We’ve heard that fasting is a good way of losing weight for years, but how effective is it vs plain old calorie counting? This is the question researchers at the University of Bath set out to answer recently with a study looking at whether fasting has an upper hand over consistently eating and tracking calories. The answer? It looks like calorie counting is slightly better for weight loss, with study participants losing 4.1lbs after four weeks vs 3.5lbs lost by the fasting group in the same time period.
The researchers also attributed half of the fasted weight loss to a loss of muscle mass as opposed to reductions in body fat, hypothesizing that this is due to a lack of physical activity undertaken on fasting days.
As with any study, it’s worth mentioning that there are variables beyond their control that may have had an impact, and this study featured a small cohort of ‘lean, healthy individuals’. But it’s definitely food for thought. Read more about the study here.
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