The volumetrics diet is a weight loss eating plan centered on the idea of eating to feel full, while consuming fewer calories. It’s not as well-known as other weight loss diets like keto and 5:2, but research suggests that the volumetrics diet may not only be more effective, but healthier too.
Here, we’ll explore exactly what the volumetrics diet is – including its benefits, drawbacks, and whether or not it really works.
What is the volumetrics diet?
The volumetrics diet is an eating plan designed for weight loss. It focuses on filling up on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods with a high-water content, while limiting calorie-dense foods that release energy quickly.
By helping you feel fuller for longer, the volumetrics diet can naturally reduce calorie intake and promote successful weight loss.
The volumetrics diet was developed by nutritionist Dr. Barbara Rolls. In her first book, Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories, she advised on ‘calorie traps’ (foods that appear healthy but have hidden calories) and eating lower-calorie foods. Her second book, The Volumetrics Eating Plan, is a cookbook and lifestyle guide about how to follow this diet in everyday life.
The volumetrics diet aims to promote healthy eating habits as part of a long-term lifestyle change, rather than a short-term weight-loss fix. So, rather than restricting specific foods and drastically limiting calorie intake, it involves a more unstructured approach to eating.
What does following the volumetrics diet involve?
Put simply, the volumetrics diet involves filling up on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods while limiting consumption of high-calorie foods.
The diet separates food into four different categories based on their calorie density. It recommends getting most of your calorie intake from the first two categories.
Category one (very low calorie density) – less than 0.6
Includes non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, cucumber; broth soups, and skimmed dairy products.
Category two (low calorie density) – 0.6 to 1.5
Includes starchier fruit and vegetables like bananas and sweet potatoes; low-fat meat products; legumes; and whole grains.
Category three (medium calorie density) – 1.6 to 3.9
Includes red meat, white bread, chips, and cheese like mozzarella.
Category four (high calorie density) – 4.0 to 9.0
Includes butter, chocolate, cooking oil, nuts, and pretzels.
Generally speaking, you can work out the calorie density of a food by dividing the number of calories in a particular serving size by its weight in grams. This will give you a figure between zero and nine.
For example, there are 34 calories in 100g of broccoli, which gives it a calorie density of 0.34.
However, while low-calorie-dense foods will make up the bulk of what you eat on the volumetrics diet, no foods are completely off-limits. The diet allows for flexibility and eating higher-calorie treats too.
The volumetrics diet recommends eating three meals a day, plus one snack. Below is a sample meal plan…
Breakfast: Porridge oats with berries and almond milk
Snack: Low-fat Greek yoghurt with apple and melon
Lunch: Tuna with cucumber, avocado, and lettuce on whole grain bread
Dinner: Chicken breast (without skin) with brown rice, grilled mushrooms, onions, and peppers
People on the diet are also encouraged to exercise for at least 30-60 minutes each day.
Is the volumetrics diet effective for weight loss?
There aren’t as many studies on the volumetrics diet as there are for other diet plans, but research has suggested that its two main principles may aid weight loss. These are…
The volumetrics diet promotes controlled calorie intake
Adding more low-calorie foods to your diet can be effective for weight loss because you can enjoy large servings without significantly increasing calorie intake.
This scientific review of over 3,000 people linked eating foods with a lower calorie density to greater weight loss. While another study found that eating dense, low-calorie foods helped people maintain their weight loss
Choosing foods with a lower-calorie density is also thought to help curb cravings, regulate appetite, and promote portion control.
This study of overweight and obese women found that eating meals packed with lower calorie foods resulted in fewer cravings and increased fullness. Similarly, this study found that participants ate 56% more calories when served a large portion of food with a high calorie density, compared to a smaller portion of food with a lower calorie density.
The volumetrics diet encourages regular exercise
As the diet encourages regular exercise (at least 30-60 minutes daily), it also increases the number of calories burnt during the day, which can aid weight loss.
For inspiration on staying active, why not head over to the fitness and exercise section of our website or browse the virtual fitness classes running on Rest Less Events?
What are the potential benefits of the volumetrics diet?
Alongside being an effective diet plan for weight loss, there are various other potential benefits to the volumetrics diet too.
We’ll outline some of these below…
The volumetrics diet may improve overall diet quality
Prioritising low-calorie foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains on the volumetrics diet can improve diet quality and boost overall health.
This is because high volume, low-calorie foods tend to contain more water, fibre, and nutrients, and are low in fat. So, following the volumetrics diet may help to up your intake of essential vitamins and minerals.
The volumetrics diet limits intake of processed foods
While no foods are completely off limits on the volumetrics diet, as the majority of processed foods have a high-calorie density, they’re not consumed in large amounts.
Processed foods typically lack essential nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, their high calorie, fat, sugar, and salt content links them with health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The volumetrics diet is suitable for various dietary requirements
Because there aren’t any extreme restrictions as part of the volumetrics diet, whether you’re vegan, kosher, or diagnosed with a condition like celiac disease, you can eat according to your needs.
The volumetrics diet is flexible and sustainable long-term
Unlike many other weight loss plans, the volumetrics diet offers a flexible approach that makes it a sustainable, long-term lifestyle change rather than a ‘quick fix’ diet.
Being centered around eating to feel full and satisfied, it contrasts other diets that set extreme calorie deficits – leaving you feeling hungry and more likely to quit.
There’s also an element of flexibility to the volumetrics diet which means no foods are entirely off limits. This allows people to honour their cravings from time to time and to fit the diet around their lifestyle. Often, this lack of restriction is not only healthier, but can lead to better results too because you’re more likely to stick with it long-term.
For this reason, some experts have described the volumetrics diet as a ‘come for the weight loss, stay for the health benefits’ kind of eating plan.
What are the disadvantages of the volumetrics diet?
However, there are also some drawbacks to be aware of too…
The volumetrics diet limits intake of healthy fats
One of the biggest downfalls of the volumetrics diet is that it doesn’t distinguish between healthy and unhealthy fats.
So, alongside cookies, cakes, and butter (which contain unhealthy fats), healthy fats found in foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, and oils are also limited.
Healthy fats like omega-3s form an essential part of a healthy diet and offer a number of important benefits. For example, their ability to reduce inflammation, boost brain health, and lower the risk of health conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
This contrasts diets like the Mediterranean diet which encourage consumption of healthy fats.
The volumetrics diet can be time-consuming and expensive
Due to its emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables, grocery shopping and meal-preparation for the volumetrics diet can be expensive and time-consuming.
As most meals and snacks will need to be bought fresh and prepared at home, this can make it difficult for people who have tight schedules or budgets to follow.
Who is the volumetrics diet suitable for?
The volumetrics diet won’t be suitable for everyone.
For example, if you struggle with gastrointestinal issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it’s possible that the volumetrics diet may exacerbate your symptoms. For this reason, you may find diets such as the low-FODMAP diet more suitable. However, it’s important to talk to your doctor before starting any new eating plan.
The volumetrics diet is also not advised for athletes or other highly-active people because it’s unlikely to provide enough energy.
Similarly, if you have (or have ever had) an eating disorder, it’s generally best to avoid the volumetrics diet.
Final thoughts…
There are a number of benefits to the volumetrics diet that can make it an effective weight loss tool and sustainable, long-term eating plan. However, it won’t be suitable for everyone, so it’s best to speak to your doctor before starting.
For further reading, head over to the diet and nutrition section of our website. Here, you’ll find various other diet guides and a range of tips for healthy living.
What are your experiences with the volumetrics diet? Are there any other diet plans you think are more effective? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
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