The proven way to eat can help you lose weight effectively.

giảm cân - Ảnh 1. — Combining a time-restricted diet with physical exercise can help you lose weight effectively - Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0

Researchers at the University of Mississippi (USA) reviewed 15 studies over the past decade, analyzing the effects of combining time-restricted diets with physical exercise on healthy adults. The results showed clear weight loss benefits when combining these two methods.

Weight loss effectiveness of time-restricted diet

Intermittent fasting is quickly becoming a popular diet trend in the United States. According to the 2023 International Survey of Food and Health, about 12% of Americans have tried it.

Intermittent fasting doesn't have just one way of doing it, but includes many different forms such as alternate-day fasting, the 5:2 method, Ramadan fasting, and time-restricted eating.

Time-restricted feeding is one of the simplest fasting methods, requiring you to fast for 12 to 20 hours each day, leaving only a limited window of time—usually 4 to 12 hours—to eat. Many people find this approach easier than counting calories or eliminating favorite foods.

“People like time-restricted diets because they feel they are easier to stick to and don’t require too much thought,” says nutritionist Nadeeja Wijayatunga. “The focus is on eating windows rather than calorie counting or food restriction.”

“We found that combining exercise with a time-restricted diet resulted in greater reductions in body fat percentage, compared with people who exercised alone for at least four weeks,” explains Wijayatunga, an assistant professor of nutrition.

Why is it important to combine diet and exercise?

Many diets promote weight loss, but the weight lost is not always fat. Losing lean mass – which includes muscle, organs, and tissue – can negatively impact health. These factors play an important role in metabolism, strength, and mobility.

“We need to have strong muscles,” Wijayatunga stressed. “Muscles are very important for the body and metabolism. If you lose muscle, your metabolism can be affected and your mobility can be reduced.”

Research shows that combining exercise with a time-restricted diet can help prevent the loss of lean muscle mass. When participants combined diet with exercise, they lost mostly fat without losing muscle.

“You should combine diet with exercise,” adds Michael Hays, a nutritionist and study co-author. “When you lose weight, you never want to lose lean muscle mass. You want to lose fat.”

Scientists believe that the combined effects of time-restricted dieting and exercise stem from the body’s metabolic response. The two methods activate different, but complementary, biological mechanisms.

Most previous studies have focused solely on diet without taking exercise into account, or have looked at different types of fasting. A recent meta-analysis from the University of Mississippi specifically looked at combining time-restricted diets with different types of exercise.

Results showed that this method not only helped reduce fat but also maintained muscle mass better, compared to exercise alone.

One limitation of the study is that most of the participants were healthy and had existing exercise habits. They exercised regularly and had relatively low body fat before starting the time-restricted diet.

“In most cases, these are healthy adults,” says Hays. “They were already exercising and in good shape. When someone who is already lean loses body fat, that’s a significant change.”

Future studies need to test the effectiveness of this approach in people who are less active, or have a higher percentage of body fat.

Consult your doctor first

While these findings are promising, experts still stress the importance of consulting a doctor before attempting a time-restricted diet. Everyone’s body reacts differently, and guidance from a medical professional will ensure safety and effectiveness.

As intermittent fasting, especially time-restricted eating, becomes more popular, science needs to catch up to better understand the method. However, it is not the right method for everyone, and more research is needed.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cach-an-duoc-chung-minh-co-the-giup-giam-can-huu-hieu-20250329145229175.htm