CC_Nutrition

“Informed By Science”

Tag: fat

  • Behaviour Change and Nutrition: The Key to Consistency

    Whether you’re aiming to build muscle, lose fat, or enhance performance, your nutrition habits are just as important as your training program. But sticking to a diet plan whether it’s a bulking phase, a cutting cycle, or performance nutrition can be harder than hitting a heavy squat. The real challenge isn’t knowing what to eat; it’s changing your behaviour to make it happen consistently.

    This is where behaviour change science comes in. Grounded in psychology, behaviour change strategies can help gym goers, athletes and well honestly, anyone! overcome common barriers like poor planning, low motivation, and decision fatigue turning good intentions into real results.

    Why Motivation Alone Isn’t Enough

    You might start a new meal plan feeling motivated and ready. But motivation fluctuates. To stay consistent long-term, you need more than willpower you need systems and strategies.

    According to the COM-B model, behaviour is driven by three things: Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation (Michie et al., 2011). In a gym context, this might look like:

    Capability: Do you have the cooking skills and nutrition knowledge? Opportunity: Is your environment helping or hindering your eating goals? Motivation: Are you clear on why you’re doing this?

    Addressing all three areas sets you up for long-term adherence not just short-term compliance.

    Habit Formation and Meal Consistency

    For athletes and recreational lifters, habit formation is key. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) highlights the difference between intention and action. You might plan to prep meals or hit your macros but without planning, tracking, and adjusting, those intentions often fall flat (Schwarzer, 2008).

    Using tools like MyFitnessPal (or other apps), food scales, and prep routines helps build consistency. Research shows that self-monitoring—tracking what you eat—is one of the most powerful predictors of success in fat loss and muscle gain (Chen et al., 2023).

    Digital Tools for Diet Adherence

    A 2023 meta-analysis confirmed that using nutrition tracking apps significantly improves dietary behaviours and outcomes in people aiming to lose fat or gain lean mass (Chen et al., 2023). These tools don’t just count calories they give real-time feedback, help you spot trends, and reinforce accountability.

    Other behaviour change techniques (BCTs) proven to support gym-related goals include:

    SMART goal-setting (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)

    If then planning (e.g., “If I get hungry post-workout, then I’ll have a protein shake”)

    Social support (training partners or online communities)

    Why Most Meal Plans Fail (And How to Fix It)

    Many people fall off their meal plans not because they’re “lazy” or “undisciplined,” but because their approach doesn’t match their lifestyle or values. According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), intentions alone aren’t enough people must also believe they have control over their environment and the ability to follow through (Ajzen, 1991).

    That’s why environmental restructuring like prepping meals in advance, keeping snacks out of sight, or having protein options ready post-training is critical. Your environment should make the right choice the easy choice.

    The Bigger Picture: Stress, Sleep, and Social Support

    Behaviour change science also reminds us that diet doesn’t happen in isolation. Poor sleep, stress, or a lack of social support can derail even the best plan. The Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) program by NIH highlights how self-regulation, stress management, and habit loops can be modified to enhance results (NIH, 2023).

    In other words, you don’t need to grind harder you need to train smarter, eat smarter, and structure your environment and mindset for success.

    Conclusion

    If you’ve ever struggled to stay consistent with your nutrition while training hard, you’re not alone and you’re not lacking discipline. You’re just missing the behaviour change strategies that align your habits with your goals.

    By applying science-based models like COM-B, HAPA, and TPB, and using tools like tracking apps, habit systems, and structured planning, you can finally bridge the gap between training and nutrition and unlock your full potential in the gym.

    References

    Ajzen, I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), pp.179–211.

    Chen, J., Cade, J.E. and Allman-Farinelli, M., 2023. The effectiveness of nutrition apps in improving dietary behaviours and health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health Nutrition, 26(1), pp.1–12.

    Greaves, C.J., Sheppard, K.E., Abraham, C., Hardeman, W., Roden, M., Evans, P.H. and Schwarz, P., 2011. Systematic review of reviews of intervention components associated with increased effectiveness in dietary and physical activity interventions. BMC Public Health, 11(1), p.119.

    Lee, R.M., Fischer, C., Caballero, P., and Andersson, E., 2022. Behaviour change nutrition interventions and their effectiveness: a systematic review of global public health outcomes. PLOS Global Public Health, 2(9), p.e0000401.

    Michie, S., Atkins, L., and West, R., 2014. The Behaviour Change Wheel: A Guide to Designing Interventions. London: Silverback Publishing.

    Michie, S., van Stralen, M.M. and West, R., 2011. The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implementation Science, 6(1), p.42.

    NIH Common Fund, 2023. Science of Behavior Change (SOBC). [online] Available at: https://commonfund.nih.gov/science-behavior-change-sobc [Accessed 18 May 2025].

    Schwarzer, R., 2008. Modeling health behavior change: How to predict and modify the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors. Applied Psychology, 57(1), pp.1–29.

  • Does Meal Frequency Actually matter?

    Does Meal Frequency Actually matter?

    This aspect of nutrition has produced mixed results over the years and is a question I get asked quite often. The answer is yes….to an extent.

    I would point out it depends on what you are trying to achieve, if you are simply looking to lose weight (fat mass) what seems to be apparent is being in a calorie deficit, if however you are looking to maintain lean mass or build lean mass it may be slightly different.

    The hypothesis is that increasing meals increases the thermic effect of food ultimately increasing total energy expenditure, however the science might tell us something different.

    MEAL FREQUENCY ON FAT MASS

    Research on meal frequency and fat mass presents mixed findings, with no clear consensus on whether eating more frequently leads to greater fat loss. A systematic review published in Nutrients found no significant relationship between meal frequency and body weight or fat mass when total caloric intake was controlled (Schoenfeld et al., 2015). Similarly, a meta-analysis in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition concluded that while some studies suggested a higher meal frequency might slightly reduce fat mass, these results were largely driven by a single study, making generalisability uncertain (Taylor & Garvey, 2014). Conversely, some evidence suggests that increased meal frequency may improve appetite control and reduce overeating, potentially aiding fat loss over time (Leidy & Campbell, 2011). However, the overall scientific consensus suggests that total energy balance—rather than the number of meals per day—is the primary driver of changes in fat mass.

    Science supports this from a biological and physiological standpoint in that when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, the surplus energy is then stored, when energy intake is less then energy expenditure, this results in loss of body mass. (Pang et al, 2014). This equation (energy balance) sits parallel with the foundations of thermodynamics, the second law, which theorises that energy is not destroyed, instead it postulates that energy transfers from one form to another. From this it is argued that the human body is an open system and that environmental, biological, and nutritional factors can influence the direction of energy expenditure and storage, when encompassing the second law of thermodynamics (Thomas et al, 2009).

    MEAL FREQUENCY ON LEAN MASS

    Recent research has explored the relationship between meal frequency and lean mass, yielding mixed results. A 2015 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. found that increased meal frequency was associated with reductions in fat mass and body fat percentage, as well as an increase in fat-free mass. However, sensitivity analysis revealed that these positive effects were primarily driven by a single study, casting doubt on their generalisability. Similarly, a 2020 systematic review and network meta-analysis reported no significant impact of meal frequency on anthropometric outcomes, including lean mass, when total energy intake was held constant. Conversely, a 2015 study by Alencar et al. suggested that increased meal frequency might attenuate fat-free mass losses during a portion-controlled weight loss diet. Overall, these findings suggest that while meal frequency may have some influence, total protein intake and overall dietary quality are more critical factors in managing lean mass.

    TAKE HOME

    If you are looking to lose body fat the gold standard seems to remain as a calorie deficit, however if you ensure you have the correct NET protein intake you will preserve lean mass. In terms of lean mass maximising muscle protein synthesis and ensuring your NET protein intake is adequate seems to be more important than how many meals you eat.

    REFERENCES

    Canuto R, da Silva Garcez A, Kac G, de Lira PIC, Olinto MTA. Eating frequency and weight and body composition: a systematic review of observational studies. Public Health Nutrition. 2017;20(12):2079-2095. doi:10.1017/S1368980017000994.

    Impact of Meal Frequency on Anthropometric Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsSchwingshackl, Lukas et al.Advances in Nutrition, Volume 11, Issue 5, 1108 – 1122.

    Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA, Krieger JW. Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2015 Feb;73(2):69-82. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuu017. PMID: 26024494.

    Blazey P, Habibi A, Hassen N, Friedman D, Khan KM, Ardern CL. The effects of eating frequency on changes in body composition and cardiometabolic health in adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized trials. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2023 Nov 14;20(1):133. doi: 10.1186/s12966-023-01532-z. PMID: 37964316; PMCID: PMC10647044.