[Katie Franklin]

I am doing a combo of volumetrics and calorie counting. I was just wondering if anyone has tried the volumetrics plan and how it worked for them

[mandalinn82]

I think of my plan as "volumetrics-like", even though I never read the book or anything. I think most calorie-counters gravitate toward volumetric-type plans, just to get the most for their calorie budget. And it did work for me! I don't think I would have been nearly as satisfied had I not focused on getting lots of volume.

[iaradajnos]

I read the Volumetrics book this past Dec 08. I "officially" kicked off my weight loss on Jan 20 (inaugeration day) and have lost 25 pounds. I had originally planned to reach a goal weight of highest of my healthy weight listed for my BMI. Now, I'm so close to that goal (about five or six pounds and three weeks to go) that I'm now trying for mid-BMI. I'll get near to that by my family vacation time in late August.

I continue to rave about volumetrics as it has taught me so much. I'm not on a diet as much as having completely changed my diet to one that's healthy. I know that I'm eating and living the way I'll need to for life--i.e., maintenance. I can't be on a "diet" then go back to my old ways. This new way is really how I'm going to live from now on.

In my planning process for weight loss, I figured that I'll be on a "restricted calorie and focused exercise plan" for about six months (give or take), rest six months, then restrict calories again to get back on track, rest six months, adjust again. I figure that I'm on a four year plan of adjusting a swinging pendulum because I'm completely changing my way of life. This will take time, patience, humor, planning, and dedication.

So, with volumetrics, I'm finding that this basic philosophy of focusing on vegetables and fruit with whole grains and legumes is now my own basic philosophy. Luckily, this matches with my husband's Asian culture and our elementary-aged boys preferences, too. I'm Janie Come Lately.

[Les]

I started 12 day's ago and lost 8.8 pounds.
It works just fine for me.

Still reading up in the book, so not an expert, but even with the little knowledge I have it is going down

[ollyha]

Yes, I do volumetrics, in combo with Jenny Craig. As I slowly transition to more meals on my own, I will continue to incorporate the volumetrics approach. I think it helps TREMENDOUSLY. I have read the book and am ready to try some of the recipies. I helps me to stay onmy diet because I just rarely get hungry on it. I feel full, but not stuffed. And it is easier to stay in my calorie range and not feel deprived while I am on it. I highly recommend it.

[echothat]

I have been following the volumetric plan for five weeks. So far, I've lost 12 pounds with no hassle. I keep all of my meals at a 1:1 gram to calorie ratio as close as I can. About 1600 calories daily over four meals. Lots of water rich fruit and green veggies. Bought a good digital scale also to help with measuring portion sizes. Everything that I eat is based on hundred gram serving sizes. You can get a lot of veggies for 100 grams. I ate healthy anyway, but this really forces me to think about some things. I now weigh three pounds less than I did when I graduated from high school almost 30 years ago.

[kaplods]

I don't "do" Volumetrics, I follow a lower carb exchange plan, but reading it definitely has influenced the foods that I choose to fufill my exchange plan.

For example, I love "bulking food" up with vegetables - whether it's eating mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes I do add a little bit of mashed potato flakes for a more potato like flavor, but more than a cup of mashed cauliflower/potato has fewer calories than 1/2 cup of regular mashed potatoes.

Every time I make a stir-fry, I make add twice as much veggies as I used to.

I make a lot of veggie soups and stews... all sorts of ways to get more food for the calorie.

[iaradajnos]

I really committed to volumetrics two years ago when I followed the plan in the book for about eight months to lose about 35 pounds. It really changed my mind about veggies, frequent meals, and balancing foods. I'm again looking to lose weight--some that added on but also trying to get to a new lower goal. I count calories (about 300-340 cal meals with 100 cal snacks). I have had a plateau for a few weeks, which I think I've figured out. I was leaving way too long of a gap between meals while also exercising (outdoors biking) a lot. I never left a large gap before (I had a 1300 cal/day plan in '09). Now I'm trying to have about a 1500 or less cal/day but keep eating every two hours. We'll see if I can bust out of the plateau.

[gailr42]

I know this is an old thread...

I personally haven't been too successful at any diet - LOL! However, I read the Volumetrics Book a few years ago. I started eating more water dense foods which includes lots of lettuce and veggies. My husband also started eating gigantic salads and HE lost weight and has kept it off. The gigantic salad every day is the only thing he changed in his diet. I was worried that he might be sick back at the beginning, but apparently not. He kept right on eating his salad even after I got to the point where I couldn't face another veggie...hence, I am back here again, and DH is thin. He really didn't need to lose much weight.

[AnnRue]

Yes, not this exact plan but...

I went to a diet plan that uses the same idea (they do have their own special foods). I lost weight fast, sustained, and healthy. I was rarely hungry and for the first time in my entire life... I made goal. Also, for the first time in my entire life, I have NOT regained on maintenance.

It really turned my head around. I got into the absolute wrong advice for me and I had been on many diet plans struggling on high calorie, low volume foods. And on those foods, I was hungry, miserable and barely lost at all. 2 years to lose 48 lbs. Compare to 6-8 months to lose 60 on a high volume -- low calorie diet.

I now have very different foods in my cubbard.
- Soup
- Veggies
- lite popcorn
- oatmeal
- low calorie bread (which I use sparingly)
- potatos

In fact, I kind of suspect, but have no evidence, that my metabolism is running at a higher rate because of two things -- the water in my food, and the fact that maybe my stomach feels full and thus my body thinks it is getting a lot of food.