- A new study shows that some people can reach their weight loss goals without restricting their meals to specific times.
- In a new study, researchers have found that people who eat more large or moderate meals during the day are more likely to gain weight.
- Experts say multiple small meals a day may help prevent weight gain.
One of the most common reasons people try intermittent fasting is for weight loss. Especially at the beginning of the year when health goals leap to the top of many to-do lists.
However, new research shows that some people can achieve their weight loss goals without restricting their meals to specific times.
Researchers say calorie restriction is more effective than intermittent fasting for weight loss.
Over the course of a six-year study, researchers found that people who ate more large or medium-sized meals during the day were more likely to gain weight.
In contrast, those who ate less were more likely to lose weight during this period.
However, the time interval between the first and last meal of the day did not affect people’s weight.
The researchers wrote that this suggests that meal size and frequency and total calorie intake per day have a greater impact on weight change than meal timing.
In a study published on January 18,
They obtained people’s height and weight measurements from electronic health records. This was used to calculate participants.
Participants used the mobile app for 6 months to record sleep and meal times and approximate amounts.
In addition, people responded to surveys about their physical activity level, food intake, whether they were trying to lose weight, smoking status, and other factors.
Researchers followed participants for an average of 6.3 years. This includes both his 6 months post enrolment and years ago.
The results showed that both large meals (estimated at 1,000 calories or more) and moderate meals (estimated at 500-1,000 calories) were associated with weight gain over six years of follow-up.
In contrast, smaller meals (estimated less than 500 calories) were associated with weight loss.
However, meal timing was not associated with weight change during the follow-up period. This includes the time between the first and last meal of the day.
A type of intermittent fasting called timed eating, where you limit your eating to short periods of time between 8am and 4pm.
The average meal duration in the new study was 11.5 hours, with an average fast of 12.5 hours.
Other types of fasting include not eating one day a week or skipping an intermediate meal each day. The researchers did not examine these other types of fasting patterns.
Dr. Mir Ali, bariatric surgeon and medical director of the Memorial Care Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, said the study’s findings are consistent with what doctors see in the clinic. .
“People who gain weight tend to eat more and therefore consume more calories throughout the day,” he said.
“Eating larger meals makes it easier to take in extra calories, as opposed to eating smaller meals more frequently, which can help keep total calories in check,” he says. said.
Dr. William Dietz, a pediatrician and director of the STOP Obesity Alliance at George Washington University in Washington, DC, also noted that study participants who ate a lot of small meals lost weight during the study period.
“This suggests that multiple small meals can affect satiety. [feeling full],” He said.
But many factors influence weight loss and weight gain, he said.
The study also found that people who ate more during the day tended to gain weight.
Molly Raposo, a registered dietitian dietician and senior nutrition and health educator at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, cautioned against overdoing this.
People need to make sure they are getting the right amount of nutrition, including protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
“We found that people who ate less than two times a day had a much harder time meeting their nutritional needs, so we strongly recommend eating three times a day.”
“But it doesn’t have to be a complete meal,” she added. “It can be a snack…a balanced snack.”
The study found that meal frequency and total caloric intake (as indicated by meal size) were associated with changes in body weight, but since this was an observational study, the researchers were not directly involved in the study. Cause and effect could not be proven.
Another limitation of the study was that participants were asked to estimate meal sizes, which Dietz said would be difficult for many people.
“It will be difficult, too,” he said. [obesity research] is my field. “
One of the things this study shows is how difficult it is to do good research on meal timing and quantity, especially over time.
One of the challenges, he said, is that different approaches work for different people.
“Some people benefit from intermittent fasting, such as consuming meals in six- to eight-hour windows,” he said.
In two previous studies,
in contrast,
Rapozo said he has had clients who have had success with cutting their meal times from 11 to 12 hours.
However, “those who lose weight [with time-restricted eating] Many people end up eating fewer calories because they have limited time to eat,” she said.
One approach Ali thinks is to use a potion guide that he believes works for some people. There are various versions of this guide, including a printable plate template.
“It helps people be more aware of what they’re eating,” he said. You may not realize it.”
No matter what approach people take to reach their weight loss goals, Alison Chase, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and eating disorder expert at the Center for Eating Recovery, cautions against overdoing it.
“radical [eating] Measures can lead to disruption of eating patterns,” she said.
She encourages people to consider their specific circumstances, including physical and mental health, and seek professional support to help them reach their health goals.
“Using healthy, positive coping strategies, such as mindfulness and healthy activities such as social interaction and mindful movement, is a way for people to achieve their health goals and to help them achieve their goals. You don’t have to use unhealthy eating strategies to manage .
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