I Stopped Fasting for a Year - Here's What It Taught Me (& Other Habits I'm Giving Up)

After 30 years in health, Dr. Mindy is calling time on the rules.

This solo episode is one of the most personal things she's shared on this podcast. It covers two big ideas: the science and story behind why she stopped fasting for most of the past year and the five health habits she's deliberately walking away from in 2026.

First, flex fasting. When cortisol is high from grief, trauma, illness, perimenopause, or chronic stress rigidly pushing through long fasting windows doesn't support the body. It depletes it. Dr. Mindy shares what happened when she lost a close friend and found herself in an acute stress state, what the research says about prolonged fasting and the HPA axis, and how she developed a new approach she's calling flex fasting: a more intuitive, body-led way to use fasting as a tool without turning it into a rule.

Then the five things she's giving up: counting (macros, biometrics, followers, all of it), the gym, other people's urgency, productivity over health, and information overconsumption. Each one is a direct response to what the wellness industry has quietly done to us — turned health into a full-time job with a performance review.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Fast Like a Girl: https://www.drmindypelz.com/books
• Age Like a Girl: https://www.drmindypelz.com/books
• Substack Article "I Stopped Fasting for a Year": https://substack.com/@drmindypelz/
• Carb Manager App carbmanager.com, available on iOS, Android, and web
• The Movement Diet: Redefining Fitness at Every Age with Katy Bowman
• Study: Prolonged Fasting, HPA Axis & Cortisol - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12736288/
• Study: Estrogen & Cortisol Regulation - https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/102/12/4457/4587523
• Midlife Women Fasting Trial - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65678-z
• Study: Self-Selected Fasting Windows - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03375-y
• BEAM Minerals, use code MINDY for 20% off: https://www.beamminerals.com/?oid=4&affid=648
• LMNT, get a free sample pack with your order: https://bit.ly/drinklmntpelz

To view full show notes, resources mentioned, transcripts, and more, visit
👉 https://drmindypelz.com/ep343 

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Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, fasting routine, or lifestyle.