I’ve recently joined the club of people who voluntarily go 20 hours without food and then eat during a four-hour window. It’s called 20:4 intermittent fasting. Here’s the surprise: it’s actually easier than I thought. I expected to spend those long fasting hours drooling over food I know is in the fridge. But no, my body has adapted quickly, and my stomach, which has always behaved like a spoiled kid yelling “more food, now!”, has finally learned to stay quiet for most of the day.

The 20:4 method is one of the stricter forms of intermittent fasting. It is sometimes referred to as the “Warrior Diet,” and research suggests that it can help lower blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and support weight management.

For me, the motivation is twofold: managing arthritis – since fasting may have an anti-inflammatory effect – and addressing a metabolism that has slowed down with age while my appetite has not. Some of the benefits I’ve noticed so far include steadier energy levels, less mental fog, and the beginning of gradual weight loss. Science also shows that longer fasting periods give the body more time in a state called autophagy, where it can clean out damaged cells and support cellular repair.

I’m only at the beginning of this journey, but so far, 20:4 intermittent fasting feels less like a struggle and more like a sustainable rhythm.

The meal above was enjoyed a couple of years ago at a restaurant in Okinawa, Japan.