Skipping the calorie math might actually work just as well. A new University of Adelaide study found that intermittent fasting produced similar weight loss to traditional calorie restriction — but without the constant mental effort of monitoring every bite. Researchers say this could make fasting a more sustainable long-term option for people who struggle to stick to conventional diets.
Counting every calorie is exhausting — and a new study suggests you might not have to. Researchers at the University of Adelaide found that intermittent fasting produced comparable weight loss to continuous calorie restriction over 18 months, but with a key difference: fasting participants didn't feel the constant pressure to monitor their intake or resist overeating. That psychological relief could be the key to making weight loss actually stick.
The 18-month clinical trial enrolled over 200 adults with obesity, randomly assigned to intermittent fasting, calorie restriction, or standard care. The fasting group ate only 30% of their daily energy needs between 8am–12pm on three non-consecutive days per week, followed by a 20-hour fast. Both diet groups saw improvements in depression and overall well-being, including on fasting days.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: For the many people who struggle with yo-yo dieting, the psychological burden of calorie counting is a major barrier to long-term success. Intermittent fasting offers a potentially less demanding mental pathway to comparable results — and researchers say future work should focus on personalizing diet recommendations based on individual behavioral profiles.
