Mixed
Combining flexible time-restricted eating (8-hour window) with aerobic exercise yields significantly greater fat mass reduction than either intervention alone in middle-aged women with overweight/obesity.
If you are a middle-aged woman with overweight or obesity, combining an 8-hour eating window with regular moderate aerobic exercise (like brisk walking or jogging) will result in significantly more fat loss than doing either one alone. You do not need to count calories or stick to fixed meal times; simply choose an 8-hour window each day that fits your schedule and stay active.
The flexTRE+EX group achieved the greatest fat mass reduction compared to the CON group (adjusted mean difference [99% Confidence Interval] −2.85 kg [−4.01 to −1.69]), and additional benefit over the flexTRE group alone (−1.56 kg [−2.74 to −0.38]), and the EX group alone (−2.01 kg [−3.21 to −0.81]).
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a relatively large sample size (n=104) and high adherence, though limited to a specific demographic.
Source
Flexible time-restricted eating combined with exercise in a free-living setting for middle-aged women with overweight/obesity: a randomized controlled trial
Zi-Han Dai et al. · Nature Communications · 2025
DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-65678-z
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