Fasting 10 Hours Helps Lose Weight And Improve The Mood

Illustration of fasting (Freepic)

JAKARTA - A recent study from King's College London revealed that limiting eating time or fasting for 10 hours every day can help lose weight while improving mood and energy levels.

This method is known as time-restricted eating (TRE) or a limited-time diet, part of the intermittent fasting practice that has recently become increasingly popular.

Researchers from King's College London, one of the world's top universities recently presented their findings revealing the optimal duration for time-restricted eating practices.

The study involved more than 37 thousand participants who were asked to maintain a regular diet for one week, then undergo a diet with a 10-hour window over the next two weeks, using a health app called ZOE.

As a result, the participants reported an increase in mood and energy, as well as a decrease in hunger. Interestingly, this 10-hour dining window felt so easy to live with that almost all participants chose to continue for a few more weeks.

Sarah Berry, Ph.D., a professor at King's College London as well as chief scientist at ZOE, welcomed the results of this study.

"This is the largest study outside a highly controlled clinic that shows that intermittent fasting can improve health in real life," he explained, quoted from the page The Healthy.

"What's really interesting is that these findings show that you don't need to be too strict to get positive results. A ten-hour dining window makes it easy for most people, and can improve mood, energy level, and hunger," he added.

Dr. Berry also emphasized the importance of consistency. Those who undergo a time-limited diet inconsistently do not experience the same health benefits.

"This study adds to the proof that the way we eat is important. The impact of food on health is not only determined by what is eaten, but also when we eat," he explained.

"Denelah makan adalah behavior makan yang penting dan bisa berdampak positif terhadap kesehatan. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa kita tidak perlu makan terus-pendent. Banyak orang akan merasa cukup puas dan bahkan bisa menurunkan berat badan jika hanya makan dalam jenderan waktu 10 jam," tambahnya.

Studies from the United States also support this result. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that limiting meal times is more effective than just counting calories.

Another study in the journal Nutrients stated that starting the dining window before 11 am provides health benefits and greater weight loss than the dining window which starts at noon.

The combination of these findings includes studies from King's College London showing that overnight fasting and a fairly extensive dining window can be as effective as stricter methods. This means you can still eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner in your daily routine, while trying intermittent fasting without having to commit to a pattern that is too strict.

The most important thing is that there is no study that recommends avoiding certain types of food. However, it is still recommended to undergo a healthy and balanced diet, as well as consult with medical personnel before changing the diet significantly. For those who are used to snack all day, limited dining windows can actually provide more benefits, according to the results of this study.

And no need to worry, even though the 14-hour fast sounds long, you will spend most of that time sleeping. For example, if you have breakfast at 9 a.m. and finish meals before 7 p.m., you can still enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It can be like the study participants, you will feel more powerful and don't even want to snack in the middle of the night.