Move Over Bro Science — It’s Time for The Girl Science on Fasting

Women’s bodies don’t run on discipline and black coffee. They run on real food and finely tuned hormonal feedback loops — ones that don’t take kindly to starvation disguised as self-optimisation.

Is it just me, or have men swapped bragging about the length of their… well, you know, for boasting about how long they can fast for? If only they’d focus on making something else last longer — right?!

But seriously, I can’t get through a wellness podcast these days without some guy waxing lyrical about his 36-hour fast like it’s some sort of spiritual awakening. Cold plunge, black coffee, no food until 4pm — all delivered in that solemn, gravelly voice that makes eating breakfast sound like a weakness.

And there I was, on my morning commute, oat milk latte in one hand, Pret croissant in the other. I hadn’t even made it to work yet, and already I felt like I’d failed.

As I stood swaying on the Central Line, listening to this fella, I couldn’t help but wonder… how are we still here?

It’s 90s diet culture all over again — just dressed up in a slightly sleeker, more “sciencey” shade of beige. The kind no one looks good in.

Because with intermittent fasting dominating the wellness headlines:

We’ve glamorised not eating. (Again.)
We’ve made hunger a badge of honour. (Again.)
And we’ve forgotten one crucial thing: women haven’t been part of the studies. (Still.)

So you might be surprised to hear I’ve still tried it. Why? Because everyone seemed to be saying it was good for me. The science sounded convincing (don’t worry, we’ll get into that). The testimonials were everywhere. So it felt like the “smart” thing to do.

But after 16 hours without food, I’m not levelling up my cognition or unlocking some metabolic superpower— I’m moody, anxious, and nursing a stress headache that makes me question all my life choices. My body doesn’t go Zen. It goes survival mode.

And I didn’t know why until I started digging into the research — and realised that much of it doesn’t apply to me. Or to you. Or to any other woman who’s active, busy, and not looking to crash her hormones in the name of “discipline”.

Because intermittent fasting isn’t just about skipping breakfast.
It’s about the message that fast sends your body.
And for women — especially active women — that message is often:

You’re not safe.

Let’s talk about why — and what the Girl Science really says.

To keep reading, head over to Dr. Emily Prpa’s Substack and dive into the full post.

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N.B. This content is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for medical advice.