Why I Eat The Same Thing Every Day | Eating The Same Food Every Day

By and large, I eat the same thing every day.

This might sound boring to some people, but it’s one of the main reasons why I was able to lose 40 pounds in 6 months.

This post is not primarily about weight loss (I’ll go into more detail on that in a future post), but about all the benefits of eating the same thing every day.

I’ve been in the practice of eating the same foods every day for about a year. The actual foods that I eat have changed many times, but once I find something that I like, I stick with it for about a month or so until I get sick of it and try something new. 🙂

About once every few weeks I’ll switch things up and pick a new food to be my daily breakfast/lunch/dinner. For example, last month I was really into cottage cheese, so every day for about four weeks I ate the same lunch of cottage cheese and fruit. That was my lunch every single day until a few weeks ago when I got into doing whole wheat pita bread + hummus, so that’s my new daily lunch. The foods change from time to time, but the practice is consistent. You feel me?

Now, let’s dive in and talk about 5 major benefits of eating the same thing every day.

Benefits of Eating The Same Food Every Day

1. Streamline Your Day.

When you know exactly what you’re eating for breakfast and lunch each day, it’s a heck of a lot easier to prepare your meals. You don’t have to search around for your ingredients because you just used them yesterday! Making your meals becomes a breeze and you don’t have to waste any time.

2. Reduce Decision Fatigue.

Decision fatigue is real. By eliminating one of your daily decisions, you can save your mental energy for more important tasks. It’s very freeing to know that when it’s lunchtime, you don’t have to wander around your kitchen looking for something to eat. Instead, you know exactly what you’re making, and you don’t have to spend mental energy deliberating in front of your refrigerator.

3. Make Eating Healthy The Easy Option.

Ideally, you will be choosing whole foods for your daily meals (not something overly processed or sugary). So many people often want to eat healthier but get overwhelmed trying to come up with a healthy meal. If you pick one healthy meal and plan to eat it every day, your body will thank you (and you make things easier on yourself)!

4. Resist Unhealthy Temptations.

In the same vein, when you have a delicious healthy meal planned for the day, you’re far less likely to succumb to a fast food temptation or an overly-processed snack. When you know you have a nourishing meal planned out for yourself, you’re going to crave the nutrients it provides to help you feel your best, versus falling prey to a fast-food drive-through.

5. Stick To Your Diet Goals.

When planning out the same foods to eat every day, it makes it a million times easier to follow along with whatever your preferred diet is, whether that’s Mediterranean, Keto, high protein, or whatever else it may be. Having preplanned meals that you eat every day can help you be so much more successful in following the diet that makes you feel your best.

Eat The Same Thing Every Day: A Couple Of Caveats

1. Make sure you're getting a good balance of macro and micronutrients in your daily diet.

Obviously I would not recommend eating the same thing every day if you’re eating donuts, processed snacks, sugary foods, and other things that generally have very little (if any) nutritional value. When you’re planning out your daily meals, make sure your diet is well-rounded.

You need protein, fiber, and healthy fats throughout your day, ideally a mix of each at every meal. The beauty of a daily meal plan is to build something that nourishes and fuels you without taking up too much of your time.

2. Prioritize protein and fiber.

By prioritizing these two important nutrients, you will make sure you stay full and satiated all day to eliminate snacking in between meals.

It’s not hard to prioritize protein even if you are a vegetarian. I try to keep my meat consumption low and I can still easily hit my protein goals every day. Some of my favorite vegetarian high-protein foods are legumes, nuts, seeds, soybeans and soybean-based products (like edamame pasta), full fat Greek yogurt (no sugar added), whole wheat grains, cheese, and eggs.

3. Load up on fruits and vegetables.

Your body will thank you for it. Loading up on fruits and veggies will help you get lots of fiber and keep you regular.

Not to engage in too much potty talk, but you will feel your best when your bowels are regularly cleansing themselves out with all the fiber you’re consuming.

4. Bonus points if you can meal prep.

My current breakfast requires no meal prepping because it’s just a packet of protein powder, a banana, and almond milk to make a delicious protein smoothie.

For lunch, I like to eat a hot meal, which is easier with a bit of prep done ahead of time. On Mondays I’ll usually make a big pot of lentils and dish them out into pre-portioned containers to eat the rest of the week.

Lentils currently serve as the basis of my lunch, whether that’s in a salad or a veggie bowl. It’s nice to be able to reheat them quickly, throw some toppings on and enjoy my lunch without any cooking.

5. Have two choices for each of your meals.

Most days I make a protein smoothie for breakfast, but if I feel like my body needs more carbs that morning, I can swap it for whole wheat toast as my backup. Same goes for lunch: my go-to is a lentil + chickpea bowl, but my backup is a chicken Caesar salad if I’m feeling more leafy greens than legumes.

Eating the same thing every day is a tool designed to make your life easier, not harder. Certainly I don’t stick to my meal plan if we’re going out to dinner or brunch.

This is just for your everyday life to help you feel like your best self.

By getting high quality nutrients 90% of the time, you know you can splurge and enjoy less nutritional items occasionally without worrying about it, because you know you’re doing great every other day!

When you eat the same foods every day, it can encourage mindful eating habits. You become more aware of the flavors and textures of the food you are eating, as well as your hunger and fullness cues. This can lead to a greater appreciation of the food you are eating and help you develop a healthier relationship with food.

As I mentioned earlier, eating the same foods every day can also be helpful for weight management. When you eat a consistent diet, you are more likely to stick to a healthy eating plan, which can lead to better weight control. Additionally, by simplifying meal planning and reducing decision fatigue, you are more likely to make healthier food choices overall.

While there are certainly benefits to eating the same foods every day, it is important to ensure that your diet is well-rounded and provides all of the nutrients your body needs. If you are unsure or have questions about eating a consistent diet, be sure to talk to a healthcare professional or registered dietician.