I have previously written all about fasting, which is just a way of organising your eating using a set a period of time you can or cannot eat. That could be 16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating, or longer fasts. It often works for people because it reduces how often you eat, which can make it easier to eat less without trying. Some people also find it simplifies their day and removes decision making around food.
The BBC recently ran an article on intermittent fasting based on a large review of fasting studies. The key takeaways were that basically intermittent fasting is not magic nor any more effective than regular eating if calories and food intake are similar. So, whether you eat across the day or in a smaller window, the fat loss outcome ends up about the same for most people.
That sounds like the death knoll to fasting methods but you need to dig beyond the surface headline. The problem with analysing data is that to do a good study you have to control variables. So, with the above study, they matched calories for the comparison of the research. However, this sort of removes the main variable in losing weight, how much food you eat.
If you take two groups and make them eat the same calories, then of course you will get similar results. You have already solved the problem before the study even begins. That is useful for understanding how the body works, but it is not how people live in the real world.
A more useful question is what happens when people are just told to follow intermittent fasting, compared to just eating normally and then left to get on with it. In those situations, intermittent fasting often does lead to better weight loss. There are many studies showing greater fat loss using fasting methods such as this one>>
These better results are not from some specific fasting mechanism, but usually because the people stick to it better. With fewer meals, less snacking, there is less opportunity to overeat. It simplifies eating by bringing it back to one rule of not eating during a specific time period. Many people also prefer being stricter a few days a week then relax approach, rather than trying to be good every single day.
However, for others, fasting does the opposite. You may end up starving, low energy, and then overeating when you do eat. It may not fit your lifestyle at all nor your personality. The key is really seeing what works in the real world.
What Does This Mean For You
I have tried pretty much every approach around food and eating. My greatest fat loss amounts have been when I was bodybuilding (I gained and lost 70kg over the 7 years of preparing for bodybuilding competitions). For these, the majority of my approaches were four even meals a day, at 8am, midday, 4pm and 8pm.
However, during times of more social events I would use Intermittent fasting methods so I could eat more when I was out. I would also use shorter periods of time based restricted eating just for variety which I found enjoyable. As someone who has done a five day water fast twice, I still found the least food cravings or hunger I had was when I ate 6 times a day.
So, when you put all of this together, the actual takeaway is that intermittent fasting is not magic. It is just one way of managing your food intake. It works well for some people because it makes eating easier, for others, it does not.
Whichever way you look at it, your eating plan is just a tool along your journey to achieve your health and fitness goals, with fasting being another potential element you could use.
The most important ability is being able to actually follow something consistently without it feeling like a constant battle. For me, what really matters are the other elements, building new habits that feel natural, improving your motivation, and learning how to handle stress so you do not fall off track. This is what I do with my coaching clients.
In most of the studies above, the participants had behavioural support alongside the food strategy, which is often the real difference. If you are ready to get things moving this summer then just message me.
Photo – 16kg difference between my on stage weight and peak bodybuilding bulk weight –
Need Support Getting In Shape?
Changing your body on your own without support or an effective system usually ends in failure sadly. To avoid this outcome you can become one of my coaching clients either online or in person. I provide Holistic, Healthy & Sustainable Body Transformations. Contact me to discuss your goals further or see below for more details and the options available to you based on your location / preferences:
Worldwide (Online) –
For transformations, coaching and support wherever you are in the world read more here>>>>
London (Battersea) – If looking for Personal Training Battersea please contact me. I am available for sessions in homes, private gyms or Personal Training Battersea Park. To see my locations please visit my Battersea Personal Trainer page>>
London (Oval / Kennington) – For Personal Training in Oval & Kennington please contact me. I am available for sessions in homes, private gyms or parks.
**************
Read My Book – The Grand Unified Theory of Weight Loss – My latest book is available in print, kindle/ebook and audio formats. You can read more about it and see where it is available here>>>
Follow Me – You can get more great advice, tips, hacks and more by following me on one of my social media channels. Follow Me>>>
Instagram>> You Tube>> Facebook>> Twitter>> Tik Tok>> My Weekly Newsletter>>
**************