A Season of Renewal

Spring is a season of renewal—nature shakes off the heaviness of winter, and everything begins to bloom. But what about your body? After months of colder weather, heavier meals, and perhaps less movement, you might feel sluggish, bloated, or out of sync.

If you’re looking for a way to refresh your body and metabolism, fasting for energy and hormones can be your ultimate ‘spring cleaning’ tool. Like spring cleaning for your home, fasting helps your body clear out damaged cells, restore energy, and balance hormones naturally.

In this post, we’ll cover:

• Why fasting is a powerful tool for hormone balance and metabolism
• How to align fasting with your body’s rhythms
• 3 fasting options for women in menopause
• 4 steps to get started

Fasting for Energy and Hormones: Why It Matters

Women’s bodies respond differently to fasting than men’s because hormones play a key role in energy, metabolism, and overall well-being. Unlike men, who operate on a 24-hour hormonal cycle, women’s bodies follow longer, cyclical hormone patterns that shift throughout the month and across life stages like perimenopause and menopause.

This means fasting for energy and hormones should be done in a way that supports, rather than disrupts, natural rhythms.

Why Women Need to Fast Differently

Women experience fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol, which influence metabolism, appetite, and energy levels in the following ways:

• Estrogen supports insulin sensitivity, making it easier to burn fat and feel energized. During the right phases of the cycle, fasting for energy and hormones can enhance metabolism and boost mental clarity.
• Progesterone prefers stability—excessive fasting or stress can lead to poor sleep, anxiety, or low energy.
• Fasting raises cortisol temporarily, which may become a problem if done too frequently or in high-stress periods.

This is why women thrive on a fasting approach that aligns with their natural hormonal rhythms rather than following rigid, one-size-fits-all fasting plans.

The Fasting Cycle: Aligning Fasting with Your Body’s Natural Rhythms

Dr. Mindy Pelz’s Fasting Cycle breaks fasting into four phases, allowing women to work with their hormones rather than against them. 

Two Power Phases (Days 1–10 and Days 16–19)

• Estrogen is rising, making the body metabolically flexible and insulin sensitive. Many women feel mentally sharp and energetic during this time
• Ideal for longer fasts (16-24 hours and beyond) and keto-style eating to enhance autophagy and fat burning

Manifestation Phase (Days 11–15)

• Estrogen and testosterone peak, boosting energy, confidence, and libido
• Best time to focus on nutrient-dense, hormone-supportive foods and shorter fasting windows.

Nurture Phase (Days 20 to bleed)

• Progesterone needs stability and higher glucose levels to function properly
• Prioritize nourishment and reduce fasting stress 
• Ideal time for gentle movement, hormone-supportive foods, and 12-14 hour fasts at most. 

For a deeper dive into the Fasting Cycle, Dr. Mindy Pelz explains this approach in detail in her books, Fast Like a Girl and Eat Like a Girl.

How Fasting Supports Women’s Hormones in Menopause

For women in perimenopause and postmenopause, fasting can be a powerful tool for metabolic flexibility, but it’s important to cycle fasting strategically to prevent hormone imbalances and metabolic slowdowns.

Benefits of Fasting in Menopause:

• Reduces insulin resistance, helping with stubborn weight gain and metabolic slowdowns.
• Lowers inflammation, supporting joint health and reducing brain fog.
• Regulates cortisol, helping manage stress and improve sleep.
• Increases ketone production, supporting brain health and reducing cravings. Ketosis helps stabilize blood sugar, improve focus, and provide an alternative fuel source for energy.
• Enhances mitochondrial function, boosting energy and mental clarity.

One of the key ways fasting helps during menopause is by training the body to switch between burning glucose and fat for fuel—a process known as metabolic switching. This flexibility supports hormone balance, brain health, and long-term metabolic function.

3 Fasting Options for Women in Menopause

Let’s explore three effective fasting cycles that help menopausal women improve metabolic health and support hormone balance.

1. Weekly Switching

This approach varies fasting lengths throughout the week. Common protocols:

• 5-1-1 Method – Five days intermittent fasting (13-15 hours), one day longer fasting (17+ hours), one day no fasting with a hormone feasting diet.
• 4-2-1 Method – Four days intermittent fasting (13-15 hours), two days gut-reset fasting (24 hours), one day no fasting.

2. Monthly Switching with the 30-Day Fasting Reset

This approach cycles fasting windows based on hormonal needs and includes intermittent fasting, autophagy fasting, and hormone feasting days.

3. Monthly Switching with the Moon Cycle

This method syncs fasting with the lunar cycle, adjusting fasting lengths based on moon phases to align with natural circadian and hormonal rhythms. 

4 Steps to Get Started with a Fasting Spring Reset

The key is to start simple, listen to your body, and build up gradually. 

Step 1: Start with a 12- to 13-Hour Fast

If you’re new to fasting, start small by fasting overnight for 12 to 13 hours. This allows your body to adjust to fasting naturally without feeling deprived.

• Example: Finish dinner by 7 PM and eat breakfast around 7-8 AM.
• Benefit: Supports digestion, improves metabolic flexibility, and gives your body time to rest and repair.
• Try this for a few days to a week before extending your fasting window.

Step 2: Gradually Increase Your Fasting Window

Once your body is used to 12- to 13-hour fasts, extend your fasting window to 15-16 hours to enhance fat-burning and cellular repair.

• Example: Eat dinner by 7 PM and break your fast at 11 AM the next day.
• Benefit: This is the sweet spot for autophagy, where your body clears out damaged cells and starts burning stored fat for energy.
• Listen to your body: If you feel great, stay here. If you want to go deeper, you can explore longer fasts.

Step 3: Balance Fasting with Proper Nourishment

• Focus on protein with leucine (eggs, chicken, wild-caught fish) to support metabolism and muscle health.
• Include healthy fats (avocados, nuts, olive oil) to stabilize blood sugar and support hormone production.
• Eat fiber-rich vegetables (leafy greens, cruciferous veggies) to nourish gut health and aid digestion.
• Break your fast with whole, nutrient-dense foods to maintain steady energy and avoid post-fast crashes.

What you eat during your eating window is just as important as your fasting schedule. Fasting for energy and hormones works best when paired with nutrient-dense meals.

Step 4: Experiment with Fasting Variations

Once you’re comfortable with intermittent fasting, you can explore different fasting lengths based on your body’s needs and lifestyle.

• 24-hour fast (once or twice a week) – Helps with deep cellular repair and metabolic reset.
• Cycle-based fasting – Adjust fasting based on your hormonal phases to optimize energy and avoid stress on the body.
• Longer fasts (36+ hours) – These are advanced strategies that can be used occasionally for deep healing and immune benefits.

Your Spring Reset Starts Now

Fasting is more than just skipping meals—it’s a powerful way to reset your body, boost energy, and balance hormones naturally. By aligning fasting with your body’s rhythms and supporting detox pathways, you can make fasting a sustainable, life-enhancing practice.

As you move into spring, think of this as your opportunity to clear out what no longer serves you—inside and out. Whether you’re just starting with 12-hour intermittent fasting or exploring longer fasts for deeper healing, the key is to listen to your body and make fasting work for you.

Want to make sure you’re fasting in a way that supports your energy and hormone balance?

I know that fasting isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why I offer a free mini 1:1 session to help you personalize a fasting plan that aligns with your body, hormones, and lifestyle.

• Get clarity on your fasting goals
• Find the right fasting window for your body
• Learn how to support fasting with the right foods and habits

Book your FREE session today!

The content provided in this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this post.