Intermittent fasting has become a popular way to lose weight in Nigeria and around the world.

You may have seen someone skip breakfast and eat only during certain hours. Another person may eat normally for five days and restrict food for two days.

Social media has also made fasting look like a quick solution for losing belly fat and improving health.

However, a major review of previous studies suggests that intermittent fasting may not be better than regular dieting for weight loss.

Researchers reviewed 22 randomised clinical trials involving almost 2,000 adults. The studies compared different fasting methods with regular dietary advice or no dietary guidance.

The findings showed little to no difference in weight loss between intermittent fasting and other approaches.

This does not mean intermittent fasting is useless.

Instead, it suggests that it should not be treated as a miracle weight-loss method.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves switching between periods of eating and fasting.

Unlike traditional diets, it focuses more on when you eat than exactly what you eat.

One popular approach is time-restricted eating.

For example, you may eat within an eight-hour period and avoid food for the remaining 16 hours.

Another method is the 5:2 approach.

Under this plan, you eat normally for five days and significantly reduce your calorie intake on two other days.

Some people also practise alternate-day fasting.

This involves eating normally on certain days and significantly restricting food on others.

The idea behind these methods is that spending longer periods without food may encourage the body to use stored fat for energy.

However, the new review suggests that the weight-loss benefits may not be significantly different from simply eating fewer calories.

Losing Weight Does Not Automatically Mean Better Health

One important point from the research is that losing weight and improving overall health are not always the same thing.

A person may lose some weight while following an intermittent fasting plan.

However, that does not necessarily mean their blood pressure, blood sugar or other health risks will improve.

One expert involved in research on obesity and metabolism noted that intermittent fasting can produce similar weight-loss results to simply reducing daily calorie intake.

Another researcher said studies involving intermittent fasting have sometimes shown weight loss without similar improvements in factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar control and inflammation.

Therefore, the quality of your overall diet still matters.

Eating less food during certain hours does not automatically make an unhealthy diet healthy.

For example, eating large portions of fried foods, sugary drinks and highly processed snacks during your eating window may not support your health simply because you fasted beforehand.

Why Intermittent Fasting Can Be Difficult to Maintain

You may successfully follow a fasting routine for several weeks.

However, maintaining it for months or years can be much harder.

Your body can respond to weight loss by increasing hunger and reducing energy expenditure.

This can make it difficult to maintain the weight you have lost.

For some people, strict fasting schedules may also interfere with work, family meals and social activities.

Consider a Nigerian household where dinner may be an important family meal.

You may also work long hours, commute for several hours or have a physically demanding job.

A fasting schedule that looks simple online may not always fit your daily routine.

This is why a diet’s sustainability matters.

The best eating plan is not necessarily the one with the strictest rules.

It is one you can follow consistently while still meeting your nutritional needs.

Exercise Still Matters

If your goal is to lose weight and improve your health, changing your eating pattern is only one part of the picture.

Regular physical activity can also make a significant difference.

You do not necessarily need an expensive gym membership.

You can start with activities that fit your lifestyle.

Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing can help you become more active.

You can also include resistance exercises such as squats, bodyweight exercises or weight training.

One expert recommended combining resistance training with endurance exercises several times each week.

Exercise can help you maintain muscle while losing weight.

It can also support fitness and make it easier to maintain healthy habits over time.

What Should You Eat?

Whether you practise intermittent fasting or not, the quality of your food remains important.

A Nigerian diet can provide plenty of nutritious options.

You can include vegetables such as ugu, spinach, ewedu and okra in your meals.

Fruits such as oranges, watermelon, pawpaw and bananas can also form part of a balanced diet.

Beans, eggs, fish, chicken and other protein sources can help provide essential nutrients.

You can also choose reasonable portions of foods such as rice, yam, potatoes, plantain and other staple foods.

The goal is not to completely remove your favourite Nigerian meals.

Instead, pay attention to portions, cooking methods and how often you consume foods high in added sugar, salt or unhealthy fats.

Is Intermittent Fasting Right for You?

Intermittent fasting may work for some people.

For others, a more regular eating pattern may be easier to maintain.

The latest evidence does not show that intermittent fasting is a superior weight-loss solution.

It is simply one option among several approaches to managing weight.

However, fasting is not suitable for everyone.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and people with eating disorders should not start fasting diets without appropriate medical guidance.

People living with diabetes or taking medicines that affect blood sugar should also speak with a healthcare professional before making major changes to their eating pattern.

If you have a medical condition, your diet should be planned with your healthcare needs in mind.

Focus on Healthy Habits You Can Maintain

Intermittent fasting may continue to attract attention because it sounds simple.

However, losing weight and staying healthy usually require more than following a specific eating clock.

The latest review suggests that intermittent fasting does not offer a major advantage over conventional dietary approaches for weight loss.

Therefore, you do not have to force yourself to fast simply because it is trending online.

Focus instead on eating nutritious foods, controlling portions and staying physically active.

Find an approach that fits your work, family life, budget and health needs.

Most importantly, avoid treating weight loss as a race.

Sustainable changes are usually more valuable than extreme diets that you cannot maintain.

If you are struggling with your weight or have an underlying health condition, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before starting a restrictive diet.

Intermittent fasting may have a place in healthy living, but it is not a magic solution. Your everyday habits still matter most.