It looks like the weight‑loss you get from intermittent fasting starts to slip back after about three months, but steady calorie‑cutting keeps the loss steady, so fasting might not work as well over the long run.

After two weeks of skipping meals intermittently, the body burns fewer calories at rest—which could make you gain weight if you keep eating the same amount.

People who try intermittent fasting tend to lose a little more weight than those who just cut calories continuously, according to several studies.

Intermittent fasting might help people lose a little more weight than cutting calories the usual way, but the difference is so small it could just be due to chance — overall, both methods work about the same for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.

People with metabolic syndrome who try intermittent fasting lose about 4 pounds on average after a few months, even without counting calories.

If you're an adult with extra weight, cutting calories by either fasting some days or eating less every day leads to similar weight loss and health improvements — neither method works much better than the other if you eat the same total amount of food.