Top 5 Volumetric Diet for Weight Loss- Pros And Cons Of Volumetric Diet According To Experts

Learn more about ‘Top 5 Volumetric Diet for Weight Loss’ Want to reduce your weight? You’re with some nice folks. Nearly half of American adults, according to a 2018 survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have tried to reduce weight in the preceding 12 months.

More than just your outward look, losing weight can increase your energy, lower your chance of developing chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and lengthen your life.

 

 

The key to losing weight is choosing the correct diet, and there are several weight-loss plans available. But not all of them have a history of sustained success. When beginning a weight reduction journey, you may have pondered which eating regimens can genuinely assist you in achieving and maintaining your objective.

Here are the top five tried-and-true diets that experts recommend. Before beginning any new weight reduction program, make sure to see your doctor or a qualified dietitian.

Volumetrics Diet

The Volumetrics Diet shares the top rank on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best weight reduction diets for 2022 with the Flexitarian Diet and WW (previously Weight Watchers). 3 As the name suggests, this diet contends that eating a lot of food makes us feel full and reduces cravings. As a result, it promotes consuming large amounts of nutrient-dense, low-calorie meals.

According to Holly Klamer, MS, RDN, “The Volumetrics diet is founded on the premise that we consume roughly the same volume of food each day, not necessarily the same quantity of calories.” “The brain can track the volume or amount of food consumed, but it does not track calories very effectively. In order to encourage weight reduction, the emphasis is on consuming high-volume foods that make you feel content.

You will consume a range of foods while following the Volumetrics diet, including broth-based soups, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, healthy grains, and lean proteins.

Health Benefits Of The Volumetrics Diet

A Volumetrics diet gives you the freedom to choose your own foods since it focuses on foods that are high in water and low in density (no calorie counting involved). This might be a big benefit for those who like their mealtimes to be more flexible and free.

Along with weight loss, this diet may also provide additional health advantages. According to Klamer, “The Volumetrics diet is built around foods that are abundant in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.” Fiber-rich diets have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and several malignancies, including colorectal cancer4. 5

 

What Is The Volumetrics Diet

The volumetrics diet is predicated on the notion that weight reduction is caused by consuming less calories overall rather than by calculating calories. A psychological sensation of fullness is felt as you eat more food. The diet has a more flexible approach to eating than one that forbids certain foods and drastically restricts your daily calorie intake.

Barbara Rolls, PhD, a nutrition and obesity specialist at Penn State University, created this diet. Her study was included in the book “The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet,” which she co-authored. You may follow this diet psychology with the assistance of the book’s recipes and advice. 1

The Volumetrics Diet has an overall score of 3.7/5 in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Diets, ranking it fifth among all other diets. The diet was also rated as the best diet for weight loss and the fifth best diet for healthy eating. 2

The 7-Day Diet Plan

Meal times and quantity amounts are not necessary for the volumetrics diet. The diet focuses on a food’s energy density rather than excluding any foods. Foods that are high in calories but low in vitamins and minerals are referred to as high-energy-dense foods.

Low-energy-dense foods, on the other hand, are those that have few calories but are abundant in vitamins and minerals and should make up the majority of your diet.

Here is an illustration of a typical meal plan for a week, which includes breakfast, a snack, lunch, and supper.

What You Can Eat

You consume low-calorie, satiating meals when following the volumetrics diet, which may aid in long-term weight loss. The foods on this diet that are advised have a low energy density, making them satisfying foods with less calories.

As long as you eat low-energy-dense foods, the diet suggests three meals and a snack each day. The following are some options:

Fruits And Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables that are filling and have a high water content are permitted on this diet plan since they are naturally low in calories. These consist of:

• Apples
• Grapes
• Melons
• Berries
• Cucumbers
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Asparagus

Dairy Products

Any low-fat dairy items are acceptable, including the following:

• Kefir
• Sour cream
• Cottage cheese

Whole Grains

Unprocessed whole grains are recommended as a healthy approach to satisfy cravings for carbohydrates. There are several options to include in this diet:

• Grain bread
• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Oatmeal

Lean Protein

On the volumetrics diet, lean proteins are encouraged because they are filling and need less food. When buying food, keep an eye out for:

• Chicken breasts
• Top sirloin steaks
• Tofu
• Lean ground turkey
• Extra-lean ground beef
• Tuna

What You Cannot Eat

Keep your daily calorie intake within your allotted amounts and stay away from high-calorie, low-filling items. Fried foods, sweetened with sugar, and proteins high in fat should all be avoided. These items all have little to no nutritional value and do not fill you full, according to the diet’s designer.

Fatty Meats

Avoid eating meats that have a lot of fat. On the ingredient label, you may discover the amount of fat. Avoid the following:

• Bacon
• Sausage
• Poultry with skin
• Red meats with high fat content

 

Processed Foods

Because of their high calorie, fat, and salt content, processed foods don’t fall under this category. Precautions include:

• Sugary cereal
• Muffins
• Doughnuts
• Crackers

Flexitarian Diet

The flexitarian diet shares the top rank on U.S. News and World Report’s list of weight loss diets. This “flexible” and “vegetarian” eating regimen concentrates on foods like fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy, plant-based proteins, and whole grains, with the option to indulge in a burger or some bacon when the mood strikes (or a social occasion demands).

A flexible, plant-based diet may help people lose weight, according to research, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, whose 2009 book The Flexitarian Diet sparked widespread interest in the flexitarian idea. This is probably due to the fact that plants are high in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial phytochemicals, which keep cells healthy and fed, as well as fiber and water, which boost fullness while using less calories.

Health Benefits Of The Flexitarian Diet

The flexitarian diet is as adaptable as they come, so if you’re searching for a menu that you can take with you to buffets, parties, and sporting events, this one could be for you. Reducing your use of animal products can also help you save money and lower your carbon footprint. Flex eating is typically more affordable and more environmentally friendly than a diet heavy in meat, according to Blatner.

A flexible vegetarian eating plan has several advantages for physical health in addition to its social and environmental benefits. According to Blatner, the health benefits of flexibility may include longer life expectancy and a lower chance of developing conditions including diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and other chronic diseases, as well as heart disease. Additionally, a 2022 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that a flexitarian diet enhances gut flora more than any other kind of diet. 6

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is very popular due to its delicious meals and several health advantages, including weight loss. The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two author Anne Danahy, MS, RDN, claims that the lack of emphasis on calorie tracking or food restriction makes this diet pattern generally helpful for weight reduction. The majority of the Mediterranean diet consists of plant-based meals and delicious healthy fats such nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Most people who try this eating pattern mention that it makes them feel like they’re eating more food rather than less.

Health Benefits Of The Mediterranean Diet

It would be difficult to discover a diet with more proven health advantages than the Mediterranean one. Danahy adds, “I adore it for its broad variety of anti-inflammatory properties. The Mediterranean diet has been found to have significant anti-inflammatory benefits. Nearly all chronic diseases have some degree of inflammation at their base.

Want more evidence? A Mediterranean food pattern has been associated with a lower risk of autoimmune illness, heart disease, cancer, and cognitive issues. 10

Additionally, a Mediterranean diet is adaptable and diverse, which keeps things fresh over time. There are so many fascinating meals and taste nuances. It’s difficult to become weary of it, “Says Danahy. “In the Mediterranean area, there are over 20 nations, and each has its own distinct cuisine.

WW / Weight Watchers

The third and final weight reduction diet in U.S. News & World Report’s top three (tied) list is WW/WeightWatchers. There is a solid reason why this well-liked, rigid eating plan has persisted for more than 50 years. It regularly achieves results with its portion-controlled scoring system. According to one research comparing 141 commercial and proprietary weight-loss regimens, WW is one of just two diets that doctors should prioritize referring their patients to. 11

 

On a WW diet, various items are given varying point values, and you’ll earn a daily “budget” of points to utilize as you see fit. Outside of your daily budget, you are also permitted to eat many low-calorie foods. According to Michelle Cardel, Ph.D., MS, RD, head of clinical research and nutrition at WW, “each member also gets their very own ZeroPointTM foods list to ensure that they meet their objectives while eating items they actually love and frequently reach for.”

WW offers a social support network in addition to its point system, which many users cite as being essential to their success. According to Cardel, “via our live and recorded workshops, like-minded members connect to support one another wherever they travel, and WW coaches motivate and lead them with science-backed approaches anchored in behavior modification.”

Health Benefits Of WW

According to research, social support improves mental health; thus, WW’s social component might have unexpected emotional advantages for you. 12

In terms of physical wellbeing, WW seems to have a lot to offer. Cardel claims that an undisclosed six-month clinical investigation on WW’s PersonalPoints system revealed that participants’ “automaticity” of healthy behaviors increased as a result of this program. (In other words, they had a stronger ability to automatically participate in healthful behaviours.) In the same research, higher levels of daily fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity were noted. After completing the program, participants gave it a better rating for their quality of life, self-esteem, and general wellbeing.

Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig has been a worldwide phenomenon for weight loss since it was established in 1983 in Australia. On the list of top diets for weight reduction compiled by U.S. News & World Report, it ranks fifth. Jenny Craig was the second top competitor in the aforementioned research that recognized WW as one of the best commercial diets for professionals to promote.

On a Jenny Craig diet, you’ll consume meals that the business sells along with extra fruits and vegetables. The Max Up plan is the best choice for the company, according to Jenny Craig’s science advisory board chair Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA. According to her, “participants in Jenny Craig’s Max Up program are given a personalized coach to assist their travels and make sure they are achieving their weight reduction and health objectives.” “The coaches meet with each member once a week to keep them motivated with meal plans, exercise recommendations, and even weight reduction.”

Health Benefits Of Jenny Craig

Similar to WW, Jenny Craig has a built-in support system of coaches and dieters that may help you lose weight and improve your general wellbeing.

Maintaining a Jenny Craig diet might also assist persons with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels. According to a research published in 2021, Jenny Craig may help people with type 2 diabetes lower their need for hypoglycemic medications and enhance their A1c values. 13

Those who select Jenny Craig’s Max It Up program also practice intermittent fasting, which has its own advantages. People who added a fasting component to their Jenny Craig program experienced even higher weight reduction and improved blood sugar management, according to a 2021 study. 14