Intermittent fasting is as effective as counting calories, new study finds

New research finds that people who try time-restricted eating can keep it up longer than people who count calories. (Elizabeth Fernandez/Getty Images)

Intermittent fasting has taken off in popularity in recent years as an alternative to more traditional weight loss advice, including counting calories, which can be cumbersome and hard to sustain for some people.

Intermittent fasting can take different forms. One approach — called time-restricted eating — limits when people eat to a specific window of time, often around six to eight hours.