A volumetric diet (also known as a volumetric diet) is based on the selection of products depending on their calorific value. It is based on foods that contain a lot of water, so you can eat more and avoid excess calories. Importantly, experts believe that a volumetric diet is effective, safe, wholesome and good for the heart. See what are the rules of a volumetric diet, how much weight you can lose on it and a sample menu for the whole day.

Volumetric diet( volume diet ) was developed by Dr. Barbara Rolls and journalist R.A. Burnett. It is a slimming diet that is extremely well-balanced in terms of nutritional values. Thanks to it, you can not only lose weight at a decent pace, losing at least one unnecessary kilogram every week, but also take care of your he alth. Low in s alt and saturated fat with no restrictions on the consumption of fruits and vegetables makes a volumetric diet beneficial for the cardiovascular system and protects againstdiabetes .

A volumetric diet is based on the idea that foods with fewer calories can eat more. Thanks to this, you can lose weight without feeling hungry. That is why water-rich foods are so important in this diet, as they increase the volume of the product without increasing its caloric value, e.g. soups that contain about 80-95 percent water, vegetables and fruits (80-95 percent water) or yoghurts in which the water content is 75 percent.

Volumetric diet rules: allowed and prohibited products

The key to success in a volumetric diet are meals based on very low-calorie and water-rich foods. In order to make it easier for patients to organize their own menu, the author of the diet divided the food into four groups.

  • the first group includes products recommended in unlimited quantities, i.e. low-calorie vegetables and fruits (including lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, apples, citrus), non-fat milk and yoghurts, soups cooked in broth vegetable.
  • the second group is allowed products - whole grains, fruits and vegetables richer in sugar (e.g. potatoes, legumes, corn, bananas), lean meats, e.g. poultry, fish, as well as oil and olive oil.
  • the third group are products that should be limited (preferablyeat them as an additive) - semi-fat and fatty cheeses, white bread, pork, duck and goose meat
  • the fourth group consists of products that need to be eliminated - sweets, butter, crisps, sticks, crackers.

The principles of the volumetric dietare simple. Every 3 hours or so you have to eat a large meal - the lower the caloric content of the products and the higher the water content, the better. An important criterion is the so-calledenergy (caloric) density . The lower the better (see box). Low-energy meals provide fewer calories, although they are bulky. Eat soups, salads, vegetables raw and cooked al dente, and drink juices and smoothies without adding sugar.

Worth knowing

Energy density is the number of calories divided by the number of grams:

Very low energy density meals - up to 60 kcal / 100 g (density less than 0.6)

  • Low energy-density meals - 60-150 kcal / 100 g (density from 0.6 to 1.5)
  • Medium energy-density meals - 150-400 kcal / 100 g (density 0.15-4.0)
  • High energy density meals - more than 400 kcal / 100 g (density greater than 4.0)

Fat products with a high sugar content have the highest energy density.

Advantages of a volumetric diet

When following a volumetric diet, the portions are similar to those from before the diet. It does not change the size, only the composition of the meal. Due to the fact that most of the food is vegetables rich in fiber and digestive elements,metabolismreturns to normal after a few days. Replacing simple sugars with complex sugars stabilizes blood glucose levels and increases the sensitivity of tissues to insulin. Fats that previously accumulated, e.g. due to calcium and vitamin C deficiency, include on the stomach, they become a source of energy. And thanks to the fact that about 75% of meals are water, tissue hydration improves and the body gets rid of metabolic products more efficiently. After just a few days on such a diet, the body stops demanding large portions and it is easier to start gradually reducing the amount of food on the plate, which will allow the stomach to return to its normal size.

Products with the lowest energy density have the highest concentration of minerals and vitamins per unit of calories.

What will this diet give you? First of all, you are not hungry and you really care about your he alth. Thanks to this, the motivation to continue fighting for the correct weight does not decrease. Despite large portions, you gradually lose weight -from 0.5 to 1 kg over the course of a week . This is the he althiest rate of losing weight, protecting you through with the effect of jo-jo . You also give up on caloric snacks such as chips, sticks, pralines. Initially, stopping them may be difficult, but after 2-3 days of a varied diet, the desire for them decreases. Excessive appetite for s alty foods is often caused by insufficient hydration - the need for sodium increases as the body tries to retain as much water as possible. If you eat a lot of water-rich vegetables (e.g. cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, strawberries), your body stops demanding sodium. On the other hand, thanks to good carbohydrates in every meal, e.g. whole grains, blood glucose level does not jump and you free yourself from snacking on sweets.

In addition, a volumetric diet does not require any special financial outlays from you, but only modification of your eating habits. You can buy all the products on which it is based in a supermarket or local shop. If you want to lose weight faster, you should increase your daily dose of exercise.

Disadvantages of a volumetric diet

Despite its advantages, the diet has disadvantages. The most serious is the limitation of products that are high in calories, but rich in essential, e.g. for the brain and eyesightunsaturated fatty acids . For this reason, it is best to follow the diet only for a while, not longer than 2-3 weeks, gradually reducing portions over time and replacing skimmed foods with less processed semi-skimmed foods, and including seeds and seeds full of micro- and macronutrients in your diet.

Volumetric diet - a sample daily menu

Breakfast

Shakshouka with capers and tomatoes (serving size: 300 kcal)

2 eggs / spring onion / tablespooncapers/ teaspoon rapeseed oil / tablespoon chopped parsley / 2 small tomatoes / 1/2 red pepper / 1/2 clove garlic / pepper

Glaze the onion in oil, add tomatoes and diced paprika. Stew with garlic until thick. Add the eggs and after the egg whites are cut, add the capers. Before serving, sprinkle with parsley and pepper

2nd breakfast

Vegetable salad (serving size: 220 kcal)

1/2 cauliflower / 2 pickled cucumbers / shallots / teaspoon lemon juice / tablespoon chopped chives / s alt and pepper

Sliced ​​vegetables, sprinkle with lemon juice, spices and sprinkle with chives.

Lunch

Pollock in apple topping (serving size: 460 kcal)

150 gpollock/ 2 handfuls green beans / 1/2 cucumber / 4 tablespoons lean natural yogurt / teaspoon rapeseed oil / apple / 3 tablespoons lemon juice / tablespoon dill / curry

Brush the fish with oil, juice and curry. Cover with dicedan apple. Bake until soft. Peel the cucumber, cut into slices, mix with yogurt and dill. Serve with steamed beans.

Afternoon tea

Roasted carrots on lettuce and spinach cocktail (serving size: 220 kcal)

3 carrots / 1/8 feta cubes / teaspoon olive oil / teaspoon rosemary / 5 large leaves of butter lettuce / handful of spinach / greenhouse cucumber / 1/4 melon

Bake the carrots with olive oil and rosemary in the oven, add feta. Arrange everything on the lettuce leaves. Mix the cocktail ingredients with 1/3 cup of water.

Dinner

Parsnip cream soup (serving size: 400 kcal)

parsnips/ 1/2 celery root / small onion / tablespoon olive oil / 1/2 cup cooked millet / 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt / 1/8 feta cubes / tablespoon juice lemon / chives / s alt, pepper

Slice vegetables, stew in half the oil with a little water, season with s alt and pepper. When they get soft, blend into a cream and thicken the groats. Add lemon juice, yogurt and feta. Sprinkle with chives.

How to lose weight he althily - advice from psychodietetics

Each of us dreams of a slim and shapely figure. However, not all methods of losing weight are good for our he alth. How to wisely and he althily lose weight? Listen to our expert - psychodietician and he alth coach Elżbieta Lange.

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