Volume Eating {and My 1426 Calorie Day}
Even when you are in a calorie deficit, you don’t have to be hungry with volume eating. The meals I’ve been putting together to lose 10lbs for my next Bikini show have been quite filling! (follow the bikini prep 2023 here)
Why practice volume eating?
Someone asked me since I started posting my meals if I was hungry on my current calories and macros. The true answer is, I haven’t been at all! In fact, when my calories were 1200 last year, I still wasn’t hungry. I think I’ve been able to make the best of volume eating to keep the hunger at bay. Plus, I’ve honestly never loved vegetables as much as I do now since eating low calorie.
When you are trying to lose weight, and stay in a calorie deficit, volume eating can save you from being hungry.
Volume eating is being able to eat a larger quantity of food, without eating more calories. So, for example, adding vegetables to your dinner, increases the volume of your food, without necessarily adding too many more calories.
The idea behind volume eating is that you are taking in more food for the amount of calories you are getting. (I go into more detail with examples here) Leaving you feeling fuller, and decreasing the chances of over eating, or taking in too many calories for your daily goal intake.
For example you can eat 2 fig Newton cookies and get 100 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 21 Carbs or you can eat 8 oz bag of baby carrots and only take in 75 calories, 0 fat, and 20 carbs as well as getting lots of vitamins and over double the fiber than 2 fig Newton cookies offers.
What foods are good for volume eating?
Some of the best foods for volume eating would be veggies and fruits. Things like carrots, celery, potatoes, apples, oranges, peaches, lettuce, soups etc… Really anything that is high in water and nutrients, but low in calories.
This reddit community is a gold mine of people sharing their volume eating tricks!
How do I stick with volume eating?
To stick with volume eating, or any type of eating healthy, check your cupboards. For example, do you have lots of tempting food easily accessible? You will want to make volume eating easily accessible by having these foods ready to grab when you want to eat a sleeve of Fig Newtons!
Here are a list of free foods that can help kick start your volume eating journey!
How to make volume eating affordable?
Volume meeting can be made more affordable by choosing things that are cheaper, and that you like to eat. Steer clear of buying what you think you “should eat”. First focus on the things you do like, even if it’s just a little bit of a like.
A friend of mine sits behind a desk for her job, and to avoid snacking on chips and crackers, she comes prepared with baby carrots, water and a protein bar. If she wanted she could eat an entire 16 oz bag of carrots and only get 150 calories and 0 fat grams.
Any science or research out there to support volume eating for weight loss?
Dr. Barbara Rolls has written several books about volume eating. The latest book is titled The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet: Smart, Simple, Science-Based Strategies for Losing Weight and Keeping It Off. In this book Barbara writes about ways to help make Volume Eating successful. She has money saving tips, ways to disguise your veggies if you’re having a hard time eating them and more!
You can also check out her other books as well The Volumetrics Eating Plan and The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan.
You are worth the effort!
Remember that you are worth the effort! Every step you take to changing yourself for the better is a step in the right direction. It’s an ongoing process and transformation, and you’ve got this!
I didn’t start doing bikini competitions after a week of healthy eating, it was a transformation that took time and effort. I am worth that effort and so are YOU!
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Full day of Eating, Total 1426 calories, 154 g protein, 100 g carbs, and 46 g fat
Bikini prep 2023!
Breakfast: 1/2 cup egg whites in 1/3 cup oats plus berries. 1/2 cup egg whites cooked on a skillet, and 2 slices turkey bacon.
Lunch: Strawberry Chicken, feta salad! 6 ounces chicken, sliced strawberries, fat free feta, and then some Bolthouse pomegranate poppyseed dressing (yum! swipe for pics of this!)
Snack: Cottage cheese with vanilla sugar free pudding mix, bananas, and Walden farms caramel dip.
Dinner: 6 ounces ground turkey, cauliflower rice, sweet potatoes roasted and zucchini!
