What Is The Volumetrics Diet & Is It Effective For Gains?
What it is, does it work & more!
Our dieting and weight loss goals can be hard but great approaches, like the volumetrics diet, can work for only the most effective gains. It can be hard to find a diet that works for us. Many of those influencer types online claim to have the magic bullet, that secret weapon to drop fat fast and look absolutely shredded. It’s just not possible. Losing weight takes times, so too does building muscle. But the right plan of attack can make it go smoothly.
Things to consider when choosing your diet plan are affordability and functionality. Dieting can get expensive which is something we just don’t need. That strain on our wallets can often times get too much and lead us down a road not suitable for fat loss. Where functionality comes into play is having the ability to stick to your diet even if you aren’t tied to the kitchen. To-go meals and other ways of eating must be compatible with your work and personal life.
Let’s take a look at the volumetrics diet and see what this is all about. It has been around for a while but not many people know about it. From what it is, the advantages and disadvantages, and how effective it can be, you will have a baseline to work off of to see if its right for you. Plus, we will mention some other diets that you can try to see great weight loss success as well.
What Is The Volumetrics Diet?
The volumetrics diet has been around for a while but is not as popular as some of those we know about. Typically, a diet is based on calories consumed versus calories burned away. What the volumetrics diet does is it puts an emphasis on the volume of food being eaten, as opposed to the number of calories consumed (1). With more food in your stomach, the more full you will feel, thus leading to weight loss.
By increasing those nutrient dense foods and high water volume foods, you will feel more full, thus consume more calories leading to increased weight loss. When paired with a solid training routine, you will feel energy and see results with all of the goals you put forth.
Four Groups Of Food
For the volumetrics diet, food is grouped into four categories dependent on their calorie density. The groups are as follows below:
Group 1: Very Low Density Foods
These are non-starchy foods like broth-based soup, non-fat milk, and non-starchy fruits and vegetables. These can really be eaten at any time and some call them “free” food, although it is important to remember portion control regardless.
Group 2: Low Density Foods
These are starchy foods including starchy fruits and vegetables, cereals, low-fat meats, among others. While these are increasing in density, you still can eat a fair amount of these, but remember to watch the portion sizes.
Group 3: Medium Density Foods
Foods like meat, cheese, and bread are included in this list, among many others. These tend to higher in fat and carbs while also having sugar.
Group 4: High Density Foods
These are the occasionally eaten foods much higher in fat, carbs, and sugar than the other three groups. These include butter, nuts, oil, candy, and those sweet treats we all know and love.
Why This Diet Is Great
The volumetrics diet is great because it allows you to have larger, more filling meals without taking in so many calories. As a result, your hunger will decrease and you will see increased fat loss as the result. Separating foods into groups makes it easier to prepare and know just what to eat and when while not limiting you on most foods. Along with a high fiber intake, you will stay full and assist in gut health as you start to lost weight and shred out.
Why This Diet May Not Be For You
Your macronutrient intake may be lower than necessary and that could cause problems. A lower fat intake may actually make you feel more hungry than you really are. On top of that, a low protein intake will decrease satiety and can hurt your muscle building goals. This diet may also be time consuming since much of it requires cooking at home and preparing meals, so for those constantly on the go, consider another approach to fat loss. Ultimately, this is one of those diets where careful counting and tracking is required. For those not interested in keeping tabs on everything, then you may also find another approach is better.
Is The Volumetrics Diet Effective?
As a safe and effective way of eating, this can be an effective tool for weight loss. By lowering your caloric intake as you increase exercise and activity, the two in tandem can work well for your goals. For those looking for a long-term solution, the nutritional balance of this approach is great and will allow you to see effective results if you stick with it.
Other Diets To Try
While the volumetrics diet is certainly one that can help you, diets don’t work for everyone. Knowing your options is important and with various diets out there, you have a great chance at fat loss. Whether it be something like keto, paleo, carnivore, intermittent fasting, or even the chicken and rice diet, once you find one you love, losing the weight becomes easy
Wrap Up
The volumetrics diet is an interesting approach to weight loss and by putting an emphasis on volume of food as opposed to calories, it gives you a good idea of what to look for out of your diet. Grouping foods into separate categories and making sure you get the most out of your diet is important for you need the right approach to stay on track. Give the volumetrics diet a try and see if its right for you. The nice part is, there are other diets to give you a chance.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
- Foreyt, J. (2012). “The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet: Smart, Simple, Science-Based Strategies for Losing Weight and Keeping It Off”. (source)
