Emma Miller
You need to abandon the “more food – more calories” system. Losing weight by eating more food is like winning the weight loss lottery – it sounds too good to be true. But if you look at the calorie content of the foods you eat, chances are you can cut back on calories completely, but still add more bulk to your meals.
After all, who doesn’t want more for their money?
Replacing some of the high-calorie foods in your diet with foods that are lower in calories but higher in nutrients can help you maintain your calorie deficit while preventing hunger pangs. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
What is bulk food?
To understand how eating more food can actually help you lose weight, you need to ditch the “more food – more calories” system and start thinking about the quality of the food you eat.
Once you get that down, bulk eating is pretty straightforward: replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods and eat more of the latter,” says Shana Gyaramillo, a nutritionist.
“Bulk eating is not really a diet or a regimen, but rather a technique. Simply put, this technique involves strategically packing your meals with lots of low-calorie foods. As a result, you feel full while cutting calories.
Vegetables
The easiest way to eat more food with fewer calories is to fill your meals with lots of vegetables. Leafy greens have a higher ratio of water and fiber to total calories, so you can eat several cups every day with little to no calories added to your diet.
For example, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a cup of arugula contains less than 20 calories but can add a significant amount of bulk to your plate while helping you feel full. Other leafy greens:
- Kale: 7 calories per cup
- Spinach: 7 calories per cup
- Romaine lettuce: 7 calories per cup
- Cabbage: 22 calories per cup
Whole grains
According to Jaramillo, replacing refined grains (such as white bread) with healthier whole grains can also increase the volume of food. Not only do whole grains contain more fiber, but they also contain more nutrients, such as fiber, iron, and magnesium. Here are some whole-grain options to consider:
- Whole grain oats: 150 calories per half cup
- Brown rice: 150 calories per half cup
- Millet: 207 calories per cup
- Barley: 170 calories per quarter cup
Lean protein
Leaner protein foods also typically have fewer calories than higher-fat proteins and can be eaten in large quantities. Swap out red meat and full-fat dairy for some of these options:
- Chicken breast: 165 calories per serving
- Salmon: 232 calories per serving
- Low-fat yogurt: 129 calories per cup
- Cheese: 110 calories per cup
- Minced turkey: 160 calories per half cup
How to bulk nutrition helps you lose weight
Replacing low-volume foods with higher-volume foods usually means that you will be eating a more satisfying diet with fewer calories, which ultimately helps you lose weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit (when you burn more calories than you consume).
However, calorie-restricted diets can be difficult because they can make you feel hungry. If you eat more, you will be more satiated and it will be easier for you to stick to the diet.
According to Jaramillo, bulk foods can also increase the overall nutritional value of your meals. High-volume foods, such as leafy greens and whole grains, are generally more nutritious than low-volume alternatives such as processed foods (think: granola bars, cookies, chips).
According to Jaramillo, one of the key nutrients you get with higher-volume foods is fiber. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in October 2019, fiber not only increases your feeling of fullness after a meal (or helps you feel full) but also helps with weight loss and dieting.
Observing the effects of different diets on 345 people, researchers found that fiber is the most reliable indicator of weight loss.
Should I take into account bulk nutrition?
Given that bulk eating is not a step-by-step diet or regimen, you can use this technique whenever you want to add satiety density to your meals. But if you often reach for the snack cabinet, choosing foods with a lot of volumes is a great way to cut calories and promote weight loss. According to Jaramillo, because this eating pattern emphasizes whole foods with high nutrient content, almost anyone can benefit from focusing on the volume and quality of food.
However, bulk eating requires some planning and can be challenging for people with busy schedules or strict physical activity regimens,” says Jaramillo. If you like muesli on the go, bulk eating will require you to pay more attention to food preparation than you normally do to your meals.
As Jaramillo warns, when you start introducing a more abundant diet, you may experience some initial gastrointestinal upset. If you don’t typically consume a lot of fiber, you should try these fiber-rich foods again.
Although it takes more effort to prepare your meals, eating more bulky foods like vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can not only help you stay in a calorie deficit more easily, but also provide your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs. Unleash your creative side and experiment to add more volume to your meals.
