Regardless of whether you believe the calories in/calories out model or hormone theory of weight gain, fasting is the best way to lose weight as it is simpler to implement (i.e. you don't have to measure food), cheaper (just skip a meal instead of getting a low-calorie one) and has a greater historical precedence.

No, [fasting] (https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/09/418611/time-restricted-eating-doesnt-work-weight-loss) is not better than [calorie counting] (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-calorie-counting-work#how-your-body-uses-calories). Both are unsustainable. The key to healthy eating is through balance and listening to your body.

• [Multiple studies] (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/when-dieting-doesnt-work-2020052519889) have found that [fasting and calorie restriction have similar effects on weight loss] (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/intermittent-fasting-no-better-than-calorie-restriction-for-weight-loss). They can be effective in the short term, but neither is generally sustainable long term. Looking at a range of weight-loss diets and finding very similar results, this article suggests that [95% of dieters overall regain any lost weight within 1-5 years] (https://globalstudies.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/224/2013/11/Wilen-Cora-The-95.pdf).

• The enormous range of diets that exist and the entire [lucrative industry] (https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/01/11/how-dieting-became-a-71-billion-industry-from-atkins-and-paleo-to-noom.html) that's sprung up around diet culture is an indication that none of them actually work.

• Yes, on a basic level, losing weight happens when you create and maintain [a calorie deficit] (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263028#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20government%20states,more%20active%20lifestyles%20than%20others.). But - the amount of calories that your body needs is dependent on many factors, and it's not something that any generalised diet advice can tell you. [Calories are what your body transforms into energy] (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-calorie-counting-work#difficulty-losing-weight-when-counting-calories). And based on genetics, hormones, normalised eating habits, etc., [the amount needed to fuel one person's body daily will differ] (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263028#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20government%20states,more%20active%20lifestyles%20than%20others.).

• What works in the long term for weight loss and healthy eating? I think it's finding a source of physical exercise that you enjoy and will stick with and a balanced diet that consists of food you like. There are also so [many factors besides food] (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221834/) that contribute to successful weight management.

• My overall point is - 'one-size-fits-all' dieting solutions like intermittent fasting and calorie counting have been proven [not to work in the long term] (https://www.nutritionist-resource.org.uk/blog/2020/10/02/why-diets-dont-work). You need to disconnect from generalised weight loss practices to find what works for you and you alone.

I'm sure it depends, but one reason I love the act of fasting is its biological benefits.

The proven benefits of fasting:

• "Decreased resting heart rate (HR)

• Decreased blood pressure (BP)

• Improvements in pumping action of the heart

• Lowered levels of LDL or bad cholesterol

• Reduced level of fasting insulin

• Increased insulin sensitivity

• Fasting for a short time can produce ketosis, which accentuates weight loss

• Reduced production of inflammatory substances (such as HOMA-IR and C-reactive protein) in the body

• Ketosis during fasting triggers several responses, including decreased inflammation, improved blood sugar regulation and better response to physical stress

• Fasting can slow down aging, prevent the development of diabetes, thyroid disorders, hypertension and heart disease and increase the chances of a long and healthy life. It also promotes weight loss. A healthy body weight automatically translates to healthier joints and a great body image."

• Anti-inflammatory and decreased cancer risk as well as slower aging

• More mental sharpness as ATP/energy is more available to the brain during periods of fasting

• Decrease of toxins in the lymphatic system and bloodstream, also contributing to, among other things, more mental acuity

• Dissolving of diseased cells to make room for healthier tissue

• Decreased neurological disorders

• In a comment above, some of MrStrawHat's sources reiterate the health benefits of fasting

• Even given all these benefits of fasting, I would agree that it depends on what works for the individual person. Some people may not be able to fast for various health reasons, such as diabetes, long-term conditions like liver, kidney, or heart problems, compromised immune system functioning, or the use of certain medications

Sources: https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_health_benefits_of_fasting/article.htm
https://www.webmd.com/diet/psychological-benefits-of-fasting#2-3

Despite the relative health benefits of one over the other, it ultimately boils down to the individual's psychological and physical needs.

We can compare fasting and calorie counting on multiple levels: health, convenience, and psychology; however, each of these metrics invariably differs between people. Arguing in favour of one over the other, therefore, becomes irrelevant, because the 'best' approach is the one that minimises psychological risk while providing your body with the nutrition and sustenance it uniquely requires.

There are several psychological implications to consider when assessing the dangers and/or benefits of fasting and calorie counting. With even biological advantages and disadvantages often lacking concreteness or generalisability, the psychological aspects are even more so subject to the nuances of lifestyle, psychological history, and genetic make-up.

• Both intermittent fasting and calorie counting can encourage the development of eating disorders and unhealthy relationships with food. For example, fasting is associated with bulimia nervosa, and those with history or family with the disorder are advised to avoid this approach. Studies have also shown that delayed eating is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing episodes of binge-eating and overeating.

• Similarly, according to Health Counselor Rachel Relkin "counting calories can also be a behavior or symptom of those who suffer from eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, or even anxiety". Much research into the effects of calorie counting apps in particular demonstrates that they " intensify the rigidity associated with calorie counting", with notable proportions of participants reporting an increase in unhealthy behaviours upon using such tools as they track their diets.

It is worth noting here that many of these studies are correlational and rely on self-reported data. It is possible that the converse is true instead - that those with unhealthy relationships with eating are more likely to engage in these behaviours.

Additionally, dieting regimes and strict eating patterns themselves may be aggravating for those at risk of eating disorders, in which case the specifics of the regime should be judged on an individual basis. This again highlights the individuality of the effects of various diets, as it places both fasting and calorie counting on an arguably equivalent pedestal.

• On a more positive note, calorie counting has the potential to improve your awareness of food intake and help you take control of your diet. Understanding the value of your food might prevent you from overeating, or can help you plan your meals and macros.

• At the same time, however, adhering stringently to the tracking regime can detrimentally affect your awareness of your biological satiety and hunger cues, making it difficult to stop counting calories without engaging in other unhealthy behaviours.

• According to this short term study, intermittent fasting can lead to an "increased sense of achievement, reward, pride, and control", as well as "irritability". The effects of the practice on one's mental health are contingent on the individual's self-perception and relationship with the routine; positive and self-empowering attitudes will, needless to say, guard against potential negative and stress-inducing results of the regime.

Overall, calorie counting and fasting can have varying effects on psychological as well as physical health. Whether one is better than the other is arguably more difficult to determine given the subjectivity and correlational nature of studies in health psychology, as well as the numerous factors at play by virtue of our individual tendencies, experiences, and habits.

There is, however, one way we might attempt to establish a hierarchy between the two: statistically establishing that one of the two is less likely to cause psychological or biological harm. Until - and even after - this information can be determined, however, I maintain that the practice of placing diets on podiums does not help the individual and can, instead, perpetuate superficial approaches to dietary change and health. Choosing a diet that works to your advantage involves listening to your own mind and body, and, in this light, no one option is generalisably 'better' than another.

Being an ascetic is better and more virtuous than being a miser. The ascetic has more freedom and virtue than the miser. Correspondingly, the faster has more virtue than the calorie-counter.

The faster chooses to live cheaply (he will eat high-calorie, high-nutrition, cheap foods when he needs them), and attains self-control to the point of complete denial, unlike the tepid calorie-counter who spends a premium on 'low calorie' foods which are not nourishing, and completely misunderstand the point of what food is.

A seasonal cycle of fasting-feasting is inline with God's creation- endless teetotalling is not.

Neither of these methods are a guaranteed fix for a healthy body and mind, and fixation on food is likely to only cause problems

Calorie counting has been shown to oversimplify the complex process of digestion, as the human body is far too complex a machine to process food in simple numbers. Moreover, fasting also can incur side effects that mean it is ineffective for certain people. Our collective approach to nutrition has to contain nuance, as a one-size-fits-all approach is just a recipe for disaster.

Here is why eating according to your own body is more important that following trends, while still staying healthy:

• The concept of intuitive eating has been praised as a method of learning your own body’s hunger signals, encouraging you not to over- or under-eat
• People have a multitude of differing dietary requirements from nut allergies to lactose intolerance meaning that while fasting may be effective for some people, it could be problematic for others
• Fixating on the content of food or how to maintain nutrition has been linked to disordered eating habits, such as orthorexia.

Nutrition is essential for a healthy life. But a hyperfixation on what you eat and how you eat it is a slippery slope that is not to be taken lightly.

Neither fasting nor calorie counting sounds like living a happy, healthy life. How about trusting your body’s cues that you are hungry and full?

As far as weight loss is concerned they both work!
I think periodic fasting (not fasting every day) is much better than simply calorie counting which can be mentally and physically draining.
I personally utilised fasting due to having poor hunger signals and specific health problems that make weight loss harder. Its worth noting that there are different types of fast like OMAD, 8:2, 2MAD, alternate day fasting, extended fasting, protein-sparing modified fasting which has different uses and works for different people even deciding not to eat after 6 pm is afast.

• Fasting allows you to eat the same foods and stay more satiated longer by reducing hunger hormones and increasing satiety hormones.
• Fasting preserves muscle in calorie deficit due to ketones being muscle sparing.
• Fasting can help you save money and focus on food quality as you have more spare time due to less meal preparation.
• Fasting is sustainable if you treat it as an eating protocol and not a diet.
• Fasting lets you intuitively control calories unintentionally so you spend less time thinking about what to eat.
• Fasting slows down thermogenic adaptation so your metabolism does not drop as much as you lose weight (see the matador study).
• fasting controls blood sugar and systemic insulin sensitivity.

That being said you can lose weight and increase insulin sensitivity via caloric restriction or simply swapping carbohydrates for protein and fiber can even be an effective method.