Combining Time-Restricted Eating and High-Intensity Interval Training: Double Pain / Double Gain

Study shows dramatic effects on body weight, fat mass, cholesterol, and glucose metabolism — but lifestyle is the hardest thing to change.

Let’s be honest, although as physicians we have the power of the prescription pad, so much of health, in the end, comes down to lifestyle. Of course, taking a pill is often way easier than changing your longstanding habits. And what’s worse, doesn’t it always seem like the lifestyle stuff that is good for your health is unpleasant?

Two recent lifestyle interventions that I have tried and find really not enjoyable are time restricted eating (also known as intermittent fasting) and high intensity interval training or HIIT. The former leaves me hangry for half the day, the latter is, well, it’s just really hard compared to my usual jog.

But, given the rule of unpleasant lifestyle changes I knew as soon as I saw this week’s study what the result would be. What if we combined time-restricted eating with high-intensity interval training?

I’m referring to this study, appearing in PLOS One from Ranya Ameur and colleagues, which is a small trial which enrolled otherwise healthy women with…