on PinterestA new study suggests that eating repeat “go-to” meals could aid weight loss.
on PinterestA new study suggests that eating repeat “go-to” meals could aid weight loss. Image Credit: helpSKC/Stocksy
- A recent study has found that eating the same meals each day could lead to greater weight loss.
- The findings suggest that consistent caloric intake helps with weight loss.
- The study doesn’t establish a cause-and-effect relationship, but it does show a correlation between having “go-to” foods, consistent calorie intake, and weight loss.
Having the same “go-to” meals and eating a consistent amount of calories each day may help people to lose more weight, according to a new study.
Participants who followed a routine eating pattern lost more weight during a 12-week behavioral weight loss program than those who followed a more varied diet.
The findings were recently published in the journal Health Psychology.
“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,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, registered dietitian at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine and president of KAK Consulting. Kirkpatrick was not involved in the study.
Repeat meals may lead to greater weight loss
The study analyzed real-time, detailed food logs from 112 adults with overweight or obesity who were enrolled in a structured behavioral weight loss program.
The participants tracked everything they ate each day using a mobile app. They also had daily weigh-ins using a wireless scale. To ensure the data reflected consistent habits, the researchers focused on the first 12 weeks of the program. This is a period when people are generally the most engaged and accurate in tracking their food habits.
The researchers measured how routine each person’s diet was in two ways:
- caloric stability, or how daily calorie intake fluctuated from day to day and between weekdays and weekends
- dietary repetition, or how often individuals tracked the same meals and snacks over time
The research team found that individuals who repeated the same foods rather than eating a wide variety of foods lost an average of 5.9% of their body weight. This is compared with a 4.3% loss among those with a more varied diet.
“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,” said Kirkpatrick.
“In the real world, with travel, stress, and changing schedules, that level of consistency isn’t always realistic without structure or support,” she said.
The study also found that greater consistency in calorie intake was associated with greater weight loss results. For every 100-calorie increase in daily fluctuation, individual weight loss decreased by around 0.6% during the study period.
The findings suggest that simplifying food choices may help individuals to build sustainable, healthy habits, even in challenging food environments. This might include rotating “go-to” meals and maintaining a steady calorie intake.
“Most people eat the same 20 to 30 foods repeatedly each week,” said David Cutler,
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