Simply Eating A Lighter Lunch Can Prompt Weight Loss

Simply Eating A Lighter Lunch Can Prompt Weight Loss

Losing weight without dieting, going hungry, or using an expensive high-protein liquid diet can be as simple as eating a smaller lunch, reports a new Cornell study that will be published in the journal Appetite in October.

Researchers found that when volunteers ate a lighter lunch, they were no hungrier than usual and did not compensate by eating more later in the day or week to make up for the fewer calories eaten.

Researchers tested their theory that one reason why high-protein liquid meal replacements are effective for weight loss is they consist of smaller portions and compensation does not occur at subsequent meals.

They devised a five-week study, where the food intake of 17 paid volunteers was measured Mondays through Fridays. For the first week, all 17 ate whatever they wanted from a buffet. For the next two weeks, half the group selected their lunch by choosing one of six commercially available portion-controlled foods as a substitute for the buffet lunch, but they could eat as much as they wished at other meals or snacks. For the final two weeks, the other half of the volunteers chose a portion-controlled lunch. Over the 10 days of consuming a portion-controlled lunch, participants consumer 250 fewer calories per day than usual and lost, on average 1.1 pounds.

The results confirm that humans do not regulate energy intake with any precision. Over a year, such a regimen would result in losing at least 25 pounds.

Source: eXtension