A Practical Guide to Fasting (How to Start and Make It Work After 50)

Fasting is one of those topics that can sound complicated—but it really isn’t.

In fact, once you understand it properly, it’s actually one of the simplest tools you can use for weight loss and overall health.

The problem is, most people either overcomplicate it or misunderstand it completely.

So let’s strip it right back and go through it in a practical way.

Watch this video from Dr Jason Fung who wrote The Obesity Code

What Fasting Actually Is

At its core, fasting is very simple.

It’s just a period of time where you’re not eating.

That’s it.

You already do it every single day.

When you sleep, you’re fasting. That’s where the word breakfast comes from—you’re breaking the fast from overnight .

Your body is designed to handle this.

When you eat, your body stores energy.

When you don’t eat, your body uses that stored energy.

That’s a normal process.

And it’s an important one.

Why Fasting Works

A lot of people focus only on what they eat.

But there’s another important question:

When are you eating?

If you’re eating all day—snacking, grazing, always having something—your body is constantly in “storage mode.”

It never really gets a chance to use the energy you’ve already stored. when you’re eating, your body stores calories.

When you’re not eating, it uses those stored calories for energy .

If you never give your body that gap, it never really taps into those stores.

That’s where fasting comes in.

Fasting Is Normal (And It’s Always Your Choice)

This is an important point.

Fasting isn’t starvation.

It’s voluntary.

You’re choosing when to eat and when not to eat.

If you don’t like it, you can stop.

That’s it.

People have been fasting for thousands of years—for health, cultural, and religious reasons .

This isn’t something new or extreme.

It’s actually going back to a more natural way of eating.

How to Start Fasting (Keep It Simple)

You don’t need to jump into anything extreme.

The simplest place to start is:

12–14 hours overnight

For example:

Finish dinner at 6:00pm
Eat breakfast at 8:00am

That’s a 14-hour fast.

That alone can make a difference.

It also lines up with how people used to eat.

Back in the 60s and 70s, people ate:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

And that was it.

No constant snacking.

No eating all day.

What You Can Have While Fasting

Another thing people get confused about is what “breaks” a fast.

In practical terms, keep it simple.

You can have:

Water
Tea
Coffee (without sugar)

These don’t contain calories, so your body stays in that fasted state .

Even small things like a splash of milk or bone broth aren’t a big deal.

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency.

Why Fasting Makes Things Easier

One of the biggest benefits of fasting is that it simplifies everything.

Instead of:

Counting calories
Tracking everything you eat

You’re simply controlling when you eat.

As mentioned in the transcript, calorie counting is often inaccurate anyway .

Most people don’t really know how many calories they’re eating.

Fasting gives you structure.

And structure leads to consistency.

Building Habits (This Is the Key)

This is where fasting really becomes powerful.

It helps you build habits.

Instead of constantly deciding:
“Should I eat now?”

You already know:
“No, I eat at these times.”

That removes a lot of decision-making.

And once something becomes a habit, you don’t need willpower anymore.

It just becomes part of your routine.

What to Expect When You Start

This is important so you don’t give up too early.

When you first start fasting, you will feel hungry.

That’s normal.

Your body is used to eating at certain times.

But here’s the key:

Hunger comes in waves

It doesn’t just keep getting worse.

If you ride it out, it usually passes.

We’ve all experienced this.

Skip breakfast once, and you’re hungry at first—but then it settles down.

That’s your body adjusting.

Tips to Make It Easier

A few simple things make a big difference.

Stay busy

This is one of the easiest ways to get through it.

If you’re:

Working
Exercising
Doing something active

You won’t be thinking about food.

Avoid triggers

Things like:

Watching food content
Walking through food courts
Grocery shopping

These can make fasting harder.

It’s not hunger—it’s just being reminded of food.

Don’t do it alone

If possible, do it with someone else.

It’s always easier when you have support.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

This is where people trip up.

1. Overeating after the fast

This is a big one.

You fast… then eat everything in sight.

That cancels out a lot of the benefit.

A better approach is simple:

Eat normally

Don’t try to “make up” for the fast.

2. Making it too complicated

You don’t need:

Complex schedules
Perfect timing
Strict rules

Start simple.

3. Doing too much too soon

You don’t need to jump into long fasts.

Start with 12–14 hours.

Then build from there if needed.

How This Fits With Your Overall Plan

Fasting isn’t a magic solution on its own.

It works best when combined with:

Good nutrition
Enough protein
Strength training

That’s where your approach comes in.

The JR 3-Day, 30-Minute Method

Three short workouts per week.

Day 1: Legs
Day 2: Shoulders and Back
Day 3: Chest and Arms

Short, focused, and effective.

When you combine that with simple nutrition and some structure around eating, everything starts to work together.

Final Thoughts

Fasting doesn’t need to be complicated.

It’s not extreme.

It’s not something new.

It’s simply giving your body time to use the energy you’ve already stored.