Combined with exercise, time-restricted eating may boost fat loss
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
When paired with exercise, time-restricted eating — also called intermittent fasting — may help healthy adults lose fat without sacrificing lean muscle tissue, according to a research review published in the May 2025 issue of the International Journal of Obesity.
Researchers analyzed 15 earlier studies involving 338 participants, all of which assessed the effects of time-restricted eating (eating only within a certain time period each day) on people’s body composition when combined with at least four weeks of aerobic or resistance exercise or a combination of the two. None of the participants had chronic health conditions other than overweight or obesity. All the studies included data tracking participants’ body composition results, including body mass index, fat levels, body fat percentage, and lean tissue mass.
Participants who combined exercise of any type with eating within an eight-hour daily window lost more fat than those who exercised without intermittent fasting. Notably, this combined approach also didn’t lead to a loss of lean muscle mass, which can occur with some diet and exercise regimens and undermine people’s strength and stamina.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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