Fast Like a Girl by Mindy Pelz Summary

Fast Like a Girl teaches women to optimize fasting based on their menstrual cycle phases, promoting weight loss, hormone balance, and metabolic health. Dr. Mindy Pelz offers a 30-day fasting reset, protocols for 13–72-hour fasts, and over 50 recipes tailored to support hormonal needs through ketobiotic and hormone-feasting diets.

This book is ideal for women seeking hormone regulation, sustainable weight loss, or improved energy through fasting. It’s particularly valuable for those frustrated by one-size-fits-all diets or navigating menopause, PCOS, or thyroid issues.

Yes—it combines science-backed fasting strategies with menstrual cycle alignment, offering a unique approach absent in most guides. Critics note its occasional self-promotional tone, but its actionable plans and recipes make it a standout resource.

The reset guides readers from intermittent fasting (13–15 hours) to extended fasts (up to 72 hours), synced with hormonal cycles. It includes meal plans to ease transitions and optimize autophagy, gut health, and metabolic switching.

Dr. Pelz recommends shorter fasts (13–15 hours) during menstruation and ovulation, and longer fasts (15–72 hours) in follicular and luteal phases to match fluctuating energy and hormone levels. Post-menopausal women follow a 30-day simulated cycle.

Ketobiotic combines keto and probiotic-rich foods to reduce inflammation. Hormone feasting uses carb cycling to support estrogen and progesterone. Both include recipes like Coconut Cacao Chia Pudding to break fasts safely.

Some reviewers find the “gal pal” tone overly casual and note repetitive self-promotion. However, the cycle-centric approach and practical tools are widely praised for addressing gaps in women’s fasting guidance.

Unlike generic guides, it tailors fasting to female biology, emphasizing hormone synchronization and metabolic flexibility. It also provides condition-specific protocols (e.g., for PCOS) and cyclical food plans.

Yes—over 50 recipes designed to break fasts and balance hormones. Examples include anti-inflammatory soups, electrolyte drinks, and low-glycemic snacks to maintain energy during fasting windows.

Dr. Pelz references studies on autophagy, insulin sensitivity, and hormonal responses to fasting. However, some claims lack direct citations, leaning instead on clinical observations from her practice.

The book includes a QR code for iOS app access, with an Android version in development. Audiobook listeners receive a supplemental PDF via email, though some users report difficulty retrieving it.

Yes—protocols address insulin resistance (common in PCOS) and simulate cycles for menopausal women. Fasting is framed as a tool to stabilize cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone levels.