Eat more to lose weight!
Yes, that’s correct! You have to eat more to lose weight…Typically when we think of losing weight we need to reduce the volume we eat, however that couldn’t be further from the truth – Stay with me… Let me explain!
One of the biggest issues we face when trying to reduce our food consumption is hunger. Think about it, if you get hungry (and we all get hungry…) You’re more likely to overeat or choose something convenient to fix it and when we choose convenient foods, they are often really high in calories and not filling at all.
This is where the theory of ‘Volume Eating’ comes into play. Eating consistently throughout the day made up of high protein, high fibre wholesome foods will have you feeling fuller and more satisfied. This may even mean twice the volume of food is consumed with added salad or vegetables, but the calorie content might be the same as a chocolate bar or some rice snacks.
One of the biggest pieces of feedback we receive when we put together a meal plan is; “That’s too much food for me – I won’t lose weight’. But the reality is… nearly everyone loses weight following this method! The idea of this is - If you eat a greater volume of lower calorie nutritious foods, you will have little room left or desire to eat high calorie convenient snack foods.
3 hot tips to get you eating more – to lose weight!
1) Ensure breakfast has a good source of protein – Examples could include yoghurt, eggs, high protein cereal with milk, overnight oats soaked in skim milk or high protein almond milk with ½ scoop whey protein powder and fruit mixed in.
2) When cooking a ‘wet dish’ such as a curry or spaghetti bolognaise, Add 2 x cups cooked non-starchy vegetables (Broccoli, cauli, green beans, zucchini) to the bottom of the bowl and add a tong or small scoop of pasta or rice with the mince and sauce or curry to the top. You will have a really large bowl, but it is mostly vegetables.
3) Include a high protein snack at afternoon tea; think tuna and crackers or high protein yoghurt and fruit. This prevents the dreaded opening of the cupboard and fridge when you get home from work and eating everything in sight!
The bottom line is… Don’t be afraid to include more good wholesome foods into your diet, because it will ultimately leave you no room to consume higher calorie snacks.
Our Health Management Dietitians offer specialised support with meal plans and psychology behind changing our eating behaviours. With dedicated Dietitians in Atherton, Mareeba, and Cairns all available to offer personalised support through in-person or online nutrition consultations.