The Volumetrics diet is one of the innovative diet methods and has been created by Dr. Barbara Rolls. This dieting technique requires no deprivation but focuses on a filling approach for your stomach. Overweight or obese people can use this dietary approach if they choose the right kind of food, especially low-calorie ones. This results in a healthier, and more positive way to treat obesity and it will allow overweight people to eat more, not less, even though they are trying to get slim. One thing you must remember is that the Volumetrics diet is a long-term approach and it requires sufficient time for one to notice the positive results.

The Volumetrics diet plan
At its base, Volumetric diet is that it is based on the volume of the food consumed. One of the major problems with people while dieting is the constant feeling of an empty stomach. The Volumetric diet aims to change that as a person need not starve themselves on it. According to Dr. Rolls if a huge amount of low-calorie food is consumed, the person will not feel deprived and be constantly hungry anymore.

Dr. Rolls categorize foods into four categories:

  • Category 1 is formed with “free” or “anytime” fruits, non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli, tomatoes, cucumber, mushrooms), and broth-based soups.
  • Category 2 consists of major portions of whole grains (such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta, beans, sprouts), lean proteins, legumes, and low-fat dairy.
  • Category 3 is defined as small portions of foods such as bread, cheese, desserts, fat-free baked snacks, and higher-fat meats.
  • Category 4 involves sparing quantity of fried foods, cookies, candy, nuts, and fats.

Before applying the Volumetrics diet, you should understand the concept of calorie density. Food items recommended with this diet have low energy or low-calorie density. This is the reason why these items give you the feeling of fullness without increasing your calorie intake.

  • Volumetrics diet followers can have three meals, two snacks, and a dessert each day.
  • This diet relies more on food items which have a higher water content, for example, fruits, vegetables, and natural juices because they don’t have lots of calories.
  • Consuming only water is not sufficient for your body; it is useful only for thirst.

Pros and cons of the Volumetrics diet

Pros

  • It is an innovative, well-researched and healthy approach for obese or overweight people for weight loss. It is characterized by a balanced range of food items that includes fruits, salads, sprouts, vegetables, and whole grains.
  • The Volumetrics diet offers simple recipes and guidelines on how to limit your food intake to ensure you don’t go beyond a definite number of calories.
  • This diet is flexible and can be modified easily based on personal preferences.
  • The diet emphasizes physical activities and exercises for 30 minutes at least.
  • According to Dr. Rolls, it is preferred to keep a record of what you are consuming daily. This diary will help you with improvements in diet and weight loss plans.

Cons

  • The Volumetrics diet plan is based mainly on home-made recipes.
  • Volumetrics diet plan requires more time for food preparation as well as the calculation of calories consumed.