Volumetric diet: how it works, weekly schedule, what to eat and contraindications

a volumetric diet is a diet that focuses above all on the caloric density of foods and at the same time on the sense of fullness that these are able to provide to the stomach, satisfying the one who eats them. Let’s find out how it works and what those who follow this diet can eat.

The idea of ​​the volumetric diet was born in America from the work of Barbara Rolls, nutritionist and director of the “Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior” at Penn State University.

It is based on a very simple concept: people love to eat and don’t want to feel hungry. Even if they have to lose weight, therefore, they will always prefer a diet that allows them to eat more. This explains, according to the doctor, the fact that restrictive diets in most cases do not achieve the desired result. This is due to the fact that people deprived of food feel exhausted and quickly resume the previous eating habits that led them to gain weight.

The volumetric diet is designed precisely for those people who have found themselves struggling with the sense of hunger with other types of diets.

Volumetric diet, how does it work?
The volumetric diet focuses in particular on the energy density of foods and their satiating power. The aim is to ensure that the stomach, by ingesting large quantities of low-calorie foods but with great volume and satiating power, can first reach the sensation of fullness and consequently the person can feel satisfied and not in a state of food deprivation.

This diet therefore proposes to increase the intake of low energy density foods, that is, low in calories. You can therefore eat a lot, in some cases even more than before, without gaining weight and even losing weight. However, foods very rich in fiber and water with a satiating power should be preferred.

Every day a person who follows this diet can take, according to needs (which will have to be evaluated by an expert on a case-by-case basis), up to 2000 kcal divided into 3 main meals and 2 snacks.

Compared to other diets, the volumetric does not promise a very fast but moderate and constant weight loss, you can tend to lose a kilo a week.

Volumetric diet, what to eat?
In reality, the volumetric diet does not exclude any type of food a priori but obviously suggests a preference for low-calorie foods.

For this purpose, foods are divided into 4 groups based on their caloric density:

• Very low density: non-starchy fruits and vegetables, skim milk, low-fat yogurt.
• Low density: starchy fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meat, fish
• Medium density: cheeses, meat, pizza, sauces, ice cream and desserts
• High density: bread, chips, snacks, chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits, oil, butter

Among the foods that should be consumed often there are therefore those that belong to the first two groups, rich in fiber, lean proteins and Omega 3 (especially from fish). For example, you can consume velvety, soups, minestrone, fresh fruit and vegetables but also yogurt and skim milk.

Medium and high calorie density ingredients cannot be completely excluded but can be consumed less frequently and in smaller quantities.
Volumetric diet, weekly scheme
We offer you a weekly menu of the volumetric diet by way of example. However, if you want to experiment with this diet or lose weight, we recommend that you rely on a professional to have a personalized plan tailored to your specific needs.

MONDAY’

Breakfast: skim milk and wholemeal bread with sugar-free jam
Lunch: wholemeal pasta with vegetables and raw vegetables at will
Dinner: chicken with seasonal vegetables

TUESDAY’

Breakfast: cereals with low-fat yogurt
Lunch: Rice with seasonal vegetables and raw or cooked vegetables at will
Dinner: baked fish with potatoes and grilled vegetables

WEDNESDAY’

Breakfast: wholemeal bread with low-fat cheese and green tea
Lunch: rice and vegetable salad
Dinner: vegetable soup with spelled and legumes

THURSDAY’

Breakfast: skim milk and wholemeal bread with sugar-free jam
Lunch: salad with seasonal vegetables, cottage cheese and wholemeal bread, a fruit

Dinner: tofu with grilled vegetables

FRIDAY’

Breakfast: cereals with low-fat yogurt
Lunch: couscous with seasonal vegetables and a fruit
Dinner: omelet with raw and cooked vegetables

SATURDAY

Breakfast: whole meal bread with low-fat cheese and green tea

Lunch: whole meal pasta with seasonal vegetables and salad
Dinner: turkey with vegetables

SUNDAY

Breakfast: skim milk and wholemeal bread with sugar-free jam
Lunch: rice and lentils, raw vegetables
Dinner: vegetable soup and grilled meat

For mid-morning snacks emit afternoon you can opt for fresh fruit, raw vegetables to munch on, smoothies, extracts, centrifuges. In the evening, however, it is possible to consume a herbal tea of your choice.

Volumetric diet, contraindications
The volumetric diet has no particular contraindications as long as you rely on the care of an expert who will evaluate the situation specifically. Of course, even those who follow this diet, in which the sense of satiety is obtained with large quantities of low-calorie foods, may not reach the desired goal both because not all of us are actually satisfied in the same way and because we are not always able to actually ingest large amounts of fruit and vegetables.