Calorie Reduction vs Fasting?
If losing weight were simple, there would be one way to do it. But it’s not, which is why there are so many diets that claim they are the best way to shed pounds. Included on that lengthy list are calorie restriction and fasting diets.
They may seem similar, but they have significant differences. The National Institutes of Health describes calorie restriction as reducing average daily caloric intake below what is typical or habitual, without malnutrition or deprivation of essential nutrients. In a fasting diet, a person does not eat at all or severely limits intake during certain times of the day, week or month. One practical effect of a fasting diet may be fewer calories because there is less time for regular eating. Since most weight loss programs include lowering calorie intake, is either of these better for healthy, long-term weight loss?
Different Forms of Calorie Restriction and Fasting
The NIH says calorie restriction is a consistent pattern of reducing average daily caloric intake, while fasting focuses on the frequency of eating. A fasting diet may include calorie restriction during nonfasting times, but it also may not.
Excerpted from U.S. Health News
