FAST LIKE A GIRL. BY DR. MINDY PELZ
In a quick summary of my review, I LOVE this book.
Fast Like a Girl is a fun, informative read about such an important topic. Dr. Mindy lays out great charts and visuals on how and when to fast as well as how often and how to break your fast in the most supportive way. There are 6 different fasts that you can try. I think trying all the fast out at different times and for different reasons can really fast track your health and wellness goals. Maybe even working your way into the ultimate fast which is a 3-to-5-day water fast. Before you freak out, I can attest that water fasting is an incredibly empowering gift. One of the greatest gifts you can give your body and your future health. The first one is always the hardest, but with proper planning you can make it your reality.
Fasting for men is easier and there have been many great books on the subject, such as Dave Asprey’s Fast This Way. But for women, fasting is much more complex and if done incorrectly, can lead to everything from hair loss to brain fog and weight gain.
Use this thought as your guide: metabolic flexibility…
I interpret it as not doing the same thing over and over but varying and changing things up (eat a variety of foods, change your eating time at least twice a week) Example 5 days of eating in a 6-to-8-hour window and 2 days of grazing eating in a 10-to -12 hour window in a given a week.
Besides weight loss, consider the other following conditions that fasting can help with: Infertility, Thyroid, Chronic Fatigue, Type 2 Diabetes, Autoimmune: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Hashimoto’s, and PCOS. For brain Health: Memory loss, Depression, Anxiety, Adrenal Fatigue, and Immune system.
Let’s be clear on one thing: everyone should be eating in a 12-to-13-hour window every day at a minimum. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most people. Simply eating in this timeframe could help you drop weight and is fairly painless. The second easy step is to not consume any calories within 3 hours of bedtime. Okay, maybe not so easy if you like a glass of wine before bed.
Where most women fail at fasting is by not timing their fasting with their cycle and fasting for too many days in a row, even if you are not cycling. If you still have a cycle, fasting is the most powerful and beneficial the first 10 days of your cycle. In Fast Like a Girl, this what Dr. Mindy calls your Power Phase where you can fast and workout and really push your body. Day one being the first day of your period. Days 11 to 15 in your cycle are your Manifestation Phase, and you shouldn’t fast during this time because you are ovulating and your hormones can’t handle it. Day 16 to 19 you can fast again and hit the gym. Day 20 to the time you cycle (the start your period) is your Nurture phase so no fasting and gentle exercise (Yoga, Walking). MOST IMPORTANTLY: lower your stress during this time. This is the perfect time to meditate and keep your cortisol low.
Fasting can have some unwanted side effects, including detox symptoms. Dr. Mindy addresses the importance of making sure your drainage pathways are open, which means make sure your Lymph is flowing and moving. She also addresses the importance of prebiotic and keto biotic foods as well as hormone feasting foods. Eating foods that support your cycle can really improve your results. For example, progesterone building foods are important to consume during day 11-15 and 20-30 such as root vegetables: potatoes, beets, pumpkin and squash.
As with all things, community and support are important. If this review resonated with you and would like to learn more about fasting or want to get in on the Fast Like a Girl book club where we will plan a water fast as a group, please reach out to me at Priscilla@harmonicalignment.co
Fasting is a powerful and fun way to take control of your health and weight loss goals.
Happy Fasting!!
You can check out Dr. Mindy’s website, Instagram, and YouTube videos as well as her book Fast Like a Girl. She even has an app that can help you check in where you are at in your cycle and plan meals and activities accordingly.