Food

Is intermittent fasting worth the fuss?

Where the science of fasting meets everyday life.

Emiliano Pena

16 Jul 2025 • 6 min read

Intermittent fasting has been on the radar for a while— popping up on podcasts, sneaking into gym-locker chit-chat and glowing on social media stories. Some people mention it seems to help them lean out, sharpen focus, or "reset" after an indulgent weekend. But before you think about cancelling brunch in the name of self-improvement, let's see what science (and real-life experience) actually tells us.

Two popular ways to do intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is less a diet than a timetable. Rather than counting only macros, you decide "when" you eat. Two methods dominate the conversation.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) fits all meals into a daily window, often eight to ten hours, then shuts the kitchen door for the remaining fourteen to sixteen. Picture lunch at noon, dinner by eight, nothing but water or black coffee or tea until the next day. You are basically Cinderella for snacks: enjoy the feast, but be home before the metabolic clock strikes midnight.
Alternate-day fasting (ADF) is quite different. One day, you eat more or less normally; the next, you eat very little (some versions allow a 500-kilocalorie "mini-meal," while others insist on complete fasting). Then you repeat.

Both regimes sound simple on paper; in practice, they live or die by how well they mesh with your routine, your social life and your mood.

From mice to men: What the evidence says

Much of the original buzz around fasting came from animal studies: lab mice on fasting schedules lived longer, carried less fat and displayed metabolic perks that surprised researchers. Fasting in mice also seemed to activate autophagy, the body's "self-cleaning" mechanism that can remove old/damaged cells from the body. Yet, we are still trying to understand how data from mice could translate to humans.

So, what about data from humans? In a 2025 research paper, scientists sifted through 99 human studies pitting TRE, ADF and old-school daily calorie restriction against one another. Here is the short version: every approach produced weight loss compared with normal eating, but differences among the approaches were surprisingly modest.

In the short term, alternate-day fasting may offer slight advantages when it comes to weight loss. Still, we are talking about small differences, not dramatic transformations. Time-restricted eating, on the other hand, showed more modest results overall.

And while those early changes can be encouraging, more long-term studies are needed and sticking to these routines over time is often the bigger challenge. By the one-year mark, most people had quietly bowed out.

Health beyond the bathroom scale

The same analysis peered under the metabolic hood. ADF nudged cholesterol and triglyceride numbers in the right direction. TRE, especially when meals were timed earlier in the day, appeared to reduce blood sugar peaks and improve insulin sensitivity, possibly because our bodies process food more efficiently in daylight hours, though more research is needed. Yet neither approach delivered sweeping changes to glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c, a long-term blood glucose marker) or raised the much-loved "good" HDL cholesterol.

So, promising? Yes. Panacea? Not quite there. The jury is still deliberating on whether either pattern outperforms plain daily calorie mindfulness once the honeymoon phase ends. In fact, UK dietary guidelines do not include intermittent fasting among their recommendations, as more evidence is still needed.

Why it may not be for everyone

Scrolling through shredded selfies might make intermittent fasting look like the shortcut to a Greek god's torso, but real life is messier. That being said, intermittent fasting may not be recommended for everyone.

If you have experienced disordered eating in the past, it is important to approach any structured eating pattern with care and professional support. People taking medication that requires food—think some diabetes or blood-pressure drugs—should tread carefully and only under professional supervision. Heavy-duty athletes often find that long fasting spells clash with training fuel requirements.

And let's be honest: if limiting dinner invites or skipping date-night cocktails makes you miserable, no marginal metabolic gain will compensate. If in doubt, it is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional.

Choosing (or declining) an intermittent fasting rhythm

If you do feel curious, ask yourself a few blunt questions. Does an eight-hour eating window fit neatly between your first client call and your partner's late-evening cooking habit? Could you manage low-calorie days without panic-ordering takeaway at midnight? Are you happy to sip sparkling water while you are out with friends eating every other night? Your answers will reveal which, if either, pattern stands a chance.

Some people may prefer TRE: the same food shopping list for a shorter time window. Others may like the black-and-white clarity of ADF. Then again, many test the waters only to discover that relentless scheduling takes the joy out of food. And if it does not work for you? That is entirely okay.

Whether you fast or feast, choose what fits your life

If a timed eating pattern helps you feel energised, keeps your blood tests sparkling and still allows you to enjoy life, fantastic. But if it leaves you cranky, isolated, or obsessing over the clock, give yourself permission to let it go. Food is not only fuel; it is pleasure, culture and connection.

Whether you wrap up dinner before the moon rises or savour dessert at ten o'clock, pursue the style of eating that adds colour to your days, not one that drains them. Because the real goal is not perfection. It is peace with your plate, your body and yourself.

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