A new study from the University of Mississippi shows that when healthy adults pair an eight-hour eating window with regular exercise, they lose more fat - without sacrificing lean muscle - compared to exercise alone.
"We saw that this did lead to more fat loss and reduced body fat percentage over time when healthy adults were following both exercise and time-restricting eating compared to those who were only exercising for at least four weeks.
The researchers began their study after seeing the dramatic rise in time-restricted eating. Together, they conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis where they analyzed data from 15 studies conducted on time-restricted eating with exercise from the last decade.
Time-restricted eating is one of many diets included in the umbrella term intermittent fasting.
Related: Research team's guidelines for intermittent fasting
"People like time-restricted eating because they feel it's easier to adhere to because they don't have to think too much," the researchers said. "It's all about time, not calorie-counting or watching out for certain foods."
The science surrounding time-restricted eating, however, is still developing to really understand how this works in humans.
While the difference between those who exercised while following a time-restricted diet and those who used exercise alone was slight, the two groups in the studies were already very healthy individuals who were already physically fit and had exercise routines. When you already have athletic, lean people and you decrease their body fat percentage, that's significant, the researchers noted.
In their study, the researchers found that when paired with exercise, time-restricted eating did not lead to a reduction in lean mass, even for those who lost body fat.
"That's why you want to couple diet with exercise," the researchers said. "When you're losing weight, you never want to lose lean tissue. You want to lose fat."
While the results are promising, the team warned that much research is needed to confirm the findings. While this study focused on healthy, active subjects, there is a need to understand how this would impact people who are not fit and are not exercising regularly.
Source: International Journal of Obesity, January 10, 2025.
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