I think the reason IF is often successful is simply because it indirectly results in reduced caloric intake simply by cutting out what would have been useless m

I think the reason IF is often successful is simply because it indirectly results in reduced caloric intake simply by cutting out what would have been useless meals/snacks. For example it just encourages you to eat less by eliminating midnight snacks, popcorn during movie night, or useless bowls of cereal at breakfast.