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Struggling to Lose Weight? Here’s Why Intermittent Fasting Might Work Better Than Calorie Counting
Between busy schedules, family commitments, and endless to-do lists, keeping track of every calorie you eat can feel like an impossible task. For many women, the mental load of dieting is just too much to juggle. Now, exciting new research offers a simpler, more effective alternative: intermittent fasting. A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that an intermittent fasting strategy known as “4:3 fasting” helped participants lose significantly more weight than traditional calorie counting. If you’re looking for a more sustainable way to shed pounds, this could be the game-changer you’ve been waiting for.
Study Reveals: Intermittent Fasting Outperforms Daily Calorie Counting
In this year-long study, researchers tracked 165 overweight and obese adults to compare two popular weight loss strategies: 4:3 intermittent fasting and daily calorie reduction. The findings were clear:
- Participants in the 4:3 intermittent fasting group lost an average of 8.2% of their body weight.
- Those following a traditional calorie-counting diet lost only 3.3% of their body weight.
- Fasting participants also saw more significant reductions in body fat percentage and waist size.
What is 4:3 fasting?
4:3 fasting is a style of intermittent fasting where individuals eat normally for four days of the week and then significantly restrict their calorie intake (about 500 calories) on three non-consecutive days. It offers a structured rhythm that gives your body regular breaks from heavy digestion, helping promote fat burning while still allowing plenty of flexibility during eating days.
Unlike strict calorie counting, which demands daily tracking and food measurement, intermittent fasting provided a structure that was easier for many people to stick with long term. The results suggest that fasting may not only be more effective but also more sustainable for busy individuals.
How the Study Was Conducted
To understand the effectiveness of these two approaches, researchers carefully designed the study with strong scientific controls:
- Participants were randomly assigned to either a 4:3 fasting group or a calorie restriction group targeting a 34% reduction in daily intake.
- Both groups received weekly support from dietitians to help monitor their progress and adherence.
- Researchers used the doubly labeled water method, considered the gold standard for measuring energy expenditure, to gather accurate data.
- The study focused on adults without chronic illnesses and excluded pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, and older adults.
While the findings are promising, researchers noted that the availability of weekly dietitian support may have helped participants stick to their plans more effectively than they might have without that support. Longer-term studies are also needed to evaluate how sustainable these results are beyond one year.
Why Intermittent Fasting Fits a Modern Woman’s Lifestyle
Counting calories every day takes time, attention, and energy — three things many women feel stretched thin on already. Intermittent fasting simplifies the weight loss process by focusing on when you eat, not just what you eat. This allows for more flexibility, fewer decisions, and less stress around meals.
For women managing families, careers, and personal goals, intermittent fasting can integrate seamlessly into a busy lifestyle. Rather than calculating every bite, you follow a straightforward pattern of eating and fasting days, making it easier to stick to your health goals over time.
TCM Tips: Use Acupressure to Support Your Weight Loss Journey
At TCMTips, we believe in combining modern strategies with ancient wisdom. If you are trying intermittent fasting, adding acupressure can further enhance your weight loss efforts by supporting digestion, regulating metabolism, and promoting emotional balance.
Here are three acupressure points you can easily incorporate into your routine:
1. Gallbladder 26 (GB 26 / Dai Mai / Girdling Vessel)
- Location: In line with the belly button, at the side of the body, roughly level with the lowest rib.
- Benefits: Helps regulate the waist and abdomen, supports digestion, and relieves bloating.
- How to Use: Apply steady, gentle pressure with your fingers for 1-2 minutes daily, especially after meals.
2. Conception Vessel 4 (Ren 4 / Guan Yuan / Origin Pass)
- Location: About four finger-widths below the navel on the body’s midline.
- Benefits: Strengthens the body’s vital energy (Qi), improves digestive health, and enhances reproductive system function.
- How to Use: Massage with circular motions for 2-3 minutes every morning to stimulate overall vitality.
3. Spleen 6 (SP 6 / San Yin Jiao / Three Yin Intersection)
- Location: Four finger-widths above the inner ankle bone, just behind the shin bone.
- Benefits: Balances hormones, enhances digestion, and reduces water retention.
- How to Use: Press and massage each leg for 1-2 minutes, morning and evening, to help regulate your body’s natural rhythms.
If you’d like to learn even more about how to use acupressure to support weight loss naturally, be sure to check out our guide to the best acupressure points for weight loss.
Integrating acupressure into your daily routine takes just a few minutes but can make a big difference in how you feel and how your body responds to lifestyle changes like intermittent fasting.
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