Who wouldn’t want to have a beautiful slim figure? For many, it is just an unattainable dream for now or they try it with the help of restrictive diets or dangerous weight loss preparations. But according to the latest studies published in a professional journal, you can lose more weight by eating the same “proven” foods and consuming the same amount of calories every day. Does this mean that we can eat pizza every day and lose weight?
These interesting findings confirmed that eating the same meals every day can lead to greater weight loss. The findings thus suggest that a stable calorie intake helps with weight loss. Although the study did not prove causation, it does point to a correlation between eating favorite foods, a stable calorie intake, and weight loss.
Those who stuck to the same meals lost the most weight
Participants who followed a regular diet lost more weight during a 12-week behavioral weight loss program than those who ate more varied diets. “There is strong evidence to suggest that regularity and predictability of eating can help some people eat better and lose weight – but it is important to keep in mind the limitations, which include participant self-report data, the program’s highly structured environment, and the study’s purely observational design.” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian in the Department of Wellness and Preventive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and president of KAK Consulting.
Repetition as a way to success – does it also apply to eating?
The study analyzed detailed real-time food records from 112 overweight or obese adults who participated in a structured behavioral weight loss program. Participants recorded everything they ate each day using a mobile app. In addition, they were weighed every day on an electronic scale. To ensure that the data reflected consistent habits, the researchers focused on the first 12 weeks of the program. This is the period when people are generally most active and accurate in recording their eating habits.
The researchers measured how routine each person’s diet was in two ways — caloric stability, or how daily calorie intake changed from day to day and between weekdays and weekends, and dietary repetition, or how often individuals recorded the same meals over time. A team of researchers found that people who ate the same foods over and over instead of eating a varied diet lost an average of 5.9% of their body weight. By comparison, it was only 4.3% for people with a more varied diet.
“Consistency works best when the foundation is solid. If the foods are nutritious, they can support quality nutrition. But if key nutrients are missing, you may still be deficient,” Kristin Kirkpatrick confirmed. Also, in the real world where we deal with travel, stress and changing schedules, that level of consistency is not always realistic without a solid structure or support!
The study also found that greater consistency in calorie intake was associated with better weight loss results. For every 100-calorie increase in daily variability, individual weight loss decreased by approximately 0.6% over the study period. Thus, the findings suggest that simplifying food choices can help individuals build sustainable and healthy habits even in challenging dietary conditions. This could include alternating between “proven” foods and keeping your caloric intake stable.
There is hope that favorite foods can help us lose weight
The study confirmed that most people repeatedly consume the same 20 to 30 types of food every week. So it’s not surprising that people who manage their weight also limit their food choices. But it will certainly help them lose weight if they replace these foods with healthier alternatives and are aware of their caloric content. Despite the promising results, the study does not demonstrate causation, but rather correlation. Factors such as motivation or self-discipline can also play a role in the results. However, the findings suggest that when it comes to weight loss, consistency may be more important than variety.
