A new study by the American Psychiatric Association found that repeating the same meals and counting calories can help people lose body fat.
Research shows that people who stuck to a set routine, such as eating the same meals and keeping track of calories over time, lost more weight after 12 weeks than those who ate a variety of foods.
How was the study conducted?
Scientists followed 112 overweight or obese adults for 12 weeks and asked them to track everything they ate using a mobile app. Participants also recorded daily scales, and during the experiment, experts analyzed how “fixed” each diet appeared, noting the stability of calories and observing how daily consumption differed during the day and on weekends. The study also focused on the element of repetition, focusing on those who ate the same food over and over again, compared to those who had a more varied approach to eating.
Main results: Repeat diet and different diet
The study found that those who were more likely to eat a variety of foods lost more weight than those who ate a varied diet. The group that was most consistent with their intake lost an average of 5.9% of body weight, while the more diverse group lost 4.3% after 12 weeks.
And it wasn’t just the consistency with the food that led to better results. Research has also shown that keeping calories at the same level per day is helpful in fighting obesity. For every 100 calories a day, weight loss decreased by about 0.6% over 12 weeks.
Although the idea of repeating the same meals may seem counterintuitive at first, many people prefer this approach because it takes most of the guesswork out of calorie counting and allows people to develop healthy habits. “Keeping healthy food in today’s food environment The lead author of the study, Charlotte Hagerman, Ph.D., of the Oregon Research Institute. “Establishing an eating routine can reduce this burden and make healthy choices feel more automatic.”
Dr. Hagerman also explained that proper adherence to diet can help control appetite. “If we lived in a healthier environment, we could encourage people to have more variety in their diets,” he said. “However, our modern food environment is very challenging. Instead, people may do better with a repetitive diet that consistently provides them with healthier choices, even if they sacrifice some types of food.”
