Repeat Meals May Assist With Weight Loss

A study has found that eating the same meals regularly may help people with weight loss, while maintaining a consistent caloric intake with simple and structured eating habits.

Weight Loss Study

The new study, published in Health Psychology, was conducted by scientists from the Oregon Research Institute. They analyzed 112 overweight adults during a 12-week weight loss program. Participants tracked their daily food intake through a mobile app and regularly recorded their weight.

People who followed consistent eating habits, such as repeating meals and stabilizing caloric intake lost more weight that those who consumed a wide variety of foods. Those with repetitive diets lost 5.9 percent of their body weight, compared to 4.3 percent of those with varied diets.

Fluctuations in daily caloric intake had an impact on weight loss. For every 100-calorie variation, weight loss was reduced by 0.6 percent.

“Maintaining a healthy diet in today’s food environment requires constant effort and self-control. Creating routines around eating may reduce that burden and make healthy choices fell more automatic,” says lead author Charlotte Hagerman, PhD. of the Oregon Research Institute.

“There’s compelling evidence to consider here that consistency and predictability in eating may help some individuals eat better and lose weight – but it’s important to note the limitations, including self-reported data, a highly structured program environment, and an observational study design,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, registered dietician at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness & Preventative Medicine.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Simplify food choices. Create a rotation of go-to meals to maintain a steady calorie intake to help build sustainable habits. Researchers, however, caution that the study shows a correlation, not cause and effect. Factors, such as motivation or self-discipline also have their roles in losing weight.

Kirkpatrick says, “Consistency works best when the foundation is strong. If meals are nutrient-dense, they can reinforce high quality nutrition. But if they’re missing key nutrients, you may consistently fall short.”

Additionally, experts ward that is it still important to eat a variety of foods within healthy food groups. Consistent eating habits is a key role in losing weight successfully.

Sources:

ScienceAlert: Eating The Same Meals Every Day May Have a Surprising Effect on Weight Loss
Healthline: Weight Loss: Eating Repeat Meals May Lead to Greater Weight Loss
NDTV: Eat Same Meals Daily? Study Says It May Help You Lose Weight Faster

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