**NOTE: This post is part of the Low-Calorie Diet Introduction Series.  This series is designed to give dieters a basic understanding of the principals of a low-calorie diet and to help answer any basic questions a beginner might have.  This series lays the foundation and provides some basic information to jump right in and start losing fat with your next meal.

One of the biggest dieting obstacles is finding low calorie foods that will satisfy your hunger.  It’s hard to be successful on a diet long term when you constantly feel hungry.  Luckily there are certain foods out there that are low calorie and will help you feel fuller longer. This will stop you from overeating and make it a lot easier to take in less calories  in a day than you burn, which is how you lose weight.

First of all, the foods you want to avoid are “calorie dense” foods.  Examples would be chips, crackers, cookies, etc.  It’s easy to consume a large portion of calories from these foods and they don’t provide much, if any nutrients.  These are good foods to avoid for health reasons just as much as weight loss reasons.

So what are some low-calorie foods that will fill you up?

Water-Rich Foods
Foods rich in water will add weight and volume without adding calories.  These include fruits, vegetables and soups.  Try incorporating more of these foods into your daily diet and eat them at the beginning of the meal to take the edge off your hunger.

Fiber up
Foods high in fiber should be a staple in any healthy diet.  Besides the many health benefits, fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer by slowing gastric emptying, thus keeping foods in your stomach longer. 

Fruit
Fruit is a great source of nutrients, can satisfy even the sweetest tooth and is a low-calorie food that will fill you up.  The fructose in fruit refills liver glycogen leaving you feeling less hungry.

Protein
Make sure you’re getting enough protein rich foods in your diet.  A 4oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast only has 100 calories but packs a whopping 23 grams of protein.  Studies show that protein will leave you feeling fuller in the short term longer than either fat or carbs.

Adding these types of low-calorie foods to your daily diet will not only help fill you up and help you lose weight, but will also have a positive impact on your health. 

How many calories should I eat to lose weight? – Previous   |   Next - Are there any dangers with a low-calorie diet?

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