Is Intermittent Fasting Working Against You in the Second Half of Your Cycle?

You’ve seen the reels. Heard the hype. Maybe even downloaded a fasting app or two.

And at first? It seemed to work.
Until it didn’t.

Now you’re:
⏰ Waking up wired at 3am
🍫 Craving sugar and carbs like never before
😩 Feeling irritable, inflamed, and… weirdly puffy

Let’s talk about why intermittent fasting might be backfiring for midlife women—and what your body’s trying to tell you.

🍽️ Autophagy Is Real—But Timing Matters

You’ve probably heard that intermittent fasting helps “clean” your cells through a process called autophagy.

Autophagy: Your Body’s Built-In Spring Cleaning Crew 🪟
Think of autophagy as your body’s way of taking out the trash. It kicks in when your body senses it’s time to clean house—like when you’re fasting or running slightly low on certain nutrients.

That mild nutrient stress (like skipping breakfast or extending time between meals) nudges your cells to say:

“Alright, we’re not getting much fuel right now—let’s tidy up, recycle what we don’t need, and make sure everything’s running smoothly.”

And just like that, your body starts clearing out damaged cells, misfolded proteins, and old bits of cellular clutter—keeping things younger, sharper, and cleaner from the inside out.

✅ Sounds great, right?
It is. But here’s where it gets tricky—especially for women.

💥 The Second Half of Your Cycle Changes Everything

In the second half of your cycle—your luteal phase—your brain and body operate like there might be a baby on board. Even if you’re not trying (or able) to get pregnant, your biology doesn’t know that.

With rising progesterone comes:
🔺 Increased appetite
🔻 A drop in energy
🛌 A deeper need for sleep and nutrients

Try to fast during this time? Your body pushes back with cravings, anxiety, and next-level fatigue.

As oestrogen declines, your brain gets jumpier about hunger. What once felt like a minor pang now registers as an emergency—because biologically, your body is wired to protect you (and any potential pregnancy), even if the only thing you’re carrying is a team meeting and three tabs of online shopping.

And it’s not just theory—research from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism shows that fasting during the luteal phase can actually increase cortisol and reduce insulin sensitivity. That means more cravings, unstable blood sugar, and a system running on edge.

A 2021 review in Nutrients even found that women who fast too rigidly—especially during hormone-sensitive windows—can end up gaining belly fat and worsening waist circumference due to the stress response.

Even more eye-opening? A recent study in Cell Metabolism found women over 40 are four times more likely than men to experience blood sugar crashes from fasting, thanks to fluctuating hormones and heightened brain sensitivity to fuel availability.

👉 So what’s a smarter strategy? A gentler fast—or even a balanced breakfast rich in protein and healthy fats—can stabilise mood, metabolism, and energy in your luteal phase, while still supporting your longevity goals.

👩‍⚕️ Meet Naomi—She Was “Doing Everything Right”

Naomi, 45, came to me frustrated. She was fasting until noon, walking 10,000 steps a day, and cutting carbs.

But instead of results, she felt:
🌀 Bloated
😵 Foggy
😡 Moody

And she couldn’t figure out why her cravings were getting worse—especially right before her period.

When we looked deeper, the pattern was clear:
❌ Fasting through the luteal phase
❌ Overtraining while under-eating
❌ Ignoring her body’s hunger cues as “just mental”

Once we adjusted her fasting window, supported her hormones, and gave her nervous system a break—her energy, clarity, and confidence returned.

“I didn’t realise I was working against my body. Now I feel like it’s working with me.”

💬 Ready to Finally Feel Like You Again?

Let’s be honest—this isn’t just about timing your meals.
It’s about feeling safe and steady in your own body again.

And if you’re:
✅ Done with guessing
✅ Open to expert, personalised support
✅ And in a place where you’re ready to honour your body, your time, and your energy with intentional support…

📞 Then this is your invitation to apply for a free 1:1 consultation (60 minutes, just you and me).

Together, we’ll map out what your hormones, metabolism, and nervous system are asking for—and explore if my deeper coaching program is the right fit for you.

This work is deep and transformational—and it asks more than curiosity.
It’s for women who are ready to move with clarity, take bold aligned action, and invest in a future where their body feels like home again.

If that’s you, I’d be honoured to support your next steps.

Victoria O’Sullivan