It's interesting to see how different news organizations write the title of this research. I think this one is the most fair. I've also seen "IF no better than counting calories" which is technically true but also paints IF in a negative light, since the research seems to show either way can be effective.
I did find that IF worked really well for me when I tried it back in 2018, but when I went off it I gained weight back very quickly. I'm currently just doing CR and counting my macros with the macrofactor app and it's also working well. The good thing about previously doing IF is that I'm no longer super freaked out/it's not the end of the world if I have to skip a meal for some reason.
I agree, it has to be a lifestyle change NOT a temporary change. However, at the same time I find that I often don't crave those foods as much the less I eat of them. For example pizza or Oreos went from maybe once a week to maybe once a month or less. While it usually tastes good in the moment, I have been trying to focus on how I feel afterwards. Eating "healthy" (lots of vegetables/legumes in general) and exercising has actually helped me reduce or eliminate a lot of the random aches and pains that I associated with getting older. As soon as I notice myself slacking off a bit and eating more sugar or processed foods I start to feel it in my joints. Pain (or lack thereof) is really good incentive for me!