Can intermittent fasting be spiritual too?

It is just me, or is everyone talking about intermittent fasting at the moment? Whether it’s a fitness influencer on Instagram, your neighbour in the queue at church coffee, or your mum’s best friend who just turned 70 and swears by the  16:8 method — this way of eating, or not eating, is everywhere. It’s gained traction across generations, promising everything from weight loss and clearer skin to reduced inflammation and longer life.

I recently met up with a friend twenty years younger than me. I noticed she was looking particularly well and said so. You know her answer? Intermittent fasting.

But is it the answer to all our problems? And what does it mean when a practice with deep biblical roots becomes the latest wellness trend?

Intermittent fasting, or IF as it’s commonly known, is essentially an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting.

Intermittent fasting, or IF as it’s commonly known, is essentially an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. There are different methods — the 16:8 (eating in an eight-hour window and fasting for 16), the 5:2 (eating normally five days a week and severely reducing calories for two), or even alternate day fasting. While the science is still developing, research shows potential benefits: improved metabolic health, lower blood sugar, reduced inflammation, and even increased longevity.

READ MORE: We are calling for a 40-day prayer and fasting relay for God to bring revival in the UK

As Christians, fasting has long been part of our spiritual tradition. From the Old Testament to the New, fasting is seen as a way of humbling ourselves before God, seeking his face, and drawing nearer to him. Moses fasted for 40 days on Mount Sinai before receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). Jesus himself fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry (Matthew 4:1–2).

For them, fasting wasn’t about resetting their digestive systems or boosting their energy. It was about surrender. About dependence. About intimacy with the Father.

And I’ll be honest — fasting has never come easy to me. I’ve started with good intentions, then found myself in the kitchen at 3pm, overcome by hunger. My flesh is weak, but I know fasting is something I want to grow in, not as a diet, but as a doorway to more of Jesus and less of me. So what happens when fasting becomes fashionable? When this sacred discipline gets rebranded as a wellness trend?

READ MORE: Prayer and fasting is the backbone behind this ministry

Perhaps God, the designer of our bodies, knew all along that pausing from food could do more than clear the mind; it could reset the body too.

On one hand, I think it’s fascinating, even encouraging, that science is catching up with Scripture. Perhaps God, the designer of our bodies, knew all along that pausing from food could do more than clear the mind; it could reset the body too. But on the other hand, I are we missing the point?

In the Gospels, when Jesus taught about fasting, he said, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:16). It wasn’t about public performance. It was about private surrender.

So, should we as Christian women engage with intermittent fasting? I think the answer is yes, but with our eyes wide open and our hearts rightly positioned.

If fasting helps reduce inflammation, improve energy, or even helps us fit into a favourite pair of jeans, then wonderful. But let that not be our main motivation. Let it be a beautiful bonus to the greater reward of spiritual connection. Let our fasting be rooted in love for Jesus, not love for how we look in the mirror.

There’s something countercultural about saying no to food in a world that screams “more.” It reminds us that man does not live on bread alone (Deuteronomy 8:3), and that our real hunger, the deep ache in our souls, will only ever be satisfied in Christ.

So perhaps the next time you hear someone talking about intermittent fasting, take a moment to reflect. Ask the Lord if he’s inviting you into a fast — not just for the physical benefits, but for spiritual breakthrough. Maybe it’s a day. Maybe it’s skipping one meal a week to pray instead. Start small. Give yourself grace. And above all, let it draw you closer to the One who called himself the Bread of Life.