Kristi Storoschuk, BSc (Hons.) is a science communicator with a research focus on ketogenic diets, metabolic therapies, and fasting for health optimization. She currently works alongside the world’s leading ketogenic researchers providing scientific education for the mainstream audience. Outside of her research, you will find her traveling the world, doing CrossFit, and optimizing her health through diet and lifestyle.

Research shows that fasting can be an incredibly powerful tool for several applications - from metabolic flexibility, autophagy, and protection against chronic disease, to enhancing sleep, digestion, and so much more. This is why I fast - for health optimization - but with time, my body had reached a point that suggested I need to shake things up. The signal my body sent me was crystal clear: I lost my period.

Fasting often gets a bad rap when it comes to women’s health, and truthfully, there are legitimate nuances that are important to discuss. It is possible to take fasting too far, especially as a woman, and fasting won’t always be the right tool for everyone. That said, my personal experience and research make it hard for me to believe there is anything inherently dangerous about women fasting. Like any tool, it’s how you use it that matters. Context is absolutely critical, and the type of fasting one woman engages in might not be appropriate for another. For example, just because your friend is doing a 3-day fast, doesn’t mean you have to.

If you’ve read any of my previous articles in Zero’s Learn archives, you’ll know that we go deep on the science. But for this article, I want to go a little more personal and tell you “Why I fast,” and share how I’ve made fasting work for me.

I’m Kristi. I am fascinated by human metabolism and applying what I learn to my own life. I live a pretty active lifestyle, and I’ll admit I want to do it all. I follow a ketogenic diet, I use time-restricted feeding (TRF), and I hit the gym most days, often fasted because of the even greater metabolic adaptations it offers. I will jump into cold lakes or baths filled with ice, and I frequently prick my fingers to test blood glucose and ketones, just for the fun of it. I’m in constant awe of the intricate workings of the human body and what we’re capable of achieving.

This maybe should have seemed obvious to me, but for a long time, I was simply doing too much, and it took losing my period to realize it. Women with low BMIs who live active lifestyles are simply more vulnerable to the potential side effects of fasting. As someone who does not often resonate with moderation, I have learned that bending the rules to suit me is exactly what my body needed, and changing things up is not a form of losing control rather a form of self-love.

Here is how I have made fasting work for me:

I usually keep my fasts to about 16-hours a day.

I “cheat” - I consume medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in my coffee during my “fasting” hours which supply calories and technically break a fast but put me into a deeper state of ketosis, mimicking the metabolic state of fasting (and allowing me to benefit from such) while sparing my own body fat.

I’ve increased my calories during my eating window and focus on a nutrient-dense diet.

I purposely kick myself out of ketosis by cycling high-carb and/or high-protein days on a week to bi-weekly basis.

If I am hungry in the morning on a rare occasion, I break my fast early and don’t sweat it.

When it comes to TRF, fasting is only half of the equation; the other half involves eating. Prior to making these adjustments, I was simply not consuming enough calories within my feeding window to meet the demands of my daily adventures. I made changes around my fasting routine to ensure that although I still restrict time, my calories aren’t restricted, and these changes made all the difference. My period is back on its regular schedule, I am at a much healthier weight, and I still enjoy exercising most days while going in and out of ketosis. My new routines not only support my increased weight, but they also add variation to my life. I am now comfortable kicking myself out of ketosis or eating way more calories, carbs, or protein than usual. This has the added benefit of keeping my metabolism on its toes and promoting metabolic flexibility.

I regained my period without having to forego fasting. I just made the necessary adjustments to make fasting work for me. Contrary to what most people assume, fasting is not only for those on a weight loss journey. Humans are designed to withstand periods without food. It turns out that periodically going into the fasted state offers several metabolic and practical advantages we are only just learning how to exploit. I believe the way I fast now supports my ability to achieve these benefits without sacrificing my health in other areas. 

Here’s the thing - we are all different, and it’s OK to listen to your body and make the adjustments you need to better serve you. And while intuition goes a long way, it’s always a good idea to ask for advice and support. If you have any questions about whether fasting is right for you or whether it might not be the best fit - you should definitely speak with a medical professional before taking on a fasting practice. Through trial and error, I’ve learned how to implement fasting into my routine to better suit my body and lifestyle habits, even though that means doing things a little differently than what’s typically “prescribed.” I’ve made fasting work for me.

How Our Science Writer Pairs Fasting with an Active Lifestyle

How Our Science Writer Pairs Fasting with an Active Lifestyle

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