A new study by the American Psychological Association has found that repeating the same meals and calorie counts could help people to lose more body fat.
The research suggests that individuals who stuck to a set routine, like eating the same meals, and keeping calories intake consistent over time, displayed more weight loss after 12 weeks than those who consumed different dishes.
How The Study Was Conducted?
Scientists observed 112 overweight or obese adults over the course of 12-weeks, and asked them to track everything that they ate via a mobile app. Participants also recorded daily weigh-ins and during the trial, the experts analyzed how “routinized” each diet appeared, by noting caloric stability and observing how daily intake varied day-to-day, and at weekends. The study also focused on the element of repetition, looking at those who ate the same foods over and over again, as opposed to those who took a more varied approach to eating.
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Key Results: Repetitive Diet vs Varied Diet
The study reported that those who were more likely to eat from a small range of foods lost more weight than those who consumed a more varied diet. The group that stayed the most consistent with their consumption lost an average of 5.9% body weight, while the more varied group lagged behind at 4.3% after 12 weeks.
And it wasn’t just consistency with foods that led to better results. The study also showed that keeping calories at a similar level on a daily basis was advantageous when battling the bulge. For every 100-calorie daily increase, weight loss decreased by around 0.6% over the 12-week period.
While the idea of repeating the same meals may seem unappealing at first, many people prefer this approach, because it takes much of the guesswork out of calorie counting, and allows individuals to form healthy habits. “Maintaining a healthy diet in today’s food environment requires constant effort and self-control,” commented the study’s lead author, Charlotte Hagerman, Ph.D., of the Oregon Research Institute. “Creating routines around eating may reduce that burden and make healthy choices feel more automatic.”
Dr Hagerman also explained that keeping consistent with meals can help combat cravings. “If we lived in a healthier food environment, we might encourage people to have as much variety in their diet as possible,” he said. “However, our modern food environment is too problematic. Instead, people may do best with a more repetitive diet that helps them consistently make healthier choices, even if they might sacrifice some nutritional variety.”
