Hi!

Before I dive in, I want to be clear: I’m not a doctor, nutritionist, or medical professional. Everything here is simply my personal experience with fasting and time‑restricted eating.

People often use these terms interchangeably, but they’re not quite the same.

Fasting means consuming zero calories for a set period of time. During a fast, people typically stick to water, tea, or black coffee. Even a small amount of calories—around 30 or more—can technically break a fast because your body begins processing that energy.

Time‑restricted eating (TRE) is similar in spirit but more flexible. You still keep your meals within a defined eating window, but outside that window you can have low‑calorie items like gum, supplements, or other things under roughly 30 calories. TRE is more about when you eat than maintaining a strict zero‑calorie state.

A quick note on terminology: Many people refer to all of this as intermittent fasting, but that term can be misleading. Intermittent fasting is often used as an umbrella label, but it’s actually quite different from long‑term fasting. Intermittent fasting protocols like time‑restricted eating are designed to be practiced daily, while extended fasts—24 hours or more—are typically done sparingly, maybe once a week or even just a few times a month. TRE is the daily rhythm that worked for me and eventually became a sustainable lifestyle.

That’s really the main difference between the two protocols.

When I first began, I fasted for about 16 hours a day. That’s normal for me—I like to challenge my body—but for most people, starting with 13–14 hours is more approachable.

There’s a lot of discussion about autophagy, which is the body’s natural process of cleaning out damaged cells. Research suggests that autophagy increases during longer fasts, but the exact timing varies from person to person and is still being studied.

One example that stuck with me is hearing stories from long‑term water fasters whose bodies began shedding things like skin tags. Whether or not that’s universal, I find the idea fascinating. The body is incredible when it has space to do its own maintenance. Modern life, with constant access to food, doesn’t make that easy—we have to intentionally create these windows. Caveat: autophagy requires a true zero‑calorie fast, so it’s generally hard to trigger unless you’re doing water‑only fasts.

Here’s how TRE usually plays out in my daily routine:

• I wake up and drink black coffee.

• I wait until I actually feel hungry—this is usually several hours after waking.

• When hunger hits, I’ll have my first meal or a snack.

• From that moment, I keep my eating window open for up to four hours.

• I’ll have one more snack or meal during that window (a meal is preferable over a snack).

• When I’m done, I hit the timer on my Zero fasting app to track the start of my next “fast.”

That’s it. Simple, repeatable, and easy to maintain.

If your goal in 2026 is weight loss or simply feeling better in your body, TRE can be a great place to start. I’ve found it easiest to eat earlier in the day. Two big benefits:

• Your digestion won’t interfere with sleep.

• Eating after waking helps refill the tank and gives you energy for the day.

You’ve probably heard the question: Do you live to eat, or eat to live? There’s wisdom in both perspectives.

If you’re alive, you need calories—it’s part of the daily checklist of being a human. In that sense, eating is a response to an internal signal: low energy → urge to eat → problem solved.

But it’s easy to slip into eating for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. Stress, boredom, discomfort—any of these can trigger the same impulse. TRE becomes much more effective once you learn to distinguish true hunger from coping.

It took me 6–7 years to really understand the difference. Once you do, you naturally eat only when you’re actually hungry. That’s the real secret.

Humans don’t need nearly as much as we assume—whether that’s material things, supplements, or food. Many of us carry the belief that if we don’t eat constantly, something bad will happen. This is where I remind you again: talk to your doctor if you’re experimenting with fasting or TRE. It’s always good to have professional guidance.

By eating one or two meals a day—depending on your window—you naturally reduce your calorie intake. Over time, that can lead to weight loss. More importantly, you build a healthier relationship with food. You start seeing it as fuel for survival rather than something to soothe discomfort.

You don’t need 24‑hour fasts to see benefits. Consistency matters far more. If you keep your window, stay mindful, and maybe cut back on drinking (I’m sober, but you don’t have to be), you’ll learn a lot about your body and how much food you actually need.

That information is priceless.

Note from Snoova: If something here sparks a question or you’re finding your own rhythm with food, feel free to reach out. I’m always open to thoughtful conversations.

Hi!

Before I dive in, I want to be clear: I’m not a doctor, nutritionist, or medical professional. Everything here is simply my personal experience with fasting and time‑restricted eating.

People often use these terms interchangeably, but they’re not quite the same.

Fasting means consuming zero calories for a set period of time. During a fast, people typically stick to water, tea, or black coffee. Even a small amount of calories—around 30 or more—can technically break a fast because your body begins processing that energy.

Time‑restricted eating (TRE) is similar in spirit but more flexible. You still keep your meals within a defined eating window, but outside that window you can have low‑calorie items like gum, supplements, or other things under roughly 30 calories. TRE is more about when you eat than maintaining a strict zero‑calorie state.

A quick note on terminology: Many people refer to all of this as intermittent fasting, but that term can be misleading. Intermittent fasting is often used as an umbrella label, but it’s actually quite different from long‑term fasting. Intermittent fasting protocols like time‑restricted eating are designed to be practiced daily, while extended fasts—24 hours or more—are typically done sparingly, maybe once a week or even just a few times a month. TRE is the daily rhythm that worked for me and eventually became a sustainable lifestyle.

That’s really the main difference between the two protocols.

When I first began, I fasted for about 16 hours a day. That’s normal for me—I like to challenge my body—but for most people, starting with 13–14 hours is more approachable.

There’s a lot of discussion about autophagy, which is the body’s natural process of cleaning out damaged cells. Research suggests that autophagy increases during longer fasts, but the exact timing varies from person to person and is still being studied.

One example that stuck with me is hearing stories from long‑term water fasters whose bodies began shedding things like skin tags. Whether or not that’s universal, I find the idea fascinating. The body is incredible when it has space to do its own maintenance. Modern life, with constant access to food, doesn’t make that easy—we have to intentionally create these windows. Caveat: autophagy requires a true zero‑calorie fast, so it’s generally hard to trigger unless you’re doing water‑only fasts.

Here’s how TRE usually plays out in my daily routine:

• I wake up and drink black coffee.

• I wait until I actually feel hungry—this is usually several hours after waking.

• When hunger hits, I’ll have my first meal or a snack.

• From that moment, I keep my eating window open for up to four hours.

• I’ll have one more snack or meal during that window (a meal is preferable over a snack).

• When I’m done, I hit the timer on my Zero fasting app to track the start of my next “fast.”

That’s it. Simple, repeatable, and easy to maintain.

If your goal in 2026 is weight loss or simply feeling better in your body, TRE can be a great place to start. I’ve found it easiest to eat earlier in the day. Two big benefits:

• Your digestion won’t interfere with sleep.

• Eating after waking helps refill the tank and gives you energy for the day.

You’ve probably heard the question: Do you live to eat, or eat to live? There’s wisdom in both perspectives.

If you’re alive, you need calories—it’s part of the daily checklist of being a human. In that sense, eating is a response to an internal signal: low energy → urge to eat → problem solved.

But it’s easy to slip into eating for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. Stress, boredom, discomfort—any of these can trigger the same impulse. TRE becomes much more effective once you learn to distinguish true hunger from coping.

It took me 6–7 years to really understand the difference. Once you do, you naturally eat only when you’re actually hungry. That’s the real secret.

Humans don’t need nearly as much as we assume—whether that’s material things, supplements, or food. Many of us carry the belief that if we don’t eat constantly, something bad will happen. This is where I remind you again: talk to your doctor if you’re experimenting with fasting or TRE. It’s always good to have professional guidance.

By eating one or two meals a day—depending on your window—you naturally reduce your calorie intake. Over time, that can lead to weight loss. More importantly, you build a healthier relationship with food. You start seeing it as fuel for survival rather than something to soothe discomfort.

You don’t need 24‑hour fasts to see benefits. Consistency matters far more. If you keep your window, stay mindful, and maybe cut back on drinking (I’m sober, but you don’t have to be), you’ll learn a lot about your body and how much food you actually need.

That information is priceless.

Note from Snoova: If something here sparks a question or you’re finding your own rhythm with food, feel free to reach out. I’m always open to thoughtful conversations.