Behind The Volumetrics Diet
Like most diets that wind up popular, the Volumetrics Diet was the brainchild of a doctor; Barbara Rolls, Ph.D. Rolls had worked in some very prestigious positions that include presidential positions with both the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, as well as the North American Association of the Study of Obesity. In addition, Rolls had been a member of the National Task Force on the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity.
Rolls is a very accomplished doctor that has had several publications in the dietary field and took some research into her own hands to come up with the Volumetrics Diet. Over the course of 20 years while at Penn State University, Rolls researched patients that were eating high volumes of food that were low in calories and high in water. After seeing some positive results, Rolls decided to introduce the eating plan to a larger audience.
How Volumetrics Works
One problem that people have when dieting is feeling hungry throughout the day. Eating something low in calories usually means eating something small, which can leave you feeling unsatisfied and craving more food. The Volumetrics Diet aims at preventing that problem, and is supposedly a lifestyle change compared to a simple diet.
It’s all about breaking down the calories that are found in foods, and see which ones are the most dense, allowing you to keep eating without loading up on calories. It’s an interesting dynamic on how food affects the brain and how you feel full. Drinking water is also a big part of the diet, as staying well hydrated can make you feel like you’ve had enough to eat. The Volumetrics Diet breaks down foods into four categories. Here is what each category contains:
Category One – The first category is one that you will become very familiar with on the Volumetrics Diet. This category contains fruits, brothy soups and vegetables that don’t have starch. According to Rolls, you can eat these foods at anytime since they are lowest in calories compared to how much you can physically take in. These calorie dense foods are also nutritious for the most part, increasing your overall health.
Category Two – The next category is one that is to be used a little more sparingly, but you should still be getting plenty of. Whole grains are the focus of category two, which you can find in foods like brown rice and legumes. Even dairy is involved in this category, but just make sure not to overdo it.
Category Three – We now take a big step down in terms of servings in category three, which you should only be eating about once per day. These are foods that are still healthy, but can be higher in calories. Cheese, meat and bread fall into this category, which can be hard to part with even if you are desperate to drop the pounds.
Category Four – The final category is one that you will rarely delve into, as it contains nothing but junk food. Going through the fast food line or picking up a candy bar at the gas station is frowned upon in the Volumetrics Diet, and you should only be eating these foods once or twice per week according to the plan. This is where a lot of people struggle on diets.
The Meal Plan
A lot of weight loss programs have been successful in recent years because they promote eating several smaller meals throughout the day instead of three larger ones. You find that here again in Volumetrics as you are supposed to eat three small meals with two snacks and a dessert each day. When we say dessert, we aren’t talking about a massive cookie, but instead something like strawberries. As for the snacks, yogurt and carrots seem to be popular.
Then there are those of us that want to lose weight without completely giving up alcohol. While the Volumetrics Diet says that you should be avoiding alcohol whenever possible, you do have to give it up for the most part. Non-light beers are typically high in calories and won’t satisfy your hunger. In fact, anyone that’s had a few probably knows just how hungry you can get after a night of drinking.
For what your typical day might look like while on the Volumetrics Diet, here’s a quick rundown. Also know that you will want a glass of water before and during each meal:
Breakfast
- 1 Glass of Low-Fat Milk
- 2 Cups of Melon
- 1 Frittata with Mozzarella Cheese and Veggies
Lunch
- 1 Bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup
- ½ Cup of Sugar Free Yogurt
- 1 Orange
- 2 Ounces of Roast Beef
- 1 Slice of Whole Grain Bread
Dinner
- 1 Fruit Salad
- ½ Cup of Broccoli
- ½ Cup of Brown Rice
- 4 Ounces of Salmon
Snacks
- 8 Ounces of Low-Fat Yogurt
- 1 Cup of Baby Carrots
Dessert
- 1 Cup of Strawberries
As you can see, you still get to eat meat and dairy, but you just have to cut down compared to what you might be accustomed to. Sticking to the categories will also make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need, and keep you well under the recommended calories to maintain weight, making it an ideal weight loss program.
Exercising With Volumetrics
Some diet plans will also ask you to do extensive exercise each day, but that’s not the case with Volumetrics. You should be active if you want to achieve your weight loss goals, though, getting at least 30 minutes of activity every day. Typically, walking between 5,000 to 10,000 steps will be enough to see a change in your weight as long as you stick to the Volumetrics eating plan.
Are There Any Risks?
Years of research by a very well trained professional have went into the Volumetrics Diet, so many of the risks have been minimized in accordance. The biggest negative that you might see is an early change to your digestive system. If you are not accustomed to eating a lot of high fiber foods, fruits or vegetables, it can cause discomfort in your digestive system. However, this is not typically a serious risk and should correct itself once you have adapted to the new eating plan.
One of the minor problems that people have criticized the Volumetrics Diet for is how much work you have to put into it. There is a lot of calorie counting that you have to do to find the highest volume foods, but there are plenty of resources on the internet where the information will be easily accessible.
If you’re someone that’s on the go, it also might not be the best diet plan for you. It can be difficult to find high volume foods while at a restaurant, and it’s one of the more popular diets despite not having prepackaged meals like Atkins or the South Beach Diet. It can take a lot of time to cook food every night, which is something you’re almost certain to do on the Volumetrics Diet. Those are minor inconveniences, though, and the pros certainly outweigh the cons.
Final Word
While it isn’t the most popular diet out there right now, the Volumetrics Diet has been consistently ranked as one of the most effective. This is a long term plan that asks you to completely change your eating habits, and not a quick fix to lose 10 pounds in less than a week. You will see weight loss if you stick to the guidelines, however, and Dr. Rolls has said that the expected weight loss is one to two pounds per week.
It doesn’t sound like a dramatic change, but Volumetrics isn’t offering a way to get swimsuit ready by next weekend. It might also be hard to adapt to the new eating plan at first as your stomach will try to convince you that you need some of the junk food that you might have been eating before, but that will pass. Once fruits and vegetables start to fill you up, then the rest is easy and you should be able to reach your goal weight the healthy way.
The Volumetrics Diet is a very safe weight loss plan with a lot of nutrition, which is why it has received good reviews from professionals. It is also diabetes friendly and gives you the ability to create your own plan if you have allergies to things such as gluten or lactose. Volumetrics is certainly worth a try if you want to change your eating around completely and the way you think about food.