VOLUME of food vs. CALORIES

thisismynewmindset

So I have noticed that I have been liking eating LOW CALORIE foods but also HIGH VOLUME foods.

For example, the other day I ate the following items for dinner:

- Green Giant-Simply Steam - Peaches & Cream Whole Kernel Corn With Butter Sauce, (the whole package) for 210 cals
- Smart Ones Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans, (the whole package) for 310 cals
- Lucerne - Fat Free Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup) for 90 cals

This means my whole meal was 610 cals. I had at least 800 to spare so I thought, why not?

Now, although I was clearly withing my calorie limit, the VOLUME of the food was big. I mean, who eats a WHOLE package of steamed corn, basically family sized? I do, apparantly. And the Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice is a meal in itself (portion wise) but I still felt the need to add a whole thing of corn, and some cottage cheese.

I find I am doing this lots lately (HIGH VOLUME / LOW CALORIE food). I am justifying this in my mind by thinking "hey, I am still under my calorie limit, and I am hungry, so why not?).

My question is, then, is eating such large volumes of food (although it is within my calorie limit) detrimental to my weight loss? I also eat smaller volume foods throughout the day (so it's not like I am eating ALL my calories at once... I am just the type of person who gets hungriest most at night, at dinner time, no matter what I try to do during the day to curb my night time appetite).

kamoira23

Bump! I do this all the time!

EmilyAnn89

i'm the same way! i eat light throughout the day, and heavier at night because i binge a lot, so i try to have enough calories left at the end of the day for a snack so i do not binge. it's working for me so far. i think as long as you are within your calorie limit, it shouldn't matter when you eat or how much you eat at one time. i'm not an expert though lol.

sarah44254

Two things I want to mention:

1) Personally it is detrimental to ME. I am not a hungry person, so eating my calorie limit is difficult. I have to eat high calorie foods so that I don't have to consume very much in order to reach my limit.

2) If you are hungry enough to eat a large volume of foods, and the calories are within your goal, then it is not detrimental to you at ALL. eat, eat eat!

LuckyLeprechaun

This is perfect! Congratulations, you've discovered the secret. Avoiding calorie dense foods is awesome because you get to be satisfied as well as hitting your calorie goals. This is the most valuable thing I have learned because of MFP.

littlewords

I think calories are calories, and especially if they are healthy calories, the volume of the food itself shouldn't affect your weight loss.
In fact, I have heard info saying that part of the reason it is so easy for us to gain weight now is that we aren't hunter/gatherers anymore, who constantly had to eat, and had to eat large quantities because the foods available to them were so low in calories.

I'm sure it is not good to eat large quantities of foods that are high in sugar, fat, etc even if your are still under your calorie goal for the day. I mean, I'm sure some people could eat nothing but candy bars and stay under their goal, but something negative has got to come out of that.

I don't think volume matters. In fact, it seems like it is good, as you feel satisfied after eating.
I eat entire packages of frozen asparagus because the entire bag is only 120 calories or something, but it's nice and filling. And good for you!

thenewkarisa

I have to stretch my calories through the day or I wont lose weight... I have to eat 4 times a day at least if I want to lose. I also eat more calories in the evening (I am more active at night and stay up late and have a touchy appetite in the morning ((no I'm not pregnant)).... I dont know if this helps but that's my story

thisismynewmindset

Wow I am happy with the answers - actually, very happy! I was feeling pretty bad about my large volume foods but you all made me feel better.

@littlewords, thanks for the tip - that I still need to watch out for the nutritional value IN ADDITION to the calories.

MrsRobertson1005

I make sure I only eat my serving and then if I'm still hungry I'll eat some fruit or make a protein smoothie. Taste like ice cream but isn't bad for you. Plus since I use milk, banana, and chocolate protein powder it's pretty filling

littlewords

Heh, no problem. That would be the only problem I could see with eating a whole bag of corn, is whether or not you are getting any energy out of, and I thought corn had a lot of sugar...

Good luck!

P.S.
I can also really relate to what you said about being hungry in the evening - I'm always starving at 4 pm NO MATTER WHAT I eat. I have tried all kinds of different combos and doing the five tiny meals, or eating a big breakfast, etc. I'm still always hungry/hungriest in the evening. That why stuff like asparagus is GREAT. Super low cal, filling and I don't think there's anything bad in it.

Forensic

Hahaha, I used to eat the whole family sized corn bags as snacks. Yum yum! Now, though... corn's a bit too carby and the butter sauce makes me not feel well. :frown: (Course, you had a lot more calories left for dinner than I ever do! :happy: )

Louiselesley

I always eat heavy at night and I think as long as it's in your calorie goal it's okay.

As you as you don't eat that amount RIGHT before you sleep and you have to digest it, I'd say it wouldn't matter

jid314

I'm sure it is not good to eat large quantities of foods that are high in sugar, fat, etc even if your are still under your calorie goal for the day. I mean, I'm sure some people could eat nothing but candy bars and stay under their goal, but something negative has got to come out of that.

Actually, that's not true! K-State professor lost 27 pounds on the "Twinkie diet" and his bloodwork was impacted in a positive way! Hard to believe, but this story and MFP are my 2 inspirations (even though I'm not snacking all that much).

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html


OP: Thank you for posting this, because this is EXACTLY what I was just wondering not even 2 minutes before I saw this question asking the exact same thing. I just had 2 hot dogs, chips, and vegetables for dinner, then finished it off with, let's say, one Twinkie The hot dogs, however, were only 70 calories (turkey dogs), the buns were 80 cal (healthy life 98% fat free), chips (Pringles - 16 for 150 cal), and vegetables were about 100 calories (Bird's Eye Steamfresh w/ cheese sauce). I also only had 400 calories all day before lunch. So, I'm staying within my calorie goal of 1500 but still eating a lot of food.