How to eat healthy: The volumetrics diet helps people lose weight without feeling hungry

People who want to lose weight but want a new approach to dieting should try a volume diet.

This volume diet focuses on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods Fruits, non-starchy vegetables, soup-based soups, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, etc. These foods are high in water and can help you feel full while reducing your calorie intake. .

In the diet, it is recommended to limit the intake of high-calorie foods. These include processed foods and fatty meats such as bacon and sausages, but also foods rich in healthy fats such as nuts, seeds and oils.

The basic idea is that eating more of a less calorie-dense food allows you to eat larger portions while still maintaining your calorie goal for the day. You can cut calories.

The Volumetrics Diet was created by Barbara Rawls, a professor of nutrition at Penn State University. Her latest book, The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet, was published ten years before her.she Foods are divided into four categories based on their density.

• Category 1: Very low-density foods such as soup-based soups, non-fat yogurt, and non-starchy vegetables and fruits
• Category 2: Low-density foods such as breakfast cereals, legumes, chili, spaghetti, lean proteins (chicken and fish), starchy vegetables, and whole grains
• Category 3: Medium-density foods such as bread, cheese, cakes, French fries, ice cream, pretzels, and pizza
• Category 4: High-density foods such as butter, candy, chips, chocolate, cooking oils, crackers, nuts, pretzels, and trail mix

The volumetric diet recommends choosing foods primarily from the first two categories. You should reduce your intake of category 3 foods and limit category 4 foods.

Health experts say this diet is safe and nutritious, but it requires a more intensive meal plan and portioned meals. If you’re considering adopting a volume diet for the new year, here’s what you need to know.

Advantages of volume diet

In general, a diet rich in low-calorie, high-density foods can help you lose weight effectively while keeping you feeling full. of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionThese diets have also been shown to help people maintain their weight loss gains.

a 2014 review Among the various diet strategies, we found this diet approach to be safe and effective. Additional research has shown that paying attention to the energy density of food can help obese people manage their weight.

some research It also suggests that this diet may help reduce the risk of inflammation, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and other conditions.2017 study Women who ate an energy-dense diet were found to have a 24% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate a low-energy-dense diet.

Some experts say more research is needed to confirm the specific health benefits of volume diets.

possible risk

Volume diets are considered safe if you consume a balanced diet of essential nutrients, but you should ensure that you eat plenty of high-energy-dense healthy foods such as nuts, seeds, and oils.

Some health experts warn that volume diets place too much emphasis on calories, pointing out that not all low-calorie foods are healthy. For example, this diet recommends limiting nutritious foods like avocados, nut butters, and whole eggs, but not diet ice cream because it’s low in calories.

Additionally, this diet should not be used by people for whom weight loss is not recommended. This includes pregnant women, children, people with weakened immune systems, people with a history of eating disorders, people with poorly controlled chronic illnesses, people who are underweight or of healthy weight. increase.

how to get started

Before embarking on this diet, people need to learn to perceive foods by their energy density. Have healthy breakfast cereals, low-fat fish, skinless poultry, and lean meats.

Here are some examples of meal combinations from US News & World Report, Everyday Health, and VeryWell Fit.

For breakfast:

• 2 cups corn flakes, half a banana, 1 cup skim milk, 1 cup blueberries
• Oatmeal topped with apple slices, cinnamon, brown sugar, coffee and half a grapefruit
• Boiled eggs, steamed asparagus and whole grain toast

for lunch:

• A cup of black bean soup served with a 3-ounce lean burger served on a whole heated pan with lettuce, tomato, ketchup and 2 clementines
• Grilled chicken salad with chopped romaine lettuce, red peppers, 1 teaspoon of crushed blue cheese, chopped walnuts, whole grain pita bread and strawberries
• Whole wheat bread with tuna, avocado, cucumber and lettuce

dinner:

• Poached salmon with yogurt dill sauce, mint broccoli, half cup cooked brown rice, spinach salad, orange and poppy seed homemade dressing
• Chicken breast, mushrooms, peppers with marinara sauce, black bean noodles
• Steak fajitas with grilled peppers and onions, salsa, shredded romaine lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, corn kernels and non-fat sour cream on tortillas and cantaloupe.