Intermittent Fasting vs. Calorie Count: Best Dieting Method
Editor: Suman Pathak on Mar 17,2025
When dieting, there are so many methods to choose that can be daunting. Two of the most well-known are intermittent fasting and calorie restriction. Both will cause you to lose weight, but they do so in wildly different manners. If you're trying to figure out the best dieting method for yourself, this blog will outline the advantages and disadvantages of each so you can make the right choice.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
It is a type of diet that is all about when you eat and not what you eat. Rather than eating all the time, you alternate between periods of eating and fasting. There are a number of ways to practice intermittent fasting, but the most popular methods are:
16/8 Method: You restrict your eating to an 8-hour window and fast for 16 hours. For instance, you can eat from 12 PM to 8 PM and fast the rest of the day.
5:2 Diet: You eat as usual five days a week and limit your calorie consumption to 500-600 calories on the remaining two days.
Eat-Stop-Eat: You can fast once or twice a week for 24 hours.
The intermittent fasting theory is that by restricting your eating time, you thus eat fewer calories. It also says that it makes your metabolism more efficient and leads to more fat loss.
Calorie counting is a more traditional way of losing weight. It's where you keep track of how many calories you consume daily and ensure that you don't consume as many calories as your body needs in order to maintain its present weight. This gives you a calorie deficit, making your body utilize the fat you've stored for fuel.
To effectively calculate calories, you need to determine your daily calorie requirements based on age, sex, weight, and activity. You can monitor your intake and remain within the target range using mobile apps or food diaries.
Intermittent Fasting: Advantages and Disadvantages
Now, let's focus on the pros and cons of Intermittent Fasting:
Advantages
Convenience: It is convenient in that you don't have to monitor every single bite of food. You only concentrate on the eating window.
Metabolism Boost: Some reports indicate that fasting can boost your metabolism and enhance fat burning, particularly when done in conjunction with exercise.
Flexibility: You have the option to pick a fasting regimen that suits you, either skipping breakfast or fasting for a day.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity: It can regulate blood sugar levels, which can be helpful for those who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Disadvantages
Hunger: Fasting for long periods can be challenging, especially if you're used to eating throughout the day.
Overeating Risk: Some people tend to overeat during their eating window, which can cancel out the calorie deficit.
Not for Everyone: This fasting may not be suitable for people with certain medical conditions, like diabetes or eating disorders.
Social Challenges: Fasting may be hard to follow if you have to eat during family gatherings or social events, particularly if your eating window does not coincide with such events.
Calorie Counting: Advantages and Disadvantages
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of Calorie Counting:
Advantages
Accuracy: Calorie counting allows you to have total control over food consumption, and it is easier to attain a calorie deficit.
Food Flexibility: You can eat anything you desire as long as it falls within your daily calorie quota.
Sustainable: Calorie counting is sustainable for most people as it does not habituate drastic diet modifications.
Educational: Calorie monitoring makes one more conscious of portion sizes and the nutrient content of foods.
Disadvantages
Time-Consuming: It's so much work tracking all calories, and it wears you out.
Oversimplification: All calories are not created equal. 100 calories of vegetables, for instance, are healthier for us than 100 calories of candy, but calorie counting does not always take this into account.
Risk of Obsession: Some individuals get too caught up in numbers, and this can result in unhealthy eating.
Inaccuracy: It is difficult to measure precise portions, particularly when dining out or having home-cooked meals.
Both calorie counting and fasting can make you lose weight, but the best dieting method would be depending upon your lifestyle and preferences:
Since you wish for things to be easy and do not wish to count every calorie, it would be best to choose intermittent fasting. It will also give you a metabolism boost, which will boost your calorie burn.
If you prefer structure and more control over what you're eating, calorie counting might be the way ahead. You can create a perfect calorie deficit and adjust your diet according to what you need.
Can You Use Both Methods?
Yes! Many individuals do well with a combination of calorie counting and fasting. For instance, you can employ the 16/8 protocol to restrict your eating window and monitor your calories within the window. This approach allows you to reap the rewards of both methods and makes it easier for you to achieve a calorie deficit.
Success Tips
Regardless of the method you're using, consider the following success tips:
Stay Hydrated: Drink water regularly during the day, particularly while fasting.
Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods: Eat whole, unprocessed foods that are nutrient-dense and will keep you full.
Be Consistent: Use your preferred method for at least a few weeks to see changes.
Listen to Your Body: If you're not feeling right or are very hungry, adjust your method or speak to a healthcare practitioner.
Plan Ahead: Plan meals and snacks in advance to prevent overeating or eating out of habit.
Exercise Regularly: Pair dieting technique with regular exercise to achieve maximum weight loss and overall health.
The Role of Metabolism
Your metabolism, or how your body processes food for energy, is one of the largest factors in losing weight. Both calorie restriction and intermittent fasting have an effect on your metabolism, but not to the same degree.
Intermittent Fasting: Fasting was found to increase your metabolic rate by as high as 14% in certain studies. This is because fasting leads to the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that facilitates the metabolism of fat.
Calorie Counting: While a calorie deficit is required to lose weight, having too low an intake can actually slow your metabolism over the long term. It's therefore important to achieve balance and avoid excess calorie cutting.
Long-Term Sustainability
When selecting the best dieting method, long-term adherence is crucial. A diet that is easy to follow for a couple of weeks but difficult or impossible to sustain will not produce lasting results.
Intermittent Fasting: It is an easy diet for most individuals to adhere to since it does not require constant monitoring. Nevertheless, it is not ideal for everyone, particularly those with non-standard or hectic schedules.
Calorie Counting: Calorie counting works, but it requires constant effort and may feel restrictive to some people. However, it can be adapted to fit almost any lifestyle.
Personal Preferences Matter
The best diet plan is one that you can adapt to your lifestyle and preferences. Ask yourself these questions when choosing between intermittent fasting and calorie counting:
Do you like structure, or do you like freedom? If you like having a plan, calorie counting may be the best choice for you. If you like having flexibility, intermittent fasting may be the best choice for you.
Do you like fighting hunger? Then calorie counting will be easier since you consume food quite frequently throughout the day.
Do you have a busy or irregular schedule? If yes, then intermittent fasting will be easier to achieve.
Do you like tracking details? If you are not against tracking food, calorie counting can work for you.
Calorie counting and intermittent fasting are both good means to reduce body fat, but your best method of dieting is your decision and intention. Intermittent fasting provides ease and possible boost in metabolism, while calorie counting provides accuracy and adaptability. You might even combine the two to reap the most benefit.
Remember that there is no single way of dieting. The key is to select an approach that suits you and one that you can adopt in your life. Whether you prefer one of them or a combination of the two, persistence and patience are what make you successful.
