Routines: Some people swear by them, while other loves to mix it up. But what if we’re talking about your weekday turkey wrap lunch, or that bowl of cereal you have nearly every morning? Does it matter if your diet is, well, boring? We found out whether variety really is the spice of—a longer and healthier—life.
The Need-to-Know
First of all, people tend to stick to the same stuff—at least on a weekly basis, says Rania Batayneh, M.P.H., author of The One One One Diet. “Those foods are the ones they know and like and have recipes for,” she says. And there’s more than just comfort in having a routine meal plan.
If you’re filling up on fruits and veggies, rest assured that you’re flooding your body with nutrients and antioxidants, and bolstering your immune system in the process, say Lyssie Lakatos, R.D. and Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., co-owners of The Nutrition Twins. Since this go-to strategy means you’re never wondering what to eat, you’re less likely to deplete your Dorito supply (if you even have one) while pondering your next meal, Batayneh says.
“It also triggers more healthy habits,” Lakatos says. “It takes time to mentally prepare to eat healthily, so when one thing’s out of the way, you can focus on other habits.” Think: squeezing in a workout or carving out time to meditate.
Plus, a structured eat-and-repeat routine may help keep your waistline in check. Consider this: A recent study found that a more d…