Research

Energy balance

Time-restricted feeding (16:8) and macronutrient-based diets (MBD) produce equivalent reductions in body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference in physically active, overweight individuals, provided adherence exceeds 70%.

You can lose fat using either a 16:8 fasting window or by tracking macros/calories, as long as you maintain a caloric deficit. The key is adherence: you must follow the plan more than 70% of the time. If you struggle with counting macros, try 16:8. If you struggle with fasting windows, track macros. Both require consistency to see changes in weight and waist size.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Significant reductions in body weight, fat mass, body mass index, and waist and hip circumference were observed in both groups (p < 0.05). No significant change could be observed in lean body mass in either category. No group and gender differences were detected in any of the primary parameters.
Eduard Isenmann et al. · Nutrients · 2021

Why this rating

Randomized controlled trial with 35 participants, though limited by short duration (8 weeks intervention) and lack of metabolic markers.

Source

The Effects of a Macronutrient-Based Diet and Time-Restricted Feeding (16:8) on Body Composition in Physically Active Individuals—A 14-Week Randomised Controlled Trial

Eduard Isenmann et al. · Nutrients · 2021

DOI 10.3390/nu13093122

rct · n=35Cited 62×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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