Researchers from the Queensland University of Technology have found that a restricted intermittent diet can yield better weight-loss results and is easier to adhere to compared to continuous weight-loss diets.
The study, known as the “MATADOR” study (Minimizing Adaptive Thermogenesis And Deactivating Obesity Rebound), indicated that a two-week-on, two-week-off diet plan might help individuals lose weight and keep it off more effectively.
In the MATADOR study, 51 obese men were recruited. After a four-week period of calculating their caloric needs, the participants followed a “restricted intermittent diet” which involved two weeks of dieting followed by two weeks off, repeated for 16 weeks.
The researchers found that the men who adhered to this diet experienced greater weight loss and fat loss at the end of the study.
According to the research team, the breaks in dieting prevent people’s metabolism from resetting to a lower caloric need.
This metabolic reset often makes it more difficult to continue losing weight without further reducing calorie intake.
The researchers highlight that future studies need to explore the effectiveness of this dietary approach when meals aren’t provided in a tightly controlled study environment.
The findings suggest that an intermittent dieting approach, alternating between periods of dieting and regular eating, could be more effective for weight loss and fat reduction.
These diet breaks could also prevent metabolic adaptation that can make continued weight loss more challenging.
However, further research is needed to understand the implications of this approach outside of a controlled study.
If you’re interested in weight loss, consider reading about how a keto diet for weight loss can cause flu-like symptoms, and how weight-loss drugs may help combat COVID-19.
For more information about wellness, recent studies have discussed why exercise is less effective for losing weight than simply eating less and offered 10 small changes you can make to prevent weight gain.
The study, conducted by N M Byrne and colleagues, was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
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