Downside of intermittent fasting

A Potential Downside of Intermittent Fasting by Anahad O’Connor (New York Times):

But the new research found that overweight adults who were assigned to routinely fast for 16 hours daily, eating all their meals between noon and 8 p.m., popularly known as the 16:8 diet, gained almost no benefit from it. Over the course of the three-month study, they lost an average of just two to three and a half pounds — only slightly more than a control group — and most of the weight they shed was not body fat but “lean mass,” which includes muscle.

There were downsides to the study; for instance, the small sample size and the short observation period.

“This was a short study, but it was enough of a study that to me it calls into question whether this works — and if it does work, then the magnitude of the benefit is very small,” [Dr. Weiss] said.

I do intermittent fasting intermittently. I don't care much about the benefits, to be honest. I am not overweight, and I do not have comorbidities to control just yet. But I like how I feel light and not overly bloated with IF. I enjoy my meals when I am allowed to eat. I consciously choose what I put in my plate. There are also fewer meals to cook and dishes to wash!

(Image credit: Chiara Zarmati, NYT)