The Best Foods to Help You Lose Weight & Avoid Hunger In a Calorie Deficit
Are there magic foods that melt fat off of your body?
Are there magic foods that melt fat off of your body?
We wish.
But if you ask anyone who’s gotten lean…
We’re talking sub 10% for dudes and sub 16% for ladies…
There were a lot of foods they all ate in common.
Spoiler alert: It wasn’t keto cookies or diet ice cream that makes your stomach rumble.
They ate a lot of real food that came out of or walked on the earth.
These foods have many things in common:
They are more accurate to measure
They have more nutritional value than their processed counterparts
They are harder to accidentally eat too much of
They are unprocessed, or minimally processed
They are nutrient dense
They have fewer calories
Food to Add to Your Shopping List That Make Getting Lean Easier
Don’t be fooled by “diet foods”…
you know the keto brownies, sweet potato chips, power smoothies, energy balls, and the like.
While the labels make you think they are healthy, they often have manipulated nutritional facts and are pumped with sugar alcohol, and fiber to make them look lower in calories. They are also often ultra-processed and lacking in nutrients. They also may leave you hungry much sooner if not instantly!
If you are trying to lose weight, and are currently in a calorie deficit, we’ve created the following list to help you along your way. These foods help to satiate you between meals or snacks. In other words, they can help with hunger.
Remember, hunger is part of being in a calorie deficit.
Being somewhat hungry during the day lets you know that you are burning fat. As you start to decrease your calories, watch out for false hunger cues.
These can be habit eating (eating at the same time of day whether you are hungry at that time or not), sensory eating (seeing or smelling food), and/or peer pressure eating (digging into the bowl of chips at the lunch table even if you didn’t order them or want them).
While being somewhat hungry is ok, if you are constantly starving, then your calorie goal is probably set too low.
Setting your calories
We have a free calculator that will help you set a realistic calorie deficit that you can stick with.
In general, we recommend around a .5 lb of weight loss per week as a sustainable goal. This of course depends on your current body weight and goals so check out the calculator above to see what is right for you.
Foods That Help With Hunger In a Calorie Deficit
APPLES
A high-volume, low-calorie fruit.
They have lots of fiber and water.
~100 calories for a medium apple.
WATERMELON, RASPBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES
Tons of volume and fiber for few calories.
Eat a whole bowl for only 150 calories.
PRO TIP: Save money by buying frozen berries, they have the same nutritional value.
OATMEAL
High volume, high fiber, low calorie.
Swap your bagel for oats, and stay fuller longer.
👀 Watch for added sugar
PRO TIP: Add kosher salt & cinnamon for a flavor kick.
BIG DILL PICKLES
AKA: Truck Pickles
A lot of food for few calories.
Less than 20 calories each, so have two
PRO TIP: Buy the big boy jar
LOW-FAT YOGURT & COTTAGE CHEESE
These are both filling, and a great source of protein.
👀 Watch for yogurt with added sugar.
Shoot for ~100 calories per serving.
CARBONATED WATER
All fizz and flavor, for no calories.
Fills up your stomach.
GUM & MINTS
Look for sugar-free options.
Little to no calories.
Keeps your mouth busy, your brain busy, and your hunger satisfied if even just for a short while.
Free E-Book
If you are on a mission to eat minimally processed foods that are nutrient-dense, our free Grocery & Meal Prep Guide is here to help!
This free guide will also teach you how much of each to eat, and how to prep easy meals with the ingredients.
As always, reach out if you have any questions or if you want to talk about what it looks like to work with a nutrition coach you can apply here.
All our best,
Jonathan & Blakley