Simple ‘hack’ helps dieters shed 94% more weight in weeks, scientists find

A SIMPLE hack can help dieters lose 94 percent more weight in just one week, scientists have found.

Many people try to lose weight and often the changes they make are unsustainable.

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Many diets offer quick fixes, and many people find the plans difficult to stick to.

But medical professionals have said that if you’re struggling, you might want to watch the timing of your food intake.

Experts from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, USA, found that people who followed a strict meal schedule lost 2.3 kg (5 lbs) over 14 weeks compared to other participants.

They also experienced a reduction in blood pressure and were more likely to have an improved mood.

However, there is a catch – the participants had to have their “dinner” before 3:00 p.m.

Scientists have looked at the time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting.

Several studies have looked at whether this form of eating can help with weight loss, with mixed results.

It requires a person to eat in a smaller window of the day, typically eight hours, and fast for the rest; for example, the first meal of the day at 12 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m.

But the researchers took special care to move the eating window as early as possible, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

They said the body and metabolism are better primed to handle food sooner rather than later, which could further boost fat burning.

About 90 obese adults were recruited, half of whom did intermittent fasting six days a week for 14 weeks.

Both groups followed a healthy diet and exercised 150 minutes per week.

People in the fasting group lost nearly a stone (14 pounds), while those in the control group lost 9 pounds.

“The effect was equivalent to reducing caloric intake by an additional 214 calories per day,” the researchers wrote in their article, published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

dr Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon and medical director at MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center, California, told Healthline, “What’s interesting about this study is the timing of the limitation.

“An earlier restriction seems to have a greater benefit. This would make sense as insulin levels can stay lower for a longer period of time, thereby increasing calorie burn.

“Anyone trying to lose weight can benefit from intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating.

“The disadvantages of this type of eating are that during the time when eating is not allowed, a person may become hungrier and may have trouble sticking to the plan.”

Although the researchers believe an earlier eating window is more beneficial, they said it may not be right for everyone.

dr Dana Hunnes, senior clinical nutritionist at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, said, “For individuals who don’t like going to bed ‘hungry’, it can be a difficult way to eat.

“Alternative; For some people who start eating later in the day, moving the time limit to, for example, 12pm to 8pm works better than 7am to 3pm.”

Experts not involved in the study said it was not clear if the weight loss achieved was permanent.

dr Simon Steenson, Nutritionist, British Nutrition Foundation, said: “While this study adds to the current evidence base, it remains difficult to say with certainty whether a time-limited diet is a better approach to weight loss than eating fewer calories throughout life to take day.

“However, for individuals who find that this eating pattern fits better with their lifestyle and preferences, time-restricted feeding is an option for reducing total calorie intake that might be a viable approach for some.”

“Ultimately, it’s about finding the best approach to calorie moderation that works for each person, because successful and sustainable weight loss means making sure the diet is viable over the long term.”