Time-restricted feeding, also known as a version of intermittent fasting, is when the practitioner only allows themselves to eat for a certain period during the day, usually between four and eight hours. It’s been found to be very effective for people who are overweight or insulin resistant.
A new study seems to prove that it’s not a smart choice for those looking to add muscle. Published in the European Journal Of Sport Science, the study examined two groups of young men who were both put on a weight-training program. The first group ate whatever they wanted, and the second group was restricted to a four-hour eating window four days a week, although no restrictions were placed on what they could eat. After eight weeks, the group with the eating window experienced no positive body composition changes, despite eating approximately 650 fewer calories a day.
The study concluded that intermittent fasting “is likely suboptimal for muscular hypertrophy during weight training and lean mass retention during weight-loss diets.”