The ‘4:3 intermittent fasting’ plan known as the military diet is popular with celebrities and showed greater weight loss over 12 months than trying to cut calories down every day
Having three ‘diet days’ a week and then eating what you want on the other four has been shown to help shed more pounds than normal dieting. The “4:3 intermittent fasting” plan known as the military diet is popular with celebrities and showed greater weight loss over 12 months than trying to cut calories down every day.
The 4:3 fasting plan saw participants cut their calorie intake by 80% on fast days rather than aim to cut calories by just 30% every day. Celebrities who have spoken highly of intermittent fasting include Jennifer Aniston, Kourtney Kardashian and Halle Berry. The findings, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, showed participants in the 4:3 intermittent fasting group lost 7.6% in body weight compared to 5% in the general diet group.
Study first author Professor Victoria Catenacci, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the US, said: “Participants in the fasting group also achieved more favourable changes cardiometabolic outcomes including systolic blood pressure, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and fasting glucose level.”
UK guidelines state women should aim for around 2,000 calories per day, while men should aim for around 2,500 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight.
The 4:3 plan involves people aiming to eat around 1,200 to 1,400 calories on their “fast days”. To fend off hunger and boost health this typically involves eating more protein and whole foods and fewer carbohydrates and fat.
It is referred to in the US as the ‘military diet’ – despite having no official military connection. The name is meant to convey the discipline and willpower needed to follow the plan, similar to the demands of military service.
Researchers randomly assigned 165 overweight adults to either 4:3 intermittent fasting or calorie restriction for 12 months to compare weight loss. On non-fast days, participants in the 4:3 intermittent fasting group did not have to restrict energy intake, but were encouraged to make healthy food choices.
The study showed 58% of those in the fasting group achieved weight loss of at least 5% at 12 months compared to 47% in the calorie restriction group.
All the participants were given free gym membership and encouraged to exercise for at least five hours per week. As well as group-based behavioural support, participants received instruction in calorie counting and a guide to target dietary macronutrient content of 55% carbohydrates, 15% protein and 30% fat.
Researchers pointed out the benefits of the 4:3 plan was it meant people did not have to count calories every day.
Dr Adam Collins, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Surrey, said: “The study’s main finding was that a 4:3 approach gives more weight loss than conventional calorie restriction despite participants prescribed the same overall calories. This is not a magic property of the 4:3 approach per se, but because they achieved a bigger calorie deficit.
“The dietary intake data reveals some clues as to why this may be the case, based on what wasn’t measured, as much as what was. Those assigned the 4:3 diet were only requested to record their intake on ‘fast’ days, but we know from early studies on intermittent energy restriction that there is a tendency for some people to eat less on non fast days too, whether that’s unconscious or subconscious.
“Adherence to any diet over 6-12 months is challenging at the best of times, but this may explain why the 4:3 group were closer to the calorie deficit target overall. Nevertheless, it does support the notion that, in the real world, intermittent energy restriction protocols outperform conventional everyday calorie restriction both in terms of compliance and weight loss results.
“The research reaffirms it can be an effective and sustainable weight loss intervention but within each group the extent of weight loss was highly variable, suggesting it may not be the best for everyone.”