CHAPTER 17
Fast & Curious
Cliff’s latest experiment in self-improvement came from an unexpected source: the endless barrage of online ads. You know the type—the ones that promise you the world if you just click here. This time, it was all about intermittent fasting. At first, Cliff dismissed it as just another health trend designed to lure in the desperate and the gullible. But the ads were relentless, popping up on every site he visited, as if the internet itself was nudging him toward some grand revelation.
Intrigued by the persistent nudging (or perhaps just to make the ads go away), Cliff decided to dig deeper. He wasn’t one to jump into something without doing his homework, so he dove headfirst into the scientific research. What he found was surprising—intermittent fasting wasn’t just a fad; it was backed by solid evidence. Studies highlighted benefits that sounded almost too good to be true: improved metabolic health, better blood sugar regulation, and even a reduction in belly fat. There was talk of lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, boosting cognitive function, and warding off neurodegenerative diseases. It was like discovering the cheat code to health and longevity.
Cliff’s curiosity quickly turned into action. He decided to give intermittent fasting a try, starting with the simplest change: skipping breakfast. Of course, this wasn’t just about cutting calories; it was about shifting his eating window, allowing his body more time to process and repair. After substituting his morning coffee with a pure matcha tea ritual, and skipping breakfast, he started appreciating the zero-calorie benefit and the calm focus it brought him—no jitters, no crash. Mornings felt different now—lighter, more energized, and without that familiar mid-morning slump that used to hit him like a ton of bricks.
But Cliff didn’t stop there. He also shifted his dinner time to earlier in the evening, a move that had the added bonus of helping him sleep better. No more lying awake with a stomach full of late-night snacks, or the unpleasant nightly visit from his old foe, acid reflux. As his stomach stopped sending distress signals, his sleep became deeper, and he woke up feeling more refreshed.
Cliff was starting to feel like he was onto something—this wasn’t just a health kick; it was a lifestyle shift. And, as usual, he couldn’t help but dive deeper into the science behind it. Fasting wasn’t just about weight loss; it triggered cellular repair processes, enhanced resistance to oxidative stress, and might even slow down the aging process. Cliff liked the sound of that. Who wouldn’t want to stay young a little longer?
Of course, Cliff’s enthusiasm for fasting didn’t stop him from having fun with it. He jokingly referred to his new regimen as “ghosting” breakfast. “Sorry, breakfast,” he’d think with a grin, “we had some great times, but I’m just not that into you anymore.”
With his fasting routine firmly in place, Cliff felt like he was finally starting to figure things out. But as with all journeys of self-discovery, there were more layers to peel back, more changes to make. And that brought him to the next part of his life overhaul—his bedtime routine.
