AUGUST 10, 2026 08:00
One of the most difficult challenges people face is not necessarily the diet itself – but its integration into their lifestyle – so that the weight loss is maintained. A new study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that intermittent fasting using the 16:8 method for 12 weeks not only aids in weight loss, but also helps maintain weight over time
The study’s findings showed that a year after completing the program, participants who restricted their eating hours to eight hours a day maintained a greater reduction in weight and body fat percentage compared to those who ate over a period of 12 hours or more. Another interesting piece of data: One in three participants chose to continue intermittent fasting even without supervision, suggesting that this is a habit that is relatively easy to stick to
“What is particularly impressive about this study is that even a year after the end of the intervention, participants who practiced time-restricted eating (TRE) maintained their weight and reduced more fat mass,” explains Limor Tal-Pony, chief dietitian at Maccabi Healthcare Services. “An eight-hour eating window, when combined with a high-quality dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet examined in the study, creates a cumulative effect. The study showed that a third of the participants chose to continue intermittent fasting independently even during the follow-up period.”
According to Tal-Pony, the benefits of intermittent fasting are expressed in improved insulin sensitivity, improved metabolic indicators, and reduced inflammatory markers, and they add to the nutritional quality of the Mediterranean diet
“The intermittent fasting method provides a clear framework, which also helps prevent overeating in the evening hours and preserve results over time. However, other studies have shown higher efficacy for the intermittent fasting eating pattern compared to a Mediterranean diet, mainly in the short term. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched dietary patterns and is proven to be particularly effective for maintaining weight loss over time. In the MedWeigh study, participants with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet were twice as likely to maintain a 5% to 10% weight loss compared to participants with low adherence.”
“The bottom line is that, in the end, personalization is what matters,” she concludes. “Not every strategy is suitable for everyone. The metabolic and behavioral response to any dietary pattern varies from person to person according to their hormonal profile, chronobiological type (early versus late biological clock), lifestyle, and personal preferences. For example, a person with increased morning hunger might respond to prolonged fasting with a rebound of emotional eating, while for another person a defined eating window provides peace of mind and control.
Our role as professionals is to adapt the nutritional tool to the physiology, body composition, and routine of the individual standing before us, and to examine whether an eight-hour eating window suits the patient’s daily schedule, family, and work, because long-term adherence and persistence are the best predictors of success. The key to maintaining weight over the years is adopting a strategy that becomes a lifestyle, rather than one that feels like a daily struggle.”
