By: Elizabeth Honeycutt

Intermittent fasting has been a popular strategy in the fitness world for many years. However, what works well for 25-year-old athletes may not always apply to women in their 40s. In fact, traditional fasting protocols can sometimes cause unwanted effects, such as disrupting hormones, draining energy, and stalling fat loss. That’s why Board-Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner Dani Conway has been teaching a more personalized, adaptable approach for over 18 years: fueling before fasting.

As the founder of Nutrition the Natural Way, Dani Conway specializes in helping women over 40 optimize weight management, balance hormones, and support gut health through individualized nutrition, functional testing, and science-based protocols. Her clients include active women across Australia and the U.S. who are looking to improve metabolism and rebalance hormones, without compromising strength or mental well-being.

What Makes Fasting Challenging for Women Over 40?

Hormone shifts—especially those involving estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and insulin—can make a woman’s body more sensitive to stress. And fasting, by its nature, is a hormetic stressor, which can either be beneficial or have undesired effects if not approached properly. When fasting is not aligned with a woman’s metabolic needs, it can lead to:

• Fatigue and compromised recovery
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Increased anxiety, cravings, and blood sugar imbalances
• Irregular cycles and more intense perimenopausal symptoms

Let’s consider the example of Claire, a 47-year-old woman from Melbourne. She’s always been active—enjoys hiking and is very mindful of her diet. But recently, she’s been struggling with stubborn weight gain, energy crashes, and sleep that doesn’t feel fully restorative. Like many women in midlife, Claire is experiencing the hormonal shifts of perimenopause. After trying a common intermittent fasting protocol, she noticed worsening issues—increased irritability, cycles that became even more irregular, and a plateau in weight loss.

Women in midlife often experience enough internal stress from shifting hormones. Adding improperly timed fasting—particularly without metabolic preparation—can amplify that hormonal imbalance.

The Fuel-First Formula

Dani Conway’s approach offers a shift in strategy. Instead of starting with an intense 16:8 or OMAD fasting method, she makes sure that her clients are metabolically prepared by emphasizing “fueling before fasting.” This method includes:

• Fine-tuning the right balance of high protein, healthy fats, and customized carbohydrate intake to support daily performance—with adequate fueling before introducing fasting!
• Adjusting fasting windows based on individual hormone levels, never imposing a one-size-fits-all approach
• Optimizing meal timing to support workouts and recovery, ensuring clients are no longer under-fueling their bodies

This “fuel-before-fasting” approach can help maintain stable blood sugar levels, support muscle preservation, and promote metabolic flexibility—all without triggering negative stress responses in the body.

Real Results from Real Women

In Dani Conway’s Weight Loss Accelerator Program, active women in their 40s and 50s have experienced noticeable fat loss, improved muscle tone, and sustained energy—without giving up their favorite foods or workouts. Her clients are runners, CrossFitters, yoga enthusiasts, and busy professionals who report feeling more aligned with their bodies and energized throughout the day.

Consider a typical midlife woman, dedicated to her fitness routine, who has noticed that the methods that worked for her in the past are no longer as effective. After implementing the fueling-before-fasting approach, she begins to notice significant improvements: energy levels stabilize, afternoon crashes reduce, and fat loss resumes, all while maintaining strength and well-being.

Why Customization Matters

“Test, don’t guess” is one of Conway’s guiding principles. She uses functional testing—such as bloodwork, hormone, and gut health panels—to personalize each client’s nutrition plan. This includes identifying:

• Nutrient deficiencies like B12, magnesium, and iron
• Markers of insulin resistance or adrenal imbalances
• Inflammatory triggers that might be affecting fat loss—and much more!

This individualized approach is what sets her apart from generalized fasting advice. Dani’s protocols are designed to optimize, not punish, the female metabolism, drawing from science-backed evidence to create lasting, sustainable results.

Smarter Fasting = Sustainable Results

Intermittent fasting is not inherently harmful—it just needs to be approached differently for women over 40. When done with the right strategy, fasting can support fat-burning without disrupting hormonal balance.

Whether you’re training for a specific event or simply aiming to feel stronger and more energetic, the key is metabolic preparation—not starvation. Dani Conway’s motto is simple: “Stop starving, and start living!”

Want to learn more? Explore Dani Conway’s Weight Loss Accelerator Program and discover how to fast smarter, not harder. You can also download her complimentary guide: “Hormones, Hot Flashes, and High Fat!”

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical or professional advice. While the strategies mentioned are based on Dani Conway’s personal approach and experience, results may vary depending on individual circumstances, including health conditions, lifestyle, and adherence to the methods. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider or nutritionist before making significant changes to your diet, exercise routine, or fasting practices. The effectiveness of these strategies is not guaranteed and may depend on several factors, including but not limited to, metabolic health, hormone levels, and overall well-being.