Adherence
Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) produces weight loss and body fat reduction equivalent to Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) when total energy intake is matched, with some regimens showing superior fat loss due to better adherence.
If you struggle with daily dieting, try restricting calories significantly on 2 days a week and eating normally (but healthily) the other 5. You don't need to overeat on the free days; studies show people often naturally eat less on those days too. This approach yields the same weight loss as daily dieting but may be easier to stick to.
All of the selected studies demonstrate comparable reductions in body weight between IER and CER. Four of the studies report equivalent reductions in body fat; whilst one reported a greater loss of body fat with two different low carbohydrate IER regimens compared with CER... The greater loss of fat reported with the two day low carbohydrate IER diets compared to CER in the 2013 study appears to be linked to better dietary adherence with IER vs. CER
Why this rating
Based on 6 small, short-term (<26 weeks) randomized controlled trials; limited by sample size and duration.
Source
Potential Benefits and Harms of Intermittent Energy Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Amongst Obese, Overweight and Normal Weight Subjects—A Narrative Review of Human and Animal Evidence
Michelle Harvie et al. · Behavioral Sciences · 2017
DOI 10.3390/bs7010004
More from this paper
- Intermittent Fasting (IF) and Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) improve insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) to a greater extent than Continuous Energy Restriction (CER) in some studies, potentially due to rapid mobilization of visceral and hepatic fat.Moderate
- Intermittent Fasting (IF) in normal-weight subjects may cause adverse metabolic effects, including increased visceral fat, muscle insulin resistance, and increased intramyocellular triglycerides, which are not seen with Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) or Continuous Energy Restriction (CER).Limited
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →