Secrets to Diet Success - Food Volume

One of the biggest issues people who are restricting calories face is being HUNGRY, and when people are hungry, they often make poor food choices. We’re going to talk today about how to use food volume to help you choose quality foods in sufficient quantities to make it a little easier to get through a dieting phase.
First, during any dieting phase, veggies are your best friend. Most vegetables are very low in calories, so while you still need to make mindful selections, you can eat a lot of vegetables before they become an issue. They are also full of fiber, which digests more slowly. When I am in a calorie restriction phase, I aim for two cups of vegetables at every meal. This helps me to feel full for longer periods of time.
Second, look to get the biggest bang for your caloric buck from your carbs. One three-inch bagel won’t keep you very full for very long after having eaten it. Conversely, you can eat an entire sweet potato for the same calories, more fiber, and better micronutrient profile.
Third, stay away from dried or processed items. One hundred calories of raisins are less than a quarter of a cup, while one hundred calories of grapes are nearly one full cup. That cup of grapes will help you feel full, while I don’t think the raisins will cut it for long!
The moral of the story? Think carefully about your food choices before you eat when you are in a diet phase. The more volume your foods have, the less hungry you will feel and the more successful you are likely to be while dieting.