Nutrition

Feeling Fuller With Fewer Calories

July 13, 2009
By J White

Losing weight requires you to burn more calories than you take in. However, feeling full while eating less of the types of foods that led to you being overweight is not easy. Instead you need to start to consume foods that will enable you to feel fuller with fewer calories. Without this, sticking to a long-term diet will be next to impossible.

Luckily, there is a component in certain foods that can help you accomplish this. Moreover, this component will make it easier for you to reach satiety faster, plus it will also help you to feel that you are not depriving yourself.

So what is this component that will help you to feel fuller without adding extra calories? This component is fiber, and according to the USDA, it is a nutrient that far too many of us do not get enough of in our diet.

Fiber Rich Foods

Any food that has lots of fiber will help you to feel fuller faster. This is because this component absorbs water and expands in your stomach. If you have ever eaten oatmeal, which has several grams of fiber, then you have no doubt noticed how it expands once you add water or any liquid to it.

Other fiber rich foods include just about any type of beans, including black beans, lentils, split peas, and lima beans. Whole grains and wheat are also a great source of fiber. Besides breads, you can buy whole wheat spaghetti, noodles, and lasagna too.

As for fruits, any fruit in which the skin is still attached can supply you with an ample amount of fiber, including apples, pears, and peaches. Raspberries, blueberries, and dried figs also pack a nice amount of fiber.

And of course there are the vegetables. Celery, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, and a host of other vegetables have lots of fiber. These nutritious items can be abundantly eaten while adding only a small amount of calories to your diet.

In short, to feel fuller with fewer calories, eat more fiber rich foods. The extra bulk it adds to your meal will allow you to feel the satisfaction you desire in a meal, while still limiting the calories of the food that you eat.

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