Arnold Schwarzenegger is a regular in providing health and fitness tips to his village members through his newsletter. With his track record of being an exceptional bodybuilder in his prime while also maintaining an incredible physique at 76, one can trust what the man says if it’s related to fitness. So, in the recent edition of Arnold’s Pump Club, Schwarzenegger writes about time-restricted eating and how it is almost as effective as calorie counting.
Maintaining or losing weight is undoubtedly a task that requires a lot of perseverance. While one puts in all effort, there are times when it can become extremely stressful to keep going. Keeping a constant check on calories and macros is an effective way to lose or gain weight, but it can become unsustainable and stressful with time.
In the latest edition of his newsletter, Arnold Schwarzenegger talks along the same lines. He writes about an alternative method to lose weight without worrying about every calorie one consumes. While citing 12-month-long research, the seven-time Olympia noted:
“New research suggests that timing when you eat can be just as effective as calorie counting.”
One of the fasting methods Arnie mentions to lose weight is the popular intermittent fasting (also known as time-restricted eating, or I.F.). Though it might not be a superior method for fat loss, it is a simpler way to get almost the same results while thinking less about the calories one eats.
The study monitored two groups of people for a year. One group counted calories, while the other did not (followed the IF). The second group also limited their eating to 8 hours per day (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.). The results were fascinating, as the weight loss in both groups wasn’t much different.
“At the end of the study, the intermittent fasting group lost 10 pounds, and the calorie counters lost 12 pounds. “
Stating the reason, Arnold writes that when people restrict their calories to only 4 to 8 hours, they naturally eat less by approximately 500 calories a day. The psychology of the group also comes into play, as people find it easier to restrict when they know when they have to eat rather than tracking how much they eat.
Another interesting finding in the study was that the number of hours in a time-restricted diet can be lenient. The first six months and the last six months had different eating windows, but the result was not much different.
“The first six months were spent eating 8 hours per day (to maximize sustainable weight loss), and the next six months eating 10 hours per day (to prioritize maintenance).“
The former governor of California also noted that the best diet for an individual is the “one that is most sustainable and easiest to turn into a habit. And creating an “eating window” is an easy way” to enjoy eating with less stress.
Arnie is doing a great job by providing health tips that are science-backed. But that does not mean it’s for his followers only. The Terminator actor abides by them himself too.
Arnold Schwarzenegger follows what he preaches
Once, as mentioned in his newsletter, a follower asked him how he knew he was consuming the right amount of food to build muscle. As always, Arnie gave a simple and honest answer. He mentioned that he has “always done it by feel.” Arnie adds that he has a rough idea of what to eat as he has done it before in his bodybuilding days. The Governator also states that he sees his physique in the mirror. He checks it regularly to see his progress, and if he does not, he dials back on his eating to get leaner.
The Austrian Oak also does not believe in counting calories. He mentions that he is “allergic to overthinking.” And it takes a lot of energy to track one’s calories. So he concludes that it should always be the way one feels and dial back to get results if one is not getting any and that too in a sustainable manner.
