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Welcome to Strength Renewed, the podcast that celebrates new beginnings for women 40 and beyond. This is your go-to space for empowering conversations about building resilience, strength, and confidence—inside and out.
Discover how to fuel your body with good nutrition, train smart, and cultivate a strong mindset to thrive in midlife and beyond. Whether you're navigating hormonal changes, starting (or restarting) your fitness journey, or simply striving to feel your best, Strength Renewed offers expert advice, real-life stories, and actionable strategies to help you live a vibrant, powerful life.
It's never too late to redefine your strength.
00:21
I'm deeply hydrated today. I thought I lost my Stanley a while back, like the small version of my Stanley. And so then I went and bought a big version of my Stanley. I remember. You do, right. I was kind of sad about it because I really like that. your water bottle becomes this levy. You need it. And I was missing mine and then I found it. But now I already have the big one.
00:50
here we are. So now I've got my big one and so I'm hydrated. That is good. That is great. And so today I want to chat about, today I want to chat about. Today we are going to chat about on this podcast, something near and dear to all of the hearts of many women, because I don't really get that many men asking about this. Men don't come to me asking about fasting. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, they do for me, but that's fine. It's actually an easier question to answer with a man.
01:19
Um, but with women, like I get asked about Dr. Mindy Peltz's book all of the time, Fast Like a Girl, which fast, like, which is really deceptive too, because you know, when I first, when I first read that or saw the title and just thinking about it, I thought it was fast. Like we were talking about like, like, fast running fast. Yeah. The thing was actually fasting like a girl. Okay. So that's the title of the book and
01:48
people ask you a lot about it and what's kind of the main questions they ask about it. Well, think firstly, one of the reasons why it's so popular is that Mindy has been on a range of different podcasts like Rich Roll, Huberman, Diary of a CEO, like all of the big names over the last couple of years. And so I was like super interested to understand more about her protocol, where she got her information and also not to be a dick, but
02:17
What are her sort of credentials? She's Dr. Mindy Peltz and what kind of doctor is she? I think she's a chiropractor, if that makes a pretty sure. But I'm not saying that's good or bad, it's just a fascinating turn. it is because actually, you get people putting doctor in front of their names, if they're any sort of doctor, know? But I'm not, I'm, and. uh
02:44
Just personally, I don't call myself Dr. Miki Willardin. I totally could because I do have that as a qualification, but it just feels to me like you're of, you're trying to prove something, I don't know, or trying to back up something. So anyway, so she's been on a several podcasts over the last couple of years talking about fasting for women uh because of course a lot of the pushback with fasting, i.e. not eating, going for several hours or days without food.
03:12
has been pushed as a bit of a health elixir over the last 10 years. I don't doubt. also, I there's the, I guess the religious sort of component to it. Like you've got different fasting protocols with different religions and that's been extensively studied. Yeah, we fast for one day out of the year and it's very difficult for Jews. Like, all I can think of is when I'm going to eat. Yeah. But it's one day. Yeah. Yeah. And then there are people who like do a...
03:40
They might fast for five days in a year to get a number of the potential benefits you can get from a prolonged fast, um which would be improved ah or increased autophagy. And I can talk through what these mean, increased autophagy, reduced glucose, reduced insulin, better metabolic markers. And in fact, I remember hearing of like
04:10
cancer researchers actually fasting for three days once a quarter for these potential benefits to help sort of clear up damaged cells, reduce those metabolic sort of markers that might promote like um accelerated growth. there are definitely, I understand why people sort of get interested in fasting and want to try it. Certainly I've been down that rabbit hole as well. But I think that
04:38
takes a next level when you have the likes of people like Dr. Mindy Pelt sort of writing books fast like a girl and suggesting there is a way to fast if you're a woman, which is uh safe and healthy and it's something that we should all consider doing. um I guess going back to the reasons why people would think too fast in the first place and there isn't anything else that would mimic the same, there's nothing else you can do
05:07
for your body that would give you the same effects as a fast? I'm asking that question. it's kind of a weird way to ask it, does that make sense? No, It's a great way to ask it actually. So it depends on why you're fasting. So what type of benefit are we talking about? Because there are several things which fasting does, which can absolutely be attained through other measures, um like exercise, for example.
05:37
And there are things which there are markers that fasting changes, which again, through diet and exercise can also be mimicked and maybe certain supplements can also mimic what fasting does. um With the cancer, uh that sort of metabolic disease like cancer, it's more tricky because you can't run long-term randomized controlled trials looking at people who do have cancer to see what outcome if you, you know, or
06:07
Or how do you determine someone's risk of cancer has gone down because they do a fast every quarter? You almost can't even determine that, but there are definitely things you can do that mimic fasting that aren't fasting. Such as?
06:24
such as exercise. one of the biggest reasons for people to fast, which you hear people talk about is autophagy. Yes, let's talk about that. The biggest reason. Yeah. Autophagy is a process of the body where the body clears out its dead or senescent cells. basically- It's called autophagy. Autophagy, yeah. And if you imagine a Pac-Man- um I love that game. I can totally imagine the Pac-Man. Yeah. Eating the little bits and yeah, that's your healthy cells.
06:53
your body clearing out the dead cells. so it's, that's essentially what autophagy is. Like if you, if you want a kitchen renovation, Jess, you have to get rid of your old cupboards before you bring new ones in. That's fast. That's autophagy. That's what you're all the near and dear things to my heart. need to do a kitchen remodel and I love the game Pac-Man. there did two, two for two. There you go. Um, and so it does. So our misfolded proteins, which are largely responsible for sort of accelerated.
07:21
disease and tumor growth and things there, they're cleared out with the process of autophagy. Now, in humans, we don't have good markers for autophagy. we can't like, I say we, mean, scientists and doctors, you cannot tell if something like how good something is to enhance autophagy, or to what extent the autophagy would protect you from disease. Like you actually can't tell that.
07:50
But what I can tell you is autophagy isn't an on or off switch. It's more like a dimmer switch. So you do things to enhance autophagy like fasting, and you do things to turn it down like eating, and resting and recovering. So fasting is like a metabolic stress. Exercise is a metabolic stress. Exercise has a lot of the same benefits of fasting.
08:15
And it's in the recovery period where we really adapt and become resilient. So one of the biggest reasons people say that they fast is for autophagy, but even within a protocol like, within a- And another easy way to think about autophagy is just like um repair. No, but you've got to take them out first, not repair. You're actually getting rid of them. You're like, you're demoing the kitchen. Yeah, yeah. So it's not repairing. So, So,
08:44
So when you talk about a fast too, that is also really like vague. Is fasting like one day? Is fasting like two, three, four? Like how many days are we talking about to actually get the potential benefits that you're talking about? In rodent trials, so those preclinical trials not involving humans, they will do a 24 hour fast and get the benefits of, get that increased autophagy because they can measure it in rodents. But that is
09:15
sort of equates to about three days in a human. And then of course, once you go, once you fast for sort of three days, what do you run the risk of? So many things. Losing muscle. I was just going to say that I'm like, where do I start? Yeah. I you're just, you're, don't know. I, every time I think about, you know, my clients that are fasting, it's fine, but they're like,
09:41
They almost warned me, I don't know that I can strength train, you know what I mean? Or do any of this stuff today because I have no energy. Like, cool. I know, totally. And the reality is that you can fast and you can train and you just have electrolytes. But over the course of you, if this is something you do regularly, you do run the risk of losing muscle. And muscle is our metabolic reservoir. know, like it is the place where we store glucose. It helps with that insensitivity. There are just so many.
10:09
downsides to going for an extended period of time without food. But it is very appealing to people because it's simple. You just don't eat. know, there aren't any, there aren't a lot of rules. And to your point, how long do you fast for? like it basically like a fasting period can be anywhere from, you know, 16 or 18 hours overnight to like three days or five days or even 10 days. Some people sort of, um,
10:38
And so, in Mindy's book, and I guess this is the reason why it's sort of, it's my little bit of a bugbear is because she has this absolute protocol timed around a woman's cycle, which has no basis in research at all. And look, I am not saying that this is not going to be helpful for some people. It always is going to be helpful. And I'm not saying that her actual food recommendations are not good food recommendations because a lot of it is, you know,
11:08
great. But I've come across enough clients now who have tried it and failed miserably. That just makes me go, ah just, you know, it shouldn't, I don't love it as a tool for women basically, because for some reason. What part were they, did they fail at? I mean, is it Mindy's protocol or is it just like fasting in general? Like what was the fail? What did they fail at? Mindy's protocol.
11:36
having some kind of cockamamie algorithm around their cycle. They literally were like, okay. So it sort of goes like from day one to day 10 in our follicular phase, estrogen is rising, so you fast from 17 to 72 hours, basically, because longer fasts can be tolerated. I see. And then from day 11 to day 15, fasting is more moderate from 15 to 17 hours.
12:05
And there's a reason she gives for this. So the first reason is that for folliculitis, that estrogen supports insulin sensitivity and fat burning. It absolutely does. um During ovulation, the reason for the more moderate fast is that egg releases nutrient demanding, so don't stress the body. And I'm not saying that ovulating isn't a stressful process on the body, but there's no research to support any sort of fasting around it.
12:33
Day 16 to 19 in the early nutell phase with progesterone rising. Progesterone apparently is anti-fasting, so you need carbs to build up. There's no research to support that. And so a shorter fast, she's gotten there from 12 to 15 hours. And then in the late nutell phase, that sort of days 20 to 28, which of course no one has a 28 day cycle, but I mean, some women do. you know, no, don't fast because fasting stress worsens.
13:03
And again, I don't disagree with that. It totally does. What I disagree with is the premise that this is based on solid science and it's based on no science. First of all, fasting seems challenging enough physically on your body and frankly, psychologically too, right? It you're not bilating. And so I kind of think like adding the other stressor of this weird protocol around your cycle just seems like another stress to an already quote unquote
13:33
semi-stressful situation. I don't, you know, it certainly wouldn't be something that would be appealing to me. I just assume follow a protocol that's a little bit more, you know, I guess easy to follow, right? Yeah. And I think this sort of speaks to our, you know, we, our brains are sort of almost entrained to go to something a little bit complex. Yeah. You know, like if it's more complex, it must be more science.
14:01
Yes, that's true. If I have to push a little bit and it's a little bit harder, then this is clearly, you know, this is going to be good for me. I also think that when people struggle with the certain reasons in their mind, they're like, well, I should be struggling because it shouldn't be easy for me. But this just makes it complicated. It makes it harder than it needs to be. And I think that to suggest that all women have a similar lived experience around their cycle, like
14:31
anyone suggesting that you should train around your cycle in different ways, it's just, it's marketing. That's what that is. I was just going to say, I think so much of the conversations that you have, that we have, but then, you know, when we're, when we're having these conversations are quite questioning is just debunking marketing. You know what I mean? Like how, really how affected are you? How useful is that? I always say that, you know, this podcast, I,
14:59
always dream and continue to is that you, you can, can kind of help you weed through the information you need and the information that you probably don't. And that, you know, kind of what's coming to you, but people love to have a good perimenopause strength training routine or menopause strength training routine or fast like this during your cycle. And that just, it's kind of ridiculous. Cause I think if you're interested in fasting, um, you know,
15:25
learn more about it and try it and do it. Nothing says like, you know, nothing's going to happen to you if you try it for a couple of days. You know what I mean? Like, see how you feel, right? But I think adding additional layers to it, I just I don't I don't think the benefit really would outweigh it for me. You I think, you know, you always said to me like, and I've always said this to clients, I always say, well, they'll say, when's the best time to work out or when's the best time train? I said, I have a very easy answer to that.
15:52
whatever you're going to do consistently. A hundred percent. That's the answer. Whatever you think you can do that's logical to you and that you can do regularly is the right answer. And it's the same thing here. You want to put all these rules in place and fast around your cycle and some cockatoo style, go ahead. But I don't want to do that. And I think the other thing, Jess, is, and we talked about it, I think, a bit before we got on the call, that this just again focuses on
16:22
on restricting food. this sort of eating protocol or fasting protocol is sold to use the healing power of fasting to burn fat, boost energy, and balance hormones. And I would say that a lot of people moving from that standard Western diet to something like this program would actually probably benefit quite a lot because of the diet principles she's got in there. And people will be hyper-motivated to follow them.
16:52
But for the people who might also be like the clients that I get who are drawn to a book like this, they're already eating well. They're already doing a lot of the good things and there are just some, and if anything, they need to offload stress. don't need to add a layer of fasting stress on. Well, you just said every, you know what I mean? It's like to me, that is another stressor to the body. mean, and it's also nice to have the other ways that when we started talking about it and we should have more conversations around fasting, cause it does.
17:20
come up and maybe next time we talk about fasting and cleansing, right? Like that is a really good one because those two things come up all the time because what you just said in the book, eat this way to burn fat and regulate hormones. And there was a third thing there. And I don't know a single woman that doesn't, what was the third thing? Burn fat, boost energy, balance hormones. Hormones. mean, m
17:47
If there was ever one massive paragraph of words, you know what I mean? That you just spoon fed to the majority of us. I'm like, yes. Freaking razor. Yes, I'm like, I'll take that. But that, you know, can also be achieved in these other ways too, right? In your programs. you know what mean? This is exactly what you're hoping will happen for your clients too. that's not that.
18:13
fasting is not the only way to get there, my friend. And actually fasting is probably the least helpful way to get there. So also, you know, know this again, with that being said, I've certainly thought about it myself. I'm curious. I had to do a colonoscopy not that long ago, and I just, you know, was kind of forced into it. And I was like, how do I feel? And it was like, I don't know. mean, it was not, it wasn't terrible.
18:43
But yeah, at some point I was so hungry I would have given anything in the world to have a chicken breast and a salad. So what I found is that I was consumed with food. It was stressing me out because I was just so, like literally I couldn't be productive in these other areas of my life because all I could think about was when I was going to eat. Totally. I think, I don't know. And the other thing is, a lot of women are drawn to it. They will talk about autophagy, but what they really want is weight loss.
19:13
It's unnecessary to not eat uh in order to lose weight. You can eat a truckload of food as you and I have talked about in still these ways. I just don't love that sort of, even though it's not unnecessarily pushed on as a marketing on the front of this cover, just, so many women, and we just know this as women, we'll be drawn to this because it's fasting, it's not eating, and we're hoping it's going to improve our body composition. But that's what strength training and protein and actually eating is for.
19:43
Amen. But for the for the for the love of God, I mean, it's like the amount of times that people that still are educated and wonderfully fabulous, they are still believe less is more. And more is more. Right. So eat, eat more protein, and just take care of your body. But think that
20:06
just try thinking differently about this whole process. That's my goal. Yeah, nice Because it sure would be amazing. Yeah. What are you grateful for today? I am grateful for having the opportunity to chat about this in an unfiltered way.
20:23
I feel so blessed to have a podcast where we can talk about things and not be censored. Do you know what I mean? Like it's a huge, it's a huge gift to be able to like have, be able to share your experiences and be able to not feel like you're have somebody, you know, telling you what you can and cannot say, but really talk freely. Cause this is what people want to talk about. They want to sit at this table and they want to have these conversations. They don't want filtered, you know, regulated communication.
20:51
They want real honest, open communication. And this is 100 % it. But please, please, please. Maybe there's some Pac-Man-esque qualities I cannot for the life of me, if I can remember this word. What is it again? The topology. The topology. you. So that concept I'll have to just, we'll keep talking about it and I'll explore more. So there's some kind of things that fascinate me about.
21:20
demoing in order to remodel. But I still think that the not eating piece to get to where you want to go is just also illogical in some ways too. No, I totally agree. Lovely, Jax. There we are. Have a lovely rest of your evening. Thank you, you too. Bye. Bye.