Archive · 26 Jan 2026
Harvard Doctor Explains Intermittent Fasting Weight Regain
Intermittent fasting is a way of eating where you only eat during certain times of the day or fast for a few days a week.
A doctor from Harvard says it can help you lose weight for a little while, but it's hard to keep doing it.
When people stop, they often gain the weight back.
The doctor also says that eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is more important than when you eat.
She suggests having a good breakfast with protein and not eating too late at night.
This helps more than just fasting.
Intermittent fasting focuses on meal timing, not what you eat.
It can help with short-term weight loss but is hard to sustain.
Long-term benefits like preventing heart disease or cancer are unclear.
Consistency is a major issue; people often quit and regain weight.
Dr. Pasricha recommends a high-protein breakfast and finishing meals 2-3 hours before sleep.
- Who
- Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a Harvard Medical School physician
- What
- Explanation of why weight regain occurs after quitting intermittent fasting
- When
- Not specified
- Where
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard Medical School
- Why
- To educate about the sustainability and long-term effects of intermittent fasting
- Expert
- Dr. Trisha Pasricha, Harvard Medical School
- Intermittent Fasting
- Eating within a fixed time window or fasting for days
- Short-term Benefits
- Weight loss for a few months
- Long-term Benefits
- Unclear, no proven prevention of heart disease or cancer
- Sustainability Issue
- Hard to maintain, often leads to weight regain
- Recommended Habits
- High-protein breakfast, finish meals 2-3 hours before sleep
- Diet Importance
- What you eat is more important than when you eat
- Recommended Diet
- Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds