Fasting has health benefits, but those benefits come not from fasting alone but rather from the toggling between fasting and feasting.

So what are the metabolic pathways that are activated and balanced by this titration?

Spoiler alert, they are the same pathways that are activated by every other form of activity that takes place in nature that is known or considered "Healthy or essential".

So congratulations because if you do anything for your health you already are practicing balancing these pathways and already are taking part in consciously balancing them and thus creating a baseline of metabolic health.  Understanding the underlying mechanisms better might just be super useful because you might come away with a better grasp on WHY what you do makes you feel better and thus you become better equipped to implement the most effective does without blindly feeling like you just need to push yourself harder in the gym or constantly work hard and do more.  More does not mean better, it's all about hitting the right balance. I hope you enjoy the journey!