Is it time to crank up your eating?
Volume eating is a stylish weight-reduction plan strategy that involves consuming large amounts of low-calorie foods to feel fuller while still maintaining a calorie deficit.
You physically eat more food — but still eat fewer calories than usual.
Registered dietitian Shyla Cadogan explained last week in StudyFinds that the thought is to fill your stomach with food naturally lower in calories so there’s less room for food that might derail your weight loss plan.
How does volume eating work?
Foods are categorized into two groups: high-volume and low-volume.
High-volume foods may be eaten in large quantities, while low-volume foods needs to be consumed sparsely.
Examples of high-volume foods, that are typically wealthy in fiber and water, include watermelon, lettuce, zucchini, citrus, spinach, egg whites, cucumber, celery, oatmeal, and high-fiber fruits, like apples and berries.
Low-volume foods are more calorically dense and may include oils, dried fruit, honey, maple syrup, cheese, nuts, and nut butters.
Is volume eating good for weight reduction?
If done appropriately, yes, it will probably be.
Volume eating requires proper planning to help weight reduction. As Cadogan notes, the barrier to weight reduction for thus many individuals is that they don’t feel full and satisfied after eating a meal.
Low-volume foods — which are sometimes wealthy in nutrients like fiber in addition to various vitamins and minerals — “literally take up extra space” than high-volume foods, she argued, filling up the stomach more and most certainly leaving you full and satisfied.
Moreover, volume eating could possibly be an important approach to introduce nutrients you weren’t getting before.
If fruit and veggies aren’t an everyday a part of your weight loss plan, volume eating “essentially makes you start,” Cadogan wrote, which leaves less room for high-calorie foods akin to fast food and baked goods.
Are there downsides to volume eating?
Cadogan emphasized that volume eating, just like every other weight loss plan, is barely useful if all nutrient needs are being met.
“No weight loss plan should cause you to compromise the standard of your eating. Up to now, I’ve put the emphasis on doing volume eating appropriately because things may be done incorrectly,” she wrote.
It’s vital to keep in mind that quality is bigger than quantity — so don’t get too caught up in only consuming the lowest-calorie foods available.
Weight loss program Coke, for instance, is a zero-calorie drink and, by the mere definition of volume eating, a beverage that’s allowed to be consumed in large amounts. Nonetheless, there’s no dietary value to Weight loss program Coke.
Meanwhile, orange juice is higher in calories than Weight loss program Coke and will not be in your radar for low-calorie drinks, however it provides Vitamin C and other antioxidants, so it’s preferred over soda.
There are other aspects to contemplate in selecting food. Kelsey Kunik, a registered dietitian and nutrition adviser for Fin vs Fin, told Health.com that “high-volume eating can result in bloating and digestive discomfort, as many high-volume, low-calorie foods are high in fiber. An excessive amount of fiber from raw fruit and veggies may cause digestive upset and micronutrient deficiencies.”
Cadogan also identified that feeling full is barely a part of what leaves people satisfied after a meal. To sustain any form of weight loss plan long-term, you’ve to also benefit from the food you’re eating.
Should you’re eating something simply because it’s low in calories but you don’t just like the taste or texture, you would possibly find yourself craving foods you’re attempting to avoid no matter how full you might be, which could inevitably result in binge eating.
“There’s no reason to completely avoid fat, carbs, or other foods that you think that won’t fit into your weight loss plan,” Cadogan said, advising that adding flavor with olive oil or seasonings to your food can still be a part of volume eating.
It’s also vital to be sure volume eating doesn’t cross a line into disordered eating.
“Volume eating encourages a lot of low-calorie foods, which may contribute to cravings, overeating, constant food thoughts, and bingeing,” Jamie Nadeau, a registered dietitian, warned to Health.com
At the tip of the day, Cadogan stressed that low-calorie foods shouldn’t be prioritized over nutrient-dense foods, and high-calorie foods can still be a part of volume eating without being the most important event.