Diet · Fasting

To Fast or Not to Fast?

By Joana  ·  2 min read  ·  June 2026

I said yes to fasting a few years ago and never looked back. Listening to your body is about more than just what you eat, it's also about when. For years I forced myself to eat breakfast because, you know what they say: breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Well. Not for me. On top of a long and horrific work commute, I was shoving food down the hatch every morning while my body was silently hating me for it.

I eventually stopped and started eating when I'm actually hungry, which is not breakfast. That shift alone made a difference, and it led me to the 16/8 intermittent fasting routine, where you eat within an 8-hour window and fast the rest. For me that looks like no food after 7pm, two meals a day, lunch somewhere between 11 and 1, and dinner no later than 6:30. I've been doing this for a few years and it works really well, for me. I am never starving or too full. Sometimes I have snacks in the afternoon if I feel like it, some fruit, homemade banana bread, homemade cookies, chocolate. I seem to gravitate toward sweet stuff. I also start my day with a 10 oz glass of water, then 30 minutes later my morning coffee. These are just habits I built by listening to my body, adjusting, and keeping what works. I don't feel like any of this is a chore, it just became natural.

Some people need breakfast, some skip lunch, some have dinner at 9pm. I also read about a guy who eats once a day at 6pm. I don't remember the size of his meal but I want to say it was substantial enough to carry him that long. He said he felt great and it works for him. It just goes to show you that while we all need food, how much and when is very individual.

It all starts and ends with you, your relationship with and awareness of your own body and its needs.

I was intrigued by the fasting theory and excited to learn more. According to an article on MedicineNet: "When you fast for 16 hours, your body switches its primary fuel source from glucose (sugar) to stored fat. This 'metabolic switch' lowers insulin levels, promotes fat burning, triggers cellular repair processes, and helps reduce inflammation."

I plan on continuing with this routine for as long as it serves me, monitoring my body for any changes and adjusting accordingly. But it all starts and ends with you, your relationship with and awareness of your own body and its needs.

Your body, your routines!

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