There’s no such thing as foods that are specifically “calorie deficit foods”… however, there are foods that make calorie deficit much easier. Here’s the explanation!
Before going any further, one thing MUST be made clear.
There is no food that has the power in and of itself to make you lose weight.
You can be eating only McDonalds and Burger King AND lose weight if you are burning more calories than you are eating. (Thought you would not feel great and probably be pale.)
On the other hand, you can be eating only “healthy” foods and still be gaining weight if you are eating more calories than you are burning.
So what does “calorie deficit foods” really mean?
This blog post is all about volume eating and calorie deficit foods!
VOLUME EATING & CALORIE DEFICIT FOODS
What is volume eating?
Volume eating is the concept of eating foods that take up a lot of space in your stomach but that are very low in calories.
Basically, it’s to get your stomach looking like…
… with as little calories as possible.
Indeed, certain foods take up a different amount of space in the stomach for their respective amount of calories.
Olive oil, for example, has a very high concentration of calories. For a single tablespoon, you’re adding about 120 calories.
But do you know how much cucumber you can eat for 120 calories? Around 7.5 cups of cucumber!
This is what volume eating is all about. Finding the things that don’t have many calories to fill the stomach.
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When should you volume eat?
So in what context should you volume eat?
Or, another way of asking it is: in what situation would I want to fill my stomach for as few calories as possible?
If you thought about when one wants to lose weight, then you’d be right.
Indeed, when you’re trying to lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit. And it also suggests that you’ll have to feel some level of hunger throughout a weight-loss phase because of this.
Because volume eating takes up a lot of room in the stomach, it makes this much easier!
Indeed, your stomach stops sending hunger cues when it is full. So in a weight loss phase, you might as well fill your stomach for things that are not so high in calories to make things much easier.
This is why foods that are suitable for volume eating are called “calorie deficit foods”… it makes being in a calorie deficit a lot easier.
Some added benefits of volume eating...
While volume eating is mostly utilized for weight loss, it definitely has some other pleasant side effects:
- You’ll likely be eating a lot more fruits and veggies… and therefore more fibre!
- Similarly, volume eating foods tend to be high in antioxidants and vitamins.
- Many of the “calorie deficit foods” have a lot of water, so you’re likely to be more hydrated.
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Volume eating grocery list
Vegetables
| Vegetable | 100 grams |
|---|---|
|
Broccoli |
35 cal |
|
Celery |
8 cal |
|
Spinach |
23 cal |
|
Any lettuce |
15 cal |
|
Cauliflower |
25 cal |
|
Bell peppers |
20 cal |
|
Cucumber |
15 cal |
|
Zucchini |
15 cal |
|
Mushroom |
20 cal |
|
Asparagus |
20 cal |
Fruits
| Fruit | 100 grams |
|---|---|
|
Blueberries |
55 cal |
|
Raspberries |
55 cal |
|
Watermelon |
30 cal |
|
Honeydew melon |
35 cal |
|
Mandarin |
50 cal |
|
Plum |
45 cal |
|
Orange |
45 cal |
|
Strawberries |
33 cal |
|
Pineapple |
50 cal |
|
Papaya |
30 cal |
Proteins
| Protein | 100 grams |
|---|---|
|
Egg white |
50 cal |
|
Low-fat cottage cheese |
75 cal |
|
Cod |
82 cal |
|
Chicken breast |
160 cal |
|
Canned tuna |
160 cal |
|
Shrimp |
100 cal |
Others
| Other | 100 grams |
|---|---|
|
Popcorn* |
375 call |
|
Oatmeal |
65 cal |
|
Psyllium* |
200 cal |
|
0% Greek Yoghurt |
55 cal |
* keep in mind that you don’t usually eat 100g of these. You would eat much less per portion.
Cons of Volume Eating Foods
So we’ve settled that calorie deficit foods are great for weight loss.
HOWEVER, there are definitely some not-so-great things about it:
- Eating fibre is great. However, eating too much of it can cause bloating and other such uncomfortable feelings.
- If you don’t balance it out with calorie-rich foods and other “satisfying foods” (such as rice, meat, etc), it will eventually cause you to feel unsatisfied. It might lead you to overeat at some point.
- It might cause you to avoid fats altogether, as they have the highest concentration of calories per gram. This is not optimal as they provide a large variety of good-stuffs for our body.
