Intermittent fasting approaches to weight loss such as alternate day fasting or the ‘5:2’ diet have exploded in popularity in recent years. Now, a new study is challenging intermittent fasting’s claim as the most effective weight loss avenue. Researchers from the University of Bath report that at the end of the dieting day there’s “nothing special” about the restrictive diet.
You’ve probably seen miraculous body transformations attributed to fasting on social media, or perhaps noticed a celebrity or two endorsing some variety of intermittent fasting. On the scientific side of things, however, research supporting intermittent fasting as a cut above all other traditional diets is lacking.
“Many people believe that diets based on fasting are especially effective for weight loss or that these diets have particular metabolic health benefits even if you don’t lose weight,” says research leader Professor James Betts, director of Bath’s Centre for Nutrition, Exercise & Metabolism, in a university release. “But intermittent fasting is no magic bullet and the findings of our experiment suggest that there is nothing special about fasting when compared with more traditional, standard diets people might follow.”
Read more at StudyFinds.
{Matzav.com}
I always lose weight after a taanus. Shiva asur bitamuz is coming up next Sunday. I will definitely lose a few pounds.
With all fasts abolished with Moshiach’s coming, how are you going to lose wait? Secondly, you should fast from Shabbos to Shabbos and you won’t need to wait for tragic fasts to lose only a few pounds.
looking forward to Moshiach so I won’t have to do “intermittent fasting”
So here is a little lesson for all of you that fall for this study. Track down the study and see who funded it at the very end!
Here is a hint! Who benefits from such a study? THE FOOD INDUSTRY! Always follow the money trail.
And I quote (initials are authors):
K.T. has received research funding from BBSRC, MRC, and Nestlé. S.R. has received research funding from Kellogg’s, the Organix Foundation, and the MRC Newton-Ungku Omar Fund. J.T.G. has received research funding from Arla Foods Ingredients, Lucozade Ribena Suntory, Kenniscentrum Suiker and Voeding, and PepsiCo. D.T. has received research funding from Unilever. L.G.K. is an employee of Nestlé. J.A.B. is a named investigator on research grants funded by BBSRC, MRC, British Heart Foundation, Rare Disease Foundation, EU Hydration Institute, GlaxoSmithKline, Nestlé, Lucozade Ribena Suntory, ARLA Foods, and Kennis Centrum Suiker; has completed paid consultancy for PepsiCo, Kellogg’s and SVGC; receives an annual stipend as Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism; and receives an annual honorarium as a member of the academic advisory board for the International Olympic Committee Diploma in Sports Nutrition.
Intermittent fasting is not necessarily “special” relative to other diets. However, it is an option that works really well, and may the best option for those who failed other diets.
It is easy to follow once you get accustomed to it. And during the eating “window” you can eat a wide variety of foods and treats that would be off limits in other diets.
I lost about 40 pounds this way after failing other diets, and have kept the weight off really easily this way for several years.
So this article may be correct that this diet isn’t “special” but for some of us, it has had fantastic results.
I have been doing IF for two years now and it mamash works (not on Shabbos). I lost more than 10% of my body weight in approximately two months. However, I noticed I lost weight faster when I limited carbs and sugar from my diet.