A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Mississippi explored the weight loss benefits associated with time-restricted eating, or intermittent fasting.
Their work found that when people eat all of their meals within an eight-hour window, and engage in regular exercise, they’re more likely to lose weight – and body fat.
"We saw that this did lead to more fat loss and reduced body fat percentage over time when healthy adults were following both exercise with time-restricting eating compared to those who were only exercising for at least four weeks," researcher Nadeeja Wijayatunga, said in a news release.
What are the benefits?
To understand the health benefits associated with intermittent fasting, the researchers analyzed 15 earlier studies on the topic, which included information on nearly 350 participants. The primary goal was to compare health and weight loss outcomes between those who followed a time-restricted eating plan, and those who didn’t follow a specific diet but exercised regularly.
Ultimately, those who did intermittent fasting and a regular exercise program had better health outcomes than those who were just exercising.
However, it’s also important to note that participants in all of these studies were healthy at the onset. The researchers explained that this makes the findings all the more significant.
"In most cases, these were healthy adults," researcher Michael Hays said in the news release. "They were already physically fit and already had exercise routines. When you already have athletic, lean people and you decrease their body fat percentage, that's significant."
Maintaining muscle mass
The researchers also found that while intermittent fasting was associated with losing body fat, the participants maintained muscle mass – a key component of overall health and wellness.
"We need healthy muscles," Wijayatunga said. "Muscles are really important for the body and for your metabolism. If we lose muscle, it may impact our metabolic systems, and it just decreases mobility overall."
The researchers explained that the next step is to determine how these efforts would impact people not currently exercising or following a healthy lifestyle.
"That's something that needs to be studied," Wijayatunga said. "What I'd recommend is implementing healthy habits in a way that you – as an individual – can maintain, with guidance from a health care professional."