6 Unexpected Intermittent Fasting Benefits For Women I Wish People Knew
- Autumn Bates, CCN, MS, BS, CPT
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Want to know the best Intermittent Fasting benefits for women? These are Intermittent Fasting benefits you won't want to miss out on.
Intermittent Fasting has quickly become recognized as an amazing tool to help people achieve their weight loss and wellness goals. But there are so many Intermittent Fasting benefits for women to specifically take advantage of.
As a Nutritionist, I've been using various forms of Intermittent Fasting over the last 8+ years through various stages of my wellness journey, from healing my gut, to losing weight after my first baby to maintaining my weight (and gut health) afterward.
It's important to know exactly what the Intermittent Fasting benefits for women are so that you can start taking advantage of it in a way that best supports your goals.
In this post, you'll learn all about the Intermittent Fasting benefits for women, including Intermittent Fasting benefits for weight loss, Intermittent Fasting benefits for skin and more!
This post is all about Intermittent Fasting benefits for women.
The Best Intermittent Fasting Benefits for Women
Intermittent Fasting Benefits For Weight Loss
Intermittent Fasting is likely best known for it's weight loss benefits.
Although the research ranges on how much weight loss someone can expect with Intermittent Fasting, it does appear to at least be on par with typical calorie restriction.(1)
But what makes Intermittent Fasting particularly useful for weight loss is that it can help to reduce hunger and therefore make it easier to stick with it.
Many people experience reduced hunger from Intermittent Fasting because it can help to reduce the storing hormone insulin and aid in increased fat burning.
When fat burning is increased, it provides fuel for the body even when you aren't eating. This fuel helps to signal to the body that you aren't hungry.
With my community, this is true for both men and women.
The Best Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss Tips:
Pick the right Intermittent Fasting window: Most women tend to benefit from a "shorter" fast of 12-16 hours. This is the range our community uses while following the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program.
Don't just "skip a meal": Skipping a meal is not the same thing as Intermittent Fasting. If you just skip a meal you run the risk of losing muscle and reducing your metabolism. Instead, focus on eating three meals rich in protein, fat and fiber within your eating window. You can learn all about what to eat during the eating window for best results with the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program.
Intermittent Fasting and Gut Health
The other very well known benefit of Intermittent Fasting is its role in gut health.
This is the main reason why I started my Intermittent Fasting journey back in 2017, to help heal my gut and stop the consistent bloating.
When we stop eating for a short period of time (aka Intermittent Fast), it triggers the gut cleaning processed called the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC) to turn on.
The MMC flushes out left behind food and bacteria in the GI tract. This cleaning process helps to stimulate a bowel movement, prevent bacterial overgrowth and helps reduce bloating.
The Best Intermittent Fasting and Gut Health Tips:
Experiment with a 16-18 hour Intermittent Fast: A slightly longer fast allows for more time for the MMC to activate and clean out the GI tract. The most important thing is to make sure you can still fit in three meals within your eating window. So if this fast length is too long, it's better to shorten it a bit.
Eat your veggies cooked, not raw: When you break your fast, it's important to focus on cooked veggies instead of raw. These are easier to breakdown and less irritating for the GI tract.
Test out keto coffee or keto tea: Keto coffee or keto tea is rich in butyric acid which has been studied for its ability to reduce inflammation in the gut. Keto coffee is an optional recommendation that can be used in our 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program.
Intermittent Fasting For PCOS
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a leading cause of infertility in women.
A very recent 2025 study found that a certain type of Intermittent Fasting called Time Restricted Feeding has been shown to improve various markers of PCOS.
The study reported that Intermittent Fasting lead to significant improvements in menstrual regularity, reductions in total testosterone, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced body weight and decreased inflammatory markers.(2)
Intermittent Fasting For PCOS Tips:
What you eat matters: Intermittent Fasting is just one tool, but what you eat also matters. Focusing on nutrient-dense, blood sugar stabilizing foods is crucial for success. These are the type of meals we use in our 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program HERE.
Make sure to check in with your doctor: This is especially true if you are taking any medications.
Intermittent Fasting For Women Over 50
In addition to the weight loss benefits of Intermittent Fasting, there are additional longevity benefits to consider.
One study in 2020 found that older adults who regularly used Intermittent Fasting had better cognitive function, reduced inflammation, reduced body weight and improved blood sugar levels when compared to those who did not use Intermittent Fasting.(3)
The best tips for Intermittent Fasting For Women Over 50:
Eat enough protein: Protein needs go up as we age due to increased muscle and bone loss. Eating enough protein also makes achieving a weight loss goal much easier. You can find my free protein calculator to get an idea of how much protein you need to eat HERE.
Stick to a shorter fast: Due to increased protein needs as we age, it's crucial to allow for enough time to eat that protein during your eating window. Low protein intakes can lead to issues like accelerated bone loss or a reduced metabolic rate. I've found that women over 50 benefit from a shorter fast ranging from 12-14 hours to help balance out the benefits of protein and Intermittent Fasting.
Intermittent Fasting and Diabetes
Due to the blood sugar stabilizing and insulin sensitizing benefits of Intermittent Fasting, it's been gaining a lot of attention for helping with diabetes.
The International Diabetes Federation has noted that Intermittent Fasting could potentially help reduce type 2 diabetes risk and improve insulin sensitivity.(4) Although more research is needed, the Federation also noted that Intermittent Fasting is gaining recognition for reducing and possibly even reversing Type 2 Diabetes.
One 2023 study found that Intermittent Fasting helped to improve A1c (a marker of blood sugar control) in those with insulin treated Type 2 Diabetes.(5)
Intermittent Fasting and Diabetes Tips:
Discuss the changes with your doctor: This is especially true if you're taking medications like insulin and metformin. All changes, including Intermittent Fasting, should first be discussed with your doctor so that you have a plan of attack tailored to your health history and goals.
Focus on blood sugar stabilizing foods when you break your fast: Remember, what you eat when you break your fast matters just as much as the fast itself. In our 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program, we focus on blood sugar stabilizing meals packed with protein, fat and fiber.
Intermittent Fasting Benefits For Skin
It's well known in research that high levels of insulin and insulin resistance can lead to acne.(6)
Thankfully, one studied benefit of Intermittent Fasting is improved insulin sensitivity!
This is likely why women, like Morgan (pictured above), have experienced the pleasant and unexpected benefit of clear skin when they have been following an Intermittent Fasting schedule.
In addition to reducing acne through improved insulin sensitivity, Intermittent Fasting may also help with reducing inflammation and improving the skin cells.
Intermittent Fasting triggers a process called autophagy. This process helps the body (including the skin!) to clean out old, dysfunctional cells and replace them with new, better functioning ones.
This cellular renewal could help skin repair and regeneration.
Tips for Intermittent Fasting for the skin:
Limit foods that irritate your gut: An inflamed gut can be tied to inflamed skin. Reducing foods that cause gut irritation while supporting gut health with natural sources of probiotics can help you see better results with your Intermittent Fast. This includes reducing added sugars, high lactose foods and refined carbohydrates while adding in probiotic rich foods like fermented dairy, kimchi and sauerkraut.
This post was all about Intermittent Fasting benefits for women.
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