Unlocking Performance with an Empty Stomach

Imagine this: sharper focus, higher productivity, and increased mental clarity—all without any additional caffeine or supplements. What if the key to unlocking your peak performance was as simple as not eating?

Fasting, once considered just a tool for weight loss or spiritual practice, has now been embraced by high-performers across industries as a game-changing approach to mental and physical optimization.

In this article, I’ll break down the science behind fasting, explore its deep roots in ancient traditions, and share my personal journey of fasting—how it transformed my mind, body, and productivity.

The Science Behind Fasting

Over the past decade, fasting has gone from niche health circles to mainstream science. It turns out that what ancient civilizations already knew, modern research is now confirming: fasting offers far-reaching benefits for the brain and body.

1. Autophagy and Cellular Cleanup: When we fast, we trigger a process called autophagy, where the body clears out damaged cells and regenerates new ones. Autophagy not only helps combat aging but also supports better immune function and longevity. Studies have shown that fasting can reduce inflammation, which is linked to a host of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

2. Ketosis and Mental Clarity: During fasting, the body shifts from burning glucose (aka sugar) to burning fat, a process that produces ketones. Ketones are a more efficient fuel source for the brain (compared to sugar), leading to heightened mental clarity and focus. So not only do you lose fat, but you also gain energy! Remember what we said about “healthy fats” right?

3. Stress Resilience: Fasting is a mild stressor that conditions your body to better handle larger stressors. Research suggests that fasting improves neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and grow, and helps regulate stress-related genes.

The key thing about not eating is pretty straightforward, but we often forget about this. We are constantly busy digesting food—while doing so many other things in the meantime—that we never gift our body a quiet time. Fasting allows our body to calm down and shift focus from digesting to fixing anything to be fixed in your body, hence reducing inflammation and allowing you to remember what it means to be in a state of quiet, of emptiness, of bliss.

Why Fasting Boosts Performance and Mental Health

For top professionals and entrepreneurs, mental clarity, resilience, and emotional regulation are key to success. Here’s how fasting enhances all three:

1. Mental Clarity: As your body begins producing ketones, your brain benefits from a cleaner, more sustainable energy source. This reduces brain fog and enhances your ability to focus on complex tasks without the afternoon slump.

2. Enhanced Focus and Creativity: Fasting creates mental clarity by reducing insulin levels and stabilizing energy production—this is one of the most important cycles in your body, to stabilize your blood-glucose levels. Without the constant digestion of food, more energy is allocated to brain function, which can lead to improved problem-solving and creativity.

3. Increased Resilience: Fasting strengthens your prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and impulse control. By periodically going without food, you train your body to manage discomfort and stay focused, skills that are essential for high performance in fast-paced work environments.

Have 2 hours to spare in this holiday time? Watch another great review of scientific research by the “great” Andrew Huberman.

Fasting in Ancient Knowledge and Religions

Ok enough with the new fashion!

Fasting is far from a new trend—it has been practiced for thousands of years in nearly every culture. Across many religions, fasting has been seen as a way to cleanse the body and mind, fostering discipline, focus, and spiritual connection.

1. Islam (Ramadan): Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, viewing the practice as a way to purify the soul, focus on self-control, and strengthen empathy. The physical benefits are secondary to the mental and spiritual growth that fasting encourages.

2. Buddhism: Many Buddhist monks practice fasting to discipline the mind and body, believing that it strengthens willpower and mental clarity, helping practitioners transcend worldly distractions.

3. Christianity (Lent): Fasting during Lent symbolizes self-sacrifice and spiritual renewal, echoing the benefits of mental clarity and emotional control that modern science now confirms.

These ancient practices understood something that today’s fasting proponents have rediscovered—by restricting food intake, we sharpen the mind and fortify the spirit, building both mental and physical endurance.

Moreover, research on mindfulness and fasting reveals that both practices can improve connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, helping to regulate emotions and reduce reactivity to stress. This strengthened connection allows for better emotional regulation, which is crucial for high-stakes decision-making and maintaining focus in professional settings.

My Fasting Experience: My Routine and One-Off Tests

Fasting isn’t just a theory for me; it’s something I’ve actively incorporated into my life. The more I practice different techniques for self-awareness (more on this in the coming articles!), the more I’m (re)teaching myself to listen to my body. Since I do this, I don’t follow a forced routine for fasting but rather a tailored one for every occasion:

1. 14/16 hours fast: This is the most recurrent practice, I do it almost every day by cutting out breakfast. I notice that if I don’t invest time for breakfast in the morning, I have more time to follow my meditation + reading schedule, as well as sunrise yoga with my wife where the location allows! Fasting in this time window is quite easy and if you have never done it, you will get used to it very fast (pun intended!).

2. 18/24 hours fast: This is my go-to practice when I start to feel my body slowing down. Especially when it’s winter and I’m very stressed out—or simply tired—I clearly notice my metabolism having difficulties digesting everything I eat, so calorie restriction in these times is key to letting your body “relax” until you recharge batteries. NOTE: This is actually counterintuitive and the opposite of what people do. When we are tired, we normally tend to eat more and of less quality (ever noticed your burger and ice-cream cravings increase when you are in these times?!). So it’s key to fast instead, so you first don’t follow your unhealthy craving, you train your willpower and you let your body heal faster!

3. 48+ hours fast: This is the bimestral or monthly ideal routine. When fasting this much time you really allow your body for a full cleansing and you boost growth hormone and staminal cell production in your body. It doesn’t need to be a water-only fast though, you can also integrate with light vegetable broth and, when you really feel down, a teaspoon of extra-virgin coconut oil. If it’s the first time you practice this, then try doing it during vacation or chill time, you will be amazed at how much time you gain from not eating, or thinking about what to eat!

4. 72+ hours fast: These are pro-fasts. Doable for everyone, but you get there step by step. Moreover, do this if you have a specific goal, not just for fun, or your willpower will easily abandon you and it won’t be that fun starving till the end ahahah. Do this once every 6/12 months in combination with a spiritual retreat, a colonoscopy, or other medical routine checks so you are hitting many birds with one stone!

Fasting is More Than a Trend—It’s a Tool for Mental Mastery

Fasting has been a life-changing tool for me, and the science backs up what I’ve experienced firsthand. From improving focus and boosting mental resilience to promoting longevity, fasting offers a holistic way to enhance both body and mind. Whether you’re fasting for a few hours or embarking on a multi-day journey, it’s a tool that can reshape your performance at work and your quality of life.

Have you tried fasting as a tool to improve your mental clarity and performance? Share your experiences below or ask any questions about starting your own fasting journey!