What do you think?
Rate this book
Fast Like a Girl: A Woman's Guide to Using the Healing Power of Fasting to Burn Fat, Boost Energy,and Balance Hormones
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!
WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER!
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY BESTSELLER!
Includes a 30-Day fasting reset that uses the power of your cycle—even if you no longer have one!
A go-to fasting manual created specifically to address women's needs based on their hormones and menstrual cycle by Dr. Mindy Pelz, a well-known expert on women and fasting, whose fast-growing YouTube channel has become the destination for women who want to learn about fasting.
Are you among the many women who feel unheard and unseen by their doctors and health professionals? Have you become exhausted by the promise of quick-fix diets that only leave you disappointed? Well in Fast Like a Girl, Dr. Mindy helps you to take back control of your health by using the quickest path back to better health—fasting.
While most fasting advice has been a one-size-fits-all approach that leaves women with more questions than answers, in this book Dr. Mindy shares the proven strategies, specific protocols to use if you are trying to overcome a condition, fasting hacks, and tools that she has used to help hundreds of thousands of women thrive with their fasting lifestyles.
Dr. Mindy will teach
the rights steps on how to go from eating all day to intermittent fasting (13-15 hours)how to safely fast longer if you choose to do so (15-72 hours)how to time fasting according to your menstrual cycle (although if you don’t have a cycle, she has you covered)the best foods to break your fast to achieve better metabolic health
This book also includes more than 50 recipes based on the two food plans—ketobiotic and hormone feasting—she created to best support women’s hormones. And, it has recipes specifically created to break a fast such as her Coconut Cacao Chia Pudding.
Inspired by the thousands of women she has worked with who have reclaimed their health with fasting, Dr. Mindy wrote this book because, “once a woman knows how to build a fasting lifestyle around her cycle, she becomes unstoppable.”
WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER!
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY BESTSELLER!
Includes a 30-Day fasting reset that uses the power of your cycle—even if you no longer have one!
A go-to fasting manual created specifically to address women's needs based on their hormones and menstrual cycle by Dr. Mindy Pelz, a well-known expert on women and fasting, whose fast-growing YouTube channel has become the destination for women who want to learn about fasting.
Are you among the many women who feel unheard and unseen by their doctors and health professionals? Have you become exhausted by the promise of quick-fix diets that only leave you disappointed? Well in Fast Like a Girl, Dr. Mindy helps you to take back control of your health by using the quickest path back to better health—fasting.
While most fasting advice has been a one-size-fits-all approach that leaves women with more questions than answers, in this book Dr. Mindy shares the proven strategies, specific protocols to use if you are trying to overcome a condition, fasting hacks, and tools that she has used to help hundreds of thousands of women thrive with their fasting lifestyles.
Dr. Mindy will teach
the rights steps on how to go from eating all day to intermittent fasting (13-15 hours)how to safely fast longer if you choose to do so (15-72 hours)how to time fasting according to your menstrual cycle (although if you don’t have a cycle, she has you covered)the best foods to break your fast to achieve better metabolic health
This book also includes more than 50 recipes based on the two food plans—ketobiotic and hormone feasting—she created to best support women’s hormones. And, it has recipes specifically created to break a fast such as her Coconut Cacao Chia Pudding.
Inspired by the thousands of women she has worked with who have reclaimed their health with fasting, Dr. Mindy wrote this book because, “once a woman knows how to build a fasting lifestyle around her cycle, she becomes unstoppable.”
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 27, 2022
10078 people are currently reading
19407 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,580 reviews
December 15, 2023
I started following dr.Mindy on Instagram 4 months ago. She popped up on my feed in my perpetual quest on perimenopause and hormonal imbalances. Yep, that’s right folks. That’s me, here, now. Fun! Not so much.
I’m fascinated with the concept of fasting and the healing aspects as well as the muscle building properties of the food we eat and when we eat them as we age.
She is compelling, charismatic and a strong voice on a taboo subject that has widely been ignored. I think her messaging is on target: avoid toxic ingredients (read labels); sugar bad; complex carbs bad; fruit and vegetables good; protein animal and/or plant good; good and bad fat; good and bad oils. Fasting with your hormonal cycle and putting your body into ketosis where the real healing begins.
Is fasting the holy grail of weight loss and healing? It makes sense and has been around for many years- this isn’t the first book to explore this. But I don’t think it’s a complete program. Although she does goes deeper and considers insulin levels, monthly cycles and hormones. Since I started following her, I do a 13 hour window fast daily. Rather than weight loss however, my focus is on functionality as I age and cleaning up my internal carburetor.
What throws me off is the “Dr” title. It’s misleading. She is not a physician but a chiropractor. LeAnn Rimes does the intro which doesn’t add credibility to the subject matter. This, however, could just be a me problem. Overall, she does disseminate info in a powerful and impactful voice and although she isn’t a leading medical doctor/scientist/biologist on the subject matter, I think her value here is as an advocate for women trying to lose weight at different times in their lives.
3.5⭐️
For those interested, in longevity I also highly recommend Andrew Huberman, Scientist hubermanlab; Gary Breker, Biologist @ultimatehumanpod; KarenMartelHormones, Hormonal Specialist; Netflix series The Blue Zones w Dan Buettner.
The more info we are equipped with the better choices we can make to live our best and healthiest lives.
I’m fascinated with the concept of fasting and the healing aspects as well as the muscle building properties of the food we eat and when we eat them as we age.
She is compelling, charismatic and a strong voice on a taboo subject that has widely been ignored. I think her messaging is on target: avoid toxic ingredients (read labels); sugar bad; complex carbs bad; fruit and vegetables good; protein animal and/or plant good; good and bad fat; good and bad oils. Fasting with your hormonal cycle and putting your body into ketosis where the real healing begins.
Is fasting the holy grail of weight loss and healing? It makes sense and has been around for many years- this isn’t the first book to explore this. But I don’t think it’s a complete program. Although she does goes deeper and considers insulin levels, monthly cycles and hormones. Since I started following her, I do a 13 hour window fast daily. Rather than weight loss however, my focus is on functionality as I age and cleaning up my internal carburetor.
What throws me off is the “Dr” title. It’s misleading. She is not a physician but a chiropractor. LeAnn Rimes does the intro which doesn’t add credibility to the subject matter. This, however, could just be a me problem. Overall, she does disseminate info in a powerful and impactful voice and although she isn’t a leading medical doctor/scientist/biologist on the subject matter, I think her value here is as an advocate for women trying to lose weight at different times in their lives.
3.5⭐️
For those interested, in longevity I also highly recommend Andrew Huberman, Scientist hubermanlab; Gary Breker, Biologist @ultimatehumanpod; KarenMartelHormones, Hormonal Specialist; Netflix series The Blue Zones w Dan Buettner.
The more info we are equipped with the better choices we can make to live our best and healthiest lives.
April 14, 2023
If there’s two things I hate more than anything else in health/wellbeing books, it’s delivered truths and sentences that start with “The research shows that…” without adequate citation – and this book is chock full of both. Not only that, but they’re accompanied by complex, nuanced scientific concepts that have been watered down to the point that they lose all meaning. Fast because it’ll “make your cells stronger! Make your mitochondria more efficient! Increase the resilience of your body!” What? What does this even mean? Vague, unhelpful, not compelling. Which is a shame, because the science behind fasting really *is* compelling. But I understand that this book is for a non-specialist audience, so if you know absolutely nothing about fasting, nutrition or metabolic health, this book is probably ground-breaking – so kudos to Dr. Mindy for spreading the message in a way that’s accessible. And particularly because she makes fasting doable for women, 50% of the population for whom the current fasting paradigm really does not work. But more irksomeness, is the overreliance on contrived anecdotes. Again, studies where N=1 are not compelling (but it’s encouraging to think that if Sharon, or Bridget, or whoever can do it, so can I!). And the repetition, good lord, the repetition. We tread the same ground regarding “metabolic switching”, “fat-burner mode”, etc etc, to the point of nausea, probably to pad out the page count and justify the book format when in reality all of the useful stuff could be condensed into a decent-length blog. Not to mention 1/3 of the book is pointless recipes (why ruin a perfectly good avocado by scooping out the entrails, wrapping it in bacon and frying it? Sacrilege!). All in all, I did learn a lot and will be applying the principles Dr. Mindy recommends in my own life, where they work for me – but I do recommend skipping the book and just getting the info from a podcast or YouTube video instead. There is not enough in this book to justify 300 odd pages and Dr. Mindy is a great orator anyway, probably better to hear her speak about it.
December 29, 2022
I’ve been watching Mindy’s videos for years and I still learned a great deal from this book. I read it slowly, taking 15 pages of notes, to increase my comprehension and to use as a reference throughout the month as I complete a 30 Day Reset. I’m an experienced faster but didn’t realize I need to adjust my fast lengths with my cycle. I’ve been inadvertently taxing my hormone cycle. It’s also helpful to understand when to eat low carb/high fat vs more carbs during my cycle to support hormones. I was able to write out a fasting and eating plan for an entire cycle for the Reset. I’m looking forward to continuing to heal from long COVID through fasting AND balance my hormones for optimal health. Long COVID has dominated my life for almost 3 years. It’s put me on a quest to better understand my body and master the ability to heal myself. I’m already off almost all the meds I’ve been on. Fasting has healed the asthma long COVID gave me and I’m seeing improvement in the cardiac issues. Part of that is supporting my hormone cycle. I’m so excited to surpass my pre-COVID baseline to be healthier than ever.
June 12, 2023
About half way through this book the author started talking about using weekly coffee enemas, sleeping with castor oil packs over your liver, red light therapy and having your breast implants removed - if fasting wasn’t working for you.
It was enough to convince me that Gin Stephen’s book is a far far better option if you want to learn about (science based) fasting.
It was enough to convince me that Gin Stephen’s book is a far far better option if you want to learn about (science based) fasting.
October 19, 2023
Utter nonsense. I am pursuing a PhD focusing on nutrition and chronic pain, and couldn't even get through the first 30 pages without wanting to throw the whole book away. I would not consider anything she says as factual, as she clearly doesn't understand basic nutrition (significant portions of glycogen are not stored in your fat cells, as she suggests).
June 6, 2023
Bold claims, few citations, and a whole lot of bad and even dangerous advice. I’d suggest Dr. Greger’s How Not to Diet for a science-based approach instead of whatever this book was.
February 21, 2025
Main idea:
"Thrifty gene" allowed our ancestors adapt to natural cycles of famine and feasting. Today we override our genetic disposition by eating all day long which leads to health complications like diabetes and obesity.
Fasting is a metabolic switch from burning glucose to burning fat (ketosis) that gives us a host of benefits such as cellular healing (autophagy), fat/weight loss, immune system repair, improved stomach microbiome, and more.
Who is the book for:
Anybody who wants to be healthier, to learn about benefits of fasting and to try it in an easy way. I borrowed this book from my wife and not only did it teach me about fasting but also about hormonal changes women go through during their period.
What I've learned:
We have 2 systems for fuel: sugar and fat.
Sugar (carbs converted into glucose for energy) raises our blood sugar that cells use as fuel. The problem is that our blood sugar is high 24/7 because of how often and what we eat which leads to insulin resistance -> obesity and diabetes. We were not designed to gorge on carbs all day long, every day. Carbs burn fast and are like paper in a fire.
Ketogenic or fat-burning system switches on only 8 hours after the last meal. Fat gives us consistent energy like logs in a fire with their long, slow burn.
Metabolic switching is switching from using glucose to ketones for energy. Ketones are organic compounds your liver makes when your blood sugar drops as it switches to burning fat. Presence of ketones in blood indicate fat-burning. Energy and mental clarity increase, hunger decreases. It’s the opposite of dieting.
We are designed to go through the periods of famine and feasting.
Famine (>8 hours without food) switches our energy into ketogenic, fat-burning cycle which gives us clarity of mind, calm and energy that were important to hunt the next meal. If our ancestors got weak and tired when there was no food around...well, we wouldn't be around. Nature optimized for periods when food was scarce and that's what we need to create today with fasting.
Famine — hunting — feasting — mTOR cellular process that allowed brains and muscles to strengthen
mTOR integrates signals between food (nutrient availability) and cell growth. If food available, then grow. If no food is available then stop growing.
The problem is that by eating all the time we activate mTOR too much which shortens the lifespan of cells and accelerates aging. Too much mTOR ages cells quickly while a little bit is beneficial. Famine followed by feasting, not feasting 24/7.
I'll describe just 1 healing process that starts with fasting: autophagy or “self-eating”
When blood sugar drops the cells make themselves stronger from the inside by:
*Detoxing malfunctioning part out of cells
*Repairing and removing old, worn-out particles
*Removing diseased cells packed with toxins that may turn into cancer cells ("apoptosis")
*Repairing mitochondria or mitophagy
It's amazing that once we stop eating (after just 17 hours) the cells literally rebuilt and heal themselves and we don't need to do anything for it.
There is a lot more in the book. It teaches you the benefits of fasting in general, different types of fasting by duration and their individual benefits (Intermittent fasting: 12-16 hours, Gut reset: 24+ hours, Fat burner: 36+ hours), what foods to break the fast with and, of course, fasting for women and how to optimize different fasts with different hormonal stages they go through every month.
It is well-written book, not overloaded with medical terms. I recommend it to anybody who has any interest in fasting and health.
My critique:
The only point I wish it had addressed was caffeine.
The book talked how in one of the hormonal stages stress and rising cortisol caused progesterone to plummet, which leads to complications such as missed cycles, irritability and troubles with sleep.
Stress from work or family is difficult to manage but I kept thinking about another stressor which is more manageable: caffeine. It causes a release of both adrenaline and noradrenaline leading to a "fight-or-flight" response which lowers the level of hormone DHEA since they are both produced in the adrenals and have an inverse relationship. Lower DHEA leads to lower progesterone which leads to the complications I mentioned above.
Maybe advising women to reduce the amount of caffeine they drink during this important progesterone-production stage would help them to not have missed cycles and troubles with sleep. I've sent my suggestions to the author.
See my visual notes of the main ideas here (download and enlarge pdf for reading)
Benefits of fasting
Types of fasts by duration and benefits
Thanks for reading!
"Thrifty gene" allowed our ancestors adapt to natural cycles of famine and feasting. Today we override our genetic disposition by eating all day long which leads to health complications like diabetes and obesity.
Fasting is a metabolic switch from burning glucose to burning fat (ketosis) that gives us a host of benefits such as cellular healing (autophagy), fat/weight loss, immune system repair, improved stomach microbiome, and more.
Who is the book for:
Anybody who wants to be healthier, to learn about benefits of fasting and to try it in an easy way. I borrowed this book from my wife and not only did it teach me about fasting but also about hormonal changes women go through during their period.
What I've learned:
We have 2 systems for fuel: sugar and fat.
Sugar (carbs converted into glucose for energy) raises our blood sugar that cells use as fuel. The problem is that our blood sugar is high 24/7 because of how often and what we eat which leads to insulin resistance -> obesity and diabetes. We were not designed to gorge on carbs all day long, every day. Carbs burn fast and are like paper in a fire.
Ketogenic or fat-burning system switches on only 8 hours after the last meal. Fat gives us consistent energy like logs in a fire with their long, slow burn.
Metabolic switching is switching from using glucose to ketones for energy. Ketones are organic compounds your liver makes when your blood sugar drops as it switches to burning fat. Presence of ketones in blood indicate fat-burning. Energy and mental clarity increase, hunger decreases. It’s the opposite of dieting.
We are designed to go through the periods of famine and feasting.
Famine (>8 hours without food) switches our energy into ketogenic, fat-burning cycle which gives us clarity of mind, calm and energy that were important to hunt the next meal. If our ancestors got weak and tired when there was no food around...well, we wouldn't be around. Nature optimized for periods when food was scarce and that's what we need to create today with fasting.
Famine — hunting — feasting — mTOR cellular process that allowed brains and muscles to strengthen
mTOR integrates signals between food (nutrient availability) and cell growth. If food available, then grow. If no food is available then stop growing.
The problem is that by eating all the time we activate mTOR too much which shortens the lifespan of cells and accelerates aging. Too much mTOR ages cells quickly while a little bit is beneficial. Famine followed by feasting, not feasting 24/7.
I'll describe just 1 healing process that starts with fasting: autophagy or “self-eating”
When blood sugar drops the cells make themselves stronger from the inside by:
*Detoxing malfunctioning part out of cells
*Repairing and removing old, worn-out particles
*Removing diseased cells packed with toxins that may turn into cancer cells ("apoptosis")
*Repairing mitochondria or mitophagy
It's amazing that once we stop eating (after just 17 hours) the cells literally rebuilt and heal themselves and we don't need to do anything for it.
There is a lot more in the book. It teaches you the benefits of fasting in general, different types of fasting by duration and their individual benefits (Intermittent fasting: 12-16 hours, Gut reset: 24+ hours, Fat burner: 36+ hours), what foods to break the fast with and, of course, fasting for women and how to optimize different fasts with different hormonal stages they go through every month.
It is well-written book, not overloaded with medical terms. I recommend it to anybody who has any interest in fasting and health.
My critique:
The only point I wish it had addressed was caffeine.
The book talked how in one of the hormonal stages stress and rising cortisol caused progesterone to plummet, which leads to complications such as missed cycles, irritability and troubles with sleep.
Stress from work or family is difficult to manage but I kept thinking about another stressor which is more manageable: caffeine. It causes a release of both adrenaline and noradrenaline leading to a "fight-or-flight" response which lowers the level of hormone DHEA since they are both produced in the adrenals and have an inverse relationship. Lower DHEA leads to lower progesterone which leads to the complications I mentioned above.
Maybe advising women to reduce the amount of caffeine they drink during this important progesterone-production stage would help them to not have missed cycles and troubles with sleep. I've sent my suggestions to the author.
See my visual notes of the main ideas here (download and enlarge pdf for reading)
Benefits of fasting
Types of fasts by duration and benefits
Thanks for reading!
January 1, 2023
Every woman needs to read this!
July 17, 2023
Seems like a mix of great, research based advice and absolute hooey. I automatically dislike any health writer who talks about "chemicals" in food and not eating what you can't pronounce. She could have stopped at the advice of eating whole foods and non processed foods in my opinion. Also she is a chiropractor, not any kind of specialist in endocrine health, so that immediately makes me very wary of her advice.
I've been looking into intermittent fasting to help with my PCOS and I've been fasting on and off for years. You know why you lose weight when you fast? Because you're not eating all the time. But fasting keeps getting billed as a miracle.
I really wanted her to explain in more detail about how to determine where you are in your cycle when it's irregular so that you can fast/feast "like a girl" but she gives a very limited description. Also the plan for fasting during your period is based on 28 days, so for me with a 42ish day cycle this is worthless. If I followed her advice I'd be spending weeks at a time not fasting during the "extra" part of my cycle.
After I finished the book I visited her website to check out her online communities and the various classes and programs she kept promoting throughout the book. The support group costs $200 per MONTH. A lot of her free resources are childish graphics and everything else is behind a pay wall. The extra resources for the book were not available because I borrowed this book from my library as an audiobook and they do not seem accessible on the website.
Overall if she would have cut out the liver cleansing bullshit, the "Ooo bad scary chemicals are killing you! " bits and given an actual workable plan for women without the "standard" cycle this would have been a 4 star rating. Could have been half the length and more impactful.
I've been looking into intermittent fasting to help with my PCOS and I've been fasting on and off for years. You know why you lose weight when you fast? Because you're not eating all the time. But fasting keeps getting billed as a miracle.
I really wanted her to explain in more detail about how to determine where you are in your cycle when it's irregular so that you can fast/feast "like a girl" but she gives a very limited description. Also the plan for fasting during your period is based on 28 days, so for me with a 42ish day cycle this is worthless. If I followed her advice I'd be spending weeks at a time not fasting during the "extra" part of my cycle.
After I finished the book I visited her website to check out her online communities and the various classes and programs she kept promoting throughout the book. The support group costs $200 per MONTH. A lot of her free resources are childish graphics and everything else is behind a pay wall. The extra resources for the book were not available because I borrowed this book from my library as an audiobook and they do not seem accessible on the website.
Overall if she would have cut out the liver cleansing bullshit, the "Ooo bad scary chemicals are killing you! " bits and given an actual workable plan for women without the "standard" cycle this would have been a 4 star rating. Could have been half the length and more impactful.
January 23, 2024
Short and clear. If you’re looking for a way to get healthy and stop yo-yo dieting, intermittent fasting is the way to go. We all know diets don’t work. Dr. Pelz gives clear cut instructions on how to integrate fasting into a woman’s life, and in conjunction with her cycles. I’ve been doing the fasting for several weeks now and it just works. (People in India and Asia have know this for centuries).
December 31, 2022
Been fasting off and on for a few years but just like she said only had moderate success. My husband can do an 8 hour eating window and immediately drops extra weight but it always felt more complicated for me.
I read this book through in a day and can’t wait to try her principles to help me with my fasting weight loss and perimenopause.
I read this book through in a day and can’t wait to try her principles to help me with my fasting weight loss and perimenopause.
October 25, 2025
Fast Like a Girl by Mindy Pelz
★★★
A practical fasting guide tailored to women’s hormonal cycles, offering science-based strategies, fasting protocols, and supportive meal plans. Drawing on her experience helping thousands of women, Dr. Mindy empowers readers to reclaim their health, balance their hormones, and build a sustainable fasting lifestyle.
This book definitely introduced me to the world of fasting. It did initially inspire me to be curious. I do think it is important for women to fast around their cycles because I am really a different person half way through my cycle.
I definitely got insight and knowledge from this book, but I guess I was missing practical ways to fast. I was missing empathy and emotions regarding how difficult fasting can actually be. It is a mental game.
Women’s health is important and it is nice when a woman is sharing insight rather than a man so I appreciate the effort that has gone into writing this guide.
💭 What’s apart of your health journey today?
Pour a hot drink, it’s book talk time.
Instagram
TikTok
★★★
A practical fasting guide tailored to women’s hormonal cycles, offering science-based strategies, fasting protocols, and supportive meal plans. Drawing on her experience helping thousands of women, Dr. Mindy empowers readers to reclaim their health, balance their hormones, and build a sustainable fasting lifestyle.
This book definitely introduced me to the world of fasting. It did initially inspire me to be curious. I do think it is important for women to fast around their cycles because I am really a different person half way through my cycle.
I definitely got insight and knowledge from this book, but I guess I was missing practical ways to fast. I was missing empathy and emotions regarding how difficult fasting can actually be. It is a mental game.
Women’s health is important and it is nice when a woman is sharing insight rather than a man so I appreciate the effort that has gone into writing this guide.
💭 What’s apart of your health journey today?
Pour a hot drink, it’s book talk time.
TikTok
January 7, 2025
I don’t recommend getting the audiobook. If you are going to use it the information will be too buried in redundant sentences to find. She makes very large claims, such as fasting will cure everything from a bad mood to cancer. She also contradicts herself. At one point she said calorie restriction is not good but then immediately recommended a 4-5 day fast. Water fasting is constantly recommended. And the plans are complex. However, she has many devoted followers and seems to have helped some so that’s a good thing. 2 stars.
January 19, 2024
Good reinforcement of the benefits of fasting, but I had read all that before. The “fasting like a girl” aspect was lost on me.
And half the book was ridiculous Recipes- “Gently peel an avocado, cut in half, scoop out some of the center and put a poached egg between the halves. Wrap in bacon and fry till bacon is crisp.”
Best take away- “Bad bacteria will shout at you as they are dying off, often triggering cravings for chocolate, carbohydrates, sugar.”
And half the book was ridiculous Recipes- “Gently peel an avocado, cut in half, scoop out some of the center and put a poached egg between the halves. Wrap in bacon and fry till bacon is crisp.”
Best take away- “Bad bacteria will shout at you as they are dying off, often triggering cravings for chocolate, carbohydrates, sugar.”
July 22, 2023
I've read some other books on fasting, but I liked that this one was specifically aimed at women. The author did a quick summary of fasting and keto, and then explained why women should align their fasting to their cycle. What I enjoyed most was how practical it was, with a fasting reset plan, different fasting protocols, ways to break your fast, recipes and examples of foods to be included for the ketobiotic and hormone feasting days.
January 4, 2024
Not evidence-based, contradicts medical research and promotes fasting as cancer cure. Author has no medical credentials.
December 30, 2022
A must read for everyone.
This book explains a women’s cycle in such clear, concise, details. I wish I had it when I was younger because it explains what and why our bodies do what they do. Even at my age, I didn’t understand the complexity of our hormones.
The book also provides so much information on how and why fasting can heal our bodies. Dr. Minds dives deep into six different types of fasts and when each one is beneficial I’ll for us. She includes the types of foods we should be eating throughout the month.
I went through menopause at a very early age. Even though this book goes in great detail about monthly cycles, it is packed with information that pertains to post menopausal women as well.
If you truly want to heal your body and start feeling better, get this book and implement its teachings. I’ve been doing variations of fasting since September. I started watching Dr.Mindy on YouTube along with a couple other Doctors. I am down 20 pounds and feel great. Doing fasting has been the best thing I could ever do for my health.
This book explains a women’s cycle in such clear, concise, details. I wish I had it when I was younger because it explains what and why our bodies do what they do. Even at my age, I didn’t understand the complexity of our hormones.
The book also provides so much information on how and why fasting can heal our bodies. Dr. Minds dives deep into six different types of fasts and when each one is beneficial I’ll for us. She includes the types of foods we should be eating throughout the month.
I went through menopause at a very early age. Even though this book goes in great detail about monthly cycles, it is packed with information that pertains to post menopausal women as well.
If you truly want to heal your body and start feeling better, get this book and implement its teachings. I’ve been doing variations of fasting since September. I started watching Dr.Mindy on YouTube along with a couple other Doctors. I am down 20 pounds and feel great. Doing fasting has been the best thing I could ever do for my health.
August 28, 2024
Nonsense.
I read this for some of the women in my gym to see if it was a helpful resource. It is not.
It piggy backs on the success of the intermittent fasting movement and recommends a lifestyle that is harmful for women especially women in their 40s and 50s.
One of the biggest issues we see for women as they enter menopause is sarcopenia. Women tend to have a far less physical existence to men, less testosterone and they also endure menopause. All of this is a giant middle finger to muscle tissue and bone density - add a very restricted diet with restricted protein intake capability and this book is a recipe for disaster for women. I want the women in my life to have a good physical superannuation of bone and muscle on their body ready for any illness, injury, pregnancy or menopause life throws at them.
Most of the benefits this book espouses can be achieved with whole foods with lean protein, weight training and dialling in your sleep. This lifestyle doesn't have the risk of lean tissue loss like the books recommendations lead to.
I read this for some of the women in my gym to see if it was a helpful resource. It is not.
It piggy backs on the success of the intermittent fasting movement and recommends a lifestyle that is harmful for women especially women in their 40s and 50s.
One of the biggest issues we see for women as they enter menopause is sarcopenia. Women tend to have a far less physical existence to men, less testosterone and they also endure menopause. All of this is a giant middle finger to muscle tissue and bone density - add a very restricted diet with restricted protein intake capability and this book is a recipe for disaster for women. I want the women in my life to have a good physical superannuation of bone and muscle on their body ready for any illness, injury, pregnancy or menopause life throws at them.
Most of the benefits this book espouses can be achieved with whole foods with lean protein, weight training and dialling in your sleep. This lifestyle doesn't have the risk of lean tissue loss like the books recommendations lead to.
May 26, 2024
Carte citita din perspectiva unei persoane pentru care intermitent fastingul este un stil de viata si pot spune ca am gasit multe informatii interesante, utile si sustinute stiintific.
Recomand cartea atat persoanelor care deja cocheteaza cu fastingul, pentru a putea personaliza stilul acesta de viata si a aduce beneficiile lui in puncte maxime, a ne sincroniza viata cu hormonii si a fi in echilibru, cat si peroanelor care nu cunosc inca beneficiile fastingului si au curiozitate asupra mecanismelor ce se petrec in corp, despre anatomia si puterea corpului pe care il avem. Si de ce nu, sa il ajutam sa isi optimizeze functiile, sa luptam cu el si nu impotriva lui.
In concluzie, abia astept sa pun in practica ce am invatat deja in carte si sunt sigura ca voi reveni asupra ei pentru informatii.
Recomand cartea atat persoanelor care deja cocheteaza cu fastingul, pentru a putea personaliza stilul acesta de viata si a aduce beneficiile lui in puncte maxime, a ne sincroniza viata cu hormonii si a fi in echilibru, cat si peroanelor care nu cunosc inca beneficiile fastingului si au curiozitate asupra mecanismelor ce se petrec in corp, despre anatomia si puterea corpului pe care il avem. Si de ce nu, sa il ajutam sa isi optimizeze functiile, sa luptam cu el si nu impotriva lui.
In concluzie, abia astept sa pun in practica ce am invatat deja in carte si sunt sigura ca voi reveni asupra ei pentru informatii.
February 2, 2024
I was intrigued by the premise of this book, which promises to teach women how to fast according to their hormonal cycles and achieve better health and weight loss. The author, Mindy Pelz, is a chiropractor and a nutrition and functional health expert who has a popular YouTube channel on fasting. She claims that her book is based on science and research, and that it offers flexibility and female-oriented advice that makes it different from other intermittent fasting (IF) books out there.
There are some aspects of this book that I liked, such as the clear and engaging writing style, the motivational tone, and the practical tips and tools that the author provides. I also appreciated that the author acknowledges the challenges and struggles that women face when it comes to fasting and dieting, and that she offers some solutions and alternatives. I think that some women may find this book helpful and inspiring, especially if they are new to fasting.
However, there are also some aspects of this book that I did not like, such as the lack of scientific evidence and references to support the author's claims, the promotion of a ketobiotic diet that is hard to stick to and may not be suitable for everyone, and the oversimplification and generalization of women's hormonal cycles and health conditions. I also found some of the information and advice in this book to be contradictory, confusing, or misleading. For example, the author says that fasting is not a diet, but then she prescribes a strict and restrictive diet that you have to follow when you are not fasting. She also says that fasting is not about calorie restriction, but then she suggests that you should eat less than your basal metabolic rate on some days. She also says that fasting is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but then she gives a fixed fasting schedule that may not work for everyone.
Overall, I think that this book has some good intentions and some useful insights, but it also has some flaws and limitations that may not make it the best fasting guide for women. I would recommend that you do your own research and consult with your doctor before following any of the advice in this book. I would also suggest that you listen to your body and find what works best for you, rather than following a rigid and prescriptive diet protocol.
There are some aspects of this book that I liked, such as the clear and engaging writing style, the motivational tone, and the practical tips and tools that the author provides. I also appreciated that the author acknowledges the challenges and struggles that women face when it comes to fasting and dieting, and that she offers some solutions and alternatives. I think that some women may find this book helpful and inspiring, especially if they are new to fasting.
However, there are also some aspects of this book that I did not like, such as the lack of scientific evidence and references to support the author's claims, the promotion of a ketobiotic diet that is hard to stick to and may not be suitable for everyone, and the oversimplification and generalization of women's hormonal cycles and health conditions. I also found some of the information and advice in this book to be contradictory, confusing, or misleading. For example, the author says that fasting is not a diet, but then she prescribes a strict and restrictive diet that you have to follow when you are not fasting. She also says that fasting is not about calorie restriction, but then she suggests that you should eat less than your basal metabolic rate on some days. She also says that fasting is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but then she gives a fixed fasting schedule that may not work for everyone.
Overall, I think that this book has some good intentions and some useful insights, but it also has some flaws and limitations that may not make it the best fasting guide for women. I would recommend that you do your own research and consult with your doctor before following any of the advice in this book. I would also suggest that you listen to your body and find what works best for you, rather than following a rigid and prescriptive diet protocol.
January 2, 2023
This is the book I have been looking for for years! My body did not respond well to Keto when I tried it many years ago, now I know it was because of my hormones after listening to this book. I have been fasting for 2 1/2 years now and it hasn't worked great for me for weight loss, but has been successful in other areas. Now I know why, and how to correct it. Thank you Dr Mindy!!!
*audible version. My hard copy should arrive later in the week
*audible version. My hard copy should arrive later in the week
September 7, 2025
Update: amazing how your perspective of a book can change with age and changing circumstances. These here mid thirties, PCOS, and life have been kicking my butt as of lately. I had read this once before but just as book to add to the pile. This time I read with the perspective of learning how to intermittent fast properly. I learned so much and have been implementing some of the tips and suggestions presented.
Original: “If your gut were a garden, fasting would be the tool you would use to till the soil and pull the weeds so that the ground would become fertile enough to grow beautiful flowers.”
I don’t read much nonfiction but this was very informative. I’ve ventured into intermittent fasting on and off so this was a good look into how women have to go by a different set of rules so to speak. I enjoyed learning about the different types of fasts and what each one accomplishes. During my read I tried out the 16:8 which I found to be very reasonable, and I did drop some weight, so that was cool. Those 24hr and 36hr fasts gonna have to wait, I don’t have that kind of stamina yet (or ever?).
Original: “If your gut were a garden, fasting would be the tool you would use to till the soil and pull the weeds so that the ground would become fertile enough to grow beautiful flowers.”
I don’t read much nonfiction but this was very informative. I’ve ventured into intermittent fasting on and off so this was a good look into how women have to go by a different set of rules so to speak. I enjoyed learning about the different types of fasts and what each one accomplishes. During my read I tried out the 16:8 which I found to be very reasonable, and I did drop some weight, so that was cool. Those 24hr and 36hr fasts gonna have to wait, I don’t have that kind of stamina yet (or ever?).
November 18, 2023
Genres: Health/Nonfiction
I like this author. I have heard her on several podcasts and on instagram. I like her approach to fasting. In this book she spells out fasting for women of all ages giving special focus to riding the different waves of hormones.
This one seemed more cohesive than another book that I read on fasting Intermittent Fasting Transformation: The 45-Day Program for Women to Lose Stubborn Weight, Improve Hormonal Health, and Slow Aging.
I listened to the audio and now I am on hold for the hard copy. I need to take more time with this one because it is full of information. So 4 stars.
I like this author. I have heard her on several podcasts and on instagram. I like her approach to fasting. In this book she spells out fasting for women of all ages giving special focus to riding the different waves of hormones.
This one seemed more cohesive than another book that I read on fasting Intermittent Fasting Transformation: The 45-Day Program for Women to Lose Stubborn Weight, Improve Hormonal Health, and Slow Aging.
I listened to the audio and now I am on hold for the hard copy. I need to take more time with this one because it is full of information. So 4 stars.
February 11, 2024
A fast (pun intended) read but not insignificant. I've been intermittent fasting for a few years but this is the first time I've learned that fasting during certain parts of my hormone cycle isn't a good idea, why it isn't, and some symptoms I've been experiencing now make a lot more sense. I finally understand why the keto diet didn't feel healthy to me over the long term, and why I sometimes suspected I was low in progesterone. I can't wait to try everything in this book, from the 30-day reset, the gut-reset fast and eventually the immune system reset. It's also wonderful to feel like diabetes (which both of my parents have) is no longer a looming sentence but something I can actively take steps to do something about. If I get good results from the experiments I will now be conducting on myself, then I'll definitely be sharing this gem with all the women in my family
March 3, 2024
Super helpful insight into how fasting is so different in the female body. So much research that is done is a one size fits all approach which is really a one size fits men. The female body is so complex and the hormones are changing and fluctuating and why not work with the hormones than against them. I’m interested to see if fasting with the menstrual cycle increases weight loss and energy as well as improving the gut microbiome and overall health as this book claims.
discarded
February 11, 2024Abandoned, because at 60% I still wasn't getting what I came for; it all felt like an ad for intermittent dieting (obvious) mixed with basic 'don'ts' of healthy eating (obvious) and talk of hormones (which didn't stick to my brain).
March 19, 2024
Read this as a recommendation from my mother in law. There were lots of interesting takeaways from this book but I also felt like it left very little room for learning to be grateful for your body at any point in your journey. Be gentle with yourself!
June 13, 2024
Read this out of sheer curiosity. She lost me at the suggestion of a coffee enema. 😳
August 1, 2023
Terrible, and probably better to avoid this one. She makes it sound like a blessing to be a woman, and then goes on to elaborate on the many ways fasting is complicated by a woman's cycle, and how women have to have an intricate schedule of eating each month based on where they are in their cycle.
It's not practical, nor does it make sense from an evolutionary perspective. She justifies fasting in general from that lens, mentioning that hunter/gatherers had to rise each day and seek their first meal, effectively intermittent fasting and exercising in a fasted state. So that makes perfect sense. What doesn't make sense is the whole premise of this book, which is that the routine needs to be different depending on which hormones we're producing each week.
I call bs.
Sure, it might be worth reading, and I know women have more to think about when it comes to fasting than men do. But this book makes it feel hopelessly complex and dumb. I will not be worrying about it... Though I will go back to fasting on the first day of my period, which always felt natural as well as easy to remember.
It's not practical, nor does it make sense from an evolutionary perspective. She justifies fasting in general from that lens, mentioning that hunter/gatherers had to rise each day and seek their first meal, effectively intermittent fasting and exercising in a fasted state. So that makes perfect sense. What doesn't make sense is the whole premise of this book, which is that the routine needs to be different depending on which hormones we're producing each week.
I call bs.
Sure, it might be worth reading, and I know women have more to think about when it comes to fasting than men do. But this book makes it feel hopelessly complex and dumb. I will not be worrying about it... Though I will go back to fasting on the first day of my period, which always felt natural as well as easy to remember.
September 15, 2024
If you are part of the fasting lifestyle* or if you are a woman who is looking to improve her health, give this wellness book a try. For veterans, it offers new ideas for modifying & improving your fasts and for beginners, it gives ideas for how to work fasting into your monthly cycle. If you are new to fasting, two other books you will appreciate are Fast, Feast, Repeat which offers tips for getting started and The Obesity Code which explains the science of fasting. Includes food lists and recipes for different kinds of fasts.
*This is also often referred to as intermittent fasting or IF.
*This is also often referred to as intermittent fasting or IF.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,580 reviews