3 days ago
This Is What Happened to My Body When I Tried Intermittent Fasting
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
From time-restricted eating to alternate-day fasting, one meal a day fasting, and extended fasts, there are many forms of intermittent fasting (IF) that have been popularized in recent years. More an eating plan than a diet, IF doesn't say what you should eat but when, limiting your food consumption to eating windows of different lengths depending on the plan you choose. So, one woman decided to try intermittent fasting for a week to see if she could see any benefits.
What might those benefits be? A 2025 review published in The BMJ confirmed that all forms of IF can be effective for weight loss, while other studies have linked it to lower fasting blood sugar and insulin levels and the potential to extend lifespans.
Here's what one woman learned after she tried 18:6 intermittent fasting for one week, in her own words:
For best results, gradually extend your fast.
"I'm not a girl who forgets to eat. Food has always been a driving force in my life," shared Young. "But lately, I've overindulged, and so I decided to follow time-restricted eating, or fasting 18 hours out of the day and eating the other six (no food between 8pm and 2pm). The first day I managed to abstain all 18 hours, but it wasn't pretty.
Well, it turns out that abrupt withdrawal may not be the best way to go. Some experts recommend starting with just a couple of days a week of IF and working your way up, while others suggest gradually increasing the number of hours you fast from 12 to 14... up to 18. Still others say fasting isn't for everyone, and if it's making you miserable, just skip it. But I wasn't giving up that easily, so I tried the gradual approach, starting with 12, then extending my fasted hours over the course of the week and—surprise, surprise—those swirling food thoughts faded away."
Once you get into a groove, it feels easy.
"I work better with routine," shared Young. "When I was looking into intermittent fasting, I discovered neuroscientist Mark Mattson, author of The Intermittent Fasting Revolution, who has been researching the benefits of intermittent fasting for the brain. He has also been intermittent fasting himself for 35 years, so I emailed him for his tried-and-true advice. Here's what he said:
"I would suggest that in the morning you drink some tea or coffee and keep busy working until 1 p.m. If you usually exercise, then you may want to exercise at noon. Then eat a moderate amount of (healthy) food right after you exercise (e.g., 600 calories) and eat the rest of your food during a three-to-four-hour time window in the late afternoon to early evening. The biggest benefit is that your mind will be clearer and you will be more productive during the entire morning."
So that's what I did. I crossed off the majority of my work to-dos in the morning while drinking a ton—water, black coffee, bulletproof coffee, and green tea. At around 11 a.m. my stomach siren would go off, but knowing that noon yoga or a hike wasn't far off pushed me through. By the time I got home from yoga (around 1:30 p.m.), the hunger wasn't as overwhelming so I could eat my first meal, usually Greek yogurt with berries and slivered almonds, without ravenously wolfing it down. The rest of the day was easy: I usually ate dinner and maybe a sweet snack and that's it. Within a couple of days this became my new normal, the hangry switch turned off, and Mark was right: All that mental energy previously devoted to food—food prep, food planning, food consuming, food cleanup—seemed to flow elsewhere for improved focus."
Hunger pangs will come and go.
"There are a lot of food myths I used to eat up, but it turns out that you neither need to eat breakfast every day nor eat frequently throughout the day to keep your metabolism humming," Young said. "Something else I discovered: Hunger pangs don't automatically lead to overeating. I used to answer the call of cravings like I spring to the ding of a text—often and with urgency—but fasting taught me how to be comfortable with the discomfort of hunger. What helped? Coffee, tea, keeping a schedule (see above) and knowing that hunger is just a sensation that comes and goes. Just make sure you don't take it too far, because intermittent fasting doesn't mean you should be starving yourself."
The rules are incredibly easy to follow.
"When you commit to a diet like, say, Weight Watchers or Whole30, you've got points to add, forbidden foods to avoid, and a checklist of dos and don'ts that can make your head explode. Intermittent fasting rules are ridiculously simple, no guidebook or cookbook required, and you don't have to limit what foods you are eating. Wine, chocolate, and dessert are fair game!" said Young.
"The other thing that worked out in my favor was that it felt dang good. Granted, the first couple of hangry days were no fun, but on the other side of that, my energy levels skyrocketed, eating became an experience to be enjoyed rather than just food to be wolfed down, and everything seemed to have more flavor. Did strawberries always taste so sweet?"
Exercising in a fasted state can feel good.
"I never exercise on an empty stomach," Young said. "As a rule, I put something in the tank two hours before a hike or yoga class to make sure I don't peter pass out. But it turns out that exercising in a fasted state worked for me. Instead of feeling light-headed, I had more grit and go. I marched up that mountain on a mission and planked with more purpose. And I was pleased to discover that science shows that exercising in a fasted state can supercharge your body's fat-burning potential."
There are benefits beyond the scale.
"I'd love to say I lost 10 pounds in a week, but my body doesn't really work that way," Young said. "And besides, I only fasted for seven days. I'm definitely eating less food and weirdly feeling less hungry, which over time will result in fat loss. Plus, it's intermittent fasting's built-in intrinsic motivation that keeps me going. My energy, focus, and motivation have all skyrocketed, and I've learned how to tell my hunger pangs who's boss. I'm happy to enjoy those benefits now and wait for the pounds to come off later."
This story was originally published in 2018 but has since been updated.
You Might Also Like
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss?
Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
