The Benefits of Not Eating After 6 p.m.
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Can You Lose Weight if You Stop Eating After 6 p.m.?

Can You Lose Weight if You Stop Eating After 6 p.m.?
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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Most weight loss diets require that you restrict certain foods, but what if you could eat what you want (within reason) as long as you're not eating after 6 p.m.? It's known as intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating.

 Here's how the “after 6” diet works and some of the pros and cons.

How the Diet Works

Some people might also refer to intermittent fasting as the eight-hour diet. Basically, you eat your usual food, but you restrict your eating to an eight-hour window — usually between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Time-restricted eating has its roots in traditional fasting for health or religious reasons.

 Much of the early research on intermittent fasting studied Ramadan fasting. An older review of nearly 3,000 people who fasted for the month of Ramadan found that while fasting, those with overweight or obesity lost weight and fat mass, even without any changes in the types of foods they ate.

 More recent studies, outside of Ramadan, found similar results.

Not Eating After 6 Benefits

Intermittent fasting, or not eating after 6 p.m., may be more effective for weight loss than eating a low-calorie diet day after day.

 A study published in 2022 evaluated several previous research studies and found that intermittent fasting may be better for weight loss in many aspects, including lowering cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. However, more large-scale human research is needed to confirm these findings.

The after 6 diet results can vary, and most of the positive after 6 diet results come from animal, rather than human studies.

Cycling your calories over a 24-hour time period can help ‌prevent the slowdown in your metabolism‌ that often occurs with calorie restriction. Additionally, the after 6 diet works for many people because they find it easier to stick to than a low-calorie diet.

Downsides of Intermittent Fasting

Although some people report very positive after 6 diet results, this way of eating may not be for everyone. If you tend to work late or have evening family commitments and late dinners, not eating after 6 p.m. would be a challenge. People who prefer to graze or eat every few hours throughout the day may also find it hard to stick to this diet.

Most importantly, if you need to eat at regular intervals for health reasons, as with diabetes or hypoglycemia, intermittent fasting may not work for you. It's important to check with your doctor before starting any fasting plan.

For most people, this diet can be helpful because the after 6 diet results in less late-night eating. Cutting out those excess late night calories and forcing yourself to eat earlier in the day can automatically help you to ‌eat fewer calories‌ each day — and it's usually much easier than you might think. No matter which way of eating you choose, it's important that it works for you, your health goals and your lifestyle.

The Takeaway

  • Not eating after 6 p.m., as part of intermittent fasting, may be an effective strategy for weight loss and may help maintain metabolic rates better than some daily calorie-restricted diets.
  • For many, this eating pattern is easier to stick to compared with traditional low-calorie diets, though it's important to consider whether it fits your personal and family schedule.
  • If you have health conditions that require regular meal times, like diabetes or hypoglycemia, consult with a healthcare professional before trying any form of restrictive eating.
  • Though promising, much of the research on intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating comes from animal studies or have varied results, so more high-quality human research is needed to confirm any potential health benefits.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Intermittent Fasting Explained: Benefits and How to Do It Safely. Cleveland Clinic. August 9, 2024.
  2. Diet Review: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss. Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
  3. Fernando HA et al. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Weight and Body Composition in Healthy Non-Athlete Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. February 24, 2019.
  4. Varaday KA et al. Clinical Applications of Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss: Progress and Future Directions. Nature Reviews Endocrinology. February 22, 2022.
  5. Zhang Q et al. Intermittent Fasting Versus Continuous Calorie Restriction: Which is Better for Weight Loss? Nutrients. April 24, 2022.
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Julie Cunningham, MPH, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Julie Cunningham has been a registered dietitian for more than 25 years. She is a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) and an international board-certified lactation consultant. She has served as the president of the Foothills Chapter of the North Carolina Dietetics Association (NCDA) and has been a member of the executive board of the NCDA.

Ms. Cunningham received a bachelor's degree from Appalachian State University in North Carolina. She subsequently completed a master's degree in public health nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ms. Cunningham has worked in women's and children's health, cardiology, and diabetes. She is the author of 30 Days to Tame Type 2 Diabetes, and she has also written for Abbott Nutrition News, Edgepark Medical Health Insights, diaTribe, Babylist, and others.

A resident of beautiful western North Carolina, Cunningham is an avid reader who enjoys yoga, travel, and all things chocolate.

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Anne Danahy MS RDN

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Anne Danahy MS RDN is a Scottsdale-based health writer and integrative nutritionist. She specializes in women's health, healthy aging, and chronic disease prevention and management. Anne works with individuals and groups, as well as brands and the media to educate and inspire her audience to eat better, age gracefully, and live more vibrantly.

Anne holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master of Science in food and nutrition from Framingham State University in Massachusetts. Visit her at her health and nutrition blog: CravingSomethingHealthy.com or AnneDanahy.com

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