IF is interesting because while it definitely has benefits, I have no idea if they’re specific to IF or incidental to the fact that you’re consuming fewer calories in general when you’re fasting. Like IF has obvious benefits, but are they superior to the same level of caloric restriction spread over three meals throughout the day?

Put another way, if I am going to eat 1,400 calories in a 24-hour period, does it matter if I only eat them between 8am and 2pm, vs. any time in that 24-hour period?

I think the only consistency in IF studies is that it works, but not because of IF science—it’s just another way of caloric restriction dieting that requires less planning and fewer temptations.