As women age, it’s common to gain menopausal weight due to a slower metabolism and hormonal shifts. While it’s not impossible to shed the unwanted pounds, it’s not easy.
“The decline of estrogen during perimenopause and menopause creates metabolic changes and affects how the body stores fat as well as its insulin sensitivity,” says Dr. Bronwyn Holmes-Mahtani M.D., a board-certified physician and member of Eden’s Medical Advisory Board.
She explains, “As people age their muscle mass decreases which reduces their resting metabolic rate. These changes cause women to gain weight more easily while making previous weight loss methods less effective.”
To help battle weight gain, many women in their 40s turn to intermittent fasting, specifically the 16/8 method where you don’t eat for 16 hours and eat for eight hours. While it’s been a popular and effective way to lose a few pounds, the 14/10 method is becoming the new buzzed about trend.
Here’s everything to know and if it actually works.
What to Know About Fasting
Intermittent fasting has been a wellness trend for quite some time and for good reason. There are benefits to only eating between a window of time each day, however there are certain things to keep in mind.
“Women need to understand that our bodies are incredibly sensitive to calorie restriction in ways that men’s bodies simply aren’t,” says Haley Pulli, Head Coach, MyBodyTutor.
She explains, “We have reproductive systems that require consistent energy, and when we restrict too aggressively, our hormones can get disrupted.”
She notes it’s important to start slow and take cues from your body.
“Intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool, but it needs to be approached with respect for how uniquely female bodies respond to food timing. Your body will tell you what works if you’re willing to listen.”
Why Fasting Can Work for Women Over 40
Women over 40 can have much success fasting and Dr. Mahtani explains why.
“Women have unique hormonal reactions to fasting which differ from men because of their increased sensitivity to hormones,” she says. “When performed properly intermittent fasting improves insulin sensitivity and decreases inflammation which are essential factors for weight gain after age 40.”
What is Modified Fasting
Eating for eight hours and fasting for 16 hours has been a go-to, but now people are turning to “modified fasting.”
“The 14/10 method involves fasting for 14 hours (including overnight) and eating only within a 10-hour window, for example, from 9am to 7pm,” Terry Tateossian, an ISSA Nutritionist and ISSA Personal Trainer, IIN Hormone Specialist, IIN Emotional Eating Coach, and the Founder of THOR: The House of Rose explains.
She says, “This method is gentler on the female endocrine system than longer fasting windows. It allows for metabolic benefits without causing the hormonal stress response that can sometimes happen with more aggressive fasting (like 18:6 or OMAD) in midlife women.”
Tateossian prefers this approach and recommends it to clients because she says, “it provides a big enough window where they can get their recommended daily amount of protein without feeling too stuffed and where we can ensure they get enough nutrition, especially during a dieting phase.”
How Effective Modified Fasting is Compared to 16/8
The 14/10 method is effective and produces benefits, but doesn’t deliver as much weight loss.
“The 16/8 method (16 hours fasting, 8-hour eating) may promote greater weight loss or improvements in insulin, but the difference is small compared to 14/10,” says Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD for GLP-1 Hub.
However, she says, “The 14/10 method still improves metabolism and is more sustainable long-term.”
Dr. Mahtani approves of modified fasting for several reasons.
“The 14/10 fasting method provides better hormonal balance and energy along with improved compliance for women above 45 than the 16/8 fasting approach does,” she says. “The approach tends to be more enduring and less probable to disrupt sleep patterns or affect thyroid or adrenal system health.”
Benefits of 14/10 Modified Fasting
While many turn to modified fasting to manage weight loss goals, there’s other reasons to try the method, according to experts.
“For women over 45, modified fasting can be a game-changer when done right,” says Pulli. “It can help combat that stubborn midsection weight gain that comes with menopause, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce inflammation.”
In addition, Reisdorf explains, “Modified fasting may help improve blood sugar, reduce insulin resistance and lower inflammation, which are all concerns for women over 45.”