or-nothing mindset around food does not lead to peace and freedom. More rules and restrictions mean more opportunities to "fail." And when we feel like we've failed, we open the door for shame to start whispering lies.

If we eat at 10:00 a.m. when we weren’t "supposed" to eat until 11:00 a.m., we can begin to believe things like:

• You always mess up.
• You never stick with the plan.
• You’ll never change.
• Why even try anymore?

That feeling of "failure" can also lead us to the "I’ll start again Monday" attitude. So for now, we just eat whatever we want.

Can we just agree that this isn’t freedom?

I’m not saying everyone who practices intermittent fasting lives this way. But again, from my experience, any eating plan with too many restrictions can make it harder to develop a healthy relationship with food.

One of the things I love most is sitting around a table with family or friends. I enjoy great-tasting food, but I enjoy the conversation that happens over a meal even more.

When I look at the way Jesus lived, He was often sharing a meal with people. There are so many stories of Jesus spending time around a table. In the early church, the truth of Jesus was often shared in homes as people gathered together over a meal.

I don’t think God would ever want us to be more concerned about the clock than about the people sitting across the table.

Instead of focusing so much on when you eat, I’d encourage you to put most of your energy into what you eat.

• Eat enough protein.
• Fill your plate with colorful vegetables.
• Choose healthy fats.
• Eat foods that nourish your body.
• Avoid mindless late-night snacking.
• Give your digestive system a break overnight whenever you can.

That’s the kind of healthy eating plan that I believe will serve you well for the rest of your life.

I love the words of Jesus in John 10:10: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

To me, healthy living has always been about living that full life. Taking care of the body God gave us, enjoying the people He has placed in our lives, and creating habits we can actually sustain. If an eating plan helps you do that, wonderful. If it leaves you feeling stressed, guilty, or trapped by rules, it may be time to step back and remember that true health is about moderation—not perfectionism or strict rules.

I’ve shared this before, but my basic food philosophy is simple: I eat really healthy about 80% of the time and only kind of healthy the other 20%. This has served me well all these years. I’ve never felt like I failed, and I’ve never felt deprived. Instead, I’ve experienced freedom and joy in my relationship with food.