Should you intermittent fast?
When I say I was obsessed with intermittent fasting, I mean I was OBSESSED. It felt like the clear, black-and-white answer I’d been searching for to fix my weight, low energy, and acne struggles. It lowered my insulin (for a while), gave me more energy (hello, stress hormones), and I did see weight loss… but it came back.
So, of course, I was hooked. I kept it up for a long time, thinking I had finally found the secret. But what I didn’t realize was that intermittent fasting was slowly wreaking havoc on my thyroid, adrenal health, and metabolism. I was so focused on how it could help me lose fat by lowering insulin (again, temporarily) that I completely ignored the fact that it was spiking my cortisol, stressing my thyroid, and slowing down my gut.
During this time, I was also working out A LOT. I was dancing professionally, so I was super active every day—which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But when you combine intense exercise with trying to lose weight? That’s when things start to go off the rails.
I was stressed from over-exercising, fasting for 16 hours a day, and oh yeah—I was also on a low-carb diet. So, I was completely drained of minerals, dehydrated, and basically running on fumes. I actually thought something serious was wrong with me. I felt so burned out and depleted that I started convincing myself I had a major health issue like Addison’s disease. I mean... I was doing everything right, so how could I possibly feel this bad?
How Fasting Can Impact Women's Bodies
Intermittent fasting isn’t always the magic solution it’s made out to be—especially for women. Here’s how it can negatively affect your body:
Increased Stress: Fasting can spike cortisol levels, leading to hormonal imbalances and fatigue.
Mineral Deficiencies: Long fasting periods can deplete essential minerals like magnesium, sodium, and potassium, which are crucial for energy and hydration.
Gut Issues: Going long periods without food can slow digestion and reduce stomach acid, leading to bloating, constipation, and nutrient malabsorption.
Hormonal Imbalances: Women’s bodies are more sensitive to changes in energy intake, and prolonged fasting can negatively impact menstrual cycles and thyroid function.
Burnout from fasting was the turning point that led me to functional nutrition. For so long, I was fully committed to the "eat less, move more" approach and the trendy intermittent fasting lifestyle. I used to ROLL my eyes at functional nutrition posts (I’m sorry to all my functional nutrition friends—I believe you now!). But when nothing I tried was working and I was relying on three V8 energy drinks a day just to function, I finally caved and started paying more attention to those functional nutrition dietitians.
"Maybe they’re onto something," I thought.
"All these people say they feel better," I pondered.
"I guess I’ll give it a try," I finally admitted.
Okay, truthfully, I watched those Instagram posts for a whole year before I finally took the plunge. But I got to a point where I was so miserable that I just said YES to a functional nutrition program. Honestly, I didn’t even ask about the price—probably not the most responsible move—but it turned out to be one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
Why? Because I felt like a completely different person after implementing the strategies that conventional medicine would probably say “aren’t real.” Sure, the weight loss was great, and I’m not shaming anyone who wants that, but more importantly—I finally felt like myself again.
I loved the results so much that I decided to start my own business to help other women feel their best too. That’s how my 1:1 coaching was born, where I get to dig deep with clients to understand how their bodies are truly functioning and help them make real, lasting changes.
If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, and frustrated with all the “quick fixes” out there—trust me, I’ve been there. And I’m here to tell you, there’s a better way.
