Volume Eating for Weight Loss

Discover the Secret to Satisfying Hunger with Volume Eating: Eat More, Weigh Less!


Volume eating for weight loss is a strategy that I love using, especially when I want to get to a low body fat. It's also a strategy I encourage my clients to use to help increase satiety while maintaining a calorie deficit. Here is a complete guide to volume eating for weight loss, which includes strategies and tips to help you feel satisfied while consuming fewer calories.

What is volume eating?

Volume eating for weight loss is a dietary approach that focuses on consuming large quantities of low-calorie, high-volume foods to create a feeling of fullness while keeping calorie intake low. The concept is based on the idea that certain foods have a low energy density, meaning they contain fewer calories per gram, allowing you to eat more of them without consuming excessive calories.

How to use volume eating for weight loss

Volume eating can be used as a tool for losing weight because it helps to reduce overall calorie intake without leaving you feeling hungry or deprived. By filling up on low-calorie, high-volume foods, you can still enjoy a satisfying meal while consuming fewer calories than you would with a meal that is high in fat and calories.

To use volume eating to lose weight, you can incorporate the following strategies:

Choose low-calorie, high-volume foods

Opt for foods that are high in water content, fibre, and nutrients but low in calories. Examples include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and legumes.

Prioritise non-starchy vegetables

These vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and peppers, are low in calories and high in fibre, helping you feel full without consuming excess calories.

Increase fibre intake

Fibre-rich foods, like whole grains, legumes, and certain fruits and vegetables, add bulk to your meals, promoting satiety and reducing overall calorie intake.

Incorporate soups and salads

Starting meals with a broth-based soup or a large salad can help fill you up with fewer calories, making it easier to control portion sizes during the main course.

Use smaller plates and bowls

By using smaller dinnerware, you can create the illusion of a larger portion, which can help satisfy your visual cues while consuming fewer calories.

Drink plenty of water

Staying hydrated can help curb hunger and prevent overeating. Drinking water before meals can also help you feel fuller and consume fewer calories.

Be mindful of portion sizes

While volume eating allows for larger portions, it's still important to be mindful of overall calorie intake. Pay attention to portion sizes and listen to your body's hunger and fullness cues.

Volume eating meals

Volume eating meals are meals that are low in calories but high in volume, meaning they are filling and satisfying despite being lower in calories. These meals typically include a lot of vegetables, which are low in calories but high in fibre and water content, helping to create a feeling of fullness. Some examples of volume eating meals include:

Salad

A large salad with lots of leafy greens, vegetables, and a lean protein source like grilled chicken or tofu is a nutrient and fibre-rich low-calorie meal. Adding a low-calorie dressing or vinegar can enhance the flavour without adding many calories.

A large salad is my first choice go-to meal when using volume eating. I'll usually get a mixing bowl and fill it with up to twenty different ingredients, including leafy greens, colourful vegetables, legumes, some seeds and grains, and a source of lean protein like grilled chicken, fish, or tofu.

Stir-fry

A stir-fry made with a variety of colourful vegetables, lean protein like prawns (shrimp), chicken, tofu or tempeh and a small amount of sauce or seasoning can also be ideal. Serve it over a bed of cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles to keep the calorie count low.

Soup

A vegetable-based soup, such as minestrone or vegetable soup, can be very filling while being low in calories. Adding beans or lentils can also increase the protein and fibre content.

Omelette

A vegetable-packed omelette made with egg whites or a combination of whole eggs and egg whites is another excellent option. Adding spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and onions can increase the volume without adding many calories.

A mainly egg white frittata is my other go-to choice. I'll use one whole egg; the rest will be egg whites with some colourful vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, capsicum (bell peppers), onions and herbs.

Sweet potato toasty

Here's a unique (and tasty) way to eat more veggies: Sweet potato toasty. 

The potato slice serves as the "toast," upon which you pile on whatever sweet or savoury toppings you like. It's both delicious—and nutritious. (Sweet potatoes contain healthful nutrients, particularly vitamins A and C.)

How to Make It

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into roughly 6 mm (¼") lengthwise slices (will yield about 4-6 slices)
  • 2 tsp olive oil

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F), and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Place potato slices in a bowl and toss with olive oil. 
  • Arrange slices on a baking tray, being careful not to crowd them. 
  • Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the slices, and bake for 10 more minutes.
  • Once the "toasts" are baked, top them as you choose.

Some topping ideas:

🧀 🐟 Ricotta & smoked salmon (Tip: Add thinly sliced onions and a sprinkling of capers for some textural and flavour contrast.)

🥑 🍳 Smashed avocado & poached egg (Tip: Chili flakes and fresh microgreens turn this into a real mouth party.)

🌰 🍓 Nut butter & berries (Tip: Ricotta or cottage cheese can be used instead of nut butter.)

Doesn't that just look delicious (and nutritious)?

Sweet potato toasty

The leftover cooked sweet potato slices can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

To reheat, sweet potato slices can actually be toasted in a toaster, as you would bread.

Buddha bowl

A bowl filled with a variety of vegetables, whole grains like quinoa or brown rice, and a lean protein source like grilled chicken or tofu is a great option when eating out. Top it off with a low-calorie dressing or sauce for added flavour.

These meals focus on incorporating high-volume, low-calorie ingredients to create a satisfying and filling meal without consuming excessive calories.

Remember, volume eating for weight loss is just one tool and should be combined with a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and other healthy lifestyle habits for optimal results.