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Does Time-Restricted Eating Work?
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Does Time-Restricted Eating Work?

What You Need to Know About the Many Health Benefits of Time-Restricted Eating

As far as weight loss trends go, intermittent fasting has been king in recent years — in part due to promising research supporting the benefits. But there’s more than one way to go about it. And whereas some techniques err on the extreme side — say, fasting for a full 24 hours every other day — time-restricted eating offers a more reasonable approach. That means you’re more likely to actually stick with it — which, of course, is the key to seeing results.

RELATED: The Benefits of Fasting

So, what is time-restricted eating? How does it work, and what benefits can you expect? And is it for everyone, or are there risks to consider? We spoke with doctors, dietitians, and nutritionists to get their take on this increasingly popular fasting method.

What Is Time-Restricted Eating? And How Does Time-Restricted Eating Work?

As the name implies, time-restricted eating entails confining all of your food intake to a specific window of time each day.

There are a number of different ways to approach this, though. Some of the more popular time-restricted eating patterns include:

  • 18:6: Fasting for 18 hours, and only consuming calories in the remaining 6-hour window
  • 16:8: Fasting for 16 hours, and only consuming calories in the remaining 8-hour window
  • 14:10: Fasting for 14 hours, and only consuming calories in the remaining 10-hour window
  • 12:12: Fasting for 12 hours, and only consuming calories in the remaining 12-hour window

For example, if you adhere to the 16:8 schedule, you might only eat your meals and snacks between 12 noon and 8 p.m., and fast for the rest of the time.

Obviously, the 18:6 schedule is the most aggressive, whereas most people may find the 12:12 schedule totally doable. For those reasons, experts say it can be a good idea to ease into time-restricted eating with the 12:12 pattern, and then gradually increase the fasting window over several weeks.

“The beauty of time-restricted eating is that it can be adapted to fit an individual’s routines, preferences, and overall health goals,” says Brea Lofton, a registered dietician at Lumen.

For the 12:12 schedule, Dr. Daryl Gioffre, a certified nutritionist and gut health expert, recommends trying to fast between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

“It’s one of the easiest ways to get into fasting since most of it happens while you’re sleeping,” he explains. “That naturally cuts out late-night snacking.”

Once you’re ready to graduate to the 16:8 routine, Dr. Gioffre suggests choosing a time frame like 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. for your eating window, depending on your work schedule and natural hunger patterns.

“Some people also choose early eating windows, such as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which may better align with the body’s natural circadian rhythm and support metabolic health,” adds Lofton.

Is Time-Restricted Eating Good for Weight Loss?

Most people want to know: Can you lose weight with time-restricted eating? Here’s what the research says.

One 2025 study conducted at the University of Mississippi showed that when healthy adults followed a 16:8 time-restricted eating plan while exercising regularly, they lost more fat compared to those who only exercised.

A small 2018 study found that obese participants who only ate between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. for 12 weeks lost more weight at the end than those who didn’t follow the time-restricted eating plan. Another 14-week study in people who are obese revealed that an 8-hour eating window is more effective for weight loss than a 12-hour eating window.

These benefits seem to apply to people who aren’t overweight, too. A small 2020 study in physically active college-age men found that time-restricted eating for just 28 days results in reduced body fat.

What’s even more impressive? In a 2023 study involving adults with type 2 diabetes, time-restricted eating was found to be more effective than 25% daily calorie restriction in terms of losing weight, reducing fat, and even decreasing BMI.

The advantage to time-restricted eating, says Ro Huntriss — registered dietitian and Chief Nutrition Officer at Simple App — is that it doesn’t require tiresome calorie counting, macro tracking, or weighing food.

As for why it works, researchers believe that limiting the hours between which you can eat naturally reduces your calorie intake without making you feel deprived.

“Most people won’t eat the same amount in six hours that they would over the course of a full day, so there’s this automatic caloric restriction without the mental math,” explains Dr. Avinish Reddy, MD, a physician specializing in longevity medicine, and founder of Elevated Medical.

According to Lofton, compressing your meals into a smaller window of time can also help to regulate appetite-related hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which support more balanced hunger cues throughout the day so you don’t overeat.

“Fasting also forces your body to burn its own fat for fuel, tapping into stored fat once glucose from carbs and excess protein is gone,” explains Dr. Gioffre. “This can dramatically improve fat loss over time.”

Other Time-Restricted Eating Benefits

Weight loss isn’t the only reason to try time-restricted eating, though. Even if you aren’t looking to shed some pounds, there are some other noteworthy science-backed benefits to consider:

One major reason why time-restricted eating can be so beneficial is that research has shown it can have a positive effect on the gut microbiome. We now know the gut is connected to so many other systems of the body, including the immune system, skin, and the brain — which explains why time-restricted eating may have a positive impact on mental health.

“Fasting starves out harmful, sugar-loving gut bacteria, allowing your beneficial bacteria to thrive, supporting gut health and overall immunity,” explains Dr. Gioffre.

Not only that, but Lofton notes that time-restricted eating allows your body to go into “rest and digest” mode. This triggers a natural process called the migrating motor complex, which acts like a broom, sweeping out undigested food particles from the small intestine to reduce bloating and gas.

“Fasting also triggers autophagy, where your body clears out old, damaged cells and replaces them with new, healthier ones, boosting overall cellular health. And it also reduces oxidative stress, switches your body from sugar-burning to fat-burning, and dramatically lowers inflammation — a major driver of chronic inflammatory disease.”

RELATED: How to Lose Weight Without Dieting

Ultimately, experts say time-restricted eating is a great fit for anyone who:

  • Wants to lose weight without rigid or complex diets
  • Aims to lose fat or improve their overall body composition
  • Is showing early signs of insulin resistance or metabolic dysfunction

Time-Restricted Eating Risks

Is time-restricted eating for everyone? Not necessarily. According to Dawn Menning, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist with Nutu, you should avoid this method if you’re underweight, pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a history of an eating disorder.

“Men or women with a history of disordered eating may find that rigid eating windows exacerbate unhealthy food behaviors or lead to obsessive patterns,” explains Lofton.

Time-restricted eating may also not be appropriate for people with certain diagnoses, like diabetes or low blood pressure. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, experts advise consulting your doctor first before trying this approach. It’s also important to work with a dietitian or doctor if you’re very physically active or have certain fitness goals.

“For people who are lifting weights and trying to build muscle — or even just maintain it — time-restricted eating can be tricky,” adds Reddy. “It’s hard to hit your daily protein target and space it out properly if you’re only eating during a six-hour window. That can seriously limit muscle growth and recovery. Athletes with higher calorie needs may also struggle to fuel adequately.”

Research has shown mixed results about whether time-restricted eating is helpful — or harmful — when it comes to heart health. But as Reddy points out, the studies that have pointed to potential risks are observational, meaning they can’t prove that time-restricted eating directly caused any negative cardiovascular effects.

“These findings should be interpreted with caution,” adds Huntriss. “The study was presented as a conference abstract rather than a peer-reviewed publication, meaning its scientific rigor has not yet been validated. There is currently no strong evidence to suggest that time-restricted eating should be avoided.”

Plus, as Menning points out, the research didn’t factor in what the participants were eating — only when they were eating. Lofton notes that if, for example, the subjects ate a lot of processed foods or animal foods high in saturated fat, those choices could be to blame rather than the time-restricted eating pattern.

Still, if you have a history of cardiovascular issues, time-restricted eating is something you should consider adopting under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Tips for Time-Restricted Eating

To get the most out of time-restricted eating, experts recommend heeding these tips:

  • Focus on high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods — like lean proteins, fiber-rich vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and heart-healthy fats
  • Participate in regular resistance training to maintain muscle while losing fat
  • Start with a shorter fasting window and allow your body to adapt to minimize side effects like irritability or fatigue
  • Stay well hydrated, especially while fasting, to help regulate your appetite

If you’re having trouble determining the best time-restricted eating schedule for you, or which foods to focus on, Menning suggests working with a registered dietitian — who can help to personalize your plan.

“Lastly, listen to your body,” says Lofton. “Time-restricted eating is flexible by design, so don’t be afraid to adjust your eating window based on your own lifestyle, individual stress levels, or exercise and training demands.”

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