Pressing Pause on Intermittent Fasting: A Needed Reset in My Health Journey

As part of my ongoing effort to improve my health and fitness, I’ve tried a wide range of routines, diets, and habits over the years. One of the most consistent practices I’ve maintained has been Intermittent Fasting (IF). It served me well for a long time—I appreciated the structure, the discipline, and the simplicity of limiting my eating window.

But recently, I decided it was time to take a break.

Why Step Away from IF?

The older I get, the more I’ve come to realize that there is no perfect diet, only the one that works for my body at this moment in life. And lately, I’ve noticed that some of the benefits of IF have started turning into limitations.

The biggest challenge has been protein intake.

To build and maintain muscle—especially as we age—protein becomes essential. But I’ve found it increasingly difficult to hit my daily protein target within a restricted eating window. On days where my schedule is busy or meals get delayed, I sometimes fall short. Over time, that adds up.

Another factor is my training.

Training Fasted: Helpful or Holding Me Back?

I’ve always trained in a fasted state. It felt efficient and fit nicely into my morning routine. But recently I’ve been questioning whether it’s holding me back.

Am I leaving strength gains on the table?

Is my body getting the fuel it needs to truly progress?

Could I see better results by reshaping how and when I eat?

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed clear that a reset could be valuable.

Aiming for Better Energy and Satiation

Pausing IF gives me something I’ve been missing: flexibility.

I can now structure my meals more intentionally around my workouts, giving my body access to nutrients when it needs them most. I can also spread protein throughout the day—something nutrition research strongly supports for muscle retention and energy balance.

And maybe most importantly…

I can finally stop going to bed hungry.

Even after more than a year of consistency in tracking calories and macros, I often found myself wrestling with hunger late at night. That constant battle creates mental fatigue, and it’s not sustainable long term.

Still Searching for the Right Formula

This break from IF isn’t a retreat—it’s an experiment. Just like everything else in my health journey.

While I continue to progress slowly, I still feel that I haven’t unlocked the approach that truly works best for me. My hope is that with this change, I’ll find better balance, more strength, and improved recovery.

My goal hasn’t changed:

to build a sustainable routine that supports the next decade of my life—not just the next week.

Sometimes the biggest progress comes from being willing to pivot, test, learn, and adapt.

And that’s exactly what I’m doing now.