Hypercaloric 16:8 time-restricted eating during 8 weeks of resistance exercise in well-trained men and women.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 40241374 · doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2492184
What was done
Seventeen well-trained men (n = 10) and women (n = 7) were randomized to an 8-week 16:8 time-restricted eating protocol (TRE; 8-hour daily feeding window starting at least 1 hour post-exercise) or a distributed eating control group (FED). Both groups consumed a 10% hypercaloric, high-protein diet (2.2 g/kg/day) and completed supervised progressive resistance training 4 days per week. Outcomes included dietary intake, total training volume, 1RM strength, muscular endurance, body composition (fat-free mass and fat mass), and subjective ratings of energy, mood, and sleep.
What was found
Eating windows were 7.9 ± 0.1 h in TRE versus 13.2 ± 0.6 h in FED, with no significant differences in calorie, carbohydrate, fat, or protein intake. Total exercise volume was lower in TRE than FED (6,960 ± 287 vs. 7,334 ± 289 repetitions), as were subjective energy ratings at week 4 (-1.41; p = 0.04) and week 8 (-1.04; p = 0.06). Both groups increased 1RM strength and muscular endurance, but squat 1RM gains were 4.0 ± 1.9 kg lower in TRE (p = 0.05). Both groups increased fat-free mass (TRE: 2.67 kg vs. FED: 1.82 kg, p = 0.04), while FED gained 1.4 ± 0.6 kg more fat mass (p = 0.04). Mood and sleep ratings did not change significantly.
Why it matters
This study shows that hypercaloric 16:8 time-restricted eating supports muscle hypertrophy with less fat gain than distributed feeding, but may compromise training volume, lower-body strength progression, and perceived energy.
Limits
The study had a very small sample size (n = 17) and an 8-week duration. Sex-disaggregated effects were not reported in the abstract, and blinding was not possible given the dietary intervention.
Cited by
- supports In an 8-week supervised resistance training trial of well-trained men and women in a caloric surplus with matched protein intake, a 16:8 time-restricted eating protocol produced muscle growth and performance outcomes similar to standard multi-meal feeding protocols.