Any diet that leaves you feeling hungry will ultimately backfire, you'll regain what little weight you've lost, and more importantly, you will have deprived your body of vital nutrients. Believe it or not, it IS possible to eat enough to feel satisfied, not to mention the fact that you'll also be doing your body a favor by consuming the essential vitamins and minerals that your body craves. The key here is not only how much you eat, but WHAT you're eating. What you need to do is fill up on foods with high nutrient density, but low calorie density.
Calorie density, also known as energy density, is the amount of calories of a food per gram. Foods that are high in water, air or fiber are less calorie dense than those that are dried or high in fat. So if you want to eat enough food to satisfy your hunger, at the base of your diet should be vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Unfortunately, the problem with our lifestyle today is that we're always on the go, which leaves us little time to think about the food we're eating. So we pull through the drive-thru or go out to lunch. The portion sizes at most restaurants and the supersized "value" meals at fast food chains lead you to double trouble. Let's face it, when you're served more food, you eat more, without stopping to think about how full you are. And chances are, the calorie dense foods most restaurants serve are doing nothing to help shrink your waistline. Not only are we eating too much, but we're eating too much of the wrong kinds of food.
Barbara Rolls, PhD, a nutrition researcher at Penn State University, has been studying the effects of portion control, food choices and calorie density in foods for nearly three decades. Her findings are simple. People will eat the same volume of food regardless if it is of high calorie density, or of low calorie density. Her research subjects were consistently fed the same amount (three pounds) of food daily. Even though the amount of food they consumed was the same, the research subjects on the low calorie density diet ate 30 percent fewer calories.
Perhaps even more important, both groups felt equally satisfied on the amount they were served per day – regardless of the amount of total calories consumed. Foods with a greater volume, therefore, tell both your eyes and your stomach that you are eating enough. Dr. Rolls has concluded that the key to lifelong weight management is finding foods that will keep you full with fewer calories.
Let's look at some comparisons to give you an idea of just how important this concept of energy density is:
1 cup of cantaloupe (56 calories) VS ¼ cup of dried apricots (77 calories)
The cantaloupe offers ¾ cup more for 21 fewer calories. Fresh fruits are packed with water and fiber and are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Calorie per calorie, fresh fruit is always a smarter choice than dried fruits or fruit juices. So put away that apple juice and grab an apple instead.
Vegetables and dip: 1 cup of carrots, 1 cup of bell peppers and 2 tbsp. of French onion dip (142 calories) VS Potato chips and dip: 1 oz. potato chips and 2 tbsp. French onion dip (200 calories)
For fresh veggies and dip you can allow approximately 1 ¾ cup more per serving for 58 fewer calories. Finger food is always easy to overeat, so if you're looking for something to munch on, choose snacks with plenty of fiber and water, such as fresh veggies. Potato chips are dry, compact and loaded with fat, but low on fiber.
1 1/3 cups of bran flakes (125 calories) VS 1/3 cup of granola (160 calories)
You can eat a full cup of bran flakes more than granola, but still save 35 calories. The calorie densities of cereal vary greatly and most people fill their cereal bowls up the same no matter which cereal they choose, so pick your cereal carefully. Skip the high fat, sugar loaded cereals in favor of low sugar, whole grain cereals. And to keep the calories low, make sure you top them with skim milk.
2 cups strawberry-banana smoothie made with yogurt, low-fat milk, ice cubes, strawberries and a banana (215 calories) VS 1 cup milk shake made with vanilla ice cream, whole milk and chocolate syrup (410 calories)
The smoothie saves you 195 calories and you get twice as much. Once again, the fruit adds sweetness and the ice adds to the water content. Allowing the blender to whirl for an extra minute or two will add even more air to the mix, boosting the volume without added fat or calories.
5 oz. turkey breast (221 calories) VS 3 oz. Italian pork sausage (275 calories)
We know protein is an important part of a healthy diet to repair our muscles and help us feel fuller longer. But not all protein is created equal. As you can see, the turkey breast offers two oz. more for 54 fewer calories. Always choose lean cuts of meat to keep the protein content up and calorie content down.
The bottom line is that satiety is the most important factor as to whether or not you'll be able to stick to a diet plan and finally lose the weight you've been struggling with. Dieters' biggest mistakes are eating less and skipping meals, which only leads them to eat more later when their hunger becomes out of control. Diets that leave you feeling deprived are not the answer and will never be the ultimate weight loss solution. Choosing mostly high fat, calorie dense foods will never keep you satisfied at minimal calories. Instead, go for the low calorie dense foods that have been proven to keep those hunger pains at bay. Only if you keep yourself feeling satisfied will you be able to lose the weight and keep it off for good!
Pete Piranio, BS, CSCS, Owner of Fitness Together and Piranio Fitness Systems, Inc is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Great article on calorie density. If more people realized they can eat larger portions of good food, have more energy and even lose weight at the same time we might not have such a high obesity rate!
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