If you are looking for a diet plan that keeps you healthy in the long run, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll talk about the volumetrics diet whose goal is to keep you healthy while making you lose weight. Learn about volumetrics diet advantages and disadvantages and know if this diet plan is good for you or not.  

What is the volumetrics diet? 

This diet plan is based on counting the volume of food you eat rather than counting the calories you consume which leads to weight loss. When you eat more food, you feel full. However, when you eat nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories but high in water it makes you feel full without increasing your calories which eventually leads to weight loss. But to make this work you need to limit or quit calorie-dense foods such as candies, cookies, oils, nuts, and seeds.  

Unlike other diet plans, this diet focuses on healthy eating habits and encourages people to follow it as a long-term plan rather than a short-term solution to get healthy and lose weight.  

This diet plan was designed by Barbara Rolls, a nutrition and obesity researcher at Penn State University. This diet plan is published in her book “The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet.” This book contains all her recipes and tips on how to stick with this diet plan psychologically.  

What can you eat and can’t eat? 

According to the Volumetrics diet plan, volume matters but it doesn’t mean any food is off limits, but you need to focus on quantities of certain foods more than others. So, you can fill your stomach with low-calorie healthy foods that make you feel full, which is missing in other diet plans.  

That’s why the volumetrics diet divides food into four categories according to the number of calories per serving (for its weight in grams). The number should be between zero to nine.  

If your goal is to lose weight with this diet plan, then your goal is to eat 1400 calories a day. Besides people who want to lose weight, a majority can eat in a day from the first two categories, and on some occasions, small indulgences from the 3rd and 4th categories are also acceptable.  

1. Category one (calorie density should be under 0.6): In this category, foods that are the major building blocks of this diet are included. So, it means these are the foods that should fill you up due to their high water content. It includes:  

• Fruits like apples, bananas, and grapefruit.  
• Non-starchy vegetables like carrots, beets, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.  
• Nonfat dairy products such as skim milk or nonfat yogurt.  
• Broth-based soups of all sorts.  

2. Category two (calorie density should be between 0.7 to 1.5): This category of foods is considered healthy if you eat them in moderation. This category includes foods such as: 

• Skinless chicken, turkey, lean cuts of pork or beef.  
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and squash. 
• Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and dried beans. 
• Whole grains such as brown rice, farro, and quinoa.  

3. Category three (calorie density should be between 1.6 to 3.9): This category of foods is still fairly healthy only if you eat them in small portions. It includes: 

• Fatty meat, fish, or poultry.  
• full-fat dairy products like cheese, whole milk, and ice cream.  
• Refined carbohydrates like pasta, white rice, and bread.  

4. Category four (calorie density should be between 4 to 9): This category of food includes processed, sugary, and fatty foods, which you should eat rarely. It includes foods such as:  

• Fast food, chips, and candy. 
• Nuts and seeds 
• Oil, butter, and shortening.  

Need any help with your diet? Want to learn more about macronutrients, micronutrients, and vitamins, and their role in nutrition? Consult a professional dietician at Doral Health & Wellness; call us on +1-347-384-5690 to get a consultation, or walk in for an appointment at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212. Doral Health & Wellness is easily accessible by bus, taxi, or subway.