Is Timed Eating the Key to Weight Loss and Better Health?

Summary: If you’ve been curious about intermittent fasting (IF) and how it fits into a balanced, sane approach to wellness, you’re in the right place. This post covers what I learned about IF, why it’s way more than just another “diet,” and how it helped me find stability in a seriously tough time. Here, I’ll walk you through the essentials—from adjusting your eating window to simple ways to stay full and focused—so you can dive in without feeling overwhelmed.

Just a quick heads-up: As with anything I share on this website, please check in with a healthcare pro before making any changes or trying something new related to diet, exercise, or lifestyle.

I grew up just a few houses down from my grandparents. My grandpa was athletic, polished, and the absolute cutest, while my grandma was hands down the coolest person I knew—glamorous, stylish, beautiful, and super funny. She was a bit on the heavier side, but she looked fabulous; she rocked the red lips, was always done up, and stunned in outfits she often made herself (along with dresses for my Barbies!).

My grandma was big into Oprah, as I am guessing many were in the late ’80s, health magazines, and every “diet” that promised results. She loved her exercise bike and our family walks by the river. Despite her dedication, she’d lose weight, but keeping it off was a struggle.

I often think of the day (many years ago) when she showed me an article about intermittent fasting (IF), a “new trend” back then. That’s when I first got interested. We tried IF together, along with my mom, but since we had no clue about things like hunger cues or what IF was actually about, we eventually gave it up. For us, it was just another quick fix—not a mindful way to connect with our bodies.

Years later, I lost both grandparents within weeks of each other. It was one of the hardest times of my life. In those last few months before they passed, I was working insane hours—sometimes two jobs—and rushing to different hospitals across town after work.

I definitely wasn’t eating well or taking care of myself. I’d get home so late and either eat junk, skip meals, or binge on anything sugary whenever I got a break. I was also going through other super serious personal stuff, so this was definitely not normal behavior for me, but at the time, I felt anything but normal – my mental state was not well, to say the least.

One day, a couple of weeks after they passed, I went for a walk; thinking of them, I randomly remembered our intermittent fasting experiment and how my mom drove us to get cheesecake the moment we quit. I laughed out loud—and cried a bit, too. That’s when I decided to give intermittent fasting another shot, hoping to get myself back on track. Turns out, it’s exactly what I needed—physically, for sure, but even more so mentally.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

This is where my mom, grandma, and I went wrong the first time. We didn’t know what intermittent fasting was actually doing for us, why it would work, or how to make it fit into our lives. We certainly didn’t eat enough during the eating window and didn’t know which foods would fuel us best to sustain us.

Intermittent fasting1 (IF) isn’t a “diet” in the restrictive, “eliminate-everything-we-love” way marketing has led us to think. Diet just means “what we eat”—not a set of rules to shrink ourselves.

IF is more about when you eat than what you eat. The idea is to cycle between periods of eating and fasting, allowing your body to enter a fasting state. During fasting, your body shifts into unique modes that support not just fat loss but overall health.

The key to IF is going in with a plan and the right mindset. Your “why” matters, and so does keeping your expectations realistic. If you’re jumping in, hoping for an overnight miracle, you’ll end up frustrated (trust me, I learned that lesson). But if you approach it with patience and an understanding of how it works, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Download ​The Fasting Methods and Timelines.pdf​ to see what your body does at each phase.

No matter which method you try, they all have something in common: bringing mindfulness to your eating habits. You’ll start paying attention to when you’re eating, which naturally impacts how much and what you eat. The result is you’re more likely to reach for whole foods that satisfy and actually nourish your mind and body instead of quick, empty-calorie snacks that leave you feeling depressed, moody, and always wanting more.

Brain Boost: Fast for Mental Clarity (Yes, Really)

Intermittent fasting certainly helps with weight loss, and that’s probably why most people start doing it. However, it’s also doing some pretty neat things for your brain.

When you fast, your body might create more of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor2 (BDNF). Fancy name aside, it’s a protein that can help keep your brain sharp and focused. Here’s what might be happening: when you’re fasting, your body switches from using glucose (sugar) for energy to using ketones (from fats). You might think of this as premium fuel for your brain.

Here’s a cool thing I learned in one of the master classes I took on brain health: if you removed all the water from your brain, about 50%3 of what’s left would be fat (and different areas have different amounts). So, when you’re in a fasted state, you feel more energized, clear-headed, and focused—not foggy like you might expect.

Steadying Blood Sugar for a Happier Metabolism

One of the great benefits of fasting is that it can help your body handle blood sugar better. When you fast, your cells become more sensitive to insulin (the hormone that helps manage blood sugar), so your body doesn’t have to work as hard to keep blood sugar steady.

Why does this matter? Well, if your blood sugar goes up and down too much, it can lead to energy crashes, intense cravings, and even long-term issues like type 2 diabetes. By helping to keep blood sugar steady, fasting can keep your energy more balanced, reduce cravings, and support your metabolism and long-term health.

Practical Health: Your No-Nonsense Wellness Journal

Giving Your Gut a Break

Eating all day, every day, keeps your digestive system constantly working, which can be exhausting for your body. Intermittent fasting gives it a break. When you let your gut rest, it can actually reduce inflammation (basically, that overworked, irritated feeling) and help your body absorb nutrients better. A “happy gut” can mean more energy, fewer digestive issues like bloating, even healthier-looking skin, and a better mood since so much of our wellness starts with digestion.

Does Fasting Really Slow Your Metabolism?

Surprisingly, short-term fasting (like the 16/8 method) doesn’t slow your metabolism—in fact, it can actually speed it up a bit. A review published in the American Journal of Physiology4 shows that fasting for shorter periods (up to 24 hours) can boost metabolism by about 3.6% to 14%, depending on a bunch of things like body composition and activity level. However, going without food for longer than 72 hours can start to slow your metabolism, so that’s something to keep in mind.

How to Make IF Work

Just like anything new, adjusting to intermittent fasting can be tough at first. To make it work for you, here’s my suggestion: Change your eating window first rather than flipping your whole diet upside down.

This is not only more realistic but also a lot less miserable. You’re just getting your body used to the structure of when to eat instead of stressing it out by what to eat from day one. But eventually, if you want IF to actually help with weight loss and keep you from feeling starved by 2 p.m., you’ll also need to eat better—no other way.

Once your body has adjusted to the eating window, now you can begin to focus on what you are feeding it. Keep these points in mind:

  • Consistency: Like anything else, IF only works if you stick with it. And here’s where the eating window strategy really shines: it helps you build the habit of fasting without overwhelming yourself with a full dietary overhaul right away. Once your body’s cool with fasting, changing up what you eat gets a lot easier because you’re not overwhelmed by both timing and food changes.
  • Food Quality: Focus on whole foods instead of processed stuff. Foods that aren’t ultra-processed (think lean proteins, veggies, whole grains) will keep you full much longer than a giant muffin and a sugary latte. Sorry, facts are facts. That kind of “fast fuel” stuff burns up quickly and leaves you hungry and cranky—prime conditions for giving up on fasting altogether. So, as you get comfortable with the fasting window, then you can start swapping in foods that won’t leave you starving an hour later.
  • Calories: Eat normally when you’re not fasting, and don’t overdo it to make up for fasting hours. This isn’t about eating less; it’s about eating better. Your body will need fuel when you’re not fasting. Overloading on empty calories or choosing low-quality options (like chips and cookies) actually makes the fasting window a whole lot harder to stick to. Think of it this way: you’re fueling up to support fasting, not to sabotage it.
  • Protein and healthy fats: Load up on these during eating hours. Break your fast with the right foods, and you won’t feel hungry all the time. Seriously, what you break your fast with is everything.
  • Hydrate: Sometimes you’re just thirsty, not hungry.
  • Stay busy: Half the time, hunger is just boredom in disguise.
  • Patience: Your body needs time to adjust, so give it a chance. The hunger pangs, energy dips, and random cravings at first are normal, and they’ll pass as your body gets into the groove. The goal isn’t perfection, so if you slip up, no big deal—dust yourself off and keep going. Just don’t give up.

Right now, you’re probably used to eating whenever you feel like it, and that’s totally okay. But once you start seeing food as fuel (without losing the joy of a good meal), intermittent fasting starts to feel way less like a chore. You don’t have to treat food like it’s just fuel and nothing else—trust me, I’m not out here eating bland salads every day. It’s about finding that balance where food isn’t the main event 24/7. And seriously, if you’re hungry, then eat. You’re not supposed to be starving yourself here; just get clear on what your body actually needs and when it needs it.

Can You Have Coffee, Green Tea, or Water While Fasting?

  • Water: Absolutely. It keeps you hydrated, helps control hunger, and has zero calories, so it won’t break your fast.
  • Black Coffee: Also fine. Nearly calorie-free, helps curb appetite, and gives a caffeine boost. Just don’t overdo it, and keep it black—no sugar, cream, or extras.
  • Plain Green Tea: Another good option. Like black coffee, it’s nearly calorie-free, supports hydration, and may even give your metabolism a nudge.

Bonus Tip: If hunger’s intense, some people add medium-chain triglycerides or MCT oil5 to black coffee for a boost. MCT oil, extracted from coconut or palm oil, is a quick-absorbing fat that goes straight to the liver for energy or ketones—basically brain fuel. It doesn’t spike insulin, but it technically “breaks” a fast due to calories, so use it sparingly.

Key Rule: Whatever you sip, keep it plain since anything with calories breaks your fast.

Adding a Little Extra to Your IF Routine

If you decide to try intermittent fasting, add exercise, especially strength training, to help burn fat while keeping muscle. Start incorporating short sessions at first to get you in the habit of working out if you don’t already.  

And while calorie counting isn’t required, if your goal is to lose or maintain a certain weight, tracking calories can help. It might be useful to keep a journal or log at first since physically writing6 and reading can build discipline and keep you mindful of your why. Having it all laid out and seeing what you’re eating makes it way easier to avoid mindless snacking.

When to Skip IF

While intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool, it’s definitely not for everyone. Pregnant women, anyone with a history of eating disorders, and people with certain medical conditions should take a cautious approach and get the green light from a healthcare pro.  

Bottom line

Intermittent fasting isn’t about restriction; it’s about being intentional with how you eat. When you understand what’s happening in your body, fasting works with you—not against you. Find your rhythm, stick with it, and see how it goes. And when it feels tough (because anything new can), remember why you’re doing it.

Here’s a trick I use whenever I start something that feels impossible: I remind myself I can quit anytime I want. No pressure, no expectations. Funny enough, just knowing I could stop actually makes me want to keep going. It lets me relax, and without the pressure, my mindset shifts, my discipline kicks in, and my motivation sticks around way longer. Almost to prove to myself that I am much stronger than I think.

So, if you try IF, give yourself time to adjust, and know it might take a few tries. And if it’s just not for you, that’s okay—it works for my lifestyle, but not everything is one-size-fits-all.

Remember this—you’re stronger than you think, worth every damn effort, and never, ever alone in this. Now go crush it!

  1. Vasim I, Majeed CN, DeBoer MD. Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Health. Nutrients. 2022 Jan 31;14(3):631. doi: 10.3390/nu14030631. PMID: 35276989; PMCID: PMC8839325 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8839325/ ↩︎
  2. Anton SD, Moehl K, Donahoo WT, Marosi K, Lee SA, Mainous AG 3rd, Leeuwenburgh C, Mattson MP. Flipping the Metabolic Switch: Understanding and Applying the Health Benefits of Fasting. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2018 Feb;26(2):254-268. doi: 10.1002/oby.22065. Epub 2017 Oct 31. PMID: 29086496; PMCID: PMC5783752.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5783752/ ↩︎
  3. Yoon JH, Seo Y, Jo YS, Lee S, Cho E, Cazenave-Gassiot A, Shin YS, Moon MH, An HJ, Wenk MR, Suh PG. Brain lipidomics: From functional landscape to clinical significance. Sci Adv. 2022 Sep 16;8(37):eadc9317. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9317. Epub 2022 Sep 16. PMID: 36112688; PMCID: PMC9481132.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9481132/ ↩︎
  4. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpregu.1990.258.1.R87 ↩︎
  5. https://www.webmd.com/diet/mct-oil-health-benefits-common-uses ↩︎
  6. https://www.dominican.edu/sites/default/files/2020-02/gailmatthews-harvard-goals-researchsummary.pdf ↩︎

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