Volumetrics is based around the concept of fullness. Unlike diets, which deprive you of food and make you hungry, Volumetrics encourages you to eat as much food as you want. The idea is that we feel full because of the amount of food that we eat, not the number of calories. The key of Volumetrics is to allow to to fill up on the right types of food, namely, low-calorie food-types.

Volumetrics divides foods into two groups - High energy-density (high calorie) and low energy-density (low calorie). Here are some examples:

High energy-density foods

• Butter
• Oils
• Chocolate
• Sweets / Candy
• Nuts
• Biscuits
• Sugar

Low energy-density foods

• Skimmed /low fat milk
• Vegetable broth
• Non-starchy vegetables (like lettuce)
• Rice

How It Works

Volumetrics relies heavily on foods with a high water content - this includes many fruits, which are 80% to 90% water - since they will fill you up without adding many calories. It's important to note that simply drinking water will not work; it'll quench your thirst but not your hunger.

Volumetrics is all about setting modest goals. This isn't a diet that will help you lose 10 pounds in a week. Instead, you should aim for something reasonable and sustainable. A reasonable goal is shedding from 1 pound to 2 pounds each week. When combined with an exercise regime however, the potential speed of weight loss becomes much greater.

Some of the key parts of the Volumetrics diet are:

• Eating foods with low energy density. For most people, counting calories is pretty difficult. Instead, learn what kinds of foods are high and low in calories so you can make better choices. A recent book, "The Volumetrics Eating Plan", provides three weeks of complete eating plans for every meal and snack.
• Keeping records of the foods you eat and the amount of physical activity you get. Doing this is important for your long-term success. You start by recording your food and exercise on an average week so you get a baseline. This will let you see where you need to make improvements. Log your weight once a week to track your progress.
• Increasing your physical activity. You need to start slow, but eventually you should aim to exercise for about 30-60 minutes on most days. Any activity that you enjoy is fine, but what you can do depends on your fitness level. Walking is a great approach for many people, and recommends using a pedometer. As you lose more weight, increase the intensity of your exercise, and eventually incorporate some resistance training into your exercise regime.
• Learning how to calculate energy density in foods so that you can eat (and shop) more wisely. The previously-mentioned book also has loads of charts at the end, which give you the energy density and calories of various foods by weight.

My opinion on Volumetrics

At first glance, Volumetrics seems like an overly-fancy name for something that isn't too fancy in itself. But remember that all the best training regimes and diets are simple. To stick to something, it has to be easy to apply, understand and maintain, for the everyday, busy person.

If we apply the principles of Volumetrics, we can eat our fill - indeed, eat more - of lower calorie foods and still lose weight. This is all good stuff. However, if you really want to improve your overall health and wellbeing, in addition to losing weight, there is no substitute for regular exercise. Combine this with Volumetrics' principles and you are off to a flyer.