Paul Lennon Online Coaching Ltd

Diets and meal plans.

“Just tell me what to eat!”

Ever say this? For some people, “done-for-you” meals, precise eating plans, and healthy recipes seem like an obvious solution to weight loss struggles.

But take a look at what happened in a recent 12-week diet study conducted by Stanford University scientists.

For the first four weeks, participants were given all of their meals and snacks—no cooking, food prep, or wondering, ‘What should I eat?’ required.

Then, for the next eight weeks, participants were on their own to plan, shop for, and cook meals that worked with the diet they were following.

And the findings:

The participants preferred making their own meals over eating the meals that were given to them by a nutrition scientist. (In the second 8 weeks, all 42 participants actually declined the option of having their meals made for them.)

They said they wanted expert-created shopping lists, meal ideas, and recipes, but didn’t use them.

Even with all these resources, they ended up making only small adjustments to their normal diet.

The takeaway: Diets don’t usually solve the most pressing problems people have with eating better.

What most folks need help with? Building sustainable SKILLS that help them manage portion sizes, regulate their emotions (without food), and choose nutritious foods they truly enjoy (to name a few).

Because most of us have a pretty good idea of WHAT to eat. But consistently doing it? That’s the real challenge.

PMID: 33802709

Landry MJ, Crimarco A, Perelman D, Durand LR, Petlura C, Aronica L, et al. Adherence to Ketogenic and Mediterranean Study Diets in a Crossover Trial: The Keto–Med Randomized Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 17;13(3):967.

“Problem” foods

In a study at Penn State University, researchers asked 186 women—who they classified with “overweight” or “obesity”—to rank the “foods you can’t resist and find hard to stop eating.”

The foods that most frequently topped the participants’ lists:

1. Ice cream
2. Chips
3. Chocolate
4. Cookies
5. Pizza

The scientists then had participants follow a 12-month weight loss program, and monitored their strategies for managing these “problem” foods.

The result: Overall, the total avoidance of problematic foods—what you often see on “extreme” diets or “quick-fix” weight loss plans—wasn’t an effective strategy.

So what did help? Limiting the portion sizes of problem foods—instead of giving them up altogether—was strongly related to weight loss.

In fact, participants who used this strategy the most lost, on average, nearly double the weight as those who used it the least (15.8 pounds versus 8.3 pounds).

To be sure, if some foods make you feel out of control, you may want to put some boundaries around them. That doesn’t mean you can never eat them.

It just means you’re aware they back be a problem, and you’re going to be intentional about how and when you eat them. (A coach can help you with this.)

PMID: 32234531

Roe LS, Rolls BJ. Which strategies to manage problem foods were related to weight loss in a randomized clinical trial? Appetite. 2020 Aug 1;151:104687.

What's your preferred/default type of exercise?

Fit at 40!

Hey to all the Dad's out there.

Join the 90-day fitness revolution and sculpt the superhero within.

Laugh, lift, and lead with strength.

Your family deserves the best version of you.

Ready to unleash it?

Post 'Transform' below – your journey to a healthier, happier you starts today!"

P.S

🚀 I'm not promising six-pack abs overnight, but in 90 days, you'll be flexing muscles you forgot existed.

Hi Everyone : )

I am launching a new 4 week online training, nutrition coaching and exercise weight loss project in July!

Before I start charging fully for it I would like to offer a small amount of half price spaces to people who can help me test and refine what I’ve created so far.

Comment below if you’d be interested

ʟᴇᴀɴ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴀᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴀʟᴇꜱ.

4 ꜱᴘᴀᴄᴇꜱ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪʟʟ.

ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ 25-45 ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴏʟᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇꜱᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀᴍᴀɴᴇɴᴛ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ...? ᴅᴍ / ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇʟᴏᴡ 'ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ'.