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What Is Volumetrics?

The Volumetrics nutrition plan, created by Dr. Barbara Rolls, was the culmination of 20 years of research about hunger and obesity. Dr. Rolls encourages people to quit dieting, not restrict certain food groups and satisfy hunger by eating nutrition-dense foods. People who choose her diet plan feel full despite consuming fewer calories. The Volumetrics eating plan is designed to help people rediscover the joy of cooking while losing weight.

  1. Caloric Intake

    • The book "The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan" by Barbara J. Rolls and Robert A. Barnett says that people should lose about a pound or two a week on this diet program. The foods on the Volumetrics menu are based on a caloric intake of between 1,600 and 2,000. People can adjust their caloric intake up or down. If a person has more weight to lose, he can consume as little as 1,400 calories a day. Taller dieters can consume up to 2,400 calories or more. Active people, too, can eat more than 2,000 calories.

    Nutrition Breakdown

    • Everyone on the Volumetrics diet should adhere to the same nutritional breakdown, no matter what number of calories they are consuming. People should consume 20 to 30 percent of their calories from fat, 15 to 35 percent from protein, and approximately 55 percent of their diet from carbohydrates. Dieters should also consume 25 to 38 grams of fiber. Women should drink nine cups of water a day, and men should drink 13 cups. Dr. Rolls encourages people to participate in 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.

    Water-Containing Foods

    • Northwestern University says that the Volumetrics plan encourages dieters to eat food with high water content because these foods contain fewer calories and control appetites. People on this eating plan should consume foods that are 80 to 95 percent water. These foods include fresh fruit and vegetables and soups. The nutrition center gives an example of the difference between eating grapes and raisins. One hundred calories of grapes, 1 2/3 cups, contains more water than 100 calories of raisins, 1/4 cup. Dieters can eat more grapes and are thus more satisfied.

    Other Food Recommendations

    • Northwestern Nutrition says that the Volumetrics plan does not restrict any particular foods; however, in addition to water-containing fruits, vegetables and soups, dieters should eat low-fat seafood, meat and dairy products. The diet allows small amounts of sugar and alcohol, but limits fatty foods like deep-fried items, sweets, saturated fats and dry foods like crackers, popcorn and pretzels, which are high in calories and low on the satiety index.

    Maintenance

    • "The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan" says that weight loss often slows after 6 months, and dieters should consider turning their attention to maintenance instead of weight loss, unless dieters need to lose more weight. For people who need to lose more weight, consider adjusting caloric intake. Each individual must decide how many calories she needs to consume to maintain her weight in conjunction with her age, genetics and activity level. This process requires trial and error for many people. The plan encourages weekly weigh-ins to monitor weight loss and ensure that weight is not creeping back on.

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