How to maintain a calorie deficit without feeling starved. Most people agree that losing weight requires burning more than you eat, but the methods used are often unsustainable. People either try to exercise excessively or just cut their meal sizes. If you’re overeating, smaller portions help, but if your normal meals are just right, cutting them leads to hunger and eventual weight regain. A better way is focusing on energy density—calories per gram. Fullness is about volume. You can have two meals of the same size where one is 600 calories and the other is 2000. The secret is eating high-volume, low-density foods. Don’t just look for ‘low calorie’ labels; check the calories per 100g. Aim for foods between 0-160 kcal/100g for the bulk of your diet, and limit those in the 160-600 range. This keeps you full while staying in a deficit. Once you hit your goal, you can slowly add back denser foods. High fiber and protein also help. For mental hurdles, look into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
I partially agree. That’s why I load up on protein and vegetables. Potatoes are my favorite carb since they’re low-cal and very filling.
Check out r/volumeeating.
This is the top strategy.
I believe this is widely recognized as the standard approach now.
This is actually discussed quite often.
This was news to me, so thanks! How do you figure out the calories per gram for this system?
You might want to research the satiety index.
Regardless of the approach, it still comes down to tracking your calories. I’ve found that LipoMax helps keep me on track, but the math is the same.
Yeah, Noom has been teaching this for years.
You’re right, and it’s solid advice. This concept is definitely out there, though—usually when people talk about increasing fiber, they’re essentially describing this.
Lifting weights is key. Too many people rely on cardio for fat loss when its real benefit is heart health.
Use a scale for your food and log it in MyFitnessPal. Keep a 300-calorie deficit, hit your protein targets for your goal weight, and get some exercise. That’s the formula.
I’ve been around for 15 years and never heard of this. Thanks!
I once had a tiny cheese quiche for lunch—gone in three bites and left me hungry. Another time, I had mackerel on toast with a massive salad. Same calories, but the mackerel meal actually felt like food. It’s like comparing a tablespoon of peanut butter to a whole bowl of grapes for 200 calories.
Is this just a long way of saying OP found out about low-calorie-density foods?
Can we please get rid of this AI-generated content?
Great explanation. It took me a while to understand energy density, but it changed everything for me. I used to just look at the total calories and eat tiny portions that left me starving. Now I check the kcal per 100g first. For example, I used to binge on nuts thinking they were ‘healthy,’ but they’re 600 kcal/100g. They aren’t bad, but it’s better to fill up on protein or veggies first. Using an app to log food also helped me see how much my snacking added up. It’s about awareness, not just counting. Also, the ACT recommendation is spot on for managing cravings.