Food volume preference when dieting

pinggolfer96
pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
just curious on everyone's opinion. Obviously you can have a lb of salad and a lot of veggies for little calories when dieting, also causing you to adapt to that large portion of food intake. Or you could eat until satisfied with smaller volume of food that is more calorie dense and become accustomed to those smaller meals. What's your preference when dieting. To get used to small meals or constantly having to have endless salad and vegetables at every meal just to feel that feeling of fullness and satiety? Interested in everyone's viewpoint. I usually always went for the highest volume/ lowest cal, but I'm trying to transition to meet in the middle.

Replies

  • chimaerandi
    chimaerandi Posts: 153 Member
    Oh man, sometimes my moods change!! I've lost my 60 pounds going through weeks of having a few chicken wings and some beer, and some weeks of eating a ton of salad and an entire air popped popcorn. It seems to come in waves of a couple months each, it's the weirdest thing.

    Actually, it's what makes CICO work for me so well--I'm not locked into anything, if I want to blow my calories on two Taco Bell chalupas, that's between me and God, there's no villainizing of my choices.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Try beans, oatmeal, barley, quinoa, sweet potatoes, wheat pasta, brown rice.
    Also, chicken and skim milk as lean proteins.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    I save approx. 1200 of my ~2000 calories for dinner. I can't sleep hungry, so I have to eat a lot of food before bed.
  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    I switched. I used to have massive lunches and small dinners (with snacks afterward).

    Once I started counting, I couldn't (and still can't) control what I have for dinner so I started having smaller lunches and left the calories for dinner (and snacks if still low after dinner).

    I have found higher density lunches (but less volume) leave me satisfied but not sluggish, but the lower density but higher volume dinners leave me satisfied.
  • Vanessalookingood
    Vanessalookingood Posts: 135 Member
    I have cut down my portion size. I now use the next size down from a dinner plate and I am pretty satisfied with that. Eating slower helps a lot too. When I eat salad though I have to have a big one as it just isn't filling enough. If I eat regularily enough so I don't get too hungry I also don't feel the need to get too full.
  • markyrocks
    markyrocks Posts: 33 Member
    I have had huge issues with portion control in the past. Now trying to tackle it head on...using my 4 year old daughters kids plate for meals, and drinking bucket loads of water/green tea with my meals to fill me up before I eat.
  • hopeandtheabsurd
    hopeandtheabsurd Posts: 265 Member
    I have one higher calorie meal (preferably dinner) and 1-2 smaller meals. The smaller calorie meals may also include more volume from veggies.

    My preference does change from time to time, and if I start feeling extra hungry I play around with macro ratios and meal size/frequency to see if that helps.
  • ziggy2006
    ziggy2006 Posts: 255 Member
    I have always liked to eat a lot. Luckily, I love vegetables, so I add them into most of my meals to keep the calorie density low and my portion size large. So if I am making macaroni and cheese, I add carrots, zucchini, onions, and a can of Rotel. My black beans and rice have equal amounts of black beans and tomatoes, plus onions and peppers.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I def need my salad & veggies!!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    A mix, I guess. I try to live by the idea that you fill half the plate with vegetables (which is consistent with my efforts to eat 7 or so servings) and then add some protein and other (starch, fruit, dairy, etc.). The vegetables are more volume oriented and I don't feel like I eat any less now than I did before losing weight (although I wasn't a huge volume eater then, just a careless one), but I am pretty flexible in my protein choices (usually leaner, but I like steak and chicken with the skin on and occasional pulled pork, as well as leaner cuts and lots of seafood), and will also include higher cal things like cheese or a dessert in my day.

    I don't find fat particularly satiating, so I know I can be not hungry eating quite low calories if I cut fat and focus mostly on lean protein and vegetables, but why would I want to? I like a variety and am active enough that super low calories wouldn't be good for me anyway.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I have always heard that volume rules when dieting. But I don't think that is the whole story. Balance of nutrients, mouth feel and taste preference, habit and attitude, maybe even glycemic index, is more important. If I were to eat just dry salad or chicken breast, I'd be bored before I'd be full. All my meals have to have at least vegetables, protein and fat, and food from every food group provide a variety of flavor, color, texture and temperature through the day and from day to day.

    Of course I have to stick to the proper amount of calories. Portion sizes will reflect total calories divided by number of meals. But I've learnt what I can eat to satity, and how much food is appropriate, so consistency trumps accuracy at this stage; I don't count calories anymore. I'm enjoying my food and my weight is stable with just a tiny amount of continuous effort.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Volume! I love big salads and big veggie - heavy soups! Oh yeah--and I'm down 47 lbs!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I like richer foods in small portions. I swear it really is like my stomach shrinks a few weeks after I draw in my portion sizes.

    OTOH, close to bedtime I do get hungry (or want to chew on food) enough sometimes that I want something filling and low-cal. Frozen collard greens with a touch of olive oil cook up hot, easy, and perfect for that! I'm not big on cold salads at all, except in high summer, lol.
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
    Three evenly spaced, well-balanced meals with small portions, and then a snack later in the evening works best for me. A little meat, a little carb, a little veg or fruit. Sometimes, a big salad with dinner to boost my veggies for the day if I've been fruit-heavy.
    I know some people do like five little meals through the day, but I felt like I was constantly eating that way and it took too much effort to plan out five meals a day.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    High volume meals even when maintaining is the only way that works for me... I struggle to hit my fats because I just cant justify higher fats food cause it sacrifices volume most of the time. And I need to have dessert.. every... night... or I feel very sad and deprived and will end up eating it anyway, so yeah... :joy:
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