The Fasting Lifestyle
Whether you want to boost energy, reduce markers of inflammation, accelerate cellular repair, or improve body composition, we’re here to help you tap into your potential.
Dozens of peer-reviewed studies indicate that fasting can be an effective tool to mitigate risk for metabolic disease.
Our Fasting Experts
Dr. Peter Attia
Leading the applied science of longevity
Read BioDr. Peter Attia
Peter Attia is the founder of Attia Medical, PC, a medical practice with offices in San Diego and New York City, focusing on the applied science of longevity. The practice applies nutritional biochemistry, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, techniques to increase distress tolerance, lipidology, pharmacology, and four-system endocrinology to increase lifespan (delaying the onset of chronic disease), while simultaneously improving healthspan (quality of life).
Our Fasting Experts
Dr. Rhonda Patrick
Translating complex scientific topics
Read BioDr. Rhonda Patrick
Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a published scientist and health educator based in San Diego. Her popular website and podcast, FoundMyFitness, reaches an audience of over 300,000 people per month.
Her areas of focus include micronutrient deficiencies and their role in aging, the role of genetics in determining the effects of nutrients on a person's health status, benefits of exposing the body to hormetic stressors, such as through exercise, fasting, sauna use or heat stress, or various forms of cold exposure, and the importance of mindfulness, stress reduction, and sleep.
Her work has been published in the journals FASEB, Nature Cell Biology, and Trends in Cell Biology.
Our Fasting Experts
Nicole Grant, RD
Guiding our community's nutritional needs
Read BioNicole Grant, RD
Nicole Grant is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Specialist who practices in the inpatient and the outpatient settings. She has years of experience in both the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. In the outpatient setting, Nicole works with patients one on one and applies evidence-based practices to help them achieve longevity and health goals unique to their individual lifestyles. In the last few years, she has also focused much of her time and research around the benefits of fasting and how this practice can be successfully implemented into most nutritional routines.
Our Fasting Experts
Kristi Storoschuk
Educating audiences on metabolic health
Read BioKristi Storoschuk
Kristi Storoschuk is a science communicator who focuses her research on ketogenic diets, metabolic therapies, and fasting for health optimization. She currently works alongside the world’s leading ketogenic researchers providing scientific education for the mainstream audience. She completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Outside of her research, she spends her time doing CrossFit, handstands, and optimizing her health with an ancestral approach.
Your body is built to fast
Three Meals a Day is a Modern Accident
Our metabolisms are programmed for periods of feast and famine. Unlike constantly-grazing cows with four stomachs, we aren’t built to maintain a constant drip of food.
Our Responsible Fasting Pillars
We’re committed to making fasting accessible to all who stand to benefit by providing education, guidance, and support.
This includes looking out for our fellow fasters to make sure we’re all developing safe and responsible fasting practices.
01
Consult with your physician before fasting
It’s always a good idea to speak to a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet and lifestyle. If you have a preexisting health condition, fasting may not be right for you.
02
Clarify your ‘Why’ for fasting
What do you hope to accomplish by fasting? Having a clear goal will help you make safe and informed choices about what type of fasting is right for you. When you’re conscious of the result you’re looking to achieve, you can find a practice that best aligns with these goals.
03
Treat fasting as a lifestyle, not a quick fix
Fasting may provide immediate physical and cognitive benefits, but a responsible fasting practice is sustainable, meaning the duration and frequency can be maintained over the long-term. Rather than using fasting as a one-time diet, think of it as a tool for lifelong health.
04
Start slow, and listen to your body
Fasting isn’t a competition. If you’re new to fasting, start slow and incrementally increase your duration and frequency over time. If you end a fast early, that’s okay too.
05
If you experience negative side effects, stop fasting
It’s natural to feel a bit of discomfort during a fast. If you have any concerns about irregular physical sensations or side effects during a fast, it’s time to end your fast and consult with your physician.
06
Drink plenty of water and ensure proper supplementation
Hydration is essential for a safe fasting practice. Make sure you’re consuming adequate water, and consider supplementing with sodium and magnesium to avoid mild side effects such as headaches and cramps.
07
Consume adequate calories when you’re not fasting
Always consume a healthy amount of nutritious food when you’re not fasting. If you’re fasting regularly and often have a compressed feeding window, this may require consuming higher calorie meals than usual.
08
Eat mindfully and enjoy food without guilt
Food is delicious, and it should be! Celebrate the nourishment and comfort that good food provides. Shared food experiences are part of our social fabric—when you’re not fasting, fully enjoy your meals with friends and loved ones.
09
Treat fasting as one part of a healthy lifestyle, not a cure-all
Fasting responsibly will help you take charge of your health, but there are other components that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Quality sleep, nutritious food, adequate exercise, and stress reduction practices are equally important for your emotional, cognitive, and physical health.
10
Fast with intention, not emotion
Fasting should emanate from self-love and thoughtful intention. Fast for yourself, not to satisfy the expectations or pressure of others. If you’re in a place of emotional distress or vulnerability, it’s not the right time to develop a fasting practice.
11
Make sure you’re fasting for the right reason
We recognize that relationships with food, nutrition, and weight can be complicated, and Zero should not be used to: achieve extreme or rapid weight loss, abstain from eating for psychological reasons, facilitate recurring episodes of under- or overeating, or to create persistent distress regarding your weight or body measurements.
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with their relationship with food, nutrition, or weight, please seek help from your physician, a mental health professional, or the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA)
12
We're all here to help
Don’t let fasting be an isolated experience. When the going gets tough, know you’re not alone. There are hundreds of thousands of people fasting with Zero everyday, and you can find many of them in the #FastingwithZero Facebook group, on our blog and on Instagram sharing their experiences and answering questions. You can also reach us anytime at support@zerofasting.com and we’ll do everything in our power to help.
Physiology
The simple truth is every body responds to fasting a little differently.
Genetics, health, lifestyle…all these things play a part. But for a healthy person embarking on a fasting journey, there’s a general timeline of events—a predictable set of metabolic responses as your fast stretches from hours into days.