Pros and Cons of Volume Eating

 

Hey hey beautiful human!

If you have been on social media lately, you have probably seen the giant bowls, the huge salads, the low calorie snack plates, and the “look how much food you can eat for 300 calories” videos. And at first, it sounds like the perfect solution. You get a full plate. You feel like you are eating a lot. You stay within your goals. So of course it feels like the smarter way to lose fat without feeling miserable.

But girl, a bigger plate does not automatically mean a better approach.

That is the part we need to talk about. Volume eating can be such a helpful tool, but if the goal becomes “how much food can I eat for the fewest calories,” you can end up chasing fullness without actually learning how to fuel your body.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I’m breaking down the pros and cons of volume eating, where it can support your goals, where it can start to backfire, and how to use it in a way that helps you feel satisfied without missing the nutrition your body needs.

What’s Discussed:

  • What volume eating actually is and why it sounds so appealing

  • The part of volume eating that social media tends to leave out

  • Why chasing the lowest calorie option can make your meals feel satisfying but still incomplete

  • How volume eating can affect protein, nutrients, hunger cues, and real life eating

  • Why volume eating works best as a tool, not your full nutrition strategy

  • How to pair volume eating with a macro framework so your meals support your goals

Macro Counting Made Simple helps you understand what your body actually needs so you can stop building meals around the lowest calorie option and start building meals that keep you full, fueled, and on track. Once you know your protein, carbs, and fats, volume eating can become a helpful tool instead of something you are relying on to do all the work. Head to www.macrocountingmadesimple.com to get started.

If you loved this episode, you’ll also love Episode 466: What To Do When You Are Still Hungry After Hitting Your Macros. It is the perfect next listen if you are trying to manage hunger while staying consistent with your nutrition.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

Transcript

(0:00) Hey, hey beautiful human. Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you (0:06) but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter.

(0:13) I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self. (0:19) Stay tuned if you're ready to Embrace Your Real. Let's get it, let's go! (0:34) Hello and welcome back to another bonus episode on the Embrace Your Real podcast.

So grateful that you're here with me today. (0:40) Okay, so we are talking about something that has been all over social media lately and I've been getting so many questions about it in my DMs (0:47) and just overall in my Moom with Julie community especially and that's a volume meeting. (0:51) It's like this huge trend right now on TikTok but I want to give you kind of the full picture today because like most things that go viral in the health and fitness space, (0:59) there's this version of this that is genuinely helpful and then a version of this that is quietly working against you and most women have no idea which one they're doing.

(1:08) So consider this your volume eating handbook. By the time we're done with today's bonus episode, you're hopefully going to know exactly what volume eating is, (1:17) how it can actually help you, and then where it can hold you back, and how to use it in a way that actually supports your goals instead of sabotaging them. (1:24) Before we dive in though, I want to share this review.

I love these messages and I never want to stop acknowledging all of the time and effort that you guys put into sending the reviews in. (1:34) So thank you, thank you, thank you. Alright, she gave a five star review and said great podcast.

(1:38) I stumbled onto this podcast after hearing Julie talk about reverse dieting with Shailene Johnson. (1:44) Wow, that's amazing. That was like a few years ago and I've really been enjoying it so much.

(1:48) I have been working on repairing my relationship with food and I have been eating in a severe caloric deficit for a long time, followed by binge eating and then gaining the weight back. (1:57) I'm finally starting to eat more and accept the way that I am. I've also subscribed to the movement with Julie app and I love it.

(2:03) I feel so strong and empowered and it's great to have a template to follow as well. Thanks and keep the valuable advice coming. (2:09) I'm so grateful.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day. Yeah, that conversation with Shailene Johnson on reverse dieting, I believe was like four or five years ago. (2:16) So grateful that you found it and that you were able to come over here and listen to more episodes and then also just get into the movement with Julie community.

(2:25) I love hearing where you guys find the, whether it's the podcast or the app, I love hearing where you guys find it. (2:31) So thank you, thank you, thank you for taking time out of your day to send that in. And also, yes, if you guys have heard the term reverse dieting, just do a quick search and do like Embrace Your Real reverse dieting.

(2:41) I have tons of episodes on it and I really think that that will be so transformative for you as well. So highly recommend that. But thank you again for taking time out of your day to send in that review.

(2:51) Okay, let's get into it. So first, let me quickly explain what volume eating actually is for anyone who's newer to this concept. (2:58) The idea is pretty simple, but you basically just fill your plate with foods that are large in quantity, but lower in calories.

(3:04) So I want you to think like leafy greens, cucumbers, zucchini, broth base soups or air popped popcorn, watermelon foods that are just naturally high in fiber and water content. (3:15) And because of that fiber and water, they take up a lot of physical space in your stomach without contributing to a lot of calories in your day. (3:22) Like you get a full plate, you feel satisfied and you stay within your targets.

That's kind of the whole idea. And on its surface, it sounds amazing, right? (3:29) Like more food, fewer calories, feel full. I get why it's really taken off the way that it has.

But like most things that get simplified and packaged for social media, a lot of really important nuance gets left out of the conversation in my opinion. (3:42) And that missing nuance is exactly what we're going to be talking about today. So let's go through the pros first and then the cons.

(3:48) And then I'm going to tell you exactly how to use it in the right way. So let's first dive into the pros. (3:53) So the biggest and most obvious win is obviously hunger management.

And this one's real. Like if you're eating in a caloric deficit and you are constantly just right knuckling it through every afternoon because you're starving, adding volume to your meals can make a genuine difference. (4:07) A huge salad with lean protein, light dressing that keeps you physically full in a way that a tiny portion of something more calorie dense just does not.

(4:15) And when hunger is the thing standing between you and your results, that matters. (4:19) There's also like really kind of a psychological thing about full plates. Like when you sit down to eat and your bowl looks satisfying and substantial, you're less likely to finish and immediately start scanning the kitchen for something else.

(4:33) That mental satisfaction is real and that does count, especially during a fat loss phase when your brain's kind of already primed to go looking for more food. (4:42) And for more women who genuinely struggle to feel satisfied after meals, who finish eating and still feel like something is missing, volume eating can be really helpful and it can be a tool that really closes the gap without going over their targets. (4:55) So yes, when it's used in the right context, it absolutely delivers in my opinion, but there are definitely some cons.

So I want to go into that next. (5:03) The first issue being protein. When your plate is already enormous and it feels full and satisfying, it's very, very easy to under eat on protein without even realizing it.

(5:14) Like you've had one giant bowl of vegetables and rice cakes and cucumbers and you feel full, right? (5:20) But you maybe have only hit 60 grams of protein that day when your target's 130. (5:24) And protein is the thing that actually preserves your muscle, like keeps your metabolism working for you and keeps that hunger genuinely stable over time. (5:32) So if you are volume eating, but you're not hitting your protein, you're going to hit a wall every single time.

(5:38) So before volume eating, I want you to make sure that you're hitting those protein goals first. (5:42) The second issue is that volume eating done without intention can really crowd out more nutrient dense food. (5:50) So when the goal becomes filling your plate as much as possible on the fewest amount of calories, you start optimizing for volume over actual nutrition.

(5:57) And those are not always the same thing, like a plate of full of cucumber and lettuce might be huge. (6:03) It might be low in calorie, but it's not giving your body what it needs to perform, recover and just overall feel good. (6:09) And when you are giving yourself the nutrients that you need, you're just still going to feel hungry.

(6:14) And the third issue is one that sneaks up on you over time. (6:17) If you spend months only feeling satisfied when your portions are enormous, you can actually start to lose the ability to feel full from a normal sized meal. (6:25) Like you accidentally train your hunger signals to need a certain volume of food before they register as satisfied.

(6:32) And that can make eating in social situations like restaurants or just in real life feel really difficult. (6:37) And last but not least, the fourth issue, and this is the one that's most important to me, is that volume eating does not actually teach you anything about your nutrition. (6:46) It does not tell you if you're hitting your protein, does not tell you if you're hitting your carbs or your fats, if they're balanced.

(6:52) It does not give you kind of a framework for understanding what your body actually needs. (6:58) It is a hunger management tool, yes, but it's not a nutrition strategy. (7:02) And if it's the only tool that you have, you're likely going to hit a ceiling.

(7:07) So how do you use volume eating as a tool that is actually productive for nourishing your body? (7:12) Because here's the thing, volume eating is not inherently good or bad. (7:16) It's just a tool, right? (7:17) And just like any tool, it works really well when you know what you're using it for. (7:21) And when you understand what it cannot do for you.

(7:24) Volume eating works beautifully when it's layered inside of a macro framework, when you already know what your protein target is, (7:30) what your carbs and fats need to look like, and roughly kind of what a full day of eating needs to include. (7:35) Then adding that high volume, low calorie food to kind of fill in the gaps is genuinely smart. (7:40) You are using it to manage hunger without sacrificing the nutrition that actually drives your results.

(7:46) That, in my opinion, is the sweet spot. (7:48) But if volume eating is your whole strategy, (7:50) if you're just piling your plate as high as possible with the lowest calorie foods that you can find and calling it a day, (7:56) you're missing the foundation that actually can make it work. (8:00) And that foundation is exactly what MacroKenny Made Simple is built to give you.

(8:04) It gives you a real understanding of what your body needs, how to hit your protein, (8:08) how to build meals that are both satisfying and actually supportive of your goals. (8:12) And once that foundation is in place, you can absolutely use volume eating inside of it (8:18) as a tool that genuinely serves you. (8:20) So if you want to learn more, you can go to MacroKennyMadeSimple.com or just click the link in the show notes.

(8:25) But I hope that that was helpful for you. (8:27) I want to do a quick recap of what we covered today. (8:29) So volume eating is really the practice of filling your plate with that high fiber, high water content food (8:35) that are lower in calories so that you can feel fuller while staying within your targets.

(8:40) When used in the right context, I genuinely believe that it's very helpful for helping to manage hunger during a fat loss phase. (8:47) The pros is that it's going to help with that hunger management, making it feel more sustainable and more satisfying, (8:53) both physically and psychologically. (8:56) And that can help women who struggle to feel full after eating.

(8:59) There are cons. (9:00) It can make it feel really easy to under eat on protein. (9:03) It can crowd out kind of more nutrient dense foods.

(9:06) And it can train your hunger signals to need this enormous portion to feel satisfied over time. (9:12) And it does not give you really a real understanding of how nutrition is on its own. (9:17) It can be, again, a great tool in relation to learning how to properly fill your body.

(9:22) But the right way, in my opinion, to use it is layer it inside of that macro framework. (9:27) Use it as a tool to fill the gaps and manage hunger, not as your entire nutrition strategy. (9:32) Volume eating alone will only take you so far, but volume eating inside of a solid macro framework, (9:38) in my opinion, that's where it actually becomes very, very powerful.

(9:43) If you want to go deeper on really managing hunger while hitting your targets, (9:46) I think you will love episode 466, which is all about what to do if you're still hungry after hitting your macros. (9:53) I will link that in the show notes so that you can easily go check that out. (9:56) And before I let you go, if this episode was helpful, (9:58) would you just share it with a friend who has maybe been trying volume eating (10:01) or wondering why she's not seeing the results that she's expected? (10:05) Maybe you guys have been talking about this or maybe you even sent a reel or TikTok or something (10:09) talking about this volume eating to her and then you hear this episode.

(10:13) Hopefully it helps you or her or someone. (10:17) Also, if you have not already left her review, I would so appreciate it. (10:20) It really does help the podcast reach more women who need these messages (10:24) and I personally read every single one of them.

(10:26) So thank you in advance for doing that. (10:28) All right, that is all that I have for today's bonus episode. (10:30) I love you so much.

I'm meaning I'll talk to you in the next one. (10:43) All right, sister, that's all I got for you today. (10:46) But I have two things that I need you to do.

(10:49) First thing, if you are not already following me on the Gram, (10:52) be sure to do so. Julie A. Ledbetter. (10:54) Yes, it's with an A in the middle.

(10:56) For that daily post-workout reel talk, (10:59) healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. (11:03) The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. (11:09) Thank you so much for joining me.

(11:11) It means the absolute world and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. (11:15) The most beautiful women that I have met in my life (11:18) are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. (11:25) Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface.

(11:28) So go out there and embrace your reel because you're worth it.

 
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