The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories (Hardcover)

~ Barbara J. Rolls Ph.D. (Author)
Key Phrases: mango salsa, balsamic dressing, smashed potatoes, Energy Density, Nutritional Information Per Serving Calories, Energy Weight Calories Density (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Watch for flying pigs: here's a weight-loss plan that's sensible and simple. And for those of you who can only think of bacon when the word "pig" is mentioned, prepare to go hog wild: the Volumetrics plan is designed to let you indulge in your favorite goodies every now and then, so you're much more likely to stick to the program. Developed by a nutritionist who has worked with the National Institutes of Health, the Volumetrics plan focuses on foods that are low in "energy density." In other words, fruits, vegetables, and soups—all high in water content—are low in energy density, and therefore allowed in greater quantities. These foods tend to be more filling, so you eat less—and that's how easy weight loss can result. Author Barbara Rolls includes forms for charting one's daily food intake and weight-loss progress, as well as dozens of tempting recipes for the likes of Risotto Primavera and Chicken Fajita Pizza. After years of watching friends remove the buns from their hamburgers and banish croutons from their salads, it's nice to see common sense making a comeback. --Erica Jorgensen

Review

"Backed by the best research." (USA Today )

"Backed by the best research." -- USA Today

"The [consumer products rating guide] gave its highest honors to the 'Volumetrics Eating Plan' diet." (New York Post )

"The [consumer products rating guide] gave its highest honors to the ‘Volumetrics Eating Plan’ diet." -- New York Post

"Volumetrics could be the most popular and effective diet you have never heard of." (Newsweek )

"Volumetrics could be the most popular and effective diet you have never heard of." -- Newsweek

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 316 pages
• Publisher: Harper Collins (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060737298
• ISBN-13: 978-0060737290
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #125,172 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

165 of 166 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A life-changing approach: I lost 220 pounds!, July 4, 2005

By	Jill O'Nan - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I began following Volumetrics in April, 2001. Four years later, I have lost 220 pounds! The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan gave me everything I needed to overcome obesity: a comprehensive guide to good nutrition; a clear explanation of the science of satiety; and a host of delicious recipes to try. I have been able to stick with Volumetrics all this time because I don't feel hungry or deprived. In fact, I would say that by managing my hunger and helping me achieve a normal weight, Volumetrics has given me my life back.

This new Volumetrics book is a wonderful complement to the first one. It includes more detail on how to implement Volumetrics successfully, along with menu planners and beautiful color photographs of 125 new recipes. I've actually given The Volumetrics Eating Plan to several friends who don't need to lose weight but do like to cook. I only wish it had been available when I started my own Volumetrics eating plan four years ago (and I'm not just saying that because my testimonial appears on page 5!)

The reviewers who gave the book one and two stars, respectively, don't seem to understand the program. One reviewer complains that the book is "bad science based on a fear of dietary fat calories." In fact, Volumetrics recommends that 20-30% of daily calories come from fat. That's well within accepted guidelines, and ensures both good nutrition and good taste. I eat butter, eggs and cheese (in moderation), and I've lost weight steadily while feeling satisfied on Volumetrics.

A second reviewer complains that Volumetrics is the same as 99.99% of the diet books out there. I strongly disagree. I tried numerous diets over several decades and never understood the connection between energy density and satiety until Volumetrics explained it to me. Finding out that I could lose weight without being chronically hungry was a revelation!

I recommend Volumetrics to anyone struggling with obesity. (...)

251 of 262 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Retired, but not enough time to implement this plan!!, December 31, 2005

By	Malber Pascal "Avid Peruser" (Houghton Lake, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This plan is obviously learned and elegant. I wish it were more practical. Perhaps Dr. Rolls could come up with a distilled menu plan in the future with an eye toward saving time. I was trying to construct a shopping list based on her 3 weekly menu's (which her book could have provided from her database) and for instance the amount of ingredients for the Monday lunch menu with the portobello sandwich was staggering. The lunch menu had a secondary menu for the sandwich...16 items, and in that secondary menu was a tertiary menu for guacomole...8 items; 24 items for a sandwich!! Thats not all!! the tabbouleh menu has 11 items plus a pear for a total of 36 items spread over 4 distant and separate pages in order to make lunch! There are many other such examples. I GAVE UP! WHO HAS THE TIME? Everyone recognizes the problem families have in eating meals together with today's hectic and divisive shedules, this plan is certainly not the answer it only exacerbates the situation.
This is what happens when experts are consumed by a particular discipline acquired over decades, they go into overkill mode and think we can spend as much of our life on it as they. Diets are part of our life, not all of it. It is sad because this diet concept could be so beneficial to so many if only it was less time consuming. I'm sure that Dr. Rolls with her expertise, can devise a simple menu plan without skipping all over the book, with less exotic food items, and yet accomplish her's and our goal.

265 of 277 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Volumetrics - Have your cake and lose weight too!, March 1, 2005

By	Lee Mellott "www.SkinCareForWrinkles.com (my ... (Frederick, Maryland) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Dr. Barbara Rolls is one of the leading researchers on weight management. Through her studies she has been able to demonstrate that people can eat hundreds of calories less per day, lose weight and not feel deprived. Dr. Rolls shares her work in her new 316 page hardcover book, "The Volumetrics Eating Plan".

The secret is what Dr. Rolls calls, "volumetrics". With volumetrics you are not micromanaging your nutrients ie eating no fat or eating a high protein diet, nor are you giving up favorite foods like chocolate, bread or cheese. With volumetrics you learn to choose foods that will help you control hunger, lose weight yet not be "on a diet".

In studies Dr. Rolls conducted she discovered the foods that provide the most "bang" for your calorie buck. In her first book "The Volumetrics Weight - Control Plan" she described the science behind her research. In this book she goes further and describes how to implement these techniques in your daily life.
Dr. Rolls found in test studies that subjects could eat up to 800 calories LESS per day and not even notice the difference if they made the right choices.

You will learn how to choose the right foods that will help you lose weight without dieting and feelings of depriviation. Volumetrics involves energy density. Dr. Rolls categorizes foods according to their density. Density is based on amount of calories per gram of food. These categories range from Catergory 1 the least energy dense (green beans, celery, lettuce etc.) to Catergory 2 (olives, ketchup, rice etc.) to category 3 (raisins, hard pretzels, oil packed tuna etc.) to catergory 4 - high energy dense foods (bacon, butter, pecans etc.) If you select the lower energy dense foods most of the time and add in select portions of the high energy dense foods you will lose weight. Though it sounds complicated, Dr. Rolls explains it so thoroughly its very easy to understand and once you get the hang of it, you will know exactly what foods to choose more of and whant to choose less of.

Dr. Rolls includes a number of delicious recipes also. Her Thai Chicken Salad is perfection! Other yummy recipes include oven roasted potatoes, shrimp creole, stir fried turkey with crunchy veggies, pork chops with orange soy sauce and charlie's greek salad.

She also includes a simple walking plan that will enhance your weight loss even further. Simple ways to increase your steps. Dr.Rolls teaches you how to determine your baseline walking and work up from there. A nice bonus to the book!

The beauty of "The Volumetrics Eating Plan" is you learn how to incorporate all the foods you love like chocolate, cheese, pizza etc volumetrically so you can eat them and lose weight!
She also includes several weeks of menu plans. These are simple to understand with easy to find ingredients. One drawback is that a whole weeks worth of menus are on one page so its a bit hard to read. Other than the weekly menu plans which are squished on a page, the rest of the book is generously laid out with easy to read text and lots of full color photographs.

The one weak area in the book is the lack of success stories. Though Dr. Rolls shares a few letters she has received from clients, I would like to have seen more letters and some before and after photographs.

Overall, the book is excellent and clearly explains how you can have your cake and lose weight too!