The perfect weight-loss diet is one that does four things…

It is easy to follow.

It doesn’t make you give up foods you love.

It doesn’t cause you to suffer from hunger.

And, of course, it helps you lose weight.

A new study shows that one eating plan may be all these things and more.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago gathered 23 obese volunteers. Their average age was 45. Their average body mass index, or BMI, was 35.1

To give you an idea of how heavy that is, a 5-foot-10 man with a BMI of 35 weighs about 245 pounds.

The researchers had the volunteers follow a simple diet regimen for 12 weeks.2

During an eight-hour period from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. dieters could eat any kind of food they wanted. And they could eat as much as they wanted.

But for the remaining 16 hours, from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m., they could only drink water or calorie-free beverages like black coffee or tea.

This style of eating is called the 16:8 diet. And it is growing in popularity.

At the end of the 12 weeks, the researchers compared the 16-8 dieters to those who tried other weight loss plans. They found that, on average, 16:8 dieters:

• Lost 3% more of their body weight.

• Consumed 350 fewer calories a day.

• Lowered their systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 7 more points

What’s more, the 16:8 dieters said they found it easier than other diets. Few of them dropped out of the study. They liked that they didn’t have to count calories or stop eating their favorite foods.

Dr. Krista Varady is an associate professor of kinesiology and nutrition in the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences. She was one of the study authors.

“The take-home message from this study is that there are options for weight loss that do not include calorie counting or eliminating certain foods,” she said.

She added that the 16:8 diet “is easier for people to maintain. We observed that fewer participants dropped out of this study” than studies on other diets.

The research was recently published in the journal Nutrition and Healthy Aging.

Don’t Make This Common Diet Mistake…

The dieters in this study drank water or calorie-free beverages during the 16-hour fasting period.

If you try this diet, don’t make the mistake of drinking beverages with artificial sweeteners during fasting hours. Chemical sweeteners like aspartame and Ace K are linked heart and blood vessel damage. Saccharine and sucralose are associated with leukemia, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and impaired liver and kidney function.

And they make dieting harder. When your brain senses the sweetness of a zero-calorie sweetener, it expects calories. And when it doesn’t get them, it revs up your hunger hormones.3

Instead, stick with water, coconut water, coffee, or tea. Here are some other tasty alternatives:

• Cucumber and mint-infused water. Add sliced cucumbers and fresh mint to a pitcher of ice water. Let sit for half an hour before drinking.4

• Strawberry-basil lemonade. Slice lemons and strawberries and put them in a pitcher of ice water. Sprinkle basil leaves on top. Let sit for at least half an hour.

This concept works with any of your favorite fruits. Simply slice them and add to water. They will perk up your taste buds and give you a pleasurable calorie-free drink while you are losing weight.

Editor’s Note: There are other easy ways to be thinner without going hungry…

Like the secret “switch” you can flip that tells your body to burn fat instead of store it… The little-known chemical one doctor says makes your body demand unhealthy high-calorie foods… And how to shed pounds of body fat—without cutting back on the foods you love. Discover how to unlock your fat-burning potential HERE.

Like this Article? Forward this article here or Share on Facebook.

References:
1 https://today.uic.edu/daily-fasting-works-for-weight-loss
2 https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/uoia-dfw061818.php
3 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160712130107.htm
4 https://www.healthfulpursuit.com/roundup/no-sugar-low-carb-drinks/