Preparing your body for an intermittent fast can dramatically improve your results—physically, mentally, and emotionally. In this guide, I explore how to make fasting a truly supportive practice rather than an added stressor to your already busy biology. Whether you lean toward a protein-and-fat strategy or a plant-based, cleansing lead-in.

You’ll also discover how gender plays a role in metabolic responses, why hydration and adaptogenic herbs are non-negotiables, and how choosing the right prep method protects your nervous system and enhances detoxification. This is fasting for real women—with real lives, real bodies, and real goals.

Skipping breakfast can temporarily increase fat burning, but it points to being at a cost.

It seems to be that the most common and practical approach is to skip breakfast and begin eating at around 12 or 1pm and then allowing yourself an eating window up to 8pm.  This is socially acceptable and doable, as we can still join people socially for a black coffee or a clear tea before 12 midday and pretty much go un-noticed.  We can then show up for dinner with the family or socially with friends and often fit this in our homemade protocol.  But is it the healthiest, most beneficial or only way to tackle today’s over-fed issues.

The returns of Intermittent fasting on both myself and those I see in my female clients, has allowed me to observe the complexities and cryptic nature of this tool, specific to the female sex.  I have personally experienced metabolic distress, energetic wakefulness at the wrong times, and a negative jolt to my adrenal system.  Many other women report to me that intermittent fasting causes sleeplessness, anxiety, and irregular periods, among many other symptoms of hormone imbalance, and an unhealthy relationship with food.  But I don’t see these things being mentioned in the blogosphere, ever?