One of the most common questions I get asked is: “Should I be intermittent fasting?”
And the (annoying) answer is… it depends.
Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, and there’s plenty of research suggesting benefits for weight management, blood sugar control, metabolic health, cholesterol, and even longevity. But as with most health trends, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach—especially for women in perimenopause.
In this blog, we’ll break down what intermittent fasting actually is, how it differs from time-restricted eating (TRE), and what might work best for women navigating perimenopause.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting involves alternating between periods of eating and fasting on specific days or throughout the week. One of the most well-known IF methods is the 5:2 diet, where you eat a regular, balanced diet for five days and then significantly reduce calories (usually to 500–600) on two non-consecutive days.
While this might work for some, the drawbacks include:
- Nutrient deficiencies—severely restricting food intake two days a week can make it hard to get enough essential nutrients, including healthy fats that are crucial for hormone balance.
- Unsustainability—many people find it difficult to maintain long-term, leading to a yo-yo dieting effect.
- Potential overeating—restricting food on fasting days can lead to excessive hunger and overeating (most likely on unhealthy foods) on non-fasting days.
Another aspect of intermittent fasting that often gets highlighted is autophagy—the process where the body removes damaged cells and regenerates new ones. While this has exciting implications for longevity and disease prevention, most of the research has been done in animals. Human studies are still limited, making it difficult to say with certainty how much fasting is needed to achieve these benefits.
Time-Restricted Eating: A More Sustainable Approach?
A more manageable and beneficial alternative to intermittent fasting is time-restricted eating (TRE).
TRE is when you eat all your meals within a specific window each day while fasting for the remaining hours. Unlike the 5:2 diet, TRE doesn’t require extreme calorie restriction—just a structured eating pattern.
Popular TRE patterns include:
- 16:8 – Eating within an 8-hour window, fasting for 16 hours.
- 14:10 – Eating within a 10-hour window, fasting for 14 hours.
- 12:12 – A 12-hour eating window, with a 12-hour overnight fast.
At first glance, 16:8 may seem like the best option, but in my experience working with women in perimenopause, a 14:10 or 12:12 approach is often more effective and sustainable.
Why 14:10 TRE Works Better for Women in Perimenopause
Women’s bodies are more sensitive to stress compared to men, and fasting is a stressor. If you fast for too long (e.g., waiting until lunchtime to eat), your blood sugar can drop too low, triggering the body’s stress response and putting pressure on the adrenal glands. Over time, this can negatively impact hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid function.
A 14-hour fasting window (or even starting with 12 hours and gradually working up to 14) allows you to get the benefits of fasting without overloading your body with stress.
What a 14:10 Eating Window Could Look Like:
- Breakfast at 9 AM (always break your fast with at least 30 grams of protein)
- Finish dinner by 7 PM
- Fasting from 7 PM to 9 AM
This setup aligns with circadian rhythms, which helps regulate metabolism, digestion, sleep, and overall health. Some days, your fasting window might be 13 hours or even 12.5 hours—and that’s perfectly fine! The goal is flexibility and sustainability, not rigid dieting.
What You Eat Matters
Just because you’re fasting doesn’t mean you can eat anything during your eating window. Nutrient-dense meals are essential for managing blood sugar, energy, and hormone health.
A simple way to approach meals is to focus on PFC (Protein, Fat, Carbs) balance at every meal. For example:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs (with another protein) and some avocado on sourdough
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil dressing and quinoa
- Dinner: Salmon with roasted vegetables and sweet potato
By nourishing your body properly, you’ll support hormone balance, metabolism, and overall well-being—all while making fasting work for you, not against you.
Final Thoughts: Should You Try Intermittent Fasting?
If the 5:2 diet feels restrictive and unsustainable, a 14:10 or 12:12 TRE approach might be a better fit. It provides many of the same health benefits as fasting while being gentler on female hormones—especially in perimenopause.
The key takeaway? Listen to your body. If fasting beyond 14 hours leaves you feeling fatigued, moody, or excessively hungry, scale it back. The goal is to find a rhythm that supports your health without adding unnecessary stress.
Have you tried intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating? I’d love to hear your experience—leave a comment below!
If you need personalised support, I offer 1:1 consultations to help you navigate perimenopause with practical, personalised strategies. You can book a free exploratory call via my website 🙂
