A study published on May 1, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Ranya Ameur and Rami Maaloul from the University of Sfax, Tunisia, along with their colleagues, suggests that integrating time-restricted eating with high-intensity functional training could be more effective in improving body composition and cardiometabolic health than either strategy alone.
Diet and exercise are universally recognized methods for weight loss and enhancing cardiometabolic health. The challenge often lies in identifying a sustainable combination of lifestyle adjustments. Previous research has highlighted the potential benefits of time-restricted eating, which involves limiting eating times but not the types of food consumed, and high-intensity functional training, which blends rigorous aerobic and resistance activities. These approaches show health benefits and are sustainable long-term options for individuals.
In this recent investigation, the researchers examined the effects of combining time-restricted eating and high-intensity functional training on body composition and cardiometabolic health indicators such as cholesterol, blood glucose, and lipid levels. The study involved 64 obese women, divided into three groups: one practising time-restricted eating, another engaging in high-intensity functional training, and a third combining both interventions. The time-restricted eating group consumed food only between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, whereas those in the functional training group exercised under the guidance of an instructor three times a week.
After 12 weeks, significant weight loss and reductions in waist and hip measurements were observed across all groups. Additionally, all groups exhibited positive changes in lipid and glucose levels. Notably, improvements in fat-free mass (comprising lean and skeletal muscle mass) and blood pressure were significant in the combined diet and exercise groups and the exercise-only groups. Still, these parameters remained unchanged in the group that followed only the diet.
The combined diet and exercise group experienced the most substantial improvements in body composition and cardiometabolic health compared to the groups that followed a single intervention. This inspiring result underscores the potential of the combined strategy, offering hope for those seeking to make significant improvements to their health.
The authors conclude that the strategy of merging time-restricted eating with high-intensity functional training holds promise for enhancing body composition and cardiometabolic health. This marks it as a potentially viable and effective approach for health improvement, offering optimism for those seeking to make positive changes to their health.
More information: Ranya Ameur et al, Unlocking the power of synergy: High-intensity functional training and early time-restricted eating for transformative changes in body composition and cardiometabolic health in inactive women with obesity, PLoS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301369
Journal information: PLoS ONE Provided by PLOS
