Is an Intermittent Fasting Diet as Effective as Cutting 500 Daily Calories?

Different forms of intermittent fasting diet have become exceptionally popular in recent years.  They are used for everything from nutrition and metabolism changes, energy boosting and, of course, weight loss. That said, is this strategy really as effective as the conventional recommendation of cutting 500 daily calories from what would otherwise be the number you’d eat to maintain your current weight? The answer might surprise you. Read on!

Why People Are Turning to an Intermittent Fasting Diet

An intermittent fasting diet is a type of eating strategy that restricts when you eat your meals and snacks.  A new analysis study is now showing that this type of strategy, when used correctly, can indeed result in weight loss and help to improve metabolic health.

The research in question was conducted in the form of a review published in The Annual Review of Nutrition.  What the researchers found supports what many celebrities have been claiming for some time now.  Big names from Chris Pratt and Jennifer Aniston to Kourtney Kardashian have all been celebrating their intermittent fasting diet successes. 

Now, as it turns out, their claims may not just be another case of celebrity dieting fads and hype.  The results of the review showed that this type of eating strategy can help to bring on about the equivalent weight loss as traditionally accepted dieting that would cut 500 calories from your daily intake. Moreover, it also suggested that it may also help to improve other cardiometabolic health markers.

What the Researchers Found

Krista Varady, PhD, lead author of the paper published in the peer reviewed journal and researcher and professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, Chicago, said that one of the primary findings in the analysis was that people following an intermittent fasting diet were losing about the equivalent amount of weight as people on a traditional calorie restriction diet that cut 500 calories per day.

Dr. Varady also pointed out that following an intermittent fasting diet helped in lowering blood pressure levels, and that there were some reported cases of improvements in insulin resistance, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels.

Should You Follow an Intermittent Fasting Diet?

The short answer is: maybe.  Not what you were hoping for, right?  The issue is that weight loss, nutrition and metabolism are all complex factors.  Yes, there is a growing body of quality evidence showing that this type of eating strategy can be quite beneficial for losing weight.  That said, there is research to support traditional calorie reductions too.

When it all comes down to it, the goal isn’t to find the one strategy to rule them all.  Your success isn’t guaranteed if you decide to start restricting the times of day that you’ll be eating. Instead, the plan that is best for you is the one that you’ll stick to.  If you’re more likely to be able to adhere to a calorie restricted strategy over the long term, then that’s the one for you. If you’re much more comfortable creating a window of time in which you can eat, then that could be your best option. There isn’t one best way to lose weight that works for everyone. Learn about the ones with scientific support like this one and find out what best works in your life for the long-term.