Study reveals simpler alternative to intermittent fasting, which severely restricts calories at set times
A diet method called ' intermittent fasting ' is sometimes recommended, which alternates between periods of fasting and periods of restricted eating, such as '
Isolating the acute metabolic effects of carbohydrate restriction on postprandial metabolism with or without energy restriction: a crossover study | European Journal of Nutrition
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-025-03646-5
Intermittent fasting: is it the calories or carbs that count?
https://theconversation.com/intermittent-fasting-is-it-the-calories-or-carbs-that-count-254752
Intermittent fasting diets include the ' OMAD (One Meal A Day) diet ,' in which you only eat one meal a day; the '8-hour diet ,' in which you lose weight by limiting your eating time to eight hours a day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours; and the ' 4:3 intermittent fasting, ' in which you restrict your calorie intake for only three days a week and eat normally for the remaining four days. A paper published by a Spanish research team in January 2025 showed that among groups that implemented the same calorie restriction method at different times, the group that restricted their eating time achieved an average weight loss of 2.4 to 3.1 kilograms compared to the group that ate at their own time. In particular, the group that ate only in the early hours of the day showed a significant reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Research results show that 'time-restricted eating,' which limits meal times, has two benefits for obesity - GIGAZINE
Intermittent fasting is not only thought to have an additional weight loss effect, but also a second benefit: improved metabolic function. When you eat, your body enters a postprandial state, and your metabolism uses carbohydrates as an immediate energy source and stores some of it, along with fat, for later use. However, if you don't eat for a few hours, you enter a 'starving' state, and your metabolism switches to using fat as an energy source. This allows intermittent fasting to better balance your energy sources, says Adam Collins, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Surrey.
Collins has been studying why intermittent fasting brings about such beneficial effects as improved metabolism and improved cardiometabolic health. Because intermittent fasting while strictly restricting calories is a heavy burden, he is investigating whether identifying the key points of its effects could be achieved in a simpler way that is easier to continue.
The study recruited 12 overweight and obese participants and gave them a very low-carbohydrate diet. After a cooling-down period in which the dietary restrictions were relaxed, the participants were given a low-carbohydrate, strict calorie-restricted diet that reduced their usual calorie intake by about 75% on the next experimental day. After each fasting day, the participants were given a high-fat, high-sugar meal to see how easily their bodies burned fat.
The results showed that both the very low-carbohydrate diet and the low-carbohydrate, severely calorie-restricted diet produced similar improvements in fat burning when switching to a higher-calorie diet, suggesting that carbohydrate restriction alone can elicit favorable metabolic effects without drastically restricting calories.
Excessive calorie restriction through intermittent fasting can increase the risk of malnutrition and may even trigger eating disorders. Carbohydrate restriction can be similarly difficult to maintain over the long term and can lead to an unhealthy fear of carbs. According to Collins, knowing you can achieve the same weight loss benefits in other ways can help you deal with some of the problems you face if you stick to the same diet for too long.
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