The 16:8 diet, where you eat during an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours of the day, is one type of intermittent fasting (IF) studied for weight loss. Another form of IF, like the 4:3 plan, restricts calorie intake significantly on selected days of the week. Researchers have found that a 4:3 plan where participants restricted calories by 400-700 per day on three fast days and ate normally on four other days led to significant weight loss compared to daily calorie restriction.
The 4:3 plan was chosen because it offers a middle ground between traditional fasting methods like alternate-day fasting or the 5:2 diet. This approach allows for more flexibility in adhering to the diet, which can be difficult for people to stick to long-term. Researchers believe that this flexibility may contribute to its effectiveness.
The study’s design ensured that both groups achieved similar weekly calorie deficits of about 34%. However, participants following the 4:3 plan were more likely to adhere to their diets and had lower drop-out rates compared to those on daily calorie restriction.
This approach not only shows promise for weight loss but also appears to have a positive impact on cardiovascular health markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and fasting glucose. Future research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the feasibility of implementing this method in real-world settings.
Source: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/intermittent-fasting-outperforms-calorie-counting-in-weight-loss-study