If you’ve tried to lose weight before, odds are you’ve tried just about everything.
At the end of the day, most weight loss experts agree that as long as you’re in a ‘calorie deficit’ – eating less calories than is required for your body to maintain its current weight – you should see results.
But while this seems simple in theory, it’s not always as simple in execution.
In fact, researchers are finding that intermittent fasting – one of the many weight loss ‘hacks’ you’ve probably tried – might be more efficient than simply cutting calories.
‘Intermittent fasting usually means cycling between periods of eating and not eating (fasting),’ director of clinical education at Seca and registered dietician/nutritionist Nina Crowley told DailyMail.com.
She explained that the most common formats for intermittent fasting include 16:8 (where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an eight-hour window) or 5:2.
‘These patterns are designed to help people reduce overall energy intake without tracking every calorie,’ she said.
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, used a version called 4:3 intermittent fasting.
Dietician and nutritionist Nina Crowley said intermittent fasting may work for some because it feels less overwhelming than daily calorie restriction
Crowley explained that in this case, participants followed a 80 percent calories restriction on three (non-consecutive) days a week.
And on the other four days, they ate without calorie targets.
The control group had a daily calorie restriction – and both groups were match for overall weekly calorie deficit.
But their approaches were different, proving intermittent fasting to be more effective.
‘This approach may feel less overwhelming for some people compared to daily calorie restriction, as it allows for more flexibility and less constant focus on food,’ Crowley said.
The intermittent fasting group lost 7.6 percent of their body fat over 52 weeks while the calorie deficit group lost five percent.
Crowley suggested one explanation could be that the intermittent fasting group didn’t have to restrict their eating every day – reducing decision fatigue and improving adherence.
‘The [intermittent fasting] group also had lower dropout rates (19 percent vs. 27 percent), suggesting it may have been more sustainable for some,’ Crowley said.
While typical intermittent fasting follows a 16:8 method, this study used a 4:3 structure (stock image)
‘From a behavior change lens, people may find intermittent fasting easier to integrate because it defines boundaries (fast vs. eat) rather than asking for constant moderation.
‘And from a metabolic standpoint, alternating fasting and feeding days may influence hormonal responses related to hunger and fat oxidation.’
But Crowley said that weight-loss methods should be evaluated in a more complex way.
She explained that in this particular study, fat mass and fat-free mass were not directly assessed, which can vary whether or not people would want to use a specific method like intermittent fasting.
‘We know from other research that prolonged or aggressive energy restriction – even in structured plans – may result in unwanted loss from muscle, especially without adequate protein intake or resistance training,’ Crowley said.
She said a way to combat this in future studies is to couple any dietary strategy with body composition monitoring.
‘When we assess fat mass, muscle mass, and hydration status, we get a much more complete picture of someone’s health progress,’ Crowley said.
‘Sustainable weight loss should protect muscle and support energy and function – not just reduce the number on the scale.’
Crowley said this study didn’t take body composition or muscle mass into account (stock image)
While she agreed that intermittent fasting can be helpful for some people, she also pointed out that it’s important to consider how realistically it may fit into daily life,
‘Meals often serve social and emotional purposes beyond nutrition, and fasting windows may not always align with family routines, social events, or workout schedules,’ she said.
Crowley also explained that those who are physically active may also rely on the timing of their meals for performance and recovery.
But this is why it’s important for each individual to find something that works for them and their own, unique long-term health and well-being.
‘When a plan feels flexible, realistic, and aligned with someone’s lifestyle, it’s more likely to lead to sustainable progress – not just in weight, but in overall health and quality of life,’ Crowley said.
