Intermittent fasting may not help weight loss

• A new study found that eating at certain times of the day had no effect on weight.
• Other recent studies have not linked intermittent fasting to weight loss.
• Intermittent fasting can be a difficult diet to maintain over the long term, experts say.

Intermittent fasting has been a hot diet topic for years, but new research has found that meal plans may not actually help you lose weight much.

Research published in American Heart Association Journalmonitored the portion sizes and mealtimes of about 550 people over 6 months. Researchers found no link between how long people ate and their weight.

The researchers also looked for associations between weight loss and how long people ate after waking up, how long they ate during the day, and how close they were to bedtime, all of which were associated with weight loss. was not associated with decline. was Associated with weight loss was eating less.

“Our findings do not support the use of time-restricted diets as a long-term weight loss strategy in the general medical population,” the researchers concluded.

Study co-author Wendy Bennett, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of General Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said the study was not designed to directly observe intermittent fasting, but the following: said like this. Meal times, i.e., he ate more or less during the day, were not associated with weight change over time. ”

This is not the first study to find no association between specific meal times and weight loss. So why is intermittent fasting not the best way to lose weight? ? Here’s the deal.

Why is intermittent fasting hard to lose weight over time?

Some people have had success with intermittent fasting diets to lose weight, but research shows that meal planning (also called timed eating) is usually better than restricting calories for weight loss. I can’t say I have.

One study of 139 obese people found that New England Journal of Medicine Last year, intermittent fasting was found to be less effective in losing weight and body fat than restricting calories.

another meta-analysis Similar conclusions were reached in 27 intermittent fasting trials.and small clinical trial They found that 36 healthy adults lost more weight on the calorie-restricted diet compared to the intermittent fasting diet.

This does not mean that people cannot lose weight with intermittent fasting. , [do] “Intermittent fasting is hard to get results from.” Gina Keatley, a certified dietician dietician practicing in New York City. “This is a losing game and seems destined for failure in the long run.”

The popular message about intermittent fasting is also problematic, says CEO and co-founder, registered dietitian Vanessa Rissetto. Culina Health“Intermittent fasting messages make it seem like you can eat whatever you want without having any effect on your meal times. If you do it right, you can eat less often, but you should practice eating high-fiber, low-calorie foods and staying in a certain window. can speed up the process. “

Keri Gans, MS, RD, Author small change diet, They say weight loss ultimately comes down to numbers. “Restricting calories for a period of time throughout the day doesn’t stop you from overeating later,” she says. “At the end of the day, what matters is how much you eat. For some people, calorie restriction can lead to extreme hunger and inadvertently consume too many calories during meal times. “

One of the biggest challenges of intermittent fasting is sticking to it, says Dr. Bennett. “If you don’t stick to behavior changes, the weight will come back,” she says. “It doesn’t seem to work in the long run,” she says. “Too much calorie and protein debt will eventually lead to a decrease in muscle mass and metabolic rate, making it easier to gain fat (weight) after the diet becomes unsustainable.”

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a meal plan that focuses on eating out the window and fasting. During the fasting period, we avoid food and drink only liquids such as water, coffee, and tea.

The exact timing of fasting and eating windows varies. Jessica CordingRD, author of game changer little bookOne of the more popular forms of intermittent fasting is the 16:8 diet. This means that he eats only 8 hours a day and fasts for the remaining 16 hours of his day. (Most people usually stop eating in the evening and wait until midnight to eat again to sleep on part of their fast.) But there are also intermittent fasting diets. whatever they want.

best way to approach weight loss

Experts agree that the best way to find a meal plan that works for you is to focus on eating healthy foods in a diet that you can stick to long-term. “Focus on adding more filling foods to your diet, such as fiber-rich foods, instead of eating more,” Gans advises. Making a plate will help you feel fuller and leave less room for eating less nutritious foods.”

It’s also important to include foods you love while keeping portion sizes down.

It’s also important to keep an eye on how many calories you’re taking in and how many you’re burning, says Dr. Bennett. “The cornerstones of effective weight loss are self-monitoring calories, tracking your weight, and losing weight slowly with sustainable behavioral changes,” she says. make a plan.

If you’re interested in losing weight, Reset recommends consulting a professional. It’s a good start because it helps you personalize your plan so you can see results while you maintain it.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer who specializes in general health, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, and has appeared in men’s health, women’s health, self, glamour, and more. . She has a master’s degree from American University, she lives by the sea, and one day she hopes to own a teacup, a pig and an octopus her truck.