Feeling Full on Fewer calories
I get asked pretty often..."Dana, how I can approach weight loss without feeling hungry?"
I understand it is the dieter's nightmare to feel ravenously hungry while trying to lose weight.
Well, it is definitely possible to eat fewer calories while still feeling full. I promise! Think quality and quantity.
You may have heard of a popular weight-loss method known as "Volumetrics." The idea behind volumetrics is that you eat very low-density foods. You eat foods that are very low in calories, but very high in water-content. That is why the diet is extremely high in fruit and vegetables! You may not have known this, but the average fruit or vegetable is 80% water?
I can gaurantee that your average muffin is not, it is probably less than 20% water, meaning it has far more calories per weight (let's say ounce) than something like a piece of fruit.
When reading a food label, if per serving (and make sure you read that serving size), the total calories in that food is less than the weight of the food (in grams), then you know you have a low-calorie dense food.
As an example: Look at a can of beans, the serving size (4 oz) or 120 grams only has about 100 calories in it. This means that the calories in the food is less than its weight. It is low-calorie dense.
On the other hand, if you take a donut, its weight might be 3 oz (90 grams), but it may have 250 calories in it. This is much more calorically dense.
With this knowledge, you can make smart choices at the grocery store, buy lots of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, low-fat meats, fish, lettuces, non-animal sources of protein such as beans and soy products, and find that you'll still feel quite full, but you will have a lot less calories. Gotta love water, right?
I understand it is the dieter's nightmare to feel ravenously hungry while trying to lose weight.
Well, it is definitely possible to eat fewer calories while still feeling full. I promise! Think quality and quantity.
You may have heard of a popular weight-loss method known as "Volumetrics." The idea behind volumetrics is that you eat very low-density foods. You eat foods that are very low in calories, but very high in water-content. That is why the diet is extremely high in fruit and vegetables! You may not have known this, but the average fruit or vegetable is 80% water?
I can gaurantee that your average muffin is not, it is probably less than 20% water, meaning it has far more calories per weight (let's say ounce) than something like a piece of fruit.
When reading a food label, if per serving (and make sure you read that serving size), the total calories in that food is less than the weight of the food (in grams), then you know you have a low-calorie dense food.
As an example: Look at a can of beans, the serving size (4 oz) or 120 grams only has about 100 calories in it. This means that the calories in the food is less than its weight. It is low-calorie dense.
On the other hand, if you take a donut, its weight might be 3 oz (90 grams), but it may have 250 calories in it. This is much more calorically dense.
With this knowledge, you can make smart choices at the grocery store, buy lots of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, low-fat meats, fish, lettuces, non-animal sources of protein such as beans and soy products, and find that you'll still feel quite full, but you will have a lot less calories. Gotta love water, right?
posted by Dana M. Ellis, MPH, R.D. @ 11:49 AM
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