Understanding the concept of calorie density for weight loss will help you lose weight more quickly and easily. Follow these easy-to-learn concepts so that you can eat more food yet weigh less. Read on to understand how calorie density works for dropping pounds, plus we give you free PDF calorie density charts to print and use starting today.
- What is Calorie Density? – Calorie Density 101
- How Will Calorie Density Help Me Lose Weight?
- Calorie Density of Common Foods
- Calorie Density Videos by The Holy Mess
- How to Enjoy Treats, Junk Food, & Splurges and Still Lose Weight
- Use Wisdom to Enjoy All Foods During Weight Loss
- Tips for Using Calorie Density Charts & Graphs
- Answers to FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Calorie Density
- FREE Calorie Density Guide (PDF Printable)
- 7 Day Filling & Healthy Meal Plan
What is Calorie Density? – Calorie Density 101
Calorie density is the concept that every food has a certain amount of calories per pound of food.
People eat about the same amount of weight of food per day. Most people eat anywhere from 2-5 pounds of food each day.
- Reduce the calorie density of the food you eat, and you will naturally lose weight.
- Keep the weight of the food you eat the same, and you won’t feel deprived or hungry.
Eating lower calorie density foods leads to easier, faster weight loss. Eating higher calorie density foods makes weight loss harder.
Calorie density is measured in the amount of calories per pound of food, but don’t get too caught in the exact numbers. We provide you with a helpful printable guide that shows you how to apply these concepts in an easy way in real life.
Research shows that foods with a low calorie density (“Green” category foods) can be eaten to fullness without causing weight gain.
Fun tip: One way that Weight Watchers zero point foods are chosen is based on research about calorie density.
How Will Calorie Density Help Me Lose Weight?
Eating lower calorie density foods leads to easier, faster weight loss. Eating higher calorie density foods makes weight loss harder.
You can absolutely still eat foods higher in calorie density (I do!) but they need to be monitored more carefully.
There’s a saying,
“If you have a weight problem, you have a calorie density problem.”
Sara @ The Holy Mess
Reduce the calorie density of the food you eat, and you will naturally lose weight. Most people who are overweight eat a lot of highly calorie dense foods, and a small amount of lower calorie dense foods. Switch that around, and you will lose weight.
When you learn to put this principle into practice, it will almost seem magical because it works so well. This isn’t magic. It’s based on science.
Let’s dig into how to apply this in regular life and with real food, in a way that is easy and doesn’t require a bunch of fancy calculations on your part. (Tip: Download and use The Holy Mess Calorie Density Guide, below, because I’ve done the hard work for you.)
Calorie Density of Common Foods
Here is how to choose foods with lower calorie density, which makes weight loss much easier.
Examples of Low Calorie Density Foods (“Green” Category Foods)
When it comes to following calorie density concepts to drop body fat, Think Green!
Research shows that all Green category foods (yes, even potatoes, fruit, and rice!) can be eaten to satisfaction without weight gain.
Don’t stress much about foods in the Green category. Many people can eat these foods to gentle fullness without tracking them at all.
I still track these foods, but I don’t stress about it. I track “side salad without dressing” anytime I eat a salad. I never mess with tracking the lettuce, then the tomato, then the cucumber. It’s all so low in calories that it’s not a biggie. (Many of these foods are zero points for WW members anyway.)
These foods are also the basis for The Holy Mess 3 Day Diet and why it works so incredibly well for weigh loss.
Weight loss hack: I eat a bowl of roasted or grilled veggies before every meal as my appetizer. I don’t care if these veggies “match” the rest of my meal. You could also eat a salad (watch dressing for calorie density) or broth-based vegetable soup like The Holy Mess Vegetable Soup.
Foods in the Green category have a high water content, which reduces the calorie density. If you cook them in a way that lowers the water content (for example roasting chickpeas or baking potatoes into chips), you increase the calorie density.
Green category foods are also high in fiber, which most of us are lacking. People worry about getting enough protein, but almost no one in first world countries is protein deficient. Yet almost all of us are not getting enough fiber.
This is also why a Whole Foods, Plant-Based (WFPB) diet often leads to weight loss, especially when you reduce or eliminate oils. There’s nothing magical about eating plant-based. Instead, the system gives a natural calorie reduction because those foods are low in calorie density.
Check out how much of these Green foods you can have for a serving of around 200 calories. It’s a HUGE volume of food.
- Zucchini – 5 cups (3-5 whole zucchinis). Add vegetables to every meal and snack. It’s almost impossible to overeat vegetables. Here are 75+ ways to add more veggies to your diet.
- Spinach – 28 cups of fresh spinach (3 giant-sized boxes)
- Bananas – 2 small bananas. Yes, fruit has sugar but it also has fiber and nutrients. Here are over 50 recipes and ideas to add fruit for weight loss.
- Whole wheat pasta – 2 cups boiled noodles. Yep, pasta is okay to eat during weight loss, especially whole grain. Click here for more ways to add whole grains to your diet to lose weight.
- Potatoes – 1 1/2 cups boiled. Yes, eat potatoes! Here are 50 recipes for potatoes for weight loss.
- Black beans – 1 cup. Beans are considered one of the best foods for weight loss and satiety. Here are 45 bean weight loss recipes.
Which of these Green category foods could you start incorporating into your diet more regularly? Share in the comments below.
Examples of Moderate Calorie Density (Yellow) Food Servings
Yellow category foods are higher in calorie density, but many are also higher in protein which can be helpful for satiety.
Some people seem to feel full longer with more Green category foods, and others get more fullness by adding more Yellow category foods.
Test this for yourself. Breakfast can be a good place to experiment. Do you find that a bowl of oatmeal and fruit is more filling, or scrambled eggs with vegetables?
Here are servings of Yellow category foods that are 200 calories:
- Eggs – 2 ½ eggs.
- Non-fat, plain Greek yogurt – 1 ½ cups. (That’s three 5 oz containers, which is a standard-sized plastic cup.)
- Chicken breast – 1 cup, chopped.
- Whole wheat bread – 3 slices. Cooked, plain whole grains are a Green category food. When that grain is ground into flour, it is higher in calorie density and now a Yellow category food. (It’s totally okay to eat bread and enjoy it! Just remember that it’s higher in calorie density than intact whole grains.)
Which Yellow category foods do you enjoy and eat regularly? Share in the comments below.
Examples of High Calorie Density (Red) Food Servings
Now is when things with calorie density really get interesting.
What most people fail to understand is just how much higher in calorie density the Red category foods are compared to other foods.
Some of the Red category foods are 10-25 times (!!!) more calorie dense than a Green food. That’s a huge difference.
Think of calories per bite when considering the “cost” of Red category foods. A bite of spinach is 1 calorie per bite, vs. each bite of a Snickers bar is 55 calories. I can easily mow through a Snicker’s bar without giving it much thought, but that’s an incredibly high calorie density food.
Think of Red category as very rich, special foods per bite.
Some Red category foods are healthy, which is confusing for people. We are not saying that butter, nuts, and olive oil are not healthy foods. What we are saying is that they are highly dense, rich foods.
People never used to have limitless access to these foods like we do in today’s food culture.
If you glug olive oil into a pan like Rachel Ray or grab handfuls of nuts because they are heart healthy, please don’t email me and complain that your metabolism is messed up. Your metabolism is fine.
Here are examples of 200 calories of Red category foods:
- Hershey kisses – 8 kisses.
- Snickers bar – ⅔ of a bar.
- Mixed nuts – 1.2 ounces
- Oil = 1 Tablespoon
Which of the Red category foods are worth the splurge to you, and which can be traded for a food lower in calorie density? Share in the comments.
Calorie Density Videos by The Holy Mess
Watch all the videos in our Calorie Density Series:
- How to Eat More to Weigh Less: What 200 Calories Looks Like {Video #1 – Calorie Density series 🥝🍌🍊}
- Make Weight Loss Faster & Easier with Calorie Density {Video #2 – Calorie Density series 🥝🍌🍊}
- Insider Secrets: What the Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know {Video #3 – Calorie Density series 🥝🍌🍊}
- Quick Wins & Hacks for Easier Weight Loss {Video #4 – Calorie Density series 🥝🍌🍊}
How to Enjoy Treats, Junk Food, & Splurges and Still Lose Weight
I’m maintaining a 100+ pound weight loss and I eat treats, junk food, and fast food. I enjoy nuts and peanut butter almost every day, and sometimes I cook with oil.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying Red category foods as long as you fully appreciate what these foods cost you in terms of calories and satiety.
When you eat Red category foods, sit down and pay attention to them. Don’t grab a piece of candy while walking through the office or a few nuts when you go into the pantry.
These are foods I measure with measuring spoons or weigh on a food scale when possible. Portion creep is a real problem, so double check that you are being honest about how much you are eating.
Evaluate each bite of Red category foods and decide whether it’s worth it or not, because every bite is costing you in terms of calorie density. Because Red category foods don’t take up much room in your stomach, it’s very easy to overeat them without realizing it.
When you are considering eating a Red category food, ask yourself:
- Is this food really worth the splurge?
- What’s going to keep me full and satisfied?
- How can I lower the calorie density and still enjoy it?
- What Green food can I eat first?
Use Wisdom to Enjoy All Foods During Weight Loss
Use the concepts of calorie density to make your weight loss journey easier. If you are struggling to lose weight, regained weight or have hit a plateau, the first step is to figure out how to eat more Green category foods and reduce the number of Red foods.
Remember that Red is not BAD and Green is GOOD. No food is off limits. Instead, use the wisdom of calorie density to guide you.
Tips for Using Calorie Density Charts & Graphs
Here are some helpful tips for using calorie density concepts to make faster weight loss progress:
- Add more low calorie density (Green category) foods to your meals every day.
- Start each meal or snack with a Green category foods, especially vegetables.
- Keep the charts handy and refer to them often. These charts are on my fridge and I use them when choosing what to eat and meal planning. I continually look for ways to add more Green foods to my diet.
- If you hit a weight loss plateau, eat more Green category foods and fewer Red category foods.
- There is no set amount of servings you should eat from each category. Find what works for you and your goals.
- The calorie density concept does NOT imply good and bad foods. Some healthy foods are very high in calorie density. You can still eat them, but you may want to limit quantity.
Answers to FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Calorie Density
Here are answers to questions we often receive about calorie density.
No. You can enjoy all foods. Just keep in mind that more Green category foods make weight loss easier, and higher calorie density foods make weight loss harder.
No.
Olive oil is considered hearty healthy as part of the Mediterranean diet. Oils are highly calorie dense and make weight loss harder. Some doctors question the benefits of oils. (These doctors would say that olives are a whole food, olive oil is processed.)
Nuts are healthy. They are also highly calorie dense. People never used to have unlimited access to nuts the way we do now. You may want to limit them to make weight loss easier.
Weight Watchers bases the zero point food list on research about calorie density, but it is not the only factor. These high-protein items are foods most people do not overeat to the point of causing weight gain.
7 Day Filling & Healthy Meal Plan
If you want more support to get started with low calorie density food choices and recipes, check out The Holy Mess Super-Satisfied Meal Plan, which is based on the calorie density concepts.
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Rosemarie M Pilarczyk says
Followed the link to find the printable copy. None to be found. Please help!!
Sara says
Hi Rosemarie, Please email sara@theholymess.com and we can send you a copy.
Marcia McGrory says
still can not locate the pdf for the dense food chart, I finally have given up
Sara says
Awe, I’m sorry for your frustration, Marcia. I’ll email you a copy directly.
Cheryl says
Please can you email me the pdf list of foods too? Download not working!
Thanks looks great!
Jennifer says
Same. It’s not downloading. Can you please resend the email with a correct link? Thank you.
Sara says
Strange, I just clicked the blue button that says “add to cart,” and it worked for me. You can email us at sara@theholymess.com for assistance.