Women, Fasting, and Midlife: Why Fasting Backfires
Share
When I posted about not fasting, my DMs lit up: “My husband dropped weight fasting. I tried the same… nothing. Why?”
Same here. Fasting worked for me in my mid-30s—for a minute. As peri-menopause rolled in, it stopped. Here’s why that’s common and what to do instead.
First...
You’re not broken.
You’re not “undisciplined.”
You’re just not a small man.
Men thrive on fasting? Sometimes. Women in midlife? Often… not.
Female physiology isn’t a copy-paste. As Dr. Stacy Sims explains in a quick video, skipping breakfast can amplify morning cortisol, leave you flat in training, and boomerang into late-day cravings, especially in peri/post-menopause.
Her takeaway: women aren’t small men; fuel earlier with a protein-anchored breakfast, and if you time-restrict, lean into earlier, daylight-aligned windows rather than “skip-till-noon.” Check out her short video explaining it all HERE.
Signs fasting isn’t serving you
Wired-tired mornings, afternoon crashes, or night-time snacking blowouts
Moody, anxious, flat after workouts (or skipping them because you feel awful)
Sleep going sideways, cycle irregularities (if applicable), plateau despite “being good”
What to do instead (simple + doable)
1) Start with a 30-minute “protein primer”. Within 30 minutes of waking, have a small, protein-forward bite to work with your natural a.m. cortisol and set the tone for steady energy. If you’re not hungry, keep it tiny:
A warm Creamer+ steamer (milk + 1/4 cup Protein Collagen Creamer+)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt with a tbsp HelloAmino Icing Mix whisked in.
Protein latte/tea by adding 1/4 cup Creamer+ to your coffee or tea.
2) Eat breakfast (protein-anchored).
After training follow up with a proper breakfast. 30–35g protein.
Think HelloAmino Pancakes, two slices of HelloAmino Banana Bread, 4 scrambled eggs mixed with 1/4 cup cottage cheese, or overnight oats.
3) Front-load your day.
Think 12:12-ish rhythm most days (finish dinner earlier, eat breakfast)—versus “noon first meal” rules. Some women do fine with gentle, circadian-friendly time-restricted eating; the classic “skip breakfast till noon” often works against midlife physiology. Here's an excellent video explaining the difference between time restricted eating and fasting.
4) Fuel your training.
Walks fasted? Maybe. Strength? Eat first. You’ll lift better, recover faster, and feel human afterwards.
The mindset shift
Fasting isn’t “bad.” It’s just not a universal fix—especially for women in midlife. When I stopped forcing a plan that fought my body, progress came back, and I felt good again.
xo Aelie
This is education, not medical advice. If you have health conditions or a history with disordered eating, please talk to your provider.
