HeyMercedesJax

I don’t know how I ended up “meeting” Dr. Mindy Pelz but I think I ran into her thanks to my YouTube algorithm. I immediately vibed with her, her vision, her concept of feminine fasting and loved how informative she was while still maintaining a sense of relatability (I usually hate this concept but it works here. Maybe I’ll share my views on that during another time lololol). As someone who dips in and out of the holistic world, intermittent fasting isn’t a new concept to me. But I’ve always had my reservations about it, especially when every article or video on the concept has the woman asterisk (*fasting may not work for women… in fact it may be harmful!) Most of the info on OMAD (One Meal A Day), 16:8 or whatever other version of intermittent fasting comes from the perspective of men and focuses on pretty much doing the same fast, every day, in perpetuity. But it’s never truly clear if intermittent fasting is safe for women. Especially during our periods.

That’s where Dr. Mindy comes in with her book Fast Like a Girl. In it, Dr. Mindy outlines (as she does on her YouTube channel and in interviews like this one with Diary of a CEO) the benefits of fasting, the six types of fasting, and the importance of healthy eating. But what really makes the text shine is her 30-day reset where she clearly outlines a potential way to add fasting into your habits by following your menstrual cycle (and how to do it even if you’re post menopausal or have a fluctuating cycle). She outlines the menstrual cycle in 4 key phases:

1. Power Phase 1
2. Manifestation Phase
3. Power Phase 2
4. Nurture Phase

Each phase corresponds to a specific hormone level in your body. Power Phase 1 is when you’re actually bleeding and your body is focused on producing estrogen. Manifestation is when you’re ovulating, and your estrogen and testosterone peaks with a mild surge of progesterone. Power Phase 2 is right after, and is when you experience a large dip in hormonal production. The Nurture Phase is right before your next period starts, where you take things easy, kick back and prepare yourself for the start of your next cycle.

Based on these shifts in phases, you need to fast for either shorter or longer periods and there’s certain types of food you should consume or avoid. Your power phases are when you can handle longer fasting periods whereas during your manifestation and nurture phase you should commit to shorter fasts. Estrogen specific phases require less sugar and a greater focus on keto-style eating while progesterone specific phases can handle more sugar and yummy eats like mangoes and potatoes (not french fries!!). Certain foods can/should be eaten throughout your cycle (like Brussels sprouts and broccoli) and you should always make sure to have at least one of the “Three Ps” (prebiotic, probiotic, polyphenol) in every meal.

This knowledge alone made my book purchase worth it. No mater what diet or lifestyle I’ve tried-and I have tried many– it always felt like something was off. I struggle with truly understanding my dietary needs, my hormones run the show, my weight does whatever she wants, and my skin lives for a petty moment. And though I just finished this book, I feel like this might be a part of, if not all of, the solution to understanding my body better and giving her what she actually needs. Fluctuating between fast lengths and eating in accordance with my hormones just seems like an obvious and natural concept and the guidelines seem easy enough to incorporate into my daily lifestyle. I’m looking to do a few rounds of the 30-day reset, ideally following it through the end of the year to see if this works for me. As with everything I learn and figure out, I will keep you posted!!