In a recent study published in PLOS ONE, combining time-restriction eating and high-intensity functional training can improve body composition and cardiometabolic parameters. The research reinforced much of what is already known about time-restricted eating and intense training. However, much of that research focused on either time-restricted diets or heavy exercise. Authors say that “changes in diet and exercise are well-known ways to lose weight and improve cardiometabolic health. However, finding the right combination of lifestyle changes to produce sustainable results can be challenging.”
They explain that time-restricted eating limits when but not what individuals eat. High-intensity functional training combines intense aerobic and resistance exercise. Experts also note that doing either might be beneficial for people to commit over a significant time period. In this new study, researchers investigated the impact of combining both practices on body composition and markers of cardiometabolic health like blood glucose, cholesterol and lipid levels. The researchers assigned 64 women with obesity to one of three groups: time-restricted eating (diet only), high-intensity functional training (exercise only), or time-restricted eating plus high-intensity functional training (diet and exercise).
The participants following only the time-restricted eating regimen ate only between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Subjects in the functional training groups worked out three days a week with an instructor. All three groups experienced significant weight loss and decreases in waist and hip circumference after 12 weeks. All three groups also showed positive changes in glucose and lipid levels. Researchers said there were improvements observed in fat-free mass (a combination of lean mass and skeletal muscle mass) and blood pressure among those in the diet and exercise group as well as the exercise groups. However, those improvements weren’t seen in the diet-only group.
Subjects in the diet and exercise group generally saw more pronounced changes in body composition and cardiometabolic parameters than either diet or exercise alone groups. The research team noted it was a relatively small study and it was “difficult to tease out the contributions of specific exercise routines or of time-restricted eating and calorie reduction since both groups reduced their calorie intake.”
They also noted that combining time-restricted eating with high-intensity functional training could show promise in improved body composition and cardiometabolic health. Combining time-restricted eating with high-intensity functional training is a promising strategy to improve body composition and cardiometabolic health.
Time of eating can affect a person’s weight. Consuming a larger number of calories later in the day can leave less time for a body to metabolize calories, as there is less calorie consumption when a person sleeps. There are certain health conditions where a person may need to eat more regularly throughout the day like diabetes so a person should check with their doctor before beginning a time-restricted eating routine.
