With countless diet trends circulating online, people often wonder: should you skip meals or just count calories daily? Recent studies suggest that intermittent fasting limiting eating to certain blocks or days and traditional calorie‑counting diets deliver comparable weight‑loss results.

In one major analysis from nearly 100 clinical trials, participants on either plan lost similar amounts of weight and enjoyed comparable improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. That review found no dramatic edge on the scale for intermittent fasting, though alternate‑day fasting showed modestly better results about 1.3 kg more loss than daily calorie restriction.

Another study tested a 4:3 intermittent fasting program (eating normally four days, restricting calories on three), and found participants lost 7.6% of body weight over a year versus 5% on continuous calorie restriction. Researchers emphasized that adherence drove the results; fasting felt simpler and more sustainable than daily tracking.

Nutrition experts agree: there’s no one-size-fits-all champion. The best diet is simply the one you can follow consistently. Some find intermittent fasting liberating no need to log every bite while others prefer structured portion sizes and meal timing. Either way, calorie control remains key.

Still, long-term data are limited. Most fasting trials last fewer than six months. Researchers say its unclear which method helps maintain weight loss over years. And intermittent fasting may not be for everyone; some may experience hunger, headaches, or social disruption especially if they have medical conditions.

If you aim to lose weight, consider your lifestyle: want to fast one or two days each week, or would you rather eat smaller meals daily? Most importantly, choose the plan you can stick with its consistency, not the approach, that leads to lasting success.